Five Lanes CofE VC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong family ethos at Five Lanes Primary.

Staff know pupils well. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm. Pupils enjoy being part of the school community.

They are proud of their school.

Nevertheless, the quality of education is not good. While the school is ambitious for all pupils, improvements are in their early stages and this ambition is not yet realised.

The school has recently made significant changes to its behaviour systems. This was rightly identified by the school as a priority for improvement. The 'Five Lanes Way' sets out clear expectations that are understood by pupils and consistently applied by staff.

As ...a result, the school is calm and orderly. At social times pupils play well together and help each other. At lunchtime older pupils enjoy serving lunches to the younger children.

Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They recognise how the school rules: be ready, be safe, be respectful, help them to treat other people well. Pupils learn about equality and difference.

Pupils know that there are trusted adults to talk to if they have a worry. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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

The school has experienced a turbulent time since the last inspection, including significant changes to leadership, staffing and governance.

This has been unsettling and it has hindered the school's drive to improve.

More recently, the school has worked with the local authority and an external advisor, to address the necessary improvements. However, this work is in its early stages.

As a result, pupils do not learn well in some areas of the curriculum. The school recognises that there is still work to do to ensure that pupils benefit from a high-quality education in all subjects.

The school is improving the curriculum.

In English and mathematics, the curriculum is more embedded. For example, the mathematics curriculum is cohesive and well sequenced. The school has identified where there were gaps in pupils' understanding in mathematics and has adapted the curriculum accordingly.

Pupils talk confidently about learning in mathematics and make links with what they have already learned. This helps them to develop a secure understanding.

However, in some subjects in the wider curriculum, work on developing a coherent and sequential curriculum, and assessment is in its infancy.

In these subjects, pupils are not able to recall their previous learning. This means that they do not build on what they already know. As these improvements are in their early stages, they are not yet having a demonstrable impact on what pupils know and remember.

The school has prioritised reading and has implemented a new phonics programme. Children learn to read from the beginning of Reception Year. If pupils fall behind, staff provide support to help them to catch up.

However, the teaching of phonics is not yet consistent. Some staff do not use the school's agreed strategies to support pupils with learning to read. Consequently, some pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they could.

The school strives to promote a love of reading. Children in the early years enjoy listening to stories and rhymes. However, some pupils do not yet read widely, so find it difficult to talk about favourite books and authors.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have detailed learning plans with precise targets. Teaching ensures that learning is adapted to support the needs that are identified in pupils' plans.

The school has recently implemented a new curriculum to support pupils' personal development.

The school is keen to extend pupils' learning beyond the academic. The school's values of trust, respect and compassion, underpin much of this work. The school provides many enrichment opportunities such as trips and visitors to school.

Pupils enjoy participating in a range of sporting events and extra-curricular clubs. These help to develop and nurture pupils' talents and interests.

Parents are supportive of the school.

Many recognise the changes that the school has been through and welcome the nurturing ethos of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Actions to improve the curriculum have been slow.

As a result, improvements to some areas of the curriculum are in their infancy. The school needs to increase the pace of change to ensure that there is a clear and coherent curriculum in place which is implemented effectively in all classes and for all pupils. ? There is variance in how consistently the phonics scheme is implemented.

Some phonics teaching is not precise. As a result, some pupils do not receive the support they need to learn to read well. The school should ensure that staff are trained well to deliver the phonics programme and that it is implemented effectively.

• The wider curriculum does not have the impact leaders intend. Pupils do not build their learning well over time. The school must strengthen subject leadership, so that the curriculum is implemented well with effective teaching and assessment, to support pupils to know more and remember more in the longer term.