Lady Katherine Leveson Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Lady Katherine Leveson Church of England Primary School Fen End Road West, Temple Balsall, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands B93 0AN

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, welcoming and inclusive school. Staff know pupils and their families extremely well. They actively seek to develop pupils’ talents and interests. Pupils and staff embody the school’s values of ‘learning, loving and living with joy’. This, together with the school’s Christian ethos, creates a happy and harmonious place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. At social times, they play together happily with friends on the playground. Pupils are polite and respectful to visitors. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to their teachers and complete tasks with enthusiasm. Staff are quick to deal with any fall outs or unkindness, should they occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have made improvements to the curriculum since the last inspection. Pupils particularly enjoy their learning in reading and mathematics and make good progress in these subjects. They also like their learning elsewhere in the curriculum, but leaders know there is more to do to make this even better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They greatly value the support the staff give to their children. As one parent said in response to Ofsted’s survey: ‘This is a really special school. It not only encourages academic progression, but it nurtures the individual child too.’

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better?

Reading has a high profile in the school. Children begin to enjoy stories and learn to read as soon as they start school. Structured phonics lessons are taught effectively throughout. This results in most pupils being able to read age-appropriate texts confidently and accurately by the end of key stage 1. If pupils do fall behind, extra support is provided so that they are able to catch up. Older pupils enjoy reading and can talk confidently about a range of books and authors.

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better?

Leaders have developed the mathematics curriculum in recent years. Teachers use their good subject knowledge well to deliver the mathematics curriculum. Lessons have a familiar structure across the school and these consistent routines help pupils to deepen their mathematical knowledge. Pupils are enthusiastic, active learners and enjoy their learning in this subject.

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better?

Leaders are currently reviewing what pupils learn in the wider curriculum. In some subjects, this is further along than others. For example, in history and science, leaders have thought carefully about how pupils develop their understanding of key concepts and connect their learning together over a series of lessons. In these subjects, pupils can talk confidently about what they know and understand. However, in a few subjects, there is further work to do to set out precisely the knowledge and skills pupils need to develop over time. In addition, in some subjects, teachers do not consistently check what pupils have learned and use this information to inform future lessons. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Leaders have taken effective steps since the previous inspection to improve the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders accurately identify pupils with SEND and put in place the right support. All staff have received training on supporting pupils with SEND and on how those pupils can be encouraged to work independently when appropriate. Leaders routinely monitor the support they put in place to ensure pupils with SEND make strong progress from their starting points.

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Leaders place great emphasis on developing pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural character. Pupils understand that it is wrong to discriminate against others. Adults encourage pupils to accept and celebrate people’s differences. For example, pupils learn about different religions and celebrations, including Diwali. The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum is effectively structured to help pupils develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online.

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Pupils have various ways to participate in wider school life. Several pupils enjoy taking part in extra-curricular activities, including a range of sports and clubs such as cooking and art. They also enjoy different trips to places such as the ‘Thinktank’ in Birmingham and annual residential trips. Pupils value the many ways they can contribute their views, such as through the school council.

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Governors and trust leaders have a strong understanding of the school. They discharge their duties well and provide effective support and challenge to leaders. Staff are extremely positive about the progress the school has made since the last inspection. They appreciate the support they are given with their workload and enjoy working here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is a high priority. Staff benefit from regular training so that they know how to recognise and respond to any signs of abuse. Staff know individual pupils well and are confident to share any concerns. Leaders are diligent in their approach to record-keeping and monitoring of concerns about a pupil’s well-being through regular meetings and audits. They work closely with parents and partnership agencies to make sure that pupils get the help they need. The curriculum teaches pupils about keeping themselves safe. Pupils have a secure knowledge of how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few curriculum subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils need. This means that it is unclear how pupils 25 and 26 April 2023

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can build on what they know and make connections in their learning. Leaders should continue with their review and development of the wider curriculum to identify the specific knowledge and skills pupils need to know and develop over time.  Leaders are still in the process of developing their use of assessment in some subjects. This means that teachers do not always check what pupils have learned and use this information to pinpoint gaps in knowledge. Leaders should further develop and embed effective ways for teachers to use assessment in the wider curriculum to help teachers plan appropriate subsequent learning.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268362 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Birmingham Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust in September 2020.  The new headteacher took up post in January 2023.  The school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Birmingham. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in March 2016. The school’s next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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

 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 focused on the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. Inspectors examined leaders’ curriculum plans, visited lessons, looked 25 and 26 April 2023

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at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about the way these subjects are taught. They also looked at other subjects to check how they are planned and taught.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about behaviour, attendance, the school curriculum and improvement planning. The school website was also checked.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are recorded and analysed.  Inspectors observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with the trust’s director of education, members of the local governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers

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and pupils. They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Howes, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mary Maybank Ofsted Inspector Debra Newman Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 April 2023

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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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