Duddon St Peter's CofE Primary School

Inspection of Duddon St Peter’s CofE Primary School Tarporley Road, Duddon, Tarporley, Cheshire CW6 0EL

p.1

Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 14 and 15 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this small, village school. They describe it as kind and welcoming, a place where everyone knows everyone. Pupils feel that the school understands and celebrates them as individuals.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school has high ambitions for their academic achievement. Pupils are curious learners. They enjoy their lessons, show high levels of engagement and aim to do their best. They know that staff will quickly spot when they are struggling and provide support. This means that they build their learning securely over time and achieve well across the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and welcome the high standards that are expected of their behaviour. They are calm, polite and well mannered. The buddy system encourages older pupils to model good behaviour to younger pupils. Pupils show high levels of respect to each other and to adults.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to take positions of responsibility such as belonging to the school council or becoming a junior safety officer. They experience a broad range of trips to enhance the curriculum, for example going on a field trip to the beach to look at coastal features in geography. Pupils understand how to keep themselves physically healthy. They know about risks and how to stay safe online.

p.2

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

The school has undertaken significant work to improve the curriculum since the last inspection. The curriculum is now carefully designed, exciting and ambitious in all subjects. Teachers’ subject knowledge has also greatly improved due to the support that they have received. This means that pupils build a wide body of knowledge as they move through the school. They progress well through the curriculum, right from when they start school in the early years.

p.2

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

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the earliest possible age. Pupils with SEND are well supported to access the curriculum through appropriate adaptations and support. However, the school does not monitor the progress that those pupils with SEND, but without an education, health and care plan (EHC plan), make in achieving their individual goals carefully enough.

p.2

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

The phonics scheme is delivered with fidelity by well-trained, skilful staff in the early years and in key stage 1. Staff identify pupils who are struggling and give them the help they need to catch up. Pupils have a secure knowledge of the letter sounds they have been taught. They can blend sounds read books that match their phonics knowledge. Pupils read with fluency, accuracy and expression. Older pupils are confident, enthusiastic readers. They talked knowledgeably about book and author choices, including more challenging texts.

p.2

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

Teachers now use a range of strategies effectively in lessons to address pupils’ 14 and 15 January 2025

p.2

3

misconceptions as they occur. They help pupils to recap and revisit concepts to make sure their previous learning is secure before new ideas are introduced.

p.3

3

Attendance rates are below average. The school’s procedures for managing pupils’ attendance are not as rigorous as they could be. This means that, even though the school’s actions have had a positive impact on reducing the persistent absence of some pupils, many pupils do not benefit from being in school regularly and on time.

p.3

3

The school educates its pupils about different cultures and beliefs, for example through making visits to different places of worship. Pupils know and understand fundamental British values. They have a secure understanding of ways in which people might be different to them and firmly believe that any form of discrimination is wrong.

p.3

3

Leaders at all levels, including governors, have taken the school on a journey of significant improvement. Governors are knowledgeable and have a strong oversight of what is happening in school. They offer support and challenge as appropriate.

p.3

3

The school has a strong community feel. Staff work very much as a team to support each other. They believe that the school is mindful of their well-being, and they welcome the emphasis that is place on supporting their mental health. Parents and carers appreciate the strong relationships that have been built with school staff. They feel that the school brings out the best in their children.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s work to improve attendance is not as effective as it could be. As a result, some pupils miss out on valuable learning. The school should evaluate what is working well and further develop its procedures to remove the barriers that prevent these pupils from attending school regularly.  The school does not check the progress that pupils with SEND make towards their individual goals. This limits the school from being assured that pupils with SEND, but without an EHC plan, are learning all they should. The school should ensure it checks how well pupils with SEND are succeeding against their personalised plans.

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. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.3

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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). 14 and 15 January 2025

p.4

School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England school in the Diocese of Chester. The last section 48 inspection took place in September 2018.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 January 2025

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with the headteacher and a wide range of other staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the vice-chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the Diocese of Chester and the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors spoke to pupils and viewed samples of pupils’ work in a range of other subjects.  The lead inspector observed a sample of pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  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

p.6

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and while in lessons.  The inspectors considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed key documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, action plans and monitoring records.

p.6

Inspection team

Liz Davidson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Shoab Uddin Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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