Lea Community Primary School

Lea Community Primary School Greavestown Lane, Lea, Preston, Lancashire PR2 1PD

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher’s strong and determined leadership has led to many improvements since the last inspection. Despite many changes to staffing, the leaders’ ambition for the school has not wavered and this has produced a coherent team of staff who work together very effectively to raise achievement.  Leaders, including governors, have high aspirations for pupils and make their high expectations for staff performance clear. As a result, the quality of teaching is good.  Leaders use information about pupils’ progress well to ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school.  Pupils enjoy learning and show very positive attitudes in all of their lessons. They show curiosity in their learning and are enthusiastic in their discussion of books and their favourite authors.  A strong moral purpose underpins the school’s work. Adults across the school community

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This is a good school

reinforce the school’s core values, such as respect and resourcefulness. Pupils try their best at all times.  Pupils feel safe and parents value the care their children receive.  Parents receive regular information about what and how pupils are learning. This enables them to support the school in making a positive difference to their children’s achievement.  The early years provision in the school is good. The broad curriculum supports children’s early development so that the majority of them are well equipped to make a successful start to Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There are some inconsistencies in teaching. Occasionally, adults do not check effectively enough on how all groups are getting on, so gaps in learning are not always filled quickly enough.  The activities provided for pupils do not build sufficiently well on what they can already do, particularly in writing.  Pupils’ handwriting is often too careless and their spelling skills are not well enough developed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and raise achievement further by: – adapting teaching to ensure that the needs of pupils are fully met, building on what they already know, particularly in their written work – checking more frequently on the understanding and progress of different groups of pupils in class, so that any gaps in understanding can be filled more swiftly – ensuring that the standard of pupils’ handwriting and spelling is as good as possible in all of their writing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has maintained a strong, uncompromising focus to secure improvements in key aspects of the school’s work. Across the school, leaders accurately identify and remedy areas of weakness and ensure that all pupils access high-quality teaching that results in good progress for all.  Adults reinforce good learning and celebrate pupils’ achievements regularly. Consequently, most pupils regularly attend school and engage well in all of the learning opportunities provided across the curriculum.  Leaders of English and mathematics know their subjects well and make successful improvements that raise pupils’ achievement. All groups of pupils are well supported to achieve as well as they can due to the effective changes to the curriculum. In addition, effective training for staff and promotion of their leadership skills has raised pupils’ achievement.  Parents value the commitment and dedication of staff to ensuring that pupils’ time at school is happy and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

safe. They say that their children are enthusiastic learners as a result and that their confidence grows throughout their time at the school.  The curriculum develops and nurtures pupils’ talents in a range of endeavours, including sports. Pupils are proud to represent their school in a widening range of sporting events and demonstrate increasing success. The sports premium has been targeted well to increase pupils’ participation in additional activities, with the sports apprentice playing a key role in this.  Pupils’ work across the curriculum, particularly in key stage 2, demonstrates the close links leaders foster between pupils’ key skills in literacy and other subject areas. Pupils’ work shows improving skills in analysing information, drawing conclusions and writing clear explanations. Literacy skills are also used to support pupils’ factual writing in history and geography. They show an increasingly accurate use of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

technical language connected with these subjects. These improving links across the curriculum are not so strong in mathematics.  Pupil premium funding is effective in closing gaps in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Leaders evaluate the impact of their strategies well to support the pupils who are eligible for this funding in every year group, and make swift changes when pupils’ progress slows. Additional, well-targeted teaching for these pupils plays a key part in their accelerated progress.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well in all aspects of the school’s work. Pupils understand how their learning in these areas helps them in their everyday life now and in the future. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to focus on and discuss key issues, with the school values and inclusive ethos acting as a ‘golden thread’ that ties all these aspects together. Pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

participation as active members of their local community is promoted well.  The local authority has played an effective role in the improvement of this school through its brokerage of effective training, the personal and skilled support of advisers and external validation of improvements.  The governance of the school – The governing body membership has changed considerably since the last inspection, with governors continuously reflecting on ways to improve their work and make necessary changes. The chair of the governing body has ensured that committees are fit for purpose and members can provide robust challenge to leaders about the difference their actions make to pupils’ achievement. – Governors have ensured that arrangements to monitor the performance of staff are used effectively to tackle any underperformance and reward good teaching. They build an accurate picture of the school’s performance through regular scrutiny of performance information, including attendance and academic

