St Leonards, Heath and Reach, VA Lower School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and friendly school. Pupils are well cared for in a nurturing environment.

They know the school values, for example courage and compassion, which underpin what they do every day at school. Pupils enjoy learning about each of the school values and what they mean. Pupils celebrate demonstrating these values in assembly.

This ensures a positive environment for all, where pupils behave well.

Pupils enjoy their learning and are confident to share what they are doing. They know the importance of working hard and contributing to discussions.

Pupils enjoy learning as much as they can about a topic. As a result, pupils learn well.

Pupi...ls pride themselves on how inclusive the school is.

They go out of their way to take care of friends and welcome new pupils to the school. Pupils can sit on the 'rainbow bench' if they need a friend or want to join a game. Other pupils will support and involve them.'

Playground friends' lead and organise games for any pupils that want to play them. This helps develop pupils' leadership skills.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum that matches pupils' needs and interests.

In most subjects, pupils revisit important knowledge regularly, starting in early years, which helps them remember it. Teachers have detailed subject knowledge and use engaging ways to help pupils remember their learning. Pupils use songs and actions to help them remember key knowledge, such as the names and location of the continents.

Teachers use questioning well to check pupils' understanding.

In a few subjects, these strengths are not as evident. In these subjects, teachers do not revisit important knowledge routinely.

As a result, pupils struggle to recall and build on what they have learned previously. Leaders are developing new curriculum plans in these subjects. These changes are not fully complete and not yet helping pupils remember important knowledge.

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. Staff make adaptations to activities and the curriculum to help pupils with SEND learn key knowledge. Staff receive regular and varied training that develops their expertise to expertly teach pupils with SEND.

The school seeks appropriate advice and guidance from external professionals. All of this ensures that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum alongside their peers successfully.

The school emphasises the importance of being able to read well.

This starts in the early years. Children begin to learn phonics from when they start in Reception. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning.

This helps them to practise and learn the sounds. Pupils read every day. They enjoy reading for pleasure, story time with the teacher or reading in a variety subjects.

The school encourages parents to read with their children at home. Those pupils who fall behind with reading receive additional support. As a result, they make good progress and catch up.

From the very start in early years, the school ensures that pupils know the high expectations staff have of behaviour. Pupils enjoy gaining rewards for meeting expectations. Most pupils attend well.

The school works hard to build relationships with families and pupils to overcome any barriers to good attendance.

The school promotes pupils' personal development well. A well-planned personal, social and health education curriculum supports this.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, including online. They learn about healthy relationships, as well as how to stay physically and mentally healthy. Pupils know that there is always someone to help them if needed.

They know how they can get this by asking for talk time or writing to Leonard, a teddy bear in the library. Leonard replies to their letters, giving them advice.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They work in a supportive environment where they can ask anyone for help, guidance or advice. The school considers staff workload and well-being carefully. Governors have an effective oversight of the school.

They know the priorities of the school and ensure they work with leaders to achieve them.

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 foundation subjects, the curriculum is new and still developing.

The curriculum in these subjects is not always taught consistently well. Therefore, pupils sometimes do not remember important subject knowledge or use this to build effectively on previous learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum is taught as intended, and effectively, in all subjects.

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