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?

St Luke's CofE Primary School is a small, welcoming school community that is built on the core values of hope, peace, love and joy.

The relationships between staff and pupils are strong and there is a culture of care. This helps pupils and children to feel safe in school.

Staff gently nurture pupils and children.

Pupils live up to leaders' high expectations. They are proud of their school and happy to attend each day. Pupils, including children in the early years, understand their worth and the part that they play in the school.

Pupils explained to inspecto...rs that they look for the best in everyone.

Pupils understand the school's motto of 'ready, respectful, safe' and they arrive at their lessons eager to learn. They are supportive of one another.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and achieve well.

Leaders take preventive measures to stop bullying. If it does happen, leaders take swift and effective action, offering appropriate support for pupils and their families.

Pupils value the support that they receive from staff.

Pupils are considerate and serve each other well. For example, they enjoy preparing the hall in readiness for assemblies by putting out benches for their peers and sweeping the floor.

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

In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the curriculum and how it is organised from the early years to Year 6. All pupils, including those with SEND, access the same ambitious curriculum.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They choose appropriate activities that help the pupils practise and consolidate their learning. Teachers regularly check what pupils have learned and remembered. Teachers use this information to refine the curriculum and design learning so that any gaps in pupils' understanding are filled.

In most subjects, leaders have identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. This supports teachers to design learning for pupils, emphasising the knowledge that pupils should remember. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders are not as clear about the knowledge that pupils should know and remember.

This hinders teachers from designing learning. As a result, some pupils struggle to recall important facts and understand concepts.

Reading is the bedrock of the curriculum.

Children in the Reception class begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. Pupils, including children in the early years, read books that are well matched to the sounds that they have learned. Staff regularly check pupils' and children's phonic knowledge.

This allows staff to identify those pupils who need additional support. Those pupils and children that fall behind in reading receive extra support to help them to keep up with the rest of the class. Older pupils read confidently and fluently.

They share their love of reading and often recommend books to each other. During the inspection, pupils spoke excitedly about a recent author visit.

There is very little low-level disruption in lessons.

This is due to teachers' skilful management of pupils' behaviour and the support of pastoral staff. The strong relationships that staff have forged with pupils create an environment that is ripe for learning.

Leaders have a clear overview of pupils' wider development.

They consider carefully how pupils need to be prepared for the next stage, and ultimately for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils learn about different cultures and traditions. Leaders have fostered an environment of mutual respect and kindness.

Daily worship sessions help to unite the school community, and pupils value the reflection time that this affords them. There is a vast array of clubs on offer for pupils to enjoy such as cricket and art club. Pupils are keen to talk about their sporting successes and the trophies that they have won.

Leaders identify quickly those pupils with SEND and this group of pupils receive appropriate support from staff. Leaders have ensured that staff use information about pupils' additional needs well to adapt how they deliver the curriculum for pupils with SEND. This group of pupils are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Staff said that they are happy and proud to be a part of the St Luke's family. Leaders are considerate of the workload of staff and care about their well-being.

Members of the governing body have an accurate overview of the quality of education for pupils. They play a supportive role and provide an appropriate level of challenge when needed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have robust safeguarding procedures in place. They ensure that all staff, pupils and visitors to the school understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Leaders and staff remain alert to any safeguarding concerns and they are confident in how to report them.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies such as the local authority. When needed, they take appropriate action to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive appropriate support.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

For example, they are alert to the potential dangers of open water and how to stay safe when walking and cycling in the local community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders are not clear enough about the knowledge that pupils and children should learn. This hinders some teachers from designing learning for pupils.

As a result, pupils do not develop a deep enough understanding of some aspects of the curriculum. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils should learn so that they can design learning appropriately.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.