Low Furness CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Low Furness CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils find this school a happy place to be.

They live out the school values, including compassion, honesty and friendship. Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. The school forms strong relationships with pupils and their families.

As a result, pupils feel safe.

Pupils respond well to the high expectations that are set for their achievement. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are proud of their school.

They demonstrate a willingness to... work hard and succeed. As a result, most pupils achieve well.

Pupils behave extremely well.

Older pupils foster close connections with their younger peers. They act as positive role models and ensure that everyone feels welcome. Children in the early years enjoy exploring and learning alongside their friends.

They settle well into school routines.

Pupils, especially those who are older, have some meaningful opportunities to contribute to life at the school. For example, a group of pupils are part of 'rota club' and get involved with charity events in the community.

Others are eco councillors who look after chickens in the school grounds and encourage recycling.

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

The school has designed a broad and balanced curriculum across key stages 1 and 2. In all subjects, the school has identified what it expects pupils to learn.

In some subjects, the school has also identified the specific knowledge that pupils should learn in each topic. In doing so, teachers have a clear understanding of the curriculum content that they should teach. In these subjects, staff check what pupils know and remember frequently.

Staff use this information to identify any misconceptions and to provide pupils with useful feedback. As a result, pupils achieve well.

In a small number of subjects, however, the school's curriculum is not designed as well as it is elsewhere.

In these areas, the school has not pinpointed the exact knowledge or skills that it expects pupils to learn. This hinders staff's ability to check on what pupils know and understand.

Children in early years settle well and build effective relationships with adults.

However, the curriculum in the early years does not form a strong enough bedrock for children's later learning. Sometimes, the activities that teachers design do not enable children to learn all that they should. This hinders children's readiness for their move into Year 1.

The school fosters a genuine love of reading. It exposes pupils to a rich breadth of high-quality texts. Teachers deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

Children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 are given books that match the sounds that they know. The school arranges swift support for pupils who struggle to keep up with the pace of the phonics programme.

The school has effective systems in place to identify pupils with SEND early.

Staff adapt the delivery of the curriculum well, so that those with SEND can access new learning. Pupils with SEND typically achieve well.

Pupils' behaviour is extremely positive.

They are polite and well-mannered towards each other, staff and visitors. Pupils can learn without distraction. The school works with families to make sure that pupils attend regularly.

This means that pupils do not miss out on their education.

Pupils' personal development is promoted well. They enjoy visits to various places, including cities and adventure centres.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They are keen to attend the many activities offered by the school, such as film club and sports clubs.

The governing body has an effective oversight of the school's work.

It uses its knowledge effectively to provide appropriate support and challenge. Staff are proud to be part of the school. They appreciate how their workload and well-being are considered when decisions are made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in the early years lacks ambition. It does not identify the key knowledge and skills that children will learn in each area of learning.

This sometimes makes it difficult for teachers to design activities that help children learn all that they need to do for their next steps. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum is developed so that it prepares children well for key stage 1. ? In some subjects, the curriculum design is underdeveloped.

The school has not thought carefully enough about exactly what they want pupils to learn. This means that teachers are less able to check if pupils have learned all that they should. The school should finalise its curriculum development across subjects so that pupils know more and remember more.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour, or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.