Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Inspection of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Wilson Road, Blackley, Manchester M9 8BG

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Kirsty Seaborn. This school is part of the Emmaus Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Daniel Copley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Catherine Anderson.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a voluntary academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Mount Carmel RC Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as a result of conversion to academy status. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and feel happy at this wonderful school. Relationships between adults and pupils are remarkably strong and caring. Pupils are proud of their school, particularly the inclusive and harmonious environment which is welcoming to all and nurtures pupils' individual talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for pupils to succeed, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are curious and keen learners. They have a strong appetite to improve their knowledge. Pupils achieve exceptionally well. They are superbly prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. In the early years, children settle quickly into school routines and rules. Older pupils enjoy working and playing alongside younger pupils, serving as excellent role models. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils learn to be respectful, confident and articulate when expressing their thoughts and views.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the impressive and wide-ranging experiences that enrich their personal development. They take great pride in their many responsibilities, for example as science ambassadors, house captains and school councillors. A rich variety of visits and after-school activities enhances their learning across the curriculum. For example, Year 6 pupils compared their well-developed understanding of present-day equality and diversity with historic treatment of boys and girls during the Victorian era.

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

The school has developed a clear and strategic vision linked to the school’s values. It has an extensive overview of the impact that the subject curriculums have on pupils’ achievements. Trustees and governors are skilled and know the school well. They work closely with the school and provide effective support and challenge to ensure that pupils achievement is high.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum which meets the needs of the diverse school population. The curriculum carefully sets out the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn across all year groups. Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Pupils relish talking about and explaining the work that they are doing. The school builds highly positive relationships with parents and carers from the start of the children’s learning journey.

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

Staff use their strong subject knowledge and well-established strategies to enable pupils to effectively secure and recall their learning. For example, additional teaching and revisiting prior learning helps pupils to build a secure understanding of new concepts and make links across and within subjects. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding is checked before they move on to new curriculum content. Any misconceptions are addressed swiftly and successfully. This helps pupils to develop deep and rich knowledge over time. 5 and 6 November 2024

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Learning to read is a priority. Pupils develop their love of reading from the beginning of their time in the Nursery class through rhymes and songs. Staff deliver the well-ordered phonics programme effectively. They make sure that children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who are not keeping up with the programme and help them to catch up quickly. At the phonics screening check in 2024, pupils’ outcomes were in line with the national picture. Current pupils, though, have a strong and secure knowledge and understanding of the sounds that they have learned. They are able to successfully apply this knowledge to their reading. Older pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about the books that they enjoy reading.

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The school very effectively identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff check carefully that appropriate support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school. Pupils with SEND participate in all aspects of school life and achieve very well.

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Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They follow routines impeccably. Pupils are resilient when faced with challenges. They work hard during lessons. Pupils are respectful, determined and focused. The school has developed clear procedures to manage pupils’ attendance and punctuality. As a result, most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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The programme to support pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The school has thought carefully about the qualities and values that it wants to instil into pupils. It ensures that pupils develop into respectful, caring and considerate individuals, with a strong sense of moral and social purpose. Pupils value the incredibly wide range of leadership opportunities available to them. These enable them to make positive improvements to the pupils’ experience of school, such as through the school council. Pupils develop a deep understanding of healthy lifestyles and online safety. It supports pupils to be exceptionally well prepared for life beyond school.

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The school has created a culture of ambition and continuous improvement for staff and pupils alike. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the strong relationships and teamwork with their colleagues. The school considers staff’s workload to help them to fulfil their responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Website www.mountcarmel.manchester.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this school

 This school is a Roman Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Salford. The previous section 48 inspection of schools with a religious character took place in February 2020. The next section 48 inspection is expected during the 2026/27 academic year.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.

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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.

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the multi-academy trust and the local governing body. He also met with the trust’s director of primary education. The CEO was unavailable during the inspection.

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 The lead inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.

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 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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, modern foreign languages and history. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and spoke with pupils.

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 The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult. He also discussed reading with pupils from Year 5 and listened to them read.

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 Inspectors considered the curriculum in some other subjects. They met with the curriculum leaders. They also spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their work in these subjects.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school. They also observed pupils while they played outside at playtime and lunchtime.

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 Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also met with parents and carers before school.

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 Inspectors also considered the responses to the pupil and staff online surveys.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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Charlotte Oles Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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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