St John Southworth RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Voluntary Academy

Address: Lomeshaye Road, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 0DQ Unique reference number (URN): 149849

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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 have made improving pupils' attendance rates a top priority. Leaders carefully analyse the reasons for any pupil absences. They use this information to put in place individual strategies to support pupils and their families. As a result, pupils' attendance levels are much improved. Overall attendance is in line with the national average. For pupils who are disadvantaged, their attendance rates consistently match those of their peers nationally.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy as leaders intend. Staff use their knowledge of pupils to make appropriate adjustments to their behaviour strategy. This helps pupils to manage their behaviour well. Typically, pupils follow the school rules. They conduct themselves positively. Pupils take pride in their work. Pupils say that bullying, including online bullying, is a rare occurrence. Pupils report that the use of any derogatory or unkind language is not something that happens. Pupils say this is because they treat each other with courtesy and respect. They are right.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years enjoy warm and nurturing relationships with staff. They quickly grow in confidence. Many children begin school with less well-developed language and communication skills. Leaders take careful account of this in designing their curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff quickly spot any children who may have additional needs. They ensure that children swiftly get the help that they need. As a result, children progress well across different areas of learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Typically, children are inquisitive and enthusiastic learners. They love to play in the school’s well-resourced environment. Staff provide many opportunities for children to consolidate and extend their learning across the curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff use high-quality texts to develop children’s learning. Children join in enthusiastically with number songs and rhymes. They enjoy sharing books with adults and each other. Staff skilfully develop and extend children’s language and learning at every opportunity.

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Early years Expected standard

Children confidently use the sounds that they have learned to read and write words and sentences. Staff carefully model important skills such as letter formation and number awareness. As a result, children quickly build their confidence in these areas of learning.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff organise activities such as stay-and-play sessions and welcome meetings. Generally, these events help to foster effective relationships with parents and carers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with additional needs are valued members of this school community. Staff take the time to get to know pupils on an individual level. Teachers use this information effectively to swiftly pinpoint pupils’ precise needs. Staff benefit from targeted training to support pupils with a range of needs. This includes pupils who speak English as an additional language. Teachers put in place well-considered strategies. These strategies meet pupils' needs well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff ensure that pupils receive prompt support from the pastoral team to reduce barriers to pupils' wellbeing. This support enables pupils to develop their resilience and confidence.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Additional funding is used effectively, for example to broaden the range of opportunities that pupils have to learn beyond the academic curriculum. These opportunities particularly benefit pupils who are disadvantaged and those known to social services.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff review the effectiveness of the support that they provide for pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders work effectively with external professionals. They act on advice swiftly and take into account the views of parents, carers and pupils to continually improve the support that they provide.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Pupils’ best interests lie at the heart of leaders’ decision-making. Identifying and breaking down barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing are front and centre of leaders’ work. Leaders’ priorities are based on a clear understanding of what the school does well and what needs to improve.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

School and trust leaders work collaboratively to bring about rapid change where it is needed. Staff benefit from a carefully thought-out programme of professional learning. Leaders take into account the advice of experts in their field to inform their decisions. This empowers leaders and staff to embrace changes with confidence and positivity. Staff appreciate the way that leaders consider their workload and wellbeing when making decisions which affect them.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance seek the necessary assurances that school leaders are focusing on the right areas for improvement. Trust leaders have successfully overseen the positive changes to the mathematics and reading curriculums. They also have an effective oversight of other aspects of the school's work. This includes pupils' achievement and their attendance rates.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The positive impact of leaders’ work is evident, particularly in the improvements to the quality of the school’s curriculum and in pupils’ achievement. Targeted work has borne fruit in the increased attendance rates of pupils. However, against this backdrop of positive change, there is more work for leaders and governors to do to fully secure sustained improvements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage well with parents and carers. Most parents speak very highly of the school. Staff are proud to work at this school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have implemented a well-designed programme to enhance pupils’ personal development. Leaders ensure that extra-curricular opportunities are available to all pupils. For example, staff run clubs at lunchtimes as well as after school, so that pupils with other commitments after school can attend. This includes disadvantaged pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about different ways to stay healthy and safe in an age-appropriate way. For example, children in the early years learn about the importance of washing their hands after visiting the toilet. Pupils in key stage 1 know to not give out personal details when working online. Pupils in key stage 2 learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships. They are also introduced to the dangers of being scammed when using the internet.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from experiences to deepen their awareness of issues within the community through visits from professionals such as the police and fire service. Pupils also have a variety of opportunities to learn about important issues, including looking after the environment. Pupils speak about the importance of taking care of the local area so that future generations can enjoy it.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop respect and tolerance for other faiths and cultures. They learn about fundamental British values, such as democracy, when they vote for different members of their school council.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils proudly take on roles in school. These include on the school council and as science ambassadors. These opportunities enable pupils to develop their leadership skills.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils make other important contributions to school life, such as through organising the annual science fair. Opportunities such as these help to develop pupils’ confidence and organisational skills.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, in national assessments at the end of Year 6, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This is because some pupils have not secured the necessary prior skills to be able to attain well in reading, writing and mathematics. In some classes and in some subjects, pupils sometimes struggle to remember important vocabulary and previous learning. This hinders them from deepening their knowledge across different curriculums.

