Leigh Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Leigh Primary School Leigh Road, Washwood Heath, Birmingham, West Midlands B8 2YH

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 November 2021

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Outcome

Leigh Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leigh Primary is a happy, warm and welcoming school. Pupils are polite, confident and respectful towards each other. Pupils talked about their school values of courage, curiosity, grit, kindness and scholarship. Year 6 pupils know that these values help to prepare them for the next stage of their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they enjoy school and that lessons give them the knowledge they need to help them learn. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Their behaviour is good, both in lessons and around school. They work well together and enjoy each other’s company.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talked with confidence about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils know not to share their passwords with anyone or leave a digital footprint when keeping themselves safe online. Pupils understand what bullying is. They said that there have been occasions when this has happened. However, when there are issues, pupils are confident that staff will sort things out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents value the support they and their children receive from the school. A typical comment from a parent was, ‘I am grateful for all the school has done and continues to do for my child.’

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

Leaders have high expectations. They strive to provide the very best learning opportunities for all pupils. They have worked with determination and success to maintain and improve the school’s provision.

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

Subject leaders have worked alongside senior leaders to design a well-structured and ordered curriculum. The curriculums in design and technology, relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), and history are a real success. For example, in design and technology, pupils in Year 1 explore the use of sliders and levers. They build on this knowledge in Year 3 as they move on to looking at wheels and axes. This structured 9 and 10 November 2021

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approach is supporting pupils to be successful. The children in the early years get off to a good start. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in early years sets out exactly what they want the children to learn. Children have a wide range of opportunities that enrich their learning.

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However, some subjects, such as modern foreign languages, are not as well sequenced and planned. Leaders have not precisely identified the essential skills and knowledge they want pupils to know and remember.

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The special educational needs coordinator has made sure that all support staff have received appropriate training. In lessons, adults provide good support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is helping pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as other pupils.

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The teaching of phonics is consistent and helps children to become confident and fluent readers. Teachers have strong subject knowledge because of effective training. Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they enter the school. Children in the early years have many opportunities to hear and say new words. Pupils learn sounds in a logical order, which helps them to read new words successfully. Pupils read books that help them to practise the sounds they are learning in school.

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Leaders have made sure that reading is a priority across the school. The teaching of reading is a strength. In reading lessons, pupils learn the skills they need to help them read and understand a range of interesting and engaging books. Pupils can skim and scan texts when trying to find key information. They know how to use a dictionary to help them find the meaning of words that they find tricky. Many pupils talked enthusiastically about their favourite authors. They enjoy it when teachers read stories to them. As a result, pupils enjoy reading, and read widely and often.

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In mathematics, teachers have good subject knowledge. The curriculum ensures that pupils are taught the precise knowledge they need. Pupils are given many opportunities to use practical resources to help them develop their knowledge. Leaders have made sure that the plans for mathematics enable pupils to build on their learning from one year to the next.

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Teachers make sure that lessons follow a sequence that builds on pupils’ prior learning. However, in some lessons they do not check that pupils understand or remember what they have been taught. In these lessons, pupils find new concepts difficult and struggle to remember key learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding has a high priority and leaders make sure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Staff are well trained and knowledgeable. Staff spoke confidently about procedure and policies relating to keeping children safe. Staff know and understand their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. 9 and 10 November 2021

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The members of staff with responsibility for safeguarding have a strong knowledge of local issues. They work well with other agencies to make sure that the most vulnerable families receive the support that they need.

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Leaders complete the appropriate checks on the suitability of adults working in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, such as modern foreign languages, curriculum plans are less precise and do not identify the key knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn over time. This means that pupils do not learn the knowledge and skills they need in these lessons. Leaders need to make sure that all subject plans identify the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn as they progress through the school.  In some classes, teachers do not always check if pupils understand the work. This means that some pupils’ lack of understanding is not spotted. Consequently, they are left with gaps in their learning. This then hinders their progress. Teachers need to check pupils’ understanding and use the information to modify and adapt the lesson, the sequence of learning or the broader curriculum.

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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 predecessor school, Leigh Junior Infant and Nursery School, to be good in June 2010. 9 and 10 November 2021

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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.

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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. 9 and 10 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10205165 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started at the school in September 2019.  The school is part of the Leigh multi-academy trust.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders in the school, a governor, a trustee and representatives of Leigh multi-academy trust, including the chief executive.  Deep dives were carried out in reading, history, and design and technology. The inspector looked at a range of curriculum plans and documents.  The inspector sampled pupils’ work and talked to them about their learning.  The inspector evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding and met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss school policies, procedures and record-keeping. The inspector spoke with pupils and staff to evaluate the school’s safeguarding culture. 9 and 10 November 2021

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 The inspector spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  The responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, were considered.  The views of staff were considered from conversations during the inspection and the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Kerry Rochester, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 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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