Leverhulme Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils are included in the Leverhulme school family. Pupils receive a warm welcome each day from a team of dedicated and caring staff. Recently, pupils enjoyed following the local journey of the giant puppet Amal.

This inspired much learning and conversation among pupils.

Pupils are excited to learn. They are happy and look forward to their lessons.

In the words of one parent, 'My child jumps out of bed, and can't wait to get to school.' Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), respond positively to the learning activities that staff set for them.

Pupils work hard in their learning activities to achieve t...he high expectations staff set.

They look after each other and behave well. Pupils said that staff sort out any bullying quickly. Pupils take on responsibilities around the school, such as being litter-pickers and buddy readers.

Pupils reflect thoughtfully on their own actions and know how these actions can affect the wider society.

Pupils know that staff will keep them safe. They appreciate the care and attention that they receive.

Pupils know that staff take time to find out how best they can learn. This gives pupils the confidence to learn more and remember more.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils at the school to learn successfully.

To this end, they have designed a broad and balanced curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well. Leaders have made the necessary alterations to their curriculum plans in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, teachers in the Reception classes check children's phonics knowledge often.

If children struggle with learning a letter sound, then staff help them more.

Leaders ensure that pupils' learning in different subjects builds in a logical order from Nursery to Year 6. That said, leaders' work to develop the curriculum is ongoing.

Leaders have yet to set out all the small units of knowledge, including vocabulary, that teachers will teach. At times, this stops pupils from building securely on what they already know.

Pupils are keen learners.

They enjoy studying a wide range of subjects at the school. They complete their learning activities with pride, evidenced in the variety of workbooks, floor books and artwork that they showed inspectors. Staff know pupils' learning needs in detail because they assess pupils' knowledge carefully.

Skilful staff adapt learning to meet pupils' varying needs, including pupils with SEND. Pupils behave well. Lessons are rarely affected by low-level disruption.

Leaders and staff give the teaching of reading high priority. Pupils read widely and often. Staff, including skilled teaching assistants, know how to teach pupils how to read because they are well trained on phonics by leaders.

Leaders ensure that pupils' reading books match the letters and sounds that pupils learn in class. Older pupils talked enthusiastically to inspectors about the gripping stories that they read to themselves and to other pupils in school.

Pupils with SEND learn successfully alongside their classmates.

Leaders are quick to identify their needs and staff ensure that they can access the curriculum. Staff work well with external agencies to provide extra support for pupils with SEND. They provide useful guidance to parents and carers so that they can support their children's learning at home.

Leaders and teachers provide pupils with many opportunities to discuss moral and social issues, such as stereotyping or gender discrimination. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. Staff promote pupils' health and well-being.

For example, Year 6 pupils learned to canoe and climb as part of a residential visit in Yorkshire. Pupils talked maturely about how the school helps them stay healthy mentally.

In the provision for two-year-olds and the Reception and Nursery classes, there is a strong focus on supporting children's communication skills and teaching children new vocabulary.

The well-planned curriculum ensures that children's learning is interesting and engaging. For example, staff help children to make fruit kebabs, count the pieces of fruit and organise them into patterns. This helps children to develop some of the mathematical knowledge that they need for their learning in Year 1.

Governors act quickly to support leaders. They are not afraid to challenge either, for example checking that remote learning is fully used by pupils whenever needed. Governors fulfil their statutory duties, such as about safeguarding and equality, with knowledge and skill.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the curriculum guidance and support that they receive from leaders. They said that leaders do all they can to ensure that staff have an appropriate work-life balance.

Well-informed teams of subject leaders check how well staff plan activities and teach the curriculum in different subjects. Leaders use this information carefully to improve the curriculum and teaching further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff take their responsibilities for safeguarding very seriously. They attend regular training where they discuss various possible scenarios, deepening their knowledge. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum provides pupils with many opportunities to learn about being safe, including when online. Staff are quick to identify those pupils who may require support, liaising where appropriate with external agencies.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' curriculum plans in some subjects do not set out the essential information, including vocabulary, that pupils will learn.

This means that pupils do not learn all the knowledge that they need to know to help them in the next steps of their learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects includes the small units of learning that pupils need to deepen their knowledge and understanding.The transitional arrangements were used on this inspection to confirm that the pupils benefit from a good quality education.