Lord Scudamore Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Lord Scudamore Primary Academy Friar Street, Hereford, Herefordshire HR4 0AS

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Outcome

Lord Scudamore Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They develop positive relationships with other pupils and with staff. Pupils say that the school is like one big family. They are kind and considerate and look out for each other. They are happy and feel safe in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils work hard to meet these expectations each day and are successful in doing so. Their behaviour is exemplary in all parts of the school, so that learning is very rarely disrupted. Children in early years are quick to learn the daily routines. Pupils know what bullying is and the different forms it can take. Bullying happens very occasionally, and staff deal with any issues as these arise. This prevents such incidents from happening again.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is central to the local community. Pupils are very proud of the school’s history and the age of the school building. They take their responsibilities seriously. These might include being on the school council or the eco-committee or being a sports captain. Pupils also enjoy visiting local places of interest or welcoming visitors who help to bring the curriculum to life. For example, recent visitors to school helped to recreate life in a rainforest.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that is broad and balanced. The curriculum builds from early years through to the end of Year 6. Careful thought has been given to how pupils’ knowledge and skills build on what they have previously learned. For example, in history, it is clear how children learn about invasion in early years. This concept is then revisited when older pupils learn about the Romans, the Vikings and then about the Second World War. Pupils achieve well at this school.

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

In a minority of subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. Although the curriculum in these subjects is clear, at times, pupils do not learn the curriculum as 2 and 3 February 2023

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leaders intend. In addition, some subjects leaders are relatively new to post. They have not had the opportunity to check whether the curriculum is being delivered as intended.

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In lessons, teachers regularly check on pupils’ learning. When pupils struggle, teachers and other staff work closely with pupils to help them to keep up. Teachers use other assessment strategies to check whether pupils remember their learning over time. These strategies allow teachers to identify any gaps in pupils’ learning, so that the curriculum can be adapted. A good example of this was when Year 6 pupils completed further work on multiplication to ensure that they were ready to calculate volume accurately.

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Learning to read is a key priority in this school. Children start to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception. All staff have been trained to deliver the school’s phonics curriculum. Staff provide pupils with regular opportunities to revisit their previous learning. Pupils then practise using their phonic knowledge to read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning. Those who struggle are quickly identified and supported to keep up. Older pupils develop a real love of reading. They have a choice of high-quality texts to read and also enjoy adults reading to them. Leaders’ strategies for reading enable pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to develop into confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils enjoy opportunities that promote their wider development. They take part in a range of clubs that offer sports, languages, technology or dance. They also enjoy engaging with the local community, for example by litter-picking or singing at the local care home. Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. They welcome the diverse range of pupils and families who join the school.

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The identification of pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. Leaders ensure that staff are aware of pupils’ needs and how best to meet these. Leaders regularly review and assess pupils’ progress and are quick to act to put support in place for pupils with SEND. These pupils are supported well to follow the same curriculum as their peers. Teaching is adapted to help ensure that these pupils achieve well.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. Leaders are aware of the challenges faced by staff in respect of workload and well-being. Staff appreciate the concern shown by leaders to support staff through any periods of challenge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in this school. This starts with regular updates to policy and practice. Staff are well trained in safeguarding and are alert to any signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff know the procedure to follow when reporting concerns. Any concerns are quickly followed up, and other agencies become involved when required. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example when they are online. The vast majority of parents and carers who expressed a view agreed that their child feels safe at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, the curriculum is not delivered as leaders intend. This means that pupils are not as well prepared for subsequent learning as they could be. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the sequence of learning, so that pupils can successfully build on what they already know.  In some subjects, leaders are new to their role and have not checked how the curriculum in their subject is delivered. In these subjects, leaders are not aware of how well pupils progress through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the time and training required to monitor pupils’ learning more closely.

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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 June 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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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 and 3 February 2023

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Date of previous inspection

8 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.  Leaders have recently established a specially resourced provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

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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 and two members of the local advisory board (LAB), including the chair of the LAB. He also met with two trustees.  The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 The inspector viewed a range of safeguarding documentation. He examined checks on safer recruitment and spoke with members of staff to check their safeguarding knowledge.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. He met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and viewed examples of pupils’ work. The inspector also spoke with pupils about their learning. The inspector also spoke to the subject leader for history.  The inspector observed children in early years and pupils in key stage 1 reading to a trusted adult.  The inspector spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered the responses, including free-text comments, to Ofsted Parent View. He spoke to parents and carers at the beginning of the school day. He also considered responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Ian Hardman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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