Cedars Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Cedars Primary School St. James’s Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 8HQ

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Outcome

Cedars Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and welcoming school. Pupils feel supported and are cared for. Those who join the school at different points in the year, sometimes from different countries, settle in quickly. In part, this is because pupils are friendly and respectful of the differences of others. Pupils get along well, and bullying is rare. Pupils are happy and safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what pupils, including those who are new to learning the English language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn. Pupils achieve well in many subjects and in national assessments at the end of Year 6.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to take on additional roles and responsibilities such as playground leaders, buddy roles to support younger pupils and school councillors. These opportunities help pupils to develop their leadership skills and sense of citizenship.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of wider experiences on offer at the school. For example, their curriculum learning is enhanced through trips, such as to museums and other points of interest in the local area. Pupils also enjoy the extra-curricular clubs on offer. These clubs range from sports to cooking and enable pupils to pursue their talents and interests.

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

The school has taken effective action to maintain the standard of education and address the previous areas for improvement found during the last inspection. For example, pupils are now supported to develop a firmer grasp of fundamental British values, such as mutual respect and tolerance. 4 and 5 February 2025

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The school has implemented a well-designed curriculum. It has clearly outlined the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which this knowledge will be taught. The school ensures that curriculum subjects are delivered well. Pupils typically build a secure body of knowledge in many curriculum subjects.

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Teachers use assessment strategies effectively. They routinely spot when pupils have made errors or have misunderstood some of their learning. Staff provide swift guidance, which helps pupils to address their misconceptions quickly.

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The school ensures that pupils with SEND are identified early. Those with complex SEND and those who are new to learning the English language often receive effective, bespoke support to access their learning. However, there are times when the school does not adapt the delivery of the curriculum consistently well for some other pupils with SEND. This occasionally hinders these pupils from achieving as well as they could in some parts of the curriculum.

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The school prioritises early reading. Pupils learn phonics through the school’s chosen programme as soon as they join the school. Staff deliver this programme effectively. Pupils receive a range of appropriate support to catch up with the expectations of the programme when they struggle or are new to learning the English language. Most pupils meet the standard of the phonics screening check in Year 1. They quickly gain the skills that they need to become fluent, confident readers.

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The school ensures that pupils’ personal development is catered for well. Pupils develop a strong knowledge of the protected characteristics. They have genuine respect and tolerance for the differences of others. Pupils understand how to look after their physical health and emotional well-being. They are appropriately educated on how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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Pupils conduct themselves well throughout the school day. They have positive attitudes to their learning, and low-level disruptions during lesson times are rare. The school has clear systems and procedures in place to respond to pupils’ absences. Some pupils miss out on learning, such as when their families take holidays during term time. The school does all that it reasonably can to discourage these absences. The school’s actions have led to a reduction in the number of pupils who are persistently absent. Overall, school attendance rates have also improved.

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Governors have improved their insight into how well curriculum subjects are delivered. They provide appropriate challenge to school leaders and fulfil their duties effectively. Leaders are considerate of staff workload. For example, they have taken positive actions to refine assessment practices. Staff appreciate these changes and feel that these new approaches are less onerous.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 February 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the school does not adapt the delivery of the curriculum for some pupils with SEND as well as it could. Consequently, these pupils’ ability to access their learning is sometimes hampered. The school should refine how it supports some pupils with SEND so that these pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019

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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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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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). 4 and 5 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils who join and/or leave the school midway through the academic year is well above average.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school operates a before-school club that governors oversee.

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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 consideration in his evaluation of the school.  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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, the SEND coordinator, some subject leaders and other staff during the inspection.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives 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 considered documents and spoke to some staff about the curriculum, SEND, attendance, safeguarding, personal development and behaviour.  The inspector considered the responses to the online staff survey and the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and considered their responses to the online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 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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