Intack Primary School

Intack Primary School

Address: Whitebirk Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 3HY Unique reference number (URN): 119118

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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 are resolute in their drive to support pupils to attend school regularly. They have a granular understanding of the barriers that prevent some pupils from coming to school each day. Effective partnerships with families and external agencies ensure that swift action is taken to address these barriers. As a result of the work of leaders and staff, attendance is improving over time. However, there are still some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who miss out on valuable learning by not attending school regularly enough.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders’ high expectations for pupils’ positive behaviour are lived out across the school. This starts in the early years where children learn how to take turns and listen to each other. Pupils are typically polite and keen to learn. They value the ‘calm spaces’ both indoors and outdoors that they use at social times. Pupils who sometimes struggle to regulate their own behaviour benefit from sensitive support from staff. They are helped to manage their emotions and are provided with a range of effective strategies to help them to be ready to learn. The school’s culture of respect and acceptance of difference mean that unkind incidents, for example bullying or discrimination, are rare.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have taken effective action to ensure that pupils benefit from a curriculum that prioritises basic knowledge and skills in the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics. This is designed to provide pupils with the knowledge that they need for their future learning, including in the mixed-age class. Leaders are well informed about the quality of the curriculum and how it is taught. Staff receive the training that they need to teach confidently. Overall, the curriculum is taught well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders' work to overcome obstacles to pupils’ learning is typically successful. Staff check how well pupils are learning. They use this information to adjust the curriculum and provide support. This is helping older pupils who have not benefited from the improved curriculums over time to address gaps in their reading, writing and mathematical knowledge and skills. There is a focus on developing pupils’ ability to communicate well. In the early years, staff maximise opportunities to expand children’s vocabulary. This is successfully built on as pupils move through the school. Pupils who struggle to read, including those who speak English as an additional language, benefit from extra support. This increases their confidence and fluency in reading.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children in the early years benefit from an effective provision. They have prioritised children being supported to make a positive start to their education. Leaders have increased the consistency and timeliness of the identification of any additional needs that children may have. Careful checks inform well-matched support to address barriers to children’s learning and development. Children settle quickly. They are well supported to develop their confidence and independence. Staff support children to develop their communication and language skills from the very start. Staff model language and encourage conversation, which allows children to practise using the words and sentences that they hear. New vocabulary is introduced carefully. Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are new to speaking English as an additional language, quickly

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Early years Expected standard

learn to express their needs and wishes. They are supported to interact with their friends. There is also a focus on developing other key early skills, including number, early reading and fine motor development. Children are happy, safe and secure due to the positive and trusting relationships they have with staff.

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Early years Expected standard

Children are increasingly ready for key stage 1. Those who struggle to secure the most important skills that they need for their future learning receive targeted support as they move into Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Being inclusive is at the heart of leaders’ work. They prioritise understanding each pupils’ unique needs and experiences at the earliest opportunity. Supporting pupils to be included and valued as part of the school community is at the forefront of this work. The school serves a diverse community. Increasing numbers of pupils who join the school speak English as an additional language. Leaders work productively to provide the support that these pupils require to meet their language needs. They help these pupils to develop their communication and language skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified quickly in the early years. Improvements to the accuracy and timeliness of this work have strengthened the provision for pupils with SEND. Appropriate adaptations to learning help pupils with SEND to access the curriculum successfully. Leaders check the impact of these adaptations to ensure that they help pupils to progress through the curriculum as well as they should. Pupils, including those who join the school in key stage 2, are supported to overcome barriers that they may face in their learning and wellbeing during their time at the school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that additional funding, such as the pupil premium grant for disadvantaged pupils, is spent wisely. This includes ensuring that pupils are supported to benefit from participation in opportunities beyond the academic.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has been through a period of considerable change in the last 2 years. The newly established leadership team have lost no time in taking decisive action to address weaknesses in the school’s offer to its pupils. Working closely with the local authority, leaders have galvanised the staff and steadied the ship. There has been rapid improvement in a short space of time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the community that they serve and the barriers that many of their pupils face in their learning and wellbeing. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are at the heart of decisions and changes that are made. Leaders have taken action to address weaknesses in the curriculum, teaching and pupils’ achievement, including in the early years. They have ensured a sharp focus on increasing attendance rates and supporting pupils’ readiness to learn.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff feel valued. They are positive about the support that they receive to manage their workload and wellbeing through a period of change. They benefit from an extensive professional development programme to help them teach the curriculum well. Parents and carers are also positive. They appreciate the support that pupils receive academically, socially and emotionally.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors have the knowledge to be able to fulfil their statutory duties, such as safeguarding. They demonstrate openness in how to continue to improve some aspects of the school’s work such as pupils' achievement. However, governors are less well-informed about some other aspects of the school’s current improvement priorities, for example curriculum development and its impact on pupils. This limits their ability to challenge and support leaders more effectively in these areas.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide many meaningful opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences beyond the academic curriculum. From the early years to Year 6, pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their understanding of the wider world. Leaders ensure that the school’s context is considered in the design and content of this wider offer. Many faiths and cultures are represented within the school. Pupils welcome and celebrate each other’s differences and treat each other with kindness. They learn what it means to live in a modern and diverse society. Pupils understand that people have different families, backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. They speak confidently about the importance of treating everyone equally. Pupils relate fundamental British values to their experiences. For example, they show understanding of democracy and how this relates to their opportunities to vote in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Support for pupils' wellbeing is prioritised. Pupils quickly gain a sense of belonging within the school community. This starts in the early years, where children start to understand their feelings and manage their emotions. Pupils benefit from tailored and well-matched support for their emotional and social needs. Staff work closely with parents and carers and external agencies to provide this support in a timely and sensitive manner. Pupils learn in age- appropriate ways about moral dilemmas and personal safety. They know what it means to have a healthy lifestyle and relationships. Older pupils are taught about the changes that will happen to them as they grow up. Pupils also understand how to be safe near roads and when riding a bike. They recognise how to use their learning to help them to work and play safely online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that barriers that pupils may have are reduced so that pupils benefit from the school’s wider offer. This includes adjustments or adaptations made so that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, can participate.

