Kirkland Church of England Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school Leadership at this school is inadequate. A succession of temporary arrangements since the previous inspection have hampered school improvement.

The fragility in leadership has contributed to the slow response to the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. The standard of education that pupils receive has not improved. Current leaders do not have an accurate view of the school's effectiveness.

This has prevented them from planning, implementing and sustaining necessary improvements. Leaders do not give teachers the training that they need, including opportunities to learn from good practice. This has slowed impr...ovements to teaching and learning.

New governors have a wide range of skills but lack the experience to hold leaders effectively to account for the quality of teaching and pupils' outcomes. Some children and pupils, especially the most able, do not make the progress of which they are capable, especially in writing. This is because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Teachers across the school, including in the early years, do not routinely allow children and pupils enough time to think carefully or to show what they have learned or understood. When this happens, teaching does not securely build upon what pupils already know and can do. Sometimes the questions that teachers ask are not skilful enough to deepen pupils' understanding further, or to enable them to learn from their mistakes.

Children's and pupils' success in gaining phonic knowledge and skills is sometimes hampered by teachers' weak planning. The school has the following strengths Improvements in teaching mathematics mean that pupils have good problem-solving and reasoning skills. Provision for pupils' personal development is good.

Pupils are well behaved, happy and safe in school. They attend school regularly. Leaders ensure that the curriculum helps pupils to learn across a range of subjects and to learn about different cultures and faiths.

The very small number of two-year-old children benefit from effective support that helps them to learn and develop well.

Information about this school

Lamplugh CofE Primary School is much smaller than most primary schools. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are much lower than average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is much lower than average. The proportion of pupils receiving support for SEND is broadly average. Since the last inspection in January 2017, the school has experienced several changes of leadership, all on a temporary basis.

At the time of this inspection, the school was under the leadership of an acting headteacher. A new chair of governors was appointed to the governing body in May 2018. A number of new governors have also since been appointed to the governing body.

The school's Nursery class offers provision for children aged two to four years, on a full- and part-time basis. The school also offers a breakfast and after-school club. The most recent section 48 inspection for schools with a religious character took place in March 2019.