Prestbury CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Prestbury CofE Primary School Bollin Grove, Prestbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 4JJ

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Outcome

Prestbury CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this school community. They are well cared for and happy. They know that if they have any worries there is an adult that they can talk to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils rise to these expectations and achieve well. They are positive about their learning and try their best. Pupils leave school well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They are polite and well mannered. The school’s values, such as kindness, underpin the positive relationships between all in the school. Children in the early years develop effective learning behaviours quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a tangible contribution to school life. They excel in their various roles and responsibilities, which they fulfil with thought and care. These include being house captains and global ambassadors. Older pupils are excellent role models for their younger peers. They are especially proud to be buddies to children in the early years. They eagerly demonstrate road safety rules to children in the Reception class during walks to the local church. Pupils understand the positive difference they can make in their school, local community and beyond.

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

The school has worked effectively to build on the strengths identified in the previous inspection. It makes sure that pupils benefit from an ambitious and effective quality of education that is aligned to its vision and values. The school also prioritises pupils’ broader development and ensures that pupils are well-prepared to play their part as positive citizens within a diverse society. 1 and 2 July 2025

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The curriculum is well organised and coherent. However, in a small number of subjects, the school is still refining the precise knowledge that pupils should learn. Consequently, sometimes, staff find it difficult to design learning that helps pupils to deepen their knowledge. This hampers how well some older pupils embed their learning and make connections with what they have learned before.

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Staff mainly deliver the curriculum effectively. For example, they explain new concepts with clarity and use a range of strategies to check pupils’ understanding. Errors and misconceptions are picked up and addressed quickly. Pupils welcome challenge. They are keen to learn from their ‘marvellous mistakes’.

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The school fosters pupils’ love of reading well. It introduces children to a varied range of books as soon as they start in the early years. Children enjoy listening to the well-chosen stories and rhymes that staff share. Older pupils appreciate reading the engaging and diverse texts that staff recommend. Staff deliver the phonics curriculum consistently well. As a result, most pupils gain a secure knowledge of phonics. However, the school’s support for a very small number of key stage 2 pupils who find reading more difficult is not effective enough. As a result, these pupils do not read with fluency and understanding.

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There are suitable processes to identify and provide additional support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school makes sure that pupils with SEND follow the curriculum fully alongside their peers. Teachers make appropriate adaptions to lessons to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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The school is a harmonious place to learn and play. From the start of the Nursery Year, children learn to play cooperatively. They follow school routines, which skilled staff model very well. Children in the early years are well-prepared for the next stage of their learning. Pupils in all year groups are remarkably keen to learn and to take part in activities. These positive attitudes contribute considerably to pupils’ learning and wider achievements. The vast majority of pupils attend school regularly. The school provides effective support for families where attendance is a concern.

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The school has thought carefully about pupils’ wider development. Pupils relish being active citizens and play their part to drive future change. They joyfully take up the extensive opportunities to be fully involved in the life of the school in their different roles and responsibilities. Pupils participate wholeheartedly in the wide range of experiences that develop their interests and talents. Trips and visits to a wildlife park and the local airport enhance their knowledge of the curriculum.

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Leaders, including governors, know the school well. They continually strive to ensure that the school is effective in its work. Governors have the expertise and skill set to make decisions in the best interests of pupils. Staff are happy and proud to work at the school. They appreciate the consideration that is given to their workload and well-being. 1 and 2 July 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s support for a very small number of older pupils who find reading difficult is not effective enough. As a result, these pupils do not learn to read fluently and confidently. The school should ensure that these pupils receive the support that they need to secure their reading knowledge.  In a small number of subjects, the school is still determining the key knowledge that pupils should learn. Where this happens, pupils struggle to connect new knowledge with their previous learning. The school should finalise its curriculum thinking in these subjects so that teachers are clear about the knowledge pupils should gain over time.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2020.

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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. 1 and 2 July 2025

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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). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher David Capener (co-headteacher) Samantha Townes (co-headteacher) Website http://prestbury.school

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Chester and received its last section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, in November 2017. The next section 48 inspection is due in the school year 2025/2026.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection, the school has established a co-headteacher model for leadership.

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Information about this inspection

 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 1 and 2 July 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to some pupils read.  The inspector spoke with the co-headteachers, other school leaders and members of staff.  The inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the 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 that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.

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 The inspector met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and observed their behaviour at playtime and lunchtime.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  The inspector spoke with staff. She also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Emily Morris, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 July 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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