Kings Lodge Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kings Lodge Primary School Kings Lodge Primary School, Lodge Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 3SY

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Outcome

Kings Lodge Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly and inclusive school where pupils do well. The values of ‘kindness, learning and success’ run through everything the school does. Pupils are proud of their achievements. They say that the curriculum ‘learning adventures’ inspire them to be curious about the world they live in.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wealth of activities on offer at social times. These range from physical challenges using the outside stopwatch to climbing. Pupils play sensibly together. Staff do not tolerate any bullying or unkind behaviour. Pupils know that adults will deal with any issues that arise quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is central to the school’s work. From the outset, pupils form trusting relationships with teachers and other adults. Consequently, they feel safe and happy. Pupils behave well. They live up to adults’ high expectations. Pupils talk to pastoral staff if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know the pupils well. They put their best interests at the heart of all decisions. Most parents and carers are positive about the school. Many appreciate the focus on pupils’ social and emotional well-being, including during the national pandemic.

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

Staff work together as a strong team. Leaders, including governors, have created a culture where everyone feels listened to and supported. Teachers benefit from regular training to develop their expertise in teaching a range of subjects.

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

Leaders pay great attention to pupils’ early reading. In September, they introduced a new and ambitious phonics programme. Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular training to help them become reading experts. Staff are knowledgeable in the teaching of phonics. From the start of Reception, children confidently practise reading and writing the sounds that they are learning. In Years 1 and 2, staff check regularly that pupils understand what 3 and 4 November 2021

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they have learned. They provide extra support to any pupils at risk of falling behind. Staff match reading books to the sounds pupils know. This helps to develop their confidence and reading fluency.

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Leaders have planned and sequenced an effective mathematics curriculum from Reception to Year 6. Teachers ensure that lessons build on what pupils know and can do. This helps pupils to draw on their prior knowledge when learning new concepts. Pupils skilfully explain their reasoning in different ways when solving problems. Teachers use assessment effectively to identify where pupils have gaps in their learning. For example, they have prioritised pupils’ calculation skills so they can recall number facts quickly. Pupils say this is helping them to become more confident mathematicians.

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Pupils experience a broad and engaging curriculum. Teachers follow curriculum plans that identify the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn in each subject. However, some of these plans do not make clear the precise knowledge leaders want pupils to know, remember and understand. As a result, pupils do not build on their learning as well as they could in subjects beyond English and mathematics.

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Pupils enjoy a well-designed and inclusive physical education (PE) curriculum. Staff receive regular training from in-school and local experts. In lessons, teachers give helpful feedback. This helps pupils to improve their performance. However, leaders know that assessment is not yet fully developed in all subjects. Some subject leaders do not have a detailed enough understanding of how well pupils learn the curriculum.

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Pupils are friendly and well mannered. They conduct themselves sensibly in the breakfast club, the lunch hall and around the school. Lessons flow with very little disruption as pupils know what staff expect of them.

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The school’s special educational needs coordinator and pastoral leader have an in-depth understanding of pupils with specific needs. They work closely with staff to put the right type of support in place. Staff adapt the curriculum thoughtfully so that pupils experience success. Teachers regularly review pupils’ individual support plans to ensure that any extra help is making a difference. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are increasingly becoming more independent and resilient in their learning.

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Leaders and teachers take advantage of regular opportunities to promote equality and diversity. Through books and assemblies, pupils have time to discuss topics such as democracy and different cultures. Pupils say that ‘everyone is treated equally no matter where they are from’. Inspiring talks from professionals in the community are helping to raise pupils’ aspirations about future careers. Pupils are well prepared for life beyond primary school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of vigilance across the school. They have put in place effective systems to make sure that adults are suitable to work with pupils. Staff are 3 and 4 November 2021

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well trained. They know how to recognise and report any signs of concern in pupils. Leaders keep a close check on pupils who may be vulnerable. They are quick to engage with outside agencies for expert advice and support where necessary.

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Pupils feel safe in school. When learning online, they know how to use technology responsibly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are in the early stages of developing assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics. Not all subject leaders have a detailed enough understanding of how well pupils learn the intended curriculum. Leaders need to strengthen existing procedures, so they are more knowledgeable about the impact the curriculum is having on pupils’ learning.  In a few subjects, leaders have not fully identified the precise knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. This makes it harder for pupils to build on prior learning over time. Leaders need to make clear the knowledge that pupils should learn and remember.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as 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 in October 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 3 and 4 November 2021

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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. 3 and 4 November 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.kingslodge.wilts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the assistant headteacher has become the deputy headteacher. A pastoral leader took up post in January 2021.  Staff provide a breakfast and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school uses one alternative learning provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, four governors and the local authority school improvement adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, PE and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. 3 and 4 November 2021

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 The inspector looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about other subjects, including history.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The inspector looked at the school’s safeguarding documentation, including the single central record. The inspector considered how well safeguarding leaders act on concerns about pupils’ welfare and safety. The inspector talked to staff and governors about the training they have received.  The inspector talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered 87 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 48 free-text responses, and 36 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Dale Burr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 November 2021

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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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