Rishton Methodist Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Rishton Methodist Primary School George Street, Rishton, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 4JF

p.1

Outcome

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

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Rishton Methodist Primary is a warm and welcoming school. Many pupils say the staff are good at listening. Pupils do not hesitate to share any worries with staff because they know they will help. Pupils are safe and happy.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for pupils’ academic and personal success. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the school’s expectations and achieve well. Pupils can recall what they have learned. Most are ready for the next stage of their education.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a clear and consistent approach to managing pupils’ behaviour. Pupils focus on their learning in class. They are well-mannered and their relationships with each other are positive. The school’s mantra, ‘Rise up, take courage and do it!’, inspires them to try their best. Pupils enjoy the ‘gem’ rewards that they receive for their accomplishments.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ well-being and mental health are important to the school. The introduction of exciting new outdoor equipment has transformed playtimes. Pupils climb on the trim trail and construct waterways. They expend energy with a digging kit and play team games in the extensive grounds. Staff quickly resolve occasional disputes. The atmosphere around school is peaceful and productive.

p.1

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

The school has a well-organised curriculum. It plots pupils’ journey of increasing knowledge from the early years to Year 6, building on what has gone before. Staff check what pupils know before they introduce new learning. Staff typically pick up on any errors in pupils’ understanding and address these promptly. They revisit topics when needed. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.1

2

This helps pupils secure important knowledge before moving on to new content. Pupils demonstrate what they have learned clearly in discussions and in their written work. For example, key stage 1 pupils could explain what they had learned about a variety of everyday materials in science. Older pupils build on their fluent subtraction skills. They showed this by working out the size of an angle from other known angles.

p.2

2

The school swiftly identifies the different needs of pupils with SEND. Effective academic support is put in place. For instance, staff use picture cues, larger print or break tasks down into smaller steps. Staff also make adjustments to support pupils with emotional difficulties. This helps pupils to focus on their learning and achieve well.

p.2

2

In general, new subject content is explained clearly. This helps pupils link new knowledge to what they already know and understand. However, at times, the activities that some pupils complete to secure this knowledge are not well matched to the curriculum. Some of these tasks require knowledge that pupils have not learned yet. In these cases, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

p.2

2

The school delivers the phonics programme well. It ensures that the books pupils read match the sounds that they have just learned. Staff swiftly identify and support pupils when they look like they may be falling behind in the phonics programme. This helps pupils to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils proudly show off their reading capability.

p.2

2

Children settle quickly and follow the established routines in the early years. They play, cooperate and share equipment generously. For example, children mimic adult language as they offer ‘mud soup’ and a cup of ‘flower tea’. They calmly listen to staff and each other. Pupils’ good behaviour carries on in later year groups. Learning proceeds without any distractions.

p.2

2

Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone with respect. They recall how the stories they hear in worship encourage them to be forgiving. They say this helps them with their friendships. The school’s personal, social, health and economic education programme ensures that pupils know how to stay safe. Pupils are aware of local dangers, such as traffic and water.

p.2

2

Pupils demonstrate a mature attitude to British values. They understand the role of democracy and how important it is to keep the law. Pupils have extensive leadership opportunities, including as head boy, head girl, team captains and the ‘All You Can’ team. Many pupils support children in the early years throughout the day. This helps them build a sense of shared responsibility.

p.2

2

The school supports pupils and their families well. It makes decisions that are in the best interests of pupils. The school is considerate of staff’s workload, making sure that change is managed effectively. Staff work closely as a team, with a common goal. They feel the school is a rewarding workplace. They value being able to use their expertise to support colleagues. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the tasks set to help pupils secure new knowledge are not well matched to what they already know and understand. This hinders pupils from building a secure body of knowledge over time. The school should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and expertise to consistently choose learning activities that support pupils to reach the school’s ambitious goals.

p.3

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 good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.3

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). 18 and 19 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and chair of governors have been appointed.  The school is a voluntary-aided Methodist school. The last section 48 inspection was in July 2024. The next inspection is due in 2032.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  The school runs before- and after-school clubs for pupils.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s educational 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 their 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 18 and 19 March 2025

p.5

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that put pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders. She also spoke to a representative of the diocese and the local authority. The inspector met members of the governing body.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspector also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including the headteacher’s report for governors and attendance records.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils and staff, reviewed pupils’ work and listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.

p.6

Inspection team

Trish Merritt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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