Buglawton Primary School

Inspection of Buglawton Primary School Buxton Old Road, Congleton, Cheshire CW12 2EL

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 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 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing and welcoming school. They form strong and positive relationships with the staff who care for them. Pupils feel listened to and valued for their individuality. They feel safe and secure. This is seen especially within the early years, where children feel confident to explore activities that support their development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well in most subjects across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are friendly and well behaved. They conduct themselves well when moving around the school. At breaktimes, pupils enjoy playing games together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and visitors that enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils in key stage 2 visit York to complement their work in history. Pupils also have access to a wide range of after-school clubs. These include crocheting, science and a variety of sports clubs. Older pupils enjoy responsibilities such as ‘safety stars’, school councillors or play leaders, all of which aim to make the school an even better place to be.

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

The school has recently refined the curriculum, including in the early years. The school has identified the specific knowledge it wants pupils to know in different subjects. Where this intended learning is clear, teachers design engaging tasks to develop pupils’ understanding. Teachers check pupils’ learning by asking questions and identifying misconceptions to help deepen pupils’ knowledge. In these subjects, pupils remember their learning well. However, a small number of subjects are at an earlier stage of development. In these subjects, there are still gaps in pupils’ prior knowledge. These gaps are a consequence of the previous curriculum, which the school is now working to resolve. Nonetheless, pupils find it difficult to recall their previous learning in these subjects, which makes it hard for them to build new knowledge on what they already know.

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

The school has a range of procedures in place to identify any pupils who may have additional needs. Those with SEND are identified quickly and suitable support means that they achieve well.

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

There is a highly effective phonics programme that ensures that children in the early years develop a strong knowledge of letters and sounds. In Year 1, pupils learn to blend these sounds quickly to read accurately. For those pupils who need additional help to keep up with the phonics curriculum, there is skilled support on hand. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly.

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

In the early years, children benefit from a well-thought-out curriculum that focuses on developing their language skills. This supports them to communicate and cooperate well with others. Children are curious learners. Although they are prepared for their next steps 12 and 13 November 2024

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in education, some of the support that they receive is inconsistent. At times, the quality of the adult interactions with children does not move their learning on as well as it could.

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The school’s new behaviour policy is setting even higher standards for pupils’ behaviour. Teachers are proactive in ensuring that there are no disruptions to learning. Pupils appreciate the fair and consistent way in which all staff manage any incidents of misbehaviour.

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Leaders are taking all reasonable steps to improve pupils’ attendance. They know individual pupils and their families well. The school has a thorough approach to ensuring that pupils attend school regularly.

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Pupils have a strong knowledge of other faiths and cultures. For example, they understand the similarities and differences in how different religions celebrate their beliefs. Pupils know what it means to treat others equally. This is informed by the school’s values. Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy. They have been provided with strategies to look after their own mental health, for example, by using Yoga techniques. Pupils learn how to maintain healthy relationships. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the quality of education at the school. They use the information that they gather, including external reports, to challenge and question school leaders appropriately. They support leaders well to bring about continuous school improvement.

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Staff appreciate the way in which the school helps them to reduce their workload. The measures taken to support teachers’ well-being ensures that teachers can remain focused on the work that they carry out with the pupils.

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Parents and carers are positive about the school. They value the approachability of staff. For example, the school has put in place a parent council where parents can share their opinions about what is going well and what they would like to see improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils find it difficult to recall their prior learning in a small number of subjects. This is because they have gaps in their knowledge from the previous curriculum. This prevents them from building on their prior learning successfully. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils’ learning are identified and addressed quickly and effectively so that pupils benefit fully from the improved curriculum offer. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 In the early years, the quality of some adult interactions is variable. This means that, at times, children’s learning and communication are not developed as well as they could be. The school should ensure that staff are equipped to help deepen children’s knowledge and improve their learning further.

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new deputy headteacher has taken up post.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is an on-site pre-school for three-year-old children. This is run by the governing body. This provision was considered as part of the inspection.

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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. 12 and 13 November 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and the arrangements for assessment in other subjects. They spoke to pupils and looked at a sample of work in these subjects.  Inspectors heard pupils read individually and as part of classroom activities.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View as well as Ofsted’s online inspection surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, at breaktimes and around the

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school. They looked at records for behaviour and bullying and spoke with pupils and staff.  Inspectors discussed the provision in place for pupils’ personal development.  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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Inspection team

Steve Bentham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Morris Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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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