Lydlynch Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Lydlynch Infant School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very happy at this inclusive and friendly school. The school has high expectations of all pupils' achievement from the Reception Year onwards.

The school fosters a love of learning from when children begin school in Reception and pupils engage fully with their learning activities. Pupils work hard and try their best. They achieve well and are well prepared for their next steps.

Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous to each other and to adults in the school. During breaktimes and lunchtimes they typi...cally play nicely with each other.

In lessons, pupils are taught to concentrate well on their work. On the very rare occasions when pupils become slightly distracted from their work, adults immediately address this so that learning is not interrupted.

Pupils benefit from a range of experiences that enrich their learning.

For example, they are exposed to the world of work through visitors and workshops. Pupils enjoy plentiful leadership opportunities that enable them to take on different responsibilities. These roles help pupils to make a meaningful and positive contribution to the school community.

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

Teachers have good subject knowledge across all subjects. They use this to explain clearly what they want pupils to learn and remember from the early years onwards. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and follow instructions carefully.

Pupils work well independently and enjoy their learning. Teachers are trained to identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They adapt their teaching and support to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum fully.

The wider curriculum has been redesigned to help pupils make connections across different subjects. In some subjects, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is implemented. This is because some activity choices or learning materials do not closely align with the intentions of the curriculum.

This affects how well some pupils learn the curriculum. It prevents some pupils from building their knowledge as securely as they could.

In English and mathematics, teachers use strategies skilfully to help them to check pupils' learning.

They use these checks effectively to identify which pupils need more help to understand new learning. However, in some other subjects, the approaches to check what pupils know and remember are not as effective as they could be. In these subjects, this sometimes makes it more difficult to identify and address gaps in pupils' learning.

The school has prioritised the teaching of reading from early years onwards and checks that those pupils at the early stages of reading become fluent. Pupils read with confidence and are resilient when they cannot read some words straight away. Adults check that pupils understand the meaning of words they are reading and what is happening in the story.

Pupils develop strong comprehension skills and enjoy reading.

Staff create opportunities for pupils to live out the school values. For example, in art, pupils demonstrate the school's values of resilience and independence when they complete three versions of their pieces of artwork to practise and reinforce their skills.

Pupils learn from their mistakes and understand how practice means that they become better at what they are learning.

The school works closely and effectively with families to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. The school's approaches make a positive difference to the rates of pupils' attendance.

It has improved notably over recent years.

The school prepares pupils well for life beyond school. Staff teach pupils about different cultures and faiths.

Throughout the curriculum, pupils have opportunities to learn about what makes everyone different. Pupils understand the importance of concepts such as democracy. For example, in the school council elections, pupils learn about how voting works.

Pupils are taught to become good citizens and role models to others. For example, pupils raise funds for different charities. School council representatives work together with staff to make improvements to their school.

The school prioritises staff well-being and is mindful of their workload. Staff enjoy working here and feel valued. They appreciate leaders' actions to support their professional development.

They state that their opinions are valued.

Leaders at all levels know the school well. They have an accurate understanding of what is working well and where continued improvements need to be made.

They take appropriate actions where needed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are some inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is implemented in some of the foundation subjects.

Sometimes, activity choices and learning materials do not closely align with the intentions of the curriculum. This means that sometimes pupils do not learn new knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well in these subjects.

• In some of the foundation subjects, the approaches to check what pupils know and remember are not as effective as they could be. In these subjects, it is difficult to identify and address gaps in pupils' learning. The school should refine further the assessment approaches in these subjects to ensure that gaps in pupils' learning can be identified and addressed effectively.

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 May 2019.

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