Loxley CofE Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Loxley C of E Community Primary School is like one big family.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are kind to one another and know how to be a good friend. The school sets high expectations of pupils' behaviour.'

Guiding lights' remind pupils of the school's expectations. Any incidents of poor behaviour are managed swiftly and effectively. Restorative conversations help pupils to reflect on how their behaviour impacts others.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding, including keeping safe when online. Pupils are happy and safe, and they enjoy attending. Leaders do all they can to make sure pupils attend school regularly, and the majority of pupils do....

A range of clubs, including the roving reporters and the dance club, help pupils to develop new interests. Museum visits, history workshops and fieldwork trips deepen pupils' learning of the curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about taking part in mathematics and volleyball competitions.

All this broadens pupils' horizons effectively.

Parents are very positive about the quality of education their children receive. One parent, typical of many, commented that 'the school is small, but massive in personality'.

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

The school has adopted an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum for all pupils. It sets out the knowledge and skills pupils need to be successful. Careful consideration is given to meeting the needs of mixed-age learners.

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. They successfully support pupils to recall prior knowledge so that they make connections to new learning and develop their vocabulary over time. Pupils are proud of their work.

In addition, pupils get effective support to correct and improve it in lessons. However, teachers do not always check how well pupils are learning the curriculum over time in some subjects. This means that gaps in learning are not always identified and addressed in these subjects.

Reading is prioritised and taught well. Pupils enjoy the high-quality and diverse texts written by a broad range of authors on offer. Various initiatives, including visits from a storyteller and the lunchtime library, promote a love of reading.

Phonics teaching by highly skilled staff helps children get off to a strong start in their early reading. They practise reading books matched to the sounds they learn. Pupils who fall behind in their reading are identified early and receive targeted support to catch up quickly.

All of this means that pupils read with the confidence and accuracy expected for their age. However, the school does not ensure pupils consistently apply their phonics knowledge in their writing. This slows the progress of some pupils.

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are quickly identified. They get the help and support they need to be successful in school. This includes support from external agencies.

Parents value the advice and support their children receive. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school's work to promote pupils' character is of high quality.

Pupils learn to be active citizens in the local community. For example, they perform at the Loxley Strawberry Fayre and collect food for a local food bank. Pupils are proud of their Green Tree Schools Award.

In addition, pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities in school such as clean-up crew, school council representatives and class worship team.

The school promotes pupils' moral and social development well. Catch-me cards reward pupils for demonstrating the school's values.

These include being truthful and honest and showing wisdom and friendship. Furthermore, pupils are respectful of other faiths and cultures. A recent visit, for instance, to a gurdwara has helped pupils to learn more about Sikhism.

Recent improvements in the school have been undertaken with rigour and determination, including responding to areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection. Governors know the school well and undertake regular training to fulfil their role. They hold leaders to account effectively for the performance of the school.

Staff value the support from leaders to manage their workload and well-being. They are positive about how curriculum resources and changes to assessment processes have helped to reduce workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not consistently check that pupils are learning the curriculum in some subjects. This means that gaps in learning are not always identified and addressed. The school should support teachers to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum in all subjects and address any gaps in learning so that all pupils learn the curriculum well.

• The school does not ensure that pupils consistently use their phonics learning in writing as well as they could. This slows the progress some pupils make in writing. The school should make sure all pupils apply their phonics knowledge consistently well when writing.