Leverton Church of England Academy

Inspection of a good school: Leverton Church of England Academy Main Street, North Leverton, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 0AD

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Outcome

Leverton Church of England Academy continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that it is important to behave well and treat others with respect. Most pupils do exactly that. They treat each other kindly and show good manners, for example by holding the door for others. Pupils like the fact that staff encourage them to behave well by giving them rewards. They enjoy the regular celebration assemblies. At these, pupils congratulate those who have achieved well or behaved well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that bullying is rare. They are confident that teachers will deal with any bullying, should it occur. Teachers work well to help resolve any fall-outs that may occur between pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that they feel safe at the school. There are staff who pupils can speak to if they are worried or upset. Pupils know that they must be careful when they cross the busy road outside school. They know how to be safe when they meet strangers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are enthusiastic about learning and want to achieve well. They know that their teachers are ambitious for them. However, teachers do not always check what pupils know and can do when they plan pupils’ learning. Teachers do not ensure that all pupils become fluent, confident readers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have recently reviewed what pupils learn across the different subjects. They wanted to make sure that pupils know what they need to for the next stage of their education. They have created new plans for learning across most subjects. For some subjects, including science, the plans build on what pupils already know. This is helping pupils to know and remember more. For example, pupils completed an experiment in melting chocolate. They discussed what they already knew about the properties of different objects. They used this knowledge well to explain how and why the chocolate 3 October 2019

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Other subjects are less well planned. Leaders have not thought well enough about how learning builds on what pupils have learned before. This is the case for history and geography. Teachers do not always check what pupils already know when they plan new learning. When this is the case teachers set pupils work that is either too hard or too easy.

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There are daily opportunities for pupils to read. During these sessions, pupils discuss the content of the text they have read. However, teachers do not consistently follow the school’s approach to teaching younger pupils how to read. Some pupils do not learn the different letters and sounds well enough to help them to read and write. On occasion staff do not support pupils so that they say sounds correctly. Some pupils do not gain the knowledge they need to become fluent and confident readers.

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Most pupils engage well with their learning. They are keen to achieve well. Teachers support pupils who struggle to focus on their work. This ensures that other pupils can continue to focus on their learning.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support. They learn the full range of subjects. On occasion these pupils receive support away from the classroom. Leaders manage this well, so that these pupils do not miss out on what the other pupils are learning.

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There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about other people’s lives. Pupils meet local residents to learn about different cultures and beliefs. There are many popular clubs and activities. Through these, pupils explore their interests in singing, dance, craft and sport. Pupils learn about democracy by voting for their team captains. Pupils take on leadership roles, including as sports leaders.

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Staff say that leaders support them well. Leaders and governors have acted to help staff to manage their time well. For example, curriculum leaders have extra time to review and plan learning in their subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training on how to keep pupils safe. They know how to identify any concerns about pupils’ welfare. They know to report to senior leaders any concerns that they may have, no matter how small. Senior leaders respond quickly to any concerns. They keep detailed records of the actions they take to support pupils. These records help leaders to know their pupils well. Leaders work with parents and agencies, so that pupils receive the support they need. Leaders carry out appropriate checks on staff who are new to the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not consistently follow the school’s approach to teaching children in the early years and key stage 1 pupils how to read. Staff do not always make sure that pupils pronounce their letters correctly. They do not help pupils to practise and remember the correct pronunciation. Pupils do not learn the different letters well enough. On occasion pupils read books that contain words that they cannot read. Some pupils do not become confident and fluent readers. Leaders must ensure that children and pupils have the knowledge they need to be able to read well.  In science, there are plans in place that identify what pupils will learn and how this will build on their prior knowledge. Leaders have not done this for all subjects, including history and geography. Leaders must ensure that plans for learning in all subjects identify what pupils already know, what they need to learn and when. This will ensure

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

that pupils learn more and remember more.  When planning new learning, teachers do not always consider what pupils have learned before. As a result, teachers do not always provide pupils with suitable work. The work does not allow pupils to build upon what they already know. It does not help pupils to fill any gaps that they may have in their knowledge. This prevents pupils from knowing more and remembering more. Teachers must identify what pupils know and can do. This will ensure that they plan learning that helps pupils to build on what they already know, so that they build up their knowledge over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Leverton Church of England Academy to be good on 4–5 February 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 3 October 2019

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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. 3 October 2019

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10110133 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4–5 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has become the substantive headteacher since the time of the school’s last full inspection. At the time of that inspection, the headteacher was an acting headteacher.  The school is a Church of England school. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place on 27 January 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and the assistant headteacher.  The lead inspector met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors undertook deep dives into early reading, mathematics and science. Inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ workbooks, met with pupils and met with the teachers of the lessons they visited.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher to discuss safeguarding. Inspectors also met with staff to discuss their understanding of the school’s procedures to keep pupils safe. The lead inspector also considered documentation relating to safeguarding, the school’s single central register and the system for undertaking checks on new staff. 3 October 2019

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Inspection team

Simon Hollingsworth, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Graham Boyd Ofsted Inspector 3 October 2019

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