The Leasingham St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Leasingham St Andrew's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This a school where the ambition for every child to succeed is a priority.

The school's vision of 'Everything we do, everything we say, everything we are about must ultimately be for the children' is a golden thread that runs through the school's work.

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy the enrichment opportunities on offer, especially reading to Fudge, the reading dog.

This is an inclusive school that prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. Parents, carers, staff and pupils strongly feel that this school is like a family ...where everyone is welcome. As one pupil said: 'We are kind of like a family and get to share all our news.'



Behaviour across the school is exemplary. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils are courteous.

They hold doors for adults and each other. Pupils enjoy the range of 'jobs' on offer, such as the mini police, house captains, subject ambassadors and representatives on the school council. The pupils are chosen for these roles democratically.

Playtimes are social occasions where Year 6 'buddies' support younger children and enjoy being role models. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that when it does happen, it is sorted quickly by adults from 'our school family'. Pupils say that they feel safe.

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

Reading is a high priority in this school. The phonics programme is well established and all staff have received training. Teachers support pupils to become confident and fluent readers.

Books are mostly well matched to pupils' abilities. Leaders provide a range of interventions if pupils fall behind. The three strands of learning to read, reading for purpose and reading for pleasure are threaded into the curriculum.

Pupils experience different books to increase their confidence and reading fluency. They also read books to develop their understanding of cultural capital and to celebrate equality.

The curriculum is well sequenced and key knowledge is revisited to help pupils understand what they have been taught.

In some subjects, leaders are continuing to refine the curriculum even further. Leaders have ensured that revisiting prior learning forms a key part of most lessons. Teachers quickly address pupils' misconceptions when they appear.

Curriculum thinking sets out ambitious vocabulary to ensure that pupils experience a wide range of words. Pupils find it helpful to practise their calculations in mathematics lessons. As one pupil said: 'Going over the calculations helps me nail it into my brain so that it becomes comfortable.'

In a small number of lessons, however, this is not always the case. Teachers do not always check what pupils know and remember about their learning.

Children in the early years begin with a strong start.

The curriculum is well planned and carefully sequenced. The learning environment is rich and inviting. Leaders ensure that there is a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities across indoor and outdoor areas.

Leaders prioritise phonics and number learning. Pupils learn about different festivals, such as Chinese New Year, so that they find out about the world around them.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Plans are shared with all the relevant staff and agencies and carefully evaluated. Leaders are ambitious that the school's provision for pupils with SEND is always developing. Leaders have rightly recognised that some pupils' plans are not precise or reviewed regularly enough.

Leaders are refining their systems for gathering pupils' and parents' views in the plans.

The service children and families benefit from a personalised offer, including the involvement of the Little Troopers charity to support mindfulness when parents are on detachment.

Pupils' knowledge of different faiths and beliefs is strong.

They understand the importance of celebrating differences. Pupils know the school's values and model them throughout the school day. Pupils know and understand the British values.

One pupil said: 'They are values that we have in Britain that make everyone equal.'

Parents are extremely supportive of the school's work. They recognise that pupils 'are known and everything that the school does is for the children'.

Every parent who completed the online survey said that they would recommend the school to others. One parent stated: 'This is a fantastic school with great and approachable leaders. It has a real sense of family.'

Many parents highlighted the approachable staff when sharing their views.

Governors have an accurate and comprehensive view of the school. They use their skills to share roles and responsibilities.

Governors understand the importance of safeguarding and their statutory duty to the Equality Act 2010. Governors hold leaders to account and share the same high ambition for every pupil. Staff feel proud to work at this school.

They value the leaders, and the shared sense of teamwork.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff and governors understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

Leaders ensure that all staff have comprehensive and up-to-date training. They are knowledgeable about how to spot any signs that pupils might need help. Records are detailed and show swift actions when needed.

Leaders complete all the required checks on the suitability of staff to work in the school.

Pupils feel safe and know where to go if they have a concern. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe.

The curriculum ensures that pupils learn how to stay safe online, in the community and when swimming or cycling.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of lessons, teachers do not carry out precise checks on what pupils already know and can do. Sometimes, pupils spend too long on work that they can already do.

This means that some pupils are not progressing as quickly as they might through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that approaches to assessment consistently assist teachers in determining clear next steps for pupils without causing unnecessary burdens for staff and pupils. ? Leaders are rightly prioritising the development of SEND provision and making the plans more precise.

Some pupils need to know their targets more clearly so that they know how to improve. Leaders must build on the work they have already begun and ensure that pupils' targets are evaluated regularly with all stakeholders.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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2012.

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