St Mary's RC Primary School

Inspection of St Mary’s RC Primary School Hemming Drive, Eccles, Manchester M30 0FJ

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding 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 September 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing, caring school in the heart of the community. The school’s mission and values, ‘learning, share friendship and show respect for ourselves and others’, are at the heart of everyone’s work. Pupils enjoy strong and caring relationships with staff and each other. These are built upon respect. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) rise to the high expectations the school has for them. They value their learning and appreciate the wider experiences on offer. As a result, they achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This is because routines are well established. Pupils know what is expected from them. In lessons, pupils have highly positive attitudes to learning. They are well mannered, and kind and courteous to staff and to each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ wider experiences at school are impressive. The school carefully considers each activity to best support pupils’ education and wider development. These include sports, art, music and outdoor education. Staff make excellent use of resources available in the locality, such as theatres, museums and sports centres, to enrich pupils’ learning.

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

Pupils benefit from a highly ambitious curriculum. This has been designed to meet the specific needs of the St Mary’s community. The school has given careful consideration to the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils, including pupils with SEND, will learn and the order in which this is taught. This starts in the early years, where children’s learning prepares them very well for the demands of key stage 1. The curriculum enables pupils to shine in every subject.

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

The curriculum is delivered expertly. Staff have strong subject knowledge of the topics that they teach. They skilfully check pupils’ understanding before new learning is encountered. In lessons, pupils have time to revisit prior learning and also practise new knowledge. This allows pupils to successfully build a rich bank of subject knowledge that they apply confidently within and across subjects. Pupils are enthused by their learning. They appreciate the high-quality activities that their teachers prepare for them.

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

Children’s positive attitudes to learning and their excellent behaviour start from the early years. Staff are extremely knowledgeable about child development. This helps them to identify when children need more support to be ready for Year 1. Staff ensure that all children have the support that they need to excel.

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

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school’s staff have thoughtfully chosen key texts and books to align with the curriculum. Pupils across the school take pleasure in reading, especially when it is their turn to read to Kara, the school dog. Staff are experts at delivering the phonics programme. Pupils who struggle with early reading are quickly identified and effective support is put in place. Pupils learn how to read accurately and 12 and 13 November 2024

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fluently. As a result, almost all pupils become confident readers who achieve exceptionally well in reading by the end of Year 6.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND promptly and accurately. Staff make careful adaptions to the delivery of the curriculum, when needed. This allows pupils with SEND to learn the same content as their peers. Pupils with SEND progress through the curriculum and achieve well.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. Low-level disruption in lessons is very rare. The school has high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Pupils are rarely absent.

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The provision to support pupils’ personal development is highly aspirational and extremely well thought through. Pupils are taught important topics, such as equality, diversity and tolerance. They learn about what it is like to be different and show great respect towards others. Pupils deepen their learning through trips linked to the curriculum. These visits help to make learning come to life and develop pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Pupils make a real contribution to the school community by taking on leadership roles. For example, school librarians encourage pupils to change their books and learn about different authors. Pupils are especially proud of the work that they do to support their local community. This includes raising money for local charities, litter picking and supporting food banks.

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The governing body knows the school exceptionally well. It uses its expertise to challenge and support leaders. Staff well-being is carefully considered. Staff are valued and listened to. They are immensely proud to work at this highly inclusive school.

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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.

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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 12 and 13 November 2024

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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

Website www.st-marys-eccles.salford.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 September 2014, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Salford. The school’s last statutory inspection, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, was in November 2019. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place before November 2028.

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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 provision. Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited some lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to a familiar adult.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. They also met with members of the local governing body.

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 The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and the Diocese of Salford.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and their views of behaviour and bullying. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Julie Barlow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton 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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