Lander Road Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching to enable a higher proportion of pupils to attain at greater depth, particularly the most able and in mathematics, by the time they reach the end of key stages 1 and 2.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Lander Road is a calm and purposeful school where teachers and pupils are confident to explore new and exciting areas of learning. Staff morale is high. Adults have excellent relationships with each other and pupils.
• The leadership and management of the school have been strengthened since the previous inspection and are very effective. The headteacher and senior leaders are extremely aspirational and very well organised. They have strong partnerships with parents, carers and the community, and ensure that pupils find their time at school enjoyable and productive.
• Together with the support of knowledgeable and committed governors, senior leaders successfully cater for pupils’ social, emotional and academic needs. Leaders have taken concerted action to make sure the quality of teaching and learning is at least good and continually improving.
• Subject leaders, including those responsible for English, mathematics, history, science and Spanish, play a key role in improving the quality of teaching and learning. All are highly appreciative of the professional development and training they receive, which help to improve their practice and management skills. Subject leaders monitor teaching in their respective subjects and check the quality of work in pupils’ books.
• Teachers new to the profession benefit from effective mentoring and support, provided by skilled and experienced senior leaders. Opportunities are available for staff to enhance their skills and pursue their interests in areas such as leadership and management and special educational needs.
• All staff know exactly what the school is aiming to achieve and are fully on board. Staff seek out good practice in other schools, from which they learn and which they tailor to Lander Road’s pupils’ and teachers’ needs. The school is a strategic partner in a teaching school alliance (The Oaks) and provides training for both student teachers and experienced practitioners.
• Teachers set challenging targets to improve pupils’ achievement and diminish the gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally. Additional funding, including the pupil premium, is spent highly effectively to raise standards for eligible pupils. Similarly, additional funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities helps these pupils to make good progress in a range of subjects.
• Reading, writing and mathematics are promoted well across the curriculum. Pupils know that no academic subject exists in insolation. This is most evident in science, history, geography and computing.
• Teachers’ and leaders’ work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a good understanding of the major world faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism, and have visited various places of worship, including a cathedral, mosque and Hindu temple. Pupils enjoy the theatre, visits to museums and galleries and their trips abroad, especially to Spain, where they can practise their linguistic skills.
• British values are promoted especially well. Pupils understand the importance of mutual respect and fair play, and have a deep empathy with those less fortunate than themselves. They regularly raise funds for worthy causes and enjoy putting democratic principles into practice. Pupils are proud of their British heritage and enthusiastically celebrate important national events, such as Remembrance Day.
• Additional funding for primary school physical education and sport is used effectively to increase pupils’ participation in sporting activities. Most after-school clubs for yoga, hockey, netball, golf and multi-sports are oversubscribed. Funding helps to develop the skills of staff in teaching sport and other physical activities, and encouraging pupils’ greater interest in competitive events. For example, the school’s football team, after being at the bottom of the local league for some time, has been at the top all year.
• All parents who spoke with inspectors, completed Parent View and the school’s own surveys of parents’ views, were highly positive about all aspects of the school, including their children’s safety, progress and well-being. Typically, parents commented, ‘I think this is an excellent school’, ‘Teachers make learning so much fun, with songs and dances as ways to learn’ and ‘My child is thriving academically.’
• The school receives ‘light-touch’ support from the local authority. However, in their endeavour to continually improve, senior leaders have commissioned various consultants to provide support and advice. This includes improving the quality of teaching in mathematics and sharpening improvement planning.

