Setting

John Read Headteacher Lyneham Primary School Preston Lane Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 4QJ

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Lyneham Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Nathan Kemp, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 18 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Lyneham Primary School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Lyneham Primary School

This monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on- site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Lyneham Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received three successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in February 2018.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Lyneham Primary School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 improve the curriculum so that pupils’ knowledge is developed over time in all subjects

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 improve the skills and expertise of subject leaders so that their actions are effective across the curriculum.

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Context

 A new chair of governors took up post in September 2020.

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Context

 At the start of the spring term, when the school was only open to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions, approximately 75% of pupils were educated at home. About 75% of vulnerable pupils and 30% of pupils with education, health and care plans were educated at school during this period.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, all pupils were attending on site.

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Main findings

 When schools were only open to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions in March 2020, you skilfully adapted the curriculum so that it can be taught in school and remotely. For example, in mathematics, staff delayed the teaching of area because they feel that pupils learn this concept more effectively in the classroom. Now that all pupils are back in school, staff are teaching the mathematical concepts that were put on hold.

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Main findings

 As far as possible, leaders have continued to address the remaining weaknesses in the curriculum. Subject content is now appropriately sequenced in some curriculum plans, such as English, mathematics and history. In these subjects, pupils’ knowledge builds effectively over time. However, the curriculums for some subjects, such as music, and art and design, are not yet as well designed.

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Main findings

 Leaders, including governors, recognise that subject leadership is in the early stages of development. Subject leaders look at pupils’ work and make important checks on teaching. However, your plans to develop their skills and expertise have slowed due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

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Main findings

 Leaders check that pupils have learned and remembered the most important knowledge in the curriculum. Teachers make sure that pupils revisit topics to help them remember important facts. In writing, teachers have rightly found that some pupils need more support to use punctuation and grammar accurately. Teachers have reorganised how they teach writing to ensure that pupils’ writing improves.  You and your staff are prioritising the teaching of reading. Focused, daily phonics lessons take place for pupils in Reception Year and Years 1 and 2. You ensure that pupils are reading appropriately challenging books to help prepare them for their education in secondary school. For example, in Year 6, pupils study Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol’. Older pupils who are still at an early stage of learning to read are supported effectively. Staff make sure that reading books match their reading ability well.

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Main findings

 Leaders assess pupils’ needs well. Vulnerable pupils receive strong pastoral and academic support. Staff provide appropriate help for the weakest readers in school. This is improving pupils’ ability to understand more complex vocabulary. Throughout the current restrictions, leaders continue to work closely and successfully with pupils’ families.

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Main findings

 The special educational needs coordinator has ensured that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. ‘Pupil passports’ give teachers clear guidance about what they should consider when planning work for pupils with SEND. Consequently, teachers adapt activities, where appropriate, so that pupils can work well and see success.

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Main findings

 Governors share your high expectations for pupils’ education and well-being. They hold you and other school leaders to account well. Governors have clear insight into the school’s work. They ask pertinent questions and do not hold back when they need to seek extra clarification. This means that governors have a firm grasp of the impact of your actions to bring about improvements to the education pupils receive.

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Main findings

 Your work with the local authority adviser has set a clear direction in how to develop subject leaders’ roles and responsibilities. Most recently, you are using this support to put clear plans in place to further improve subject leaders’ expertise.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke to you, other senior leaders, pupils, governors and a representative of the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We also looked at some school documentation, such as subject plans, and we heard some pupils read. We looked at responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 30 free-text responses, and 29 staff questionnaires.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Wiltshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely

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