Lancaster Lane Primary and Pre-School

Lancaster Lane Community Primary School Hunters Road, Clayton-le-Woods, Leyland, Lancashire, PR25 5TT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has improved significantly over the past three years. Most pupils make good progress and reach the levels expected for their age by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.  Pupils’ attainment has risen. The proportion of pupils who reached levels above those expected for their age at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2013 was well above average in reading and mathematics.  Teaching is good. Teachers have excellent relationships with pupils, and praise and encourage them.  Pupils have exceptionally good attitudes to learning. Their behaviour is outstanding and they are extremely kind and considerate towards one another. They feel very safe and are looked after well. Their attendance is above average.  The curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of rich experiences and opportunities to reflect, which contribute particularly well to their strong spiritual, social, moral and cultural

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development.  The overwhelming majority of parents are very positive about the school. They appreciate how well the school cares for their children and values them all as individuals.  The headteacher provides strong leadership in this improving school. She is well supported by senior and middle leaders. Actions taken by leaders have led to significant improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement over the past three years. Their plan for the future and determination to do the very best for all pupils is shared by an enthusiastic team of staff.  Governors have a good understanding of the school. They have helped to drive improvements through their support and the challenging questions they ask.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The overall quality of teaching is not yet outstanding. Some lessons are not appropriately paced. Teachers’ marking does not consistently show pupils exactly what they need to do to improve their work.  Although progress in writing is accelerating, pupils do not yet do as well as in reading and mathematics. Pupils do not have precise enough individual writing targets. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 12 lessons, including one observation carried out jointly with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher. The inspectors listened to pupils reading and observed the teaching of reading skills. They observed teaching in small support groups. They also looked at examples of pupils’ work to obtain a view of teaching and learning over time.  Discussions took place with pupils, parents, the Chair of the Governing Body and five other governors, a representative from the local authority, senior and middle leaders and other staff.  The inspectors took account of 55 responses to the Ofsted on-line questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s analysis of the most recent parent surveys carried out by the school and 21 staff questionnaires.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including data on pupils’ progress across the school, the school’s view of its own effectiveness and its development planning, records of the

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Information about this inspection

quality of teaching and learning, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documentation in relation to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Christine Potter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Halford Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Stoppers After-School Club provides a breakfast and after-school club in school. Early Learners is a pre-school setting which is based in the school. Both of these are subject to separate inspections and the reports are available on the Ofsted website.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching further, so that pupils’ progress, particularly in writing, continues to accelerate, by:  ensuring that all lessons meet the needs of the learner  using marking consistently to show pupils exactly how to improve their work and giving them time to respond to the advice given  giving pupils more precise individual writing targets so that they can see clearly what they need to do to reach the next level and are able to take greater responsibility for assessing their own learning  providing pupils with more opportunities to write at length in different subjects and for different purposes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are broadly typical for their age, although there are variations between cohorts, particularly in language, communication and social skills. An exciting range of activities captures children’s imagination and they are encouraged at all times to develop their language skills as they talk about what they are learning. They make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics has improved significantly over the past three years. The school’s own data show that most pupils now make good progress in all year groups.  Attainment has risen, and in 2013, almost all pupils reached the levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2. The most-able pupils are challenged well and make good progress. The proportion of pupils attaining levels above

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The achievement of pupils is good

those expected for their age in reading and mathematics was well above the national average at the end of Year 6. Pupils’ progress in mathematics is particularly strong and an above-average proportion of pupils reached the highest level possible in mathematics.  Specific skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling are taught systematically, and pupils consequently now do well in this aspect of their writing. Teachers model skills for drafting and editing written work effectively. However, overall progress in writing across the school, while accelerating, remains less strong than in reading and mathematics, and pupils do not yet reach the same high standards. This is because pupils do not have enough opportunities to write at length in different subjects and for different purposes. Pupils do not have sufficiently precise individual targets so that they can see clearly what they need to do to reach the next level and

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The achievement of pupils is good

are able to take responsibility for assessing their own learning.  Pupils make good progress in reading. The youngest pupils quickly learned about different sounds and letters as they raced against the teacher to write simple words. Pupils in Year 2 played dominoes and board games to improve their skills in reading more complex words. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading words in Year 1 was above average in 2013. Pupils say how much they enjoy reading, especially the opportunity to ‘dive into a good book’ in themed reading areas.  Pupils make good progress in other subjects because of the imaginative activities and links across the curriculum. Pupils’ work shows that they use their mathematical skills well in scientific investigations. They have developed their skills in information and communication technology by giving presentations about recycling.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their

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The achievement of pupils is good

individual starting points because of the well-tailored support that they receive from highly skilled teaching assistants during lessons and in small groups. Specialist language teaching means that some pupils make exceptional progress in this aspect of their learning.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding across the school make the same good progress as other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics, and some of them make progress which is better than this. Gaps between their achievement and that of other pupils have narrowed. This is evidence of the school’s commitment to equality of opportunity. The relatively small number of pupils in Year 6 in 2013 for whom the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, provided support makes comparisons between their attainment and that of other pupils statistically unreliable.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The overall quality of teaching is good, and some teaching is outstanding. Teachers know the pupils well. They plan for pupils’ different needs and provide activities that they know will interest and excite them. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers and teaching assistants alike have excellent relationships with pupils, who enjoy their lessons and are eager to learn.  In lessons, there is an emphasis on active learning through using a range of resources for practical work and investigation. Pupils talked about how they have developed their skills in measuring through flicking coins outdoors. Year 3 pupils enjoyed using interlocking plastic squares to discover how to make cubes and cuboids. Pupils in Year 1 were excited as they followed written instructions to make model snowmen and paper snowflakes.  Teaching assistants have a clear understanding of pupils’ needs. They play an active role in

