Lapworth CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lapworth CofE Primary School Station Lane, Lapworth, Solihull, Warwickshire B94 6LT

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Outcome

Lapworth CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents appreciate the breadth of the school’s curriculum, and the imagination with which teachers plan it. Themed weeks, such as inter-faith week or science week, complement the regular timetable. Leaders have identified clearly what pupils should learn so that it adds to what they already know. Arrangements to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those at risk of falling behind are very effective. Teaching assistants make a particularly strong contribution to learning. There is a good range of after-school clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school enjoy learning. Their attitudes towards their work are admirable. Pupils are confident, polite and articulate. They behave well. The school prepares them very effectively for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pastoral care is strong. This is an inclusive school that looks after everyone and keeps them safe. Pupils say that there is always someone to turn to if they are unhappy and the school will deal well with the very rare incidents of bullying. Pupils have good opportunities to take responsibility and demonstrate leadership.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know where pupils learn very well, and where learning can be strengthened further. They check carefully on the impact of their actions. Leaders and governors understand well the issues and opportunities presented by the expansion of the school.

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

Leaders’ outline plans ensure that teachers set work that extends what pupils already know and can do. Teachers use a straightforward assessment system in all subjects to track what each pupil has learned. This enables them to identify gaps for the whole class and for individuals. This ongoing record also helps teachers in later years to set work at the right starting point. Subject leaders are tackling the unevenness that remains in foundation subjects, where some aspects of the curriculum are more firmly embedded 25–26 February 2020

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than others. For example, in the teaching of science there is more to be done to develop pupils’ skills when working scientifically.

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Teachers know their subjects well. They explain ideas clearly, using the right terms in each subject. They expect pupils to learn and use the new vocabulary for each topic. For example, in a Year 1 class, pupils were familiar with the term ‘suffix’, and in a Year 3 science lesson, the teacher explored the vocabulary associated with light. Staff adapt work effectively for pupils, including for those with SEND. In a sharply planned mathematics lesson for Year 6 pupils, for instance, the two groups of pupils were able to apply their knowledge of percentages in ways that extended their existing skills.

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Much teaching effortlessly identifies how well pupils are learning and addresses any misconceptions. Teachers give pupils who grasp new ideas quickly tasks which encourage them to think more deeply. Some inconsistency remains, however, so that sometimes work does not provide these pupils with sufficient challenge.

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Pre-school provision gives children an early introduction to all areas of learning, including literacy and numeracy. Staff from the pre-school have observed the teaching of phonics to pupils in Reception. This has been the first step in achieving a more consistent approach across the school.

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Leaders have a sound understanding of how children learn to read. Children start with phonics at the beginning of the Reception Year. They follow a structured programme that ensures that they learn about letters and their sounds in an effective sequence. The school encourages pupils to read at home, providing younger children with books matched to their abilities in phonics. Reading records show a good dialogue between home and school. Leaders are successfully fine-tuning their approach to the teaching of reading for older pupils. Pupils, particularly those I spoke to in key stage 2, really enjoy their reading.

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In the first term of the academic year, the teaching of mathematics prioritises pupils’ calculation skills. Later, pupils apply these skills and show that they can reason mathematically. They demonstrate their thinking well, both orally and on paper.

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Leaders and governors plan effectively for pupils’ broader development. Pupils have the opportunity to act as school councillors and play leaders. Pupils and their parents particularly value family time on Friday afternoon, when the school is split into six mixed- age ‘families’. Older pupils take the responsibility for presenting a particular topic, such as healthy eating. They get to know and care for younger pupils. Pupils’ constructive attitudes in the classroom help everyone to learn.

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Recent changes to the school have made additional demands on staff. Leaders and governors have managed these well. Staff expressed full confidence in the leadership of the school. 25–26 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that staff are well trained, so that they are vigilant and aware of any particular risks. Staff know the pupils and their individual circumstances very well. When an issue arises, leaders take the right steps to involve other agencies that work with children. They keep good records. Leaders make the necessary checks on the staff who join the school. Governors provide effective oversight of safeguarding arrangements.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have full confidence in the staff to resolve any difficulties. They feel overwhelmingly safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the foundation curriculum remains a little inconsistent. This means that pupils’ skills are not as well developed as they could be. Leaders should continue to use their own information about how well pupils are learning and being taught to improve provision in those areas that require strengthening.  Sometimes, the work given to the most confident and well-informed pupils does not match the challenging aims of the curriculum. This means that the interest of these pupils is not as well maintained and there is a lower proportion of pupils attaining at greater depth than leaders would like. Teachers should provide demanding work, matched to the curriculum, that deepens pupils’ understanding.  Leaders are at a fairly early stage of adapting the curriculum in the pre-school so that it matches with that in the Reception Year. Ensuring a similarity of approach, especially in the teaching of early literacy and numeracy, will improve children’s progress across the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

early years foundation stage, and so prepare them in the best possible way for key stage 1.

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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 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 7–8 February 2012. 25–26 February 2020

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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.

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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. 25–26 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122576 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-chairs Ann Cotterill and David Oakley

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 May 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 In April 2019, the governors of the school took over the running of the pre-school on the adjacent site, which had been an independent setting. The pre-school caters for children aged two to four years old, almost all of whom attend part time.  The school roll is increasing. Each year, it admits a number of pupils other than at the normal points of transition.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school is a Church of England faith school. Its religious character was last inspected in June 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Before the inspection, I reviewed the information on the school’s website and spoke to the headteacher on the telephone about the school and its curriculum.  I conducted deep dives into reading, mathematics and science. I held discussions with leaders, visited lessons, held meetings with staff, looked at examples of pupils’ work and had discussions with pupils. 25–26 February 2020

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 I took account of the 45 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents. I also considered 35 free-text comments. I spoke with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection.  I considered 27 responses to the staff survey. I also spoke to staff about their professional development.  I looked at 100 answers to the survey for pupils. I spoke to pupils in lessons and at social times about their experiences at school.  I checked the school’s employment records and met with the headteacher to discuss safeguarding. I met with the staff who lead the provision for pupils with SEND.  I listened to pupils in the Reception Year, Year 1 and Year 2 reading.  I met with the co-chairs and six other members of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Martin Spoor, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25–26 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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