The Lampard Community School

Inspection of a good school: The Lampard Community School St John’s Lane, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 9DD

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

The Lampard Community School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at The Lampard Community School. There are good relationships between staff and pupils throughout the school. Pupils value the way staff support and care for them. Many parents comment positively on the school. One said, ‘It has changed our lives.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, polite and thoughtful of one another. They say that bullying rarely happens and that if it did, staff would act to stop it. Pupils feel safe and cared for at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils have complex communication needs. Leaders have developed many strategies to communicate with pupils successfully. For example, staff employ a ‘total communication’ approach effectively. They have created an inclusive school where all pupils feel valued. This helps pupils to succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want pupils to grow into successful adults and become independent learners. They are ambitious for all. Staff encourage pupils to aim high in all areas of the curriculum. Leaders have created a range of opportunities to help pupils engage with the wider community. These include many trips to places of interest and links with local businesses. Pupils say that they learn a lot from these activities.

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

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ conduct and, as a result, they behave well. Staff receive good-quality training and know how to manage pupils’ behaviour. If a pupil is distressed, staff are skilful at helping them. This has reduced the number of incidents of poor behaviour, which are now rare.

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

Leaders have given much thought to developing the curriculum in the core subjects. For example, in English, the curriculum is well structured and taught in small, achievable steps. This helps pupils to grasp new learning quickly. Staff are skilful at meeting the 24 and 25 January 2023

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needs of pupils with education, health and care plans (EHC plans). They assess pupils’ learning needs skilfully and use this to inform their teaching. For example, writing is an area of focus where pupils regularly write at length, and standards are rising.

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In other subjects, such as mathematics and physical education (PE), the curriculum is well planned and matched to pupils’ needs and interests. For example, the PE curriculum includes swimming and cycling. There are many clubs for pupils to join. At key stage 4, the curriculum is well matched to the school’s aim to enable pupils to gain independence as an adult. Leaders encourage pupils to choose from a wide range of vocational courses based on their interests and future career plans. These are very popular. Many pupils succeed in them.

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However, in some subjects, particularly in the lower school, pupils follow a less well defined and sequenced curriculum. It sometimes prevents pupils from building on their prior learning. Consequently, some pupils do not make the progress in these subjects that they could.

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Leaders have planned the curriculum to develop pupils’ reading. A well-structured programme is in place across the school. This sets out the order of phonics learning. There is a good level of attention given to the weaker readers as well as those who make more rapid progress. Leaders promote reading across the school. For example, every class has an attractive book corner with a selection of carefully chosen books. Pupils like these, and choose to go to them when they have finished their work. Pupils say that they like reading. Many of them read well and with confidence.

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Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. Careers education is well organised. For example, the school has a programme called ‘Future Fridays’. This includes a taught programme, an employer engagement programme and independent activities. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of the opportunities available to them. All pupils leaving the school go on to college-based courses.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders, whom they describe as supportive and caring. Staff enjoy working at the school. They say that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Governors visit the school regularly and actively engage with staff and pupils. They know the school well and are ambitious for its future. They provide support for leaders while also holding them to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a programme of regular staff training. Staff feel confident and well informed. They know how to report concerns and keep pupils safe. The safeguarding team members work well together. They are aware of the needs of the pupils, including within the wider community. Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves 24 and 25 January 2023

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safe in the community and online. Senior staff ensure that they appoint adults who are suitable to work with pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects across the wider curriculum, in the lower school, the content that pupils should learn is not clearly set out. As a result, pupils do not make the progress that they could in these subjects. Leaders should plan what pupils need to learn, at what time, in all the subjects.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 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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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 July 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a collaborative trust, the SENtient Trust, in Devon.  All pupils who attend the school have an EHC plan.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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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 carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, humanities and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, looked at a range of pupils’ work and held discussions with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors met with curriculum leaders and looked more widely at documentation in other subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team. 24 and 25 January 2023

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 The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body.  Inspectors examined the school’s arrangements for safeguarding by meeting with the designated safeguarding lead. They also scrutinised policies, procedures and record- keeping and reviewed the safeguarding checks made on staff when they are recruited.  Inspectors spoke to pupils around the school site and held meetings with boys, girls and a mixed group of pupils.  The lead inspector held telephone conversations with the school improvement partner and the local authority’s school adviser.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including policies and record- keeping for behaviour management, exclusions and attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online inspection questionnaire, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Malcolm Willis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paula Marsh Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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