Leverton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since her appointment, the headteacher has raised expectations and initiated an ambitious programme of improvement, which is having a positive impact on all areas of the school. The new leadership team is successfully driving these improvements after a period of instability.

As a result, current pupils are making good progress, behave well and are attending school regularly. Governors are knowledgeable about education and, along with leaders, are ambitious for what pupils can achieve. They support and challenge the headteacher effectively and make a valuable contribution to the ongoing development of the school.

Most key stage 2 pupils ar...e making much better progress than previously. Teachers make lessons interesting and help pupils to make connections across their learning. In some classes, writing is less successful as not all teachers help pupils to experiment with constructing sentences for greater effect.

The pupil premium funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. They make good progress and standards in reading have risen so that pupils now achieve as well as other pupils nationally. Writing and mathematics standards are rising but are not yet in line with national expectations.

Provision to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who speak English as an additional language is effective. These pupils make good progress and are fully included in the school. Leaders have improved the curriculum so there are logical steps in the building of knowledge, skills and understanding over time.

There are also regular challenging tasks and opportunities for reflection. This follows on from the good practice already present in key stage 1 and early years. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length and for lower-ability pupils to apply their calculation skills to reasoning and problem-solving tasks.

The early years provision is led well. Children make good progress in all areas of learning in a stimulating and nurturing environment. The proportion who achieve a good level of development continues to be above average.

The school provides a safe, nurturing and aspirational environment that supports pupils very well. Pupils' well-being is at the heart of all that leaders and teachers do. As a result, pupils are given excellent support to be successful learners.

Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. They are appreciative of all the efforts leaders and teachers make.

Information about this school

Leverton Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.

In September 2016, the infant school joined the junior school to form one school. It has a Nursery for three-year-olds that runs a session in the morning and in the afternoon. Almost all the children enter the school when they get to Reception age.

There have been changes to the leadership team, including a new headteacher, since the last inspection. The school is an associate member of Epping Forest Schools Partnership Trust. The school has an ethnically diverse population.

An increasing proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who receive SEND support or who have an education, health and care plan is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.