Leftwich Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that there are high expectations for their behaviour and that staff help them to behave well. There are clear systems in place, which are understood and displayed by all.

The school is a happy, calm and welcoming place to be.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. The school is ambitious for all.

Pupils are proud of the work that they produce in their books.

The school provides extensive opportunities for pupils to see and appreciate the world beyond Leftwich. Pupils enjoy trips to cities, the beach and the theatre.

They also take part in a wide range of activities, such a...s board games, mindfulness and cheerleading clubs. Pupils relish the chances that they are given to compete in sports tournaments.

Pupils love lunchtimes.

They enjoy the new outdoor play programme, which encourages pupils of all ages to play together and helps to develop their cooperation and team-building skills. Pupils enjoy time on the bikes, in the sand pit and building structures with tyres. This initiative has contributed hugely to the turnaround in behaviour since the previous inspection.

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

The school has a broad offer for fostering pupils' personal development. Pupils learn about different cultures and faiths. They are given opportunities throughout the curriculum to discuss the differences between people.

Pupils spoke confidently about how everyone should be treated equally and with respect.

Pupils are well mannered and polite. They are highly respectful to one another.

Through charitable work, pupils are taught to consider how they can help children from other countries who are facing considerable crises. Pupils also aim to improve their own community, so that it is a better place for everyone. They complete litter picks and environmental activities.

There is a whole school and trust-wide approach to tackling attendance. Staff and pupils recognise the importance of attending every day. Changes to the curriculum, alongside improvements to behaviour systems, mean that pupils are eager to come to school.

The initiatives that the school has adopted are having a noticeable impact in improving attendance.

The school, with support from the trust, has designed a curriculum that reflects the context of the local community and the learning needs of pupils. The well-ordered curriculum begins at the start of the early years, where the school has thought about the essential foundations that children need for future learning.

Across key stages 1 and 2, pupils continue to experience a carefully designed curriculum that is delivered in a logical order.Staff implement the curriculum using appropriate and well-chosen resources. Teachers skilfully check what pupils know and remember within the current units of work.

However, due to recent changes in the school's curriculum, the school is at an earlier stage of development in how teachers check that pupils are remembering more knowledge over time. In some subjects, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to recall their earlier learning. At times, this hinders the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum.

The curriculum for children in the early years shares many of the positive features that pupils in key stages 1 and 2 enjoy. However, at times, staff do not choose the most appropriate activities or resources to deliver curriculum content effectively. This means that, at times, children do not have enough opportunity to deepen their knowledge across the different areas of learning.

Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Pupils practise reading using books that closely match the sounds that they already know. Highly trained staff provide pupils with extra support if they need it.

This helps these pupils to catch up quickly. Most pupils read fluently and accurately in readiness for key stage 2.

Older pupils enjoy a range of books and authors.

They appreciate the rewards in place that foster a love of reading. The school invites parents and carers to workshops to learn how to best support their children's reading at home. Open library sessions are held after school, where parents and children can share books together.

The school identifies pupils with SEND early. It has trained staff to ensure that that they are confident in identifying pupils' additional needs. There is an expectation that all pupils access the full curriculum.

The school deploys effective strategies and interventions to ensure that this is realised. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

The trust and the local governing body know the school exceptionally well.

Trustees live out the trust's vision to 'inspire, believe and achieve'. This is instilled across the whole school community. Since joining the trust, the school has been very successful in bringing about improvements to many aspects of its provision.

Trustees and governors understand their duties and have the necessary skills to challenge and support the school well. Staff appreciate the efforts, support and consideration given to their workload when the school introduces new initiatives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers do not help pupils to recall their earlier learning nor do they check that pupils have remembered what has been taught in the past. In these areas, some pupils find it difficult to recall their prior learning. The school should ensure that teachers check that subject content and knowledge has been transferred to pupils' long-term memory.

• In the early years, the activities and resources that teachers sometimes select do not help children to learn the intended curriculum well. This means that some children do not deepen their knowledge and understanding as well as they might over time. The school should ensure that teachers choose learning activities well to deliver the curriculum effectively, so that children remember what they have been taught.

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