Lionel Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Outstanding leadership has exceptionally high aspirations for pupils and similarly high expectations of staff. This results in all groups of pupils making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Achievement is outstanding. Teaching is characterised by excellent planning for the different needs and abilities of pupils across a wide range of subjects. Teachers' subject knowledge is very strong.

Teachers provide activities for pupils that inspire them to work very hard and which typically deepen their learning. This, combined with infectious flair, enthusiasm and excellent relationships with pupils, ensures that teaching... is consistently outstanding throughout the school. Pupils behave impeccably in lessons.

Their attitudes to learning are exceptional. At other times, pupils are lively but always very considerate and respectful to adults and each other. Pupils are rightly proud of their school and feel very safe and happy.

Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils who attend the specialist provision for speech, language and communication benefit from very high quality teaching by well-trained adults. Pupils' needs are met exceptionally well.

This results in pupils making outstanding progress. The progress of disadvantaged pupils is outstanding, enabling them to reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well above those of other pupils nationally. Systems to check on the progress of pupils are very robust.

Leaders use this information to hold teachers rigorously to account for progress. Teachers regularly check on progress and measure the impact of their work on particular individuals and groups. This characteristically leads to adjusted plans and even more rapid progress.

The school's belief that everyone will succeed applies equally to teachers. The expectation is that all teachers will be outstanding, and the support and training they receive from leaders help them to reach this standard. Through a period of expansion, with many new staff being appointed, this remorseless drive for the highest standards of teaching has been a major reason for the school's outstanding overall effectiveness.

The school's curriculum is outstanding. It provides a wide range of memorable experiences for pupils, as well as giving them all the skills they need to move on to the next stage in their education. The school provides extremely well for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is outstanding. Pupils make an excellent start to their school life, particularly in learning to read. The school's governing body is very effective.

Members have a deep understanding of the school and so are able to provide strong challenge and support to school leaders. The school's work to ensure pupils are safe and secure is outstanding.

Information about this school

This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.

Since the last inspection, the number of pupils attending the school has almost doubled. The school has a specialist resource centre for pupils with speech, language and communication needs from age three to 11. It caters for up to 30 pupils.

The school manages pre-school childcare in the Little Lions playgroup and a creche. This is inspected separately from the school. An above-average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after).

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average. Two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic groups other than White British. About half of pupils do not speak English as their first language.

The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. The school runs before- and after-school childcare. Before school, there is a breakfast club that was visited as part of the inspection.

The school also runs a wide range of after-school clubs. Children attend the morning and afternoon Nursery classes part time. The Reception classes are full time.

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