Lancashire primary school gets 'one word' Ofsted rating

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A primary school that ‘empowers pupils’ has received a glowing Ofsted report following an inspection. Inspectors visited Bacup Holy Trinity Stacksteads Church of England Primary School on Booth Road in July.

The school was graded ‘Good’ in all categories; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision, resulting in a ‘Good’ rating overall. The report, which was published on September 9, reads: “Pupils at Holy Trinity enjoy school. They are happy to attend each day.

“Pupils especially appreciate the exciting ways in which teachers capture their curiosity through the topics that they study. This ensures that pupils are enthusiastic about their learning.

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“Pupils generally respond well to the high expectations that are set for their achievement. In the main, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), remember the key learning that is set out in the school’s curriculum in most subjects.”

Inspectors noticed the good behaviour of pupils at the school and how they are ‘respectful of one another and maintain strong friendships with each other’. They acknowledged the range of opportunities available to students to enhance their learning such as after-school activities like pom-pom making, basketball and history clubs.

The curriculum is described as ‘clear’ in most subjects and mentions that teachers follow these subject curriculums well. Inspectors praised the school for having ‘clear systems in place to identify any pupils with SEND as early as possible’.

The report continues: “Staff receive suitable training to help them to cater for pupils’ individual needs. As a result, these pupils receive the help that they need to achieve well in most subjects.

“The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils’ personal development. For example, the school’s work on mental health has empowered pupils to deal with difficult situations, such as friendship issues.” Some ways in which the school could improve are suggested in the report.

The report reads: “The arrangements to support some pupils to catch up with the intended phonics curriculum are not effective enough.

“This means that some pupils do not overcome gaps in their phonics knowledge. This hinders their reading fluency.

“The school should ensure that the support that pupils receive enables them to keep pace with the phonics programme.” Inspectors also suggested the school ensure they are more specific about what they want pupils to know to deepen their understanding as well as set its aims for developing the curriculum more clearly so that governors can measure how well the school achieves its goals.

Co-Headteacher, John Aspin, said: “We are very pleased with the report. It is very positive and reflects the many strengths of the school and the hard work that staff and governors have put in over the years.

“A huge congratulations to the staff for what they do for the children day in and day out. The most important thing is what we do for the children on a daily basis, not just when Ofsted come to visit.”

The school was last inspected 11 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections.

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection.

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