Blackpool Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 July 2024

Pupils at Blackpool Church of England Primary School are polite and welcoming. They, along with staff, are proud members of this school. Pupils value the opportunities and experiences on offer. For example, pupils can take on roles of responsibility, such as school council representatives, eco club, ethos club, play leaders and house captains. They know the expectations of being a part of these groups and the impact that they have on their school community. Pupils enjoy the trips and visits to enrich the curriculum. Consequently, they feel well-prepared for their next stage. Recent improvements to the curriculum design and implementation are supporting pupils to know more and remember more. Children in Reception get off to a good start and are well prepared for key stage 1. Pupils get along well. They are inclusive in their respect and tolerance of each other's differences. Most of the time, pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils know that staff have high expectations of them, and they work hard to meet these. They know that some pupils can find this challenging. However, pupils trust in the school's ability to support them because staff know them well. As a result, pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum in some subjects is newer or not as well developed as it is in others. In these subjects, some teachers do not have the expertise and skills they need to teach pupils so they learn as well as possible. Additionally, this leads to pupils lacking enthusiasm for their learning. The trust must ensure that the school develops the curriculum in all subjects so that teachers have the necessary expertise to ensure pupils are motivated to learn and do so with increasing success.
• The significant changes the school has undergone recently are not fully embedded. The changes are not established widely enough to make the intended impact. As a result, pupils experience too much variation in approaches from some staff to their learning and in meeting their wider development needs. The trust should continue in its support for the school to ensure those identified areas of priority are well embedded so that staff have a greater shared understanding of the changing school culture and can put this into practice.
• There is a lack of clarity and strategy in some aspects of the school's provision. Consequently, in these areas, the school does not have the most accurate and strategic view of the difference actions and decisions are having. The trust needs to ensure that those in roles of responsibility have the skills and expertise that they need so that they can be fully accountable for the development and impact of their role.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)