Laurel Lane Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy attending Laurel Lane. This is an inclusive school where everyone is welcomed, supported, and encouraged to do their best. Pupils are kept safe because there are effective systems in place to address any concerns that might arise.

The school supports pupils who need additional help to self-regulate. Nevertheless, some pupils remember the school when it was not as calm. Staff work closely to support these pupils, reminding and reassuring them of their safety.

Staff have raised their expectations of pupils. Pupils are learning to rise to this challenge. However, there is variation in the quality of pupils' learning experiences which means that... they do not consistently achieve strong outcomes.

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these pupils also experience variability in their learning experience.

Pupils behave well in lessons and during break and lunchtimes.

This begins in early years where children settle quickly and learn to share, take turns, and listen to others. Bullying is rare. Where it does occur, leaders have taken swift and effective action to deal with it.

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

There has been much change in the last 12 months, including to the leadership team. The new team is clear in its ambition for the school, and this is reflected in the standards it has set. The impact of the changes can be seen and felt across the school.

Staff have worked hard to implement the new systems.

The school has changed its approach to the teaching of phonics. It has focused on ensuring teachers check pupils' progress through the phonics curriculum regularly.

This means that if pupils fall behind they can receive support to catch up quickly. Teachers deliver the phonics programme well. Pupils read books which are matched to the stage they are at.

However, there are some pupils who struggle to blend the sounds together to make words. This makes reading laboured for these pupils. The school is aware of this and has appropriate plans in place to secure improvements.

Children in early years are happy and well cared for. They enjoy a range of opportunities for learning. They develop secure social and emotional skills.

There is a focus on routine, being patient, taking turns and self-regulation. The school has established a strong curriculum which allows pupils to develop secure knowledge. This includes a focus on both everyday and specialist language for different subjects.

Children achieve well in early years and are well prepared for Year 1.

The school has a clear and effective behaviour policy. Staff help pupils to understand the school's behaviour expectations.

Pupils routinely behave well in lessons and at break times. Any incidents which do occur are dealt with swiftly by staff. The school works closely with families to ensure their children attend regularly and on time.

This is having a positive impact. Pupils' attendance is improving.

The school has rightly focused on improving the curriculum.

The new curriculum is now sequenced so it builds learning over time. There is a focus on vocabulary, which begins in early years and helps pupils to explain their learning. However, the curriculum is not implemented well.

Some staff have not developed the subject knowledge they need to deliver the intended curriculum effectively. In some subjects, assessment is not used with precision to check pupils' understanding. As a result, errors and misconceptions are not routinely identified or addressed, meaning gaps develop in some pupils' learning.

This means pupils, including those with SEND, do not build secure knowledge they need to achieve well, including in national assessments.

Pastoral support for pupils and their families is strong. This is because the staff team have built strong relationships with the school community, so even those in the most challenging of circumstances are settled in school.

Parents and carers recognise the many strengths of the school and value the school as the heart of the community. There is a strong focus on pupils' personal development. For example, pupils learn about the importance of respecting and valuing all members of the school community.

This has enabled a sense of acceptance and celebration of diversity.

The school is well led. Leaders and those responsible for governance know the strengths of the school.

They have identified the right priorities moving forward and have clear plans in place to secure further improvements, especially to the quality of education. Leaders have created an environment where members of staff are happy in their work. Staff have experienced much change in recent years, but leaders have ensured that they are given support for their workload.

Staff are fulsome in their praise of leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment is not used with precision to check what pupils know and to identify and address any misconceptions.

As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge which make it difficult for them to build and deepen their learning. The school should ensure assessment is effective and the information gathered is used well to rectify gaps in pupils' knowledge. ? Some staff do not have sufficient subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum well.

This means that pupils do not consistently learn important curriculum content. This limits how well they achieve, including in national assessments. The school should continue to provide training and support so that staff are well placed to implement the curriculum and support all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve well.