Here’s a summary of the all the inspectors’ ‘report cards’ of primary or secondary schools in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.
Mab’s Primary School
Schools across Greater Manchester have been evaluated by a government watchdog in the past two weeks – and some have received glowing reviews. Ofsted’s ‘new look’ report cards have moved away from one-word summaries like ‘good’, ‘outstanding’, or ‘requires improvement’.
Instead inspectors give a descriptive assessment aimed at guardians that ‘gives a clearer picture of what’s working well and where the next steps for improvement are’. The report cards show colour-coded grades for different areas like ‘attendance and behaviour’, ‘achievement’, ‘personal development and well-being’, and ‘inclusion’.
These areas on a new scale of ‘exceptional’, ‘strong standard’, ‘expected standard’, ‘needs attention’ and ‘urgent improvement’.
Ofsted also states whether safeguarding responsibilities are ‘met’ or ‘not met’.
Below is a summary of every Ofsted inspection published for Greater Manchester primary and secondary schools for the period May 18 to June 4. The inspectors’ comments are summarised from the ‘what it’s like to be a pupil at this school’ section of each report.
The reports are by Greater Manchester borough in alphabetical order.
Bolton
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell, Eskrick Street, BoltonReport published: May 21
Strong standard:
Attendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Inspector’s comments
Pupils leave this school as lifelong learners with high aspirations because of the school’s nurturing environment. Youngsters feel safe and staff care deeply about them, giving them confidence they’ll be supported through difficulties.
The school is a warm and welcoming place with a strong sense of community. Pupils celebrate differences and report that bullying is rare. Inspectors found kids comforted their upset peers and picked up litter without being prompted, showing a strong understanding of the world around them.
Attendance is high and youngsters are ‘well equipped’ for their futures.
St Thomas C of E Primary School
St George’s CofE Primary School, The Hoskers, Westhoughton, BoltonReport published: May 20
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s comments
The school is calm and orderly, with good attendance and little learning missed. Pupils treat each other well and bullying is rare. When issues do arise, staff deal with it quickly.
Pupils achieve in line with national averages and disadvantaged pupils are well supported.
Kids are encouraged to develop empathy and become positive citizens by caring for their community through fundraisers, litter picks, and tending a community flowerbed.
Overall kids leave the school ready for secondary school.
Ladybridge Community Primary School, Broadford Road, Deane, BoltonReport published: May 20
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governance
Inspector’s comments
Pupils say ‘everybody gets their time to shine’ at this school, and are immensely proud to be part of its community. They are keen to learn and behave extremely well. Bullying is rare and is dealt with swiftly by leaders.
Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ achievement, including pupils who find learning difficult. Staff adapt teaching in lessons to reduce the barriers to learning faced by some pupils. They typically leave school well-prepared for secondary school.There are also lots of extracurricular activities on offer such as nutrition club, debating club and crochet to help kids build independence and confidence
Cherry Tree Primary School, Highfield Road, Farnworth, BoltonReport published: May 19
Expected standard:
Curriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Needs attention:
AchievementAttendance & Behaviour
Inspector’s comments
Pupils feel safe and happy at this school. Staff know pupils well and greet them warmly each day. Pupils know who to turn to if they have a concern.
Pupils enjoy coming to school to see their friends and to learn and generally behave well. But too many kids don’t attend school as regularly as they should.
Some pupils are not as well prepared for their next stage of education as they could be. Some older pupils have gaps in their handwriting skills that prevent them from showing what they know in writing.
Children get a positive start to their education in the early years. From their first days in school, adults help children to talk, listen and read. This helps children to grow in confidence.
Bury
Peel Brow School, Fir Street, Ramsbottom, BuryReport published: May 19
Strong standard:
Early Years
Expected standard:
AchievementCurriculum and teachingInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Needs attention:
Attendance and behaviour
Inspector’s comments
The school has a close-knit community, where kids feel safe and achieve well. Bullying is rare and staff resolve any issues promptly. Pupils have mature attitudes and clearly articulate why it is important to treat other people with respect and kindness.
Leaders identify and address barriers to learning faced by all pupils, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs. However, many pupils do not attend school as often as they should.
Staff foster children’s love of books, songs and rhymes and create a sense of awe and wonder in learning. They are extremely well prepared for their move on to key stage one.
Manchester
Unity Community Primary, Allesley Drive, Cheetham Hill, ManchesterReport published: May 21
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s comments
Pupils are proud to be part of this diverse and welcoming school community. Many pupils join the school from other countries and are at the early stages of learning to speak English when they first arrive. Teachers make sure kids receive the help they need to overcome any barriers.
Kids feel safe and happy and typically achieve well. Staff take incidents of unpleasantness, including name-calling, seriously. They make sure that bullying is rare and quickly dealt with.
Youngsters are given opportunities to ‘broaden their horizons’ and develop confidence through artistic pursuits or through activities like bushcraft or adventurous outdoor pursuits.
Oldham
Holy Family RC Primary School
Holy Family RC Primary School, Lime Green Road, Limehurst Village, OldhamReport published: May 19
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s comments
Some pupils described the school as ‘feeling part of a family’, enjoying a real sense of belonging at this warm, welcoming environment.
