Frenchwood Community Primary School

Frenchwood Community Primary School

Address: Frenchwood Knoll, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 4LE Unique reference number (URN): 119231

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have effective systems in place to improve attendance. They analyse patterns closely and use this information to guide early and targeted support. Leaders work closely with families and other professionals to reduce any barriers to regular attendance. They monitor the impact of this work and adjust strategies quickly when improvement is too slow. Staff apply agreed processes consistently, including regular checks and personalised plans. As a result, persistent absence for most groups of pupils is beginning to improve. However, there is still work to do to encourage some disadvantaged pupils to come to school more often.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave respectfully across the school. Leaders have established routines that create a calm and orderly environment, including at social times. Staff use behaviour systems with consistency, which helps pupils to feel secure. Leaders take swift action when concerns arise, including when pupils report bullying. Staff listen and deal with any issues fairly. Leaders’ work to promote positive attitudes to learning is effective. Staff know pupils well and adapt their approaches sensitively, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This includes the use of self-regulation zones and sensory areas, which many pupils value. This contributes to an environment where difference is celebrated and discrimination not tolerated.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that inclusion is a priority throughout the school. Pupils are supported appropriately so that all can take part in school life. Systems for identifying and assessing pupils’ needs are effective, enabling disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing other challenges to receive timely and suitable support. Relationships between staff and these pupils are positive, helping pupils to feel safe and supported.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders take appropriate action to reduce barriers to learning and wellbeing. Adaptations and support are planned carefully and reflected in classroom practice, helping pupils to access learning and wider opportunities. For example, leaders adapt arrangements for educational visits, including flexible timings and parental support where needed. Outdoor learning, smaller-group work and structured lunchtime activities are also provided. These approaches support pupils who may not be able to attend after-school clubs, ensuring that they are included in the wider life of the school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff receive regular training to support pupils with additional needs. Leaders monitor these pupils’ progress and review the impact of any support, making adjustments when necessary. Additional funding is used appropriately, and leaders work closely with families and other professionals to ensure that support is well coordinated and meets pupils’ needs, contributing to their steady progress and improved wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop their character and personal qualities because the school provides many opportunities to help them to reflect on their beliefs, experiences and the choices that they make. Pupils learn to appreciate different viewpoints, discuss ethical issues in age ‑ appropriate ways and consider how their actions affect others. Stories and cultural traditions help pupils form a clear sense of right and wrong. Pupils learn how to work with others, resolve disagreements and contribute positively to their school community. Experiences such as visits from the police and a 'Roman soldier' and links with a local place of worship deepen pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity, heritage and shared values. Educational visits to the zoo and gardens and a train ride to a castle help pupils to deepen their learning across a range of subjects. Pupils take part in democratic processes, such as voting for the school council, and relate this to fairness and shared responsibility.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is appropriate for pupils' ages. It develops pupils’ knowledge of healthy relationships, physical health and mental wellbeing. It teaches them how to manage risks online and offline. Leaders design the curriculum carefully and share information with parents in advance, consulting sensitively with community groups where needed. Disadvantaged pupils settle quickly and feel included. Staff use sensory and self ‑ regulation spaces effectively to support pupils who sometimes struggle with their emotions. Leaders make sure that pupils can try new and enriching experiences, including learning to swim in the visiting mobile pool. Pupils take responsibility through leadership roles, for example on the school council and eco-council, where they contribute ideas confidently and influence decisions. Leaders ensure that cost is not a barrier to any opportunities, enabling all pupils to take part.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' achievement is uneven. Progress through the curriculum varies between subjects and year groups. Younger pupils do not secure the important knowledge that they need in handwriting, spelling and mathematics. Published test results often fall short of national standards, including for disadvantaged pupils and those who join the school mid-year. These groups do not catch up quickly enough. This limits how well prepared pupils are for the next step of their education. The complex and frequently changing nature of the school's population does not fully account for pupils' underachievement or their struggles to grasp the basics of writing and number.

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Achievement Needs attention

In contrast, in subjects other than English and mathematics, pupils learn well and build up useful knowledge. This includes pupils who joined the school late and those who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Leaders' focus on supporting these pupils to settle quickly provides a firm basis for their achievement in some subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teaching is not consistently effective across the school. Staff do not always teach the curriculum as intended for writing and mathematics or identify gaps in pupils’ learning quickly enough. Expectations for correcting pupils’ letter and number formation, pencil grip or spelling are not applied reliably in all classes. Teaching time is sometimes used inefficiently, so some pupils are left waiting for too long before moving on. In phonics, a structured programme is in place, but staff's modelling of sounds is sometimes inaccurate. These inconsistencies limit how well the curriculum is delivered.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There is, however, a solid foundation on which to build. Leaders have carefully considered what should be taught. The design of the curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced. There are clear expectations for what should be taught in each subject. Staff benefit from regular training that supports their developing subject knowledge. In most classes, teachers explain new content clearly and make deliberate choices that build pupils’ vocabulary and secure essential knowledge. Reading is prioritised, and books are well matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Effective support enables pupils to keep up if they struggle. Staff are well supported to adapt the curriculum appropriately for pupils who face barriers to learning.

