Lea Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lea Community Primary School Greavestown Lane, Lea, Preston, Lancashire PR2 1PD

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Outcome

Lea Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school each day full of excitement. The pupils who spoke to me said that teachers want them to be successful. They explained how the values that they learn, such as resilience, honesty and respect, help them to be the best that they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access all the opportunities that leaders provide. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the many creative activities during ‘Magnificent Mondays’, for example art, dance and music. Pupils spoke proudly about a recent dance performance at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. They are equally as proud of the school’s many sporting achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those new to the school, said that it is easy to make friends. Lunchtimes are well supervised, and pupils enjoy playing games or reading a book. Pupils told me that they feel safe in school. They said that they can talk to staff if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. Pupils who may struggle to manage their own behaviour said that they are well supported and that their behaviour is improving. Pupils said that any bullying is rare, but if it should happen, it would be sorted out quickly by adults.

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

Most pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. Leaders identified the root causes of the dip in pupils’ attainment in reading and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2019. They have taken swift action to tackle these weaknesses. The improvements introduced by leaders are having a significant impact on the achievement of current pupils.

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

The school’s curriculum develops pupils’ independence and resilience. Leaders are ambitious for pupils and the curriculum is succeeding in realising this ambition. Leaders, staff and governors share the headteacher’s high expectations for all pupils, including 4–5 March 2020

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pupils with SEND. Leaders have identified the specific subject knowledge that they want pupils to have and the order in which it is to be taught. Teachers use assessment information well. They carefully adapt their planning to meet the needs of pupils. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit what they know before moving on to what they will learn next. However, in a few subjects, curriculum plans do not reflect some of the key concepts that are set out in the national curriculum, and pupils struggle to recall some key aspects of these subjects.

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Pupils conduct themselves well in school. As prefects, older pupils act as positive role models for others. Disruption in lessons is rare. The quality of pupils’ work seen during the inspection reflects how hard they work. Pupils achieve well in in a range of subjects. The art work on display and dance performances are of a high quality. Pupils talked confidently about what they know and remember across these subjects. For example, they told me that their previous work on fractions helped them to solve calculations using decimals.

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In the Reception class, children practise their understanding of early number in a range of practical activities. An increasing proportion of children have weaknesses in their communication skills when they start school. Leaders quickly identify gaps in children’s vocabulary knowledge. Well trained staff are skilled in developing children’s spoken language and vocabulary knowledge. Leaders foster a love of familiar stories, songs and rhymes. Phonics is taught from the start. Most children quickly learn the sounds that letters make. They practise what they know in a variety of imaginative ways. In Year 1, pupils apply their phonics knowledge independently in their own writing. Leaders select books that match pupils’ interests and the sounds that they are learning. In 2019, most pupils reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils who struggle receive help to catch up.

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Teachers share their love of reading with pupils. Imaginative reading spaces within school provide pupils with places to read independently. Pupils read a variety of texts across a range of subjects, including when carrying out their own research. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the way that teachers use expression to bring characters to life, especially when reading plays by Shakespeare.

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The range of experiences that leaders provide enhances pupils’ personal development well. Pupils reflected on how taking a ‘leap of faith’ during their residential trip really tested their courage. They are looking forward to the dance competition against other schools, for which they are currently practising. Pupils contribute to the life of the school and the local community through various fundraising events. The roles and responsibilities that pupils have help to prepare them to be responsible citizens for the future.

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Governors bring a breadth of experience to the role. They use their knowledge well to ensure that the quality of education is maintained. Governors are mindful of staff’s workload. Staff told me that they feel well supported by leaders. They know that they are valued. 4–5 March 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are vigilant in regard to safeguarding. All checks are carried out to make sure that adults in school are safe to be with pupils. Staff know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about safeguarding. The training that staff receive enables them to support the most vulnerable pupils well. Leaders work with other agencies to provide additional support for parents and carers. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, such as road safety and when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, curriculum plans do not reflect some of the key concepts that are set out in the national curriculum. Pupils sometimes struggle to understand significant aspects in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans reflect all aspects of the national curriculum and that teachers implement the knowledge that pupils need to achieve well across all subjects.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 12–13 May 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. 4–5 March 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. 4–5 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122108 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 12–13 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates a breakfast club at the start of each day.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I spoke with three members of the governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff. I also spoke on the phone to a representative from the local authority.  I considered the 24 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. I also considered the 20 responses from the staff questionnaire and the 26 responses to the questionnaire for pupils.  I carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, history, and mathematics. I met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and spoke to pupils about their learning. We also looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  During the inspection, I reviewed a range of documentation, including documentation relating to safeguarding. 4–5 March 2020

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Inspection team

Amanda Stringer, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 4–5 March 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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