Kirby Muxloe Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kirby Muxloe Primary School Barwell Road, Kirby Muxloe, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE9 2AA

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2022

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Outcome

Kirby Muxloe Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They say they are happy and feel safe. They behave very well. Incidents of low-level disruption and bullying are rare. Any incidents that do occur are dealt with swiftly and fairly. Pupils enjoy being rewarded for doing ‘something fantastic’ or for being ‘half-term heroes’. They receive house points for behaving well and for working hard. Pupils are respectful of visitors and of one another. They are polite and courteous. They wait in doorways, allowing adults to pass, for example.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard. They are keen to answer teachers’ questions. They have a positive attitude to school and to their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The performing arts are a strength. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in concerts and performances. There is a school band. Pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and to sing in the school choir.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One typical comment was, ‘The staff always put the children first, no matter. They teach the right morals and everyone is so caring and thoughtful.’

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

Leaders are well on the way to producing a well-designed and well-sequenced curriculum. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and when they want them to learn it. However, in some subjects, leaders have not fully identified the exact knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

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

There is a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics through the school. Lessons involve a ‘review and do’ section. These allow pupils to practise and remember previously taught knowledge and skills. Pupils value these opportunities. Teachers make it 11 and 12 January 2022

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clear when pupils are learning ‘something new’. For example, pupils in Year 2 enjoyed the challenge of learning how multiplication is the same as repeated addition.

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There is a sensible approach to assessment. Teachers make good use of frequent, informal quizzes and more formal end-of-unit tests. These help to inform their future planning and indicate the content that pupils have remembered.

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Leaders have rightly prioritised the teaching of phonics and early reading. It is a strength. Staff have received effective phonics training. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. The books are at the appropriate level of challenge. Frequent and accurate assessments mean that pupils receive extra help promptly. Most of the pupils who receive such support are catching up quickly. The well-stocked library contains a good range of books for pupils to choose. Older pupils say that there are challenging texts from them to read in the various ‘book boxes’. They say they enjoy reading and do so frequently.

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The curriculum provides many opportunities to broaden pupils’ personal development. Staff work hard to enhance pupils’ character, cooperation, confidence, resilience and independence. Pupils are often given extra responsibilities. These might be as house captains, eco-warriors, librarians or play leaders, or as being part of the junior leadership team. There are opportunities for pupils to learn about diversity and how to help take care of their own physical and mental health. This could be through the daily mile run or in the on-site swimming pool. The curriculum provides pupils with age-appropriate information regarding relationships, sex and health education.

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Leaders ensure that they swiftly identify any pupils with SEND. When appropriate, these pupils receive extra support. This helps them to access the full curriculum. There are good links with outside agencies such as the educational psychologist, the speech and language team, autism outreach and an occupational therapist.

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The early years remains strong. Leaders have ensured that children receive a broad and balanced curriculum. There is a good range of stimulating activities on offer. Children are currently enjoying learning about space. They are using their knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes to build rockets. Children with SEND receive effective support. Staff know the children and their families well. Relationships between staff and children are very positive.

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Leaders have successfully prioritised the right areas of the school to improve. They have addressed the issues raised at the previous inspection. Leaders are supported well by a knowledgeable trustee board. Leaders have the support of staff. Staff morale is positive. Staff say that leaders are conscious of their workload and are sensitive to their well-being. Staff feel well supported and appreciate the training opportunities that are offered.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have received up-to-date safeguarding training. They are aware of the latest guidance around peer-on-peer abuse and harmful sexual behaviours. They know 11 and 12 January 2022

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the signs to look for that may indicate a child is at risk. There is a robust system in place for staff to record their safeguarding concerns. Leaders act on these concerns swiftly. There are strong links with outside agencies such as the early help team.

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Pupils say there are many adults who can help them if they have a worry. Staff know what to do should there be a concern about the behaviour of an adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have made a good start in planning out a well-planned and well-sequenced curriculum. In some subjects it is clear what pupils will learn and when they will learn it. However, in other subjects the planned content is not precise enough. Leaders should ensure that the exact content that they want pupils to learn, and when, is clear in all subjects. The effective implementation of these plans should ensure that pupils know and remember more as they travel through the school.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 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.

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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 . 11 and 12 January 2022

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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. 11 and 12 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211529 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 13 – 14 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 the school leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation.  The inspector held various meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and the leaders responsible for different curriculum subjects, phonics and early reading, the early years and for pupils with SEND. A meeting was held with five trustees, including the chair and vice-chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in mathematics, phonics and early reading, and geography. For each deep dive the inspector looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. 11 and 12 January 2022

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 In order to inspect safeguarding, the inspector checked the single central record. Checks were made on staff training and staff’s knowledge of the school’s safeguarding procedures. The inspector scrutinised safeguarding records.

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Inspection team

Peter Stonier, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 January 2022

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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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