Kingsmoor Lower School

Inspection of a good school: Kingsmoor Lower School Kingsmoor Close, Flitwick, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK45 1EY

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Outcome

Kingsmoor Lower School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Kingsmoor Lower School. They are keen to take part in the exciting learning activities their teachers provide, such as opportunities to make bulbs light up in science. They enjoy playing a wide range of breaktime games with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves well and the school is an orderly place. Pupils understand the school’s ‘good to be green’ behaviour system which reminds them to behave respectfully. They are not worried about bullying because staff sort out rare incidents well. Pupils feel safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on the ‘jobs’ which leaders offer, such as being part of the hall- tidying team, eco-warriors and road safety officers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff ensure that parents and carers feel welcome in the school. Parents appreciate senior leaders greeting pupils and their families every day at the school gate. Parents enjoy attending workshops about writing and mathematics, so they know how to help their children at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are typically complimentary about the school. They value belonging to a close and caring community. One parent’s comment on Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, echoes the views of many: ‘My child enjoys school, is nurtured and flourishing and feels safe.’

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

Leaders are determined to provide Kingsmoor pupils with an exciting, varied curriculum. For example, memorable events such as talks by a range of visitors grab pupils’ interests and help them connect their learning, so they remember more.

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

In most lessons, teachers’ skilfully planned activities enable pupils to learn things in the right order. Teachers’ strong knowledge across a range of subjects ensures that their 5–6 February 2020

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explanations are clear. Their questions encourage pupils to think for themselves. For example, in a mathematics lesson, key stage 2 pupils used their previous knowledge of division to solve real-life mathematical problems.

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The teaching of reading is a priority. The school library and classrooms are well resourced and inviting. Teachers ensure that pupils develop a love of reading by providing interesting texts and reading a range of books aloud. Lessons in key stage 2 are especially effective in helping pupils build their reading skills. However, the teaching of reading is not as joined up across the early years and key stage 1 as in other subjects. Tasks are sometimes not challenging enough.

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Leaders have recently taken action to improve phonics teaching in the early years and key stage 1 but have not checked that this is working. As a result, they have not spotted that pupils need more practice in lessons to blend the sounds they know into words.

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Pupils work hard and want to do their best. They concentrate in lessons and do not disturb each other. They listen to their teachers and work well together. For example, in a science lesson, key stage 1 pupils helped each other to find out how well objects float and sink when salt is added to water. This cooperation was typical of that seen across the school throughout the inspection.

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Leaders are determined that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) play a full part in the life of the school. They ensure that staff are well trained to meet pupils’ needs. Teachers are skilled in adapting pupils’ work so that they can learn alongside other pupils.

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Children in the early years are well prepared for learning in Year 1, especially in early mathematics. They get plenty of practice in using their number skills to solve simple problems, such as when adding numbers together. The orderly environment in both the Reception class and pre-school helps children flourish.

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Leaders ensure that pupils learn values which help them in their life at school and beyond, such as kindness and friendship. Pupils and staff are proud to live out these values. The school provides a wide range of experiences beyond the academic which especially benefits disadvantaged pupils. For example, visitors talk to pupils about their careers and interests, such as learning to play a musical instrument. There is a wide range of clubs on offer such as music and French clubs.

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Leaders have worked closely with parents to improve the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent. As a result, pupils come to school more regularly.

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Staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported by leaders. They enjoy working as part of a strong team. Governors carry out their duties effectively. They work well with leaders to ensure that the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5–6 February 2020

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Safeguarding is a priority at Kingsmoor. Staff know exactly what to do if they have a concern about a pupil’s safety. Senior leaders make sure that staff are well trained and kept constantly up to date with the latest guidance.

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Leaders know pupils and their families well. They give prompt support and seek help from external agencies when needed. They carry out the necessary checks to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ approach to reading is not as refined as in other subjects. Practice varies because there is not a precise enough strategy which builds pupils’ knowledge and skills consistently through the early years and key stage 1 into key stage 2. Leaders should ensure that teachers agree a clear approach to reading which helps pupils learn to read more quickly throughout the school.  Phonics is not taught well enough to ensure that all pupils make rapid progress through the school’s chosen programme. Pupils do not learn the skills of blending sounds to make words as well as they should. Leaders need to check routinely that lessons in phonics are fit for purpose, and where weaknesses are identified, provide appropriate training and support for teachers.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 14 June 2011.

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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. 5–6 February 2020

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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. 5–6 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10110308 Type of school First

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Simon Cliff-Reid

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 June 2011, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kingsmoor Lower School is smaller than the average-sized first school.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club.  The school runs a pre-school class for children aged three to four years. This is part of the school’s early years provision.

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Information about this inspection

 I held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders and teachers. I also met with several governors, including the chair of the governing body.  A meeting with staff took place to discuss workload. This included a mix of teachers, teaching assistants and student teachers on placement.  To inspect safeguarding, I scrutinised the checks undertaken before staff can work with pupils. I met with the designated safeguarding leader and checked the school’s safeguarding records. Throughout the inspection, I looked at how well leaders have created a culture where staff maintain a vigilant approach to keeping pupils safe. 5–6 February 2020

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 I did deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. I spoke with teachers and pupils, listened to pupils read, looked at pupils’ work and visited lessons. I considered the guidance that leaders provide for staff.  I took account of the 34 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the 34 responses to Ofsted’s free-text system. I also spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day. The 20 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire were considered along with the 42 responses to the online pupils’ questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Judith Sumner, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5–6 February 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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