St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Bartholomew’s CofE Primary School The Fairways, Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire BL5 3NZ

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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 Good 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ success and well-being lie at the heart of the school’s work. There is a strong sense of community and friendship. Most pupils agree that this is a safe and happy place to be. They appreciate that the motto of ‘fun and achieve’ is lived throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the caring relationships that they have with staff. Additionally, the school provides a wealth of support for pupils, particularly in relation to their social, emotional and mental health needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, are extremely respectful and accepting towards each other. Pupils are valued in this highly inclusive school. They show tolerance and consideration of other people. Pupils are extremely proud of their school and welcome visitors readily with warm smiles and interesting conversation.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils’ achievement. It places a strong focus on developing pupils’ learning both academically and socially. Many pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak with great enthusiasm about how the school provides a wealth of trips and visits to help to bring their learning to life. For example, by taking a ferry ride and visiting the zoo and local museums.

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

The school has mapped out a curriculum that has its roots in the early years and finishes in Year 6. Pupils learn well over time and most are ready for the next stage of their education by the time that they leave.

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

Children in the early years get off to a secure start. This is rooted in the school’s priority to help children to learn to read fluently. As they move into Year 1, pupils learn progressively complex letters and sound combinations so that, by the time they leave Year 2, most pupils are fluent and confident readers. Staff identify any pupils who begin to struggle and work determinedly to help them to catch up. Older pupils speak of their love for reading and how it helps them to relax. The school provides a wide range of exciting and interesting texts written by different authors, to help to develop pupils’ enthusiasm for reading.

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

In the main, the curriculum is taught well. Staff deliver the learning in order, which enables pupils to build their knowledge progressively. However, sometimes, the activities that are used to deliver the learning do not help pupils to learn as well as they could. This is mainly because staff have not had the opportunity to fully develop the requisite expertise and knowledge in a small number of subjects where the curriculum is new.

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

Overall, staff routinely check on pupils’ learning and address any key misunderstandings as they occur. This proves effective and supports pupils well in moving their learning 13 and 14 May 2025

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forward. However, on occasion, some errors in pupils’ work go unchecked. Where this happens, pupils carry gaps in their foundational and subject-specific knowledge.

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The school identifies pupils with SEND effectively and in a timely manner. It provides a wealth of personalised support for pupils, which helps them to achieve well. This is particularly strong for pupils with complex needs. Staff receive appropriate professional development, which enables them to support pupils both academically and emotionally.

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Staff are passionate about learning and this transfers to pupils’ enthusiasm. Indeed, pupils thoroughly enjoy their time in school. This is borne out in the high attendance rates and the calm, positive and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils are polite and articulate. They champion their school. Older pupils act as positive role models for the younger pupils, for example during assembly where they distribute awards.

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Pupils experience a wide range of exciting opportunities to develop their talents and interests, notably through sporting tournaments and the school’s highly celebrated end-of- year production. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds. They demonstrate qualities such as teamwork and resilience, which are enhanced through the residential trips in key stage 2. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors carry out their roles effectively. Together with the school, they ensure that staff’s workload is manageable. The school places a strong focus on well-being. This has paid dividends. Staff morale is high and they are proud to be members of the school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the lesson activities do not support pupils’ learning as effectively as they could. This means that, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not learn the curriculum content as deeply or thoroughly as the school intends. The school should provide staff with the correct guidance to develop the necessary expertise to deliver the curriculum content as fully as the school intends.  On occasion, errors in pupils’ learning go unaddressed. This means that a small number of pupils carry gaps in their learning over time. The school should ensure that staff are equipped to identify and address key gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively, so that pupils build new learning securely. 13 and 14 May 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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England school, which is part of the Diocese of Manchester.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in October 2017. Its next section 48 inspection is due in the academic year starting in September 2025.  The school uses one unregistered 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 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 about the quality of a school’s education provision. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. They met with subject leaders and with staff. Inspectors visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work and spoke with groups of pupils about their learning.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects. They looked at documentation and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and other leaders in school.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority and a

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representative from the Diocese of Manchester.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors spoke with pupils during meetings throughout the school day, including at break and lunchtimes. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documentation relating to pupils’ attendance, welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke with some parents and carers during the inspection.  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 around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Sheena Clark, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rachael Alarcon Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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