St Luke’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a family feel at St Luke's because everyone looks after each other. Pupils are happy and get on well together.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. Pupils do not always understand what bullying is. However, they are confident that staff will always sort out any issues or concerns they have.

Leaders want every pupil to enjoy school and do well. Staff are improving the range of lessons on offer. Pupils say this is making the curriculum more interesting.

Children enjoy the range of clubs and activities on offer at the school. Things like visits to London, gardening clubs, Viking days and sporting acti...vities are all carefully thought out to widen pupils' horizons.

Leaders strive to involve all parents and carers in their children's learning.

Staff visit every pupil at home before they start school. The school provides opportunities for parents to understand more about what their children learn. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that all children attend school regularly.

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

Leaders have continued to improve the school since the previous inspection. In some subjects, such as English, physical education (PE) and mathematics, the curriculum is carefully mapped out. This helps pupils to build their knowledge over time.

For example, mathematics leaders worked with experts to identify how to improve the curriculum. Now more attention is given to what pupils need to learn and the best ways for teachers to get this across. This could be seen in the Reception class where children were solving and recording complicated mathematics problems.

These improvements are successfully deepening pupils' understanding of mathematics.

Leaders are developing a new curriculum. This means that not all subjects have been as carefully planned as mathematics at this point.

In some subjects, long-term plans are not detailed enough to ensure that pupils' knowledge grows over time. Planning leaves too much to the discretion of individual teachers. For example, in history plans do not make clear how teachers should develop pupils' understanding of ideas such as continuity and change.

In subjects where plans are more detailed, staff are not always identifying gaps in pupils' knowledge. The Reception curriculum is not yet fully joined up with the learning that children will encounter later in the school. For example, not all pupils in the Reception class are given the help they need to form their letters and numbers accurately.

Leaders are aware of these issues and it is clear from their actions that this work is under way. Because of the work so far, pupils are already learning more and, importantly, attending school more regularly.

Leaders are determined that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, will succeed.

Their efforts can be seen in the drive to improve the curriculum for all pupils. Leaders understand how important reading is and have prioritised it for the youngest pupils. Daily phonics sessions happen from the start of the Reception class for all children, including those with more complex needs.

As a result, most pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Almost every pupil reaches the standard by the end of Year 2. If pupils fall behind in their reading they get extra support: this helps them catch up quickly.

Leaders make sure that younger pupils regularly read books that match their phonics knowledge. Children have daily phonic sessions from the start of Reception that are closely linked to writing and spelling. However, the focus on reading in key stage 2 is not as strong as it is for younger pupils.

While most older pupils are able to read with fluency, they do not always have the vocabulary they need to understand the meaning of the words they read. Although plans are in place to develop pupils' vocabulary, it is too early to see any impact.

Pupils' behaviour is good across the school.

Pupils have regular opportunities to think about important aspects of life. This allows them to reflect on notions such as mutual respect, tolerance and the rule of law. Pupils' attendance has improved and is now at least in line with the national average.

Pupils work hard and cooperate well. They are keen to learn new things. Parents say their children feel safe and happy in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding, with strong systems to keep pupils safe. There are rigorous checks in place to assure the suitability of staff to work with children.

Staff are well trained in safeguarding procedures. They know what to do if they have a concern. School records show that the school responds immediately if staff have identified a problem.

The curriculum includes opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes being safe when pupils are online, crossing the road or in the water.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is not planned well enough in some subjects.

In these subjects, the curriculum is not mapped out with enough detail to help teachers know how to build pupils' knowledge more effectively over time. Leaders must devise effective plans for every subject and ensure that these are implemented throughout the school. They must also ensure that all pupils have the prior knowledge they need to access this new, more demanding, curriculum.

For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied in this case. It is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing about the necessary changes. However, there remains much more work to do.

. The teaching of early reading has improved since the last inspection. Leaders should now make sure that older pupils develop the vocabulary they need to read and understand more complicated texts.

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