Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School Hampton Road, Morecambe, Lancashire LA3 1EJ

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Outcome

Morecambe and Heysham Sandylands Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enter this welcoming school with a buzz of excitement. They are greeted warmly each day by school staff. Pupils feel cared for. They are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across a range of subjects, reflecting leaders’ carefully considered aspirations. Pupils are polite and well mannered. Classrooms are calm and orderly. This allows pupils to concentrate and do their best in lessons. This is because staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. They place a strong emphasis on respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are fully aware of rules, rewards and sanctions. Staff act quickly to resolve any instances of bullying. Pupils feel safe and share warm relationships with staff. They understand that adults will support them if they are anxious or worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to an extensive range of activities and opportunities that help them to develop into extremely inquisitive learners. Pupils develop self-esteem and confidence. This is because leaders help pupils to look after their mental health and well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take an active role in decision-making within the school through their roles in the pupil parliament and as reading ambassadors. Pupils say that these responsibilities help them to prepare for the future. 5 and 6 January 2023

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

Leaders, governors and staff share a common purpose. They want all pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve to their best. Working together, they have designed a challenging curriculum that meets the needs of different pupils. The curriculum develops and deepens pupils’ knowledge and skills across a wide range of subjects. Subject leaders have identified the key pieces of knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Learning builds on what pupils already know and understand in well-ordered steps as they move through the school from the early years to Year 6. Pupils make strong connections in their learning between different subjects. This helps pupils to remember the curriculum.

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

In lessons, teachers explain new learning clearly. They have strong subject knowledge. They use their expertise to help pupils to learn and remember important knowledge and vocabulary. There are many opportunities for pupils to practise what they already know before they learn new things. This deepens learning. Teachers use assessment strategies well to check that pupils have understood what is being taught. These strategies provide teachers with useful information to identify which pupils may need the delivery of the curriculum adapting so that they can learn more successfully.

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

Staff are skilled in identifying pupils with SEND quickly and effectively. They work closely with parents. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders draw on the wealth of staff expertise and liaise with external agencies, when necessary, to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to learn successfully.

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

A love of reading is woven throughout the school. Older and younger pupils alike relish story time with their teachers. They become absorbed in the high-quality texts that leaders have chosen for pupils to study. Older pupils talked enthusiastically about a variety of different books and authors that they have learned about. Pupils understand the importance of reading to develop their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

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

Children in early years quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. As pupils begin to read independently, staff ensure that their reading books are closely matched to the letter sounds that pupils are learning in class. This helps the vast majority of pupils to become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1. Staff have been trained to deliver the phonics curriculum well. If pupils fall behind, staff provide effective support to enable them to catch up.

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

Children settle quickly into the two-year-old provision and the Nursery. Teachers use every opportunity to ensure that children learn rhymes, songs, stories and number facts. Children have many opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. Children play and learn together happily.

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

Leaders provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to develop personally. For example, pupils benefit from a range of trips, after-school clubs and visiting speakers to enrich their learning. Through their links with the local university, pupils take part in special events and learn about possible careers for the future. They speak enthusiastically about these opportunities. 5 and 6 January 2023

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are focused and work hard. When there is any low- level disruption, this is well managed by staff and little learning time is lost. Pupils listen to their teachers and show respect towards each other. Leaders create a positive culture where pupils thrive. Many pupils attend school every day. However, a small number of pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This means that some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and understanding due to missing out on important learning.

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Governors are proud to be part of the school and understand their roles and responsibilities. They successfully challenge leaders to develop the curriculum and to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They find leaders supportive and approachable with regard to their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. Staff are well trained and have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff know how to record and report any safeguarding concerns swiftly. Leaders take timely and appropriate action in response to any concerns raised. The safeguarding team works effectively to support families and pupils who need help. Partnership work with professionals from outside agencies is strong.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. This includes teaching pupils about road safety and how to keep themselves safe when online. Pupils learn the importance of not disclosing personal information or speaking to strangers when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small number of pupils are persistently absent. These pupils miss important learning and wider opportunities. Leaders should ensure that these pupils and their families receive the support that they need to improve their attendance. 5 and 6 January 2023

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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 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 26 and 27 March 2012.

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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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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. 5 and 6 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240851 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 Kirstie Banks-Lyon

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not currently make use of alternative provision for any pupils.  The governing body is responsible for before- and after-school provision at the school.  The school operates on two sites close to each other.  The school has provision for two-year olds.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority and school adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. These involved visiting lessons with subject leaders, discussing the subject curriculums, 5 and 6 January 2023

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talking to pupils and teachers and looking at pupils’ work. He also observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtime and during lessons. He also talked to pupils about their views of the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. He also considered responses to the pupil and staff surveys.  The inspector checked leaders’ safeguarding procedures. He viewed a range of safeguarding documentation and looked at how incidents are managed and recorded.

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Inspection team

James Blackwell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 January 2023

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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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