Limbrick Wood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Limbrick Wood Primary School Bush Close, Tile Hill, Coventry, West Midlands CV4 9QT

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Outcome

Limbrick Wood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe at this school. Relationships are warm and respectful. The school is inclusive and caring. One pupil captured this when they commented, ‘When children come here from other countries, we try to learn a few words in their language so that they feel welcome.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers set high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils work hard. They achieve well. Behaviour is good in and around school. Teachers provide effective support for those pupils who need more help to maintain good behaviour. Pupils rightly say that staff are kind and fair.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident to ask for help if they need it. They say that staff listen to them and deal quickly with any problems. Leaders’ detailed records support this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wider curriculum experiences include trips and after-school clubs, such as multi-sports and dance. Pupils love the forest school where they learn about nature and the environment. There are residential visits that provide pupils with memorable experiences. One pupil described these visits as ‘magic places where we see waterfalls, go gorge walking and rock climbing’. These experiences contribute to pupils’ character and their awareness of the wider world.

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

Leaders recognise the importance of all children learning to read quickly and have prioritised this. From the start of Nursery, children are immersed in language-rich activities. They enjoy many favourite stories and love joining in with repeated language patterns. They learn nursery rhymes and songs by heart. These activities foster a love of language and pave the way for Year 1.

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

Pupils follow a well-structured phonics curriculum. Books match the sounds that pupils are learning. Staff have received training on the teaching of phonics. However, some staff do 16 and 17 May 2023

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not yet have the expertise they need to teach phonics effectively. As a result, there are inconsistencies in the delivery of the phonics programme. This slows the rate at which pupils become fluent and confident readers.

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Leaders and staff have worked hard to develop other curriculum subjects. In most subjects the curriculum is well sequenced and ambitious. For example, in early years, children learn about living things and their habitats in the school fields and forest school. This early science work lays a good foundation for science in key stage 1. However, some subject leaders lack a secure understanding of how learning in the early years links into their subject area. This means that, in a few subjects, expectations of what children can do when they enter Year 1 are too low.

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Children make a strong start in learning about number. For example, in Reception, children use a range of practical resources to explore numerical patterns. Adults encourage them to use precise mathematical language to share their thinking. This lays good foundations for future mathematics work. Children are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond. Leaders have introduced daily mathematics practice across the school to help pupils recall key knowledge with speed and accuracy. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ confidence and achievement.

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Pupils enjoy the full range of subjects. For example, in design and technology, Year 4 pupils are proud of their work on pneumatics. Previous learning about sliders and levers helps them to learn about more sophisticated mechanisms. Pupils use their learning from mathematics and science lessons to help their designs. This brings learning to life and fosters pupils’ positive attitudes to their work. Pupils want to learn. Learning is rarely disrupted.

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However, the rates of pupils’ absence and persistent absence remain high. Leaders work closely with families to try and support attendance, but this is not always successful. Too many pupils are still regularly absent from school.

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Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and accurately. Leaders make sure that further support and advice are sought when needed. Pupils with more complex needs receive tailored care and support. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils’ personal development is strong. Pupils speak confidently about different faiths and cultures. They remember what they have learned about important issues such as racism and the potential dangers of online platforms. This reflects the school’s high aspirations for pupils’ personal development.

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The majority of staff are positive about the way that leaders consider their workload and well-being. There is a strong team spirit across the school. Everyone supports each other in the best interests of the pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 May 2023

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Leaders have built a robust culture of safeguarding. They have effective procedures in place for reporting any concerns. Staff are vigilant. They are well trained to spot any changes in pupils’ behaviour or character. As a result, staff know how to recognise risks and record concerns. Everyone works together to make sure that those who need help are quickly identified. Leaders are swift to respond. They work closely with external agencies.

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The curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to learn how to recognise risks and keep safe. This includes online safety and the importance of healthy relationships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Phonics teaching is variable across different groups. A few staff do not have the level of expertise needed to teach phonics well. This slows down the rate at which some pupils become fluent and confident readers. Leaders should ensure that all staff are equipped to implement the phonics curriculum effectively.  Persistent absence remains high for some pupils and they miss too much school. These pupils are not learning as much as they should. Leaders should continue to look at different ways to improve pupils’ attendance that build on the work they have already undertaken.  Some subject leaders lack a detailed understanding of how learning in the early years links into their subject curriculum. This means that, in a few subjects, expectations of what children can do when they enter Year 1 are too low. Senior leaders should provide subject leaders with further support and training to enable them to develop their

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

subject curriculum from the early years.

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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 September 2012. 16 and 17 May 2023

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides a before- and after-school club managed by the governing body.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and the leader of SEND.  The inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and met with the chair and other members of the governing body. She also held a telephone conversation with a local authority attendance officer.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at work in pupils’ books. 16 and 17 May 2023

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 The inspector looked at samples of pupils’ work in other subjects, including science, design and technology, and art and design.  The inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. She met with groups of pupils to talk about their learning and life in school. She met with parents at the beginning of the school day.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation and plans for improvement. Records of attendance were checked.  The inspector checked the school’s single central record and safeguarding documentation.  The inspector met with all staff to talk about the curriculum, their workload and the behaviour and personal development of pupils.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtime and lunchtime and talked to pupils about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted Parent View and the pupil and staff

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surveys. She gathered the views of pupils and staff on site through discussions with these groups and from their online questionnaire responses.

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Inspection team

Marilyn Mottram, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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