Aspull Church Primary School

Aspull Church Primary School

Address: Bolton Road, Aspull, Wigan, Lancashire, WN2 1QT Unique reference number (URN): 106518

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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 Strong standard

Pupils appreciate being part of the school’s positive environment. They attend regularly. Attendance has been consistently above national averages over time and shows relative improvement each year, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders carefully track pupils’ attendance. They work effectively with families and external agencies to improve attendance when needed. This work has a positive impact. It helps pupils to engage fully with school life and the rich opportunities that this brings.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave especially well throughout the school. The environment is calm and harmonious. Pupils understand leaders’ expectations for their conduct. They follow these well and respond quickly to staff's instructions. Pupils are courteous, well mannered and respectful towards each other, staff and visitors. Staff provide individual support for pupils who need this, including for social, emotional and mental health needs. Bullying is rare. Staff address any incidents promptly. Pupils focus well during lessons and thoroughly relish their learning. They are proud of their accomplishments and readily participate in conversations with others. Pupils particularly enjoy lunchtime. They engage together very well in an abundance of play opportunities and activities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have created a culture where relationships and pupils’ wellbeing sit at the heart of the school’s work. There is ambition to prepare pupils for their future lives beyond school. Leaders work closely with families to support this. They check that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from the school’s many experiences. Wellbeing support is excellent. This helps pupils feel settled and well cared for. For example, pupils ‘check in’ each morning to alert staff to their feelings. Calming spaces help pupils relax and receive additional help from staff. Pupils engage in structured time to work and develop relationships with a wide range of peers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have carefully constructed a personal development programme tailored to the school’s context. From this, pupils develop secure knowledge of important issues. For example, they know about healthy relationships and how to stay safe when online and in the local area. Pupils have a thorough knowledge of how to be physically and mentally healthy. They link activities to fundamental British values in a mature way. For example, they learn about democracy through visits to Parliament. Pupils respect the differences between themselves and others. They understand a range of matters, such as puberty, discrimination, racism and unlawfulness. Pupils write letters to children in other countries to further their understanding of different cultures.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are proud of their contributions to the local area and to the school. Leaders encourage and recognise pupils’ endeavours, for example with ‘courageous advocate’ awards. Pupils know that small actions can make a positive difference to society. They participate in a range of fundraising and litter-picking activities.

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Expected standard

Pupils develop impressive social skills and a sense of responsibility through leadership roles in school. These include being eco-councillors, play leaders, buddies, ‘Aspull Ambassadors’, wellbeing warriors and pupil parliamentarians. Each half term, Year 6 pupils run an eco-shop for parents and carers to raise awareness about recycling and reducing waste.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, achieve well. This is reflected in the school’s above-average published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Pupils’ attainment of higher standards has not been as consistent over time. Those who are ready to learn more challenging content do not always have the opportunity to do so. This means that, while pupils are well prepared for their next stages of education, they do not consistently achieve as highly as they could.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make positive progress through the curriculum. They are enthusiastic when speaking about what they have learned, including mathematical concepts, their artwork and the books that they have enjoyed. However, pupils have some gaps and misconceptions in their knowledge across the curriculum. While pupils’ written work is typically of a high quality, some errors in spelling and handwriting persist over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide a broad, balanced and well-designed curriculum. It sets out what pupils should learn in a logical order towards ambitious end goals. Leaders ensure that staff adapt the curriculum to meet pupils’ learning needs. They understand where further improvements can be made.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff have secure subject knowledge and typically deliver the curriculum well. They provide effective explanations of new learning. This helps pupils to broadly secure the important knowledge that they need, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers make links to prior learning, so that pupils build new concepts and information on what they already know. However, at times, teaching is not as effective as it could be. Occasionally, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities to deepen and extend learning for pupils who are ready.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers generally check how well pupils learn. This enables pupils to secure their knowledge across subjects. However, some staff do not identify or address some misconceptions and errors as quickly as they could. This includes in pupils’ written work across the curriculum, such as in spelling and handwriting styles. As a result, some of these errors persist over time. Pupils develop their love of reading. They enjoy choosing new books. Some pupils attend a lunchtime library club led by their older peers. Pupils can earn books as rewards from a new book vending machine.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum. They have identified the texts and vocabulary that children should learn. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is a focus. They learn about the language of emotions and manage their own feelings increasingly well. Children feel settled and secure. They behave well and follow established routines successfully. Leaders foster partnerships with parents and carers from the start.

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Early years Expected standard

Children progress steadily through the curriculum. They engage well during their learning and develop the knowledge and skills that they need to be successful. For example, children practise their knowledge of number and their small-muscle skills while cutting out ‘airport tickets’. They draw detailed pictures and talk about their home lives. Children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised. Children develop a love of books. Staff deliver the phonics programme successfully. They support children effectively to develop into fluent and accurate readers. Staff have had appropriate training, including on developing children’s communication and language skills. Typically, staff are nurturing and effective in their interactions with children. For example, they introduce children to new words, such as ‘wing’ and ‘antennae’. However, some interactions are not as fully effective in extending children’s thinking, communication and language skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders create a warm and welcoming environment that is centred around relationships and the local community. Staff know pupils well. This helps pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, feel that they belong. Leaders work well with parents and carers to understand pupils’ additional needs. They liaise with external agencies to provide timely support when needed.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify and reduce barriers to pupils’ learning and wellbeing from the start. They provide adaptations, including small-group sessions, to help pupils learn well. Staff have appropriate training that equips them to support pupils well. They follow a step-by-step approach that enables most pupils to access learning alongside their peers. Pupils’ wellbeing is a priority across the school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding carefully. They ensure that pupils who are disadvantaged access the school’s curriculum and wider experiences. Leaders broadly check pupils’ learning and assess the impact that their strategies have. This helps pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, to make steady progress. Occasionally, the checks that leaders and staff make on these pupils’ learning are not as precise as they could be, meaning that they do not achieve as highly as they could over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school and the local community well. They make decisions in the best interests of pupils. Leaders have an accurate view of the quality of the school’s work. They prioritise the correct actions and largely take effective steps to address these priorities. Leaders are certainly proud of the school’s provision for pupils’ personal development and wellbeing, and the impact of their work to support pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work effectively with external agencies. Staff benefit from a broadly effective programme of professional learning that builds their expertise. This includes those early on in their careers. Staff who have a particular role in supporting pupils’ wellbeing benefit from a range of training for this. Leaders continue to refine and embed the programme of professional learning so that it aligns more fully with the school’s priority areas.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors share the school’s vision to provide the best for pupils both academically and socially. They fulfil their statutory duties well. Governors typically provide leaders with effective support and challenge.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are positive about working at the school. They value the support that they receive for their workload and wellbeing, including the time to fulfil their roles. Along with governors and leaders, staff appreciate being able to contribute to the school’s continued improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are equally supportive. They appreciate the extensive offer for their children’s wider development. Parents know that their children are well cared for and supported in their learning. They enjoy regular visits to the school.

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

Pupils are proud to be part of this caring and welcoming school. A Christian ethos pervades the school and is central to the firm sense of family and community that pupils experience. Pupils reflect the school’s values of ‘faith, hope and love’ in their excellent behaviour. They arrive happily each morning to a calm and assured start. Pupils know that staff care for them and will support them if they have any worries or concerns.

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

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers, typically rise to meet leaders’ high expectations. They learn and achieve well overall. Leaders identify and broadly address barriers to pupils’ learning. Pupils are keen to share their knowledge with others. Leaders celebrate their academic and social successes. The school’s vision of ‘shine like stars to achieve and make a difference’ inspires pupils to try their best in all that they do.

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

Pupils’ attendance is above the national average. Pupils delight in all the experiences that leaders provide. They behave incredibly well. Pupils are friendly and polite towards others. Relationships between pupils and staff are nurturing. This contributes to a tranquil and orderly atmosphere across the school. Social times are oases of play. Bullying is rare. Pupils know that staff address any occasions of unkindness swiftly and effectively. Pupils take full advantage of the school’s extensive and well-thought-out enrichment programme. Many opportunities help to broaden pupils’ horizons and aspirations. For example, pupils visit local churches and theatres, take part in residential visits and engage in various competitions. They develop their talents and interests through expert music tuition and exciting clubs that pupils themselves help to organise, including choir, sports, chess, robotics and gardening. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff deliver the curriculum consistently well, routinely using opportunities to deepen pupils’ knowledge so that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve as highly as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff identify and swiftly address any gaps and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge across the curriculum, including in spelling and handwriting. Leaders should ensure that staff in the early years use fully effective interaction strategies to further extend children’s communication, language and thinking skills.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Sarah Sutton.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, other leaders, staff and pupils during the inspection. The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body and spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.

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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 Church of England/Methodist religious character. It is in the Diocese of Liverpool. Its last section 48 inspection was in September 2024.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Since the last inspection, a new chair of governors has been appointed.

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Lead inspector:

David Lobodzinski, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Christopher McDonald, Ofsted Inspector Ele Dobson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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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average

2022/23 (final) 77% 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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national average

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

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national 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

2024/25 (final) 67% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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average

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

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% 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

2024/25 (final) 50% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

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

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Exceptional

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

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Strong standard

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

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Expected standard

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

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Needs attention

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

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Urgent improvement

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

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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