Hoole Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Hoole Church of England Primary School Hoole Lane, Hoole, Chester, Cheshire CH2 3HB

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at Hoole Church of England Primary School, which is built upon the positive relationships between adults and pupils. Pupils enjoy the frequent recognition they receive for their achievements in school and outside of school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is impressive. They enthusiastically take part in lessons. They work hard and enjoy learning across the curriculum. Pupils are highly supportive of each other when working together to complete tasks. Embedded routines contribute to a calm and orderly learning environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils’ achievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers ensure that barriers to pupils’ learning are identified and removed. Pupils achieve very well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make significant contributions to the life of the school through the numerous roles of responsibility they hold. They enjoy the wide range of clubs on offer and the opportunities to represent the school in competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have a deep understanding of concepts such as prejudice, democracy and rule of law. Pupils say that all are welcome at their school regardless of their background. 21 and 22 January 2025

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum, which motivates the pupils. It has been organised to enable pupils to securely build knowledge and skills. For example, pupils enjoyed using topographic maps to compare how land use by humans is different in the United Kingdom and South America. Important knowledge is regularly revisited in new contexts.

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

Reading is prioritised across the school. As soon as children start school in Reception, they acquire phonics knowledge and a love of reading. Where pupils need help to catch up, there is an extensive programme of additional support.

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

Pupils are exposed to a wide range of high-quality texts. They review books and make recommendations for others. Pupils also regularly select books based on their interests, which are added to their classroom libraries. They are confident and enthusiastic readers.

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

There is an extensive and carefully planned programme of professional development for all staff in the school. Current research is used to shape the curriculum and teaching methods. In addition to training for all staff, individuals receive bespoke support to enhance their practice. This ensures that teaching methods are understood and effectively applied with consistency.

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

Checks on what pupils know are highly effective. In lessons, teachers check that pupils understand new learning and staff respond quickly to pupils’ errors or misconceptions. Assessment information is used to check that each subject is being delivered effectively. This leads to adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum, where appropriate, and ensures that all groups of pupils learn new knowledge securely.

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

There are robust systems for identifying the needs of pupils with SEND. This starts prior to children joining the school through work with parents and carers and pre-school settings. Teachers ensure that learning is accessible for pupils with SEND, while also promoting high levels of independence.

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

Pupils understanding of the school’s values underpin the school’s expectations for behaviour. Pupils talk about the importance of friendship, compassion and trust. They have empathy for others when some pupils have difficulty managing their emotions. They are highly supportive of each other in school, when working in lessons and when playing at breaktimes.

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

The school has effective and robust systems for successfully promoting attendance. This work is supported by pupils who are ‘punctuality and attendance ambassadors’. These pupils have a key role in designing reward systems, which recognise pupils who attend regularly or who have improved their attendance and punctuality.

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

The promotion of personal development is embedded across all of the school’s work. Pupils understand how to stay healthy, physically and mentally. They know how to stay safe in a range of situations, including when they are online. They benefit from 21 and 22 January 2025

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opportunities to explore concepts such as democracy through first-hand experiences of school referendums and elections. Pupils apply for some jobs in the school. These include roles in the school’s savings bank, which helps pupils to understand how to manage money.

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Staff are passionate about working at the school. They say that leaders carefully consider their workload and well-being when making decisions.

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The governing body has a broad range of skills and experiences, which it uses for the benefit of the school. It accesses regular training to help it fulfil its responsibilities. It has a deep knowledge of the school and the community it serves. The governing body uses this to provide leaders with effective challenge and support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 February 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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary controlled Church of England school. Its most recent inspection under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 was in June 2017. Section 48 inspections are currently completed every 8 years.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the inclusion leader, curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff. This included discussions about the school’s development priorities and the organisation of the curriculum. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the 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 observed some pupils, from key stages 1 and 2, 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 discussed the school’s approach to behaviour and attendance. He spoke with pupils about behaviour and observed pupils at lunchtime and when moving around the school.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour records, attendance records, records of meetings from the local governing body, school policies and reports

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from external services.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including the free-text responses.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils and for staff.

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Inspection team

Keith Pullen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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