New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School Hugh Barn Lane, New Longton, Preston, Lancashire PR4 4XA

p.1

Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

p.1

Outcome

New Longton All Saints CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and very happy at this warm, welcoming school. They behave well and have positive, caring relationships with their teachers and other staff. Pupils told the inspector that their classmates are kind and friendly. They get along well, which means that fall outs are rare.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for what pupils should learn. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in subjects, such as English and mathematics. For example, last year, all pupils in Year 6 achieved the expected standards in national end of key stage assessments for writing and mathematics. While pupils do not reach the same lofty standards in other subjects, they do still develop a firm body of knowledge across much of the curriculum.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an excellent range of personal development opportunities. They access a broad programme of extra-curricular clubs and experiences that are constantly refreshed to suit pupils’ different interests. Pupils have various opportunities to represent the school in competitions, drama productions and music events. Those with a keen interest in music have access to further tuition to learn instruments, such as the guitar and piano. Pupils take great pride in their numerous roles and responsibilities around school. These range widely, from playground buddies to librarians and digital leaders.

p.1

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

Leaders have taken effective action to maintain the standards of education found during the last inspection visit. For example, they have introduced a new phonics programme, which has contributed to more pupils meeting the phonics screening check in Year 1. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.1

2

The school has ensured that pupils learn a balanced curriculum. It has set out its expectations for the broad knowledge and skills that pupils should learn within each topic in each subject. The school ensures that subject curriculums are typically delivered well and as they are intended. In many curriculum areas, pupils retain much of their prior learning over time. In some subjects, their achievement is particularly high.

p.2

2

Regular checks are carried out on pupils’ learning. These checks often result in pupils receiving appropriate guidance to address misconceptions or to develop new skills. However, the school’s assessment strategies, and how it sometimes uses other assessment information, do not consistently lead to effective actions that help pupils with their learning. Consequently, pupils have some knowledge gaps in some subjects and, at times, do not develop new skills as quickly as they otherwise could.

p.2

2

The school places a high priority on early reading. Staff deliver the chosen phonics programme well, and with fidelity. Pupils who struggle with the expectations of the programme receive swift, individualised support to address their gaps in phonics. Most pupils quickly become confident, fluent readers. They enjoy reading and engage with high-quality texts and stories.

p.2

2

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. Pupils with SEND are supported effectively and access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

p.2

2

The way that the school caters for pupils’ personal development is exemplary. Pupils have a deep understanding of the diverse world around them. They have a secure knowledge of different people’s faiths and beliefs. Pupils show a genuine respect and tolerance for those from different backgrounds. They have a firm grasp of how to look after their physical and mental health and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils’ learning is significantly enhanced through a broad range of connections with community and educational partners. For example, pupils hold video conference calls with authors, professionals from different fields, and individuals from different faiths. Pupils also benefit from regular curriculum trips to support their learning. They spoke to the inspector with great enthusiasm about a recent residential trip with a historical focus on the Vikings. Pupils are being prepared exceptionally well for life in modern Britain.

p.2

2

Pupils behave sensibly around school. They are attentive in their lessons. Pupils have very high attendance. Very few are persistently absent. The school takes appropriate action to support and challenge families on the rare occasions when there are barriers preventing regular attendance.

p.2

2

Governors understand their roles and carry them out sufficiently well. Leaders are very mindful of staff’s well-being. Staff feel valued and their morale is high. They reported that their workload is manageable and, when additional tasks are asked of them, leaders ensure staff get extra time to complete them. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, the school’s assessment strategies do not consistently lead to effective actions that help pupils to learn as well as they could. Consequently, pupils do not address some of their errors and misconceptions. The school should review how it checks what pupils know and can do, ensuring that these checks consistently lead to pupils receiving effective support to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 26 and 27 November 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school operates before- and after-school clubs that are overseen by those responsible for governance.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school recently opened a nursery for three-year-olds. This has the capacity for 16 children.  The school is a voluntary aided Church of England primary school. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in June 2017. The school has received confirmation from the diocese that its next section 48 inspection is due this academic year. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.5

Information about this inspection

 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into consideration in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the SEND coordinator, some subject leaders and other staff during the inspection.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and the diocese.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the governing body, including the

p.6

Information about this inspection

chair of governors.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered documents and spoke to some staff about the curriculum, SEND, attendance, safeguarding, personal development and behaviour.  The inspector considered the responses to the online staff survey and the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector spoke to pupils about their experiences of school. There were no responses to the online pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 November 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7