Elworth Hall Primary School

Inspection of Elworth Hall Primary School Lawton Way, Elworth, Sandbach, Cheshire CW11 1TE

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Emma Clark. This school is part of the Chancery Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Louise Gohr, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ann Kowalska. 10 and 11 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and welcoming school. They are happy and safe. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and courteous towards each other and adults. For example, pupils need no prompting to hold doors open for visitors or ask them how their day is going. There is a clear approach to behaviour which is understood by pupils and staff. This is most effective when it is followed by staff across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard to meet these aspirations. This begins in the Reception Year where children get off to a flying start. Pupils build on this as they progress through school. By the time they reach Year 6, most pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy trips and visits to museums, galleries and theatres. These are carefully planned and link well to pupils’ learning. Pupils’ talents and interests are fostered well by staff. Pupils enjoy many clubs and activities such as karate, art and choir. They take part in sporting competitions against other local teams and are proud of their achievements.

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

Trustees and members of the local governing body understand their duties and have the necessary skills to challenge and support the school well. Much has been achieved since the previous inspection, with trust leaders and members of the local governing body, ambitious to improve standards for all pupils.

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

The school, with support from the trust, has designed a curriculum that reflects the needs of its pupils. It is well-ordered and begins in the early years, where the school has thought about the essential foundations that children need for future learning. This is delivered with precision and expertise to enable children to truly flourish. There is a seamless transition from the Reception Year into Year 1 which builds on children's knowledge and independence exceptionally well.

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

Across key stages 1 and 2, pupils continue to experience a carefully designed curriculum that is delivered in a logical order. Nonetheless, due to weaknesses with the previous curriculum, some gaps remain in pupils' knowledge. As a result, pupils struggle to successfully build new learning across the curriculum.

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

Staff appreciate the support that they receive to develop their practice. They deliver the curriculum using appropriate and well-chosen resources. In the Reception Year, nothing is left to chance with activities carefully chosen to support the achievement of all. Staff check what pupils know and remember within the current units of work. However, staff do not routinely check what pupils can remember over time. Consequently, this hinders the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum.

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

Staff deliver the phonics programme well. In the Reception Year, children’s love of reading 10 and 11 December 2024

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is developed beyond the phonics sessions, with stories, poems and rhymes used exceptionally well across the curriculum. In key stage 1, pupils practise reading using books that closely match the sounds that they already know. Highly trained staff provide pupils with extra support if they need it. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly. Most pupils read fluently and accurately in readiness for key stage 2.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND early. It has trained staff to ensure that they are confident in identifying and meeting pupils’ additional needs. Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum well so that pupils access the curriculum and learn alongside their peers. The school deploys effective strategies to ensure that this is realised. The result of this is evident in that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Lessons are calm and orderly with pupils taking pride in the work that they produce. Positive relationships exist between adults and pupils in school. This ensures that behaviour in lesson and around school is positive. Pupils feel supported well by staff and they are confident that if they raise a concern about behaviour, it is dealt with swiftly. Attendance is positive for most pupils. Where there are instances that fall short of the school’s expectations, the school works with pupils and families well to address and remove any barrier to regular attendance.

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Pupils are prepared well for life beyond Elworth. They understand how to keep themselves safe online. They talked with confidence about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and how important it is to look after their mental well-being. The mindfulness club and nurture spaces around school support pupils well. Leadership roles for pupils, such as school council and playground pals, are new this academic year. Pupils are proud to be part of these groups and are keen to make a difference in the school and wider community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to revisit the essential knowledge that they have missed previously due to the legacy of the weaker curriculum. This prevents some pupils from having sufficiently secure foundations on which to build new learning. The school should address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and ensure that staff provide further opportunities for pupils to embed knowledge successfully.  The school’s work to establish effective assessment strategies is in the early stages of implementation. This means that, in some subjects, the checks on what pupils know are not as effective as they could be. The school should ensure that teachers gain the information that they need to secure and build on pupils’ learning. 10 and 11 December 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). 10 and 11 December 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Elworth Hall Primary School converted to become an Academy in April 2022.When its predecessor school, Elworth Hall Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be requires improvement overall.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school currently uses one unregistered alternative provision for some pupils.

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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. 10 and 11 December 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  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 has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the CEO and trustees. They also met with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, they held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors discussed the curriculum in some other curriculum subjects. They spoke with leaders and pupils. Inspectors reviewed samples of pupils’ work in these curriculum areas.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including records of meetings held by trustees and the local governing body, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They

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considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Sue Dymond, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Craig Dewar-Willox Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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