Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary School Watling Street, Leintwardine, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0LL

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary School is a welcoming school, which is at the heart of its community. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel this is a happy and safe place to be. They said that teachers are kind, funny and help them to learn. Pupils said that kindness was a key value of the school. This was seen in the respectful relationship between adults and pupils. Many parents and carers are positive about the school and appreciate how staff care for and support their children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in class and around the school. Any disruption to pupils’ learning is rare. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and say that bullying rarely happens. When it does, they know that there is always a member of staff they can speak to who will help to ‘sort it out swiftly’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk enthusiastically about the residential trips they go on. One pupil talked about how he conquered his fear of heights while on a residential visit and said he came back feeling ‘proud and confident’. Pupils enjoy being school ambassadors and setting up lunchtime clubs for other pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn well in some subjects. However, the quality of education is not as strong in other subjects.

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

In some subjects, such as mathematics and history, the curriculum is well thought out. Leaders have set out an ambitious curriculum that supports teachers to know what to teach and when to teach it. They have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know. As a result, teaching builds on what pupils have been taught previously and they achieve well. In mathematics, children in the early years learn about 2 November 2022

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number through practical activities. Adults use clear mathematical language with the children. This helps them understand mathematical concepts, such as one more and one less. Teachers across the school have strong mathematical subject knowledge. In this and most other subjects, teachers use assessment strategies to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They present new ideas clearly and ensure those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included.

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However, in other subjects, such as geography and science, leaders are aware that there is still work to do. In these subjects, leaders have not yet identified the essential content that pupils need to learn and when they need to learn it.

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Leaders are aware of which subjects are working well and which must improve. However, the systems they have in place to check and monitor the delivery of the curriculum are not well developed. As a result, some teachers deliver activities which are not clear or in line with the intended curriculum. This hinders pupils’ learning.

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Leaders have put in place a new phonics curriculum. Some staff have received training. In phonics sessions, adults do not identify those pupils who are struggling to read the sounds fluently or accurately. Therefore, pupils do not build on their knowledge of phonics well enough. As a result, some pupils struggle in the groups they are in. Some pupils also struggle to read as the books are not well matched to the sounds that they know.

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Leaders and teachers place a high priority on daily reading across the school and pupils say they enjoy reading for pleasure. However, the reading programme is not well structured. Therefore, it is not clear to teachers what the pupils should be learning. Teachers’ expectations in reading sessions are too low. Teachers do not ensure that high- quality books are used to support the teaching of reading. This means that pupils do not develop the fluency they need to be confident readers.

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Leaders value pupils’ wider development. For example, all pupils are given the opportunity to learn to swim. They enjoy having the opportunity to attend yoga, football and netball clubs. Pupils enjoy becoming play leaders and support each other at lunchtime.

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Staff report that they have a very positive relationship with leaders, who are mindful of their workload. They feel that leaders are approachable and are quick to support staff when needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors, know and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Appropriate recruitment checks are carried out on all who work at the school. Staff receive annual safeguarding training. Leaders and staff know what to do if a pupil is at risk and are alert to spotting any signs that a pupil could be at risk. Leaders follow up any concerns in a timely manner, so that pupils and their families get the support they need. 2 November 2022

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Pupils are well looked after and feel safe. They know how to stay safe including when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The reading curriculum is not well structured and teachers are unclear about what they are expected to teach and when they should teach it. This means that pupils’ learning does not build throughout the year or from one year to the next. Leaders should ensure there is a well-structured reading curriculum in place, using high-quality texts, so that pupils become fluent readers.  The phonics curriculum is not well delivered. Teachers’ assessment strategies in phonics do not consistently alert staff to those pupils who are struggling. As a result, some pupils do not achieve well in phonics. Leaders should ensure that adults closely check pupils’ understanding and adapt the curriculum, so that pupils become confident, fluent readers.  Leaders’ systems to check on the delivery of the curriculum are at the early stages of development. As a result, leaders are unsure of the impact of the curriculum on pupils’

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

learning. Leaders should ensure that systems are in place to check that the curriculum is being delivered well enough.

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Background

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

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How can I feedback 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 feedback my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 2 November 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. 2 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240705 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs of governing body Dawn Blakeway and David Willis

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use an alternative provision.  The school has a nursery provision on site which is not managed by the school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspection team completed deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. To do this, they met with subject leaders, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in geography and science.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspector met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. 2 November 2022

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 The lead inspector met with three governors including both co-chairs of the governing body. The lead inspector also met a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils recorded in Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Kerry Rochester, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Justine Lomas Ofsted Inspector 2 November 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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