Summerville Primary School

Summerville Primary School

Address: Summerville Road, Salford, Greater Manchester, M6 7HB Unique reference number (URN): 105889

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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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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established a coherent and ambitious curriculum across the school that prioritises the essential knowledge pupils need to succeed. There is a robust focus on building strong foundations in communication, reading, writing and mathematics in the early years and key stage 1. Leaders regularly check the effectiveness of the curriculum and act quickly when improvements are needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff benefit from high-quality training and support. As a result, teaching is typically effective. This includes the teaching of phonics, handwriting and reading, which has been a priority for leaders. However, some of this work is ongoing and the impact has yet to be fully seen in pupils’ attainment in published outcomes or at the end of key stage 2.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff use assessment well to check that pupils understand their learning. However, occasionally, older pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to apply new learning independently. As a result, some pupils do not retain their learning as securely as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils who have barriers to their learning receive effective support to catch up to their peers. Typically, they make secure progress from their starting points. Staff routinely adapt teaching carefully so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can successfully access learning.

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Early years Expected standard

As soon as children start school, they are welcomed warmly by staff and settle quickly. Leaders prioritise providing a smooth transition into school to ensure that they quickly build relationships with children, parents and carers. This helps children, including those who are disadvantaged, to start school with confidence, learn new routines securely and form friendships.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum, matched to what children need to develop. Leaders prioritise communication and language, and children enjoy listening to high-quality stories and joining in with rhymes. Leaders have recently improved the environment to ensure learning opportunities are maximised. For example, children often choose outdoor reading dens to explore books and stories.

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Early years Expected standard

In Reception, children demonstrate secure early phonics knowledge, enabling them to read accurately and to build confidence as readers. In addition, children have developed an understanding of early number concepts, giving them the essential foundation needed for later mathematics.

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Early years Expected standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from high-quality interactions with staff. Despite their varied starting points, children in the early years make secure progress through the curriculum. They are generally ready to make a positive start to Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have developed a culture of belonging in this school. Pupils with barriers to their learning, including those known to social care, benefit from suitable provision that typically enables them to learn successfully alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify additional needs that pupils might have quickly and accurately. Working closely with a range of agencies, leaders provide timely support and guidance, which helps them to meet pupils’ needs well. For example, barriers to some pupils’ wellbeing are reduced through personalised provision, which helps pupils to develop social and communication skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Teachers are generally skilled in adapting teaching when needed. On the whole, this enables pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, to access learning successfully. Teachers typically anticipate and cater for pupils’ needs well. Leaders check the impact of this support to ensure that it is effective. They have thought carefully about how to work with parents and carers to support their children. For instance, leaders provide workshops designed to help parents support their children’s learning at home.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding well to help disadvantaged pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular opportunities. Actions to increase the attendance and attainment of these pupils are at an earlier stage.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

There have been changes to the leadership of the school since the last inspection. Leaders and governors have a sound understanding of the strengths and areas for development of the school. With pupils at the forefront of their minds, leaders have made thoughtful decisions about school improvement. The impact of their actions is clear in some aspects of provision. For instance, leaders have fostered a secure sense of belonging in the school. This has improved pupils’ behaviour and helps them to feel safe.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Recently, leaders have taken action to improve the quality of the curriculum. A comprehensive programme of professional development has improved teaching and equipped staff with the expertise to reduce barriers to pupils’ learning. That said, leaders are still refining approaches to improving attendance and attainment, and the full impact of their actions is not currently evident in these areas.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel well supported. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and provide appropriate support and professional development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors have suitable systems in place to monitor the effectiveness of leaders’ work. Governors have thought carefully about how to gather accurate information about the quality of provision. For example, they receive detailed reports about the school. They use this information appropriately to hold leaders to account.

