St Luke’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Luke's CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the wide range of activities and clubs that are available to them. They take pride in the roles that they play in school. The school councillors are supported by their own cabinet office, which includes an elected Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Pupils know how they can make a positive contribution to the school. They enjoy playing on the school's bus on the playground, but very much look forward to the end of COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions so that they can all return to this fully.

Behaviour in the school is go...od.

Pupils are courteous and respectful to adults and each other. They are attentive during lessons. Staff provide good support for pupils who need help to follow the school's rules.

Teachers make learning lively and interesting. Teachers make good links across subjects so that pupils can connect their learning. When working on a topic, pupils know what subject they are learning about.

Staff and the majority of parents are positive about the school. Staff say the school is a family. One parent summed up many when she told the inspector that: 'Staff at the school are caring and focus on the wider development of children'.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have planned what pupils will learn in each subject during the academic year. The curriculum is enriched by experiences that prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

Pupils have participated in opera, ballet and taken part in musical events from a wide range of cultures. Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities in the arts and sports.

The mathematics curriculum sets out what pupils should know and remember week by week.

Content is well ordered and revisited regularly. As a result, pupils remember what they have learned over time. Pupils talk confidently about their work and explain how they have solved problems.

In science, leaders' plans set out clearly what pupils need to learn each academic year. Subject leaders check that the planned curriculum is being taught and remembered by pupils. In subjects other than English and mathematics, leaders are reviewing and refining the order in which the content is taught each term with teachers.

This is intended to support pupils in being able to know more and remember more of the curriculum content.

The early years curriculum is well planned. It sets out what pupils will learn and when.

The early years leader provides learning sessions that are engaging. During the inspection, children were excited to tell the inspector about their erupting volcano and their dig for dinosaur bones. However, it is not clear how children in the early years are prepared for the full range of subjects that they will study in key stage one.

Subject leaders have not planned how their subject begins in the early years.

Teaching reading is a priority. The school's phonics programme is well organised.

Pupils who begin to fall behind are given extra help to keep up. A love of reading is promoted. Teachers regularly read to pupils using a wide range of genres.

Pupils read regularly at home and school.

The school is inclusive. It extends a warm welcome to all pupils.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Leaders think carefully about the type of help that these pupils need. Staff work well with other agencies to make sure everyone helps in the right way.

The school does well at helping pupils who find behaviour challenging. Some of these pupils have struggled at other settings. Over time, leaders help them to follow the schools' rules.

Pupils, staff and the majority of parents say that behaviour is good. This matches what the inspector saw. However, some parents are concerned that they are not fully informed about incidents of poor behaviour when they do occur.

Leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school. A typical comment to the inspector was, 'We're lucky to work here.

It's a family'.

The governing body is highly skilled and knows the school well. Governors understand their responsibilities and they work systemically to carry these out.

Governors make regular checks on how funds are used. They frequently check to make sure that leaders are doing everything they should to keep pupils safe. The governing body prioritises the well-being of staff and pupils.

They have been in regular touch during the pandemic to make sure that all are well. The governing body provides a good balance of challenge and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is given the highest priority. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and promptly pass on any concerns they have. Leaders follow these up, working with other agencies where needed.

Leaders have bought the services of a family liaison team. This is used to give pupils and their families any help they need at an early stage.

Employment checks are robust and meet statutory requirements.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Subject leaders have set out clear plans of the curriculum content that needs to be covered each academic year. Subject leaders responsible for subjects other than English and mathematics, should work with teachers to review and refine the curriculum further. This is to determine the best sequence possible to support pupils in being able to know and remember more of the content in these subjects.

• Subject leaders do not fully understand how their subject starts in the early years. It is not clear how children in the early years are prepared to study the full range of subjects in key stage one and beyond. Subject leaders should ensure that subject plans set out more clearly what pupils will learn in the early years to prepare them for learning the full range of subjects in key stage 1.

• Some parents say that they are not kept informed about incidents of poor behaviour. This results in some parental dissatisfaction about the school. Leaders should strengthen the way that they communicate with parents about behaviour.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection.

However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2016