Lynch Hill School Primary Academy

Inspection of Lynch Hill School Primary Academy Garrard Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 2AN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Lynch Hill School Primary Academy as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 8 and 9 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Just like the school’s strapline says, pupils ‘aim high, work hard and care deeply’. This starts from early years. Pupils try their best, do not give up and look after each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and well behaved. Relationships are strong. Low-level disruption in lessons is infrequent. Most pupils have positive attitudes towards learning. Bullying is rare with leaders taking any reports seriously. Pupils understand well the difference between bullying and friendship issues. Well-trained peer mentors are effective in helping their friends to solve problems. Adults step in swiftly if needed. Pupils feel safe. They are proud to take on leadership roles, which support the school community, such as reading with younger pupils or being part of the eco- council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders enhance the curriculum through a vast number of before- and after-school clubs. For example, pupils enjoy sewing, boxercise and tennis clubs. Leaders make sure that disadvantaged pupils access all that the school offers, such as residential trips and specialist music lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school. They appreciate leaders’ high expectations and how well their children are learning. As one parent wrote, ‘Lynch Hill has taught my child to be the best she can be.’

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better?

All pupils study a broad range of subjects. The curriculum in most subjects is ambitious and well designed. It helps pupils to learn new knowledge and vocabulary. This starts in early years, where leaders make sure that the curriculum enables all children to build deeply on what they already know and can do. Children achieve exceptionally well in the early years, including the two-year-olds. Children are confident and ready to move on to Year 1.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers introduce learning in small steps to help pupils to grasp new ideas quickly. Learning builds on what pupils already know. However, in a few subjects, such as in history, and design and technology, this is not the case. Pupils’ learning is not built up well enough in logical steps and learning is not interlinked and ordered sufficiently over time. Sometimes, leaders have not decided what is the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. Pupils remember well their current learning. However, sometimes, pupils struggle to recall what they have been taught in these subjects previously. Leaders are aware of these issues and are currently refining their curriculum thinking.

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better?

Leaders make sure that pupils learn to read as soon as possible. Children in the early years listen attentively to books. They often use their favourite stories in their imaginative play. Older pupils love reading too, especially story time. They enjoy 8 and 9 November 2022

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recommending books to each other and having their book reviews published in the school newsletter. Leaders have invested significantly in the professional development of all staff to teach phonics. This has resulted in a staff team who are experts in teaching children to learn to read. Teachers make sure that pupils read books that match precisely to current reading ability. Pupils practise their reading successfully. Pupils who need further help to keep up receive targeted support to improve their reading, fluency and vocabulary.

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. These pupils receive very well-considered support for any social and emotional needs, such as anxiety. Leaders invest in a wide range of additional professional support, such as counselling and therapy. Pupils with SEND participate fully in the wider life of the school. The effectiveness of support for their academic work is mostly successful too. Teachers adapt learning effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND are successful. On the whole, support staff provide effective support, but this is not consistent.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to promote pupils’ personal development. Leaders encourage pupils to be active and lead healthy lifestyles. Pupils love representing their school in numerous competitive sports. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They respect beliefs and ideas different to their own. Pupils care deeply for others beyond their community. For instance, children in the early years collected food for the local foodbank. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. However, very occasionally, pupils do not show the same level of respect to all members of staff.

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Governors and the multi-academy trust provide strong support and challenge for the school. Recent training has supported governors to become more strategic in their approach to questioning how well pupils are learning. Governors know the school well.

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Staff enjoy working at this school. They are fully committed to the pupils. Staff appreciate leaders’ approachability and warmness towards them. Leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and governors ensure that the safety of pupils is given the highest priority. Adults know the pupils and families very well. Staff are well trained to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. They notice when pupils behave differently, suggesting something may be wrong. Staff inform leaders immediately and leaders take all concerns seriously. Pupils appreciate that staff check the ‘feeling boxes’ daily. They know they can share their worries, even if they are not confident enough to speak the words out loud. Staff listen well. Leaders make sure pupils get the support they need. 8 and 9 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum is not coherent enough and does not make clear the most important things that pupils should know and remember. As a result, in these subjects, teachers do not have enough guidance about what they need to focus on and pupils are not building their learning well enough. Leaders, including subject leaders, should ensure that the curriculum is fully sequenced, across all subjects, making clear the most important things that pupils need to know and remember at each stage of their education.

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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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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228854 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Lynch Hill School Primary Academy converted to become an academy in February 2012. When its predecessor school, Lynch Hill (Foundation Primary), was last inspected by Ofsted in July 2008, it was judged to be outstanding.  At the time of the last inspection, the school was a two-form entry primary school. It has grown considerably since then and is now a four-form entry primary school.  There have been many changes in leadership since the last inspection. The current headteacher took up the substantive post in March 2020 after a period of time as an acting headteacher. The deputy headteacher also took up her role in March 2020.  Lynch Hill School Primary Academy joined the Slough and East Berkshire CofE Multi-Academy Trust in January 2019.  The nursery provides education for children between the ages of two and four. At the time of this inspection, nine two-year-olds were on roll.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and parents.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education, music and computing. Inspectors spoke to subject leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector heard pupils read to an adult from the school. Inspectors also spoke to leaders, visited lessons, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with the director of governance and the director of primary from the Slough and East Berkshire CofE Multi-Academy Trust. She also met with four members of the local governing board, including the chair.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included safer recruitment checks and the schools’ records of concerns. Inspectors also spoke to staff, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation of the school and school development plan.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school is supporting pupils’ personal development.  They took into account parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and parents’ free-text comments. Inspectors spoke with a number of parents at the beginning of the school day. They also considered the 96 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and the 627 responses from pupils to Ofsted’s survey.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Rixson Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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