Ellenbrook Community Primary School

Inspection of Ellenbrook Community Primary School Longwall Avenue, Ellenbrook, Worsley, Manchester M28 7PS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 7 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. The school received an ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Act on 18 and 19 May 2023. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 2 and 3 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ellenbrook Primary School is a happy school where everyone feels welcome. Pupils are valued for their individuality. They celebrate diversity and show respect for the differences between people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes settle into school exceptionally well. Pupils behave well in class and at breaktimes. They know the clear expectations that the school has of their behaviour. Pupils follow the agreed rules and routines well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils relish opportunities to learn new things across a wide range of subjects. They achieve well in many curriculum areas. Pupils attain highly in reading, writing and mathematics. Children in the early years are incredibly well prepared for key stage 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value being able to make a positive contribution to their local community. For example, during Citizenship Week, some pupils picked litter while others helped to plant at a local garden. Pupils enjoy engaging in the wide range of after-school clubs, and they look forward to representing the school in competitions and events. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by a rich variety of trips and visits.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the school has made considerable changes to the curriculum. The school has created a suitably ambitious curriculum that typically meets the needs of pupils in the school, including those with SEND. The curriculum is well designed to make sure that new learning builds on what pupils have learned before.

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better?

Most of the time, teachers deliver the curriculum well. They introduce new learning to pupils clearly, and they make use of effective strategies to reinforce previous knowledge. However, in a couple of subjects, teachers do not teach all the important information that the school wants pupils to learn. This means that sometimes pupils do not have the knowledge that they need to access new learning.

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better?

Most of the time, teachers use assessment strategies successfully to check how well pupils are learning. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions or gaps in learning swiftly enough. From time to time, in these subjects, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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better?

Pupils with SEND are very well supported to access the school’s ambitious curriculum. This enables pupils with SEND to achieve well. The school makes sure that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that these pupils receive timely and effective support. 2 and 3 July 2024

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Children in the early years benefit from a very strong start, preparing them extremely well for the demands of key stage 1. Children in the early years display exceptional levels of commitment to their learning. Staff seize every opportunity to develop children’s language and communication skills.

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There is a strong emphasis on nurturing a love of reading in the early years and beyond. Pupils begin learning to read in the Reception class. Staff have received appropriate training to enable them to deliver the school’s phonics programme well. Pupils struggling to learn phonics are quickly identified, and effective support is put in place to ensure that they catch up quickly. Consequently, pupils rapidly become confident and fluent readers. Older pupils enjoy reading. They choose to read a wide and diverse range of books.

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Classrooms are calm, and pupils focus intently on their learning in lessons. Pupils’ behaviour is equally strong at breaktimes and lunchtimes, where they play safely and treat each other with kindness. The school has effective strategies in place to promote high levels of attendance. Pupils attend school regularly.

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Children in the early years develop the essential skills that lay the foundation for future interactions. For example, they engage in collaborative activities that encourage cooperation and empathy. Through play and structured activities, children learn the importance of taking turns, listening to others and working together to solve problems. This nurturing environment helps children to build positive relationships with their peers and fosters a sense of community and belonging.

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Pupils’ personal development is well considered. The school designs activities that broaden pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the wider world. Pupils show an awareness of the different cultures and beliefs of others. The school further enhances pupils’ learning by inviting a range of visitors to the school, for example scientists and authors from a diverse range of backgrounds.

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Governors hold high expectations for the school, and they diligently fulfil their duties. Staff reported that leaders are approachable and that the school is considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff said that some of the recent changes to the curriculum are beginning to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, staff do not teach all the information detailed in the school’s curriculum. This means that, sometimes, pupils do not gain all the knowledge that they need for future learning. The school should ensure that staff 2 and 3 July 2024

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receive the support that they need to deliver all aspects of the intended curriculum well.  On occasion, staff do not act quickly enough to address the gaps in learning or misconceptions that pupils may have. This hinders how deeply some pupils learn. The school should ensure that staff are suitably equipped to identify and remedy pupils’ gaps in knowledge swiftly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 2 and 3 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, design and technology, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 2 and 3 July 2024

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector also listened to some pupils read.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors talked with pupils in meetings and around the school at lunchtime and breaktime.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors looked at the documentation provided by the school, including self- evaluation documents, the development plan, reports to governors, minutes of

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governors’ meetings and a range of documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Collette Mather, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Joe Dryland Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 July 2024

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and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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