St Augustine's CofE Primary School

St Augustine's CofE Primary School

Address: 380 Bolton Road, Pendlebury, Swinton, Manchester, M27 8UX Unique reference number (URN): 144372

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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

Children thrive in a calm, nurturing setting. Staff work closely with parents and carers to help children settle quickly. Throughout the early years, children follow a curriculum which builds the knowledge and skills that they need. Staff quickly identify children's starting points and build on from them effectively. Staff use precise checks on learning to ensure that every child is successful. Disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities develop the foundations that they need for future learning. All children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.

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Early years Strong standard

Skilled staff craft purposeful activities that support children's learning. For example, learning in the mud kitchen develops pupils' language skills remarkably well. Staff design outdoor activities meticulously to strengthen pupils' fine motor control. High-quality interactions underpin all of this work. For example, staff skilfully help children to share ideas and ask pertinent questions.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff also design the environment carefully to give children equal access to exciting and purposeful learning opportunities. Staff prioritise the teaching of reading through phonics and deliver it with precision and expertise. Children quickly grasp the knowledge and skills that they need to speak, read and write well. Staff give children's personal, social and emotional development the same high priority. This helps children to feel safe and become confident, eager learners.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders know which aspects of teaching are effective and which could improve further. The curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious. Leaders have recently made thoughtful and well-considered decisions to strengthen the curriculum. Each subject clearly identifies the essential knowledge that pupils must learn. This is already beginning to benefit pupils. In many subjects, learning builds securely over time. However, in some subjects, the delivery of the curriculum still requires further embedding. This is particularly so in mathematics, where teachers sometimes do not explain new concepts as clearly as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that teachers in most subjects have the subject ‑ specific expertise that they need to teach the curriculum effectively. For example, they have successfully trained staff to deliver the phonics programme with confidence. However, in a few subjects, teachers are still developing their understanding of how to deliver the intended curriculum. As a result, pupils' learning experiences are not consistent across subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, teachers make effective adaptations to teaching and resources to support pupils to learn. When pupils fall behind, particularly in phonics, staff provide targeted help that enables many to catch up and become more confident, fluent readers. Pupils in key stage 1 and children in the early years have a secure understanding of the key knowledge that they need for future learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff understand the wide range of barriers that pupils face. Teachers work closely with external agencies, and parents and carers to build a full picture of each pupil's needs. This collaboration enables staff to identify and reduce barriers effectively so that pupils can access learning. Leaders collect information about the impact of this support. They use this to evaluate how well pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, learn the intended curriculum. On the whole, teachers set precise, step ‑ by ‑ step targets that help pupils to move forward with their studies. Leaders recognise the importance of embedding this practice further so that staff apply this approach consistently.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff receive targeted professional development that equips them with the skills that they need to reduce pupils' barriers to learning. As a result, pupils usually benefit from well- considered adaptations to teaching that enable them to access the curriculum. However, some adaptations, particularly in mathematics, are less effective and do not support pupils to learn as well as they could do.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff understand the challenges that disadvantaged pupils may experience. Leaders use additional funding purposefully so that these pupils achieve well and take part fully in the school's enrichment offer. For example, disadvantaged pupils participate fully in trips, including residential visits.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take effective action to improve the standard of education that pupils receive. They have successfully galvanised the staff team to work together to support these improvements. Leaders communicate a clear vision, which trustees, governors and staff share. Leaders also have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further improvement. This enables them, with support from the trust, to set a clear pathway for continued development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance carry out their responsibilities diligently and challenge leaders, where necessary, to ensure that the school provides pupils with the best possible education. They also offer appropriate support and prioritise the wellbeing of all staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff access the professional learning that they need. Early career teachers receive the support and guidance that they need to develop their practice. In many areas, leaders have successfully strengthened staff knowledge. For example, phonics training has led to a more robust and coherent approach across the school. However, some knowledge gaps remain in some subjects, which currently hinders the school in delivering some aspects of the curriculum as effectively as it could.

