Lindridge St Lawrence CE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching by:
  • making sure that teachers sustain pupils’ concentration in lessons
  • ensuring that teachers ask questions and set tasks for pupils that make them think deeply about their work
  • encouraging pupils to correct their misconceptions and so learn from their mistakes.
• Improve the quality of provision in the early years setting by:
  • sharpening the questioning and guidance that staff provide for children so that their interest and learning are sustained
  • providing children with a more stimulating learning environment, particularly in the outdoor area.
• Deepen the impact of leadership and management on pupils’ achievement by:
  • ensuring that all teachers set and maintain high expectations for pupils’ presentation of their work
  • developing the leadership skills of staff, particularly with a view to the planning and evaluation of learning in different subjects.
• Take further steps to reduce the impact on the school community of the behaviour of a small number of pupils who have significant social and emotional difficulties.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since her recent appointment, the headteacher has taken vital steps to re-establish the school’s central purpose and direction. She has raised expectations for staff and pupils, and ensured that work is matched to pupils’ ages and abilities. Although her finely judged actions are now beginning to take effect, there remains a great deal to do.
• Considerable staff turnover in the past year has hampered efforts to establish consistency. Leaders’ raised expectations have led to improvements in the quality of teaching, but there has not yet been time for teachers to embed and refine their better practice.
• Staff are willing to contribute to the leadership of the school, but their roles have changed as other staff have joined and left the school. As a result, they have not gained the expertise required, for example to lead a curriculum subject.
• Staff, including teachers at a relatively early stage of their careers, told the inspector they have received useful training in developing their skills this academic year. The headteacher has quickly established links with a number of other schools for staff to observe best practice. Plans are in place to develop these contacts so that teachers can check their judgements of pupils’ work regularly against those made in other schools.
• The headteacher has used standardised tests in reading and mathematics in order to identify those pupils at risk of falling behind. She has reorganised additional support to help pupils to catch up. Teachers are becoming more confident in making routine assessments of the standards of pupils’ work, but their judgements are not yet secure.
• The school has a long-standing commitment to a broad curriculum, including a tradition of instrumental music. Pupils benefit from several after-school clubs, including those devoted to sports and the arts. They learn about a range of other religions and traditions, and appreciate the importance of a breadth of cultural understanding.
• On her appointment, the headteacher established the particular needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), drawing on external support when necessary. She has made staff aware of these. Teachers now review the effectiveness of the additional support that the school provides. The headteacher has planned the expenditure of the pupil premium carefully to overcome each individual pupil’s barriers to learning.
• The headteacher’s evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is thorough and accurate. During the inspection, her evaluation of the quality of teaching accorded well with that of the inspector. The school development plan is well designed to address the main issues facing the school, and provides clear criteria by which governors and others can judge its impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• The local authority has had concerns about the quality of education offered by the school for some time. From the point at which officers recognised the seriousness of the situation, the authority and the diocese have proved highly effective in their support for the school. Both organisations have worked effectively with the governing body and the headteacher.

