Eccleston CofE Primary School

Eccleston CofE Primary School

Address: Eaton Road, Eccleston, Chester, Cheshire, CH4 9HD Unique reference number (URN): 111349

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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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This school requires significant improvement

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils' achievement is variable. In several subjects, including in mathematics, pupils struggle to remember important learning and they have a number of misconceptions. Furthermore, in some subjects in the wider curriculum, pupils achievement is weak. In these subjects, leaders' work to improve the achievement of pupils is at an early stage of development.

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Achievement Needs attention

Despite the inconsistencies in the curriculum overall, pupils achieve better in some important areas. Where leaders have prioritised their work, for example improving the way that phonics and reading are taught, there is a positive impact on pupils' achievement. This is reflected in published outcomes. Where leaders have made sure that there is a well- considered curriculum in place, for example in science, pupils' achievement is more secure.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils who are disadvantaged achieve as well as their peers nationally in reading, writing and mathematics national tests.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders do not ensure that staff consistently apply the school's behaviour management procedures. Staff do not have high enough expectations of pupils' behaviour. Too often, staff do not make sure that pupils focus on their learning in lessons. This limits the quality of pupils' work and their achievement in some subjects.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils typically conduct themselves well at social times. If pupils struggle to manage their conduct, staff generally provide support that helps pupils to get back on track. Leaders have established a calm and orderly environment for pupils. Bullying is rare, as is discrimination or abusive behaviour. If it does happen, leaders take action to make sure that it stops.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils' attendance in school is high. Absence is rare. Pupils who face additional challenges in their lives also attend well. Leaders carefully check attendance. If pupils struggle to attend, leaders provide support to help them to attend more often. This support is effective and leads to demonstrable improvements.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders identify pupils' social, emotional and wellbeing needs accurately. Staff get to know pupils and their families quickly. Staff use this knowledge to shape appropriate pastoral support for pupils. The wider help that pupils receive has a positive impact on their happiness.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The support for pupils who face barriers to their learning in lessons is less well developed. Too often, the adaptations that staff make to support pupils in their learning are not designed well enough. Leaders do make some checks on the progress that pupils make as a result of the support that they receive from staff. However, leaders and staff do not use this information to ensure that they refine and tailor the help that pupils receive to better support their learning. Leaders have recently improved professional development for staff so that they have more of the skills that they need to adapt the curriculum for pupils. However, this work is in the early stages of development.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have complex needs. Leaders make sure that they draw on external expertise to support these pupils. This work is successful. For example, pupils with SEND develop the important skills that they need in language and communication.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders are striving to use the additional funding as expected for pupils who face disadvantage. However, the plans that leaders have for this funding are new. The actions that leaders intend to take have not had time to impact fully on pupils who face additional challenges in their lives.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Much of leaders' work to address the weaknesses across the school are in the early stages of development and implementation. As a result, there has not been enough time for leaders' actions to make a noticeable difference on pupils' learning, development and achievement.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors and leaders have an accurate understanding of the issues that need attention. Their analysis of these issues is precise and the steps that they are taking to secure improvement are well considered. The recently established leadership team has begun to get to grips with the scale of the work ahead.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors and leaders prioritise pupils who are vulnerable. They increasingly use funding, as well as external expertise, in the best interests of pupils who face challenges in their lives. Pupils with more complex special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the right support as a result of leaders' actions. For other pupils, the support that leaders provide for their learning is not precise enough.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Together, governors and leaders have prioritised a significant programme of professional development for staff. While this is focused on the right areas, it has not had time to secure the improvements that leaders want to secure.

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Urgent improvement

Staff appreciate leaders' support. Although there is a significant improvement journey ahead, leaders and governors do take into account the workload and wellbeing of staff.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff do not teach the recently introduced personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum consistently well. This leads to inconsistencies in what pupils understand and remember about their PSHE learning. For example, while pupils understand discrimination, their understanding of diversity in modern Britain is more limited. Leaders' ambition for the PSHE curriculum has not had time to impact fully on pupils' wider personal development.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils develop secure understanding in some areas of PSHE. For example, they know how to manage their physical health. Pupils have opportunities to reflect on their ideas and beliefs. Pupils treat each other kindly and with respect. They cooperate well with each other and respect each other's differences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders provide pupils with a range of experiences to enhance their interests. Some pupils take part in clubs focused on arts, sports and performance. Others take part in coding and chess clubs. Leaders have begun to check pupils' participation in these activities and make adaptations to support wider participation where necessary. Pupils who face additional challenges generally experience the same opportunities as their peers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to contribute as citizens of their school. Some pupils support younger children, acting as buddies for them, or work as sports ambassadors. Others work in the ethos group and check that pupils apply the school's values, while others contribute to collective worship. Staff and pupils take these roles seriously. Pupils are very proud of the contributions that they make to their school. These opportunities help to prepare pupils for their future lives.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Staff's expectations of what pupils should know and be able to do are low. Pupils' experiences in lessons do not help them to secure all the important learning that they need.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Leaders' actions to secure improvement to the curriculum and teaching are at the earliest stages of development. Leaders have recently adopted a broad and balanced curriculum. Leaders have begun to provide professional development for staff so that staff have the skills that they need to teach the curriculum as intended. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is poorly designed and delivered.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

