Grimsargh St Michael's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Grimsargh St Michael’s Church of England Primary School Preston Road, Grimsargh, Preston, Lancashire PR2 5SD

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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 Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until 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 March 2014. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. It is welcoming and friendly. One pupil’s comment, typical of others, was, ‘It feels like home.’ They say that they feel safe in school and that adults look after them well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has an ambitious curriculum. It is rich and vibrant and aims to develop a love of learning and the determination to continually improve. Pupils rise to adults’ high expectations. By the time that they leave the school, most pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are focused during lessons. Pupils enjoy active social times together. They are considerate, take turns when speaking and compliment each other’s strengths.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a range of experiences on offer to develop pupils’ character and broaden their horizons. The school’s motto, ‘Let Your Light Shine’, is central to the work of this highly inclusive and nurturing community. Pupils make a valuable difference to their school and local area, such as through their fundraising for international relief charities. They diligently carry out a range of leadership roles, such as school councillors, buddies for younger pupils and librarians.

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

The school has thought carefully about the important information and skills that pupils need. It has ordered this knowledge from the Reception Year to Year 6, so that pupils build successfully on their previous learning. New knowledge sticks in pupils’ memories, and pupils produce work of an increasingly high standard as they progress through the year groups. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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

For the most part, staff design well-considered lesson activities to deliver the curriculum. They give pupils opportunities to practise and revisit learning, so that any misconceptions can be rectified. Nevertheless, at times, lesson activities do not match the intended curriculum well enough. On these occasions, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could.

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

The school prioritises reading. Pupils love to share the humorous stories, mystery books or traditional tales that they are currently reading. They also enjoy reading biographies of heroic people from many different times and places. The well-resourced libraries ensure that pupils can select from a range of non-fiction books that match their current class topics.

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

There is a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. From the start of the Reception Year, children enjoy the daily phonics sessions delivered by knowledgeable staff. Pupils practise reading books that contain the sounds that they know. Staff develop pupils’ pronunciation of sounds and new vocabulary. As a result, most pupils gain increasing fluency and accuracy in their reading. 12 and 13 November 2024

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Children in the early years benefit from a high-quality curriculum that prepares them for later learning. Staff use songs and rhymes to consolidate early number skills. They support children’s use of varied tools such as pencils, brushes and felt-tip pens to develop the fine motor control needed for early writing. The highly purposeful environment enables children to engage deeply in their learning.

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The school ensures that the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified and assessed early. Staff liaise with parents and carers and external agencies to make sure that these pupils get the right help to access the curriculum and achieve well.

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Pupils behave well in and around school. Pupils are adamant that bullying is rare but that, if it happens, adults sort it out. Staff make adjustments to support pupils with emotional difficulties. For example, they use music or sport as a way of helping these pupils to manage their feelings and be ready to learn.

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The school identifies pupils who struggle to be in school on time every day. It works with families to resolve any barriers to attendance. The school is not complacent about its high attendance figures. This ensures that most pupils maintain continuity in their learning.

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The school prepares pupils exceptionally well for later life. It has carefully designed a personal, social and health education curriculum. Fundamental British values are woven into subjects such as science, computing and religious education. This helps pupils to become healthy, responsible citizens. Pupils contribute positively to society, such as through the work they do with a local wetlands area. In their ‘courageous advocacy’ work, pupils speak out against injustice. The school provides pupils with a rich set of opportunities and experiences. Pupils appreciate the range of clubs available to them, including football, coding, music, invasion games, art and cricket.

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Governors are effective in driving forward further developments in the school. Leaders consider the potential impact on staff’s workload and well-being before introducing any changes. The school provides support to staff so that they can carry out their roles 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, staff do not design teaching and learning activities that are closely matched to the curriculum. This means that, at times, pupils do not learn the key knowledge that the school wants them to sufficiently well. The school should ensure that it supports staff to design activities that enable all pupils to achieve the aims of the curriculum. 12 and 13 November 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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Wayne Bretherton

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School details

Website www.grimsargh-st-michaels.lancs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 March 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Blackburn. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection is likely to be by the end of 2027.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They spoke with members of the governing body, the diocesan adviser and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors held discussions with leaders about the curriculum in other subjects and looked at a sample of pupils’ books.  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

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors viewed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes, during transition times and while in lessons.  The inspectors considered responses from parents, both in person and from Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. They also spoke with groups of staff and pupils. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors viewed a range of documents, including attendance records.

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Inspection team

Trish Merritt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Bevin 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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