Claypool Primary School

Claypool Primary School

Address: Salisbury Road, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6LN Unique reference number (URN): 105195

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders’ work on attendance has a clear and positive impact. They track pupils’ absences closely so that concerns are spotted early and acted on quickly. Staff work supportively with families. When needed, they agree achievable steps that help pupils to attend more often. This approach has led to notable improvement for some pupils whose attendance was previously very low. Leaders respond with sensitivity when medical needs affect attendance. Their work to improve punctuality is effective. They help families understand the impact of lateness and offer support to improve routines.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils’ behaviour across the school is calm and respectful. Clear routines at the start of the day help pupils settle quickly and begin learning with focus and purpose. When needed, staff provide thoughtful adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them meet expectations successfully.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils are polite, kind and respectful. They show positive attitudes to learning and play cooperatively. Staff help pupils who find behaviour more difficult to reflect on their actions and manage their emotions. This has led to a reduction in inappropriate behaviour over time. Pupils learn what bullying is. They trust staff to act quickly and consistently when concerns arise. This helps pupils feel safe and supported.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders are clear about the strengths and weaknesses in curriculum and teaching. They check closely how well the curriculum is taught. Leaders act quickly when they spot weaker areas, for example by introducing a new phonics programme to address declining reading standards in key stage 1.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is ambitious and ordered clearly. It supports pupils to build knowledge securely. Teachers generally have secure subject knowledge. They use technical vocabulary confidently and explain new ideas well. Teachers usually address errors promptly so that they are not repeated. On occasion, some teachers do not act as quickly. This means some pupils take longer to close gaps in their knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders prioritise key knowledge in reading, writing, oracy and mathematics. In early mathematics, pupils routinely revisit number bonds. They apply these successfully to solving problems. This strengthens their fluency and reasoning. Writing routines focus on basics such as handwriting, grip and posture. However, some pupils across the school have limited opportunities to write at length and build writing stamina.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) typically learn successfully alongside their classmates. At times, some teachers do not adapt learning for pupils with SEND as well as they could. This hinders how well these pupils progress through the curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum is well designed to help children build their knowledge step by step as they move through the early years. Communication and language sit at the heart of the curriculum. In the main, staff give children meaningful opportunities to learn and practise new words through play, stories and guided activities. Staff model clear language and ask helpful questions. This helps children grow in confidence when speaking. Many enjoy long, thoughtful conversations. Some express their ideas with notable maturity.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is a clear priority. The environment is rich in books that are changed often so children stay interested. Staff teach phonics with clarity and consistency. Most children quickly learn the sounds needed to read and write simple sentences. Staff typically help children to apply this knowledge in different activities.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff build warm, positive relationships with children and their families. They help parents and carers to support their children’s learning effectively at home. Children show growing independence and sustain focus well. Most develop secure early mathematical skills. Some can already count beyond 30 and use ideas such as ‘more’, ‘less’ and ‘the same’. Children develop their physical skills through activities that build strength and confident movement. They are increasingly well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils’ individual needs well. Their strong relationships with families help them spot emerging needs quickly, including for pupils experiencing difficult home circumstances.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders track pupils’ progress carefully. They use information about how well pupils achieve to plan support and check the impact of extra help. Leaders work closely with external specialists. They use outreach services to strengthen practice, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who learn in the special educational needs (SEN) unit.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders carefully consider staff training needs. They arrange targeted professional learning, including input from speech and language therapists and other specialists. Training for teachers in subjects such as mathematics has strengthened their ability to adapt teaching effectively. However, at times, teachers do not adapt learning in some other subjects as well as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The SEN unit provides a highly bespoke curriculum that supports pupils’ individual needs well. Clear routines help pupils develop independence and life skills. Staff in the unit continue to improve practice, for example by developing ways to capture pupils’ progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders work purposefully with families and external agencies. They make sure additional funding, including the pupil premium grant and support for pupils known to social care, has a positive impact. Leaders also use alternative provision appropriately, when necessary.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

