Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School

Inspection of Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School Mill Bank, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 4AR

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Michael Cull. This school is part of South Cumbria Multi- Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Andrew Wren, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Philip Huck. 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at the school. This is because they make many friends. They enjoy positive, supportive relationships with staff. Pupils know that staff care about them, keep them safe and are genuinely interested in their ideas and views.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school understands the needs of its pupils. It has high expectations of pupils’ achievement and behaviour. It considers carefully how to support each pupil to overcome challenges in their lives and to thrive. Pupils achieve well and they behave sensibly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the school’s wide range of extra-curricular clubs. For example, they love to play chess, take part in the choir and compete with other pupils through the many sports clubs. Many pupils learn martial arts. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have an equal chance with their peers to take part in the school’s provision and to be successful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school makes learning interesting. Pupils relish their trips to places such as the library, museums, zoo and aquarium. The residential trips, for instance to the city of York, are very popular with pupils. As lakes and the sea are nearby, the school makes sure that it teaches pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 to swim.

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

The school’s curriculum is well thought out and delivered. With the help of the trust, the school enables staff to teach the curriculum with expertise and enthusiasm. Teaching considers which activities will help pupils to learn the curriculum successfully. For instance, in mathematics, staff use effective strategies to help children to remember essential concepts and procedures. Staff guide pupils skilfully on how to behave at school. Pupils enjoy their learning in different subjects and most grasp curriculum content well. For example, in the Reception Year children learn how to grow beetroot, onions, potatoes and radishes in the school’s garden.

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

Mostly, the school ensures that staff check pupils’ knowledge carefully. Nevertheless, in some subjects, sometimes checks on pupils’ long-term knowledge are less effective. As a result, some teaching is less successful. On occasion, pupils do not remember some essential information.

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

Mostly, the school’s English curriculum is effective. Teachers ooze enthusiasm and knowledge about books and reading. They use high-quality fiction and poetry by contemporary and traditional authors. Staff expose pupils to a rich array of language, ideas and imaginary places. The school’s highly popular, annual book festival gives pupils the chance to meet authors and hear them talk about their works. Starting in the early years and continuing throughout the school, children learn that books can develop knowledge and joy. However, sometimes the school does not conquer gaps in pupils’ speaking skills. This affects some pupils’ oral language skills. 13 and 14 May 2025

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The school supports staff expertise well, so that pupils benefit from skilful teaching of phonics. Typically, pupils gain the phonics knowledge that they need to know to be successful readers. If pupils struggle with reading, staff provide them with regular, precise support. Pupils catch up in their learning with other pupils and develop a positive attitude to reading.

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The proportion of Year 6 pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in 2024 was significantly below the national average. The school is acutely aware of the circumstances that led to this dip in outcomes. It takes swift and effective action to support individual pupils who are at risk of not succeeding in the national tests and assessments. This enables pupils to feel good about themselves and their lives. The recent published data does not reflect the quality of education that pupils enjoy.

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The school makes certain that its work on SEND is well considered. This enables the school to identify the needs of pupils deftly, beginning when children first join the early years. Staff have the information and expertise that they need to support these pupils’ educational and social needs. Teachers and their colleagues help pupils with SEND to make important strides forward in their learning and to be included.

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The school broadens pupils’ knowledge of how to be responsible British citizens. For example, pupils learn to mark important events such as Victory in Europe Day. They understand the reason for flying a flag in commemoration of such occasions. Pupils learn to make informed choices about how to live healthy and active lives, as well as how to stay safe when online.

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The trust board and local governing body act thoughtfully. They ensure that the school’s strengths and priorities are checked, challenged and understood. For example, they ensure that the school’s actions make a positive difference to pupils’ attendance and achievement. Together with leaders and staff, there is high ambition to see all pupils flourish at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching of the school’s curriculum has not ensured that pupils develop the speaking skills that they need. This has affected how well some pupils talk about their knowledge. The school should make sure that its recently revised curriculum and teaching of oracy enables pupils to communicate well.  On occasions, in some foundation subjects, the school does not make sure that pupils keep some essential knowledge in their long-term memory. This means that, 13 and 14 May 2025

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sometimes, pupils do not remember some key information. The school should make certain that it checks effectively how well pupils can recall their learning in the long- term. The school can then act on any gaps that emerge.

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ormsgill Nursery and Primary School converted to become an academy in September 2022. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  Children attend the school’s nursery for mornings only. There is also a private nursery on the site, which is separately registered with Ofsted and was not part of the school inspection.

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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. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors completed deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors made visits to lessons. The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to staff.  To consider the school’s work in some other subjects, inspectors spoke with leaders, met with a sample of pupils and reviewed examples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the school about behaviour and attendance, early years, special

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educational needs, the provision for pupils’ personal development and the school’s use of alternative provision.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, including pupils with SEND. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey to consider.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. An inspector spoke with some parents as they arrived at the school with their children.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their work at the school and reviewed the responses from staff to Ofsted’s survey.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the chair of the trust board and the CEO. He also met with the chair and vice-chair of the local governing body.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority. He spoke by telephone with leaders from two alternative provisions used by the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

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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

Tim Vaughan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Wendy Tracey 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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