Laneshaw Bridge Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embody the school values of ambition, respect and collaboration at this exceptional school. The school is highly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils excel across the rich range of learning opportunities that the school provides.

Many pupils, including those with SEND, achieve extremely well across the curriculum.

Pupils strive to meet the school's high expectations for behaviour. This begins from the moment children join the Reception Year.

Pupils who need extra help to manage their emotions are ably supported by nurturing staff. Older pupils act as superb role models for their you...nger peers. Pupils behave impeccably, and their learning is rarely interrupted.

Pupils are happy at this school. They value that their thoughts and opinions are listened to and acted upon by the school. Pupils trust that staff will help them to resolve any concerns that they may have.

Pupils thrive in the wide range of leadership opportunities that are available. These range from caring for the school chickens to being members of the school parliament. Whatever role pupils take on, the school ensures that it helps pupils to understand how they can contribute to the greater good.

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

The curriculum is highly ambitious and enables all pupils, including those with SEND, to be extremely successful. Children in Reception benefit from an aspirational, meticulously designed curriculum. The early years staff are highly skilled in teaching the curriculum and in meeting the individual needs of children.

Children in the early years are exceptionally well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

At all levels of leadership, both within the school and the trust, many members of staff are experts in their field. This expertise is used to ensure that teachers receive high-quality training, which enables them to teach the curriculum with considerable skill.

The school has effective systems to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers successfully adapt access to the curriculum for these pupils.

Teachers design high-quality activities that connect new learning with what pupils already know and can do.

Teachers promptly identify and address any gaps in pupils' knowledge. Over time, pupils develop a rich body of knowledge across the curriculum. By the end of Year 6, pupils, including those with SEND, have an exceptional level of knowledge that stands them in excellent stead for secondary school.

Reading sits at the heart of the school's curriculum. Older pupils understand that being well read is a gateway to new learning and a looking glass into the past. The school ensures that pupils access a broad range of books from across different cultures.

The love of reading that pupils develop begins in the Reception Year. These youngest children are immersed in the language of high-quality texts. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children in the early years to increase the range of words that they use as part of their learning and to communicate with others.

Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme with confidence and consistency. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. The school puts additional support in place promptly for those pupils who need it.

This helps them to keep up with their peers. The books that pupils read are very well matched to the sounds that they have learned. This gets them off to a flying start.

Children in the early years are exceptionally well behaved. They follow well-established routines. Pupils across the school have a strong moral conviction to treat others in the same way that they would like to be treated themselves.

Pupils experience an extensive range of opportunities that enhance their personal development. The school ensures that pupils learn about the signs of healthy relationships. Pupils experience activities in school that bring British values to life.

This enables them to develop a meaningful understanding of these values, such as democracy. Pupils have opportunities to develop their talents and interests through a broad range of clubs, including debating, drama, chess and cross country.

The trust is highly effective in how it evaluates the quality of education provided by the school.

The trust is rigorous in monitoring and assessing how well the school operates at all levels. This informs ongoing strategic improvements. The local school committee has established systems and processes that support it in carrying out its duties well.

The trust and the school are considerate of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures. Staff value being part of the school and appreciate the support that they receive to help them to deliver the curriculum exceptionally well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.