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Needs attention

School and trust leaders act in pupils' best interests. For example, they have taken decisive action to improve the curriculum, revise the behaviour policy and provide pupils with a wide range of experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders establish a clear and well-structured approach to pupils' personal and wider development. They provide an appropriate and well-sequenced personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. This is complemented with a relevant relationships programme. As a result, pupils develop their understanding of key aspects of PSHE and how to keep themselves safe. For example, they have a secure understanding of healthy relationships and how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. However, pupils develop a less secure understanding of some aspects of PSHE. Overall, the school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a wide variety of experiences beyond the formal curriculum. They gain an appreciation of cultural diversity through visits to local places of worship, and through celebrations of events, including Chinese New Year and world kindness day. These opportunities broaden their understanding of different cultures and help them to understand the world around them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also develop their understanding of fundamental British values and the characteristics, protected by law, that make pupils different. Carefully planned visits support this learning. For example, a visit to the local court of justice helps pupils to deepen their understanding of the rule of law and democracy. Pupils develop an age-appropriate awareness of the diverse groups that make up modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online and within the community. Pupils learn about the risks associated with water, fire, gangs and knives. Leaders provide a small but purposeful range of pupil leadership roles, which pupils eagerly take up. These include positions on the school and eco-councils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils also contribute positively to the local community and beyond. They take part in fundraising and community projects that support the school's social impact award. They also engage in activities such as tree planting, which promotes sustainability in the local area.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' achievement and progress in some subjects, including mathematics, remain low. Too few pupils make the progress that they should and so do not reach the standards that they could. Leaders have also not ensured that pupils are successfully supported to attain the higher standards in writing or mathematics. Although leaders have prioritised these areas, it is too soon to see sustained improvement across the school. In addition, a significant minority of older pupils have gaps in their earlier knowledge. This limits their ability to build new learning securely. Overall, many pupils achieve well. At the end of Year 6, pupils' achievement is typically close to national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils also perform in line with the national average in the phonics screening check in Year 1.

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Achievement Needs attention

In some subjects, pupils have a secure grasp of knowledge that they have learned recently. However, pupils' recall of earlier learning, especially in the older year groups, is not secure enough to ensure that they can make links between different topics that they have studied.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance is not improving rapidly towards national expectations, and some pupils remain persistently absent. Leaders' analysis of attendance information is not as sharp as it should be. This prevents them from identifying precisely the barriers that continue to prevent pupils from attending school. Leaders have developed an informed understanding of why some pupils do not attend school as frequently as they should. Leaders are taking well-meaning and appropriate action to remedy this. However, this has not resulted in a marked improvement in pupils' attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders' recent actions to improve behaviour have been successful. The proportion of suspensions has reduced considerably since the previous inspection. Leaders have ensured that all staff and pupils clearly understand the revised behaviour policy. As a result, staff share the same high expectations for behaviour. Pupils, including children in the early years, respond well to these. In particular, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from sensible adaptations that support their positive conduct. Collectively, these actions have created a calm and purposeful learning environment. In lessons, pupils typically concentrate well on their learning and remain focused on the tasks in hand. Pupils behave respectfully and any form of unkind or hurtful language is not tolerated.

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

Pupils receive a warm welcome from their teachers each morning, which creates a positive start to the day. Pupils feel a collective sense of belonging within the school community. When pupils join the school part way through a year or key stage, staff help them settle quickly into school life. All members of the community actively live out the school's values to 'care, commit and connect'. Positive relationships between staff and pupils strengthen these values. Pupils show respect towards each other, staff and visitors.

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

Often, pupils achieve well overall. In many subjects, staff prepare pupils effectively for the next stage of their education. However, some older pupils have gaps in their earlier knowledge. When they encounter more demanding work, they lack some of the foundations that would help them to engage successfully with this work. This makes pupils' learning more difficult than it should be. Pupils approach their learning with curiosity. Staff foster this enthusiasm and nurture a genuine love of learning in pupils.

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

Recent changes have enabled staff to quickly identify the challenges or barriers that pupils face. This prompt identification allows the school to put appropriate support in place. The highly effective pastoral provision supports pupils' wellbeing particularly well. Weekly 'check- ins' help staff to spot pupils' emerging needs early and respond swiftly. However, leaders have not secured similar improvements in attendance over time. Too many pupils still miss school.

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

Pupils trust staff to keep them safe. When bullying occurs, staff act swiftly and effectively. Recent changes to behaviour management have improved pupils' conduct and attitudes to learning. Pupils follow school rules diligently and respond positively to leaders' high expectations, creating a calm and orderly environment for learning.

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

Pupils also take part in a wide range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities. These opportunities develop their talents and interests, and extend the curriculum through sports, music and educational visits.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff have sufficient expertise and knowledge to deliver the new curriculum consistently well, across different classes and subjects, including mathematics. Leaders should ensure that teaching strategies to identify and address gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge are embedded so that pupils can build their knowledge securely and achieve at least in line with national expectations. Leaders should ensure that they embed and sustain their actions to secure improvements in pupils' attendance and reductions in persistent absence.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Vantage multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jill Messham, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by George Hayes.

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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, deputy headteacher and other senior leaders during the inspection. The lead inspector also met with the CEO, members of the local governing board and two trustees, including the chair of the trust.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The last section 48 inspection took place in July 2024. The school makes use of no alternative provision. The school also operates a nursery from the same premises for 3- and 4-year-olds.

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Team inspectors:

Angela Sweeting, Ofsted Inspector Mark Ward, 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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What does this mean?

There have been two different headteachers since the last inspection. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2024. A number of staff have moved into different leadership roles since the previous inspection. A new CEO has been appointed to the multi- academy trust since the previous inspection.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Emma Dilworth 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) 63% 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) 75% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 78% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 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) 78% 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) 50% 47% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 46% 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) 60% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 60% 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) 60% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 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) 60% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 60% 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

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Urgent improvement

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