Lakeside Primary School

Lakeside Primary School Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, York, North Yorkshire YO30 4LY

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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 has been the driving force in moving the school to good. The positive impact of her leadership is evident across the school.  A relentless focus on improving teaching and high expectations of what pupils can do have raised achievement since the last inspection.  Outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics show an improving trend over time. Attainment compares favourably with national averages and from different starting points pupils make good progress.  Effective early years provision ensures that children confidently grasp the fundamentals of letters and the sounds they make, words and numbers.  Good teaching is the norm throughout the school so by the end of Year 6 pupils are well prepared for secondary school.  Pupils’ enjoyment of school is clear in their good attitudes and above-average attendance. They establish congenial relationships with each other, their teachers and other adults in school.

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This is a good school

 Senior leaders keep a close eye on the progress of different groups of pupils and take prompt action in response to any dips in performance.  Governors’ skills and actions have played a significant part in the school’s improvement. The governing body’s influence continues through wise counsel for the headteacher.  Pupils experience a safe, vibrant and welcoming environment that encourages learning and celebrates achievement. Appealing outside spaces offer choice of activities and make breaktimes fun.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching requires refinement if it is to lead to outstanding outcomes for pupils.  In some classes, the most able pupils have the potential to reach higher standards.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that the upward trend in outcomes is sustained by: refining some learning materials so that they are as effective as possible in supporting the learning needs of the target groups of pupils making better use of teaching assistants at the start of lessons so that the different learning activities can be explained more quickly to the target groups of pupils achieving greater consistency in teachers’ skills to grasp opportunities that arise during lessons to stretch the most able pupils ensuring that teachers are more assertive with pupils who are occasionally slow to comply with classroom expectations.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, by doing the right things and checking for impact, has improved the school’s effectiveness, She has raised expectations of teachers’ performance, providing support and challenge to effect necessary change, most notably to the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils.  Key messages from the monitoring of teaching inform training and development activities for teachers who are collectively more effective as a consequence. The headteacher is outward looking, encouraging other leaders and teachers to make the most of links with other schools to sharpen their practice.  Changes to roles and responsibilities mean that middle leaders and teachers now plan teaching and learning collaboratively in line with expectations. Senior leaders use regular meetings with class teachers to check on pupils’ progress, holding teachers firmly accountable for progress over time.  Senior leaders and governors are not complacent and consider the school’s journey to improve teaching is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

not finished. They know that refinement to aspects of teaching are required in order to move outcomes towards being the very best. All the while, a focus on preparing pupils to function confidently in modern Britain continues.  All classes benefit from enriching experiences, including arts and theatre visits and exposure to the beliefs of different religions. Pupil councils represent the pupils’ voice in the school community. From these and other experiences, the values of tolerance and freedom of expression seep into pupils’ consciousness.  Equality of opportunity is at the heart of leaders’ planning for pupils’ experiences. The use of visits, visitors or specialist equipment are carefully planned by teams of teachers. Pupils’ learning benefits from activities devised by several teachers rather than one. This team approach ensures that literacy, mathematics, science, languages or exciting themed topics accommodate the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 A review of pupil premium spending has helped leaders and governors to be sharper in assessing the impact of this additional funding. Initiatives to support individual pupils in areas of learning they find difficult are frequently helping to close gaps between their progress and that of their classmates. Additional funding for sport and physical education, provided for all primary schools, fosters wide participation in physical activity and the impressive achievements of school sports teams.  Provision for social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is threaded throughout pupils’ daily experiences. Pupils can therefore talk intelligently about their friends’ different faiths, empathise with a lonely child in a story, sing with gusto during assembly, enjoy and participate in a theatre visit or a residential trip, and understand right from wrong. The school equips pupils to be inquisitive and resilient.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school The review of governance recommended at the last inspection has helped the governing body become more effective in supporting and challenging the headteacher when the going gets tough. Governors’ collective skill set makes them a shrewd and formidable group. In addition to using the headteacher’s report, governors meet with key staff to inform their evaluation of the school’s work. Governors’ insight provides an accurate evaluation of what has improved and what remains to be done. For example, they have identified scope to further strengthen teaching building on previous success. Governors exert their influence appropriately at a strategic level, having full confidence in the headteacher’s leadership and management of operational matters.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The secure site and well-trained staff and governors ensure that pupils are safe. Parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

