St Luke's CofE (C) Primary School

Inspection of St Luke’s CofE (C) Primary School Pepper Street, Silverdale, Newcastle, Staffordshire ST5 6QJ

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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 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

For pupils, staff, parents and carers, this school is the hub of the community. It has formed strong links with parents, carers, feeder secondary schools and local residents. Pupils talk about their school with a sense of pride. Pupils have strong relationships with staff. This makes them feel well cared for. As a result, pupils feel safe and are confident to share any concerns or worries that they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school recognises that in previous academic years, pupils did not achieve as well as they might do in published outcomes. However, published outcomes do not reflect the quality of education provided by the school. There are high expectations for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They care about one another and treat each other with courtesy and respect. Pupils welcome visitors to their school with pride and enthusiasm. The school is a calm environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of opportunities to enrich their wider development. They are keen to take on leadership roles, such as school council members, head pupils and classroom ambassadors. Pupils have access to a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and opportunities to represent the school in various competitions. These help pupils to build their confidence and resilience.

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

The curriculum is well considered and ambitious, building on pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years regularly practise counting. They have many opportunities to develop their understanding of number. This knowledge supports pupils in Years 1 and 2 to solve a range of mathematical problems with increasing confidence. In Years 3 to 6, these solid foundations are built on further. As a result, pupils develop fluency in mathematics. However, not all pupils are provided with enough opportunities to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills. Where this is the case, pupils are not increasing their understanding of mathematical concepts as well as they could.

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

Across most subjects, pupils are taught the key knowledge and skills that are set out in the school’s curriculum effectively. This means that learning builds on what pupils know already. Teaching routinely checks pupils’ learning, which helps staff to identify where pupils need more help. However, in some subjects, teaching does not focus on helping pupils to practise and retain important knowledge. Where this is the case, pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they could.

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

The school places high importance on reading. Children learn to read as soon as they start in the early years. Staff undertake ongoing training in early reading which helps them to teach the reading curriculum effectively. Staff make sure that pupils, including children in the early years, read books which match their knowledge of letters and sounds. They identify any pupils who start to fall behind and provide support to help them 10 and 11 June 2025

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catch up quickly. As a result, pupils develop the skills that they need to become fluent, confident and independent readers.

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The school has effective systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly. There is an in-depth knowledge of individual pupils’ needs and barriers to learning. Staff support pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND succeed in their learning.

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Children in the early years get off to a positive start with their learning because staff understand their needs well. The curriculum in early years is well considered. Staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn. They skilfully ask children questions that deepen their understanding and develop their communication and language skills. Over time, children in the early years become increasingly independent and develop effective learning habits.

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The school’s behaviour system sets clear expectations in lessons and around the school. At play times, pupils access a range of equipment. They take real care of each other and are respectful of their environment. The school works successfully with parents to support pupils’ attendance. This has led to significant improvements in the number of pupils attending school regularly.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is effective and underpinned by the school’s values. Pupils consider key topics, such as the importance of equality and healthy relationships. They learn about diversity among people and families. Pupils know how to stay safe, including when online and in the wider world. They start to learn about different career options. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Staff are very positive about working at the school. They speak highly of the support they receive, including for their well-being and workload. Governors are knowledgeable about the school and demonstrate understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to improve. As a result, there are effective relationships with stakeholders. Pupils, families, and staff refer to the school as being an ‘extended family’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Despite the school identifying that more opportunities to develop reasoning and problem-solving are needed, more work is required. A lack of practice is preventing some pupils from increasing their understanding of mathematical concepts. The school should provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning and problem- solving skills in mathematics. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 In some foundation subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well teaching develops and strengthens pupils’ knowledge. As a result of this, these pupils do not make as much progress as they could. The school should ensure that there are regular opportunities for all pupils to practise and retain important knowledge.

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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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs of governing body Ant Sutcliffe and Helen Finn

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School details

Website www.st-lukes-silverdale.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Great Oak CE Learning Federation. The federation consists of two primary schools. The headteacher works across this school and one other school. A single body is responsible for governance across the two schools.  The school provides after-school clubs which are open to all pupils.  The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provision  This is a Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Lichfield. The school had an inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in June 2024.

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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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 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 evaluations of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1 to 4 reading to staff.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils across the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential

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staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the school’s senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss early years, SEND, disadvantaged pupils, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body, including the co- chairs of governors. The lead inspector also had a meeting with a representative from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ wider development, behaviour and attendance. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school during breaktime.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ plans for improving the school and minutes of governor meetings.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed 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 and that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

James Dean, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Adele Mills Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 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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