Lawn Primary

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Kelly Osborne-James Headteacher Lawn Primary Cleeve Lawn Swindon Wiltshire SN3 1LE

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

Following my visit to the school on 18 July 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in July 2012.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You are determined to raise achievement for all pupils in the school. To this end, you insist on a ‘no excuses’ culture in which barriers to learning are there to be overcome. You are supported effectively by the wider senior leadership team members, who are committed, energised and skilled in their different roles. Senior leaders, including phase leaders with responsibility for different year groups, work together collaboratively. This enables leaders to pool their expertise to have the greatest impact. You have successfully worked hard to ensure that different leaders in the school take responsibility for their work. They carry out their work with confidence because they know they have your trust.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

Leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This is because they take an honest, open approach to self-evaluation. Leaders are not afraid to tackle areas that need development. Consequently, they were quick to analyse 2016 achievement information, identify areas for improvement and take appropriate action. For example, leaders commissioned an external review of pupil premium spending in response to the performance of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

You have been well supported by governors in taking this objective approach to school performance. They have a sharp understanding of achievement information, which, in addition to their wider knowledge of the school, they use to hold you to account. Governors are committed to their work. They have deepened their involvement with the school so that a healthy, productive relationship exists between staff and governors. Staff have also benefited from support provided by the local authority. This includes, for example, attending moderation activities to increase the accuracy of teachers’ assessment of writing.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

Leaders have maintained the good quality of teaching in the school by ensuring that processes to manage staff performance are robust. Staff are set ambitious targets and provided with different opportunities to develop their practice. Leaders have an accurate view of teaching. This is because they take account of different sources of evidence, such as observation of learning, pupils’ work and what pupils say about their learning. Pupils behave well in response to the high expectations of staff, the quality of teaching and the vibrant, colourful school environment. They enjoy their learning and their wider experience of school. One pupil who spoke with me said, ‘I enjoy all the lessons because you learn a lot and the teachers are really friendly.’

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

At the beginning of the inspection, we agreed on the key lines of enquiry to be considered during the day. These included establishing the effectiveness of actions taken to raise the achievement of pupils in key stage 2, particularly those who are disadvantaged. We also considered the effectiveness of actions to raise the achievement of children in the early years. Finally, we considered whether safeguarding is effective. These lines of enquiry are considered below under ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘Inspection findings’.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

Designated safeguarding staff take their roles seriously. They are knowledgeable, proactive and persistent in their work to keep pupils safe. They ensure that all staff are appropriately trained in child protection. Detailed records are kept so that ‘mop- up’ sessions are held for any staff who miss training. Staff involved in recruitment are also appropriately trained to ensure that new staff joining the school are suitable to work with children. Checks to ensure the suitability of existing staff are well organised, up to date and comprehensive.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Members of staff understand their duty to be vigilant and report concerns. Key child protection messages are emphasised in different ways, for example through posters in staff toilets. Staff are encouraged to report any concerns they might have, no matter how small they may appear to be. The message from the safeguarding leads is, ‘Pass on, don’t hold on.’ Staff know the procedures to follow and who to talk to. These concerns are logged and carefully monitored so that appropriate action is taken in each case. Staff work well with external agencies to get the support children require. Where support is unavailable, staff look to the school’s own resources to ensure that pupils do not lose out.

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Short inspection of Lawn Primary

Pupils who spoke with me reported that they feel safe. The large majority of pupils who responded to the pupil survey issued during the inspection agree that there is someone they can talk to if they have worries. They also agree that staff are effective in resolving bullying issues when they occur. One pupil told me that bullying is ‘dealt with really quickly’. The school’s nurture team is having a positive impact, supporting pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural issues to feel safe in school. The team also works closely with families and the wider community to look after these pupils. Nearly all parents who responded to the Parent View online survey agree that their children feel safe in school.

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Inspection findings

 In 2016, pupils who left the school at the end of key stage 2 achieved in line with the national average overall in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2017, the overall attainment of pupils is higher than last year and in line with, or higher than, the national average for all subjects.  In 2016, the progress of disadvantaged pupils, particularly those of middle ability, was below average in reading and mathematics. The work of current disadvantaged pupils, including the most able, shows that teachers have the same high expectations of these pupils as their peers. The presentation of their work, their commitment to improving it and the progress they make is comparable with their peers.  In 2017, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the previous year in reading and mathematics. However, attainment in writing has not improved.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge to provide interesting, stimulating

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Inspection findings

activities for pupils. For example, during one observed Year 2 lesson, pupils worked in groups to consider how an axle might be attached to the body of a vehicle they were making. The task prompted pupils to work together to solve a problem. They talked and listened to each other considerately as they weighed up different ideas.  The school’s assessment information indicates that most pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities progress well from their starting points as they move up through the school. The work in their books supports this view. However, too few pupils are attaining in line with all pupils nationally by the time they leave the school.  Children in the early years make good progress. In 2017, the number of children achieving a good level of development is above the national average and higher than last year. Staff assess children frequently and monitor progress closely.

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Inspection findings

 Children enjoy a rich, varied experience in the early years because of the range of activities and resources on offer. Adults support children to engage with writing and number work. Children also take advantage of plentiful resources inside and outside to ‘make-believe’, practise building objects and produce art work.  Staff assist children to develop good social skills. As a result, they are well behaved. Children work well with each other in pairs and small groups but are also able to work independently. They are friendly and polite.  Overall attendance continues to be above average. This is also the case for most groups of pupils. However, the attendance of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is not as good as their peers. Nevertheless, staff are using all available means at their disposal to improve attendance for these pupils. The school’s figures for this group of pupils are adversely affected by a very small

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that action is taken to improve:

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Next steps for the school

 disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes in writing  the attainment of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities by the time they leave the school.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Swindon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection, I spoke with you, senior leaders and staff responsible for safeguarding. I also spoke with pupils, representatives of the governing body and a local authority representative.

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Information about the inspection

You and I made visits to lessons to observe pupils’ attitudes to learning. I also scrutinised the work in pupils’ books.

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Information about the inspection

A range of documentary evidence was considered, which included the school’s self- evaluation, the school development plan, current progress information and attendance information. I also considered external reviews of pupil premium funding and safeguarding. Furthermore, I considered notes of visit from other professionals and documents relating to the management of staff performance and the leadership of teaching. I scrutinised information about the suitability of staff to work with children and other safeguarding records.

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Information about the inspection

In addition, I took account of 37 responses to the Parent View online survey, 60 responses to the pupil survey and 15 responses to the staff survey issued during the inspection. I also took account of the school’s own most recent survey information.

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