Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 March 2024

Pupils feel well cared for at this school. They are happy and have positive relationships with each other. Their attitude to their learning is impressive, as is their behaviour. They are sensible and courteous when they move around the school. The school has high expectations for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), should achieve. Pupils make positive progress in their learning, often from low starting points. Many achieve well by the time that they leave key stage 2. They become capable writers and mathematicians. Pupils have a range of opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school. For example, play leaders organise different activities for fellow pupils during social times. They diligently walk around the playground to check that nobody is left out. Pupils' learning is enhanced through trips, such as those to the town's museum and the local football stadium. They have many opportunities to participate in sporting competitions. Pupils told inspectors that they were looking forward to the upcoming cross-country competition that was taking place during the week of this inspection. Pupils also learn how to play musical instruments, such as the violin. They perform to their families using these instruments at the end of each academic year.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, curriculums are not as well designed as well as they could be. Some curriculum content is therefore not taught in a coherent, logical way. In these subjects, pupils do not build a rich body of knowledge. The school should review the design of these subject curriculums and how it expects them to be implemented by staff.
• In some subjects, the school does not have strong oversight of how well curriculums are being delivered. This occasionally means that the school does not act swiftly to address some deficiencies in the design and implementation of these subject curriculums. The school should develop its approach to evaluating the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum in these subjects.
• Trustees, including those responsible for governance, do not sufficiently assure themselves that records and procedures related to safeguarding are as robust as they should be. This means that they have not identified some minor weaknesses in some procedures and are not alert to some patterns and trends in these areas. Trustees and governors should review how they oversee these aspects of the school's work to maintain an effective safeguarding culture.

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