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

standards. – Governors know how additional funding is spent and the difference it makes to eligible pupils. They ensure that pupils are provided with equality of access to additional curriculum provision.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that this aspect of the school’s work is given high priority and, consequently, all staff are vigilant. They benefit from regularly updated training which takes account of all recent national legislation. Very effective partnership working with external agencies ensures that leaders can quickly identify and support pupils who may be at risk of harm.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers have high expectations and make these clear to pupils. Relationships are good and routines are well established so that time is spent productively in learning.  Much work has been done since the previous inspection in building teachers’ skills and knowledge of how to provide the right level of work for pupils. This is often done well, so that work is neither too easy nor too hard, and ensures that pupils make good progress. However, when work is not pitched at the right level, the needs of pupils are not fully met. This is particularly the case in writing.  Teachers are good at involving pupils in tasks and maintaining their attention. They provide good opportunities for pupils to work together and talk to each other about their ideas. This helps to maintain pupils’ interest, as well as developing their speaking, listening and social skills very well.  Pupils benefit from extra support from skilled adults when they are working, particularly those pupils who

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

struggle with academic work or have special educational needs or disability. Teaching assistants make a strong contribution to pupils’ learning at such times.  In most instances, teachers keep a check on how well pupils are getting on during lessons, intervening to give extra help when needed, so that pupils do not waste time because they have misunderstood something. Adults also challenge those who are succeeding in their work to refine and extend it. Occasionally, the adults do not spot pupils who may have misunderstood the task or where a task is too easy or too hard.  Teachers are good at giving pupils clear feedback on how they are doing. This is generally done very well orally and the written marking in pupils’ books is improving in its clarity of feedback. Teachers ensure that pupils have time to respond to their advice, and the improvements pupils make as a result are clear.  In general, teachers explain ideas to pupils well and often illustrate their explanations using interactive

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

whiteboards, which makes things clearer and helps hold pupils’ attention. Teachers frequently show pupils just what is expected of them in a particular task, so that pupils know what is wanted and what success will look like. This supports good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is outstanding. Parents agree and say that Lea Community Primary School is a very happy and nurturing place for their children.  Pupils say that they trust the adults around them to help them and that they feel very safe. They learn about a wide range of safety issues both in their lessons and through the work of visitors to the school. There are many carefully planned opportunities to ensure that pupils’ safety when online is promoted and reinforced.  There are a number of meaningful positions in which pupils can develop their leadership and decision- making. Older pupils are prefects and play leaders and perform their roles and responsibilities to a very high standard. Pupils from throughout the school represent their classes on the school council.  Pupils are very proud of their school and of how hard they work and are given many opportunities to

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Personal development and welfare

develop a sense of achievement in many aspects of school life. They develop thoughtful and positive attitudes towards others in the school because this is encouraged and reinforced. Their preparation for adult life, through their knowledge of other cultures and traditions, and their understanding of all forms of discrimination are extremely well developed. This is a strength of the school.  Attendance is above the national average. The attendance of specific groups of pupils has improved markedly this year and these pupils now say that they like attending school, including being on time.  The school also provides a breakfast club for any pupils whose parents wish them to attend. Pupils who attend say that they really enjoy the breakfast club and that it provides a fun and fulfilling start to the day. The staff provide a strongly nurturing environment and it is firmly based on the school’s core values.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good and has improved over recent terms. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that unkind behaviour does not happen very often. They say that if it does, teachers deal with it quickly. However, Ofsted’s online survey shows that a large minority of parents believe that the school does not make sure its pupils are well behaved. A parents’ survey undertaken by the school earlier this year shows that a large majority of parents felt that the school did make sure its pupils were well behaved. School records from this year confirm that there has been a reduction in the incidents of poor behaviour.  Pupils work hard and try their best in their lessons. Most take care with their work and are keen to share their successes with adults around them. During lessons, pupils are busy, productive and most remain focused. During times when the whole school meets together, behaviour is good.

