Lubenham All Saints Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • more frequently gathering the views of parents to inform plans for improvement
  • refining strategic plans so that measures for success are sharp, enabling governors to hold leaders more precisely to account for the impact of the school’s work on pupils’ outcomes.
• Improve the quality of teaching and accelerate pupil progress by:
  • refining the accuracy of assessment, particularly in reading and writing to inform planning
  • raising aspirations for all pupils so that a greater proportion of them achieve the highest levels of learning
  • providing greater levels of challenge for the most able pupils
  • improving the quality of pupils’ presentation and handwriting and their use of grammar.
• Improve the effectiveness of the early years by:
  • ensuring that the environment continues to be developed so that it contains rich and imaginative learning opportunities for all children
  • continuing to foster highly effective relationships with parents to establish strong bonds between home and school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have led the school through significant changes with determination and resolve. Lubenham is a good and improving school. There is a calm, orderly and welcoming environment where everyone is valued. There is a shared determination to achieve the very best for pupils’ learning and development.
• The executive headteacher has been instrumental in creating a nurturing yet ambitious community. Her strength of character and commitment to raise aspirations are valued. Her drive, combined with a re-invigorated governing body and effective support from the multi-academy trust, has brought about substantial and sustained improvement in all areas of school life.
• Leaders have developed a curriculum that is securing good progress for pupils across a range of subjects. Pupils enjoy the topics, visits, visitors and special events which make their learning exciting and fun. During the inspection, younger pupils experienced ice-cream tasting of unusual flavours to instil inspiration for their writing. A visit from a relative of a World War II survivor provided invaluable historical context for the older pupils.
• Other activities, clubs and curriculum visits enhance pupils’ wider development and are a huge part of school life. These include joint curriculum projects with their partner school such as Tudor Day and a planned residential visit to Norfolk.
• The additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used appropriately to help them make similar progress to their peers. This extends to buying resources that pupils can use at home as well as support with funding educational visits. Increased analysis of the barriers to learning has helped teachers to identify how they can accelerate learning and improve academic outcomes for this group of pupils.
• Sports premium funding is used effectively to widen pupil experiences of different sports and activities. Increased access to collaborative events is helping pupils develop a sense of the wider community and pride in representing their school.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Leaders’ work to promote equality, challenge discrimination and develop pupils’ understanding of modern Britain is successful. The curriculum provides a wealth of opportunity for pupils to learn about the world around them and staff encourage open and honest debate to enable pupils to gain an informed, balanced view of global events. Learning about different cultures and faiths is enhanced by visits to places of worship. How laws are made and acquiring an understanding of democracy are brought to life for the pupils. The work of the school council, lunchtime games makers, ‘Green Team’ and a future visit to the Houses of Parliament are just a few of the many opportunities organised to develop citizenship.
• Leaders of English and mathematics are articulate in explaining their actions to improve the quality of teaching and the extent to which this has made a positive difference to pupils’ progress. Staff are keen to improve their practice; for example, by reading research papers to identify new approaches to teaching that can be used within the school.
• Leaders acknowledge that the trust has been providing effective support and that they are enjoying working with other schools and professionals within and beyond the multi-academy trust. There is a strong research culture embedded in the school. This has helped to develop the skills of teachers in becoming more accurate in assessing pupils’ work through the moderation process with a wide range of colleagues.
• Most parents are very positive about the work of the school, stressing in particular their appreciation of the school’s nurturing ‘family feel’. They also praised the approachable staff who are committed to ensuring that all pupils progress well and are happy. One parent explained how a member of staff made a ‘dream catcher’ with her child to get rid of her nasty dreams. Parents are becoming increasingly involved in supporting their child at home following training events in school.
• Assessment procedures are robust. A wide range of monitoring takes place during the year by school staff and other colleagues across the multi-academy trust to ensure that pupils progress well. Assessment information is analysed by governors as well as the trust to ensure that school leaders are effectively challenged. However, further work is needed to ensure that all staff are assessing each area of the curriculum accurately so that they can be more precise in challenging pupils, especially the most able.
• The SEN coordinator liaises appropriately with other agencies in pursuit of supporting the most vulnerable pupils in the school. She provides valuable guidance to teachers and families in improving provision and outcomes for these pupils.

