St Peter's Church of England Primary School

St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Address: Whitefield Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9PW Unique reference number (URN): 105321

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils typically make secure progress through the curriculum across year groups and key stages. Published outcomes show that most pupils achieve in line with national expectations. Despite inconsistencies in curriculum intent and implementation, pupils generally achieve well by the time that they leave key stage 2.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils secure the basic knowledge in reading, spelling, handwriting and number that supports their progress across the curriculum. Disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with other barriers to learning typically achieve well. Indeed, they often outperform similar groups nationally. Tailored support and timely intervention help these pupils to address gaps in their learning effectively.

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Achievement Expected standard

While inconsistencies in curriculum sequencing and implementation limit the depth of knowledge that some pupils gain, most pupils develop the important knowledge and skills needed for their next steps in education. Pupils are suitably prepared for future learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders monitor attendance closely and use detailed analysis to identify the causes of pupils’ absences. Their early intervention work removes barriers for pupils and families. This ensures that overall attendance is broadly in line with national figures and is continuing to improve. The attendance of pupils who are persistently or severely absent is also rising, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Recent actions, such as work to improve punctuality, are beginning to show further impact. Leaders ensure that pastoral provision is available for pupils and families to target support. Staff support practices by maintaining communication with parents.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Behaviour is managed consistently. Staff apply the school’s behaviour procedures with clarity and confidence. Leaders understand pupils’ individual barriers and use this knowledge to shape pastoral and behavioural support, including interventions that help pupils develop friendships and self- regulation. Classrooms are calm and orderly, with pupils listening attentively and following routines. This behaviour is mirrored during social times, where pupils play and work well together. Pupils report that misbehaviour is addressed promptly and that bullying is not tolerated. Leaders have created an environment where staff know and care for pupils, and where adaptations for pupils with SEND enable them to participate fully.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years curriculum is set out logically and progressively. This enables children to build knowledge securely across all areas of learning. From the outset, leaders place a prominent focus on children’s communication and language development. High-quality interactions and modelling of spoken language help children to develop their vocabulary and oracy skills. Leaders use evidence-based programmes to identify language needs and to guide targeted support.

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Early years Expected standard

Early reading is prioritised. Children in the Nursery Year build the important skills needed for reading. Those in the Reception Year learn the phonics code from the outset and use this knowledge to read with increasing confidence.

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Early years Expected standard

Teachers use assessment effectively to identify gaps in children’s knowledge and understanding. Staff respond quickly with targeted interventions. As a result, most children make secure progress from their typically low starting points.

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Early years Expected standard

Children settle quickly into calm, purposeful environments where routines are well established. Staff understand children’s starting points through screening checks, parental engagement and work with external professionals. This supports children’s transition to Year 1, where information about children's achievements is shared to ensure continuity.

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Early years Expected standard

Typically, most children are ready for the demands of the Year 1 curriculum by the time that they leave the early years. Partnerships with parents and carers are effective, helping staff to address barriers and support children’s development well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders place pupils’ needs at the centre of their decision making. This helps to create a welcoming and supportive environment throughout the school. Leaders use well-established systems to identify pupils’ needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These systems enable leaders to spot barriers early, including for disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care. Staff use this information effectively because they know pupils well and respond to their needs with care and precision.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor provision closely and use their oversight to check that pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and other vulnerable groups make the progress that they should. The school reduces barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing by making thoughtful adaptations, providing targeted pastoral support and, when necessary, creating tailored curricular approaches.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff apply processes to evaluate the effectiveness of provision consistently. Leaders work productively with external professionals and engage families to shape help that meets pupils’ needs and aspirations.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupil premium funding is used purposefully. Leaders draw on research to design their strategy and evaluate interventions systematically. This leads to improved outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Staff receive ongoing training that equips them to deliver inclusive practice. Leaders ensure that provision aligns with pupils’ needs and supports their continued inclusion in the school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development programme enables pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding beyond the academic. Pupils reflect on their own beliefs and listen

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Needs attention

respectfully to the views of others. They speak thoughtfully about different religions and cultures, and visits to places of worship and cultural institutions broaden their understanding further. Leaders promote moral thinking. Pupils learn to distinguish right from wrong and consider the impact of their actions.

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Needs attention

Opportunities to engage with creative and cultural experiences, including museum visits and work on significant figures such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Mahatma Gandhi, enhance pupils’ appreciation of diversity and culture. Older pupils benefit from participating in teambuilding and shared experiences to help to develop character traits such as resilience and confidence.

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Needs attention

Leaders have designed a coherent personal development programme that reflects the school’s context. It supports pupils’ understanding of their mental health and emotional development. Leaders put tailored support in place when needed. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully in leadership roles, clubs and wider opportunities. This is because leaders track pupils’ involvement carefully and remove any barriers.

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Needs attention

Pupils learn to cooperate, resolve conflict and build friendships. They take pride in roles such as playground leaders and ‘ethos group’ members. This contributes to their character development and helps them to understand their responsibilities within a community.

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Needs attention

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, particularly online. Typically, pupils understand how to behave responsibly in digital spaces and recognise risks to their wellbeing. This extends to relevant risks within the locality and financial awareness. Pupils have a developing understanding of healthy lifestyles.

