Great Budworth CofE Primary School

Great Budworth CofE Primary School

Address: School Lane, Great Budworth, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6HQ Unique reference number (URN): 111248

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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 special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance has improved recently following focused action and clarity from leaders. Changes have had a positive effect over a short period of time. Recent efforts to challenge absence are more structured. However, this work is still relatively new and its full impact is not evident over time. A small group of pupils, including those with flexible arrangements or who face potential barriers, continue to miss school more often than they should. Leaders have introduced clearer routines and are working more closely with families. While expectations are in place, they are not applied with enough consistency to ensure a rigorous approach.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Behaviour is generally calm. Staff deal with incidents, including any uncommon bullying incidents, promptly. Leaders act to address inappropriate behaviour. On occasion, routines and expectations are not applied consistently, particularly in the early years. This limits how well the school rules are understood by younger pupils. Approaches to behaviour and engagement are sometimes not adapted precisely for pupils with additional needs. Nonetheless, pupils are polite and welcoming. They treat each other respectfully. Many pupils engage positively in their learning. Pupils are proud of their school and the warm friendships that they forge across all year groups.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders provide pupils with a broad personal development programme and have mapped coverage across important areas, such as relationships, safety, inclusion and wider enrichment. However, leaders do not evaluate the impact of the school’s personal development well enough. This means that leaders and staff do not know how well pupils are learning the content of the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum or the wider personal development offer. Learning content covers important themes, such as discrimination, equality and fundamental British values. Pupils learn about online and offline risks, including how to consider risks in their locality. For example, pupils learn to cycle safely on the road. Despite this, their understanding is often superficial. Pupils sometimes struggle to articulate their knowledge with accuracy. Inclusion across personal development is varied. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

needs and/or disabilities, access the school’s offer. However, evaluation of how well different groups access these opportunities, and the impact this has, lacks precision. As a result, pupils do not develop as secure an understanding of the PSHE curriculum as leaders intend.

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Urgent improvement

Support for pupils’ wellbeing creates a welcoming and emotionally supportive environment. Pupils have an awareness of future pathways. They are ambitious for their futures. Pupils relish taking part in community activities, such as charity fundraisers and the much- celebrated tradition of maypole dancing, in which all pupils participate.

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Urgent improvement

Pupils access residential visits, during which they join their peers from the other federation school to make wider friendships. Leadership roles develop pupils’ interests and wider skills, such as independence. They benefit from a range of clubs, such as film, choir and tennis. Pupils value these opportunities and share their views through the school council.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Many pupils do not secure the learning that they need with sufficient precision. Learning remains fragmented from the early years to Year 6. As a result, gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge persist and pupils do not embed their learning. This weakens their achievement across subjects. Progression in knowledge, skills and vocabulary varies. Pupils do not apply prior learning effectively. This limits the depth of their understanding.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Published data varies. While some pupils attain in line with national expectations, more pupils' attainment remains below the national average in several areas, particularly in mathematics.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, do not make sufficient progress from their starting points. Many pupils, including children in the early years, move on to the next stage of their education without having secured the necessary knowledge and skills.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Pupils access the full range of national curriculum subjects. However, they are not all well designed, which limits how effectively pupils learn. Recently, leaders have prioritised improvements in important knowledge and skills, notably spelling and handwriting. This focus has begun to address gaps, particularly for older pupils. However, the impact remains varied across the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Curriculum design in some subjects lacks clarity and progression. The reading and mathematics curriculums provide clearer guidance to teachers about what to teach, but other subjects do not specify the knowledge, vocabulary and skills to be taught. The absence of a defined early years curriculum prevents children from establishing secure foundations. In mixed-age classes, tasks often remain the same for all pupils. This limits the depth, challenge and progression that pupils experience in their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

The curriculum is not implemented effectively. Misconceptions often go unaddressed and activities are frequently mismatched to pupils’ starting points. Assessment strategies lack precision and do not shape future teaching. Weaknesses in explanation, questioning and routines reduce pupils’ engagement and independence.

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Curriculum and teaching Urgent improvement

Pupils who need extra help to learn, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not get the support they need to access learning securely.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Leadership in the early years lacks precision and oversight. While recent actions have begun to address the weakness in the environment, these are not embedded. Leaders do not establish clear systems to assess, monitor or track children’s development. Actions to improve outcomes are insufficient and lack precision.

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Early years Urgent improvement

The curriculum in the early years does not provide a secure foundation for learning. It lacks clear sequencing and ambition. Leaders do not define what children should know, remember or do from the beginning of the Nursery Year to the end of the Reception Year. As a result, children do not build knowledge, vocabulary or skills in a logical way.

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Early years Urgent improvement

Teaching in the early years does not consistently meet children’s needs, including in phonics. Assessment does not inform next steps. Learning is not adapted for children’s different starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Activities often lack purpose and do not reflect children’s needs, which limits progress. Children do not achieve well in the early years. They do not develop secure foundations in communication, early mathematics, independence or self-regulation. Many children begin Year 1 without the knowledge and behaviours required to support their future learning.