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Achievement Needs attention

While leaders have taken appropriate action to improve the curriculum and how it is taught, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work in national tests and assessments. Over time, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 is below the national average. Consequently, some pupils are not fully prepared for their next stage of education.

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Achievement Needs attention

Current pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are increasingly supported to achieve well from their varied starting points. Pupils' progress through the curriculum is improving. This is evident in pupils’ reading and mathematics understanding. Pupils gain knowledge in a range of subjects. For example, they talk confidently about continents, oceans and periods of history. However, historic gaps continue to impact older pupils’ achievement, including those who join the school later in their school life, particularly in writing.

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

This is a friendly and happy school. Pupils benefit from caring relationships and a calm, respectful atmosphere. Staff know pupils and their families very well. Pupils who join the school in the early years or at different times of the year, including those who speak English as an additional language, experience a warm welcome. They settle to school life quickly. Pupils feel safe and appreciate the ‘post box’ that they can use to seek help or a listening ear. When problems, including bullying, occur, they are dealt with promptly and effectively.

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

Pupils play a large part in making this school the positive learning community that it is. Their attendance rates are improving. Behaviour is typically positive, in lessons and at social times. Pupils speak with pride about the awards that they earn for their positive behaviour and attitudes to learning, such as ‘gold coins'. Appropriate support is provided for pupils who sometimes find it difficult to manage their emotions. Pupils who face barriers to their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the help that they need. Pupils achieve increasingly well across a range of different subjects as a result of improvements to the curriculum and teaching. They enjoy their learning. However, it is too soon for these improvements to be reflected in pupils' attainment in national tests and assessments. This is because, over time, pupils have not benefited from learning that builds

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

their knowledge securely, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Some pupils are not prepared well enough for their next stage of education.

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

Pupils learn about the world around them through outdoor learning and visits. They are keen to talk about the school pets, including Turbo the tortoise. Pupils enjoy taking part in clubs, such as choir and cooking. They are especially proud of the musical performances that they participate in with orchestras. Equality champions, school councillors and eco warriors speak confidently about their roles.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to support older pupils who have not benefited from the improved curriculums over time, to address gaps in their knowledge so that pupils’ achievement, including in national tests and assessments and particularly in writing, improves. Leaders should continue to take action to further reduce pupils' absence, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are persistently absent so that these pupils attend school more regularly. Members of the governing body should deepen their understanding of the impact of the school’s curriculum priorities so that they are well placed to further support and challenge leaders’ work on curriculum, teaching and pupils' achievement.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Abdul Qadoos.

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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

This inspection took place from 9 to 10 September 2026.

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About this inspection

Following our updated 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 school leaders and staff during the inspection. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement partner.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

There have been a number of changes to leadership at the school since the previous inspection. The headteacher and chair of governors were appointed in 2024. The current leadership team has been in place for 12 months. A number of governors have recently been appointed.

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About this inspection

The school provides a breakfast and after-school provision for pupils.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Shoab Uddin, Ofsted Inspector Andrew Marlow, 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 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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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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average

2024/25 (final) 68% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 37% 47% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 48% 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

2024/25 (final) 57% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 65% 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) 57% 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) 60% 61% Close to average

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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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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