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Achievement Needs attention

However, leaders’ work to enhance pupils’ learning and achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is beginning to show improvement. Pupils who are disadvantaged, for example, achieve well in writing. Pupils' results in the Year 4 multiplication tables check and the Year 1 phonics screening check are now in line with national averages. This is helping pupils to be better prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Some pupils do not receive effective-enough support to help them develop fluency in reading, writing and mathematics skills. As a result, leaders have rightly prioritised this work as an area for development. Leaders have made rapid improvements to the quality of these curriculums. Increasingly, staff deliver these subjects with growing confidence. However, despite this work, some pupils' gaps in the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics persist.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Generally, teachers check pupils’ understanding of their current learning well. However, some teachers do not ensure that pupils have understood important vocabulary or concepts over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. This curriculum introduces pupils to learning in a logical way from the early years to the end of Year 6. Leaders make effective use of the most up-to-date research to inform their curriculum thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff provide targeted support for pupils with additional needs. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make helpful adjustments to learning tasks and, by doing so, further support pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers.

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

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly school and describe St John Southworth as a family. Pupils build warm relationships with staff. Children in the early years quickly settle into school. They grow in confidence. Pupils who are new to the country are warmly welcomed by staff and pupils.

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

Pupils have trusted adults they can talk to if they have a worry. Bullying incidents are rare. Pupils say this is because they trust that caring staff will sort out any of their concerns quickly and effectively. Pupils feel happy and safe. They attend school regularly.

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

Pupils enjoy their learning. In lessons, they listen attentively to their teachers. Children in the early years happily follow the school rules as soon as they begin school. Pupils behave well. They understand and demonstrate the school’s values of ‘faith, love, justice, honesty and kindness’.

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

Pupils value the opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. For example, pupils enjoy learning more about animals' habitats through pond dipping activities in school. Pupils benefit from the wide range of trips and visitors on offer. They spoke animatedly about a recent residential visit. Pupils enjoy helping others. For example, many pupils remember taking part in a sponsored 'bunny hop' to raise money for their local hospice.

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

However, despite improvements to the curriculum, some pupils struggle to master skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils can talk about their learning in other subjects but they sometimes struggle to use subject-specific vocabulary. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff deliver the curriculum consistently well, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics, in order to build on current developments to improve the quality of pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that any knowledge and skills gaps in pupils' reading, writing and mathematics are rapidly addressed to enable pupils to achieve well. Leaders should ensure that staff check pupils' understanding consistently and regularly, in order to help pupils to deepen their knowledge across all subjects.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Romero 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), Katy Cox, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Angela Ager.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders and staff. The lead inspector spoke with the CEO and trustees, including the chair of the trustees. She spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing board. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke to pupils, looked at their work and visited a range of lessons. The inspection team scrutinised a range of the school's documents and considered responses to Ofsted's surveys for staff, pupils and parents.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Roman Catholic religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Salford and had its last section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, in January 2025.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school runs a before-school breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Team inspectors:

Mike Tonge, Ofsted Inspector Cole Andrew, 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 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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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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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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average

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

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average

2023/24 (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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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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