Stonebow Primary School Loughborough

Inspection of Stonebow Primary School Loughborough Stonebow Close, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 4ZH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 12–13 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Stonebow is a happy school. Pupils love how well everyone gets on and how kind the teachers are to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and settled. Pupils behave well. They have great fun playing together outside. Many join in with the different activities led by the sports coach. They appreciate the exciting outdoor play area. Pupils feel safe at school. They say that there is very little bullying. If it occurs, it is soon sorted out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect all pupils to achieve well. Work is challenging for them. Pupils have lots of exciting events to look to forward to. When we visited the school, ‘Greek soldiers’ were telling pupils about life in Ancient Greece. Earlier the same week, another class had enjoyed a day that was all about India.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents say that the school is like a big family. Events such as ‘Bedtime Stories’ and those put on by ‘The Friends of Stonebow’ are popular. The school is at the heart of the community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school celebrates the achievement of pupils whose behaviour reflects the ‘Stonebow Powers’. These include ‘respect’, ‘enthusiasm’ and ‘cooperation’. Choosing just one pupil from each class each week is a difficult task!

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better?

Leaders have continued to improve the school since the last inspection. They expect everyone to do their best. Staff work together as a team so that they can meet the needs of all pupils. They say that leaders are effective in their role and are mindful of the work-life balance of staff.

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better?

Children soon settle into the Reception Year. At the time of the inspection, they had only been in school a few days. They were already learning and playing together. Staff are kind and friendly. They meet with parents so that they get to know each child’s personality and needs. Children have great places to learn, both inside and outdoors. Getting pupils to read well is the school’s number one learning priority. Teachers make learning to read fun. They help any who are struggling with reading to catch up. We saw them using toys and the Goldilocks story to help children learn about the sounds that letters make. Children learn all they need to be ready for Year 1.

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better?

Teachers in key stage 1 continue to teach early reading skills well. Teachers help pupils so they can read with understanding. Daily story-time sessions are very popular with pupils. They help pupils become keen readers. Pupils achieve well in this subject.

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better?

In mathematics, teachers make sure that pupils build up their skills step by step. Pupils know their number facts and times tables. However, pupils’ achievement in 12–13 September 2019

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this subject is not quite as high as in reading and writing. To do even better, they need more chances to use their number skills to solve tricky problems.

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Science is a strength of the curriculum. Pupils build up their knowledge and skills over time. They can remember science they were taught when they were younger. They enjoy testing their ideas and carrying out experiments.

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In most subjects, lessons build well upon what pupils have learned before. For example, in history, pupils connect what they learned about the Anglo-Saxons with Britain in Victorian times. This deepens their understanding of how family life changed over the centuries. Mostly, teachers check on how well pupils are learning. They make sure that pupils who may be falling behind get the help to catch up. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities get any extra support they need.

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In music and in design and technology, leaders have not planned a curriculum that builds on pupils’ knowledge and understanding. There are some gaps in the things that pupils know. Teachers do not check and address this sufficiently well. Pupils enjoy their music lessons. However, not all of them have sufficient chance to learn to play instruments.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They want to do their best and they work well together. Pupil’s personal development is good. Pupils are taught British values and are shown how to respect others. There are lots of different clubs that help them keep fit. There are also clubs where pupils enjoy things, such as singing, that interest them. Pupils are given opportunities to help out in school, such as joining the ‘eco warriors’ and ‘well-being champions’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are trained on how to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff immediately report any concerns to the safeguarding leaders. These leaders decide on the next steps. Leaders are persistent in getting expert help to protect pupils from harm. In lessons and assemblies, pupils learn about the risks to their welfare they may face. They learn how to stay safe online. They get lots of advice on what to do if there are things at school or outside of school that worry them.

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What does the school need to do to improve?

 The mathematics curriculum should include more opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge to reason and solve problems with fluency.  In music and design and technology, the curriculum should systematically build pupils’ knowledge in these subjects, providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills as they move through the school. Assessment of pupils’ progress in these subjects should be improved so that they are in line with other 12–13 September 2019

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areas of the curriculum, so that leaders are clear how well different pupils are doing and can adjust their plans accordingly.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 12–13 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110051 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27–28 April 2017

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up his post in August 2017.  Ofsted conducted a monitoring visit of the school in May 2018.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the early years leader, other members of staff and four members of the governing body.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents including curriculum plans and behaviour, attendance and safeguarding records.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils at observed them at breaktimes and lessons.  Inspectors considered 74 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They took into account comments provided by parents as part of their survey and at the start of the school day. 12–13 September 2019

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 Inspectors looked at examples of work in most subjects.  In this inspection, there was a particular focus on reading, mathematics, science and music. Inspectors: – met with senior leaders to discuss these subjects – met with subject leaders – visited lessons in these subjects – looked at pupils’ work in these subjects – met with teachers whose lessons they had visited – met with pupils whose lessons they had visited – heard pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read.

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Inspection team

Anthony O’Malley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Moira Dales Ofsted Inspector 12–13 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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