Baguley Hall Primary School

Inspection of Baguley Hall Primary School Ackworth Drive, Baguley, Wythenshawe, Manchester M23 1LB

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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?

Baguley Hall is a safe haven for its pupils. They come to school each day brimming with happiness and full of smiles. They have warm, positive and respectful relationships with staff, who are caring and supportive. Pupils feel safe in the school’s welcoming and nurturing environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They know that the school has high expectations for their behaviour and achievement. They follow the school rules and aim to treat others as they wish to be treated. Pupils are thoughtful and considerate. They display positive attitudes for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Developments to the curriculum since the previous inspection have had a positive impact on how well pupils learn. Most pupils achieve well in a wide range of subjects. Effective strategies ensure that those pupils who need additional help to keep up with their learning, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide range of enrichment activities are available to all pupils. They take part in extra-curricular clubs and residential trips. Members of the school council speak enthusiastically about the ‘edible playground’, where the gardening club grows fruit and vegetables that are used in the school kitchen.

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

The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Since the last inspection, the school has worked well to improve the content of its curriculum. This has led to an improvement in pupils’ achievement. However, in some subjects the school has not precisely outlined the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn. Additionally, it has not identified clearly enough where there are opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge and skills.

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

Teachers are ambitious for pupils and use the curriculum guidance well to build learning successfully over time. They ensure that pupils receive the support they need to learn the key concepts well. In the early years, children benefit from a carefully designed curriculum. Well-thought-out and purposeful learning activities help children to gain the knowledge and skills they will need to be successful in Year 1.

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

The school places reading at the heart of its curriculum. This has a positive impact on pupils’ reading skills and fluency. Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. A love of reading begins in the Nursery Year through the wide range of stories, songs and nursery rhymes that staff share with children. This continues into the Reception Year, where children begin to learn about sounds and letters to read words confidently. As pupils continue to develop their reading skills, well-considered strategies are in place to support those who need additional help catch up quickly. 25 and 26 March 2025

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The school prioritises how it meets the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils’ needs are identified accurately and quickly. Learning activities are adapted carefully to ensure that they meet the learning needs of all pupils.

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Pupils’ attendance at school is a high priority. The school has extremely effective processes in place to challenge any absence and support families. It works closely with parents and carers to find solutions when the attendance for some pupils becomes a concern.

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The learning environment around the school is calm and purposeful. In lessons, pupils listen well and engage in learning opportunities with enthusiasm. Pupils are focused and motivated to learn. Pupils are polite, friendly and eager to talk about school life.

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The school places great importance on developing pupils’ wider interests. The comprehensive personal, social, health and economic education curriculum supports this work effectively. It enables pupils to learn how to keep healthy and safe as they grow. A variety of roles and responsibilities are on offer to promote pupils’ leadership skills. These include being eco-councillors, ‘book worms’ and peace ambassadors.

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Effective leadership across the whole school has brought about significant changes to the curriculum in a relatively short period of time. Staff are appreciative of the opportunities that the school provides for them to develop their skills and knowledge. They value the team spirit that allows them to celebrate success or to ask for help.

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Governors are committed to the school and understand the importance of their role. However, some are new to their positions and do not fully understand how the school functions and the part that school governance plays in this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn, including the areas where they need to deepen their understanding, have not been precisely outlined in all subjects. As a result, sometimes pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum for all subject is equally well constructed and that pupils have the opportunity to secure their learning and develop a deeper understanding of curriculum content.  Some members of the governing body do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding to be able to conduct their role effectively. This means that they do not fulfil their roles as best as they could. The governing body should ensure that all 25 and 26 March 2025

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members have the knowledge that they need to evaluate the school’s effectiveness further.

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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

Website www.baguleyhall.manchester.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 February 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The governing body operates a breakfast club and after-school club.  The school makes use of one registered and one unregistered alternative providers.

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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 and/or sixth form provision). 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 of the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, art and design and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ and children’s work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors also spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority, representatives from the alternative provision and members of the governing body.  Inspectors talked with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, SEND and pupils’ personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with pupils and observed their behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Lee Comber, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Graham Hamilton 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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