Governance of the school

• In June 2018, a review of governance conducted by the local authority identified serious weaknesses in governors’ knowledge of the school and their ability to hold leaders to account. However, the current governing body has single-mindedly set about establishing procedures that will enable them to oversee the school effectively.
• The board has established links between individual governors and particular aspects of the school, such as safeguarding and support for pupils with SEND. These governors have held meetings with the relevant staff to help them to understand the work of the school in more detail. Governors have benefited from a significant amount of training. All governors have received training on aspects of safeguarding, including the ‘Prevent’ duty.
• Governors’ minutes show that they are now receiving the detailed information that they require in order to be able to question leaders about the effectiveness of their actions. They understand the importance of listening to the views of stakeholders and the wider community.
• The board is more precisely aware of how the school’s budget is spent. It is working with officers of the local authority to reduce a small deficit. Four vacancies on the governing body remain, and the governors are determined that new appointees will bring particular skills that will enhance their effectiveness.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding has been the first priority of the new headteacher and the governing body. With the support of the local authority, leaders and governors have established all the rigorous procedures that form the basis for keeping pupils safe. Leaders make sure that they provide regular training for staff and update them with any specific issues.
• In this small school, staff know individual pupils and their families very well, and use this knowledge effectively to help to keep them safe. Staff are aware of how to identify and report any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Records are well organised and stored securely. Leaders work effectively with parents and other agencies to support those pupils whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is improving, but remains too variable. Leaders’ higher expectations for how lessons should be taught and for the quality of pupils’ work and behaviour are not yet fully embedded across the school.
• On her appointment, the headteacher introduced straightforward rules for teaching. She has ensured that every lesson has objectives that pupils understand. The school has purchased commercial schemes and used these to help teachers ensure that the work that they set is generally at the right level for the pupils in the class. Teachers understand the need to adapt tasks for the most able pupils and those who benefit from additional support, but they do not yet do so as effectively as they might.
• Teachers question pupils to check how far they have understood new ideas, and use the information to adjust the learning. However, questions and written tasks often do little to deepen pupils’ understanding and make them think hard.
• Teachers often do not use time well. Where teaching lacks rigour and purpose, pupils do not complete enough work. In these circumstances, inattention creeps in.
• Teachers provide feedback for pupils on their work, but pupils sometimes do not have the opportunity to respond. As a result, they do not routinely learn from their mistakes and understand how they could achieve more highly.
• Teaching in mathematics makes good use of physical resources to reinforce pupils’ learning. Lessons generally balance the practising of calculations with the development of the higher-order mathematical skills of problem solving and reasoning. However, there is little talk about how to approach questions, meaning that pupils do not learn alternative ways to solve mathematical problems.
• Teachers teach pupils to write in a range of forms for different purposes. They encourage pupils to edit their own work and to correct errors in spelling and punctuation. Pupils know how to use dictionaries independently. Inspection evidence showed that older pupils rarely have the opportunity to develop their own ideas at any great length.
• During the inspection, teachers showed good subject knowledge and used the technical terms associated with particular subjects such as science and English effectively. Relationships in the classroom are good, but it sometimes takes a little too long for teachers to gain pupils’ full attention.
• Older pupils told the inspector that homework makes a useful contribution to their studies.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Personal development and welfare Requires improvement

• The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Staff look after pupils well, but are less successful in making sure that they apply themselves in lessons.
• Pupils generally dress smartly, and are fond of their school. However, the presentation of their work is often untidy and rarely suggests a pride in their academic achievement. For some pupils, inattention in class, in part, reflects a lack of appreciation for the value of learning.
• Pupils are safe in school, and feel safe. The school teaches them how to stay safe in a number of respects. They are clear about how to stay safe online, and receive good advice on road safety, fire safety and how to stay safe near water. Pupils have a sound understanding of healthy eating.
• Pupils say that bullying is rare and the school’s detailed records of behavioural incidents confirm this. They know there is an adult they can talk to if they experience any unwelcome attention. Staff take prompt and effective action to resolve any issues. Some pupils feel that there has sometimes been too much boisterous behaviour on the playground, and leaders have taken some effective action.
• The school provides pupils with opportunities to contribute ideas about the running of the school, most notably through the eco council.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils respect their teachers, and the classrooms are orderly. Most pupils concentrate well when teachers ask them to work on their own, in pairs or small groups. However, when the work does not demand enough from some pupils, inattention sets in. The school’s records and discussion with pupils showed that this sometimes extends to low-level disruption. Although the frequency of unsettling behaviour is reducing, other pupils continue to find it irritating.
• A small number of pupils, some admitted recently, display challenging behaviour. Leaders have identified and responded to their individual learning needs and this has led to improvements in their conduct, both in the classroom and outside. However, pupils and some parents continue to have concerns about their behaviour and its effect on other pupils. During recent months the school has occasionally made appropriate use of fixed-term exclusion.
• The playground has a good range of equipment. During the inspection, pupils behaved sensibly in the corridors, in the dining hall and on the playground. They were polite and helpful to the inspector.
• Pupils’ attendance is above the national average. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged by low attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement primarily because the school’s current pupils are not making strong enough progress in English and mathematics. Observations in lessons, a scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks and the school’s achievement information all point to stronger progress more recently, but progress varies both within and between year groups. However, many pupils are behind where they should be and are only now beginning to catch up.
• In 2018, outcomes in the end-of-key-stage tests fell sharply. At the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress in mathematics was well below the national average. The proportion of pupils who attained the expected standard in the reading, writing and mathematics combined measure was low. At key stage 1, the proportions of pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics were all below the national averages. In both key stages, pupils who had the ability to attain at greater depth failed to do so.
• Until recently, the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND has often been weak. Inspection evidence showed that these pupils are now making rather better progress, because leaders have identified their needs precisely, including a few pupils with social and emotional needs. They have made sure that teachers are aware of how to adapt their work accordingly. However, overall, the progress of these groups remains a little below that of other pupils.
• In recent years, the proportion of pupils who have met the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been at or above the national average. In 2018, all pupils met the standard. This success reflects the effective, structured teaching of phonics in the school. Older pupils are able to use their phonics knowledge to help them to read unfamiliar words.
• Most of the older pupils read fluently and with good expression. They enjoy reading, but told the inspector that the school does not encourage reading for pleasure as strongly in the older years as it does for younger pupils.
• The quality of pupils’ work in other subjects, such as science, geography and history, is variable. Leaders acknowledge that they are in the early stages of ensuring that teaching in these subjects builds on the knowledge and skills that pupils have previously attained. During the inspection, pupils made good use of information technology in a range of different ways.
• The breadth of the curriculum helps to prepare pupils for the next stage of their education. However, leaders must sustain the current improvements so that pupils have the strongest possible start to their studies in secondary school.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Teaching in the early years requires improvement. It does not move learning on quickly enough. Although the setting provides an orderly and safe environment, children sometimes do not settle quickly and are slow to comply with adults’ instructions.
• Most children start their Reception Year with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. A few lack communication skills. A small number start in the setting already able to read. In the past two years, the proportion of children who have left Reception having attained a good level of development has been above the national average. Few have met the exceeding descriptors for the individual early learning goals. The local authority checked the school’s judgements earlier this year, and found that they were accurate.
• Children treat each other and adults with respect. However, their concentration in the classroom sometimes wanders and they take too long to settle.
• Adults record what children can do and design activities that enable them to take their next steps. A broad curriculum introduces children to all areas of learning. Adults question children about their learning and encourage them to engage in new activities. Adults’ interventions are sometimes delayed and their questions lack much challenge and depth. As a result, children are not learning as rapidly as they might do.
• Most children join the early years from the pre-school on the same site. Staff have ensured that there is a measure of consistency between the two settings, for example by using the same approach to teaching phonics. They make sure that they gather the necessary information about children from their previous settings to plan a smooth transition.
• Staff generally work effectively with parents. They provide an introductory evening, and workshops explaining how the school approaches particular aspects of the curriculum, such as phonics. Although staff are happy to include home learning in the records of what children can do, the school provides limited encouragement and guidance to parents about how they can help their children to learn.
• The indoor classroom provides a range of equipment and displays that provides some encouragement for children to engage in reading, writing and mathematics. There is good access to information technology. The outdoor area is accessible, but its current design is neither practical nor stimulating.
• The setting is safe, and welfare requirements are met. Leaders have taken steps to identify children with particular needs at an earlier stage. They know the provision well, but there is currently a lack of ambition for improvement.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 116895 Worcestershire 10085749 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 Voluntary aided 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 92 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Caroline Palethorpe Amanda Greenow-Langford Telephone number 01584 881466 Website Email address www.lindridgeschool.com office@lindridge.worcs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11 September 2014

Information about this school

• Lindridge St Lawrence CE Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils in each year group is uneven.
• There is a small pre-school setting on the same site that is run independently.
• Lindridge St Lawrence CE Primary School is a voluntary aided Church of England school. Its religious character was last inspected in March 2015.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and receive support from the pupil premium is below average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is average. No pupil has an education, health and care plan (EHC plan). The report does not comment on disadvantaged pupils or pupils with SEND in any one year group because to do so would risk identification.
• All pupils are White British.
• The headteacher joined the school part time in April 2018, and took up the post full time in September 2018. The chair of governors took up the role in June 2018. There has been considerable recent staffing instability.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed learning in all year groups. Two observations and a phonics learning walk were conducted jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also observed pupils’ conduct at social times.
• The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other staff, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. He held a telephone conversation with a representative of the diocese.
• A group of older pupils chosen at random met with the inspector. He also spoke to many other pupils informally. The inspector listened to pupils in Years 3 and 6 read.
• The inspector scrutinised in depth work produced by a number of pupils with SEND. He also looked at some other pupils’ workbooks. The inspector considered a range of information about pupils’ current performance.
• The inspector looked at a wide range of documents, both electronically and on paper. These included: development plans and evaluations of the school’s progress; records of how leaders check on teaching; details of pupils’ attendance and behaviour; a formal review of governance; records of visits made by officers of the local authority; minutes of governing body meetings; policies; and records showing how the school supports vulnerable pupils.
• The inspector took into account the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and comments made using the free-text facility. He spoke to several parents bringing their children to school on the first day of the inspection. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil or staff questionnaires.

Inspection team

Martin Spoor, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector