Peel Brow School

Peel Brow School

Address: Fir Street, Ramsbottom, Bury, Lancashire, BL0 0BJ Unique reference number (URN): 148867

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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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Early years Strong standard

Leaders thoroughly understand the importance of children’s early years and have ensured that children get off to a flying start to their early education. Staff benefit from highly effective professional learning. Leaders have meticulously designed an ambitious curriculum that successfully builds on what children already know and can do. This enables children to develop secure knowledge across all areas of learning. Staff check children’s learning carefully and provide carefully tailored support for those who need additional practice.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders focus sharply on developing children’s communication, language and literacy skills. Classrooms are abundant with purposeful talk and high-quality texts. Reading is prioritised from the start. Staff teach phonics very well to Reception-age children. They engage all children in skilful back-and-forth interactions. This increases children’s knowledge of new words and sentence structure, while developing their thinking skills. For example, staff help children to orally build sentences to describe Easter eggs before writing these down with precision.

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Early years Strong standard

Purposeful partnerships with parents and carers help children to settle in quickly. Well- established routines maximise children’s wellbeing and learning. Children eagerly engage in all the opportunities afforded to them. They understand how to play cooperatively alongside their peers, clearly articulating their own ideas and what they want to achieve. Children are very well prepared for future learning.

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Achievement Expected standard

In the past, pupils’ attainment in national tests and assessments has been below that of other pupils nationally. Leaders and the trust have taken decisive action to improve pupils’ achievement in recent years. This is bearing fruit in how pupils typically progress well through the curriculum. In addition, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils has improved steadily so that it is in line and sometimes above other disadvantaged pupils nationally. Pupils are ready for their next steps in education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils take pride in their work. Mostly, pupils can recall their prior learning with confidence. Some pupils’ depth of knowledge is less secure. For the most part, staff ensure that any gaps in pupils’ learning close quickly. This supports pupils in keeping up with their peers. However, on occasion, pupils make some mistakes in their written work that are not remedied as swiftly as they could be.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Following the previous inspection, leaders’ work to further strengthen the curriculum and the way in which it is taught has been successful. They have ensured that the curriculum is broad and designed to cater for small, mixed-age classes.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum effectively. They choose suitable learning activities and provide pupils with clear explanations of new learning. Teachers focus sharply on developing pupils’ spoken language, allowing plentiful opportunities for thoughtful discussions. They regularly revisit earlier learning so that pupils can build on what they already know and can do. This means that pupils’ knowledge is secure.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff understand pupils’ individual learning needs. They typically check learning carefully. Staff provide pupils with additional support to help close any gaps in important knowledge. This enables pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to keep up with their learning. For example, the support for early readers enables pupils to learn to read fluently. However, some errors that pupils make in their written work are repeated across the curriculum because they are not addressed as quickly as they could be.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that this small school is a welcoming environment for all. Pupils arrive each morning and readily join in with morning activities while enjoying a breakfast snack. Leaders actively engage with families and external professionals to cater for pupils’ additional needs. This includes those pupils who access the special educational needs unit, known as the Hive. Specialised learning approaches ensure that these pupils experience a calm and purposeful environment that meets their learning and care needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify and assess pupils’ additional needs quickly and accurately, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that staff can focus on reducing pupils' barriers to learning and wellbeing. A range of strategies is used to successfully support pupils’ learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor pupils’ progress carefully and review the impact that support is having. They make sure that pupils and their families have their views considered. Staff access frequent, high-quality training that helps them to support pupils to succeed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with barriers to learning, including those with SEND and those known to social care, typically make steady progress through the curriculum. Leaders use additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils’ learning effectively. As a result, gaps in pupils’ learning are narrowing over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance place pupils’ best interests at the centre of their decisions. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those with other barriers to their success. Leaders are driven to ensure that all pupils belong and thrive. They are forensic in understanding the school’s strengths and addressing areas to develop further. For example, leaders have steadied some previous instability in staffing and have redeveloped the curriculum to cater for mixed-age classes. As a result, pupils are achieving increasingly well. Leaders are committed to addressing deep-rooted issues around pupils’ attendance. Members of the local governing body and the trust board are fully supportive of the school’s work. They have established a culture of mutual support and challenge. There are clear systems to check the school’s performance, and this work aids its continued improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees work closely with the local governing body to ensure that statutory duties are met.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide staff with wide-ranging, evidence-informed professional learning. They utilise links with the trust and other professionals to successfully build staff's expertise and confidence. Staff particularly value opportunities to learn with other schools in the trust. Their morale is high. They know that leaders at all levels care about their workload and wellbeing. Staff appreciate leaders’ actions to create and maintain a positive journey of improvement at the school. Parents and carers are equally positive about the school and the progress that leaders have made to ensure that their children are happy and settled and learn well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have adopted a suitable personal development programme that meets pupils’ needs. They ensure that pupils benefit from a range of activities and opportunities. Leaders work well with families and communities, including those of disadvantaged pupils, so that access to wider experiences is equal, regardless of any barriers. As a result, pupils are typically well prepared for life in modern society.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop their social skills well and learn that they can make a positive difference to the school and society. For example, older pupils support others in their roles as reading buddies, librarians, school councillors and values ambassadors. They fundraise for charities to help people who are in need. Older pupils recently wrote a letter to Parliament to highlight issues around deforestation and global warming.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum is designed to equip pupils with the knowledge that they need to be healthy and to navigate life confidently outside of school. Pupils understand how to be safe in the local area and while accessing the internet. They learn about healthy relationships and how to be a good friend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop a broad understanding of fundamental British values, including the importance of being considerate citizens. For example, pupils know that they should treat people fairly and with respect, regardless of any differences that they may have. Themed days and visitors to the school provide pupils with an awareness of cultural diversity and different career aspirations for their future lives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils’ wellbeing and pastoral care needs. Pupils follow well-established routines, which supports their emotional security. Tailored approaches are provided for pupils who need additional support for their wellbeing, such as activities that provide a calm start to the school day.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance has been a significant barrier over time for several pupils. Attendance rates have been consistently below the national average. Persistent absenteeism is high. Leaders are fully aware of these issues and have put a clear strategy in place to improve pupils’ rates of attendance. They understand the reasons for absence and have established clear systems to address these, such as working with external professionals and engaging with parents and carers. While there is firm determination to rectify these longstanding concerns, it is too soon to see the impact of leaders’ work to secure improvement.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils follow the school’s behaviour expectations. This contributes to a calm and orderly environment across the school. Pupils are recognised for their positive behaviour. They are well mannered and polite. Pupils are keen to support one another during lessons and at social times. They enjoy learning and listen to their teachers carefully. Staff apply behaviour policies consistently. They know pupils’ additional needs very well and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities skilfully. Bullying is not tolerated, and staff address any rare occasions of such incidents promptly. Should there be incidents of unkindness, staff help pupils to discuss and resolve what has happened to prevent any recurrence.

