Colne Lord Street School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and they look forward to their day ahead. They comment that they feel safe at school.

Pupils, parents and carers appreciate the many improvements that leaders have made.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils and children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils, including children in the early years, strive to live up to these expectations.

Pupils are determined to try their best, and they achieve well in many areas of the curriculum.

Pupils and children behave well during lessons and at social times. They are polite and respectful to each other and adults.

...>When some pupils struggle to regulate their behaviour, staff use suitable strategies to support them well. Pupils say that when bullying happens, teachers will sort it out quickly. Pupils and children learn well in a calm and happy atmosphere.

Pupils and children enjoy a broad range of activities beyond the school day. They value the many trips organised by leaders. For example, they are particularly looking forward to an upcoming trip to France.

Pupils are fond of the opportunity to learn about musical theatre. They explain that they felt a sense of pride when the school choir performed for residents in local care homes.

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

Leaders have designed a well-thought-out curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.

Subject curriculums are suitably ambitious and carefully ordered to prepare pupils and children well for the next stage of learning. For example, leaders have introduced Mandarin for pupils in key stage 2, to ensure that pupils are better prepared for secondary school.

In most subjects, pupils' and children's learning builds logically, from the Reception class to Year 6.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this to check that pupils' understanding of earlier subject content is secure before moving on to new ideas. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are still finalising their curriculum thinking.

This means that, from time to time, some staff lack sufficient clarity about what they should be teaching and when this content should be taught.

Leaders ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively. For example, staff check that pupils know and remember prior learning through quizzes and careful questioning.

When needed, teachers revisit earlier ideas and concepts. This helps pupils to consolidate what they have learned previously.

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively. Children begin learning phonics when they join the school in the Reception Year. They are excited about learning to read, keen to demonstrate their growing knowledge of sounds.

If pupils and children need extra help with reading, staff ensure that they are supported well so that they do not fall behind.

Leaders ensure that the books pupils read are matched carefully to their phonics knowledge. Older pupils look forward to choosing books from the school library to take home to read with their parents.

All pupils, including children in the Reception class, enjoy regular visits to the local library. Most pupils can read fluently and confidently by the time they begin Year 3.

Staff use leaders' systems well to manage children's and pupils' behaviour.

Those pupils who struggle to manage their own behaviour receive appropriate support from staff. During lessons, pupils' learning is rarely disrupted.

In recent months, leaders have improved the support that staff provide for pupils and children with SEND.

Leaders have ensured that there are appropriate systems in place to identify pupils' additional needs quickly and accurately. Staff have received suitable training and guidance to support pupils with SEND. This is helping staff to adapt how they deliver the curriculum for this group of pupils.

Leaders afford pupils the opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities, such as eco-leaders, school councillors and mental health champions. Pupils wear their leadership badges with pride. They describe how they had to apply for the various positions of responsibility in school.

Pupils understand the importance of their roles.

Governors and trustees are informed well about the quality of education that pupils and children receive. They hold senior leaders to account effectively and provide appropriate support when required.

Staff value the training that they receive from the trust to develop professionally. They appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive appropriate and regular safeguarding training. This means that they understand what to look out for, and they know how to report and record any concerns they may have about a pupil.

Leaders work well with outside agencies to provide vulnerable pupils and their families with the support they need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, pupils are taught about online safety through the curriculum for computing. Pupils have a strong understanding of how to be a good friend and how to foster healthy relationships with their peers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, some teachers are not sufficiently clear about some of the knowledge that they should deliver and when this content should be taught. This hinders teachers in designing learning and prevents pupils from gaining the depth of knowledge that they should. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking in these remaining few subjects so that teachers are informed well about how to design learning for pupils.