St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh

Inspection of St Thomas’ CofE Primary School, Leigh Astley Street, Leigh, Lancashire WN7 2AS

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish and thrive at this lively, welcoming school. Caring staff greet pupils warmly as they arrive at school each morning. Pupils are happy. They embody their code of conduct to be kind, listen to others and to try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ learning. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically achieve well. Children in the early years are well prepared for key stage 1, while pupils in Year 6 are ready for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They treat each other and adults with respect. They feel safe and are confident that staff will help them if they have any worries or concerns. In lessons, pupils are keenly focused on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all ages excel in their various roles and responsibilities. These include acting as school councillors, subject ambassadors and lunchtime sports leaders. Pupils learn that they can make a positive difference by raising money for charities and performing in local events. Pupils enjoy the awe and wonder that visitors to school bring. For example, they enjoyed the recent Stone Age, Mayan and bug workshops. These experiences add considerable value and enrichment to pupils’ learning.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and well-ordered curriculum. This enables children in the early years, and pupils in key stages 1 and 2, to build their knowledge logically and securely in each subject.

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

Pupils benefit from this curriculum and achieve well across a range of subjects. However, this is not reflected in the 2024 published data. This is because a considerable number of pupils joined the school in Years 5 and 6, including several new arrivals to the country. Many of these pupils were in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. As a result, they did not have the time to benefit fully from all that is on offer at the school to reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

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

Staff receive appropriate professional development. This helps them to confidently design lessons and choose appropriate resources that help pupils to learn curriculum content. Staff explain new concepts with clarity and use a range of strategies to check on pupils’ understanding.

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

Pupils talk confidently about their current learning. However, in some subjects, staff do not ensure that pupils revise and recall their previous knowledge securely enough. This means that sometimes pupils do not have the secure foundations on which to build their new learning. 21 and 22 January 2025

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Pupils benefit from reading a wide range of interesting and diverse books. Staff act swiftly to identify and support any children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 who find reading difficult. This helps these pupils to keep up with the phonics programme. Most pupils become confident, fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND quickly. Staff receive effective guidance to equip them with the knowledge that they need to best support these pupils. They adapt their teaching well so that pupils with SEND learn all that they should. This ensures that they achieve well.

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Lessons are calm and orderly. Children in the early years develop positive learning behaviours. Pupils across the school build on this strong start. The school prioritises pupils’ regular attendance. Although the school is doing everything possible, some pupils’ absence levels are still high. This means that they miss out on valuable learning and opportunities to support their personal development.

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The school provides a range of opportunities that enhance pupils’ personal development. Older pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy residential trips. Other year groups benefit from day trips. For example, they visit a local farm, coal mine and mill. Pupils know how to stay safe online and maintain a healthy lifestyle, including looking after their mental well-being. Pupils demonstrate a mature knowledge of the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

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Pupils learn about equality and diversity among people and families. However, their understanding of fundamental British values is limited. This means that they are not as well prepared for their next steps as they could be.

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The governing body is completely attuned to the school’s strengths and areas for development. It uses its expertise to provide the school with effective support and challenge. The governing body is committed to the success of every pupil. It checks on the school’s work to achieve this ambition. Staff speak very positively about the school. They appreciate the steps that it takes to manage their workload and enhance their well- being. Staff are proud to work in this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to revisit what they have learned previously. This means that some pupils’ knowledge does not build securely 21 and 22 January 2025

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over time. The school should ensure that teaching is designed to help pupils to remember long term the content that they have been taught.  Some aspects of pupils’ wider development are not as secure as others. This means that they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should ensure that pupils gain a deeper knowledge of fundamental British values so that they are ready for their next steps.

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.leighsaintthomas.wigan.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up post in September 2022.  This Church of England Primary school is in the Diocese of Manchester. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, was in November 2018. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the 2025-26 academic year.  The school manages an on-site breakfast club.  The school makes use of one registered 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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. They also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, history and physical education. 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.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a trusted adult.

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 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 observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ruth Moran, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Joyce 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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