Governance of the school

• The governance of the school is good. Since the previous inspection, governors have improved their skills, including holding the school to account. They are effectively supported and advised by the trust and are diligent in ensuring that policies and procedures are robust.
• Governors undergo regular training, effectively execute their responsibilities and duties and analyse information about pupil progress. They ask searching questions if pupils are not progressing well enough, including those pupils supported by pupil premium funding.
• Governors are frequently present in the school and are ambitious for the pupils of Lubenham. Governors would benefit from gathering the views of parents to inform strategic plans and accelerate school improvement. Plans for improvement do not have clear enough measures for success to enable governors to check if their actions are on track to being successful.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The culture of keeping pupils safe from harm pervades all aspects of school life. Staff undergo regular training and keep up to date with current legislation. They are knowledgeable about the potential signs of abuse and are aware of the dangers of extremism and radicalisation.
• Pupils say the staff know them well and are immediately aware if something is wrong. This ensures that pupils feel safe and protected in school. 


Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is much improved since the previous inspection. Teachers display good subject knowledge and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and engagement in lessons. Teachers are skilled in developing trusting relationships with pupils and are particularly successful in welcoming and including pupils new to the school and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Since the last inspection, teachers have worked hard to develop a consistent whole-school approach to giving pupils precise guidance about how to improve their work. This is working well in all classes. Pupils say that teachers give them prompts and break a problem down but they don’t tell them the answer. Pupils are clear that they need to think for themselves.
• Teachers assess pupils’ work with increasing accuracy. They have a good understanding of the expectations for each year group. They work closely with their partner schools to secure judgements about standards. Although most work is well matched to pupils’ needs, teachers do not always provide sufficient challenge to accelerate progress for all pupils, especially in reading and writing.
• Leaders have developed a strong culture of reading in the school. Pupils have developed a love of reading and talk enthusiastically about favourite authors and read well. They are given opportunities to develop their comprehension and inference skills as seen in their reading journals. Initiatives such as the ‘mystery reader’ and community reading events successfully inspire pupils to expand their reading material.
• Since the previous inspection, staff have responded well to training in phonics. Consequently, staff offer many opportunities for pupils to read and apply their phonic skills across a range of subjects.
• Leaders have drawn on research which has helped them improve the teaching of mathematics. This has partly been done by providing more time for pupils to receive individual support to develop their skills and understanding of mathematics.
• Teachers provide tasks that stimulate pupils to write in a range of styles. The detailed study of vocabulary is helping pupils develop language and apply this to their writing. There are some good examples of pupils writing extensively in subjects such as geography, history and science but more emphasis needs to be placed on accurate grammar and punctuation in all subjects. The school’s handwriting policy needs to be followed accurately to make sure that pupils present their work consistently well. 

• Teachers and support staff work as a cohesive team. They use their expertise to help pupils of all abilities, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, in their personal, social and academic achievements. Teaching assistants are fully involved in lessons and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. They ask pertinent questions to help pupils to do the best they can and to aid pupils’ understanding and good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is a strength of the school. As pupils proceed through the year groups, they learn to take a high level of responsibility for their behaviour and care for others and the world around them. They develop into thoughtful young citizens.
• Pupils relish the opportunity to take an active role in school life. The ‘Worship Team’ ensures that assemblies run smoothly and the ‘Green Team’ are proactive in caring for the environment, supported by the ‘Chicken Chiefs’ who are conscientious in their duties.
• Pupils develop their social skills as they discuss ideas together. Time spent watching news programmes and discussing national and international events helps them explore and develop their understanding of current affairs and society. There is a strong ethos of friendship and tolerance. Pupils demonstrate their ability to empathise with others from different cultures, backgrounds or lifestyles. As pupils explained, ‘even though people look different you should treat everybody the same’.
• Leaders’ and the school council’s work to promote awareness of bullying is highly effective. Pupils know what is and is not bullying and what to do if it happens. Pupils are designing a leaflet to promote anti-bullying but are adamant that there is no bullying in school.
• Pupils’ emotional growth and spiritual well-being is at the heart of the school’s ethos. Pupils are encouraged to be polite, kind, considerate, responsible and respectful to others at all times. During the inspection, pupils exhibited a myriad of values, which were particularly evident during the assembly led by the vicar. Pupil interaction and engagement showed how pupils’ spirituality is an integral part of their development.
• Outside, pupils enjoy a diverse environment for play and exploration. Adults are at hand and help initiate sports and games. ‘Sports Ambassadors’, ‘Superleaders’ and older pupils buddy up with younger ones to help them feel included. Clubs such as knitting, choir and games club provide interesting indoor experiences. 

• Pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe online. Pupils value the recent computing workshops which taught them the advantages and dangers associated with mobile devices and social networking.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and well mannered. Their conduct is good at all times of the day and around school. The majority of pupils are confident to express their opinions and respond quickly and appropriately to adults’ instructions.
• Pupils’ attendance is above average because they love coming to school where learning is fun. Leaders are proactive in ensuring that excellent attendance is recognised and celebrated. Where attendance is a concern, staff work closely with families and seek the guidance of other professionals such as the education welfare officer for support.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are mostly good. Sometimes where learning is incorrectly pitched to pupils’ abilities or needs, they take longer to complete their tasks. Pupils enjoy working towards achieving stickers in recognition of their good choices in connection with the school’s values. They are extremely motivated by the ‘EPIC’ achievement ladder. As one pupil explained, ‘you can go up as well as down the rungs, which is great’.
• The vast majority of parents consider that relationships between staff and pupils are extremely positive, that pupils behave well and want to come to school. Typical comments from parents are that staff go out of their way to help them, they are approachable and that all staff listen to them.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Since the previous inspection, pupils’ outcomes have improved and are now good.
• Pupils develop effective reading skills from an early age. The number of pupils meeting the expected standard in the national phonics check in Year 1 has increased since the previous inspection. Disadvantaged pupils have been given significant support to enable them to meet the required standard. Extra support for the small numbers of pupils who do not meet the standard in Year 1 helps them catch up and become confident readers. Pupils read widely at home and school and have well-developed comprehension skills.
• Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 has improved. There has been a steady increase over a three-year period in the number of pupils who attained the expected standards at the end of key stage 1, including disadvantaged pupils. Nonetheless, the proportion of pupils reaching the highest standard in reading, writing and mathematics is below the school’s target and this is a key priority for them.
• Pupils’ progress and outcomes for the last couple of years at the end of key stage 2 have been affected by the poor behaviour and disruption to learning by a small number of pupils. Pupils’ attitudes to learning have improved since that time and leaders have targeted resources and support for pupils currently in the upper juniors. This has enabled these pupils to catch up with missed learning and make accelerated progress. Evidence from lesson observations and work in books shows that the majority of pupils are working at the expected standard. Leaders are beginning to provide more challenging work for the most able pupils. However, this needs strengthening across classes so that more pupils reach the highest level of attainment.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities typically make good progress because of the high-quality support they receive in and beyond lessons.
• Despite the small numbers in the year groups, pupils are well prepared for secondary school and for becoming valued citizens in modern Britain. They leave school equipped with excellent social skills, a high sense of responsibility and a good understanding of the world around them. These attributes, together with their solid grasp of English and mathematics, prepare them for a successful transition to secondary school.
• Pupils typically achieve well in most subjects. Improvements in the curriculum in areas such as science and humanities have ensured good progress. Pupils benefit from many opportunities to engage in arts subjects. The quality of work is at times let down by the quality of presentation in some subjects. Pupils are not always encouraged to take the greatest pride in their work.