Governance of the school

• Several governors have considerable experience in education. They bring their experience, skill and knowledge to their role, and effectively challenge and support senior leaders. Parents bring their excellent knowledge of the community to the school, helping to create a well-rounded and highly effective governing body.
• Governors spend time in the school. They carry out learning walks, talk with pupils and observe teachers. Governors use the information they gather to ask searching questions in relation to pupils’ achievement, welfare and development, and the quality of teaching.
• Governors are forensic in their analysis of data. They know how well disadvantaged pupils are performing and question senior leaders about any group of pupils in danger of falling behind.
• Governors are trained well. They keep themselves abreast of developments in education. All have had ‘Prevent’ duty training, which is part of the government’s agenda to tackle radicalisation and extremism, and comprehensive safeguarding training.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of safeguarding matters and pupils’ personal, social and development needs. Senior leaders have created a culture in which pupils know they can disclose concerns.
• The school’s central record of checks on the suitability of staff to work with children is comprehensive and contains all the necessary information. This ensures that risks to pupils are minimised.
• All staff are familiar with the latest government guidelines on how to keep children safe. In addition, staff are trained well to recognise all forms of abuse and spot any pupils in need of help and support. Staff take prompt action on safeguarding matters and work with a range of parents and professionals to ensure that pupils feel secure and are kept safe. Designated safeguarding leaders are trained to a high standard.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Good-quality teaching, learning and assessment have been maintained since the previous inspection, and some aspects have improved. Across the school, teaching is at least good. As such, teaching supports pupils’ good and sustained progress in a wide range of subjects.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together. Teachers have a good understanding of pupils’ capabilities and use information on pupils’ past performance to plan interesting and stimulating learning activities.
• Teachers consistently apply the school’s feedback and assessment policy. Due to improvements in this area, almost all pupils know exactly what they need to do to improve their reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teachers regularly share their expertise. For example, in music, physical education (PE) and art, specialist teachers use their knowledge to develop the skills of other staff, including teaching assistants. This helps to ensure that all teachers have knowledge of current developments in various subjects.
• Teachers make learning interesting. They bring subjects to life, such as in history and geography, through visits to local and regional places of interest. In addition, teachers encourage pupils to pursue their interests and work with their families on extended projects. This results in well-researched and highly informative pieces of work.
• Teachers ensure that pupils have many opportunities to engage in cross-curricular activities in English, art, mathematics, design technology and geography. This is shown in pupils’ outstanding three-dimensional models of iconic Liverpool landmarks, carefully constructed fairytale castles and studies of the history of the Leeds to Liverpool canal.
• Teachers work well together to stimulate pupils’ quick thinking. This was evident in an upper key stage 2 class, where pupils were studying a poem which used rain as a metaphor to describe the writer’s feelings. Pupils demonstrated a deep understanding of literal and figurative speech and their good debating skills, as they dissected the poem line by line.
• Phonics teaching is highly effective. This was evident in Year 1. In one group, the teaching assistant encouraged pupils to sound out and read words such as, ‘five’, ‘hive’ and ‘lunch’. In another group, the teacher focused on developing pupils’ language, communication and expression. All pupils thoroughly enjoyed their learning and were highly praised for their efforts.
• Teachers’ approach to teaching mathematics is consistent and steadily improving, as teachers and teaching assistants sharpen pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts and how to solve problems. This was evident in a key stage 1 class where pupils were using the four operations (addition, division, multiplication and subtraction) to find missing numbers to complete number sequences. Pupils’ workbooks show that teaching in this area is good.
• In key stage 2, pupils are usually challenged in mathematics. For example, Year 6 pupils’ ability to express algebraic equations is good. In addition, most use their skills in mathematics well to work out various problems. However, books reveal that pupils, especially the most able, are not always fully challenged in mathematics to achieve to their absolute best.
• Occasionally, teachers miss opportunities to fully challenge pupils in other subjects, including reading and writing, with more demanding work. Senior leaders are well aware of this and are working hard with teachers to improve the proportion of pupils attaining at greater depth.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils have an excellent knowledge of what they need to do to improve their learning. They are resilient and not averse to failure. This is because they are encouraged to take risks and experiment with innovative ideas.
• Staff know pupils exceptionally well. This enables staff to offer tailored approaches to meet pupils’ specific needs and circumstances. Pupils who have experienced loss or bereavement, for example, can engage in quiet contemplation. They learn how to manage their feelings and emotions through the personal, social, health and citizenship aspects of the curriculum.
• Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they ‘loved’ the school because ‘this is our home’. Older pupils demonstrated a surprising level of maturity. Those who met with inspectors all agreed that at Lander Road, ‘you can leave your troubles at the door and put your imagination into a book’.
• Pupils have an outstanding appreciation of the importance of working together, this was demonstrated in a number of observations. In addition, pupils who spoke with inspectors said, ‘We work together when we get stuck, we enjoy helping each other out.’
