Accrington Spring Hill Community Primary School

School

Address: Exchange Street, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 0JD Unique reference number (URN): 119185

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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 and governors are determined that their high ambitions for pupils’ attendance and behaviour are achieved. Leaders link very well with the local community to help families to understand the importance of pupils’ full attendance at school. Leaders use information about which pupils are absent from school, or do not behave well, to identify the support and advice that parents, carers and pupils need. As a result, pupils’ attendance is improving year on year. Leaders’ actions to support pupils with the least regular attendance have a significant and positive impact on these pupils’ wellbeing, learning and all-round development.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils are keen learners who want to know more. They focus their attention on understanding the content of their lessons. Pupils respond well to leaders’ high expectations of their behaviour, including in the school's dining hall. In classes throughout the school, issues in pupils’ behaviour are short-lived and managed effectively by leaders and staff. Leaders teach pupils that serious problems, such as discrimination and violence, are unacceptable in wider society and would not be tolerated at school. When needed, leaders guide staff on how to support the behaviour of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school’s new leadership has proficiently devised the curriculum to build pupils’ knowledge of essential information in a logical order. Leaders ensure that teaching celebrates pupils’ culture, language and family heritage, as well as the community and history of Accrington. Leaders and staff adapt teaching, for example to support those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, in order to plant the seeds of success for individual pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders check staff’s delivery of the curriculum carefully. They identify clear and accurate priorities to improve the quality of teaching. Leaders develop staff’s subject and curriculum knowledge by providing them with an effective programme of professional learning. Leaders make careful use of advice from other education experts to refine the school’s work.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Mostly, teaching is effective, such as about the basics of phonics and reading. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge carefully, so staff know what information to teach next. Leaders make sure that staff teach pupils to know and use important words in different subjects skilfully. Staff build the knowledge of pupils who speak English as an additional language in the ways that they need. In the early years and throughout the school, staff teach children the essentials of writing well. However, sometimes, teaching does not help pupils to use their knowledge of spelling and grammar in their writing effectively enough.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders understand the ingredients of high-quality learning and teaching for 4- and 5-year- old children very well. Recently, leaders have extensively revised and strengthened the school’s curriculum and teaching in the Reception Year. Leaders make certain that staff have the training and support they need to teach the early years curriculum skilfully.

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Early years Expected standard

Before 4-year-old children start full time at the school, leaders provide them with lots of valuable opportunities to visit and experience school life. Staff work very well with parents and carers to understand children’s needs, experiences and interests. Leaders make sure that staff spot and ably support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those children who face other challenges in their lives. Leaders ensure that their curriculum and teaching responds well to these insights.

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Early years Expected standard

Children achieve well from their starting points. For example, staff ensure that children learn to take themselves to the toilet and no longer need a nappy. Staff teach children new and important words, for instance from the story of an extremely large turnip. They link stories to other meaningful learning, such as to planting activities in the Reception class garden. Children become competent readers because staff teach phonics successfully. Staff help children to be inquisitive, keen learners, not least about the orange and black caterpillars that they discover and study with magnifying glasses.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Skilful leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ensures that staff have high expectations of these pupils. Leaders welcome the insights of wider professionals and families to help staff to identify and act on pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. Pupils with SEND flourish in their development and learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use the same ambitious and expert thinking to remove whatever gets in the way of other pupils being able to bloom. For instance, leaders ensure that staff explain concepts carefully to pupils at the early stages of learning to speak English. Leaders provide extra help for pupils who join and leave the school at different points in their education to other pupils. Leaders and staff deliberately teach pupils to understand one another’s needs, such as about autism and dyslexia. Equally, staff and pupils learn how to carefully consider the needs of pupils from asylum-seeking families. The school welcomes and supports all pupils equally. Pupils feel that they belong here.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders’ use of extra funding to support disadvantaged pupils makes a positive difference to these pupils’ wellbeing and learning. Nevertheless, leaders do not review the impact of this work as well as they could, which makes some subsequent leadership decisions less well informed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school’s new leadership brings deep knowledge to its roles, such as about the early years, primary education, special educational needs (SEND) and school improvement. Leaders use their expertise well to spot and act on any weaknesses in the school’s work. They ensure that pupils experience success, including in their competence in English, as well as their character, behaviour and confidence. Leaders review the school’s work adeptly. They provide staff with well-thought-out professional learning. Leaders improve the quality of education at pace and in long-lasting ways. Pupils’ achievement is improving. The school seeks to treat everyone fairly. Leaders and staff respect pupils' differences, for instance if pupils speak English as an additional language. The school recognises the strengths and uniqueness of its pupils, for example if they live in an asylum-seeking family. Leaders and staff celebrate the success of each pupil, such as for pupils with SEND.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders link effectively with parents and carers, nurseries and local organisations, to help develop a sense of community in the school. Leaders welcome families, such as to attend assemblies, and celebratory events with shared food, or to discuss their child’s needs with staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors have a clear grasp of their responsibilities. They use their skills effectively to support and challenge leaders. The governing body acts to ensure the long-term, successful life of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders consider carefully the impact of their decisions on staff’s workload. Staff enjoy working at the school and, with leaders and governors, they are fully committed to its further improvement.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school prioritises pupils’ personal development alongside their academic success. Leaders and staff build pupils’ character, such as by teaching them about responsibility, service and aspiration. Pupils benefit from the school’s well-considered relationships and health education. Most importantly, pupils learn to respect others. Events such as ‘positive noticing day’ and other activities help pupils to recognise one another’s mature attitudes and conduct. Leaders prepare pupils carefully to stay safe online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides pupils with many opportunities to shine, beyond the taught curriculum. Pupils love the chance to represent the school in sports competitions. They relish their meetings with leaders to consider how to improve the school. Prefects hold important roles, including to help guide other pupils’ conduct in the dining hall at lunchtime.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders introduce pupils to life beyond their home area of Accrington. They organise thoughtful educational trips, for example to build pupils’ understanding of the wonders of parks, forests, historical places and museums. For a recent trip, leaders thought carefully how to keep pupils safe in the bustle of London. This gave parents and carers much reassurance and resulted in a high proportion of eligible pupils taking part.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff celebrate with pupils the faiths, cultures and communities that make up modern Britain. This means, for instance, that pupils know the similarities and differences of belief between Muslims, Hindus and Christians. Pupils develop an impressive understanding of fundamental British values and the relevance of these to life at school, as well as in the community and country.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils who need extra help to cope with their feelings benefit from staff’s gentle, skilful support. When needed, pupils spend some time in the school’s ‘sloth room’, which is a relaxing, sensory space in which they can feel calm and restful.

