St Oswald's Catholic Primary School, Coppull

Inspection of St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School, Coppull Spendmore Lane, Coppull, Chorley, Lancashire PR7 5DH

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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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 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School is a friendly and caring school where pupils are safe and happy. Pupils work hard to meet the high expectations that the school has for their achievement. They benefit from many carefully planned experiences such as outdoor and adventurous activities, learning to play a musical instrument and a wide range of sporting opportunities. Children in the early years make a strong start to their education. They learn to work cooperatively and to consider the feelings of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They rise to the high expectations that staff have of them. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Those pupils who need extra help in managing their emotions receive effective support from staff who understand and care for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to contribute to the life of the school. They enjoy taking part in fundraising activities for local and international causes. Older pupils take on various responsibilities, for example as playleaders and school councillors. These experiences help to develop pupils’ understanding of what it means to contribute to the school community. They become resilient and independent young people.

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

The school has ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. The key knowledge that pupils should learn is carefully organised from the Reception class to Year 6. The curriculum is arranged so that it meets the needs of pupils in the mixed-age classes across the school. Staff appreciate the detailed information that they receive about the curriculum. This supports their workload and well-being.

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

The curriculum sets out the knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which staff should teach it. The school provides high-quality training and support that help staff to deliver the curriculum well. Mostly, teachers design appropriate and engaging activities that enable pupils to enjoy and deepen their learning over time. However, on occasion, teachers do not select the most appropriate activities to support pupils’ learning. When this happens, some pupils do not learn the key curriculum knowledge as well as they should.

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

Staff regularly check on what pupils know and remember. Staff use their strong subject knowledge to address any gaps and misconceptions that pupils may have. This prepares pupils well to move on to new learning.

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

The school has prioritised the teaching of reading. There is an exciting and varied range of books available to all pupils. These books have been carefully selected to offer a rich and diverse range of reading experiences. Throughout school, pupils read widely and regularly. They understand the importance of reading and how it will help them in later life. 24 and 25 September 2024

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The school has adopted a suitable phonics programme that enables children in the Reception class, and pupils in key stage 1, to develop their knowledge of letters and sounds effectively. All staff deliver the phonics curriculum well. This ensures that pupils become confident and fluent readers. Any pupils who are struggling to read benefit from extra sessions that help them to catch up quickly.

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The school is ambitious for pupils with SEND. It identifies their additional needs accurately. This enables teachers to give these pupils the help that they need. The school ensures that pupils with SEND build their confidence and self-esteem. These pupils are successful in learning all that they should. They participate fully in the same curriculum and wider opportunities as their peers.

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Pupils behave well in class and when moving around the school. They play happily together at breaktime and at lunchtime. Pupils are attentive during lessons, including in the Reception class. They are polite and respectful to adults and to each other. Pupils attend school regularly. The school provides effective support for the small number of pupils who need to improve their behaviour or their attendance.

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Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that support their wider development. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils know what makes a healthy relationship and how to look after their physical and mental health. Everyone is welcomed and included at St Oswald’s and pupils know that discrimination is unacceptable.

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Parents hold the school in high regard. They appreciate the family feel of school, the approachability of the staff and the wide range of opportunities available for pupils.

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Well-informed governors have a thorough knowledge of the school’s work. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school and they ensure that resources are used effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, teachers do not match learning activities sufficiently well to the knowledge that the school has identified for pupils to learn. This means that, at times, some pupils do not learn key curriculum knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers receive the training that they need to design learning activities that help pupils to learn the curriculum in sufficient depth. 24 and 25 September 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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Elizabeth Somers

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Roman Catholic school is part of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2019. The next section 48 inspection will take place by 2026.  The school does not make use of any alternative 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. 24 and 25 September 2024

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 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 and other leaders to discuss SEND, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ work, and evaluated the curriculums, in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture

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around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector held a meeting with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She spoke to representatives of the archdiocese and the local authority.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They considered responses from staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views of behaviour and bullying. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

Cleo Cunningham, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephanie Swift Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 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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