Lowton Junior and Infant School

Inspection of Lowton Junior and Infant School Newton Road, Lowton, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 2AW

p.1

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 10 and 11 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Each morning, pupils are warmly welcomed by staff at the gate. Pupils wear their uniforms with pride and clearly enjoy their time at school. Pupils are kind, considerate and supportive of one another. The school fosters an inclusive and nurturing environment where strong, trusting relationships between staff and pupils are evident. Pupils have a clear understanding of the school’s core values of respect, curiosity and aspiration. Staff actively encourage pupils to enact these values in all aspects of school life.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are expected to achieve well, and they do. By the time they leave Year 6, most pupils are ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils said that they feel well prepared for the challenges of secondary school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils of all ages delight in playing together at breaktime. They play football, exercise on the outdoor gym machines, read books and play card games. Playleaders are easily identified by their special caps. They find it rewarding to help younger pupils play together.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given the opportunity to try new experiences during ‘Enrichment Friday’. They promote their well-being through meditation and their thinking skills through debate. Beyond the academic curriculum, the school supports pupils’ preparedness for the future well. For example, older pupils consider money management and careers.

p.2

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum that clearly sets out what should be taught and when. Well-trained staff have the subject knowledge needed to teach with confidence. Pupils enjoy lessons. They are proud to share their work and talk about the topics that interest them. Typically, staff check pupils remember new learning so that pupils build their knowledge securely as they move through school. However, in some subjects, staff checks are not consistent. At times, this means pupils are given activities that are not as well matched as they might be to build on what they already know.

p.2

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

Reading is prioritised. The school’s phonics programme begins as soon as children start in the Reception class. Trained staff ensure that children learn how to blend sounds so they can start learning to read words. Pupils who struggle are given the additional help they need to catch up. Children in the Reception class relish story time. This ignites their love of reading. As pupils move through school, they read widely and often. This helps them develop accuracy and fluency.

p.2

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

The school accurately identifies those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff recognise when pupils require additional support. They adapt learning activities to enable pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers. For pupils who need more help, staff work well with parents and carers and other professionals to meet pupils’ individual needs. 10 and 11 June 2025

p.2

3

In the early years, children get off to a flying start. Children quickly settle and learn the rules of the school. This enables children to benefit from all that the provision has to offer. Knowledgeable staff support children with their learning. Resources are carefully selected to engage children in purposeful play.

p.3

3

The school has high expectations of behaviour. In class, pupils listen carefully to their teachers. Around school, pupils are polite. They walk sensibly and greet visitors with confidence. At lunchtime, the dining hall is calm, and pupils act with maturity.

p.3

3

The personal, social and health education programme supports pupils in developing their understanding of themes such as equality, human rights and mental well-being. Pupils know about fundamental British values. For example, in history, they learn that democracy originated in Ancient Greece. Pupils recognise how British society has used democracy to promote fairness when making decisions. For example, they know why it is important that they each have a vote when deciding on pupil leaders. Pupils know about what makes people similar as well as different. Pupils learn to be sensitive to stereotypes. They are aware of global issues. Pupils benefit from a range of useful leadership opportunities. Reading ambassadors, as well as school, sports and eco-councillors, all help to make the school a better place. For example, school councillors make decisions about future improvements to the school such as the purchase of new playground equipment.

p.3

3

The school prioritises helping pupils to attend regularly. The school uses a range of strategies to work with parents to help pupils attend school regularly. This has led to a small improvement in attendance rates. Nevertheless, many pupils are persistently absent from school. This means that they miss out on learning all that they should.

p.3

3

Governors are eager to support the school and address various issues. However, they currently lack the necessary knowledge and skills related to the quality of education to contribute to school improvement effectively. As a result, sometimes, the challenge that they provide is not as precise as it could be.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has had limited success in reducing the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school. These pupils sometimes find it difficult to catch up on missed learning, and their achievement is hampered as a result. The school should ensure that it strengthens its work to improve pupils’ attendance so pupils can learn and achieve even more consistently.  In some subjects, staff do not check consistently well what pupils have learned and remembered. This means that, on occasion, staff do not identify and address gaps in 10 and 11 June 2025

p.3

4

pupils’ knowledge. The school should ensure that staff check pupils’ understanding with greater precision and consistency so that they design learning that builds on what pupils know and can do.  There are some gaps in the knowledge and skills of the governing body. This prevents it from holding the school to account for quality of education as well as it could. The school should ensure that governors are equipped to support and challenge the school effectively.

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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). 10 and 11 June 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Tracy Wilson-Vardy

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this school

 The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.  The school offers a breakfast club and after-school provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single 10 and 11 June 2025

p.5

6

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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held 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 discussed with pupils their learning in some other subjects.  An inspector observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. They met with members of the governing body, including the chair, and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and breaktimes. They also

p.6

6

spoke with pupils about their views of school life.  The inspectors considered the views of parents. They reviewed the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Frith Murphy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Laurie Kwissa Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 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