Cale Green Primary School

Cale Green Primary School

Address: Shaw Road South, Shaw Heath, Stockport, Cheshire, SK3 8JG Unique reference number (URN): 106091

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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

Pupils at Cale Green are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. The personal development offer has a significant impact on pupils. Leaders’ commitment to ensuring that pupils fully participate in the school’s enrichment opportunities means that they develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. No child is left behind, and leaders ensure that every pupil engages positively in these opportunities. As a result, pupils from a range of backgrounds can reflect on and debate ethical issues and show a deep understanding of their own and other faiths.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders' deliberate actions to diligently prepare pupils for transitional points in their education mean that pupils are ready for their next steps. For example, well-established links with the local secondary schools mean that pupils are very familiar with the routines and expectations of the school that they will attend next. During lessons, pupils regularly discuss the emotions and feelings associated with change to prepare them to move on successfully to their next stage.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils have access to a comprehensive range of clubs, activities, trips and leadership roles that enrich their time at the school. For example, the school’s drama club recites Shakespeare’s plays to an audience, and the cricket club competes in many local competitions. Pupils enjoy the school’s residential visits, trips linked to their curriculum learning, as well as an array of sporting and artistic activities. Leaders ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, take up this offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has recently refined the curriculum offer in personal, social and health education (PSHE) to extend it further. For example, the school has implemented specific teaching on the use of artificial intelligence. This offer includes a comprehensive relationships and sex education curriculum. Teachers build pupils' knowledge of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Pupils apply this to scenarios in the local community and online when discussing their learning. Pupils also demonstrate a deep understanding of other aspects of the school’s PSHE curriculum. They are confident discussing how to manage their health and wellbeing positively.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils demonstrate their knowledge and skills across the curriculum through their quality discussions. For example, pupils confidently discuss their learning about Ancient Greece and how it links to their writing on myths. Workbooks are well presented and demonstrate the broad curriculum offer in place for pupils. As pupils develop their skills, their handwriting improves, and they get better at using grammar and punctuation accurately. Many pupils with lower starting points in the English language progress well and move successfully through the curriculum. Pupils generally achieve well in national tests. Leaders have recognised where improvements are needed and have addressed them successfully. For example, leaders identified the need for further improvement in mathematics to ensure that teachers could deliver the curriculum more effectively, leading to a higher proportion of pupils achieving well

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Achievement Expected standard

at the end of key stage 2. Disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as disadvantaged pupils nationally in reading and mathematics, and better than this in writing. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Overall, pupils attend well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders take a proactive approach by working with external agencies and offering families additional support to improve their attendance. These actions have a positive impact. The attendance of the majority of pupils is close to the national average and continues to improve. A few pupils remain persistently absent from school. Leaders take the appropriate actions, and there are effective systems in place to encourage pupils to attend as regularly as possible.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The behaviour of pupils at Cale Green is a strength. The school’s expectation that all pupils do their best means that lessons are not disrupted and pupils have positive attitudes to learning. The ‘Cale Green challenge’ exemplifies this and enables pupils to practise the skills to show kindness to others. Pupils respect each other’s identities and are curious about others' different backgrounds. Any form of discrimination is rare.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders ensure that any instances in which behaviour does not meet the school's high expectations are challenged. The school’s nurturing approach allows pupils to have reflective conversations and learn from their mistakes. Staff follow the school’s behaviour policy well, including during lesson times. As a result, the school is calm and purposeful.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have carefully designed the curriculum so that teachers can identify the most important knowledge to teach pupils. The curriculum is ambitious and sets out the knowledge that pupils need to succeed in their next steps. This includes ensuring that pupils' knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics are front and centre, enabling them to access other areas of the curriculum effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use their subject knowledge, and a range of teaching strategies, well to deliver the curriculum. For example, teachers enable pupils to deepen their understanding of curriculum concepts through planned opportunities to discuss their learning. Occasionally, the activities given to some pupils by teachers are too hard for them. This means they do not secure their learning as quickly as they need to.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who are disadvantaged, typically have successful access to the whole curriculum. Assessment systems allow teachers to check whether pupils can recall what they have learned. Any misconceptions in pupils' learning are typically addressed and corrected. In a few cases, gaps in pupils' foundational skills in writing and mathematics are not addressed swiftly enough, and they persist.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years have a broad range of starting points. Some children have lower starting points in their language skills. High-quality interactions and a focus on vocabulary development ensure that these children can quickly ask for help or interact with other children. Teachers regularly use stories to continue modelling new words and phrases to children.

