Lulworth and Winfrith CofE VC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. This can be seen in the reinvigorated curriculum and the renewed support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff have worked hard to improve the school.

This work has been successful, and staff know there is more to do.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and would recommend the school to others, saying 'Honestly, it's great here!' They are proud of their community because 'everyone is kind and thoughtful'. Pupils are enthusiastic about the lessons and trips on offer.

Older pupils value the leadership opportunities they get, such as becoming a bronze ambassador and helping other...s.

Pupils feel safe and well looked after. They behave well and treat adults and each other with respect.

They say that bullying and unkindness are rare, and that staff can be relied upon to sort out any problems. When they are well supported, all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, work hard and learn well.

Parents and carers have growing confidence in the school.

Parents value the hard work of staff and appreciate the enthusiasm of leaders. Parents are confident that staff listen to them and act quickly to offer support and help.

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

Much has changed since the last inspection.

The school has joined a multi-academy trust, and many leaders are new to the school. Staff have clarified what they want pupils to learn and introduced a well-thought-out curriculum. Although these changes are relatively new, they have already led to improvements in the quality of education.

Pupils do well because they are able to understand and remember more of the learning on offer.

Across the school, pupils are increasingly confident in their learning. This is because the updated curriculum is enabling most pupils, including those with SEND, to develop a much more secure understanding of subjects.

For example, most younger pupils are quickly becoming fluent readers, while older pupils can recall information about previous learning to help them understand new ideas. In the early years, children benefit from both independent and teacher-led activities that enable them to make progress in all areas of learning.

Staff have secure subject knowledge and a good understanding of what their pupils know and can do.

Recent training is supporting the school to adapt activities so that all pupils can access the learning. While this work is successful there is still more to do. Some pupils do not get enough opportunities to practise the basics.

As a result, some pupils struggle to develop fluency and confidence in their learning.

Most pupils are well supported to become confident and fluent readers. They get off to a great start in the early years, where phonics sessions are clear, and language development is given a high priority.

Children learn to love books, quickly learning to recount the stories they have been learning in class. Most pupils make secure progress in phonics and can apply their knowledge of letters when reading and writing. However, some pupils struggle to remember the most important information.

This is because they do not get enough opportunities to practise.

Pupils enjoy their learning. Most of them respond quickly to requests and are well supported by the school's rules and high expectations.

However, this is not the case in all sessions. When high expectations are not consistently upheld, some pupils lose focus. As a result, valuable teaching time is lost as the school works to re-engage those whose attention has drifted.

Pupils get on well with each other in and around the school. Older pupils take care of their younger peers while younger pupils value the support of the older children. The school has effective systems to manage and reward pupil behaviour.

The school has introduced a more structured approach to the monitoring of pupil absences. As a result, levels of pupil attendance are improving and in line with national figures.

The school ensures that pupils have rich opportunities for personal development.

Well-thought-out activities cover a range of religions and important ideas. For example, pupils get to think about and begin to understand discrimination. The school tailors activities to meet the needs of the community.

For example, supporting pupils and families around key events, such as Remembrance Day and when relatives are posted away.

Staff are well supported by school and trust leaders. Staff feel that their well-being is seen as a priority.

Governors know the school well and value the support of the multi-academy trust. The trust has provided the school with highly effective support, which has underpinned recent improvements. The trust continues to support the school's ongoing development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some activities, including some phonics sessions, are too complicated and do not give pupils sufficient opportunities to practise and consolidate their learning. This makes it difficult for every pupil to learn and remember the most important information.

This particularly affects disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The trust must ensure that staff know and prioritise the most important knowledge so that all pupils gain this key learning. ? Expectations of pupil behaviour are not consistent across the school.

This means that pupils do not always know what is expected of them. Sometimes this results in pupils not working as hard as they could. The trust should ensure that pupils are supported by high expectations so they all make the most of the learning opportunities on offer.