Delph Side Community Primary School

Inspection of Delph Side Community Primary School Eskdale, Tanhouse, Skelmersdale, Lancashire WN8 6ED

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Delph Side is a calm and happy place where pupils feel safe. Pupils live out the school values of ‘enjoy, embrace and evolve’. They know how these values guide and support them to make kind and respectful choices. Pupils behave consistently well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils do their best to live up to the school’s high expectations for their achievement. They make the most of the learning opportunities that the school provides for them and are eager to learn. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), both in the mainstream and in the special educational needs (SEN) unit, enjoy their learning. They achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A rich range of wider opportunities enhance and support the curriculum. These opportunities are for all pupils, including those with SEND. There is an impressive array of extra-curricular clubs and trips to support pupils’ talents and interests. These are thoughtfully planned alongside the curriculum and mean that pupils not only broaden their horizons but also further their learning. Some clubs extend to parents, who can enjoy activities alongside their children, thus enhancing the sense of community within the school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has designed a suitably broad and ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. It identifies the key knowledge, including vocabulary, and ensures that it is taught in the right order.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff use their subject knowledge well to design activities that help pupils to follow the curriculum successfully. They provide opportunities for pupils to regularly recall their prior learning, and address any misconceptions swiftly. This helps pupils to know and remember more.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has highly effective processes to identify and support pupils with additional needs. Staff ably adapt the content and delivery of the curriculum to meet these needs. Some pupils, for example those in the SEN unit, are taught a more individualised curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND, across school and within the unit, achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

From the moment children enter the early years they are supported to develop their speech and language through rhyme, story and song. Staff model the language and vocabulary they wish children to develop and use. However, across the school, not all pupils develop their spoken language as well as they could. Some pupils struggle to talk about what they know and have difficulty using the vocabulary they have been taught to explain their thinking clearly and confidently.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading sits at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils benefit from access to carefully chosen high-quality books that expand their vocabulary and challenge their understanding. They say they enjoy reading and know that it is an important skill for life. 1 and 2 October 2024

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Phonics begins as soon as children join the Reception class. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme effectively. Pupils practise reading with books that are suitably matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils who struggle to keep up with the phonics programme are given the support they need. By the end of Year 3, most pupils are fluent readers.

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The school has an extremely well-thought-through programme to support pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both online and offline. The wide range of clubs on offer, such as football, choir and forest school, reflect the interests and talents of pupils. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They are accepting of difference. Pupils enjoy a rich variety of trips aligned to the curriculum, as well as new experiences, like an aeroplane journey. These experiences prepare pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct, both in the classroom and the playground. Pupils move around school in a calm and orderly manner. Their considerate behaviour and their love of learning contribute strongly to their academic success.

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The school does everything it can to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. It closely tracks attendance and punctuality, providing support to individual families when needed. As a result, the attendance of pupils is improving.

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Governors use their considerable knowledge and expertise to support the school. They fully evaluate the quality of education the pupils receive and challenge and support the school effectively.

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Staff are extremely proud to work at this school. They value the consideration the school gives to their workload and well-being, especially in decisions about the curriculum.

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The school engages positively with its community. Parents appreciate the high-quality pastoral support it provides, not only to the pupils but their families as well. It is held in high regard by the community it serves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils struggle to use the vocabulary that they have been taught to confidently explain what they know. This means they find it difficult to explain their thinking as well as they should. The school should prioritise the development of oracy throughout the curriculum to enable pupils to talk more effectively about their learning and wider development. 1 and 2 October 2024

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Thomas Hedderick

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new chair of governors was appointed in September 2024.  The school has an eight-place SEN unit for key stage 2 pupils who have speech, language and communication difficulties.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for its pupils.  The school runs breakfast and after-school provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading and English, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, considered samples of pupils’ work and spoke to some pupils about their learning. The lead inspector listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult. Inspectors also viewed curriculum documents and samples of pupils’ work in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of the school day. This included during lessons as well as at playtime and lunchtime and at before- and after-school provision.  Inspectors considered the views expressed by parents and carers in their responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. An inspector spoke with parents as they brought their children to school at the start of the school day.  Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Pat Speed, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cath Cooke Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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