St Luke’s CofE First School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe because of the kind and nurturing care they receive from staff. Pupils wear smiles on their faces as they walk around school and at playtimes, and they value their friendships. Parents agree that their children enjoy school and appreciate the support their children receive.

Many parents now encourage others in their community to choose this school for their children.

Pupils behave well and are increasingly involved in making decisions at their school.For example, they act as worship warriors and well-being champions and feel that holding such responsibilities means they can help others.

Pupils uphold the school values of trust, ...forgiveness and hope, and can confidently explain why such values are important in their lives.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both in the real world and online. They know to seek the support of a trusted adult if they have worries or concerns.

They are increasingly showing resilience when faced with challenges and are becoming more independent in their learning.

The wider development of pupils beyond the classroom is supporting pupils to develop talents and interests. Opportunities to learn sign language, mindfulness and engage in clubs such as dodgeball are things pupils most enjoy.

Trips to museums, sea life centres and a mosque help to bring learning to life for many.

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

There have been significant changes in the last few years. The school, supported by a dedicated team of staff, is ensuring that the decisions they make to improve this school are in the best interests of pupils and families.

The school listens to parents' views and have responded to their ideas about how to improve this school further. Parents are now invited regularly to find out how they can best support their children at home. A newly formed governing body is supporting improvements to provision.

However, they are not yet fully effectively holding the school to account to further improve the quality of education.

Learning sequences in most subjects have been revised. The school has thought carefully about the knowledge they want pupils to learn, with pupils demonstrating that they know and can do more.

In some subjects, staff check on what pupils remember and are linking this to new learning. Staff are well trained to deliver the curriculum and feel well supported by the school's leaders, who manage their workload and support them when they face challenges.

Children in the early years are getting off to a good start.

They begin to learn to read from the first days in school. Children love learning in the outdoor areas. Forest school is a place where they learn to take turns, problem-solve and develop their communication skills.

They are supported by adults who know them well and are passionate about bringing learning to life. Children respond by showing awe and wonder and a thirst for understanding the world around them.

Most pupils learn to read by the end of key stage 1.

The teaching of phonics is now being delivered consistently well and in line with expectations. This is helping pupils to pronounce sounds more accurately. The school develops pupils' love of reading by recommending stories and authors to them.

They provide good quality books from different time periods, cultures and from a range of text types. Some of the weakest readers, however, are not able to read fluently and do not have sufficient support to develop their language comprehension. This, for some, affects their understanding and enjoyment.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are increasingly well supported. The school works alongside an adviser to address the gaps that existed in the systems to support pupils with SEND. The school is now more accurately identifying pupils who require help.

Staff are trained to make adaptations to learning opportunities. When delivered as intended, these enable pupils to access the same learning as their peers. However, some learning support plans do not always identify precisely what is required to address barriers to learning, and the school is not measuring the impact of this support effectively.

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and understand that the rules of being ready, respectful and safe are in place to make the school a nice place to be. Pupils are inclusive and know the importance of being tolerant towards others. They learn about different cultures and faiths and that being different is something to be celebrated.

Leaders at all levels know that there is still more work to do to improve the quality of education at this school so that all pupils fulfil their academic potential. They are working effectively with those who are supporting them to do so and are receptive to new ways of doing things.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A newly formed governing body are still developing their understanding of how to hold the school to account effectively. As a result, they do not always focus on measuring improvement in key areas of the school's provision. The school should ensure that all governing body members are supported to be able to hold the school to account effectively.

• Some of the weakest readers are not supported to read fluently or develop their language comprehension skills sufficiently well. This affects their enjoyment and understanding of what they are reading and slows the progress they make. The school should ensure that all staff are trained to develop pupils' reading fluency and language comprehension skills.

• Some support plans for pupils with SEND are not precisely matched to specific areas of need and the impact of this support is not always measured effectively. As a result, some pupils with SEND are not receiving the support required for them to access learning and make progress. The school should ensure that plans match the precise learning needs and that the impact of actions and support are monitored effectively.

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