St Leonard’s CofE (A) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at St Leonard's CofE Primary School. Staff care for them as individuals.

Pupils enjoy an exceptional range of opportunities, for example in sport and music. In raising money for charities, pupils learn a great deal about the world around them. From a young age, pupils learn to take responsibility and respect the views of others.

Staff encourage pupils to express their opinions in a calm and open-minded way. Parents and carers much appreciate the strength of the school community.

There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in classrooms and corridors.

Pupils enjoy their learning and behave very well in lessons. At social times, they play h...appily together. Bullying is rare, and pupils know there is always an adult to turn to.

Staff resolve any issues quickly and effectively. This helps all pupils to feel safe.

From the outset, pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum.

Children leave the early years as highly confident learners and are fully prepared for learning in Year 1. The school teaches a wide range of different subjects. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils learn well and are very well prepared for secondary school.

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

Leaders ensure that learning to read is an absolute priority. Pupils follow a structured phonics programme from the early years onwards.

This programme ensures that pupils learn about letters and their sounds in a logical order. Adults pronounce sounds accurately and expect pupils to do likewise. They check on how well pupils are learning.

Staff work closely with parents, and expect pupils to read frequently to an adult. They provide effective support for any pupils at risk of falling behind. Books are well matched to pupils' knowledge of phonics.

Across the school, pupils read widely, including non-fiction texts and a range of poetry. They become confident and enthusiastic readers.

Leaders have established a highly ambitious early years curriculum.

Children settle quickly, develop excellent attitudes to their learning and work together extremely well. There are no limits to what they can learn. Pupils' learning in Year 1 builds effectively on what they have already achieved.

Pupils particularly enjoy learning mathematics. They become fluent and confident, and understand how to apply their mathematical knowledge well. The mathematics curriculum is well organised, so that pupils' work builds on what they can already do.

The curriculum is broad and challenging in all subjects. However, in some foundation subjects the information that pupils learn sometimes does not build precisely on their prior knowledge. This means that some pupils, including some with SEND, do not remember as much of the key knowledge as they should.

Teachers know how to teach the curriculum well. They adapt lessons to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. They make regular checks on what pupils know and remember.

These checks provide staff with useful information. Teachers have identified that some pupils do not remember the key information that they need. They are taking action to help these pupils to catch up.

The school's approach to managing behaviour is rooted in its values. Staff apply the school's rewards and sanctions fairly. Pupils show a consistent respect for adults and for each other.

They behave well and try hard in lessons.

Staff provide high-quality pastoral care. Pupils follow a comprehensive programme to develop their social and cultural understanding.

Teachers supplement this programme with work in other subjects. For example, pupils study music from a range of cultures. As a result, pupils are knowledgeable and tolerant of people different from themselves.

They have valuable opportunities to serve the school, for example on the eco-council or as house captains. Pupils learn about the importance of democracy and fairness. They understand and debate differing viewpoints.

A wide range of after-school clubs adds greatly to the richness of the curriculum. A high proportion of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, attend. Pupils particularly enjoy performing, sometimes singing at events in the community.

Pupils' engagement with charity work is exceptional. Such opportunities contribute to their deep understanding of social issues. For example, pupils showed an understanding of the reasons for poverty and famine in some developing countries.

The headteacher has established a strong sense of community, and established high expectations for all. Staff believe that leaders are always ready to listen to their views. They say leaders are considerate of their workload.

Subject leaders have worked hard to plan the curriculum. However, the pandemic has disrupted some foundation subject leaders' work to monitor how well teachers are putting the curriculum into effect.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in safeguarding. They provide updates to reflect changing circumstances. Staff are alert to the risks that pupils may face.

Leaders take the right actions to help children. They involve other agencies that work with children and their families when necessary. Teachers make sure that pupils learn about the risks that they may face, including when using the internet.

The school keeps the necessary safeguarding records. Leaders make the right checks on staff who join the school.

Pupils feel confident to talk to adults if they are worried.

This helps them to feel safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The key information that leaders expect pupils to know and remember is not sequenced well in some subjects. This sometimes limits pupils' ability to remember what they have learnt.

Leaders should ensure that the knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to learn is set out in a logical order. ? The disruption caused by the pandemic has restricted the scope for the leaders of foundation subjects to monitor the quality of their curriculum areas. Senior leaders should ensure all subject leaders check on and evaluate the implementation of the subjects for which they are responsible.