Leighterton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Leighterton Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff are united in their ambition for pupils to succeed. They set high expectations in all aspects of the school's work, which pupils rise to seamlessly. Behaviour in lessons is excellent.

Pupils are attentive and always try their best. Adults' expectations are high and even the youngest children can focus on the task in hand in a sustained manner.

Pupils say that behaviour in the school is 'not of concern' and that 'bad behaviour does not happen here'.

They know that adults would help if they had any worries. The high-quality relationships between staff a...nd pupils contribute to a positive learning culture. Pupils exude contentment, saying, 'There's loads of nice people to make friends with.'



Pupils are in universal agreement that this is a lovely school to be part of. They say that children are kind and disagreements short-lived. Pupils say that they can sort out fallings-out for themselves but know that staff are there to support them if needed.

Pupils are keen to look out for one another and act as buddies to younger pupils. They told inspectors that they want to help others who may, from time to time, 'be down in the dumps'.

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

Everyone shares leaders' high expectations of pupils.

This is a school that is determined to get the best out of every pupil. The curriculum is coherent and well sequenced. Leaders have thought carefully about the content pupils will study and the sequence of learning in every year group.

Pupils are highly engaged and enjoy learning. Lessons flow uninterrupted as pupils are attentive and concentrate well.

Subject leaders work closely together and are effective.

Teamwork is strong and this helps to ease the workload while developing everyone's skills effectively. Leaders place significant importance on developing staff subject knowledge. Professional development opportunities are used well.

Teachers are expert in the subjects that they teach. Provision for children in the early years, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is particularly strong. Throughout the year groups, adults make regular checks on pupils' understanding, referencing previous learning.

They are skilled at supporting pupils in committing new learning to long-term memory. At this school, pupils are set firmly on the path to success.

Assessment is used well to identify where pupils have gaps in their learning, including gaps as a result of the disruption caused by COVID-19 (coronavirus).

In reading, some pupils had forgotten some sounds that were previously secure. Staff have identified where extra support is needed and which sounds need further rehearsal. Teachers are now revisiting some of this key knowledge and pupils are catching up quickly.

In the early years, children have a comprehensive and well-developed vocabulary. Here, language learning is strong. For instance, children are confident using sentence stems to explain their observations in understanding the world.

When looking at plants through a magnifying glass, a child commented, 'I noticed that carrots have spiky leaves.' Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they are reading and their favourite authors. They are developing very positive attitudes towards reading.

In key stage 1, leaders know that books are not yet as well matched to pupils' phonic stage of development as they would like. Occasionally, pupils do not gain the full benefit of practice as books are a little too challenging.

The mathematics curriculum is well sequenced as leaders have thought carefully about the content pupils will study.

To compensate for the impact of COVID-19, there are now more opportunities for pupils to revisit important content. For example, a daily 'flashback 4' session at the start of each lesson is supporting pupils in revisiting and recalling number facts, such as factors and fractions. Pupils with SEND make good use of hands-on resources to support their learning, keeping pace with their peers.

Pupils are becoming competent mathematicians.

In the wider curriculum, pupils achieve well. Leaders have carefully planned scientific topics that progress in difficulty as pupils move through the school.

Teachers are skilled at connecting knowledge from previous topics, which helps pupils to understand new learning.

Pupils have positive attitudes. Great care is afforded to promoting pupils' well-being.

The headteacher is clear that 'happy children make happy learners.' Pupils are full of praise for how the school looks after them both socially and academically. They say that school days are 'fun and challenging' in equal measure.

There is a huge array of activities on offer. Pupils make the most of clubs; their attendance is high, and everyone takes part in something that appeals.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding systems are robust. Staff attend regular training. Adults share an in-depth understanding of the latest safeguarding risks that pupils may face.

Everyone knows what to do if they are worried about a child.

Leaders know pupils and families well. Record-keeping is detailed and shows that if necessary, the designated safeguarding lead confidently calls upon the assistance of multi-agency support.

From time to time, when families may require additional help, leaders promptly initiate the right sort of support.

Parents, carers and pupils overwhelmingly agree that Leighterton is a safe school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read occasionally struggle because sometimes their books are too hard.

This limits the value of rehearsing and practising reading skills. Leaders need to ensure that pupils' books match the phonics sounds that they are learning, so that they develop reading fluency and confidence.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2016.