Broadheath Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Broadheath Primary School Sinderland Road, Broadheath, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 5JQ

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 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?

Pupils are the jewel in the crown of this school. They truly embody the values of ‘believe, practise, succeed’. Friendship, happiness and enthusiasm permeate the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the beginning of the early years, pupils thrive in the nurturing and highly ambitious environment. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), meet the school’s extremely high expectations for their achievement, both academically and in their wider school lives.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud to attend this school. This is evident in their welcoming smiles and their thirst for learning. Pupils relish their entire educational experience and give maximum effort to the activities that they do. They are charismatic and motivated. Pupils’ behaviour throughout the school is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the school’s exceptional offer to enhance their personal development. The school knows its pupils extremely well and, as such, it provides a wealth of opportunities for them to learn beyond the academic curriculum. Many pupils access the wide range of clubs which are specifically targeted to broaden their talents and interests. Pupils hold important leadership positions to act as role models and to provide support and guidance to others throughout the school. They show deep empathy and understanding towards people from different backgrounds. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum sets out the highest of aspirations for pupils. The school seeks to remove every barrier to enable pupils to flourish. Pupils learn extremely well and, as a result, are ready for the next stage of their education.

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

Staff have secure subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum ably. The school is mindful that a large proportion of pupils join the school after the Reception Year. As such, it uses a wealth of approaches to ensure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are swiftly addressed. This means that by the end of Year 6, pupils develop a secure and rich body of knowledge across the full breadth of the curriculum. For example, pupils enthusiastically hold high-level discussions about a range of topics, including medieval crime and punishment, the circulatory system and comparative global regions.

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

The school is highly ambitious for pupils with SEND. It identifies pupils’ additional needs quickly. These pupils study the full breadth of the curriculum. Skilled staff understand pupils’ individual needs and circumstances. They provide tailored support to help pupils with SEND achieve well, both academically and beyond the academic curriculum.

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

The school’s rich and inspiring curriculum centres around reading. Pupils’ love of texts and authors is clear. This is enhanced by visits from published authors, and the strong focus that the school places on early reading. From the outset, children in the Nursery Year practise the skills that they will need to start to learn to read, such as hearing rhymes and listening to other sounds. Children in the Reception Year and pupils in Year 1 then make a very strong start in learning and applying the phonics code. Where appropriate, pupils are quickly and effectively given any additional support that they need. Consequently, most pupils become fluent and successful readers by the time that they leave Year 2.

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

Pupils are articulate and passionate learners. They see the value in their education. The atmosphere in lessons is diligent and purposeful. Pupils have tenacious and resilient attitudes to learning. They speak knowledgeably about perseverance. Pupils are confident and extremely polite. They form strong friendships readily and welcome new pupils with open arms, keen to share the very best of this school with others.

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

The school is focused in its work to ensure that attendance remains high. It offers a wealth of social, emotional and mental health services to help families to ensure that their children attend school regularly.

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

The school has established a noteworthy approach to enhancing pupils’ personal development. It has thoughtfully mapped out a range of pertinent, rich opportunities for pupils to experience learning first hand. For example, residential visits throughout key stage 2, trips to the beach and some pupils visiting the Houses of Parliament. The school celebrates and promotes diversity. Pupils learn about gender positivity and equality, particularly in relation to role models and future careers. For example, females holding roles in science, technology, mathematics and engineering. Pupils learn beyond the typical about staying safe online, staying physically and mentally healthy and about financial management. The school helps pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. 11 and 12 February 2025

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The governing body is highly attuned to the school’s context and priorities. It robustly ensures that the school remains sharply focused on ensuring pupils’ achievement and removing any obstacles to pupils’ education and wider success. This is also true with regards to staff. The school holds staff members to incredibly high standards of practice. It ensures that staff are well-equipped to meet these standards through a wealth of appropriate professional development opportunities. The school prioritises actions to minimise impact on staff’s workload. Staff are proud to be members of the school community.

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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 November 2014.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs an on-site breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. She spoke with other leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She also considered pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s online survey.  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 met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development. She observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and throughout the school day.  The inspector looked at a range of policies and documents relating to pupils’ welfare and education, including SEND.  The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. She took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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 The inspector spoke with some parents and carers during the inspection. She also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Sheena Clark, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 11 and 12 February 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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