Lyons Hall School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Lyons Hall Primary School achieve exceptionally well and are proud of their school. They can confidently talk about what they know and use this knowledge across all areas of the curriculum.

Pupils feel safe.

If they have a worry adults will help. Pupils say bullying rarely happens and if it does, adults take immediate action, so it stops.

While pupils enjoy their learning and participate fully in lessons.

There is a small minority of pupils who take time to settle and need reminders to focus on their learning.

Pupils play well together. Older pupils are 'Lyon Leaders' and are on hand to support younger children.

Pupils rel...ish the opportunities they have to 'make someone's day', for example handing out their 'FISH' in the celebration assembly.

Opportunities are plentiful for pupils to share what they think. This has enabled them to make changes to school life.

They decide which charities to support and organise a range of events, for example 'Lyons Got Talent'.

There are many clubs that pupils can attend. These are inclusive.

Changes are made to ensure all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can access these.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. It enables pupils to build their knowledge and skills extremely well over time from early years to Year 6.

This is because pupils revisit learning and make strong connections with new knowledge. Pupils are able to apply what they have learned from other areas of the curriculum to new learning. This means that pupils learn exceptionally well over time and are well prepared for their next stage.

Leaders are continuously reflecting on the effectiveness of their curriculum. They carry out a wide range of research to guide and inform improvements. For example, leaders recently adapted the support for pupils who are falling behind with their reading.

As a result, an exceptionally well-planned, catch-up reading programme helps pupils to quickly become confident fluent readers.

Leaders provide effective training to make sure that teachers have secure subject knowledge and are confident to teach all subjects. Teachers accurately use assessment to identify gaps or opportunities to extend pupils' learning.

Regular unseen tasks are given to pupils to check that they remember have what they have learned. Teachers use the information carefully and accurately from this to plan pupils' next steps.While leaders have high expectations for behaviour, there are a few occasions where pupils need several reminders to focus on their learning.

This is particularly the case when pupils are moving between activities and there is a requirement to settle to learning quickly. A few members of staff do not routinely implement the high expectations and clear routines that leaders promote and expect. This leads to some variation in learning focus in a small number of lessons.

Reading is prioritised across the school. From the moment children join Reception, a love of reading is encouraged. Reading skills are threaded throughout the curriculum with a range of diverse texts, which support all subject areas.

Pupils quickly begin to learn the sounds that letters make through a carefully planned phonics programme. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. This contributes towards pupils becoming confident and fluent readers.

Children in the early years are very enthusiastic about their learning. Leaders have planned a unique curriculum that carefully considers the development and needs of the youngest children. Children routinely make connections between what they remember and what they are moving on to learn.

Children's learning experiences makes sure that they are well prepared for Year 1.

Leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers confidently adapt learning, so that pupils with SEND can learn successfully alongside their peers.

They make very good progress across the school. Pupils with SEND feel valued because they a voice that is listened to through the SEND school council.

Leaders plan pupils' wider development exceptionally well.

Pupils learn to consider their own well-being. Pupils learn how to nurture healthy relationships andthey respect differences. One pupil said, 'We are all the same, but all special in our own skin.'

. This well-considered curriculum helps pupils develop respect and resilience.

Governors and trustees carry out their statutory duties appropriately.

They undertake regular monitoring, so they know the strengths of the school as well as leaders' ambitions for further improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a positive culture for safeguarding.

Checks carried out by leaders ensure all staff are suitable to work with pupils.

Staff know they all are responsible for safeguarding pupils. They are well trained on what signs to look out for if pupils are at risk and know what systems to follow to seek help and support.

When concerns are raised, these are followed up promptly by leaders. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies, where additional support is needed.Pupils know how to keep safe both in school and in the wider world, for example, by making sure their passwords are strong and that they do not share personal information with others online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of staff do not consistently reinforce routines for pupils to understand and demonstrate the high expectations for learning behaviour in place. This impacts some pupils' ability to focus on learning in a minority of lessons. Leaders need to provide further support to staff where it is needed, so that all pupils are able to demonstrate consistent and highly effective learning behaviours.