Pupils typically achieve well, with a well-taught curriculum.
Pupils are kind and tolerant of other people’s differences. They rarely experience bullying or harassment at school thanks to their respectful attitudes towards others. Leaders act quickly when occasional issues arise.
Pupils’ schooling is enriched through a range of broader experiences. These include visitors, educational trips and a residential visit.
Mills Hill Primary School, Baytree Avenue, Chadderton, OldhamReport published: May 21
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s comments
The school’s motto, ‘enquiring minds and caring hearts’, is lived out in daily life at Mills Hill Primary. Pupils are warmly welcomed into school by staff who care about them and encourage them to shine. Pupils, including those who face disadvantages, enjoy their learning and are eager to talk about what they are working on.
Pupils want to come to school. Their rates of attendance are high.
Leaders place equal emphasis on pupils’ personal development as they do their academic achievement. Wider curriculum subjects such as music, drama and physical education are afforded high importance.
Salford
Westwood Park Community Primary School, Vaughan Street, Winton, EcclesReport published: May 20
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingEarly yearsInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Needs attention:
Achievement
Inspector’s comments
The school gives pupils a sense of belonging, with a safe environment where ‘kidness shapes daily life’.
Pupils’ achievement at the end of key stage two has been below that of their peers nationally for some time. However, new bosses have taken decisive action and things are getting better.
Pupils speak warmly about their school, they enjoy their learning, and most are eager to attend every day. They feel safe because trusted staff act quickly if they have any worries. They know staff will deal with unkind behaviour, or the rare incidents of bullying.
St Augustine’s CofE Primary School
St Augustine’s CofE Primary School, 380 Bolton Road, Pendlebury, SwintonReport published: May 26
Strong standard:
Early years
Expected standard:
Curriculum and teachingInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Needs attention:
AchievementAttendance and behaviour
Inspector’s comments
Pupils feel a collective sense of belonging within the school community. Kids show respect towards each other, staff and visitors.
Often, pupils achieve well overall. Staff foster this enthusiasm and nurture a genuine love of learning in pupils.In many subjects, staff prepare pupils effectively for the next stage of their education. However, some older pupils have gaps in their earlier knowledge. When they encounter more demanding work, they lack some of the foundations that would help them to engage successfully with this work. This makes pupils’ learning more difficult than it should be.
Pupils trust staff to keep them safe. When bullying occurs, staff act swiftly and effectively.
Stockport
Mellor Primary School, Knowle Road, Mellor, StockportReport published: May 20
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviourCurriculum and teachingInclusionLeadership and governancePersonal development and wellbeing
Needs attention:
Early Years
Inspector’s comments
Mellor is a school at the heart of the village. Pupils benefit from the many opportunities they have to learn outdoors, including on the beautiful woodland grounds that surround their classrooms. In the early years, children have the opportunity to climb, dig and plant in the large outdoor provision.
There’s an ambitious curriculum and pupils attend regularly and achieve well.
Pupils are respectful and keen to work together. Unkind behaviour, including bullying, is not tolerated. Staff deal with rare occurrences swiftly.
Pupils enjoy sporting success in lacrosse and cross country with many opportunities to experience competitive play. There are opportunities to learn violin, keyboard and woodwind as well as to join the school choir. Additional funding is utilised well to enable all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to have access to this rich offer.
Reddish Vale High School(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Reddish Vale High School, Reddish Vale Road, Reddish, StockportReport published: May 21
Under the previous Ofsted rating system, the school was graded ‘inadequate’ and put into special measures. In a recent monitoring visit carried out by the watchdog on March 24, inspectors found bosses are ‘taking effective action to improve the school, but continued work is needed’. Achievement at the school continues to be below the national average, though teaching and learning is improving. The school has also launched a ‘refreshed’ attendance strategy to tackle persistent absences and truancy, which is proving effective.
Wigan
Mab’s Cross Primary School, Standishgate, WiganReport published: May 22
Strong standard:
Attendance and behaviourEarly yearsInclusionPersonal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
AchievementCurriculum and teachingLeadership and governance
Inspector’s comments
Pupils are proud to belong to this school and feel safe, cared for and are keen to learn. Daily routines are well established. Behaviour is good because of the clear, high expectations teachers have.
All pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum, and attendance is good.
Youngsters experience educational visits, such as river studies and trips to the local allotments to enrich classroom learning. Pupils’ impressive artwork is celebrated around school, including work from a competition organised by the National Gallery. All pupils attend a wide variety of clubs, such as judo, ‘climate detectives’ and baking. All pupils are encouraged to learn to play a musical instrument and enjoy performing in assembly.
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Leigh, Mather Lane, LeighReport published: May 22
Expected standard:
AchievementAttendance and behaviour Curriculum and teaching Early years Inclusion Leadership and governance Personal development and wellbeing
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is a happy and safe environment. Pupils attend regularly and have warm and nurturing relationships with their friends and staff. Youngsters do not worry about bullying.
Staff have high expectations and so pupils learn to give their best efforts. Pupils who may struggle with this receive well-placed support.
Children develop a rich understanding of the world, for example through visitors from different cultures sharing real life experiences.