Irlam Endowed Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 March 2023

Pupils really enjoy attending this welcoming school. They respond well to leaders' and staff's high expectations of behaviour. They are polite and friendly and follow instructions quickly. They told the inspector that staff resolve the rare instances of bullying quickly. They said that they know who to go to if they are worried about themselves or their peers. They feel safe and well looked after. Pupils respect those who are different from themselves, including those with different sexuality and beliefs. They benefit from a wide range of cultural, sporting and artistic activities after school and at lunchtime. They look after one another and are proud to take on responsibilities and leadership roles. For example, older pupils are trained as play buddies for younger ones. From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils elect school, sports and eco- councillors. Active participation in these groups gives them an understanding of democracy and citizenship, as well as a voice in the decisions which the school's leaders make. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' achievement. Staff expect all pupils to do their very best in lessons. Pupils pay attention, take pride in their work and learn from their mistakes. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are successful learners and achieve well.

What the school should improve

• For a small number of pupils, teachers do not focus some interventions on specific gaps in phonics knowledge. Where this is the case, they do not use their wealth of accurate assessment information effectively to inform teaching. Leaders should ensure that teachers target support for all pupils who are falling behind in early reading more precisely so that they rapidly catch up with their peers.
• In a small number of subjects, pupils lack some essential subject-specific vocabulary. As a result, their ability to think, talk and write about their learning is limited. For each subject, leaders should make clear their expectations of the teaching of key vocabulary so that pupils can better reflect on, explain and deepen their learning.

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