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

Pupils enjoy being part of the close-knit community at this small school. Staff help pupils and their families to feel welcome, greeting them warmly each morning. Pupils are safe and know that staff value and care for them.

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

Leaders have improved the school’s curriculum. It is ambitious and designed to enable pupils to develop their knowledge across a range of subjects. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ achievement, including those pupils who access their learning in the special educational needs unit, known as the Hive. Pupils typically achieve well and show positive attitudes to their learning. They develop the foundations that they need for future success.

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

Leaders identify and address the barriers to learning and wellbeing that pupils may face. This includes for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils learn well alongside their peers. However, many pupils do not attend school as often as they should. They miss out on important learning.

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

Pupils behave well. They understand and fully embrace the school’s rules and values. Bullying is rare and staff resolve any issues promptly. Pupils have mature attitudes and clearly articulate why it is important to treat other people with respect and kindness. They know that staff will support them if they have any concerns. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Children in the early years settle into school life remarkably well. They develop their speaking skills impressively and talk confidently about their learning. Staff foster children’s love of books, songs and rhymes and create a sense of awe and wonder in learning. They are extremely well prepared for their move on to key stage 1.

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

Pupils make use of opportunities that broaden their experiences and readiness for life in modern Britain. They particularly relish times when they learn outdoors. They enjoy trips to museums, the library and a theatre. Pupils develop their interests through clubs in art, gymnastics and boardgames.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy improves pupils’ attendance rates, including for those who are disadvantaged and those with persistent absence. Leaders should support staff in deepening pupils’ learning and identifying errors in their written work, so that these are addressed swiftly.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Vision Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is currently run by interim chief executive officers, Kathryn Mort and Christopher Bell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Laurence Goldberg.

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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 executive headteacher, the head of school and other leaders during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with pupils and staff. The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust and members of the local governing body, including the chairs of both boards. A discussion took place 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 includes a special educational needs unit for 12 pupils with autism.

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About this inspection

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, several new staff have been appointed, including an executive headteacher and interim head of school.

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Lead inspector:

David Lobodzinski, 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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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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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

2023/24 (final) 54% 61% 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

2023/24 (final) 71% 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) 79% 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) 79% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 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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national average

2024/25 (revised) 57% 47% 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) 71% 63% 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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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) 71% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 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

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 .

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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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