Leigh CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where all pupils are welcome, irrespective of their faith or background. Pupils told inspectors that everyone is made to feel part of the school community, regardless of their differences.

This helps pupils to feel happy at school.

Pupils work hard to meet the high expectations that leaders and staff have of their academic achievement and personal development. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in many subjects.

However, some children in the early years do not achieve as well as they should.

Pupils feel well supported by staff. They appreciate that staff listen to thei...r concerns and help them.

If bullying does occur, leaders deal with it quickly. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Most staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Many pupils are polite and respectful to staff and one another. However, some staff in the early years miss opportunities to teach these young children how to behave in school.

Pupils value the opportunities to take on responsibilities and roles within the school, such as members of the ethos team or school council.

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, such as cookery and crafts. These opportunities help them to develop their talents and interests.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including children in the early years and pupils with SEND.

Leaders have also considered what children in the early years, including those in the provision for two-year olds and pupils across key stages 1 and 2, should learn and when this will happen.

Typically, the curriculum is delivered well from Year 1 to Year 6. However, this is not equally true in the early years.

Some staff are unclear about what they want children to learn through the different learning activities. Furthermore, staff are not equally skilled in ensuring that they develop children's language knowledge and communication skills. Consequently, some children in the early years, including two- and three-year olds, are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

In most subjects, teachers benefit from appropriate ongoing training, which helps them to develop their subject knowledge. Teachers design learning activities that build effectively on what pupils already know. They check on what pupils know and remember from previous lessons.

Where needed, they provide pupils with opportunities to revisit prior learning. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 achieve well.

In one or two subjects in the wider curriculum, leaders have recently revised the curriculum.

These changes have not been finalised. As a result, some teachers do not have enough guidance to design learning activities that build pupils' knowledge over time.

Leaders place a high priority on helping pupils to develop a secure knowledge of phonics.

Pupils benefit from a carefully constructed phonics programme, which is delivered by well-trained staff. This starts when children begin in the Reception Year. The books that pupils read closely match the sounds they have learned.

Older pupils develop a love of reading. They are keen to read and understand that doing so will help them to improve their wider knowledge.

The published outcomes for reading at the end of key stage 1 do not reflect how well pupils at the school learn to read.

A significant proportion of pupils join the school part way through key stage 1. Many speak English as an additional language, and some pupils have little prior experience of school. Leaders provide effective support for these pupils, which helps them to catch up with their peers by the end of key stage 2.

The majority of pupils who join the school in the Nursery or the Reception Year become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 1.

Leaders have effective systems to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff benefit from training delivered by special educational needs specialists.

Generally, teachers adapt learning activities well for pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers and are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

Across the school, disruptive behaviour rarely affects lessons.

This allows pupils to get on with their work without interruption. However, some staff in the early years miss opportunities to support children in learning how to cooperate well, share and take turns. Consequently, some children do not behave as well as they should.

This disrupts the learning of other children.

Leaders place a high importance on fostering pupils' wider development. Pupils know that there are many different types of families in society.

They understand healthy relationships. Pupils are supported to be responsible citizens and strive to represent the school values. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governors and trustees are ambitious for all pupils. They support and challenge leaders well. They are considerate of staff's workload and well-being when making decisions about policies and procedures.

Staff are highly positive about working at the school and value the support they receive from leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are trained well to spot signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm.

Staff follow clear procedures to report any concerns they have about a pupil.Leaders engage with other professionals and organisations when necessary. This helps pupils and families to access extra support when they need it.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information and reporting any concerns to a trusted adult. Leaders ensure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to learn about road safety and other hazards outside of school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two subjects, leaders have recently revised the curriculum. These changes have not been finalised. The current lack of guidance hinders some teachers from designing learning that builds up pupils' knowledge over time.

Leaders should ensure that they finalise the curriculums in these subjects. ? Leaders have not ensured that the early years curriculum is being delivered as intended. A few staff lack the expertise needed to develop children's language and communication well.

Furthermore, some staff miss opportunities to teach children how to behave in school. As a result, some children do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that early years staff promote children's communication and language, teach children how to behave and deliver the curriculum as intended.