• All pupils say they feel safe at school. They are supremely confident in sharing any concerns with any adult, secure in the knowledge that matters will always be ‘sorted out’ promptly. Pupils insist that there is no bullying in school. This includes those in Year 6 who came to the school as two-year-olds. Typically, if there are ‘fall-outs’ or differences of opinion, ‘We always shake hands, sometimes hug, and always apologise.’
• Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities. Without prompting, Year 6 pupils lead Reception and Nursery children to class and assembly. Pupils organise the lunchtime book club, which is currently celebrating the work of Jaqueline Wilson, monitor school entrances and help around the school. The school does not have a school council, but rather working parties formed to tackle specific issues.
• The school runs regular workshops for pupils and parents on the potential dangers of using the internet. All know that social media accounts should be on privacy settings. Pupils’ excellent understanding of cyber bullying was recently enhanced through their participation in a theatre in education workshop called, ‘Look Before You Click’.
• Senior leaders work very effectively in partnership with the local police. The school recently participated in a project focusing on the dangers of riding on scrambler bikes. Members of the fire and community police services regularly come into school to talk with pupils about dangers, risks and unsafe situations.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are extremely proud of their recently refurbished school, with its ‘grown-up’ areas where pupils can relax, read, catch up with their friends and run clubs. Pupils are highly appreciative of their key stages 1 and 2 libraries, which pupils describe as ‘excellent’.
• Pupils are impeccably behaved when moving around the school. They are courteous and welcoming to visitors. Pupils play safely during break and ensure that lunchtimes are calm, peaceful affairs.
• Parents are highly positive about behaviour. All who completed Parent View and sent in text messages were of the view that behaviour is good. All staff and governors are also of this opinion. Hardly any incidents of poor behaviour are recorded in the school log. Exclusions are exceptionally rare and there have been none recently. Inspection evidence indicates that behaviour is typically outstanding over time.
• Pupils relish assemblies, where they celebrate their peers’ attendance and achievements. Typically, their behaviour is exemplary, as it was during the inspection, when pupils demonstrated their excellent singing. Pupils’ attendance has vastly improved since the previous inspection and is currently average. No group of pupils is disadvantaged by poor attendance.
• Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding during breakfast club, which provides an excellent start to the day. Here pupils can play various board games, eat a healthy breakfast and catch up with their friends.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ achievement is good and much improved since the previous inspection. However, pupils’ attainment and progress dipped at the end of key stage 2 in 2017. Their performance in reading and mathematics fell well short of that in previous years. For example, in 2016, pupils’ attainment and progress in writing was well above average and good in reading. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics was broadly average.
• The outcomes for Year 6 pupils in 2017 were atypical and expected by leaders because this particular year group had always been low-performing as a result of a number of credible reasons.
• Inspection evidence, including the school’s own assessment information and work in pupils’ books, indicates that currently, across the school in a range of subjects, pupils are making at least good progress. Some pupils in Year 6 are already attaining at greater depth. However, there is still work to do to ensure that a larger proportion of pupils attain at greater depth, particularly in mathematics.
• At the end of Year 2 in 2017, pupils made good progress to attain broadly average standards in writing, including at greater depth and in mathematics. Pupils’ attainment in reading was good overall. However, a smaller proportion attained at greater depth than in writing.
• For the last four years the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the national phonics screening check has been above average. Pupils are familiar with systems to test their comprehension and reading age. They compete with their peers to read the most words in an academic year (some pupils have read up to 3,000,000).
• Pupils who read for inspectors did so fluently and with good expression. Those developing their reading skills used their phonic skills well to sound out and read unfamiliar words. Older pupils are familiar with the works of a wide range of authors. Some are avid readers, familiar with the books of authors such as Jane Austin and Louisa May Alcott.
• Pupils make good progress in writing, as evidenced by the very high standard of work in their books. Pupils are highly skilled in writing for different purposes and producing detailed biographies and book reviews. They are also skilled researchers, who enjoy writing about the decimation of the Amazonian rain forests as much as documenting the history of the canal which runs behind school.
• Most pupils are currently making good progress in mathematics, although some pupils make better progress in other subjects. Most pupils have a good understanding of the importance of mathematics in everyday life and are skilled in applying their mathematical understanding to problem-solving activities. They are very keen in class and are eager to succeed.
• At the end of Year 6 in 2017, disadvantaged pupils’ progress in reading and writing was not as good as in 2016. Also, it was not as good as that of other pupils nationally. However, this performance was not reflected in other year groups and does not reflect the performance of pupils currently in the school. Work in pupils’ books and the school’s own data and assessment information indicate that disadvantaged pupils make good progress. In some classes, such pupils outperform their peers. As a result of teachers’ close monitoring and high expectations, differences in the performance of these pupils and others are rapidly diminishing.
• Provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is good. The support they receive is effective and helps pupils access the curriculum and make good progress.
• The most able pupils are usually given challenging work in subjects such as science, art and computing. However, they could be challenged even further. Senior leaders are aware of the need to consistently challenge all pupils and deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts and principles. In addition, they have made it a priority to ensure that pupils are always challenged to attain the highest possible standards in all subjects.

Early years provision Good

• All aspects of the early years provision, including the quality of teaching and outcomes for children and the provision for two-year-olds, are good. Teachers, teaching assistants and other adults have a detailed knowledge of children’s skills, abilities and interests. All staff are trained well. They make learning interesting and ensure that children make rapid progress in all areas of learning.
• The school’s baseline assessment data, which captures children’s skills and competencies in different areas of learning, indicates that children join the Nursery class with skills and abilities below those typical for their age. Their communication and language skills are especially weak. Similarly, two-year-old children start with little or no language. However, good teaching and care and support help children settle quickly and make good progress. Children eligible for additional financial support and those who have SEN and/or disabilities make the same good progress as their peers.
• Outcomes for children at the end of the Reception Year have at least matched those of all children nationally for several years. In 2017, an above-average proportion attained a good level of development and were ready for their learning in Year 1. Current children are making rapid and sustained progress, a high proportion in the Reception class have already reached the standards expected for their age.
• Children learn in a very safe and stimulating environment, with well-planned and exciting activities available. Quite correctly, leaders are proud of the outdoor-learning provision, where children play on wheeled toys, engage in construction projects, practise balancing, hone their musical skills and explore the properties of water and sand.
• Indoors, children can write, paint, read, bake and count. At the time of the inspection, children were learning about people who help us. Children in the Nursery class are confident communicators who like to engage in roleplay. Dressed as police officers, and equipped with a megaphone, telephones, notebooks and other accoutrements, children were observed enforcing the law. They captured criminals (their peers), who, after being handcuffed and read their rights, were swiftly taken to jail.
• The quality of teaching in all classes is good, phonics teaching is especially strong. This was evident in the Reception class, where children were learning the phoneme ‘ea’, and correctly including it in sentences such as, ‘I like ice cream’, which children were encouraged to write. Children were then asked to check their spelling and share their ideas on what constitutes a good sentence. Teachers’ high expectations were evident, as children were asked to include a conjunction, such as ‘and’, to make their sentences even more interesting.
• Children have a good appreciation of the importance of mathematics, especially when shopping. In the Reception class, children’s workbooks show that those still honing and developing their skills can order single-digit numbers up to 10, while the most able count to 20 and complete simple problems.
• Children’s behaviour is outstanding. They enjoy engaging in conversation when practising dining etiquette at snack times. Children follow instructions well and readily tidy up.
• Children soon become familiar with routines. This was evident when observing two-year-olds. All know to put their coats on, with support, before playing outside. They enjoy putting on waterproof overalls when engaging in messy play. Children are safe and well supervised. Staff constantly communicate with children, encouraging their curiosity and extending their speaking skills through the use of effective questioning techniques. Children’s behaviour is outstanding. They are highly praised for their achievements. Staff are caring and have a good understanding of how young children learn.
• Parents are very complimentary about staff. They are of the view that their children are safe and looked after well. Home-school link books show evidence of good communication between parents and staff. Parents are appreciative of stay and play sessions and say that they have many opportunities to engage with the school and their children’s learning.
• Staff make sure that all welfare requirements are met. Safeguarding is effective. The same well-established procedures in operation in key stages 1 and 2 are also evident in the early years.
• Senior leaders are aware that progress through the Nursery and Reception classes needs even further improvement in areas, such as mathematics and communication, language and literacy, to ensure that an even greater proportion of children are ready for their learning in Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104874 Sefton 10045152 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 Community 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 275 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Paul Davies Jeffrey Taylor 0151 922 5760 www.lander-road.co.uk admin.landerroad@schools.sefton.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 December 2013

Information about this school

• Since the previous inspection, several teachers have been appointed, three of whom are new to the teaching profession. Two teaching assistants and a Nursery manager have been appointed. The senior leadership team has been restructured to include a new headteacher and two assistant headteachers. The governing body has been reorganised to include several new members, including the chair of the governing body.
• Several areas of the school been remodelled to include additional teaching and learning areas, including key stage 1 and 2 libraries.
• Lander Road School is an average-sized primary school.
• A well-above-average proportion of pupils are disadvantaged.
• Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. No pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who have education, health and care plans or a statement of special educational needs.
• Two-year-old children attend pre-school provision on a part-time basis. Other children under five attend the Nursery on a part- and full-time basis. All children in the Reception class attend full time.
• The school runs a breakfast club which is managed by the governing body. This provision was inspected.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is a strategic partner of a teaching school alliance (The Oaks) and provides training for both student teachers and experienced practitioners.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of lessons in all year groups, as well as teaching small groups of pupils and sessions aimed at helping pupils learn to read. Four observations were carried out jointly with the senior leaders.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils’ work in books was scrutinised in class and separately with senior leaders.
• Inspectors read 25 text responses submitted by parents during the inspection and met, both informally and formally, with parents. Inspectors also considered 26 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. Responses to the inspection questionnaires completed by 31 members of staff and 123 pupils were also considered.
• A meeting was held with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. Meetings were held with various leaders and subject specialists, including those responsible for English, mathematics, science, history, Spanish, PE and computing. Meetings were also held with leaders responsible for assessing pupils’ learning and progress, the early years provision and provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• A meeting was held with a school improvement representative of the local authority and an inclusion manager.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included development plans, information about pupils’ progress, the school’s checks on the quality of teaching and reviews of its own performance, records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour and safeguarding documentation.

Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Liam Trippier Louise Smith

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector