Mobberley CofE Primary School

Inspection of Mobberley C of E Primary School Church Lane, Mobberley, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 7RA

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since June 2012. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mobberley C of E Primary School sits at the heart of its village community. Pupils, including children in the early years, are happy and proud to attend this school. Each morning, pupils arrive at school pleased to see their friends. They receive a very warm welcome from staff who know them well. As a result, pupils feel well cared for, and they are ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils, including children in the Reception class, are very enthusiastic learners. They are highly attentive when listening to their teachers. Pupils want to achieve well, and they do. They benefit from the school’s high expectations and a well-thought-out curriculum. Pupils leave this school well prepared for the next stage of their education. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish from the strong pastoral support and far-reaching personal development offer that the school provides. There is an emphasis on competitive sport, and the boys’ and girls’ football teams are especially proud of their successes. There are plentiful opportunities for pupils to cultivate their wider interests and talents. For example, pupils can choose from a range of clubs, including art, choir, poetry and digital wizards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a deep understanding of the importance of equality. They grow to have a strong moral compass. Pupils embrace diversity. They ensure that everyone is accepted for who they are. Parents and carers were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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

The school is aspirational for all pupils to achieve success. To this end, it ensures that children learn to read as soon as they start in the Reception class. Children eagerly join in with story time and quickly learn the first sounds and letters that they need to know. This continues into key stage 1, where pupils become more fluent readers. The small number of pupils who find reading more difficult receive the additional support that they need so that they can catch up quickly. As pupils get older, they become accurate and expressive readers. They develop a love of reading, and they spoke enthusiastically about the types of books that they like.

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

The school ensures that pupils learn a broad and ambitious curriculum. It has thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this content should be taught from the early years to Year 6. In the main, teachers design activities that help pupils to learn well. They check regularly to see how securely pupils are acquiring important knowledge. This helps teachers to identify and remedy pupils’ misconceptions before they move on to new learning. However, from time to time, the activities that teachers design do not help some pupils to learn as deeply as they could.

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

In the early years, the school is equally ambitious for children’s learning. Skilled staff engage in high-quality interactions with children. The strong focus on extending 22 and 23 October 2024

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vocabulary helps children to quickly become articulate and confident learners. Even the youngest children settle well into school routines and become absorbed in their learning.

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There is a rigorous approach to identifying the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff are skilled at identifying pupils who would benefit from additional support. Well-trained staff work successfully with pupils with SEND to enable them to access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Staff are passionate about education beyond academic achievement. Pupils relish the many opportunities available to develop their leadership skills, for example through national initiatives. School councillors, playleaders and hall monitors all take their roles seriously. Older pupils particularly enjoy becoming a buddy to the new children in the Reception class. This helps to foster a sense of community and belonging.

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This is a village school with a global outlook. Pupils develop their understanding of the world beyond their local area through a link with a school in Nepal. Pupils are kind and caring. They are mindful of those who are less fortunate, and they regularly take part in a range of events to raise funds for charity.

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The school is calm and classrooms are purposeful. Pupils of all ages treat one another respectfully and say that all are welcome at this school. Adults are excellent role models. Pupils rise to the very high expectations that staff have of their behaviour around school. In the hall and playground, pupils maintain exceptional levels of courtesy.

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The school prioritises pupils’ attendance. For the very small number of pupils who need additional support, the school takes effective action to improve their attendance. As a result, most pupils attend very well.

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The school and those responsible for governance are committed to ensuring that all pupils benefit from a high-quality education. The knowledge and breadth of skills across the governing body help to ensure that the school is appropriately challenged and supported. Governors and the school are supportive and mindful of staff well-being. This enables staff to work in harmony with the school to ensure that its vision is achieved.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

On occasion, the activities that teachers design do not enable some pupils to learn in sufficient depth. This hinders these pupils from building as rich a body of subject knowledge across the curriculum as they could. The school should refine its curriculum thinking to ensure that there are greater opportunities for these pupils to apply their knowledge in depth. 22 and 23 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 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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 and June 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Chester. Its last section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, took place in May 2017. The next inspection is scheduled to take place in the 2024/25 academic year.  The school offers before- and after-school provision.  The school does not make use of any 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. 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. 22 and 23 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.  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 and open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, looked at a sample of pupils’ work, spoke with teachers and talked with pupils about their learning.  An inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other areas. This included talking with

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pupils and scrutinising curriculum documentation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. An inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector met with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour as they arrived at school and during lessons and breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their views of school life.  Inspectors considered the views of parents. They looked at the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. An inspector also spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered the views of staff who responded to Ofsted’s staff survey.  There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Frith Murphy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cath Cooke Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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