Boltons CofE School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very proud to attend this welcoming school.

They describe it as being 'like a family' and speak highly of the bonds they have with staff and each other. Pupils say that staff's positivity, in turn, makes them feel happy at school. They know that staff will listen and help them to resolve any worries that they have.

The school is a calm place where pupils behave well. Pupils of all ages are highly respectful of each other and towards staff.

The school has high expectations of pupils' personal and academic achievement.

Pupils achieve well and develop a broad body of knowledge. The school provides pupils with experiences that prepare them for... life beyond school. Pupils visit locations of contrast to their local area, such as trips to cities, including London.

They regularly go to the theatre and take part in outdoor experiences such as orienteering. Pupils develop their talents and interests through attending a range of clubs, including those for cooking, gardening and cricket.

Pupils develop their leadership skills and become positive citizens.

They proudly take on roles in the school council and eco club. Here, they fundraise for charities, develop environmental initiatives and lead social events for people in the local community.

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

Staff quickly get to know pupils and build relationships with them and their families.

Staff are vigilant at identifying pupils' individual needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They carefully consider how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND are enabled to achieve well.

The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious.

Leaders considered the mixed-age class structure when designing the curriculum to ensure that pupils' knowledge and skills build consistently over time. Staff typically design activities that match the intended key learning. However, at times, these activities do not enable pupils to make connections with prior learning and to apply this to new concepts.

Consequently, some pupils' learning does not develop as securely and deeply as it could.

The school has developed effective systems to check how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. This enables staff to accurately identify and address any misconceptions or gaps that occur in pupils' knowledge.

The school ensures that pupils read a diverse range of texts. Staff increase pupils' enthusiasm for books by recommending stories, which pupils subsequently enjoy reading. The school's phonics programme is firmly embedded and delivered well by staff.

Pupils rapidly gain the knowledge and skills they need to confidently read age-appropriate books. The school ensures that any pupils who struggle to keep up with the reading programme are swiftly identified and supported effectively to catch up.

The school has identified the key vocabulary that it intends pupils to learn in each subject.

It has recently put more focus on ensuring that pupils can understand, use and remember these words. However, this is in its infancy. Some pupils struggle to remember subject-specific vocabulary.

This makes it difficult for them to explain their thinking or to deepen their understanding.

Pupils behave well. They work hard in lessons and do not disrupt the learning of others.

Children in the early years follow the established routines and become deeply engaged in their independent play-based learning. Staff support pupils to understand and to manage their emotions.

The school has high expectations of attendance and punctuality.

It has taken effective action to improve pupils' rates of attendance over recent years. Staff work closely with parents and carers to understand the reasons for any absences. They offer support to families to remove any barriers to pupils' attendance.

The school's support for pupils' personal development and well-being is one of its key strengths. Pupils know that being active, getting fresh air and having positive friendships all contribute to maintaining their physical and mental health. The school celebrates diversity and broadens pupils' understanding of different cultures and religions.

Staff introduce pupils to a range of careers, such as engineering and medical professions. Pupils have a chance to create and run a business through enterprise projects. These opportunities raise pupils' aspirations and prepare them well for their future.

There is a shared vision among governors, leaders and staff that drives the school's decision-making. The best interests of pupils sit at the heart of this vision. Governors meet their statutory responsibilities and carry out their roles effectively.

Staff speak highly of the support they receive from leaders and from each other. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school and its impact on their children's personal and academic achievements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the learning activities that pupils complete do not consistently enable them to link and apply prior knowledge to new learning. This means that some pupils do not deepen their knowledge and skills as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum delivery enables pupils to integrate new learning into their wider knowledge so that they develop a secure and deep understanding across all subjects.

• The school's approach to teaching subject-specific vocabulary is in its infancy and is not fully embedded. Some pupils struggle to remember key vocabulary, which means they cannot use these words to explain their thinking or to deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that pupils consistently have opportunities to use and remember new vocabulary to support their learning across the curriculum.

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