West Lodge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide great care and nurture for all pupils.

Pupils here are very happy and kept safe. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps pupils to achieve highly and be ready for their next stages of education.

Pupils are articulate, confident and self-assured.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Staff ensure that they have clear routines in place which are consistently understood by all.

Pupils follow staff's high expectations. They are polite and courteous. Working relationships between staff and pupils are excellent.

Leaders do not tolerate any bullyi...ng and deal with any incidents seriously.

Leaders encourage pupils to respect and understand differences. For example, the 'annual festival of light' helps pupils to explore different faiths and beliefs.

Pupils have access to a wide variety of enrichment opportunities. These include many extra-curricular clubs, such as cricket, dance and robotics. Parents and carers valued these experiences on offer.

They were overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Leaders help pupils to take on wider responsibilities. For instance, pupils took their roles as playground assistants, digital leaders and house captains seriously.

Leaders help pupils to consider how to help the environment, including through sustainability.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum offer for pupils across all subjects. They consider the key knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn and when.

Subject leaders think carefully about the subject-specific skills they want pupils to gain. For instance, in science, pupils develop strong scientific knowledge before they undertake practical work. This helped pupils in Year 4 to draw careful conclusions about the impact of different liquids on teeth.

Teachers check pupils' understanding regularly. They identify any misconceptions in pupils' understanding and address these effectively. Leaders ensure that teachers have strong subject expertise to help pupils build a deep body of knowledge.

For example, in French, Year 5 pupils used spoken vocabulary well to describe themselves and their families.

In mathematics, teachers build on pupils' prior learning well. This helps pupils to develop fluency and problem-solving skills confidently.

In early years, children develop across all areas of learning well. Sometimes adults' interactions in Reception do not deepen children's communication and language skills as well as they should.

Leaders have a consistent and well-developed approach to reading across the school.

They consider a range of high-quality texts for pupils to read, including traditional tales in early years. Leaders identify pupils who fall behind in reading through regular assessments. They support these pupils to catch up quickly so that they become fluent and confident readers.

However, in Reception, weaker readers do not receive as precise support to help them keep up with the phonics programme. This is because staff do not address children's phonics misconceptions sharply enough. Leaders have worked diligently to provide additional support for staff to improve consistency in early years phonics teaching.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. They work closely with specialists so that they provide pupils with bespoke support. Staff know pupils' individual needs well.

They consider the resources to use to help pupils with SEND carefully. This includes those pupils with complex needs.

The school is a calm and orderly environment, where pupils attend regularly.

Pupils enjoy their playtimes, where they behave extremely well and support each other. Teachers encourage pupils to have highly positive attitudes toward learning. Pupils focus very well in lessons and do not disrupt learning.

In early years, staff support children to follow routines and take turns.

Leaders provide excellent opportunities to develop pupils' character. They encourage pupils to raise funds for charities and support others.

Leaders promote pupils' physical and mental health development. For instance, regular mindfulness sessions help pupils to concentrate and reflect. Pupils have many opportunities to play musical instruments and take part in musical productions.

An ambitious personal, social, health and economic programme helps pupils to develop a deep understanding of equality.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas to improve. They work highly effectively to continue to strengthen all areas of the school.

Those responsible for governance have a deep and detailed understanding of the school's work. They have strong strategic oversight of their responsibilities and provide very strong challenge and support. Leaders provide staff with well-planned opportunities for professional development.

Staff are proud to work at the school and spoke highly of how leaders supported their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding.

All staff are well trained and know how to identify and report any concerns. Leaders work closely with external agencies to provide support for families. They deal with any concerns swiftly.

Leaders have a detailed understanding of vulnerable pupils and provide timely and effective help.

Pupils are taught about how to keep safe, including online. Leaders support pupils to learn about healthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate way.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In Reception, staff do not ensure that children's phonics misconceptions are addressed sharply enough. This means that the weakest readers do not segment and blend words as accurately or quickly as they could. Leaders should continue with their positive work to ensure that all Reception staff check and help children to read with accuracy and confidence.

• Sometimes, adults' interactions in Reception do not help children to develop their communication and language skills effectively. This leads to some children not building a deep body of knowledge and vocabulary across all areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that all staff in Reception have highly-developed skills to use interactions with children to deepen their learning.

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