Loddington CofE (VA) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

The quality of education is good, whatever the needs or abilities of individual pupils. It is achieved within a caring and supportive environment that enables pupils to progress well, academically and personally.

The schools' self-evaluation of its performance is accurate. There is a strong drive, led by the focused headteacher, shared by the staff and the governing body, to raise standards and pupils' outcomes to higher levels rapidly. Parents and carers value the school, for example saying, 'This is a very happy school with good quality teaching and a strong sense of values'.

Current standards are broadly average, with good recovery following a dip, evident in mathematics, in 2010. The prog...ress that pupils' make in developing their mathematical skills and confidence is good, with targeted individual and group support, identified by use of good pupil assessment, progress data and setting challenging targets. However, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to use and apply their practical skills independently in subjects other than mathematics.

In English, letters and sounds work is well established in the joint Reception and Year 1 class. It is used further to support older pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those learning English, and those who join school throughout the year. Progress is accelerating rapidly for all groups, as a result.

This includes more-able pupils who did less well than expected in 2010. However, not all pupils take enough care to ensure that their written work, including mathematics, is always neat and well presented. Speaking, listening and pupils' use of vocabulary is strong throughout the school.

Teaching is good, with improved staff stability, good teamwork and support for pupils aiding learning. In a very few lessons, insufficient time is given for pupils to work independently. Pupils' attendance is excellent, with a positive impact on learning.

Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe because they are looked after so well. The sense of community in pupils' actions and pride in the school is strong. Staff are involved in determining the schools' on-going development, meeting regularly to devise improvement strategies to drive up standards The governing body is very committed to the school, linking closely to the village and parish.

It challenges senior leaders' decisions increasingly. It has yet to develop its monitoring, evaluation and review of school performance fully, in order to become more accountable, with a better overview of standards and classroom practice. Given rising standards of attainment, the good progress and personal development of all pupil groups, and good improvement since the previous inspection, the school's capacity to improve is good.

Information about the school

Loddington Church of England is far smaller than the average primary school. Pupils come from the village and others nearby, with a few travelling from the small town of Desborough. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.

A very small proportion is from different minority ethnic groups, of whom very few are at the early stages of learning to communicate in English. A high proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Of these, an above-average proportion has a statement of special educational needs.

An average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school during the year is high. Staff changes in recent years have now stabilised.

The headteacher teaches 3 days a week. The school has national Healthy Schools status and the Arts Mark and Active Mark. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils won a local school drama competition.