Belton Lane Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Belton Lane Community Primary is a good school which has successfully improved in many areas.

Throughout the school pupils make good and sometimes exceptional progress in both English and mathematics. This is due to the good quality of teaching, the accurate matching of tasks to pupils' abilities, and the lively and engaging curriculum which appeals to all pupils. The needs of the more-able pupils are well catered for: in lessons they are provided with work which extends and challenges their thinking.

Attainment in Key Stage 1 has varied over the last three years, although the improvement in writing means that pupils now achieve in line with others when compared to schools nationally. At the ...end of Key Stage 2, attainment in mathematics is similar to other schools and this has been consistent since the school's last inspection. Attainment in English has been below the national average.

The school has introduced some successful strategies to improve the quality of pupils' writing and ensure that the teaching of reading provides structured support. This has resulted in the pupils' accelerated progress. The school's own data, evidence in pupils' books and inspectors' lesson observations show a significant improvement in English standards.

Inspectors observed good and sometimes outstanding teaching. However, this good teaching is not consistent throughout the school. In lessons where activities are not well matched to the pupils' abilities or when teacher's modelling is not effective, pupils are unclear as to what they need to do to be successful and this impedes their better progress.

Every pupil who responded to the questionnaire and those who spoke to the inspectors were proud of their school, saying how much they enjoyed learning as well as all the extra activities which are on offer. Pupils were unanimous in saying that they felt safe in school, and their parents and carers endorse this view. Unfortunately, because of their persistently poor attendance there is a significant minority of pupils who are not benefiting from the opportunities the school has to offer.

The school has gone to considerable lengths to engage this group of parents and carers, and has been effective in the large majority of cases where attendance has significantly improved. The headteacher has been the main driver of change and, with the good support of the leadership team, has been successful in bringing about continued significant improvements to ensure better outcomes for pupils. The headteacher has an accurate view of the school's strengths and weaknesses but this evaluation of the school's effectiveness, comparing itself to other schools, has not been a process shared with all those in positions of responsibility.

This is, in part, because there are members of the leadership team new to their roles and the governing body has recently experienced a significant change in membership. These recent changes have temporarily hindered the school's capacity to improve. However, it is now well placed to develop leadership at all levels so that the future of the school is secured and is not so dependent on any one individual.

Information about the school

Belton Lane Community Primary is a small school. There is an independent nursery which shares the school site and is inspected separately. The majority of children are White British and the proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups is equivalent to the national average.

In the last three years, the number of pupils who do not speak English as their first language has increased to just above the national average. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs and or disabilities is approximately the same as the national average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is higher than other schools nationally.

There have recently been changes in staff responsibilities and the membership of the governing body. Some pupils are taught in mixed-aged classes. The school has recently achieved Healthy Schools status.

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