Lockington Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They provide pupils with opportunities to fulfil their Christian vision to 'Let their light shine'.

Leaders ensure that pupils behave with consistently high levels of respect for each other. There are clear routines in place. For example, at lunchtime, mid-day supervisors use a hand signal to gain the pupils' attention.

Pupils react swiftly and courteously to these expectations. Pupils know about different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say it does not happen.

Pupils are highly motivated to learn and show extremely positive attitudes to their learning. There are warm, nurturing and considerate rela...tionships between staff and pupils.

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to make links with pupils in larger, more diverse schools, such as a Polish school in Hull and an international school in Geneva.

This enables pupils to build friendships, share interests and explore other cultures.

Leaders arrange online careers sessions for Year 6 pupils to allow them the chance to speak to professionals about their career choices and aspirations.

The whole school takes part in an annual enterprise project.

Leaders support pupils to make and sell a product at the Christmas Fair. This helps to develop teamwork, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

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

To meet the needs of the small cohorts in the mixed-age classes, leaders have developed curriculum cycles.

Key stage 1 pupils experience a two-year cycle, while key stage 2 pupils a four-year cycle. This ensures that there is progression between the year groups. Leaders have worked with local authority support to develop their wider curriculum structure.

In geography, the work in pupils' books matches the appropriate age-related expectation. Leaders have identified the knowledge they want pupils to remember. Leaders can see the impact of their teaching.

For example, key stage 2 pupils completed a unit on earthquakes and volcanoes. This led to pupils fundraising for an earthquake disaster appeal.

Leaders have prioritised reading by recently introducing a new phonics programme.

Children start learning about phonics in Nursery, where they are exposed to nursery rhymes, songs and listening activities. In the mixed-age class, leaders organise the teaching of phonics into groups to ensure that pupils receive quality phonics teaching from the class teacher. The early years and key stage 1 teacher models oral blending using a 'robot arm' action.

Pupils apply the 'robot arm' action to help them read unfamiliar words. Pupils who are not keeping up with the programme have extra phonics teaching. Pupils' reading books match the sounds that they know.

However, some adults, including volunteers, have not had training to effectively support pupils' reading. This means they do not replicate the strategies modelled by the teacher.

The teaching of mathematics is a strength of the school.

Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to problem-solve to further improve their investigative skills. Pupils show enthusiasm for mathematics. They enjoy talking about how to apply their mathematical knowledge in different contexts.

Leaders identify a pupil's special educational need and/or disability (SEND) through several tests, followed with a review by an external SEND consultant. Class teachers write termly support plans for pupils with SEND. They evaluate the targets alongside parents and pupils.

Staff ensure curriculum access for pupils with SEND with resources such as alternative writing tools or the use of a laptop.

Adults teach children in the early years the school routines. For example, adults model skills such as saying thank you and taking turns.

As the school is a smaller-than-average size primary school, teachers are educating pupils from different key stages in one class. There are two curriculum structures, one for key stage 1 and one for early years. However, in some instances, they do not correspond and it is not clear how key stage 1 builds on the prior learning from early years.

For example, in key stage 1, leaders pose a geographical question 'What are the countries in Great Britain?' The equivalent early years specific learning area, understanding the world, does not include the knowledge that would lay the foundations to answer that key stage 1 question.

Leaders enable pupils to have opportunities to be part of the school council and impact on the life of the school. For example, the school council members proposed the extra-curricular art club that is very popular.

Leaders provide leadership opportunities for pupils, such as librarians and wise owl monitors. Pupils enjoy being a buddy at the buddy stop to offer friendship at playtime.

Governors recognise that leaders have taken some difficult decisions to move to new mathematics and phonics programmes.

Governors hold leaders to account over these decisions. The governors challenge, listen and evaluate the response to ensure the findings are in the pupils' best interests.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders deal with low numbers of safeguarding concerns. As a result, leaders are extra vigilant. They complete more regular training.

Leaders keep records and follow up actions of any reported incidents.

Leaders identify road safety as an issue within the locality as the school is situated on a rural road. As a result, some year groups receive pedestrian training.

In the personal, social and health education unit 'Safety First', pupils learn about staying safe in real-life scenarios.

There are posters around the school that identify the safeguarding team. Pupils recognise they can talk to these trusted adults.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some adults, including volunteers, have not received training to implement the new phonics programme. This means that there are inconsistencies in practice. Leaders should ensure that all adults involved in supporting pupils' early reading are trained to follow the systematic approach to effectively support pupils to read.

• In the mixed-age class, the key stage 1 and early years curriculums do not always align. This means that there is a lack of clarity on how the early years curriculum lays the foundations for future learning. Leaders should refine their curriculum thinking to establish clear curriculum links from Nursery to Year 2.