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Early years Needs attention

Some aspects of the early years provision mean that children are not as securely prepared for Year 1 as they should be. The quality of staff's interactions with children varies. Some adults do not extend children’s language and vocabulary through purposeful talk and questioning. Although the curriculum includes all the knowledge and skills that children should learn, the focus on early communication, writing and number is not strong enough. Reception-age children learn new sounds through the phonics programme, but they have too few opportunities to apply this knowledge by forming letters. Activities do not take enough account of children’s starting points, including those who are disadvantaged. As a result, children do not build the knowledge they need for future learning well enough.

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Early years Needs attention

That said, some other elements of the curriculum are carefully thought out. Children experience a nurturing environment, and caring staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well. Children settle quickly because adults provide consistent reassurance and help them to follow routines. Partnerships with parents are effective, and families recognise the positive relationships they have with staff. Targeted interventions help some children to build confidence in communication.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders know the school’s strengths and have identified the right priorities for improvement, but their actions have not brought about change quickly enough. Some weaknesses remain for longer than they should because leaders have not checked that agreed approaches are carried out well in classrooms. Leaders’ oversight does not consistently secure the improvements that they intend. As a result, progress in important areas is slow, and the impact of leaders’ decisions is not always evident in pupils’ day ‑ to ‑ day experiences, including for pupils who are disadvantaged. Although leaders provide training for staff, it is not sharply focused enough to address the main weaknesses in teaching. This limits how well staff build their expertise and use the school's approaches effectively.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors meet their statutory duties and understand the school’s context. They support leaders and ask appropriate questions, including about staffing and resources, and they contribute to decision ‑ making that is in pupils’ best interests. Staff feel valued and supported. They are highly committed to their work at this school. Leaders consider workload and wellbeing when making decisions. Leaders engage positively with parents and the wider community and act on the views they gather.

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

Life at Frenchwood Community Primary School is shaped by care and a strong sense of belonging. Pupils feel safe and welcome from the moment they arrive. Staff build warm relationships with children in the early years and help them to settle quickly. Pupils join the school from many different countries. Staff support them to learn routines, make friends and feel part of the 'Frenchwood family'. Staff in the early years help children to grow in confidence, although some are not as well prepared for early writing and mathematics as they should be. Pupils enjoy learning and speak positively about visits and visitors that have helped them understand the world beyond their classrooms. They say the school feels friendly, calm and respectful.

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

Most pupils make progress from their starting points, including those who are disadvantaged or who face barriers to learning. These pupils benefit from targeted support. However, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. They leave the school without being fully prepared for their next steps. Teaching of essential skills, particularly in mathematics, handwriting and spelling, is not consistent across classes. These weaknesses affect pupils' confidence and limit the fluency that they need for successful future learning. Leaders' actions do not bring about improvement quickly enough.

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

Behaviour across the school is calm and positive. Pupils treat each other with respect and know staff will help them if they have a worry. Pupils say that any unkind behaviour is dealt with quickly. Attendance is improving because staff work closely with families, especially where pupils face difficulties in their lives.

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

Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities available to them. They talk with enthusiasm about clubs such as craft club, science club and multi-sports club. Many also value pupil leadership roles such as the eco-council, the safety squad or 'rabbit rangers'. These experiences help pupils to feel proud of their school.

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Next steps

Leaders, including governors, should ensure that the school's improvement priorities are acted upon with greater urgency so that improvements in teaching lead to more rapid gains in pupils’ learning.

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Team inspectors:

Nicky Corfield, Ofsted Inspector Kathryn Pym, 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. Leaders should improve the expertise of early years staff in teaching early English and mathematics so that children gain the secure early foundations that they need to be well prepared for Year 1. Leaders should strengthen staff’s expertise in teaching the essential skills of handwriting, spelling and mathematics so that pupils benefit from consistently effective teaching across the school. Leaders should develop the ways in which staff check pupils' learning to ensure that gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ basic skills are identified and addressed quickly, helping pupils build secure foundations for their future learning. Leaders should continue their work to improve attendance so that pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, attend school regularly and do not miss out on important

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Alia Hamid.

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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 His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff during the inspection. They also spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair, a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement partner.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Cathryn Antwis This data is from 10 February 2026

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What does this mean?

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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average

2023/24 (final) 75% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 73% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 44% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 42% 44% Close to average

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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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national average

2024/25 (revised) 56% 63% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% Close to average

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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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average

2024/25 (revised) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 63% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 58% 59% Close to average

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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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Persistent absence

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

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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

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Urgent improvement

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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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