In some subjects, including mathematics, staff do not have sufficient subject knowledge. Teachers' explanations of new learning are not clear enough. For example, in mathematics, unclear explanations lead to confusion for pupils. In addition, pupils are not given enough time to practise new learning. This hampers pupils' understanding and leads to a number of gaps in their knowledge. Teachers do not address these gaps well enough and so they persist. These weaknesses impact all pupils, including pupils who face additional challenges.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Where leaders have prioritised their work, for example in phonics and reading, there is a more positive impact on pupils' learning. Children in early years secure their phonics knowledge well. Older pupils enjoy reading. Leaders have recently begun to improve the way that writing is taught. This is beginning to bear some fruit.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Leaders have not made sure that there is a well-designed curriculum for children to experience. Children are not well prepared for their future learning. Staff expectations about what children should know and do are too low in the early years. The lack of a suitable early years curriculum hampers children's progress. Too often, staff plan tasks for children to complete that do not help them to secure the important learning that they need.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Adults' interactions with children are uneven. At times, important opportunities to support and extend children's language are missed.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Where leaders have prioritised their actions, for example to improve children's language development, practice is increasingly effective. In early years, children quickly secure their understanding of phonics. Leaders make sure that phonics is well taught. Children become fluent readers and enjoy the books that they share with adults.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Leaders and staff make sure that they get to know children and their families well. Staff use their relationships with parents and carers to shape the support that some children need for their wellbeing. Where necessary, leaders seek external support to help meet the needs of children with more complex needs. This work is effective. However, where pupils need support but do not have complex needs, the help that adults provide for them is not precise enough.

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

From early years onwards, pupils do not benefit from consistently high-quality teaching that helps them to learn. The recently established leadership team knows the school very well. Leaders have begun to take the right actions to bring about improvements for pupils. However, this work is at the earliest stages of development. Currently, staff do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do and achieve. Pupils often struggle to focus on their learning because the curriculum is not well taught. The actions that staff take to help pupils focus on their learning are not fully effective.

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

Pupils are increasingly supported to manage their behaviour. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. However, staff do not implement these expectations consistently well. As a result, pupils' attitudes towards their learning vary in lessons.

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

Pupils treat each other well at social times. Bullying is rare. If it happens, leaders take swift and decisive action to make sure that it stops. Leaders have established a caring school culture that helps every pupil know that they belong. Leaders quickly secure a deep knowledge of individual pupils and their families. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who face other challenges, receive additional support that helps with their wellbeing. However, staff do not address the barriers to learning that some pupils face sufficiently well.

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

Pupils' attendance is high at the school. Pupils want to be here. They appreciate their unique school and feel part of a family. Pupils benefit from many opportunities to be leaders in their school. Some contribute through the ethos committee, while others work as buddies for younger children. Pupils take these roles seriously and make a tangible and positive difference to their school.

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Next steps

Leaders should make sure that there is a well-designed and delivered curriculum in place for all children in early years and across all subjects in key stages 1 and 2. They should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to teach the curriculum consistently well so that pupils learn consistently well. Leaders should ensure that staff have high expectations of what pupils should learn and be able to do from early years to Year 6. This is so that pupils achieve well in all subjects. Leaders should make sure that staff in early years consistently use their interactions with pupils to deepen children's language. Leaders should make sure that staff consistently apply the behaviour policy so that pupils focus on their learning during lessons. Leaders should ensure that staff deliver the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum consistently well. This is so that pupils are fully prepared to take

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Next steps

their place as citizens in modern Britain. Governors should continue to support and challenge leaders to so that leaders' actions lead to rapid improvement.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Nayland Southorn.

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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

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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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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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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105

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders, governors, including the chair of governors, staff and pupils in the school during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with parents at the start of the school day.

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105

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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105

The school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Chester. Its last section 48 inspection was in December 2024.

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105

The school hosts a breakfast and after-school club for pupils in the school.

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105

Headteacher: Kathryn Rees-Wright Well below average

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 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) 80% 75% Close to average

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national average

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

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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average

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

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 73% 74% 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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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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

‘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

2023/24 (3 term) 5.4% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 16.5% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 12.8% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. 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

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

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