Lambley Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lambley Primary School Catfoot Lane, Lambley, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG4 4QF

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Outcome

Lambley Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming school and benefit from the warm, nurturing relationships they have with staff. Pupils know and demonstrate ‘The Lambley Way’ in all they do. This involves living the school values of readiness, respect and resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour and achievement for all pupils. All pupils, including children in the early years, meet these expectations very well. As a result, behaviour is calm, and disruption to learning is rare. Pupils are very polite, considerate of others, and develop close friendships with one another. Older pupils buddy with the youngest pupils. The foundations of positive behaviour and attitudes are firmly laid down in the early years. Children in the early years quickly settle into school routines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is not common. Leaders deal with any cases of bullying swiftly, and pupils trust staff to do so.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents are happy with the school. One comment, typical of many, was: ‘Lambley Primary School provides a fantastic setting for children to learn in a safe and friendly environment, supported by sincerely kind and nurturing teachers and support staff.’

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

Leaders have constructed an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. Curriculum plans start from the early years. The curriculum excites children about learning and ensures that they develop the knowledge and skills they will need for later years. Staff work closely with parents before children start school and during their time in the early years.

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

Teachers ensure that they make links across the curriculum, drawing on quality stories and texts to support learning. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils should 4 and 5 May 2023

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learn, and when, in each subject. Subject leaders have high levels of skill and knowledge about the curriculum areas they lead. They provide effective training so that teachers are well equipped to deliver the curriculum. Teachers have the expert knowledge they need to teach subjects effectively. Suitable approaches and routines are in place for checking what pupils know and remember.

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Leaders have ensured that Lambley Primary is a highly inclusive school. Staff value every pupil. They ensure that all pupils are well supported to participate fully in all aspects of school life. For example, many pupils enjoy wheelchair basketball. Leaders make sure that all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs quickly identified, considered, and met. As a result, pupils with SEND meet their specific learning targets.

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Reading has a high profile at Lambley. Pupils in this school love to read. Children’s development as readers begins as soon as they start in the early years. The phonics programme is well structured, and children are quick to learn new sounds. Books are appropriately matched for each phonic stage, and children can blend sounds accurately. Staff have received the training they need to teach reading well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. Leaders provide extra support for those pupils who are at risk of falling behind. This ensures that all pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

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Leaders have been working hard to develop pupils’ writing skills. They have recently introduced a new approach to the development of pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. This focuses on phonic knowledge. Leaders have not yet evaluated this approach.

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The school environment is calm and orderly. Familiar classroom routines ensure that learning is very rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Teachers use rewards and sanctions consistently, and pupils understand these. Pupils appreciate the ‘values rewards’ they can achieve. Staff celebrate pupils’ successes with them in the weekly values assembly.

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Leaders are ambitious to support pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils learn about healthy eating and the importance of exercise. They plan a range of opportunities to give them new experiences. As a result, pupils are becoming more prepared for life in modern Britain. However, some pupils have a limited understanding of different religions and cultures. The programme of enrichment, including the visits and clubs that leaders organise, is well appreciated by pupils.

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Governors work effectively together to challenge and support the school. They work well alongside school leaders to develop strategic plans and check that these are working as intended. Staff are happy and proud to work at the school. They welcome the care leaders provide for their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Leaders have ensured that there is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are well trained and know how to report any concerns they may have. They receive regular safeguarding updates. Leaders keep accurate safeguarding records and ensure that pupils and families receive help quickly when needed.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online and in the wider community. For example, they learn about road safety. They know who they can speak to in school if they have any concerns. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all pupils have a strong understanding of different religions and cultures. This means that they do not understand and appreciate religious differences as well as they might. Leaders need to review the impact of the new religious education curriculum and develop further opportunities for pupils to learn about and remember knowledge of different religions and cultures.  Leaders have been working hard to develop pupils’ writing skills. They have recently introduced a new approach to the development of pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. This focuses on phonic knowledge. Leaders have not yet evaluated this approach. Leaders need to ensure that this is embedded and monitored so that they are assured that the system results in pupils’ improved skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Leaders need to communicate the system more clearly to parents so that they can support their children more effectively at home.

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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 January 2014.

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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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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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10268908 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 31 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders at Lambley Primary School have recently increased the school’s pupil admission number, as the number of pupils on roll is increasing.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, she discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also spoke to some pupils about their learning.  To further look at the curriculum, the lead inspector also spoke to leaders about the curriculum plans in some other subjects, including looking at examples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and the deputy designated safeguarding lead to discuss the actions leaders take to keep pupils safe. 4 and 5 May 2023

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The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record of pre-employment checks.  The lead inspector met with pupils and students from all year groups to gather their views about the school.  The lead inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance and documentation relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour. Inspectors also reviewed the documents available on the school and trust websites.  The lead inspector observed informal times, including break and lunchtime.  The lead inspector met with support staff and governors and received information about the school from the local authority.  The lead inspector took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and also the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Anne Maingay, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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