Lacewood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's motto, 'Always trying our best to be our best', is exactly what pupils are encouraged to do at Lacewood Primary School.

All staff and leaders are committed to pupil well-being, welfare and academic success. As a result, pupils feel safe, happy and supported. Pupils and staff have very positive relationships.

Pupils feel like they are listened to and understood.

Leaders support pupils to contribute to school life and the local community. For instance, all pupils have the opportunity to organise charity work to support local organisations.

Pupils can also take on many roles of responsibility, such as by being an art or reading ambassador.<...br/>
Leaders place importance on broadening pupils' experiences. Leaders encourage pupils to develop their talents and interests.

Pupils have opportunities to go on many visits. They have access to a variety of clubs and activities in school.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour.

Pupils behave well. They are respectful and well mannered. Pupils walk around school in a calm and orderly manner.

They are respectful of each other and enjoy learning. Pupils know what bullying is and know that it is unacceptable. Pupils say that bullying is very rare and that when it does happen, adults sort it out quickly.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that starts from the early years. Knowledge builds towards defined end points. Subject leaders provide effective support to teachers.

They are passionate about the subjects they lead. The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have skilfully identified what they want pupils to know across the curriculum.

This is defined into simple steps that support teachers' planning. Pupils' work matches the plans created. Pupils are supported to learn about subjects beyond the knowledge that is set out in the national curriculum In art, pupils learn about a range of carefully selected artists and art movements.

They learn how to respond to the art they study and build knowledge of how to think like an artist. This helps them to evaluate art and engage in debates about their likes and dislikes.

Leaders have established very clear curriculum plans for what teachers are to teach.

In wider curriculum subjects, for example, learning is planned around 'golden threads'. These threads are repeated regularly, helping pupils to know and remember key ideas. However, teachers' approach to ensuring pupils learn and remember new content is not currently consistent.

Leaders have not established an agreed approach as to how teachers are to check what pupils know and can do. Sometimes opportunities to assess pupils are missed.This means that some lessons are not well adapted to meet pupils' varying needs.

In turn, this can prevent some pupils, such as those with SEND, from working independently as adults think they need support.

Reading is prioritised across the school. Leaders are ambitious that all pupils will learn to read quickly.

Leaders ensure phonics teaching is effective. They invest time in regular training for staff. Assessment is used well to identify the sounds children know.

Adults use this information to help pupils catch up by teaching the sounds they need to know. Pupils' books are matched to sounds that they know. Leaders promote the love of reading.

Pupils have access to quality texts and listen to adults read every day.

Children in the early years are happy. Adults understand how to interact with children and offer praise and encouragement.

Leaders develop routines. Children develop independence and learn to manage their feelings and emotions. Staff develop children's language through singing songs, nursery rhymes and playing games.

Mathematics is taught well using physical objects. This allows children to take part in hands-on learning.

Leaders effectively secure pupils' personal development.

Pupils learn about safety, healthy relationships and life in modern Britain. Pupils know how to keep safe and live a healthy lifestyle. Pupils develop a sense of citizenship through roles of responsibility in school.

The school council has a positive impact on the school. For example, it improved behaviour at lunchtimes by creating the 'golden table'. Pupils can sit at it as recognition of positive behaviour.

Pupils are able to talk about their knowledge of different religions. Leaders promote the development of character. For example, the reward system recognises attributes linked to teamwork and sharing ideas.

Leaders support pupils who need extra help to behave well. Leaders can show the positive impact of their interventions. Leaders have effective systems to improve attendance.

As a result, attendance is well monitored. The school works effectively with external advisers to support pupils who are persistently absent. For some pupils, attendance has noticeably improved.

Leaders create a positive environment where staff well-being is well considered. Staff feel proud to be part of the school community. The local governing body is well informed about school developments.

It helps leaders to strive for improvement

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at this school. Leaders know their families well and formally support a high number of families.

Leaders work effectively with outside agencies and demonstrate tenacity in how they successfully achieve support for their pupils. Leaders know about potential risks in the community. They use this knowledge to personalise the curriculum, so pupils learn how to stay safe.

Staff are able to recognise signs of abuse. They know how to raise concerns. and they are vigilant about pupils' welfare.

Records are thorough and detailed. However, leaders are yet to establish a clear system to identify and track any trends or patterns over time, particularly those related to bullying

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Although leaders give clear guidance about what they want teachers to teach, teachers do not always use approaches that help pupils learn and remember new content. Leaders need to ensure that they focus on improving teachers' understanding of how to deliver the curriculum to their pupils so that they remember new content.

• Opportunities for checking what pupils know and can do are sometimes missed. This means that lessons are not always adapted to meet pupils' varying needs. Sometimes this prevents pupils, including those with SEND, from working independently.

Leaders need to ensure that teachers follow an agreed approach to checking pupils' understanding and that this information is used consistently to plan learning that meets the needs of all pupils. ? School leaders' analysis of records is not systematic. Leaders need to establish and use clear processes to analyse information in an accessible way so that leaders can track and identify trends and patterns.