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Early years Expected standard

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. They use their phonics knowledge to read words and books that are well matched to their stage of learning. When children need additional help with their reading, small-group interventions help them practise their sounds. This helps them to catch up.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum is carefully considered to ensure that it identifies the knowledge and skills needed across all areas of learning. Generally, activities support children to practise the skills they need to learn. For example, children use scissors to cut different sheets of paper to develop their fine motor skills. Children also regularly practise their basic mathematical skills. This ensures that they grasp number concepts and can write initial numbers well. Typically, this means that children are ready for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Relationships between staff and parents and carers are very positive.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school uses the additional funding that it receives well. From the start of the early years, staff quickly identify any barriers that pupils may face, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders ensure that the appropriate support is in place. Where needed, this includes seeking additional guidance from other agencies, such as speech and language therapists. Some pupils receive additional intervention to address gaps in their learning. Staff typically check how well these interventions are working and take appropriate action as needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Several pupils who are new to English also attend the school. The school uses a range of assessments to identify gaps in pupils' language. Pupils are then given activities that help them to learn new words and phrases. Leaders have invested in training to support staff to do this. This means that pupils develop a secure understanding of the English language.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have sought evidence-based training to ensure that they can support disadvantaged pupils to be fully included in all aspects of school life. The school’s work on ‘poverty proofing’ is a positive example of this. This has enabled staff to understand the challenges that disadvantaged pupils typically face. Appropriate support is then put in place. The school uses alternative provision appropriately and in pupils' best interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders at Cale Green have a deep understanding of the community that it serves. They take appropriate actions to further improve the school. This is reflected in many areas of quality provision within the school. This work is supported by the governors, whose knowledge ensures that leaders continue to act in the best interests of pupils, particularly the most vulnerable. Leaders are outward-facing and regularly reflect on their practice to consider what further improvements they might make. This includes visiting other schools and working with other professionals. Leaders are refining their systems to add further precision to their actions, for example in improving attendance. These systems are in the early stages and are still under development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Teachers in the early stages of their careers are well supported through the school’s professional learning programme. Staff are regularly given opportunities to further develop their skills to deliver the curriculum effectively to pupils. Recent staff training has enabled teachers to deepen their knowledge of specific disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are very proud to work at the school and appreciate the visibility, clarity and support that leaders give them. Most parents and carers also share this view and relish the opportunities that the school offers their children.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors understand their responsibilities. They continually reflect on their skills and seek new governors where they have identified further strengths may be needed. They also seek the views of parents and carers and work positively with the local community. Governors hold leaders to account and ask challenging questions to ensure that the school is the best it can be. They are mindful of and take steps to support staff and leaders’ wellbeing.

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

Cale Green Primary School is a place where pupils feel loved and cared for. They attend well, live by the school’s values and demonstrate these in their behaviour. Pupils speak warmly to staff, and there is a sense of mutual respect in their interactions. Bullying at this school is rare. Pupils unanimously say that they feel safe and listened to. They value the recent improvements to playtimes, including children in the early years. Pupils play collaboratively, take turns and demonstrate compassion towards each other.

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

Pupils’ enthusiasm continues into the classroom. They get excited about learning and value all the opportunities staff provide. Teachers generally present learning well to pupils. They also carefully consider any adaptations that allow pupils to access learning. This enables pupils to feel included in the life of the school and well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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

The school ensures that all pupils are valued and that they can make positive contributions to the life of the school. Leaders' careful decisions ensure that all pupils can access the many opportunities that they provide. This helps to reduce barriers for pupils who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, for instance

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Team inspectors:

John Littler, Ofsted Inspector Sue Farrimond, Ofsted Inspector ensuring that all pupils engage in broader personal development activities to enrich their day-to-day experiences.

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Team inspectors:

Leaders’ work to raise ambition, develop independence and create lifelong learners is of high quality. Pupil leadership groups such as the ‘steering stars’ are shining examples of young leaders who demonstrate detailed knowledge of global issues and human rights. The development of pupils' speaking skills ensures that they can speak aloud and positively influence others' views. Pupils at this school are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently identify and address gaps in pupils’ prior knowledge so that pupils have secured their understanding before moving on. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide activity choices in lessons that allow pupils to access learning at their stage of development. Leaders should continue to strengthen their systems to analyse the school's performance and implement strategies that ensure that standards continue to improve.

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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 and other school leaders and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors also spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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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 currently makes use of one unregistered alternative provision provider.

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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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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. National average: 26.3%

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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) 62% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 60% 60% 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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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) 76% 72% 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

2024/25 (revised) 76% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (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

2024/25 (revised) 74% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 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

2022/23 (final) 62% 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

2024/25 (revised) 68% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 54% 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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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.1% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 6.0% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.5% 5.9% 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 (2 term) 12.4% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 17.6% 14.6% 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

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

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