Limehurst Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Limehurst Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are happy and well cared for by staff. Pupils start each day with broad smiles. The school is a welcoming place where pupils are content.

Pupils feel safe and nurtured in school. They trust staff implicitly.

The school has high expectations for all pupils from the early years to Year 6.

In recent years, the school has considerably strengthened the quality of education that pupils receive. There has been a relentless focus on removing barriers to pupils' achievement, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabili...ties (SEND). Pupils are prepared well for the demands of secondary school.

The atmosphere in school is very calm. Pupils behave well in lessons, and they are eager to contribute to discussions about their learning. Equally, pupils behave well during lunchtime and when moving around the school.

Pupils are respectful to each other and towards staff. They understand the importance of accepting others, including when somebody is different to themselves. Pupils appreciate that individual characteristics make people unique.

They expressed their understanding of the importance of equality and diversity with maturity.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that enhance their learning of the curriculum. They spoke enthusiastically about the variety of extra-curricular clubs on offer to them.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is well thought out. The curriculum is rich and ensures that pupils develop broad knowledge across all subjects. Careful consideration has also been given to the context of the school and the important knowledge that is relevant to prepare pupils sufficiently well for the next stage in their education.

By the end of key stage 2, most pupils achieve well.

The learning journey starts from the minute that children enter the early years. The school has carefully crafted the curriculum to ensure that children in the Nursery and Reception classes acquire the fundamental building blocks for future learning.

This helps to ensure that children build the essential communication and language skills that they require in readiness for key stage 1.

Teachers use a range of strategies to enhance pupils' learning. For example, pupils benefit from skilful questioning and clear modelling by staff.

In the main, staff identify pupils who require additional support to keep up with their peers. However, at times, teachers do not identify pupils' misconceptions as quickly as they could. This means that, sometimes, teachers introduce new concepts before pupils are ready.

Occasionally, this hinders some pupils from learning as well as they should.

Staff identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest opportunity. These pupils receive support that is well matched to their individual needs.

Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers. These pupils are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

The school successfully focuses on the teaching of reading.

The phonics programme is taught consistently well by skilled staff. Pupils apply their phonics knowledge successfully when reading. Staff encourage pupils to use a range of strategies to decode words that they find difficult.

As a result, most pupils become competent readers.

Pupils' attitudes to learning are very positive. Pupils said that any occasional low-level disruption is not tolerated by staff and is dealt with immediately.

Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. However, the school is diligent in analysing patterns and trends in pupils' rates of attendance. This enables staff to work closely with families to remove any barriers to pupils' attendance.

As a result, many pupils' attendance has improved.

The school has thought carefully about pupils' wider personal development. For example, pupils learn about families, cultures and faiths that are different to their own.

Staff support pupils to keep physically and mentally healthy. Pupils are taught how to recognise the signs of unhealthy relationships and how to respond appropriately.

Members of the governing body have a detailed knowledge of all aspects of school life.

The school values the support and challenge that governors provide. Staff fully appreciate that the school is mindful of their well-being and their workload. Staff morale is high.

They recognise the guidance that they receive to fulfil their roles effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• From time to time, teachers do not identify pupils' misconceptions as quickly as they should.

Occasionally, this hinders some pupils from learning as deeply as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are suitably equipped to check that pupils' knowledge is secure before introducing new content.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2015.