overwhelmingly of the view that their children are safe and happy at school. Adults in school know individual pupils well and records show they are confident to share any concerns with the headteacher, who in her role as designated safeguarding lead is the school’s link with other care and welfare agencies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The impact of greater collaboration between teachers to plan learning materials has contributed towards the improvements in teaching. So too, has sharing best practice and working with other schools.  Consistency in routines supports learning across different classes which eases pupils’ transition between key stages or classes within the same key stage. Teachers’ expectations and approaches to marking, for example, are very similar, so pupils can focus on learning from the off.  In all classes there is a strong focus on developing pupils’ skills in writing. Pupils experience writing for different purposes and audiences. They practise writing letters, poems and suspenseful stories, and enjoy being creative writers. The production of lengthy pieces develops their stamina as writers.  In topic work, expectations of writing and presentation are just as high as in literacy books. Pupils pride in their work is evident in neat topic books about the Greeks or when writing about the solar system in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

science.  The teaching of mathematics stresses the importance of layout and showing working out when solving problems. This helps pupils reach the right answer. In mathematics books, as in writing and topic books, pupils’ good progress over time shows their deepening understanding and breadth of knowledge.  Teams of teachers plan different activities around a common theme so that pupils at different stages of learning can access suitably challenging tasks. This approach supports pupils who have special educational needs, or pupils who simply need more practice in a particular aspect of learning. Capable teaching assistants are sometimes not used well to speed up the introduction of different tasks at the start of lessons.  For the most able, some tasks would benefit from review and refinement to ensure that progress for this group is never less than good. Sometimes teachers miss opportunities as they arise in lessons to add a bit

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

more value to the learning of the most able pupils.  Marking in accordance with agreed policy corrects errors and offers pointers for improvement. Marking also maintains the high standards of presentation that are a feature of pupils’ work in all key stages.  Assessment and progress tracking is work in progress as leaders, like other primary schools, gets to grips with the new national curriculum and assessment process. Crucially, leaders and teachers have not lost track of individual pupils’ progress and intervene with bespoke learning support when needed.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils demonstrate strong self-awareness, for example, in displaying good manners when politely welcoming guests to their school.  Pupils understand that bullying is unkind and pupils who spoke with inspectors are confident that new starters would receive a friendly welcome. Adults manage occasional conflicts sensitively to resolution.  Pupils socialise well and enjoy participating in team games in the well-resourced outside spaces. They learn to share and take turns. Older pupils take responsibility for leading activities for younger children.  A caring and safe environment allows pupils to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. They understand risk, for example, in crossing the road or deciding how to respond to strangers in real or virtual environments. Pupils are clear that adults in school help them to manage any worries.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils are proud of their notable successes in local sports competitions. Boys and girls, older and younger pupils, all participate with enthusiasm and hold an impressive collection of football and golfing trophies.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils conduct themselves sensibly in lessons and around school. Firmly established routines are well understood and help pupils to develop self-discipline.  Typically, pupils work and play well together. Adults are adept at managing occasional falling out but are sometimes not forceful enough in returning pupils’ attention back to work when it wanders in lessons.  Pupils are tolerant in their views and actions in relation to differences between individuals. The curriculum is influential in fostering positive behaviours that stand pupils in good stead as young citizens of the future.  Attendance is above average and persistent absence has declined significantly since the last inspection.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Good teaching ensures that different groups of pupils make good gains in learning. The continuous improvement of pupils’ literacy and numeracy is evident in this year’s work in writing, mathematics and topic books.  Outcomes in mathematics, a weakness at the last inspection, are considerably improved. Pupils make at least expected and increasingly better than expected progress in mathematics as they regularly apply their knowledge to solving mathematical problems or get to grips with calculation.  Improvement since the last inspection has been consistent over time and key stage. Pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics is comfortably in line with national averages with an increasing proportion year on year reaching above expected standards for their age.  In 2015, progress measures at the end of key stage 2 lifted the school into the top third of all primary schools. Daily opportunities to practise writing are developing the quality of pupils’ handwriting, their

