Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils describe their school as friendly, welcoming and inclusive.

They are polite. They feel safe in school because they know that the adults will look after them. They say that bullying rarely happens because they learn to treat others as they would like to be treated.

They are confident that an adult would deal with any bullying if it did happen.

Pupils can concentrate in their lessons because they are not interrupted by poor behaviour. At playtime and lunchtime, pupils know which areas of the playground they can play in, and which ...they cannot, due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

They respect these rules. Pupils chat together or play sensibly with the toys and games that are provided. Music is played outdoors at lunchtime.

It can be heard across the playground, creating a harmonious, relaxed atmosphere.

Parents, almost without exception, speak highly of the school and would recommend it to others.

Leaders, staff and governors want the best for the pupils and the community they serve.

Staff have high expectations of how well all pupils will achieve. Pupils contribute to the local foodbank, sing to local elderly residents and help to tend the church garden.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In the early years, children flourish in an environment that promotes all aspects of their learning and development.

Children listen to, and learn, traditional tales and nursery rhymes. They sing songs. Teachers begin to teach phonics right from the start of the Reception Year.

The books that teachers give pupils to read contain words with the sounds that pupils have been learning. Pupils can read the books accurately.Adults encourage pupils to develop a love of reading.

Pupils of all ages enjoy the wide range of books that the school has purchased for them to read.

The teaching of mathematics is well planned. Teachers check if there are any concepts that pupils have not fully grasped.

They adjust their teaching to make sure that any gaps in knowledge are filled and that new learning is built on solid ground. Pupils explain clearly how what they have learned in previous lessons is helping them with their current work in this subject. Pupils' knowledge and understanding of what they have learned in mathematics is strong.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) keeps a close eye on the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers provide additional help, if it is needed, to make sure that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their classmates.

Leaders have made a start in ensuring that the curriculum is well planned.

In some subjects, such as computing, leaders have set out very clearly what pupils must learn. This includes the important vocabulary that pupils must know and understand. In some subjects, such as history, the curriculum plans are not as clear, and some pupils struggle to recall what they should have learned.

In most subjects, leaders have not set out how teachers will check what pupils remember in the long term. Some subject leaders are new to their roles. Some subjects will have new leaders next year.

An impact of the pandemic is that leaders have not been able to develop their curriculum as well as they had hoped by this time. Leaders are very well placed to build on the real strengths that some current subject leaders have and complete the work on the curriculum within the coming months.

Leaders and staff are very proud of the wide range of opportunities they provide for pupils to learn outside of their classrooms.

There is a wide range of clubs for pupils to attend after school or at lunchtime. Leaders arrange for visitors to talk to pupils about their careers and for authors to talk to pupils. Leaders have taken steps to keep running as many activities as possible during the pandemic.

Several clubs continue to take place within year-group 'bubbles'. The author could still talk to pupils, using modern technology, in a virtual meeting.

Pupils speak with respect about those whose lives or beliefs may be different from their own.

They are being well prepared for life beyond primary school in modern Britain.

Members of the local board of governors, and trustees from the Derby Diocese Academy Trust, know the school well. Leaders are considerate of staff's workload.

Staff appreciate that leaders seek their views when new strategies are being introduced. Staff typically describe the school as a 'family'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They understand about strangers, road safety and fire safety. They learn about the potential dangers of using modern technology.

Leaders provide staff with training, and frequent updates, so that they know the potential signs of abuse to look for and how to report concerns. Leaders keep detailed records of any concerns and have forged effective links with external agencies.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects.

However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about. ? The curriculum in some foundation subjects does not set out all the important knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which they must learn it. In these subjects, teachers do not build securely on what pupils have learned in the past and pupils do not gain a secure knowledge of the subject.

Leaders must ensure that the curriculum plans in all subjects set out what pupils must learn and the order in which they should learn it. They should ensure that clear strategies are in place to check that pupils remember what they have learned. ? Some subject leaders are new to their roles.

Others will take up their subject responsibility at the start of next term. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the appropriate training so that they fulfil their roles effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 12–13 July 2016.