Leamington Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and enthusiastic about their learning.

They feel safe in school and achieve well. This is reflected in their high levels of attendance. They want to be in school every day.

Pupils enjoy many opportunities to learn beyond the classroom, including visits to zoos, local parks, museums and galleries. They also benefit from a wide range of activities after school, such as sports, art, musical theatre and cookery clubs.

Pupils take on leadership roles, such as school councillors, art councillors, attendance buddies and online safety officers.

They carry out such roles with pride. Pupils are also keen to improve the local en...vironment. They have taken part in litter-picking and a poster campaign to encourage dog owners to clear up mess.

Pupils live up to leaders' high expectations for their behaviour. They behave well in lessons, at breaktimes and when moving around the school. Pupils demonstrate the Leamington values of friendship, respect, honesty, determination and courage.

They told inspectors that adults in school live by these values as well.

Pupils are confident that staff listen to their worries. Leaders have robust systems in place to deal well with any incidents of bullying.

Pupils told inspectors that school is their safe and happy place.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is interesting and ambitious for all pupils. In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn in each subject.

This has been organised logically, so that pupils can build on their learning over time. This helps them to achieve well across most areas of the curriculum.

In a few subjects, teachers are not sure what pupils already know.

At times, this leads to some knowledge being repeated while other important information is left out.

Typically, teachers deliver the curriculums well. Most teachers have strong subject knowledge and they use this to shape activities that help pupils to learn what is intended.

Mostly, teachers check on pupils' learning. However, some teachers do not use assessment information well enough to identify misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Leaders have good systems in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early.

Teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum well. This means that pupils with SEND can learn successfully alongside their peers.

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of early reading.

They have invested in high-quality texts for the library, reading corners and corridor displays. From the start of the Nursery Year, there is a focus on improving communication and language skills. Children in the Reception class and pupils in key stage 1 follow the phonics programme in a logical order.

Teachers make sure that pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds that they have learned. This includes the books that pupils take home. Teachers quickly identify pupils who are not keeping up with the phonics programme.

These pupils receive effective, extra support that helps them to catch up.

Teachers make sure that children in the early years take part in activities that encourage resilience, independence and self-regulation. They are taught from an early age to recognise their emotions and the impact that their behaviour has on others.

Pupils across the school learn strategies to calm themselves if they are feeling angry or unsettled. As a result, classrooms are typically calm and pupils can concentrate fully on their learning without disruption. Pupils are polite and treat staff, visitors and each other with respect.

Leaders have constructed a comprehensive programme to support pupils' personal development. Leaders help pupils to develop a strong understanding of equality. For example, pupils learn about different world religions and cultures.

They understand that there are different families. Pupils learn about democracy through experiences such as elections for school council representatives and an annual visit to the Houses of Parliament. Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders and each other. They appreciate leaders' consideration of their workload and well-being. Governors carry out their statutory duties effectively.

They ensure best value for money by comparing their spending with other schools. They are knowledgeable about the curriculum. Everyone at this school pulls together for the benefit of pupils.

They live and breathe their vision of 'together we make a difference'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have embedded a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff know the pupils and their families well. All adults receive regular training to understand the risks and potential dangers pupils may face. All staff follow a careful system for reporting concerns.

Leaders act quickly when concerns are shared. They are persistent in ensuring that pupils receive the specialist external support that they and their families might need.

Teachers make sure that pupils know how to stay safe online and in their community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the knowledge that pupils have previously learned. This hampers teachers from designing learning that makes sure pupils learn all that they should. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking, so that it is clear what pupils will learn and when this will happen.

• At times, some teachers do not use assessment information well enough to spot pupils' misconceptions. This leads to gaps in pupils' understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers are suitably equipped to check pupils' learning and then reshape their teaching, so that pupils' learning is secure.