North Lakes School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to North Lakes School. They feel cared for and know that staff will look after them should they have any worries.

They appreciate the support that staff give them. Pupils also care for each other. They embrace the school's belief that everyone should treat others as they would like to be treated themselves.

This helps pupils to be happy and to develop empathy and understanding for others. They are considerate and respectful of one another.

The school has high expectations for all pupils' achievement.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils, including those in the specially resourced p...rovision for pupils with SEND, understand what the school expects of them. They try their best to work hard and concentrate in their lessons.

They mainly achieve well.

Pupils appreciate the wide range of activities that help them to be active and healthy. They enjoy making full use of the extensive school grounds, including the running track and multi-use games area.

All pupils in the school take part in swimming lessons. These experiences help pupils to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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

The school has designed a well-ordered curriculum.

It has considered the important knowledge that pupils learned when they were at infant school and will go on to learn in secondary school. This has helped the school to develop a curriculum that enables pupils to build knowledge in a logical way.

However, in a few subjects, the school has not ensured that there are regular enough opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning.

This means that pupils' learning in these subjects is sometimes not as secure as it should be.

The school has ensured that most staff have the knowledge and expertise to lead subjects well and to deliver the curriculum effectively. Teachers benefit from subject-specific support and training and have strong subject knowledge.

However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not ensured that subject leaders have been supported sufficiently well to lead their subject as well as they should across the school.

Pupils' additional needs are identified quickly. Staff are particularly skilled at supporting individual learning and behavioural needs.

Pupils in the specially resourced provision learn the same ambitious curriculum as pupils in the mainstream classes. Teaching is adapted well to make sure that these pupils can access the curriculum.

The school has ensured that reading is prioritised across all year groups.

Pupils read widely and often. Most are fluent and confident readers. The school recognises that some pupils are still in the early stages of reading.

It has established an effective phonics curriculum to help those pupils to catch up quickly.

Most pupils behave well in their lessons and at playtimes. At times, a few pupils struggle to control their feelings and behaviour and may disrupt their own learning.

Staff manage this well. For example, there are safe spaces in the school for these pupils to spend time until they are ready to learn again. The school has taken significant action to improve the attendance of pupils.

Most pupils attend well.

The school has developed a curriculum that supports pupils' personal development well. It has provided a number of opportunities for pupils to meet members of the wider community.

For example, pupils have been inspired by visits from authors, sports teams and celebrities. These experiences have helped pupils to understand how to be ambitious and successful in their future lives.

The school is well led and managed.

Governors understand what the school needs to do to improve further the quality of education that pupils receive. They hold leaders to account effectively for the actions that they take. Staff appreciate the steps that the school has taken to consider their workload.

Most staff say that they are able to prioritise their teaching and are not burdened by unnecessary tasks.

The school engages well with parents and carers. It offers a wealth of help and support where these are needed most.

The school also ensures that parents have the information that they need to support their children's education at home. For example, the school invites parents to a number of events so that they can learn more about the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the school has not ensured that pupils have sufficient opportunities to revisit prior learning. This means that occasionally, some pupils' learning is not as secure as it should be. The school should ensure that pupils retain their previous learning in these subjects so that they have firm foundations for any new learning.

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not provided sufficient training for subject leaders. As a result, a few subject leaders do not have the knowledge and expertise to lead their subject as effectively as they should. The school should ensure that these subject leaders are given further support so that they can lead their subject well across the school.