Lambs Lane Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lambs Lane Primary School Back Lane, Spencers Wood, Reading, Berkshire RG7 1JB

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2022

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Outcome

Lambs Lane Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lambs Lane is an inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils are known and valued as individuals. Leaders are ambitious for pupils and what they can achieve. This ambition is embodied in the school values: ‘Reach out and shine’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff provide pupils with memorable and enjoyable experiences that extend beyond the classroom. Leaders have been quick to reinstate a range of opportunities that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including sports clubs and performing with the school choir. Pupils benefit from wider activities such as exploring London and residential visits.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for behaviour. Pupils understand the school rules and speak confidently about how the school’s creed teaches them to treat one another with care and respect. Support and nurture are provided for pupils who need extra care. The school has strong systems for dealing with bullying should this occur. Pupils are confident that staff will help them if they have concerns.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for every pupil to achieve their best. They have designed a broad, relevant and exciting curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about when the key knowledge and skills will be taught. In most subjects, the curriculum progresses in a logical sequence, beginning in the early years foundation stage (EYFS). However, a few leaders do not fully understand the curriculum in the EYFS. This means that, in a few subjects, leaders do not check carefully enough that the curriculum helps all children to achieve as well as they could.

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

Mathematics is taught well. Leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of key mathematical concepts. Teachers present learning clearly so that pupils remember what they have been taught. Children are exposed to number as soon as they start school. In the Reception Class, there are opportunities for children to count 18 and 19 January 2022

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and recognise numbers as well as ordering objects by size. There are varied opportunities for pupils to revisit their learning. This helps to embed the crucial knowledge, skills and concepts that pupils need to take with them to the next year group. Pupils can confidently explain how what they have already learned makes them ready to try new challenges. Leaders know how well pupils are achieving in mathematics across different year groups and ensure that the curriculum is adjusted to meet pupils’ needs effectively. However, in a small number of other subjects, leaders have not checked carefully enough for any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and have not subsequently adapted the curriculum effectively.

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Reading is taught well and is a strength of the school. Leaders aim to foster a lifelong love of reading. In the Reception Class, children are surrounded by stories and rhymes. Children take home books regularly and staff record stories for families to enjoy together. This helps to develop children’s vocabulary. Children learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception. Phonics is taught daily. Leaders have clear expectations of the sounds to be taught and when they should be taught by. Pupils who are not keeping up with the pace of the phonics programme are provided with extra support. This enables them to catch up quickly. The books pupils take home to read match the sounds they have learned. This helps them to develop fluency and confidence in their reading. Teachers read to pupils every day. Books are chosen carefully. For example, they are chosen to develop pupils’ understanding of different cultures, challenge them to read unfamiliar literature

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and support their learning in the wider curriculum.

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Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. There are clear systems in place to help early identification. Leaders are committed to including all pupils as fully as possible. Teachers adapt their plans to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils have many opportunities to help others and this is recognised through good citizenship awards. Pupils value their school council because it represents their views well. Pupils enjoy discussing their different beliefs and cultures, demonstrating tolerance and respect for each other.

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Staff greatly appreciate the empathy shown by leaders and governors for their workload and well-being. When deciding on strategies to support pupils’ learning, leaders are mindful of the impact on staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know the pupils and their families well. Leaders ensure that all staff are regularly trained in safeguarding. Staff are vigilant to any changes that may give them cause for concern. All staff are encouraged to report any concerns, no matter how small. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies to provide support for families where appropriate.

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Safeguarding

Teachers ensure that pupils are alert to any dangers in their local area. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both outside school and online. 18 and 19 January 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders do not fully understand the early years curriculum. In a few subjects, they are not able to provide sufficient challenge and support to ensure that the needs of all children in the EYFS are met. Leaders should continue with their programme of training to further develop the skills of these subject leaders.  In a few subjects, such as music, French and religious education, subject leaders have not adapted the curriculum to reflect pupils’ varying needs. This means that a small number of pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should continue their work to ensure that the curriculum is shaped and adapted effectively so that all pupils learn well.

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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 January 2017.

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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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10207100 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body James Birtwistle

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 January 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a resource base for pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. Currently, five pupils attend this provision.  The headteacher and the two assistant headteachers were all in leadership positions at the school at the time of the previous inspection in 2017.  The school does not currently make any use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, two assistant headteachers and seven members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector had a telephone conversation with the qualities and school improvement officer from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and music. These involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing curriculum plans, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. 18 and 19 January 2022

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 The inspector held discussions with the subject leaders for reading, mathematics and music. She also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and spoke to parents at the start of the school day. She also reviewed the responses to the staff survey and the pupil survey.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtime and during lessons. Pupils also talked to the inspector about their views on their school.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.

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Inspection team

Clare Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 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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