School leaders and governors understand the school’s strengths well. They rightly celebrate its supportive, inclusive environment and rigorous approach to safeguarding. Leaders are determined to improve provision. For example, in recent times, they have strengthened pupils’ reading knowledge and behaviour. Leaders know that these improvements must lead to stronger outcomes for all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make decisions that serve pupils’ best interests, including those facing barriers to learning or wellbeing. Many parents and carers, particularly parents of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are positive about the help and care their children receive. Leaders work closely with external agencies to strengthen support and reduce barriers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff take part in high-quality professional learning that draws effectively on external expertise, including the local mathematics hub. This work has strengthened pupils’ mathematical reasoning across the school. Leaders manage staff workload thoughtfully. Relationships between leaders and staff are positive. Staff spoke of strong confidence in leaders. They value leaders’ consideration for their wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Members of the governing body carry out their roles with a clear sense of responsibility. They check curriculum priorities closely, including the effectiveness of support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Governors hold leaders to account with increasing rigour for how well pupils achieve. Leaders develop constructive relationships with parents and the local community. For example, weekly drop-in sessions support families to work in partnership with the school to support learning at home. Parents who shared their views during the inspection value being part of the close-knit school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have designed a clear and well-organised personal development programme. It is driven by their ambition for pupils to be resilient, kind and respectful and to dream high for the future.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn to consider moral issues with care and consideration for others. Visitors from organisations such as the NSPCC help pupils to engage thoughtfully with challenging or sensitive questions. Older pupils show mature thinking. They know how to manage worries and respond well to different situations.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s well-established daily routines help pupils develop their social skills. Older pupils act as buddies for younger pupils. They enjoy sharing reading experiences together. Pupils are proud to be part of the school community, including those who have joined more recently. They feel heard and valued. Pupils spoke with enthusiasm about improvements they have influenced, such as the trim trail.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school helps pupils understand and celebrate difference, including its own increasingly diverse context. Pupils show a clear understanding of fundamental British values. They know how these values apply to their choices and behaviour. A range of educational trips, sporting and creative opportunities deepen pupils’ knowledge. Pupils take part in community

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Needs attention

events, such as singing at a local care home. These experiences help them understand what it means to be a positive citizen.

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Needs attention

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities enjoy all that the school has to offer. Staff build positive relationships so pupils feel welcome and can join in fully. Enrichment activities are adapted thoughtfully for pupils with complex needs, such as the 'panathlon'.

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Needs attention

Older pupils understand the changes that will happen to them as they grow up. They learn how to stay safe online and offline. By Year 6, pupils are articulate, responsible and mature. They are increasingly well prepared for the challenges and opportunities of growing up in modern Britain.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils’ achievement in the phonics screening check has been weak over time. For some pupils, considerable gaps in reading knowledge persist into key stage 2. In 2025, Year 6 results in external tests were considerably below national averages. Too many pupils were not well prepared for key stage 3.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have taken decisive action to address these issues. They have improved curriculum design and made sure teaching is more consistently effective. Leaders have also raised expectations for handwriting, spelling, vocabulary and number fluency. While it is too early to see the impact of leaders’ actions in end of key stage tests, current pupils are progressing well through the curriculum.

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Achievement Needs attention

Phonics teaching is now effective. Younger pupils learn to read much more quickly and successfully than they did. However, some staff who support older pupils do not have the expertise they need to close reading gaps quickly. This continues to slow progress for some pupils.

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

Pupils are proud ambassadors for their school. They happily attend each day. Pupils particularly enjoy taking part in exciting trips that enhance their learning in subjects such as history.

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

Pupils have positive relationships with staff and with each other. Bullying incidents are uncommon. When they do occur, staff deal with them promptly. Pupils behave well. They know that they have a right to be safe, to be respected and to learn. Most display high levels of self-control. For example, during the inspection, pupils in key stage 1 bubbled with gentle excitement but waited patiently for their trip to the Royal Horticultural Society community gardens to begin. Pupils learn how to be healthy, happy and kind. This starts in early years, where children learn to sort out minor disagreements calmly and without adult help. Older pupils are keen to take on leadership roles. They know what it means to be an active citizen. Pupils show impressive maturity and a keen sense of responsibility. They know that leaders listen to their views. Members of the school council are proud of their role in improving playground

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

resources. Those in the mental health team enjoy supporting others’ wellbeing. Pupils develop into confident, caring and dependable young people.

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

Pupils now enjoy learning from a well-designed curriculum that is typically taught effectively. This allows them to achieve well. Pupils' needs are accurately identified, including any special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders’ work to meet these needs is now generally effective. Leaders have also made sure that pupils now learn to read quickly and accurately. However, in the past, younger pupils did not develop their reading knowledge sufficiently well. Last year, too many pupils in Year 6 did not attain as well as their peers nationally. They were not prepared for their secondary education as well as they should have been.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff who support older pupils' reading develop the necessary expertise to help these pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy. Leaders should ensure that teachers adapt their teaching equally well in different subjects so that, where needed, obstacles to learning are removed effectively for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should strengthen the consistency of teachers’ approaches to assessment to ensure that pupils’ errors and misconceptions are identified and addressed in a timely and effective manner. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide pupils with high-quality opportunities to extend their writing so that they develop appropriate composition skills and writing stamina.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Sharon Stevenson.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. A meeting also 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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Lead inspector:

Jackie Stillings, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Ian Young, Ofsted Inspector Debbie Withey, 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?

The school has a specialist unit that includes provision for 8 pupils with autism and/or severe learning difficulties.

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Amanda Hulme 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) 55% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 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

2022/23 (final) 71% 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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average

2024/25 (revised) 66% 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

2023/24 (final) 72% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 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

2022/23 (final) 50% 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

2022/23 (final) 50% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

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

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average

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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) 4.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.1% 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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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

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Urgent improvement

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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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