Loseley Fields Primary School

Inspection of Loseley Fields Primary School Green Lane, Binscombe, Godalming, Surrey GU7 3TB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 12 and 13 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Loseley Fields is a vibrant and ambitious school. Pupils feel happy and safe because of the caring nature of the school community. Pupils love coming to school and look forward to learning new things. They respect their teachers and like to be with their friends. Pupils are bright, curious and eager to please.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders set high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour, and pupils rise to the challenge superbly. They know that staff always expect them to be polite and try their best. Pupils are very kind to each other and are proud of how friendly and welcoming their school is. Pupils say that bullying is not a worry. If issues occur, staff respond quickly and effectively. Pupils really enjoy playing together in the beautiful school grounds, with many activities to choose from. Work on personal development, including pastoral care and citizenship, is exceptional.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about this school. For example, they appreciate the inclusive approach and that pupils are treated as individuals. Everyone works together to enable all pupils to feel that they belong. Summing up the views of many, one parent said: ‘The teachers go above and beyond with activities linked into the curriculum that really engage the children. Our son is very lucky to attend such a wonderful school.’

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better?

Leaders want every pupil to succeed and flourish. The school is now firmly back on track and delivering an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have set out clearly what they want pupils to know and remember in each subject. They have also ordered the teaching logically so pupils can build their learning over time. As a result, pupils are achieving well. However, pupils do not always remember the key knowledge well enough. The school’s approach to assessment, particularly in foundation subjects, needs further refinement. This will enable teachers to check understanding systematically and enable pupils to embed their learning fluently. Leaders are aware and have plans to address this.

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better?

Leaders are determined that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the full curriculum in all its richness. This starts by identifying pupils’ needs accurately as early as possible and then providing tailored support. Staff have high expectations of pupils with SEND, whether in mainstream or in the SEND resource base (Solar Centre). Learning is adapted so that they experience success, feel they belong and build independence. As a result, pupils with SEND are equipped and enthused to learn.

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better?

Reading is a clear priority in the school, for enjoyment and as a means for learning in all subjects. The phonics programme leads to a consistent approach to the teaching of reading from the early years onwards. Pupils know the sounds that letters make. They regularly practise these sounds and blend them together well. 12 and 13 July 2022

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This leads to pupils becoming confident, fluent readers quickly. Reading activities give pupils the regular practice they need and help teachers identify those who need help to catch up. Teachers’ passion for reading inspires many pupils, including expanding their vocabulary. The reading curriculum also has a positive influence on the improving quality of pupils’ writing.

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Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable. They are proud of their work, and leaders take every opportunity to celebrate their efforts and achievements. In the early years, children get off to a strong start because there are well-embedded routines linked to learning. The culture for behaviour and learning is now positive because relationships are strong and genuine. Leaders provide pupils with the strategies to manage their own emotions and behaviour. The proactive pastoral support, for example the work of the eco-therapist and effective staff training, is helping pupils focus on learning and building resilience.

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Participation in extra-curricular activities is exceptionally high. Leaders target opportunities to benefit those pupils who need it most. Focused work and opportunities with the most vulnerable in mind have helped to improve outcomes and raise aspirations. This underlines the moral purpose of leaders to do ‘whatever it takes’. In addition to a vast array of sports clubs, pupils enjoy experiences such as construction kits, gardening and art club, where they can develop their confidence and creativity. Pupils take their leadership responsibilities seriously and appreciate being sports leaders, reading buddies or sustainability ambassadors. Active citizenship and contributing to the community are very well considered and make a difference.

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Governors and trust staff are knowledgeable and work effectively alongside leaders to develop clear strategic plans. They ask the right questions and always check for impact. This helps leaders to constantly refine the quality of education as well as provide high-quality professional development across the trust. Staff feel very well supported and empowered by leaders who think carefully about staff workload and well-being, without compromising on school improvement work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ well-being and safety are priorities for everyone. Staff are very well trained. They know pupils and their families well and swiftly identify any child who may be at risk. Staff also know what to do to report any concerns. Leaders work as a skilled team. They are resolute and take decisive action. They liaise closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils receive the support they need. The appropriate checks are carried out on adults who work in the school. Records are accurate and checked meticulously. Pupils, staff and parents agree that the school keeps pupils safe. Leaders assess and manage risks well.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In foundation subjects, teachers do not always incorporate effective assessment opportunities into lessons. This means teachers do not consistently check for understanding and ensure that knowledge and skills build securely over time. Leaders need to refine their approach to assessment so it is systematically checking understanding and supporting pupils to use knowledge fluently so they can remember more.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 12 and 13 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10238333 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 and 14 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Loseley Fields joined a local multi-academy trust, Learning Partners Academy Trust, on 1 September 2021.  The school has a 14-place specialist learning centre for additional needs. All pupils attending this SEND resource base (Solar Centre) are in key stage 2, have an education, health and care plan and are integrated into school life.  The school is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  There is a breakfast club and a variety of after-school clubs run on site but managed by S4K (Sports for Kids Partnership), which is separately registered.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 12 and 13 July 2022

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector met with four governors, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also spoke with three representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed curriculum thinking with leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also heard pupils read.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a wide range of safeguarding documents, including the school’s record of recruitment checks and records of concerns about child protection. The lead inspector met with three safeguarding leads. Inspectors also spoke with leaders, pupils and staff about safety and child

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protection.  An inspector reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation of the school and school improvement plans.  Inspectors took account of parents’ responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. An inspector also talked with parents on the morning of the first day of the inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views about their learning, what behaviour is like at the school and whether they felt safe. Inspectors also talked to pupils about their views on personal development.  Inspectors met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff survey.  Information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance and incidents of bullying was reviewed.

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Inspection team

Gareth Flemington, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Debra Anderson Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 July 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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