Eccleston Mere Primary School

Eccleston Mere Primary School

Address: Saleswood Avenue, WA10 5NX Unique reference number (URN): 104783

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides a carefully considered personal development programme. Pupils, including those with barriers to their learning, benefit from the wide range of opportunities. They develop secure knowledge across the relationships and sex education and health education curriculum. Pupils learn about the differences that may exist between people. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships, including consent. Pupils know how to keep safe, including online. Their knowledge of fundamental British values is secure. Pupils understand and can explain concepts such as democracy, rule of law and mutual respect.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop their character through extensive opportunities. These include art club, gardening and choir. The school also offers a carefully considered programme promoting life skills, such as cookery and outdoor pursuits. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access and benefit from the opportunities on offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils have many opportunities to contribute to school life. Pupils' ideas are adopted by the school, including new clubs such as chess, construction activities and reading. Pupils can take on leadership roles as playground leaders and reading buddies. These experiences develop pupils' confidence and sense of responsibility.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral support is a strength. Staff know pupils well and act swiftly to identify pupils who may need extra support. These pupils also benefit from support provided by external agencies.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Trips and visits broaden pupils' horizons. These include outdoor activities and visits to museums. These experiences enrich and deepen pupils’ learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils achieve well in published outcomes. This can also be seen in the work that they complete. Pupils speak accurately about their learning across subjects. Many are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Reading is a strength. Most pupils read accurately by the time they leave Reception. However, some younger pupils are less confident writers. These pupils do not form their letters correctly. This makes it hard for them to write accurately. Teachers sometimes address these errors in pupils' writing. However, for some pupils, teachers do not spot these errors. This means that errors in some pupils' writing persist.

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Achievement Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make appropriate progress from their starting points. They learn new concepts well. However, some pupils do not remember their learning from previous years. When these gaps in knowledge are not spotted and addressed, pupils find it hard to secure new ideas or to deepen their understanding.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Most pupils attend school often and on time. Leaders check any absence from school carefully. Where pupils struggle, they benefit from the school's effective support to help them to attend school more regularly. Staff work with families and external agencies to help pupils to engage fully with school life. Leaders' actions are having a positive impact for some pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils' behaviour across the school is calm and orderly. Warm and positive relationships exist between staff and pupils. The school sets clear expectations for behaviour, and staff model these consistently. There are established routines that pupils follow. Pupils respond well to these expectations. This helps them to behave well. Staff make careful adjustments to enable pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to take part in learning and in social activities. Bullying is rare. The school takes prompt action should any unkind incidents occur.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have set out the order in which new knowledge and skills should be taught. Teachers make sensitive adaptations to the curriculum so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can learn alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers ensure that pupils regularly revisit what they have learned. For most pupils, this helps them to remember new content well. However, some younger pupils have not secured the early writing skills they need. They do not form letters as well as they could. Teachers do not always spot and address these errors or misunderstandings.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have appropriate subject knowledge. This helps them to explain new concepts clearly. Teachers design activities to help pupils learn the curriculum. For most pupils, these activities help them to build depth in their understanding. However, teachers do not always check that all pupils have the knowledge they need before moving on to new learning. For some pupils, this makes it harder to build on what they already know.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school prioritises the teaching of early reading. This helps most pupils to learn the sounds they need to read accurately. Pupils developing their early reading skills get effective support. This helps them to catch up with their peers.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff build warm, trusting relationships with families. They work closely with parents and professionals to identify children's additional needs promptly. Relationships between adults and children are consistently caring. This helps children to feel secure. Children, including those in the provision for 2-year-olds, feel safe and enjoy playing alongside their friends. The early years curriculum broadly sets out the important knowledge that children need to know to be ready for Year 1. However, in a small number of areas, the curriculum is not clear about the most important ideas and key vocabulary that children should learn. This hinders staff's ability to plan activities to help children to learn the curriculum well. Some staff do not make the most of opportunities to boost children's vocabulary and understanding.

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Early years Expected standard

Overall, children leave Reception ready for Year 1. Children use their knowledge of letters and sounds to read with increasing fluency. They practise reading new words in sentences by using books that are matched to the sounds they are learning. Most children read accurately by the time they leave Reception. However, some children do not show the same level of accuracy and skill in their writing. Some children cannot form letters correctly. Staff do not consistently spot and address this. As a result, some children do not write as well as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture where pupils with different needs are welcomed and supported to succeed. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Leaders ensure that they benefit from the wider opportunities available, such as clubs, school trips and residential visits. These pupils also take on leadership roles, including as playground leaders. This helps them to build confidence and a sense of responsibility.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Through training, staff develop their expertise to support pupils with SEND. The school acts quickly to identify pupils' learning needs. Staff work with pupils, parents and external agencies to plan and put in place adaptations to the curriculum. These adaptations help to reduce pupils' barriers to learning and enable pupils to learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders carefully check on the progress pupils make. They adjust provision when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to support pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. For example, leaders have effectively provided extra support for pupils who need it to improve their reading skills.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the context of the school well. They know their pupils and families well and the barriers that some face. This helps them to identify the right priorities for improvement. Leaders' priorities are clear and appropriate. These include improving pupils' writing across the school and ensuring that all pupils attend regularly. Leaders have taken effective action to improve pupils' writing. For example, they have revised how early writing is taught. This helps many pupils to learn to write more accurately.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors fulfil their roles effectively. They visit regularly and meet with subject leaders to check the quality of leaders’ actions. Governors ask leaders challenging questions about pupils' outcomes. This helps them to hold leaders to account for the quality of education pupils receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value the professional development that leaders provide. For example, staff receive effective training in supporting pupils with additional needs and in teaching early reading. This training has improved the quality of teaching and helps staff to meet pupils' needs well.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils thrive at Eccleston Mere Primary School. Staff adapt their teaching to meet each pupil's needs. This helps most pupils to learn well and attend regularly. Pupils describe their school as welcoming and inclusive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe, valued and listened to. When they have worries, pupils are confident that staff will help them. Bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly. The school's 'Pupil Parliament' enables pupils to bring about real change. This includes the introduction of new clubs and improvements to the outdoor space.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The breadth of opportunities on offer for pupils is a real strength. Pupils sing in the choir, learn to cook and tend the garden in the outdoor spaces. These experiences transform pupils' confidence and broaden their horizons.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Relationships are warm and respectful. Pupils enjoy playing with their friends at breaktime. Classrooms are purposeful places where pupils learn well. Pupils take pride in their work and their school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from the school's ambitious curriculum. Most pupils are ready for their next stage in education. Children in the early years, in the main, get off to a good start. Older pupils can talk about what they have learned with confidence. However, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge which hinder their progress.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that staff in the early years are clear about what children should learn and use their interactions and provision consistently well to secure this. • Leaders should ensure that the teaching of early writing skills enables pupils to successfully learn to write accurately.

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Team inspectors:

Ahmed Marikar, His Majesty's Inspector Rebecca Jewitt, His Majesty's Inspector Helen Friend, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and several other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator, during the inspection. Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and local authority. Inspectors spoke with several pupils, staff, parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Ryan Mugan The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 4.5% 5.1% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 13.1% 14.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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 .

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Urgent improvement

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 . Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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