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Outcomes for pupils are good

confidence and stamina as writers, and importantly their vocabulary.  Younger pupils use their secure understanding of the sounds made by groups of letters to confidently tackle unfamiliar words. Pupils enjoy reading, demonstrating good levels of comprehension, for example, when talking enthusiastically about the books written by a favourite author.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make the same good progress as other pupils. Well- established relationships with outside agencies, one-to-one support and correctly pitched work mean that individual pupils make good progress through activities tailored to their needs.  Outcomes for the most able pupils improved considerably in 2015, with reading, writing and mathematics at the higher levels broadly in line with the national picture. Half the key stage 2 cohort achieved the higher level in reading and a significant improvement was seen in reading standards at key stage 1.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

Disadvantaged pupils generally make the same good progress in lessons as other pupils.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter with skills broadly in line with age-related expectations, although an increasing proportion are entering with skills below this level. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development compares favourably with the national picture. Children thrive in a safe, nurturing environment.  Boys’ achievement in writing has improved significantly over the last year as a result of the school’s initiative to seek external support to develop teaching. The pupil premium is used well to fund bespoke interventions which have accelerated early learning and progress for targeted children.  The early years leader ensures that provision is carefully planned. Her coaching of other staff in the school has been influential in the significant improvements in reading in key stage 1. It is no surprise that children make good gains in communication and language as the result of this expertise.

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The early years provision is good

 The sophistication of some children’s skills at this stage in the year indicates that greater challenge could be provided. These most able children could make greater gains, for example, from more stimulating and engaging writing opportunities to entice them to work in the writing area more frequently.  Children learn to share and take turns. They show concern for others. Tidying up after themselves as part of daily routines develops children’s sense of responsibility. Children are interested in finding out new things and enjoyed learning how to take care of pets. On occasion children become so engrossed that not even the arrival of their snack distracts them.  Adults use questioning skilfully to make children think and help them understand the world around them. Adults also know individual children very well and carefully track their progress. These are elements of the good teaching that is a feature of this provision that help children make good progress in early learning.

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The early years provision is good

 The weekly slide show of the children at work and play is hugely popular with parents and grandparents. Feedback on Parent View reflects a high level of confidence in, and satisfaction with, the early years provision. Children are safe in a caring environment. Their experiences prepare them well for Year 1.

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School details

Unique reference number 121467 Local authority York Inspection number 10012057

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 307 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Treudi Hagyard Headteacher Debbie Cousins Telephone number 01904 691473 Website www.lakesideprimary.co.uk Email address lakeside.primary@york.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 May 2014

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Information about this school

 Lakeside is a larger than average primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below the national average.  There is a lower proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those for whom English is not a first language, than is typically found in primary schools.  The school meets the current floor standards which are the minimum expectations of pupils’ achievement set by the government.  At the time of the inspection, there was a partial omission in the information required on the school’s website, specifically in relation to the full information required about provision for pupils with special

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Information about this school

educational needs and those with disabilities. The school also removed reference to obsolete guidance from their website during the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited all classrooms to observe teaching. Several visits were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. During visits to lessons, inspectors talked with pupils and looked at the work in their books. Inspectors also observed senior leaders giving feedback to teachers on the snapshot of teaching they had observed.  Inspectors also observed two assemblies and pupils participating in organised lunchtime activities.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, the chair and three other members of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  Informal discussions took place with pupils throughout the inspection, including at break and lunchtime, as well as during two formal meetings with pupils.  The views of parents were considered through the 44 responses to Parent View and 43 free-text responses to the same survey. Staff views were considered through discussions and the 18 responses to

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Records and reports of all aspects of the school’s work, including safeguarding, were reviewed.

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Inspection team

Cathryn Kirby, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Frances Gowland Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Lawley 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

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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