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Needs attention

Parents and carers are wholly positive about the support and care the school provides. They appreciate that their children are cared for well.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have implemented a well-designed personal development programme focused on enriching pupils’ experiences and promoting the diverse ethos of the school. Pupils are proud to belong to leadership groups that encourage responsibility and cooperation. For example, reading ambassadors take great care in maintaining the school library, and pupils work collaboratively to harvest food in the allotment to be prepared by the school cook.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum for personal, social and health education prioritises pupils’ mental and physical health and equips them with the skills they need to keep themselves safe. Pupils typically develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and how to be a good friend. They talk about how to keep themselves safe both online and in the wider community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is highly effective. Staff help pupils to understand and manage their feelings. This has a positive impact on pupils’ wellbeing and behaviour. Staff respond quickly to pupils' needs and provide nurturing support where required. For example, leaders have created an outdoor woodland provision that benefits pupils who require a break from the classroom.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils revisit some of their classroom learning in different ways. For example, they better understand democracy by participating in school council elections and making pupil-led changes. These changes include successfully adapting the lunchtime seating plan by listening to, and voting for, each other’s views. These opportunities to put their learning into practice help pupils to remember important knowledge over time.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn to celebrate difference and benefit from visits from faith leaders. In the main, they have a secure understanding of equality and recognise why some pupils require additional help.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from a wide range of opportunities. The school nurtures pupils' talents and interests through extra-curricular clubs such as gardening, boxing, art and music. Pupils talk fondly of their trips and visits.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2. Pupils' attainment is below national averages, meaning many are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders understand the causes of underachievement and work is underway to improve outcomes for pupils. The impact of this work is evident in current pupils’ work, which shows that they are progressing through the curriculum well.

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Achievement Needs attention

In contrast, children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 develop the basic skills that they need to be successful. These younger pupils were less impacted by inconsistencies in teaching previously than their older peers. Leaders’ improvements to the curriculum and teaching are helping younger pupils to build knowledge securely across the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Many pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should, and this is not improving rapidly enough. Rightly, leaders have strengthened their attendance procedures. However, their analysis of attendance information is not as sharp as it should be. This prevents leaders from identifying the most effective strategies to improve pupils’ attendance. Persistent absenteeism is high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to understand the challenges that some pupils and their families face. However, leaders’ actions to improve attendance remain at an early stage.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Around school, pupils are mature, sensible and model the high expectations of behaviour that leaders expect. Classrooms are calm and welcoming. Pupils are typically well behaved and engage positively in their learning. Those who need help to manage their behaviour are supported by skilled adults who remind them of the ‘classroom charters'. Adults help pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to understand and manage their feelings. Staff understand leaders’ behaviour expectations and follow appropriate procedures to maintain a positive learning environment.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

At social times, pupils play with each other cooperatively. Bullying and discrimination are rare, and pupils are confident that staff will sort out any friendship issues.

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

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming and friendly school. They describe it as a ‘family community’. Special events, such as the ‘proud to be’ day, help to create an inclusive environment where everybody belongs. Pupils feel safe and valued. They develop warm relationships with trusted adults and form positive friendships. New pupils settle well, learning routines and making friends quickly. Unkind words are rare.

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

Pupils enjoy learning and are keen to engage in lessons. Children in the early years make a suitable start to their education and readily explore the carefully designed learning environment. For example, they enthusiastically take part in activities such as hand printing and making dough faces. However, older pupils do not achieve as highly as they should. Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching mean that pupils make uneven progress through the curriculum over time. In addition, some pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should. This disrupts their learning and means that they are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they could be. Pupils behave well. They demonstrate maturity and care towards one another. Older pupils act as positive role models. For example, ‘welcome ambassadors’ support new pupils and help them to become part of the school community. When pupils struggle to manage their

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

emotions, adults provide effective tailored support. Pupils are proud of their achievements and value the recognition they receive. They relish the wide range of experiences that enhance the curriculum, including outdoor learning, the allotment project and educational visits. These opportunities help pupils to develop confidence and resilience. Leadership responsibilities, such as ‘playtime leaders’ and ‘reading ambassadors’, help pupils to develop responsibility and teamwork. Pupils also enjoy participating in clubs and performances, including ballet, music, gardening and sports. Leaders ensure that all pupils can take part in these activities.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that learning tasks challenge pupils to apply their learning independently so that they understand and remember more over time. Leaders should ensure that the recent improvements in pupils’ achievement are sustained, so that a greater proportion of pupils achieve at least in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Leaders should refine and evaluate their attendance strategy to improve pupils’ attendance and reduce persistent absence, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Michelle Duval.

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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

The inspection took place on 9 and 10 September 2026.

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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, other senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and other staff. The lead inspector also met with those responsible for governance and a representative of the local authority during the inspection.

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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, the school has undergone a significant change with the appointment of a new headteacher and deputy headteacher.

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Team inspectors:

Joan Grant, Ofsted Inspector Sheena Clark, His Majesty's 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 9 September 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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average

2023/24 (final) 53% 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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average

2023/24 (final) 72% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

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

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

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

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national average

2023/24 (final) 53% 46% 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

2023/24 (final) 71% 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

2023/24 (final) 59% 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

2023/24 (final) 65% 59% 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

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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