Samlesbury Church of England School is “like a family” according to latest Ofsted

Samlesbury CE School has been classed as good in its first inspection since experiencing significant staffing changes, including the appointment of a new headteacher.

A primary school in Preston has been described as being “like a family” according to its latest Ofsted report.

Samlesbury Church of England School was inspected on May 5, and managed to maintain the ‘good’ classification it has received in every report since 2005.

What does Samlesbury Church of England School do particularly well according to Ofsted?

Following Ofsted’s latest visit, the school was praised for being a happy, friendly, and fun environment, in which “leaders are determined that all pupils will thrive”.

The report said: “Pupils are kind and caring to others…Pupils develop as active and caring individuals, fulfilling the school’s aim to ‘live as a light to others’.”

Students at Samlesbury were also said to behave well and feel safe, with any concerns quickly sorted out by leaders.

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The inspectors added that pupils “value the school’s spacious and attractive grounds” and “take pride in the wide range of leadership opportunities that they undertake.”

In terms of the curriculum, the report said it was “planned”, “balanced”, and supports pupils, including SEND, to achieve well.

What does Ofsted think Samlesbury Church of England School can improve on?

Inspectors noted that “some subject leaders do not have the necessary experience and knowledge to best support further developments relating to the curriculum.”

This meant leaders were hindered in refining their curriculum thinking and providing further support for teachers in how to deliver some aspects, and so inspectors advised that subject leaders receive highquality training to develop their expertise.

The report also said “in a small number of subjects, teachers are not clear enough about the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught”, improving this . “will allow pupils to build their knowledge logically and deepen their understanding of subjects over time.”