Cheadle Catholic Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Cheadle Catholic Junior School Conway Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 6DB

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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Outcome

Cheadle Catholic Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy. They thrive in a school that fosters a strong sense of pride in their individual successes. Pupils particularly value the ‘Time to Shine’ celebrations of their talents and achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make great strides in their development as confident, young citizens during their time at the school. They speak proudly about taking part in musical events, such as concerts and an eagerly anticipated carol service. By taking on responsible roles, such as being members of the growth and respect councils, pupils learn how to play an active role in improving their school and community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school expects them to behave well. They are polite and compassionate towards each other. Pupils are proud to be recognised on the prestigious ‘recognition boards.’ They live out the school’s golden rules. Pupils are determined to rise to the challenges that the school provides.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are aspirational for their futures. This ambition is matched by the school’s high expectations of pupils’ academic achievement. Pupils achieve well across a range of subjects. Effective support is provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to achieve alongside their peers. 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?

The school has worked closely with the feeder infant school to design an ambitious and broad curriculum that sparks pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Pupils are keen participants in lessons. They display positive attitudes to learning. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Regular opportunities to explore and enjoy books are a key part of pupils’ learning. There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ wider vocabulary and comprehension skills. Pupils display a high level of understanding of a range of literature, including appropriately diverse texts. Trained staff provide additional support for those pupils who struggle to read. The books that pupils read match the sounds that they have been taught. These pupils are given the help that they need to keep up with their peers.

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Careful thought has been given to the most important knowledge that pupils must learn beyond reading. In each subject, the curriculum is clearly organised in a logical order. This helps pupils to know more and remember more as they move through the school. Staff embrace the ongoing professional development that they receive. They value the support and training that the school provides to them. This develops staff’s expertise and helps them to refine their practice, while ensuring that their workload is manageable.

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In most subjects, the school reliably checks what pupils know and remember. Teachers use questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding. However, in a small number of subjects, these checks do not focus on the most important knowledge that pupils need to support their future learning. This leads to gaps in some pupils’ learning and prevents them from achieving as well as they could.

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The school has ensured that there are effective processes in place to identify and support pupils who may have SEND. The school works in close partnership with parents, carers, and its feeder school to help with this identification. Staff are well trained to adapt the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. This supports these pupils to fully access the ambitious curriculum that is in place.

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Relationships between pupils and staff are highly positive. The mutual respect that pupils and staff have creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere in the school. Pupils enjoy social times together and share equipment and games with their friends and peers alike. The school prioritises pupils’ attendance. It works effectively with families to support pupils to attend school regularly.

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The school places great importance on developing pupils’ emotional and social well-being. Pupils learn how to be healthy in mind and body. They understand the importance of regular exercise. Pupils are proud to represent their school in a range of sporting events. They show considerable understanding and empathy when discussing sensitive issues, including the differences that exist among people. Pupils are well prepared to grow up in a modern and diverse Britain.

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Governors share the school’s high aspirations for pupils. They know the school well and they have the expertise to support and challenge decisions in equal measure. This has helped to ensure that effective action has been taken to maintain the standards identified at the time of the previous inspection. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the checks that the school makes on pupils’ understanding are not clearly focused on the key knowledge that pupils need to know to support their future learning. This leads to gaps in some pupils’ understanding and prevents them from building their knowledge securely over time. The school should ensure that checks on pupils’ understanding in these subjects are focused on the most important information that they will need to secure future learning.

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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.

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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.

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Background

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

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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. 17 and 18 December 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). 17 and 18 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.cheadle-jun.stockport.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 July 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2024. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2028 to 2029.  The governing body is responsible for the school’s wraparound care provision.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. 17 and 18 December 2024

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 The inspector met with members of the governing board, including the chair of governors.  The inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She also listened to pupils from Years 3 and Year 4 reading to a familiar adult.  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 spoke with parents at the start of school day. She considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also considered letters sent for her attention.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 17 and 18 December 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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