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Needs attention

Pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of fundamental British values. They appreciate differences, recognise equality and know how to challenge discrimination. Pupils’ relationships with staff are positive and help pupils to feel safe, supported and well cared for.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum’s design and delivery are inconsistent. The sequencing of learning in some subjects remains unclear. This leaves some teachers without the guidance that they need to teach curriculum content in a coherent, connected way. Leaders have begun to refine the important information that pupils will learn. They are starting to strengthen sequencing and develop pupils’ use of key vocabulary, alongside supporting teachers to build subject knowledge. However, this work is still in its early stages, and its impact is not yet evident.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils typically learn essential knowledge securely. However, in some areas of the curriculum, the activities set do not help pupils to learn from their starting points. Additionally, sometimes pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to practise and apply their learning. Teachers typically use assessment information effectively to address misconceptions in pupils’ understanding. Leaders have prioritised early reading. In the main, pupils, including children in the early years, learn this curriculum well. This is also true in a number of other curriculum subjects. Pupils receive timely intervention to help them to catch up with their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders and staff adapt teaching appropriately for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face additional barriers. These pupils typically access the curriculum alongside their peers, supported effectively by staff.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The impact of leaders' work in relation to curriculum development remains variable and inconsistencies in practice persist. Sometimes, inaccuracies in the school's processes have not been identified or challenged by governors. Quality assurance processes lack depth, and governors do not consistently verify the information that they receive. Governors engage in purposeful dialogue with leaders and have begun to build their understanding of the curriculum and wider school practice through visits and documentation reviews. However, their scrutiny is sometimes superficial, and gaps in training, exacerbated by recent changes in membership, limit their ability to provide rigorous challenge. Governors acknowledge these limitations. Their capacity to offer robust challenge and support is still developing. Nonetheless, their oversight of statutory responsibilities is secure. They have identified appropriate priorities for improvement and have begun to take suitable action.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders understand the school’s context, its strengths and the areas requiring further development. They make decisions in pupils’ best interests, including those who are disadvantaged, have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or face additional barriers. For example, they ensure that there are no financial barriers to pupils’ education or wider experiences. Professional development for staff is coherent and evidence informed, with a clear focus on specific aspects of SEND, such as communication and language. This contributes to an inclusive culture where pupils’ needs are identified and addressed effectively. Leaders support staff wellbeing and workload, promoting a highly positive working environment in which staff feel valued.

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

Pupils attend well and take genuine pride in being part of this warm, welcoming school community. From the youngest children to the oldest pupils, their positive attitudes shine through, especially during whole ‑ school moments like their joyful singing in assemblies. Pupils benefit from the caring and respectful relationships they share with staff and with one another, helping them to feel secure and well cared for. Across the school, pupils arrive each morning with enthusiasm. Their courteous and confident manner extends to visitors.

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

Behaviour across the school is very positive. Pupils report that bullying is rare, and they trust staff to respond quickly and effectively to any concerns. Pupils listen attentively in lessons. They play kindly and sensibly during breaktimes. Older pupils enjoy supporting their friends’ games at playtimes in their roles as ‘play leaders’. Leaders actively remove barriers to ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged, benefit from the full curricular offer. Pupils' learning extends beyond the academic. They relish taking part in clubs, trips and visits, such as regional singing concerts. Pupils speak with pride about hosting an art exhibition for the school community.

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

Across the school, pupils’ day-to-day experiences of education are varied. Pupils enjoy their learning and typically achieve in line with national outcomes. Children in the early years get off to a successful and secure start. Contrastingly, in some lessons, the content that is taught and the tasks that are set do not consistently enable other pupils to learn as well as they could. As a result, pupils develop secure foundations in essential knowledge and skills but are often hindered from achieving as well as they could in some other subjects. Leaders’ ambitious vision for pupils’ success is reflected in the improvements that they have implemented. However, they recognise that there is further work to do to ensure that the curriculum is set out and delivered consistently well.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the essential knowledge for each subject is clearly defined and organised in a logical, sequential way, enabling teachers to know what to teach and when. They should also provide pupils with regular opportunities to practise and apply their learning. Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school so that teachers design new learning better suited to pupils’ starting points to enable all groups of pupils to make sustained progress across the full curriculum and achieve well over time. Governors should refine and strengthen the approaches that they take to make their actions more robust and to assure themselves that the work of leaders is having the intended impact.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Meenaz Mukhtar.

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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, the assistant headteacher, who is also the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, and middle leaders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The lead inspector also spoke with a representative on behalf of the local authority, a representative from the diocese of Manchester, as well as members of the governing board, including the chair of the board of governors.

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Team inspectors:

Schelene Ferris, Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Stevens, Ofsted 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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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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258

Close to average This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The school's previous section 48 inspection of schools with a religious character took place in October 2017.

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258

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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258

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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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average

2024/25 (revised) 64% 62% Close to average

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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

2024/25 (revised) 73% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 79% 74% 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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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 71% Close to average

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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) 79% 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

2024/25 (revised) 58% 47% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 38% 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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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 62% 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) 58% 59% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 46% 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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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 (2 term) 5.7% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.8% 5.5% 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

2023/24 (3 term) 12.4% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 19.5% 16.2% 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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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