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The quality of teaching is good

teaching and supporting groups and individual pupils in all classes. This means that pupils of all abilities make good progress in lessons.  ‘Reading carousels’ are particularly well planned. In guided reading groups, teachers’ probing questions ensure that pupils understand what they are reading and give them the opportunity to compare their opinions. Teaching assistants work intensively with small groups on specific reading skills. Other pupils work on reading and writing tasks which are closely matched to their abilities.  Teachers carefully plan activities which they know will get pupils involved from the very start of the lesson and inspire them to learn. Pupils in Year 4 pulled crackers which contained jumbled sentences for them to correct, while those in Year 6 threw dice to develop their skills in starting sentences in different ways.  Teachers question pupils skilfully throughout lessons to check their understanding of what they

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The quality of teaching is good

are learning. They ask searching questions which challenge pupils to develop and explain their ideas further. Pupils in the Reception class could explain how they had made repeating patterns. Year 5 pupils successfully extended their vocabulary as they discussed in small groups the best adverbs and connectives to improve their writing.  In most lessons, pupils are involved and engaged in their learning at all stages. Teachers develop pupils’ skills and understanding systematically. However, a few lessons are not appropriately paced to meet pupils’ learning needs.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and often, and provide some helpful guidance to pupils. However, they do not consistently use marking well enough to show pupils exactly how to improve their work, nor do they always give pupils time to respond to the advice given.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 This is a very happy school. Pupils’ outstanding attitudes to learning and their enthusiasm in lessons make a strong contribution to their good progress. They are exceptionally keen to learn, work very hard and are always eager to give of their best. They enjoy coming to school, as reflected in their above average attendance.  Pupils are unfailingly polite and welcoming, and behave extremely well around school. They get on very well together, both when working and playing, and are sensitive towards the needs and feelings of others. They listen respectfully to one another when sharing ideas in their work and during discussions. They enjoy opportunities to take responsibility, such as when they serve toast at break times.  Pupils know that they are valued as individuals and that their views are listened to by staff. They say that they feel very safe in school and have absolute trust in adults to help them if they are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

worried about anything. Pupils say that bullying does not happen ‘because everyone is too nice’. Parents are in absolute agreement that the school keeps their children safe and that ‘staff go the extra mile’ to make sure that their children are well looked after. Any concerns that parents and pupils may have are always dealt with promptly and effectively.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe in different situations. They talk knowledgeably about different types of bullying and the e-safety displays around school reflect the high priority the school places on this.  The school works very successfully with pupils who find it more difficult to behave well. They are encouraged to understand the consequences of their actions, both for themselves and others. The pupils themselves confirm how the school has helped them to manage and take responsibility for their own behaviour.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has high ambitions for the school. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher and governing body. Actions taken by leaders at all levels have led to significant improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement over the past three years. There is a cohesive and enthusiastic staff team, who are all equally determined to do the best for each individual pupil. Leaders know what still needs to be done and have set accurate priorities to improve the school further.  Senior and middle leaders regularly check the quality of teaching in lessons and pupils’ work and provide guidance to teachers on how to improve their teaching. Relevant training is provided to meet whole-school and individual teachers’ needs. The literacy leader, in particular, has played a key role in leading initiatives to improve teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress in reading and writing.  The progress of individual pupils is tracked closely by leaders and teachers. Assessment data are

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The leadership and management are good

used well to ensure that all groups of pupils are doing well enough. Where pupils are at risk of falling behind in their learning, specific and well-targeted support is provided at an early stage. The impact of this additional support is monitored carefully by the special educational needs coordinator.  The curriculum is well organised and meets pupils’ needs well. It provides a range of exciting experiences for pupils, including memorable visits which pupils are encouraged to evaluate themselves. They are particularly enthusiastic about the residential visit where they learned ‘lots of new skills like abseiling’ and also ‘how to get along with people better’. Opportunities to reflect on their feelings and to consider common ideas within different world faiths, contribute well to pupils’ strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school is making good use of the Primary School Sports funding to improve pupils’ physical

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The leadership and management are good

well-being, through providing additional sporting opportunities for pupils alongside other schools, and training and support for staff. Older pupils are being trained to lead play and sporting activities for younger pupils at lunchtimes.  Relationships with parents are excellent. Parents appreciate the warmth and approachability of all staff and say that the school is ‘like one big family’. They feel that their children are treated fairly and equally and are all given the support and challenge that they need. Parents appreciate the help that they receive to support their children’s learning and behaviour at home.  The local authority provides ‘light touch’ support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body provide good support for the school. They are highly ambitious and their drive and determination have contributed to improvements over the past three years. They know the school well because they are regularly involved in visiting lessons,

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The leadership and management are good

talking to staff and looking at the school’s performance data. Governors have a good understanding of how well pupils are doing, and the quality of teaching. They are well informed about the outcomes of teachers’ performance management and ensure that decisions relating to pay progression are linked to these. Governors check that pupil premium funding is being spent appropriately and is improving outcomes for eligible pupils. They ask school leaders and each other challenging questions, and hold the school to account well. Governors are fully committed to equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination of any kind. They ensure that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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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 119325 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 429207

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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 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Graham Gorton Headteacher Joanne Geldard Date of previous school inspection 28 January 2009 Telephone number 01772 433641 Fax number 01772 433641 Email address head@lancasterlane.lancs.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

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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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