Adswood Primary School

Inspection of Adswood Primary School Garners Lane, Adswood, Stockport, Cheshire SK3 8PQ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good 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?

The school’s vision is built around ‘enjoy, believe, achieve’. Pupils understand that the things they learn now will help them achieve their aspirations for the future. This inspires pupils to persevere when learning new things. There is a real sense of community at Adswood Primary School. The school has built very positive relationships with pupils and their families. It has created an inclusive culture that helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. In early years, children quickly master the skills they need for future learning. They are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond. Pupils’ attainment and progress are much higher than the published data suggests. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well from their starting points. They receive high-quality support. Across the school, pupils are becoming confident learners, including those who are disadvantaged.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to successfully manage their own feelings and behaviour. They apply the school’s expectations about behaviour consistently well. Pupils rise to these expectations and treat each other with kindness and respect. Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to their learning. The school is helping pupils and families to understand the importance of attending school regularly. Pupils’ attendance is improving.

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

The school has established an ambitious curriculum that starts in early years. For example, children eagerly investigate the outdoors and examine the signs of autumn. They compare the natural objects around them with ease. Children find this learning irresistible. Across school, the curriculum is equally broad and ambitious. This ambition is realised in most subjects. Staff regularly check what pupils know and remember. While published outcomes are low, these do not reflect pupils’ current achievements. In many subjects, pupils achieve well from their individual starting points.

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

In many subjects, staff give children lots of opportunities to develop their skills from the early years. For example, in mathematics, children compare different ways to make and represent the number three. They become confident with number quickly. Throughout the school, pupils have lots of opportunities to rehearse and revisit learning. This is helping them to know and remember more over time. However, in a few subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and when this should be taught is not defined clearly enough. In these subjects, sometimes pupils struggle to connect new learning to the things that they already know.

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

The school has made sure that reading is a priority. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards reading. They spoke with enthusiasm about their favourite books and authors. In early years, children benefit from high-quality interactions with staff. Most pupils use new language confidently and quickly master phonics. Across school, the books that pupils read match the sounds that they know. Staff have the right training to enable them to teach phonics successfully from the start. Staff quickly identify pupils who are at risk of 1 and 2 October 2024

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falling behind with learning to read. The school provides effective support so that they catch up with their peers.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. If pupils have different starting points, the school makes sure that they receive effective support to learn the curriculum. This is helping pupils to develop their confidence and communication skills. Staff place no limits on what pupils can do and achieve. Pupils with SEND flourish and they achieve very well.

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The school has developed a highly ambitious life skills curriculum. This supports pupils to acquire a wide range of skills. For example, pupils write job applications and join the local library. These experiences prepare pupils very well for their future lives. Pupils spoke with maturity about issues such as healthy relationships and consent. They know how to stay safe when online and the importance of not sharing personal information.

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The school deliberately broadens pupils’ experiences by providing opportunities for them to take on leadership roles. Some pupils help others as well-being buddies. Others work as librarians helping to manage the school library. These experiences encourage pupils to become active citizens in their school community.

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Those responsible for governance are knowledgeable about the school. They check that the school is providing pupils with a curriculum that helps all pupils to achieve well. The workload and well-being of all staff is a priority. The school makes sure that staff have the support that they need to undertake their responsibilities effectively. Staff are proud to work in this very inclusive school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the important knowledge that pupils should learn is not identified clearly enough. This hinders how well teachers support pupils to connect their new learning to the things that they already know. The school should ensure that teachers are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when this content should be taught. This is so that pupils can connect and remember their new learning.

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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. 1 and 2 October 2024

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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

Website www.adswood-pri.stockport.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is an above-average-size primary school.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils in the school.

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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 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.  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 1 and 2 October 2024

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including governor meeting minutes and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the responses from Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors also met with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors met formally with staff to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Travis 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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