Lawley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Lawley Primary School. They feel safe, and they become assured, articulate young people.

Pupils have every confidence that there are always adults to talk to and that staff deal with any bullying straight away.

The school has high expectations for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and staff alike. They have planned the curriculum well.

Pupils study a wide range of subjects, and learning builds on what pupils already know. Pupils become fluent and enthusiastic readers. Leaders have forged useful links with nurseries and childminders.

Pupils use information and communication techn...ology to good effect.

Pupils show respect towards one another and adults. They are interested in their work and behave well in lessons.

Pupils move around the site in a sensible fashion. At social times, they make good use of a wide range of playground equipment.

Visitors and trips out of school help pupils to engage with their learning.

A well-planned programme of residential visits contributes to developing pupils' character. Pupils have opportunities to take up positions of responsibility and to influence how the school runs. Many take part in a range of after-school clubs.

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

The school has taken important steps to ensure that learning is securely based on what pupils already know. Staff in the early years discuss the curriculum with those who teach children about to join the school. The learning of children in the Reception class prepares them well for all their subjects in key stage 1.

At the start of lessons across the school, teachers connect pupils' new learning to what has gone before. The curriculum is ambitious. Pupils study and enjoy all the subjects in the national curriculum, including learning Spanish in key stage 1.

Learning to read is the top priority. From the early years onwards, pupils follow a structured phonics programme. This programme ensures that pupils learn about letters and their sounds in a logical order.

Adults check on how pupils are learning effectively, for example by asking individuals to sound out words. Staff work closely with parents and ensure that pupils read frequently to an adult. They provide effective support for any pupils at risk of falling behind.

Books are well matched to pupils' knowledge of phonics. Across the school, pupils enjoy a good range of fiction and non-fiction texts. Teachers pay due attention to different reading skills.

This helps pupils to become fluent and enthusiastic readers.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. In general, they plan activities effectively to enable pupils to meet the longer-term learning aims.

As a result, pupils learn well and remember key information over time. In English and mathematics, teachers identify pupils' misconceptions and provide effective feedback for pupils. However, in some foundation subjects, assessment is less clear, and pupils do not know how to improve their work.

The school is quick to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff are trained well to support them, and, overall, pupils with SEND learn well. Nevertheless, the next steps for these pupils and how best to meet their needs sometimes lack detail.

This means that, on occasion, some pupils with SEND do not receive the precise support they need to make the best possible progress.

The school establishes clear expectations for pupils' behaviour from the early years onwards. They have recently placed a renewed emphasis on recognising good behaviour.

The school is a calm and orderly place. Disruption to learning is rare, in part because pupils are keen to learn and enjoy what they do. Pupils are proud of their school and take care over their work.

Pupils follow a planned programme of personal development that teaches them about healthy relationships. They also learn about a range of traditions and cultures. Staff plan activities that develop pupils' confidence and resilience.

Staff provide a high quality of pastoral care. Outdoor play is being developed to ensure that it contributes fully to pupils' mental and physical well-being. Pupils have a number of opportunities to take responsibility and serve others.

Staff and governors listen to and act on pupils' opinions and ideas about the school.

Leaders understand the school well. They have provided effective training for staff, including those new to the profession.

Staff believe that leaders are considerate of their workload. They think that decisions are made in the best interests of the whole school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, systems for assessment and feedback to pupils are unclear. As a result, pupils do not know how to improve their work in these subjects. The school should ensure that teachers are clear about how they are assessing pupils' work, and how to inform them about how they can correct and extend it.

• The school does not ensure that the next steps for pupils with SEND are identified clearly enough. This means that some pupils with SEND do not consistently receive all the help they need to make good progress. The school should make sure that all plans identify, precisely enough, the right information to enable staff to support pupils with SEND effectively so they achieve the best possible outcomes.

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