Adlington Primary School

Inspection of Adlington Primary School Brookledge Lane, Adlington, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4JX

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 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

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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 Steph Swinson. This school is part of the Halliard 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), Jeremy Spencer, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Gorton.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Adlington Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Adlington Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 17 and 18 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this small and nurturing school. They carefully follow the motto ‘Inspire, Believe, Achieve.’ Pupils are happy and feel safe, and they enjoy spending time with friends of all ages across the school. They behave extremely well during lessons and at social times. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the school being a welcoming place where they can be themselves and are treated as individuals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast array of opportunities on offer to pupils is highly impressive. Pupils enjoy activities such as lacrosse, STEM club and gardening. They benefit greatly from a well-thought-out enrichment programme that builds on the school’s curriculum and meets the needs of its pupils. For example, pupils visit museums, theatres and many places of worship. Pupils understand the importance of equality and diversity. They recognise that the differences that exist between people help to make the world a more interesting place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, meet the high aspirations that the school has for them. They work hard and excel across the curriculum. Pupils have a thirst for knowledge. This is underpinned by the school’s excellent work to support pupils to develop positive attitudes towards themselves, each other and their school. They are confident and highly articulate about their current and past learning. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well.

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

The curriculum is highly ambitious. It enables pupils to shine in each subject. The school has carefully constructed its curriculum so that it clearly identifies the knowledge that pupils should know and remember from the Reception class to the end of Year 6.

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

Staff deliver the curriculum in a way that ignites pupils’ curiosity and builds a thirst for learning. Pupils develop a rich body of knowledge across a range of subjects. The school provides teachers with resources of exceptional quality to support the delivery of the curriculum. Staff spoke of the high-quality training and wider support that they receive from across the trust. This helps to develop their confidence and inform their practice. School leaders look after staff’s workload and well-being.

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

The school carefully checks that staff deliver the curriculum well. It makes sure that teachers introduce new learning at exactly the right time. Teachers do this expertly. They check what pupils know and remember from the curriculum before moving on to new learning. As a result, pupils excel academically and are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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

The school recognises the fundamental importance of teaching pupils to read. From the moment that children enter the Reception class, there is a drive for them to excel with their phonics learning. Children use their knowledge of letters and the sounds that they represent to write sentences independently. The school ensures that staff in the early years, and in key stage 1, deliver the phonics curriculum with fidelity. Pupils read books 17 and 18 December 2024

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that are carefully matched to the sounds that they know. This helps pupils to gain the secure phonics knowledge that they need. Over time, pupils develop into confident and highly competent readers. This helps them to access the full curriculum and contributes to their strong achievement across all subjects.

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Pupils value their education. They look forward to attending school, particularly after time away during school holidays. Pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at social times is exemplary. They know that there are trusted adults in school who they can talk with to share any worries that they may have.

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Pupils and staff build relationships based on mutual respect. The school takes the time to get to know pupils and their families well at whatever point they join the school. It establishes links with parents and carers from the moment that children start in the Reception class. Parents actively participate in many projects and school activities and genuinely feel that the school is an extension of their family.

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Pupils develop as exceptionally well-rounded youngsters due to the excellent provision that they receive to support their personal development. Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe online. They know how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and understand the importance of looking after their mental well-being. Pupils develop their talents and interests beyond the academic curriculum, such as through the end-of-year Christmas production and various leadership roles. Members of the eco council deliver assemblies to support younger pupils in their understanding of climate change and sustainability initiatives. Pupils make a highly tangible contribution to the life of the school.

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Staff, members of the local governing body and trustees are incredibly proud to be a part of this inspirational school. Governors diligently fulfil their statutory duties. They provide support and challenge so that all in the school can meet the high expectations that they set. Everyone associated with the school is invested in a common purpose to provide a high-quality, ambitious education for pupils.

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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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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Adlington Primary School converted to become an academy in September 2016. When its predecessor school, also called Adlington Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of the Halliard Trust.  Since the school was last inspected, a new headteacher has been appointed. Most other staff are also new to the school.  The school provides before- and after-school clubs for pupils.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision for 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 17 and 18 December 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. 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 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 vice-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 geography. 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 reading 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. There were

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no responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  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. They also spoke with some parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Sue Dymond, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Juliet Francis Ofsted 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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