Leconfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are part of a family at this close-knit and inclusive school. Pupils celebrate their different backgrounds and the links to the nearby military base Defence School of Transport in Leconfield.

All pupils are made to feel welcome.

Pupils enjoy learning. Most pupils achieve well in published assessments.

However, a small number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive the precise support they need. Some pupils with weaker literacy or reading skills do not receive the precise feedback they need to improve.

Children learn routines and behavioural expectations in early years.

This prepares them well... for the main school. Pupils behave well and are welcoming to visitors. Pupil leaders, such as the Year 6 'headers', enjoy acting as ambassadors for the school.

Pupils feel safe and trust the adults at the school.

Pupils actively support the community. They vote to support different charities, such as Children in Need and the Soldiers', Sailors' & Airmen's Families Association, each term.

They gather food to support the local food bank at St Catherine's Church in Leconfield. These activities give pupils a sense of responsibility for others. Pupils participate in different clubs, including hockey, netball, computing and art.

They enjoy forest school, adventure camps and cultural trips to cities such as Liverpool.

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

Pupils study a range of subjects across a broad curriculum. The curriculum identifies the small steps in knowledge that pupils need to learn.

Pupils learn increasingly complex work as they progress through the school. The school has made substantial and considered changes to improve the curriculum. For example, pupils have more opportunities to develop their depth of writing and learn a variety of drawing skills in art.

The curriculum is fully inclusive of all pupils, including those with SEND. Children in early years receive a well-planned curriculum that is adapted to meet their interests.

Teachers have good subject knowledge and explain concepts clearly.

Pupils experience structured lessons that help them to learn and remember more. For example, lessons begin with questions that remind pupils about previous learning. Children in early years retell stories to demonstrate their understanding.

Pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about what they have learned. They can use subject-specific vocabulary to explain their ideas. For example, pupils in art can explain the meaning of terms such as cross-hatching, gradient and texture.

The school has introduced new methods of assessment that accurately identify learning and gaps in knowledge in most subjects.

The school's provision for pupils with SEND is more variable. Some pupils do not consistently receive the precise support they need.

The school's methods for checking the quality of SEND provision sometimes lacks consistency. The school is aware of this and is working to improve this provision.

Many pupils join the school at different points in time.

The school provides effective transition and pupils are quickly integrated. Most pupils make good progress through the curriculum. They achieve well in published assessments.

Pupils develop the knowledge and skills they need to move on to secondary education. Children in early years are well prepared for key stage 1.

The school has made reading a priority.

Leaders encourage reading through rewards such as 'rock to the top'. Parents and governors read to pupils as part of the 'resident reader' initiative. Pupils enjoy reading and benefit from regular story time with their teachers.

The school has a well-structured phonics scheme and pupils develop well with early reading. Pupils learn to recognise and transcribe sounds. However, intervention support for pupils who are weak readers is inconsistent.

On some occasions, inaccuracies with sounds and their transcription are not addressed quickly enough.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They value their lessons and have strong relationships with their teachers.

Pupils learn and embody the school values of 'we rock' (respectful, open-minded, curious and kind). Pupils attend school regularly.

The school celebrates the diverse range of pupils' backgrounds at the school.

Pupils with parents in the military are embraced as part of 'our military family'. Pupils have extensive knowledge of British values and can discuss protected characteristics. They have some recall of different world faiths and religions.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and how to stay safe online. Children in early years develop independence and resilience. For example, a child in early years explained what it meant to be brave after listening to a story about the 'brave bunny'.

Staff are highly positive about their workload and enjoy teaching. Several staff are new and are receiving appropriate training. Governors fulfil their statutory duties.

They are diligent and regularly challenge leaders. The school is aware that some quality assurance processes need to be developed and applied consistently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff do not consistently identify and correct misconceptions with sounds and transcription in early key stage 1. This delays how well some pupils master these skills. The school should ensure that misconceptions with sounds and transcription are consistently identified and corrected.

• The school is inconsistent with the identification and support of pupils with SEND. This means that some pupils with SEND do not receive the precise support that they need.The school should ensure that provision for pupils with SEND is consistent and supports their progress through the curriculum.

• Processes of quality assurance are not fully developed and embedded. This means that some inconsistencies exist across some aspects of the school's provision. The school should ensure that quality assurance processes and systems are fully embedded, and used consistently, across the school.