Oswaldtwistle St Paul's Church of England Primary School

Overview

The report describes a school where leaders have established a vision "rooted in love," creating an environment where pupils are "safe and very happy." Staff demonstrate "compassion and care," fostering a strong sense of belonging that helps pupils thrive, particularly those facing disadvantage or with special educational needs.

Strengths

• Inclusion is rated at a "Strong standard," with leaders taking "decisive and swift action" to remove barriers to learning and wellbeing.
• Staff use "highly effective" strategies to support pupils' behaviour and emotional regulation, resulting in "very positive" behaviour and rare bullying.
• The curriculum is "ambitious" and "well-taught," with staff adapting lessons effectively so pupils at varied stages can access learning.
• Governors and leaders share a "passion for inclusion," providing extensive support to families, including uniform and food vouchers, which extends "well beyond the school gates."
• Pupils benefit from leadership roles and enrichment activities, developing into "caring, thoughtful and confident individuals."

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure pupils have more opportunities to "practise and rehearse new learning" to secure long-term memory of knowledge.
• Teaching of handwriting requires refinement so pupils can write "fluently and accurately."
• Phonics teaching must be of a "consistently high quality" to address knowledge gaps more rapidly.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture" where concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed," ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.