Ley Top Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the best for its pupils and to help them to succeed.

However, this ambition is not yet realised. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not achieve well enough. Pupils do not gain the knowledge that they need to build effectively on and make connections to their previous learning.

Teachers and subject leaders do not have the subject knowledge needed to teach the curriculum well.

Ley Top Primary School is a happy and welcoming school. Adults care about every pupil.

There is a strong commitment to supporting pupils' emotional needs. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupi...ls know that staff care about them.

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and they are safe.

Leaders have made sure that the school's three rules are central to school life. Pupils know they must 'be ready, be respectful and be responsible'.

Pupils understand and follow these rules. Staff are quick to praise them when they do. Pupils value the rewards that they receive.

They rise to the school's expectations and behave well.

The school plans opportunities to prepare pupils for their life outside of school. Pupils learn from assemblies about fundamental British values and diversity.

Pupils have a clear understanding of equality. One pupil said, 'If you treat everyone the same, you get the same respect back.' Pupils benefit from attending a variety of clubs, including football and sewing.

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

The school is building a curriculum that is increasingly broad and balanced. However, curriculum developments are at an early stage. The school has not yet identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn.

In mathematics and reading, staff have had training to help them teach the curriculum well. This is not the case in other curriculum subjects, such as history and science. As a result, sometimes, teachers do not choose resources or activities that are well matched to what pupils need to learn.

This leaves gaps in pupils' knowledge and impacts on their achievement.

Pupils with SEND get the support that they need to access the full curriculum. The strategies that are identified on support plans are used well in lessons.

The school ensures that adults who support pupils with SEND are well trained. However, the limitations in the curriculum mean that pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

There is a consistent approach to teaching phonics.

This starts in the early years. Strong routines that link to the school's chosen phonics programme are embedded in all lessons. Pupils respond well to these routines.

The school regularly checks pupils' phonic knowledge. Pupils who are not keeping up with the pace of the programme are given the support that they need to catch up. For some pupils, reading books are not matched closely enough to their phonic knowledge.

Some pupils rely too much on adult support to be able to read books accurately. Adults do not use the routines of the phonics programme to support pupils to read well. As a result, some pupils are not reading with fluency as quickly as they might.

In the early years, there is a strong focus on developing routines. Children respond well to these routines and settle quickly. The school prioritises children's language and vocabulary development.

Adults use questioning well to determine children's understanding. However, the early years curriculum does not identify how children will build their knowledge in all areas of learning. The school has not identified the most important knowledge that it wants children to learn.

Adults are unsure how new learning builds on what children already know. Children do not make the progress of which they are capable.

The school has recently introduced a new behaviour policy.

This has had a positive impact on pupils' behaviour. As a result, pupils behave well. Staff have welcomed this change.

Adults use the same language when talking to pupils about behaviour. The rules, rewards and consequences are applied consistently and fairly. Pupils move around school in a calm and orderly way.

They respond well to instructions from adults. In lessons, pupils are focused and engaged.

Historically, pupils have not attended school regularly enough.

The school is taking more rigorous actions to address this. This work is having a positive impact on pupils' attendance.

The school recognises the importance of pupils' wider development.

Pupils are taught to be responsible and respectful citizens. Pupils know how to look after their physical and mental health. The personal development curriculum is adapted to respond to the risks identified in the local community.

For example, the local police community support officers introduce pupils to the importance of keeping safe through regular workshops.

The school has implemented procedures that are starting to bring about improvements. However, there is more work to be done to ensure that the quality of education provided is good.

For example, although the school's use of pupil premium funding is well intended, it has not established a clear rationale for its use or evaluated if it is having the intended impact. This limits governors' ability to hold the school to account. Staff say they feel well supported with their well-being and that leaders are approachable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In most subjects, the school has not identified the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn. This includes the curriculum in the early years.

This means that, across the school, pupils are not able to build effectively on what they already know. The school must set out clearly the important knowledge that pupils of all ages need to learn. The school should provide training so that teachers and subject leaders have the subject knowledge needed to teach the curriculum well.

• Activities and resources are not matched well to the knowledge the school wants pupils to learn. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that staff are given the training and support that they need to select resources and activities that will help pupils build their knowledge step by step in each subject.

• Reading books are not matched closely to the phonic ability of some pupils. This slows pupils' reading progress and makes it difficult for them to develop their confidence and fluency. The school must ensure that pupils read books that contain the sounds that they know.

They should ensure that all staff have the training and expertise needed to support pupils to read well. ? The school does not have a clear rationale for how pupil premium funding is spent or its intended impact. The school needs to review how pupil premium funding is used to ensure that it equips disadvantaged pupils with the knowledge and experiences that will help them to succeed in life.

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