St Gilbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, Eccles

Inspection of St Gilbert’s RC Primary School Cambell Road, Winton, Eccles, Manchester, Lancashire M30 8LZ

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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 Requires improvement 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Gilbert’s Catholic Primary School is a supportive and aspirational community. The school has high ambitions for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Pupils respond well to these high expectations. This is evident in the way they conduct themselves and apply themselves to their work. Across the school, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and appreciate the care and kindness that staff and their friends provide for them each day. They are proud to be recognised as ‘worker of the week’ or ‘stand out stars.’ Older pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities such as being playground leaders. This involves working with younger pupils and acting as role models. Pupils also learn how to make a positive contribution to the school and wider community by being school council members and eco-warriors and by supporting charities such as a local food bank.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from visits to museums and art galleries to help them broaden and deepen their understanding of aspects of the curriculum. They expand their interests by taking part in clubs such as knitting, handball and French. Pupils also build their confidence by learning to play instruments such as the flute and ukulele and by performing in the school choir.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has overhauled the quality of education. It has taken effective steps to ensure pupils benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum. At the same time, the school has carefully considered staff’s workload and well-being, for example by ensuring staff have sufficient time to carry out any additional responsibilities.

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

The school has made sure that the important knowledge in every subject curriculum is ordered precisely, from the Nursery Year to the end of Year 6. From the early years, the school identifies children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are well trained to make sure these pupils receive the support they need to achieve alongside their peers.

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

Teaching reading is a priority as soon as children join the school. Staff make sure that children in the Nursery class begin to learn about sounds in the environment. This helps them to be ready to learn about the connection between letters and sounds. Children build on this knowledge as they begin learning to read in Reception Year and key stage 1. The approach to phonics is well ordered and taught by suitably trained staff. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge that they need to read words and simple sentences. They develop secure reading knowledge and apply this well to their writing. Pupils who struggle to read receive effective support to help them to catch up quickly.

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

Older pupils are inspired to read a broad range of books independently. They develop secure reading knowledge as they move through the school. These pupils are well equipped for the reading challenges of the key stage 3 curriculum. 25 and 26 March 2025

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In lessons, staff introduce new content designed to build on what pupils have learned before. Staff support pupils to address any misconceptions in their learning. In most subjects, this is evident in what pupils know and remember. However, in some subjects, pupils’ knowledge of some aspects of their learning is not quite as secure. Pupils have had fewer opportunities to revisit and strengthen their learning in these subjects.

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In the main, subject curriculums are taught as the school intends. In some subjects, however, the checks the school makes on how well the curriculum is delivered are not precise enough. As a result, the school does not identify inconsistencies, which, on occasion, prevents pupils from learning all they can.

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Pupils demonstrate mature attitudes towards each other. They are sensitive to the different needs of others. They help each other in lessons and around school. This expectation is established in the early years, where children learn how to take turns and listen to each other. The school is relentless in making sure pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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Pupils have an awareness and respect for people of other faiths, cultures, and backgrounds from their own. This begins in the early years, where children learn about different festivals such as Diwali. Pupils learn the importance of eating healthily and looking after their mental health. Older pupils value the work of the ‘well-being champions’ in the school. They appreciate the opportunities for ‘well-being chats’ about any worries they may have.

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Governors have worked well to improve their understanding of the school’s strengths and improvement priorities. This helps them to provide the school with strong, informed support and challenge. Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of education that the school provides for its pupils.

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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 have had less opportunity to revisit and embed their learning. As a result, their knowledge and skills in these subjects are not as secure as in other subjects. The school should ensure that pupils have sufficient opportunities to revisit and strengthen their recall in these subjects.  In a few subjects, some aspects of the curriculum are not delivered as intended. This hinders the depth to which some pupils learn. The school should enhance its systems for checking the delivery of the curriculum. This is so it spots where staff need additional support and guidance to implement the curriculums consistently well. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 March 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Salford. The last section 48 inspection took place in July 2019. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in the academic year 2026/27.  A new chair of governors has been appointed since the last inspection.  The governing body is responsible for the school’s wraparound care provision.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education 25 and 26 March 2025

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provision.  Inspectors discussed the ongoing impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, and geography. For each deep dive, they had 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 spoke also with subject leaders and with pupils about their learning in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils from key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for attendance, behaviour, the early years,

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the provision for pupils with SEND and pupils’ personal development.  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 spoke with pupils about their experiences of school. They looked at a range of documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils. Inspectors also spoke with staff and school leaders to gather their views about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Barraclough Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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