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Behaviour

 Rewards are numerous and highly prized and pupils across a range of ages can give examples of the different ways their teachers let them know that they are pleased with them. Relationships between adults and pupils are trusting and very supportive as a result, and pupils thrive because they know their efforts are noticed and acknowledged.  In the dining hall, pupils respond quickly to adults’ requests and show good manners. They use the social opportunity well to talk about their learning and play, and show cooperation when clearing away their plates or choosing their lunches.  During playtimes, inspectors observed pupils using a range of equipment safely. Pupils made a range of choices about how to play, including under the guidance of play leaders, or chatted quietly in small groups.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 At the end of key stage 2 in 2015, pupils’ attainment was a little below the national average in reading and writing and above the national average in mathematics. The proportions of pupils securing higher standards of attainment at the end of key stage 2 are in line with those found nationally in reading and mathematics but lower in writing.  In key stage 1, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been below the national average for some time. The proportions of pupils securing higher levels of attainment were below those found nationally in reading and writing in 2015.  A rising proportion of pupils secure the expected standard in the phonics check so that, in 2015, a greater proportion of pupils reached the expected standard for their age than in previous years and this was higher than the national average.  Pupils’ current work across the school shows much improved outcomes and increased levels of

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Outcomes for pupils are good

achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Although progress is accelerating quickly in writing, the overall attainment is still lower than in other subjects. However, written work in English books is of a good standard and pupils are increasingly applying their skills and knowledge in English to other subjects, such as science, geography and history.  Achievement has improved since the last inspection because teaching focuses on the right things to help most pupils’ learning move on quickly. Consequently, rates of progress are above those expected for most groups of pupils. Current pupils are making good progress in all year groups.  Pupils who are in receipt of additional funding because they are disadvantaged or have special educational needs or disability make good progress from their starting points because leaders ensure that the support they receive is of high quality and makes a difference. Any gaps in achievement are identified

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Outcomes for pupils are good

quickly in most classes and provision is adjusted to ensure that pupils reach their full potential.  While the content and structure of pupils’ writing continues to improve across the school, along with their use of grammar and punctuation, handwriting and spelling are not as strong.

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Early years provision is good

 Children start in Reception with abilities and skills that are generally below what is considered typical for their age, with some aspects of communication and language being weakest.  Teaching is good and enables children to make good progress. Most children leave Reception well prepared for Year 1. Adults prepare a wide range of activities that engage children’s interest and develop their learning in a range of topics. The outside area does not yet provide as strong an environment as the classroom but children thoroughly enjoy the opportunities provided to explore and play.  Adults often provide very good direct teaching to small groups, patiently explaining things and asking searching questions that extend children’s thinking and develop their vocabulary. Children extended their understanding of weight, for example by using the words ‘heavier’, ‘lighter’ and ‘equal to’ with increasing confidence and accuracy as adults worked with groups on using scales. However, teachers do not always

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Early years provision is good

provide children with enough opportunities to practise what they have learned in reading lessons.  Children are safe and happy in the class and enjoy playing and learning. They get on well together, sharing their ideas enthusiastically and cooperating well in their play. They behave well and follow routines cheerfully, for example when clearing up.  The provision is led and managed well. Improvements have been made in response to evaluation, and further improvements are planned, in developing the outside area, for example. Some good use is made of assessments of children’s learning to prepare activities that will build on their existing understanding, although this could be extended to ensure that the activities provided are very carefully matched to children’s needs.  Good links with parents enable children to settle in happily and promote their learning well.

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School details

Unique reference number 119155 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 10012119

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 196 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Moira Bentley Headteacher Lynne Slater Telephone number 01772 726408 Website www.leacp.lancs.sch.uk Email address bursar@leacp.lancs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 February 2014

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportions of pupils from ethnic backgrounds other than White British are smaller than the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is smaller than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding which supports pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is higher than the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The early years provision consists of full-time reception children who are taught in one class.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. One lesson was observed jointly with the headteacher. They also looked at a wide range of pupils’ work, discussed their work with them informally and heard some pupils read.  The inspectors observed behaviour around the school, including at breaktimes and in the lunch hall.  Discussions were held with members of the governing body, the local authority adviser and members of staff.  The inspectors analysed the 26 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View). Discussions were held with parents after school.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents including information on pupils’ current and recent achievement, the school’s plans for improvement, the management of teachers’ performance, the use of pupil premium funding, and documentation and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Adrian Francis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Sharon Bruton Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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