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Needs attention

Leaders do not review their wide-ranging provision as well as they could, to aid the further improvement of the school’s personal development programme.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, pupils’ attainment in national assessments of their reading, writing and mathematics has been below average. Recently, leaders have resolved the curriculum and teaching issues that had been the cause. However, it is too soon to see the full impact on pupils’ outcomes in national tests. Nevertheless, when older pupils write longer pieces of work in English, sometimes they do not use their knowledge of spelling and grammar as well as they should.

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Achievement Needs attention

Published information about the school does not explain how well pupils, such as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve from their starting points. Pupils, including those who join and then leave the school after just a few months of education, thrive due to staff’s skilful support. Pupils’ knowledge of phonics and mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils, ripens with time when they stay at the school for each year of their primary education. Pupils at the early stages of learning to speak English build their confidence, understanding and language skills effectively.

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

Pupils, parents and carers are proud to be part of Accrington Spring Hill Community Primary School. Pupils experience a curriculum that leaders ensure is interesting and relevant. Pupils find that this is a school that celebrates the history and rich culture of the Accrington area. They learn that success is the fruit of hard work. Pupils are taught about respect, tolerance and other important attitudes and behaviours that are essential for life in modern Britain.

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

Pupils feel safe at school. They know the many ways in which leaders and staff protect them from harm. Pupils make lots of friends. Their views about their lives and experiences are listened to and acted on by their class teachers and other staff.

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

Pupils behave themselves and listen carefully to staff and to one another. This helps them to learn well. Pupils know that the school takes bullying seriously and acts on such issues effectively. Pupils are sensible and kind, for instance they open doors for others. Pupils want to know about the lives of people such as visitors to the school and will ask them thoughtful questions.

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

Pupils’ attendance at school is improving over time. Leaders work effectively with families, including through the local mosque, to help ensure that pupils attend school when they should. The published information about pupils’ attainment is below average. However, this does not reflect the much more positive achievement of current pupils throughout the school. Right from the start of the Reception Year, leaders make sure that children’s education successfully develops their communication, language and phonics skills. Pupils experience a well-thought-out curriculum and teaching which enthuses them about learning. For instance, they enjoy learning how to use digital technology effectively and safely. Pupils, including those who face challenges in their lives, make positive progress from their starting points.

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Next steps

Leaders should make certain that the teaching of writing enables pupils to make effective use of their knowledge of spelling and grammar when they write longer pieces of work. Leaders should ensure that the recent improvements in the school’s curriculum and teaching lead to pupils attaining well over time. Leaders should make sure that they have a clear understanding of the positive difference that their actions have on pupils’ wellbeing, learning and wider development, so that future actions can be identified with even more accuracy.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Susan Penman.

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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 (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with some governors and with a representative of the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Children in the Reception classes share a single classroom and linked outdoor area.

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Team inspectors:

Gaynor Rennie, Ofsted Inspector John Littler, 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 7 July 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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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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average

2023/24 (final) 63% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 59% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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average

2023/24 (final) 56% 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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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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