Lynnfield Primary School

Inspection of Lynnfield Primary School Grosvenor Street, Hartlepool TS26 8RL

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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 Good Previous inspection grade Requires Improvement 1 and 2 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lynnfield Primary School has a warm and welcoming ethos, which helps pupils to thrive. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils, and there are strong levels of respect between all staff and pupils. Pupils understand that everyone is different. Pupils are considerate of each other and of the many cultures that make up the school community. Pupils are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They say that bullying is rare. Pupils are clear that if bullying happens, leaders deal with it quickly to make it stop. Behaviour in classes is calm and purposeful. At breaktimes, pupils play well with each other. Pupils who need extra help to manage their behaviour are well supported. Pupils know the simple school rules, ‘ready. respectful, safe,’ well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a curriculum which ensures that pupils fulfil their potential. Staff and governors work with leaders to achieve this. Pupils want to do well. They like to celebrate their achievements, as do staff. Pupils have a range of leadership opportunities to support them. The school has young interpreters. These pupils support their peers in school who are new to the country and the school.

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better?

Early reading is a priority here. Leaders of reading have a sharp focus on making sure that lessons are of a high quality. Staff and leaders make regular checks on learning to keep pupils on track with their reading. Pupils have books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Pupils at the earliest stages of reading are very eager to share their progress. Older readers enjoy books and talk about the books they like best. Children in early years have books that develop their understanding of rhythm and rhyme. Pupils enjoy the books they read with their teachers in class.

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better?

Leaders’ changes to the mathematics curriculum are giving pupils opportunities to embed their knowledge and understanding. Pupils revisit learning regularly. Pupils talk about their learning in mathematics with confidence. Children in early years learn about number though lessons and play. Pupils’ outcomes in national tests do not yet match the positive changes seen in the curriculum for both reading and mathematics.

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better?

Staff deliver the curriculum so that they include all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from a range of support in the classroom. Pupils with SEND are supported by a knowledgeable leader. The nurturing ethos of the school helps pupils to be part of the whole-school community. The use of nurture provision across school supports pupils in meeting social and emotional needs. Pupils celebrate the positive impact this support has on them. Referrals to professionals are timely. Pupils who speak English as an additional language receive good support. Many pupils are new to the school, and staff adapt 1 and 2 March 2023

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teaching to make sure there are no gaps in learning. However, some children in early years do not benefit from a sharp enough focus on language development.

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There are clear plans in place for wider curriculum subjects, such as music and French. Staff know what learning has happened already and what is happening next. In music, pupils learn about a wide range of musical styles and genres. Subject leaders use schemes and develop planning to ensure that pupils build knowledge over time. This work starts in early years. Subject leaders and staff make checks on what pupils know and remember. Some inconsistencies in teaching in these subjects are not always dealt with quickly.

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Pupils know how to regulate their emotions. Classes have safe spaces for pupils to reflect and get adult support if needed. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. Pupils talk about how they can get on with their learning without interruption. Staff deal with incidents of poor behaviour quickly. Leaders analyse behaviour information to support pupils effectively.

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Many pupils have good attendance. However, a significant number of pupils do not attend school regularly. These pupils miss out on key learning and must catch up. Leaders are working to improve this, but some actions are not having the desired result as quickly as they could be.

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Pupils’ personal development is a key part of school life. The personal, social and health education curriculum addresses local issues well and prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils are passionate about equality. Pupils are beginning to understand British values and how they are part of school life. Education visits help pupils understand the local area. Pupils represent the school at sporting and science events. There is an extra-curricular offer that pupils enjoy.

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Governors know the school well. They, too, have high aspirations for pupils. They hold leaders to account. Leaders and governors are mindful of the well-being of staff and take action where needed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has robust procedures in place to safeguard pupils at this school. The DSL and staff know the pupils and their families well. Policies for reporting concerns are clear. Staff know these well. The DSL keeps clear records of actions. They are quick to access support from additional agencies when needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils trust the adults they work with. They are confident that adults will help them to address any concerns. Pupils know how to keep safe in the community and online in an age-appropriate way. 1 and 2 March 2023

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Governors receive appropriate safeguarding training. Leaders make necessary checks to ensure adults are suitable to work in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, checks on the implementation of the curriculum are not as robust as they could be. Some inconsistencies in teaching are not addressed quickly. Leaders must support subject leaders to make effective checks on the curriculum being delivered as planned and intended.  Despite actions from leaders, some pupils still do not attend school as regularly as they should. Some pupils are falling behind in their learning. Leaders must continue to work with pupils and their families to improve attendance more rapidly.  Children in early years do not always benefit from quality modelled communication and language skills when talking with adults. Opportunities to make rapid progress in this area are sometimes missed. Pupils are not developing their communication and language skills as effectively as they could. Leaders must ensure that staff are supported to make the best use of language development in all aspects of the provision.

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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. 1 and 2 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10257067 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Lynnfield Primary School is federated with Golden Flatts Primary School, and the schools share an executive headteacher.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school has a nursery provision. It caters for children from age two.  The school offers a breakfast club.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music, French and physical education. Inspectors discussed the curriculum with 1 and 2 March 2023

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subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers. They spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors listened to pupils who are at the early stages of reading read with a familiar adult. Inspectors also looked at work in geography and religious education.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke to staff, pupils and a range of stakeholders, including governors. Safeguarding documentation was scrutinised, including the safeguarding policies and the single central record of recruitment checks. Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed relationships between pupils and adults. Inspectors also met with the designated safeguarding lead.  Inspectors gathered the views of parents informally, in person, and formally through responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free- text responses. The views of staff were considered through the staff survey and

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through meetings with them. Pupils’ views were considered through meetings.  Inspectors spoke with representatives from the governing body, the local authority and a school improvement representative from a multi-academy trust.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classes, at breakfast club and during breaktimes and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Emily Stevens, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nichola Irving Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 March 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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