Lindow Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding. They are extremely keen to learn and are exceptionally proud to be members of their school.

Care, guidance and support are exceptional. Pupils say they feel extremely safe in school. Teaching is good and improving, some is outstanding.

As a result, from their varied starting points pupils make good progress. Pupils with hearing impairments achieve outstandingly well from their individual starting points because teachers are highly skilled in helping them to learn. The headteacher ensures that the school has a central place at the heart of the community and that it is well known and respected for its work....

The school's senior leadership, teachers and all staff work tirelessly for the benefit of pupils. They are improving the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement. Standards by the end of Year 6 in reading writing and mathematics are rising.

Governors are knowledgeable about the school's strengths and weaknesses. They effectively hold the school to account and are clear what the school needs to do to improve further. Pupils have access to an especially rich curriculum, which includes opportunities for them to play a variety of musical instruments.

The school is well known within the community for its sporting excellence. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of the school. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Standards in reading, writing and mathematics across the school are not as good as they could be.

Not enough teaching is outstanding. Teachers do not always stretch pupils to achieve to the very best of their abilities, particularly the most able. The quality of marking of pupils' work is not always as good as it could be, and does not always indicate to pupils how they can take the next steps to improve their learning.

Information about this school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average.

The school receives additional funding through the pupil premium for a small proportion of pupils. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average, and few speak English as an additional language.

Since the last inspection, the school has appointed a number of new teachers, including three newly qualified teachers, and governors. In 2012, the school's full refurbishment included additional teaching areas, meeting spaces and an outdoor covered area for children in the Reception class. The school meets the government's current floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The school is well known for the work that it does with children who have hearing impairments and those who have a range of other special educational needs. As a result, many pupils are referred to the school part way through the school year. In addition, the school accepts other pupils throughout term times, who start with a broad range of abilities.

The school runs a breakfast club. It also hosts a privately-run pre-school and after-school club, which are subject to a separate inspection. The school has a purpose built resource unit for pupils with hearing impairments which is currently over-subscribed.