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Early years Urgent improvement

The legal requirements for the early years are not met. Therefore, the early years does not fully support children’s wellbeing.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Leaders do not identify, assess or meet pupils' needs with sufficient precision. Systems for identifying pupils' needs lack accuracy and urgency. This means that barriers to learning are not addressed effectively, including for disadvantaged pupils. Assessment practices do not provide a reliable basis for timely identification or intervention. Although leaders' processes to review support are in place, they are not applied consistently or within clear timescales. This weakens their impact. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and others who face additional challenges often do not receive support that matches their needs and gaps in their learning persist.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Support for pupils with SEND is largely ineffective. This is because staff and some leaders have not received appropriate guidance to design or implement plans for support effectively. Adaptations and feedback are limited in classroom practice. External advice is not implemented consistently. Many pupils who face potential barriers to their education do not access the curriculum securely. Statutory expectations are not fully met.

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Inclusion Urgent improvement

Support for pupils with wider vulnerabilities, including those linked to attendance and developmental needs, lacks coordination and oversight. While there has been a significant effort by new leaders to focus on pupils with SEND recently, inconsistent practice and limited strategic direction reduce the effectiveness of inclusion overall.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Recent changes in leadership have brought greater clarity and led to some positive action in a short period, by drawing on support from the federation school. New leaders have begun to identify key priorities and strengthen oversight. However, their capacity to improve the school is limited by practicalities, including staffing turbulence. Weaknesses in governance have contributed to a decline in standards over time and have not secured the improvements needed. Leadership has not provided a consistently clear or coherent direction over time. In some areas, actions lack precision and measurable impact. Monitoring and quality assurance do not evaluate impact rigorously. This hinders rapid and sustained improvement.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

The curriculum is not set out or delivered with sufficient clarity. Variations in teaching, assessment strategies and adaptation remain widespread. Systems to identify and respond to pupils’ needs, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those pupils who face other potential barriers, lack consistency and effectiveness.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Governance does not provide effective challenge or strategic oversight. Those responsible for governance do not fulfil their legal duties consistently because of limited understanding and development of the role. Governors raise concerns but do not enable or ensure timely action or review of impact. Roles lack clarity, which weakens accountability.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Professional development takes place but does not build staff expertise sufficiently well. Engagement with parents and carers is positive, but information is not used effectively to inform school improvement.

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Leadership and governance Urgent improvement

Staff are highly positive about the new approach to leadership. They feel motivated and committed to their roles. They appreciate the consideration given to their workload and wellbeing.

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

Provision at this school does not enable pupils to achieve well and has hindered their progress over time. Curriculum design and teaching do not build pupils’ knowledge securely. This means that learning remains fragmented. Pupils are not prepared well enough for their next steps, including transition to secondary education. Pupils move through their education with significant gaps in learning. They are not supported well to catch up from their starting points. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with lower prior attainment are not identified or supported with sufficient accuracy. These pupils do not typically receive the support that they need. As a result, barriers to pupils’ learning persist and progress varies widely.

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

In the early years, weaknesses in curriculum sequencing, assessment and activities limit children’s development. Children are not supported to develop a secure understanding of what they need to learn. Gaps in communication, language, independence and early mathematics are not addressed sufficiently well. Many children begin Year 1 without the necessary foundations for further learning.

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

Most pupils, particularly in older year groups, understand the school’s 3 rules. They participate readily in wider opportunities, including clubs, residential visits and leadership roles, such as the school council. These experiences support pupils’ sense of belonging. However, pupils’ learning of the school’s programme for personal development lacks depth.

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

Pupils experience a kind, welcoming environment rooted in a Christian ethos. They enjoy learning with their peers and value the family feel of the school. Pupils speak warmly about the relationships that they have with staff and each other. They arrive happily each day and attendance is improving, though this development is at an early stage. Pupils’ learning supports their understanding of safety, including how to stay safe online. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are usually addressed promptly and effectively.

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

Refinements in leadership roles have brought clearer direction and intent. However, these changes are at an early stage. Over time, those in governance roles have failed to prevent a decline in standards or secure necessary improvements. Pupils have been most affected by this.

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Next steps

Governors must ensure that they fulfil their statutory responsibilities, including those related to the early years, and develop the knowledge and skills to hold leaders to account effectively. Governors must ensure that they develop leadership capacity so that all leaders have the knowledge, skills and support that they need to make the necessary improvements swiftly and effectively. Leaders and governors must ensure that monitoring and evaluation focus sharply on impact and lead to sustained improvement. Leaders must ensure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are identified swiftly and accurately and that staff receive the guidance they need to support these pupils effectively, including through carefully selected and appropriate adaptations for pupils. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum content, including in the early years, is set out

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Next steps

sequentially and in its entirety and that staff develop the knowledge and expertise to deliver it effectively, including the appropriate use of assessment information to address misconceptions in pupils’ learning promptly. Leaders must ensure that pupils, including children in the early years, secure essential knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics so they can achieve well across the curriculum and be prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders should continue to improve pupils’ attendance and reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent. Leaders should ensure that they review the impact of the programme for personal development on pupils’ knowledge and understanding and make refinements where appropriate.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Lisa Rigby.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a federation called The Federation of Antrobus St Marks and Great Budworth CE (A) Primary School.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, Rhian Perry, the head of school and other leaders and staff during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority, a representative of the Diocese of Chester and members of the governing board, including the chair.

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About this inspection

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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About this inspection

The school may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection(s) we carry out.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. The school's previous section 48 inspection, for schools with a religious character, took place in October 2024.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the previous inspection, a new executive headteacher and new head of school have been appointed. They took up their roles recently.

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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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average

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

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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 (final) 67% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 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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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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gap

‘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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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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