St Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly school in which pupils support one another and establish trusting relationships with staff. Leaders have emphasised the importance of the school's vision to 'let your light shine, live life to the full, respect and care for all, create a happy and safe world for everyone'. Pupils know the vision and demonstrate the values that it promotes.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well. They feel safe.

Pupils know the golden expectations, which include being kind, wearing a smile and working hard. Pupils enjoy earning rewards for their 'tree teams'. Staff recognise when pupils produce particularly good work or demonstrate conf...idence and resilience.

Pupils nominate one another for the 'pupil of the term' award.

Leaders ensure that there are wider opportunities available. Older pupils take part in a residential visit to Gulliver's Valley.

Children in the early years visit Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Pupils develop their leadership skills. They perform roles as class librarians and diversity champions.

Pupils can be members of the eco-committee. Some pupils take part in sporting clubs, including football and cricket. Some parents and carers say they would appreciate more opportunities for their children to take part in clubs.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. Subject leaders have considered the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn and in what order. In some subjects, leaders have not clearly outlined the connection between the knowledge pupils should learn and the skills they should acquire as a result.

Leaders have not yet ensured that there are robust monitoring processes in place to enable all subject leaders to evaluate the teaching in the subjects they lead.

In the early years, leaders have established a well-sequenced curriculum. Children can remember what they have learned.

For example, they can recall their learning about animals, including amphibians. Staff help children to become resilient and develop teamwork skills.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They model for pupils how to think about the subjects they are studying. In some subjects, pupils work independently to develop their knowledge. Most pupils build their knowledge over time.

In most subjects, teachers follow clear systems to check pupils' learning over time. However, in lessons, some teachers do not always rigorously check all pupils' understanding. They do not always move pupils on to new learning at the most appropriate point.

In some subjects, leaders are introducing new ways of checking pupils' understanding over time. Teachers are not yet able to check all pupils' learning over time precisely in these subjects.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They know that the ability to read will help pupils to learn successfully in all lessons. Children in the early years get off to a good start. Staff have been well trained.

They help children to become accurate readers quickly. Pupils read a variety of texts. They read books by authors from various cultural backgrounds.

Pupils enjoy reading. They can talk about the reading skills they have learned, such as summarising and predicting.

Staff quickly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In most lessons, teachers and staff break learning down into manageable steps. They sometimes break this learning down further for pupils with SEND and those who need extra help. Staff support those with the most complex needs using a range of effective strategies.

This enables pupils with SEND to study the same curriculum as their peers and develop their knowledge well.

Pupils are calm and attentive in their lessons. They are keen to complete their work to the best of their ability.

Pupils interact positively with one another during social times. Leaders do not yet evaluate trends in pupils' behaviour or the impact of their strategies to further improve attendance.

Pupils study a well-organised personal, social and health education curriculum.

They learn about respecting themselves, physical health and mental well-being. Leaders ensure that pupils study cultures and beliefs different from their own. Pupils are knowledgeable about British values and protected characteristics.

Staff create opportunities for pupils to debate and discuss important issues.

Governors are working with the local authority to develop the systems they have in place to monitor the school's provision. They have established links with curriculum leaders.

They do not yet provide precise challenge to leaders about the curriculum.

Staff speak very highly of the leadership within the school. They feel well supported.

They say that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff have the opportunity to complete training. Leaders do not always ensure that staff complete training focused on their precise professional needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know that the first responsibility of all staff is to keep pupils safe. Staff complete annual training at the beginning of the academic year.

They receive regular updates about the latest priorities and best practice. All staff know how to identify and report safeguarding concerns.

Leaders work effectively with wider agencies.

They share information as appropriate with staff, parents and wider agencies to keep pupils safe.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. They confidently explain what they know about online safety and water safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that curriculums clearly outline the relationship between knowledge and skills. As a result, teachers do not always ensure that lessons focus on the most important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. This can lead to pupils not having as secure a grasp as they could of the knowledge and skills they are developing.

Leaders should ensure that in all subjects, the curriculum enables pupils to consistently develop a secure understanding of the knowledge they are learning and the skills they are acquiring. ? In some subjects, there are not yet precise assessment systems in place to check pupils' ongoing understanding of what they are learning. In these subjects, teachers cannot always identify precise gaps and misconceptions and help pupils resolve these fully.

Leaders should ensure that the necessary checks are in place that enable teachers in all subjects to identify and help resolve any gaps in pupils' understanding. ? Leaders at all levels do not yet review the effectiveness of their work to improve further all aspects of the school's provision. For example, leaders do not review how well their strategies to improve attendance are working.

Not all subject leaders have a precise-enough understanding of the impact of the implementation of the curriculum in their subject. As a consequence, leaders are not always able to identify priorities and areas in which the school should develop further. Leaders, including governors, should ensure that they have a precise understanding of all aspects of the provision so that they can quickly identify what needs to improve further, and then act promptly to bring about this improvement.

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