Early years provision Good

• Practice in the early years has significantly improved since the last inspection. This is because of the skilled and effective teaching the children receive from the teacher and other adults in the class.
• The majority of children enter the school with knowledge and skills typical for their age. Over the last three years there has been a marked improvement in the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. In 2017, most children were well prepared to start Year 1. Current children in the Reception Year are making good progress.
• Adults have high expectations of children’s behaviour. They lead by example and explain how to play and learn in the classroom and outdoors. Thus, children’s behaviour is extremely good.
• There is a calm but productive atmosphere in the classroom. Children show good levels of concentration and are attentive to the adults in the room. This is because activities are planned to match their interests. Reception children are taught with Year 1 pupils and the class teacher uses her extensive subject knowledge to ensure that provision for both year groups is effective. The teacher engages in a wide range of training and research with support from the trust. Her drive and determination to improve outcomes for pupils is tangible.
• During the inspection, children acted as scientists using a magnifying glass and discovering the materials of different objects. Adults asked pertinent questions, and children explored the objects discussing whether they were made from wood, metal or plastic. Children wrote a list of the materials and most of the writing was well-formed, legible and had clearly recognisable words.
• Positive relationships between children and adults ensure that children are motivated and are keen to engage in their learning. Children listen carefully to each other and to their teachers.
• Children are taught phonics in a systematic way using a variety of visual clues. The inspector observed children practising their letter sequences and reading and writing some tricky words. Each child’s understanding is carefully checked to make sure that they get the help needed to make good progress in reading and writing. The environment offers children lots of opportunities to read new and challenging words both inside and outside the classroom. 

• The teacher is confident and accurate in her systematic assessments. She has identified the need to ensure that the most able children make better progress and exceed the early learning goals and are taking steps to address this. Inspection evidence supports the view that half the children are on track to exceed the early learning goals, which is a good improvement on last year. Children who have SEN and/or disabilities receive a great deal of effective support to enable them to access the curriculum with their peers.
• Statutory arrangements to ensure that children are safe are all in place. Staff make sure children learn how to assess risks and stay safe. Adults are extremely proactive about ensuring that risks are identified and understood. They encourage pupils to come out of their comfort zone through ‘forest school’ activities and regular ‘welly-walks!’
• The learning environment, particularly the outdoor provision, has been greatly improved since the previous inspection. Pupils play outside safely and access a variety of resources independently. Considerable thought has been given to create space internally and allow children to move around the room more freely. Further investigation needs to be given to developing the curriculum to incorporate more active and independent learning opportunities. The leader of the early years is currently working on developing the learning environment further to ensure that a wider range of stimulating activities, supported by appropriate resources, is used to accelerate children’s progress at a faster pace.
• Arrangements for children starting school are effective, with several opportunities for children to become familiar with their new learning environment. The school has good links with parents, the church group, ‘Lubenham Lambs’, and other settings. The teacher is increasing the involvement of parents in their child’s learning through the ‘Kit-Kat Club’. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their child’s ‘learning journey’. Leaders acknowledge that gathering the views of parents on a regular basis will assist them in improving the learning environment and strengthen the communication between home and school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139864 Leicestershire 10041574 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 58 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Claire Stevens Heather White 01858 462 319 www.lubenham.leics.sch.uk headteacher@lubenham.leics.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3–4 March 2016

Information about this school

• The school became a converter academy in 2013 and is part of the Learn Academies Trust.
• The school is governed by a local governing board supported by the multi-academy trust and the board of trustees.
• The school is much smaller than the averaged-sized primary school.
• The large majority of pupils are White British. 

• The proportion of pupils who receive support for their SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average. 

• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed teaching in all year groups, some jointly with the headteacher. She observed the teaching of reading and listened to pupils reading. The inspector talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of their work.
• The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, several middle leaders, representatives of the governing body, including the chair, and the chief executive officer of the trust.
• The inspector spoke with parents informally at the start of the school day. The inspectors also considered the 22 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. There were no current comments on the free-text part of the survey and no responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupils’ survey.
• The inspector looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation of current performance and plans for improvement; the school’s most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the safeguarding, behaviour and attendance of pupils; and minutes from governing body meetings.

Inspection team

Kate Nash, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector