Leslie Manser Primary School

Leslie Manser Primary School Kingsdown Road, Doddington Park, Lincoln, LN6 0FB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  From below average starting points progress in reading, writing and mathematics is good and pupils reach broadly average standards by Year 6. Recent data shows that standards are continuing to rise as a result of good or better teaching.  Teaching has improved rapidly since the last inspection. Training on a range of issues has improved teachers’ knowledge and skills and in consequence teaching is good and a growing amount is outstanding.  Pupils behave well and have very positive attitudes towards school and learning.  Leadership and management are good. Senior teachers and subject leaders have a clear focus on raising standards. The tracking of pupils’ progress has improved and staff have a good understanding of how well individuals and groups of pupils are achieving.  The governing body provides strong leadership. They have effectively challenged the school to raise expectations and make

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

sustained improvements since the last inspection.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally lessons lack challenge and not enough pupils reach the higher-levels in reading, writing and mathematics to ensure standards are consistently above average.  Occasionally time is not used well in lessons. Teachers’ questions do not help them assess how well pupils are learning. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking or feedback about their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons or parts of lessons, some jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings took place with the headteacher, staff, a sample of pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors talked to a number of pupils, and looked closely at a wide sample of their work.  Inspectors analysed and took account of the responses of 40 parents and carers to the online survey (Parent View), as well as one letter from a parent and 22 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors looked at key documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, policies, performance data, procedures for safeguarding, and the school improvement plan.

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Inspection team

Geof Timms, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lenford White Additional Inspector Susan Tabberer Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Leslie Manser is a broadly average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is well above average.  A very small number of pupils are from a minority ethnic background.  No pupils are currently taught through alternative provision in other locations.  A broadly average proportion of the pupils qualify for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, or those who have a parent in the armed forces serving overseas.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure more pupils capable of reaching the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics do so.  Increase the amount of outstanding teaching by:  always using time effectively in lessons  ensuring all lessons have sufficient challenge for the most able pupils  using questioning to assess how well pupils are learning  giving pupils sufficient opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking and feedback.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start in the Reception class with levels of knowledge and understanding below those typically found at this age. They quickly settle into school routines and the often outstanding teaching helps them make rapid progress. They work very well together and develop sound early reading, writing and number skills. Interesting themes help them make sense of their learning. The use of imaginative role play, such as that based around space travel promotes strong social and cultural development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the 2012 national assessment of Year 1 reading skills the school achieved levels close to the national average. The teaching of reading has improved through changes to the way phonics (the links between sounds and letters) is taught and the resources used. Currently, Year Reception and Year 1 pupils have good skills in linking sounds and letters so that they can read new words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Years 1 and 2, progress has been slowly improving for a number of years. Currently, good teaching is helping pupils to reach standards close to those expected. Reading, writing and mathematical skills are sound and pupils enjoy reading and being read to. They talk enthusiastically about different books and have improved their word-attack skills to enable them to read unknown words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment by the end of Year 6 has previously been inconsistent. The most recent national tests show that attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has improved and is now broadly in line with that expected. A well-above average proportion of the pupils make the progress expected of them from Year 2 to Year 6 in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 However, although progress is good overall, not enough pupils reach the higher levels of which they are capable and the school is working hard to ensure more do so in future. The current Year 6 pupils are already ahead of where the previous Year 6 group was at this time of year and they are on track to achieve higher standards by the end of the year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils with disabilities and those who have special educational needs, including those at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational need, make good progress because they are well supported through a wide range of effective intervention groups and one-to-one work. The small proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who are known to be eligible for free school meals make good progress from their different starting points. Past differences between boys’ and girls’ attainment have been reduced and any gaps narrowed effectively due to the school’s effective strategies. There were no significant differences in the achievement of different groups in the evidence gathered during the inspection although occasionally opportunities to extend fully the learning of the most able pupils in some lessons were missed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good and is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning in all subjects. The teaching has been very effectively improved through extra training and staff development. This has had a positive impact especially on the teaching of reading. A major strength of the teaching is the way staff are working closely as a team to share and spread good practice. They do this through planning, observing and working alongside each other on a regular basis.  A small proportion of the teaching is outstanding. This occurs where careful planning has resulted in some imaginative teaching that challenges all pupils to think independently and creatively. For example, in an outstanding Year 6 religious education lesson, pupils were provided with an excellent range of resources to inspire them to think deeply about the world and positive and negative aspects of life. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very

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The quality of teaching is good

strong and this has a very good impact on learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work helps them aim higher and they talk about how teachers’ feedback helps them learn new things. However, the opportunities for pupils to respond to this advice are inconsistently provided. Teachers’ questioning has improved and typically engages pupils’ positive responses. However, there is inconsistent use of questioning by teachers to elicit the level of pupils’ knowledge and understanding or assess their progress and the success of their teaching during lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants offer good support to teachers. This is particularly the case when working with pupils who may be more vulnerable, including those with a statement of special educational needs. A teaching assistant supporting pupils entitled to the pupil premium, for example, was observed helping one boy make good progress in solving problems involving division and multiplication. At other times, pupils are well supported in classrooms, often in small groups. The use of the nurture room has a beneficial impact on the inclusion of pupils who find it hard to settle to normal classroom learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The pace of lessons is mainly good and this holds pupils’ interest and enables their good learning. On occasion, teaching is less effective because the teacher spends too long talking, especially where pupils are sat together on the mat. At times teachers give too many instructions at the start of lessons, and this delays pupils from getting on with their work quickly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use assessment data more regularly and effectively than in the past. They have an improved understanding of how well their class is doing through regular meetings with senior staff and subject leaders. Planning is often well adjusted after a lesson so that the next lesson focuses on individual pupils’ needs and interests based on their prior learning. However, in a small number of lessons work was not well enough matched to those pupils who are the quickest learners and require greater challenge in the activities provided.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. At times, outstanding behaviour in lessons effectively supports their learning underpinned by their positive attitudes and full involvement. Pupils speak positively about the system of rewards and sanctions, which they feel are fair.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe at school. This is supported by the views of parents and carers. Older pupils say that bullying is very rare and younger pupils are confident that if it occurred it would be well dealt with. All pupils say they trust the adults and would share any concerns or worries with them. Because of their good social and moral development, pupils are very aware of different types of bullying, including through new technology.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance has steadily improved over recent years and is now in line with that found nationally. The school works hard with families and pupils who are persistent absentees. The school’s data shows clearly the positive impact on learning that improved attendance can have. Pupils talk about the lessons they enjoy, such as mathematics, and story writing. They agree that teachers help them learn new things. They also enjoy taking responsibility such as being a member of the school council or taking part in charity fundraising.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 At lunchtime and break time pupils play together well. Even with the excitement caused by heavy snow, they played happily and safely. Breaks are well supervised and any bumps or accidents dealt with appropriately. When poor behaviour does occur it is dealt with appropriately. The dining room is well run and supervised, and provides pupils with a pleasant social occasion.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The care provided by the staff based in the nurture room has a very positive impact on the learning of those who find managing their own behaviour a challenge.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of the school has improved since the last inspection. There is now an effective structure of subject and senior leaders with clearly delegated responsibilities. The positive team ethos is reflected in the responses of staff to the questionnaire. All agreed they were proud to be a member of staff at the school. Well-targeted action plans are addressing recognised areas for improvement. The school has a clear focus on raising standards and tackling underachievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The use of data in tracking pupils’ progress has improved and this is now good. The local authority has provided strong support in helping the school develop and use the data to help raise achievement, as well as providing good support and training to improve teaching and to develop senior staff’s monitoring and evaluation activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has developed a willingness to look beyond its walls to gain a wider view of its work. Staff work enthusiastically with other institutions to exchange and spread good practice in a number of ways. For example, subject leaders have worked with other schools to moderate assessment judgements so that they are reliable and accurate. Training in leadership skills is helping improve their work across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The management of teachers’ performance has been used successfully to identify strengths and weaknesses in the quality of education provided. Challenging targets have been set for teachers, often based on lifting academic standards as well as enhancing their personal and professional skills. Professional development has had a very positive impact on teaching skills especially in phonics and more recently in writing. A major strength is the willingness of the staff to work together to share expertise.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has maintained the strengths found at the last inspection. The recent changes to the areas of learning have been effectively introduced and the assessment system is detailed. Knowledgeable practitioners provide some consistently good and often outstanding teaching. Planning provides children with good resources and interesting and exciting activities. This was the case when a visit resulted in children understanding more about space and the planets.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well provided for through the good curriculum. Recent changes to planning have introduced a number of good links between subjects under an overarching theme. Planning for the Key Stage 2 topic about the outdoors covers a wide range of subjects and also allows pupils to use their literacy, mathematical and scientific skills in imaginative ways. For example, older pupils are looking closely at how the outdoor environment could be improved. This is proving popular with pupils and staff. The school ensures all pupils have equal access to all activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has worked hard to improve its work since the last inspection and currently it is providing the school with good, strong levels of challenge and support. It has made a major investment in training for its members and this has had a very positive impact on the school’s improvement. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses because they work closely with the school. Regular visits are made and the results shared with other governors. This supports the governors’ decision-making process. In addition, governors have a clear picture of the work being done to improve teaching quality and of its success through improved outcomes. Governors understand clearly the performance management system and have access to data showing its success. Weaknesses are addressed and this has strengthened the quality of teaching and therefore the progress pupils are

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The leadership and management are good

making throughout the school. Governors ensure salary increases are linked to progress made by pupils and good or better teaching. They have made good decisions over the spending of the pupil premium money and this is tracked carefully to show how effective interventions are. The governing body ensures all statutory requirements, including those for safeguarding, are met.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 120509 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 401945

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 271 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Andrew Fenn Headteacher Mr Adrian Jones Date of previous school inspection 5 October 2009 Telephone number 01522 688328 Fax number 01522 501363 Email address enquiries@lesliemanser.lincs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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