Ling Moor Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school? '

By the good deeds that you do, you will be remembered in the stars for eternity.'

This ambitious motto forms the beating heart of Ling Moor Primary Academy. The school provides a top-quality education that goes hand in hand with preparing pupils exceedingly well for life beyond the school. Pupils are expected to become respectful, empathetic and well-rounded individuals who achieve highly.

This expectation is achieved. The school's description of the 'Ling Moor Family' is tangible. The school is one big, happy learning community.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are eager to do the right things because, as the school teaches them, 'It is the right thing... to do.' Pupils understand the school's approach to 'serious fun'.

As one pupil explained, 'We have fun, but we're very serious about our learning.'

The school's values of wisdom, curiosity, courage and passion permeate all aspects of school life. Pupils strive to live out these values every day.

Older pupils wear their 'Priory Badges' with pride, showing that they consistently exemplify these values.

The school parliament, ably led by the elected prime minister and their deputy, represents pupils' views. It makes an important contribution to all aspects of school life.

For example, pupils who act as parliamentarians play a central role in evaluating the quality of education.

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

At all levels, leadership is of the highest quality. Leaders are uncompromising in their aim to 'empower potential'.

The school ensures that leadership is nurtured, trusted and enabled to innovate. The school has built a passionate, highly skilled team of staff. Staff are expected to continually improve their performance and to be experts in their role.

These expectations are realised. Staff's workload and well-being are consistently well considered and prioritised. The trust and local governors provide high-quality challenge and support.

The school has a strong reading culture. As one pupil summed up: 'Our school is all about books, books, books!' Pupils become passionate readers. They have an impressive knowledge of a wide range of genres.

Through the 'Secret Reader' activities, pupils introduce new texts and authors to each other. They eagerly follow this up with requests for additions to the school library. New books arrive quickly.

The school's well-organised phonics programme is expertly taught. Pupils master phonics quickly. They go on to learn the reading curriculum at an impressive rate.

Anyone who begins to fall behind gets the help needed to keep up. From an early age, pupils are helped to become fluent readers.

Across all subjects and the early years, the school's curriculum is meticulously designed and structured.

Content builds cumulatively on what has gone before. It prepares pupils well for what will come next. The 'target memories' set out the most important knowledge that pupils are expected to learn and remember.

Teaching enables pupils to revisit and recap what they have learned before. This results in pupils building an extensive store of knowledge across the full range of subjects. They use it to make links and draw comparisons when they learn new content.

Children in the early years get off to the best possible start. The school checks closely on how well children achieve the incremental milestones that are set out in its curriculum. Anyone who begins to fall behind is quickly identified and given the help needed to keep up.

Adults' interactions with children are of a consistently high quality. Staff routinely find out about and build on what children know and can do. Children become curious and inquisitive learners.

They have an impressive ability to concentrate for extended periods of time.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get expert help, care and support. The school carries out regular and detailed assessments.

As a result, it has a well-refined understanding of the help that pupils need. The school checks meticulously to make sure that the help that these pupils receive works as it should. Pupils with SEND are helped to become independent and to grow in confidence.

They are well supported by their peers.

Pupils benefit from a broad and rich personal development offer. It extends well beyond the well-organised personal, social and health education curriculum.

Along with their impressive knowledge of fundamental British values, pupils have a detailed understanding of the protected characteristics and what these mean in law. Pupils are highly inclusive. Any form of discrimination is simply not tolerated.

There is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities that pupils make good use of. The school makes sure that no one misses out. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents, including in sports and music.

The school's careers programme broadens pupils' knowledge of the working world and helps to build their aspirations.

Pupils, staff and the vast majority of parents and carers hold the school in high esteem.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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