Lakeside Primary School

Inspection of Lakeside Primary School Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 6HR

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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 Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 28–29 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lakeside Primary School has a warm and welcoming environment. Leaders make sure that their ‘PROUD’ values sit at the heart of the school. All members of the school community share these values. The headteacher has been instrumental in developing this sense of pride in the school. Teachers help pupils to develop their strength of character, confidence and independence. Pupils enjoy coming to school and behave well. They feel safe and they trust adults to sort out any bullying if it occurs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious that children will do well. Governors and staff share these high expectations. Leaders have recently made significant improvements to the way teachers plan pupils’ learning. Pupils learn well across a wide range of subjects. They find these subjects interesting. They remember much of what they have learned. For example, Year 1 pupils talk with enthusiasm about their history lessons. They can explain how transport has changed over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very positive about the school. They feel that the headteacher and his team are making a real difference to their children.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, teaching builds successfully on what pupils already know and can do. Pupils achieve well as a result, particularly in reading and mathematics.

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better?

Reading sits at the heart of the school. Staff are passionate that pupils will become confident and fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and talk enthusiastically about books. Leaders make sure that staff have the training they need to support pupils effectively. Teachers follow a carefully structured phonics programme to make sure that pupils get off to a good start. Pupils master basic sounds quickly. Where pupils are at risk of falling behind, teachers make sure that they get the support they need.

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better?

Leaders check that teachers understand the needs of pupils in their classes. Most teaching makes sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need. Pupils with SEND are positive about their learning and usually achieve well. Sometimes, work does not fully meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders are working with staff to improve how consistently learning supports these pupils.

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better?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils show good attitudes to their learning and they concentrate well in class. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that, when bullying does happen, teachers deal with it quickly.

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better?

Leaders make sure that pupils’ personal development is a priority. Pupils look after each other and value having positions of responsibility. An example of this is the ‘Playground Pioneers’ who play with younger children on the playground. Pupils 28–29 January 2020

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learn about other faiths and cultures and recognise the importance of showing respect to others. Teachers use stories and discussions to help pupils think about a range of moral issues. For example, Year 6 pupils can talk about the challenges facing refugee children from war zones. They understand why it is important to show tolerance.

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Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They make close checks on the school’s work to secure improvement. Governors make sure that leaders use additional funding to support the most vulnerable children.

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Early years staff are knowledgeable and understand the needs of their children. Teachers plan a challenging curriculum that motivates children. Children develop quickly in a range of areas, particularly reading and mathematics. There is a lively ‘buzz’ in the early years and children are keen to learn.

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Science is not yet as well developed as other subjects. Although leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum, a few pupils struggle to remember what they have learned in previous topics. This makes it difficult for these pupils to know and remember more.

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Where the curriculum was less effective in the past, a small number of older pupils have gaps in their learning. For example, some pupils are not sure about the difference between primary and secondary sources in history. Leaders are aware of this and are improving the way teachers check where these gaps are when planning new work in subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a strong safeguarding culture. They have put systems in place to make sure that adults are suitable to work with children.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff have the training they need to keep children safe. Adults know what to do if they have concerns about a child.

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Safeguarding

Staff keep pupils safe and pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They talk confidently about online safety. They trust adults to help them if they have any problems.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The science curriculum does not build on pupils’ prior knowledge as effectively as the curriculum in other subjects. Some pupils do not secure a deep understanding 28–29 January 2020

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of scientific concepts and vocabulary. Leaders need to embed the ambitious curriculum plans for science consistently across every year group.  Sometimes, the curriculum is not adapted well to suit the needs of pupils with SEND. When this happens, these pupils struggle to develop a deep understanding of the subject they are studying. Leaders need to make sure that the support given to pupils with SEND is of an equally high standard across every subject.  Some older pupils have gaps in their knowledge because of previous weaknesses in the school’s curriculum. Leaders need to sharpen assessment practice in the wider curriculum, to identify these gaps. Teachers need to consistently check what pupils already know, can do and understand when planning work and address where pupils have gaps in their learning.

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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 are the school and you are 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. 28–29 January 2020

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12–13 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in January 2019. Most members of the governing body have joined the school since the last inspection.

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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

 We visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to both staff and pupils in order to evaluate the quality of the curriculum.  Some inspection activities were conducted jointly with the school leaders. We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and on the playground.  We held meetings with school leaders and governors and analysed responses to questionnaires completed by staff, parents and pupils.  We looked at documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s own self-evaluation and documents related to child protection, safeguarding and attendance. 28–29 January 2020

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 We did deep dives in: reading, mathematics, history, physical education and science during the inspection. We met with senior leaders and curriculum leaders, considered pupils’ workbooks, conducted lesson visits and spoke with teachers and pupils.

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Inspection team

Nick Sheppard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Spencer Allen Ofsted Inspector 28–29 January 2020

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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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