What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and proud to belong to their inclusive school. They value the support and encouragement that caring staff provide. In turn, pupils help and support each other well. They make sure that new members of the school feel welcome and settle quickly.

The school is a calm and orderly place, where pupils behave well. In the early years, children begin to learn how to follow the ‘Anchorsholme Way’. Pupils develop into polite, and considerate members of their school and the wider community as they progress through the school.

The school has high ambition for pupils’ academic success. It makes sure that where required, pupils receive any additional support that they need. This is especially the case for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically achieve well. By the end of Year 6, pupils are amply prepared for the secondary phase of their education.

Pupils benefit from the many exciting opportunities that the school provides for their personal development. These include practical ‘Funky Friday’ activities or completing challenges for their year group ‘passports’. These experiences, and other activities on offer, help pupils to develop their resilience and independence. They become responsible and caring citizens.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s curriculum is broad and ambitious. It has recently refined the structure of its curriculum to support pupils to recall and build on their prior learning more easily. The impact of this work is clear. Pupils are increasingly able to remember and apply their learning.

Teachers regularly check that pupils have grasped fully their previous learning before introducing new information. In most subjects, they are adept at noting and addressing misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ knowledge effectively. This is particularly strong in reading and mathematics. However, occasionally, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not focus on the most important things that pupils need to know well enough. At times, this causes some pupils to become overwhelmed. When this happens, they struggle to recall and apply accurately key facts, skills or vocabulary in these subjects.

Teachers are developing their expertise to ensure that pupils learn well across the curriculum. They are alert to times when pupils struggle during lessons and adapt their approach promptly. For example, teachers identify swiftly pupils who may have SEND. They provide effective and carefully considered support to enable these pupils to access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND achieve well as a result.

Reading has a high priority within the school’s curriculum. Staff are trained expertly to teach pupils to read and to appreciate a wide range of modern and classic literature. The school’s chosen phonics programme is used effectively to help children begin to learn to read words in the Reception Year. This programme is also used well to support older pupils who find reading more difficult, until they master how to read with fluency and accuracy.

The school ensures that pupils develop secure reading knowledge. This helps them to access other areas of the curriculum with ease. Pupils enjoy reading. They make effective use of their reading expertise to broaden their understanding of the wider world.

The school has benefited from the support of the trust to address previous areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. For example, there is now an effective programme to support pupils to produce well-structured pieces of writing. However, the school does not ensure that pupils consistently produce well-formed letters or written work that reflects their ability. Consequently, the fluency and legibility of some pupils’ writing is not as well established as it could be.

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to school and their learning. Most pupils focus well during lessons. When needed, they respond swiftly to staff’s well-timed reminders to maintain the high standards that the school expects.

Pupils are supported extremely well by the school to develop belief in their own capabilities. They are well prepared for making a positive contribution to society. Pupils learn how to support and learn from others. They benefit from projects such as meeting up with older residents at the local library or working online with pupils from contrasting locations within the trust. Within their own school, older pupils carry out an impressive array of leadership roles, such as sports leaders, prefects, school councillors and ‘buddies’ to younger pupils.

Positive relationships permeate the school. Governors and trustees support staff in managing their workload effectively. Those responsible for governance work closely with staff. They share the same vision of providing a high-quality of education for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not focus sufficiently well on the most important information that pupils need to learn or remember. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall and build on what the school expects them to know. The school should ensure that teachers support pupils to develop a secure body of knowledge that prepares them fully for their next stage of education.
• The school does not ensure that its handwriting policy is followed consistently well by staff. Some pupils’ written work can be difficult to read and does not reflect what they have learned as a result. The school should make sure that pupils receive the support that they need from adults to develop accuracy and fluency in their writing.

How can I feed back my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route).

School details

Information about this school

• A new headteacher has been appointed since the time of the previous inspection. There have also been other changes to leadership arrangements during this time.
• A new chair of the local governing body has been appointed recently.
• The school does not currently make use of alternative provision for pupils.
• The school provides a before- and after-school club for pupils.

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

• Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.
• This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.
• Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school, including the CEO.
• An inspector met with a group of trustees and members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors.
• An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, including early reading; mathematics; geography and physical education. They spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.
• Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.
• Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult. They also listened to some other pupils reading from Years 3 and 4.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.
• Inspectors spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey and parents’ free-text responses.
• Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

Inspection team