Lutton St Nicholas Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Lutton St Nicholas Primary Academy Lutton, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 9HN

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning. They appreciate their teachers and the further opportunities that the school offers, such as a residential visit to London. As one pupil said, ‘This is a small school with a big community.’ Pupils understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and enjoy the cooking and sporting activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on extra responsibilities, such as becoming a school councillor or a bronze sporting ambassador. Pupils benefit from visits by local and national sporting role models. They enjoy learning about future careers. There is a range of popular extra- curricular clubs such as football and tag rugby. All of these opportunities promote pupils’ physical and mental health and well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are polite and respectful to each other and to adults. They work hard and follow the school rules. Playtimes are happy social occasions. Occasionally, pupils lose focus in lessons. This does not hinder their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils say that it happens on the ‘odd occasion’ but it always gets sorted. Pupils feel safe and know that there is always an adult who they can talk to. They say that the school teaches them to be respectful and to treat everyone equally.

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

The school is not yet providing a consistently good quality of education in all subjects. Leaders have recently revised the curriculum to set out what pupils should know, and be able to do, in all areas. However, this curriculum revision is not fully complete. It is still in the early stages of being designed and implemented. Leaders know that there is further work to do to ensure that the curriculum enables pupils to know and remember more from the early years to Year 6. 4 July 2023

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Reading is a priority across the school. Leaders have recently introduced a new, systematic approach to teaching early reading and phonics. Pupils are given a range of high-quality reading books that match the sounds they know. Staff encourage pupils to read widely and often. Pupils enjoy earning ‘reading raffle tickets’ to celebrate their achievements. As one pupil said, ‘Reading is important so you can learn.’ Learning to read begins straight away in the early years. This ensures that the children quickly develop as confident readers. They are well prepared for Year 1.

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As part of their curriculum review, leaders have introduced a new curriculum for mathematics. Pupils’ knowledge of mathematical vocabulary and concepts is improving. The majority of staff and pupils understand the school’s new ‘6-part lesson approach’. Pupils engage well with mathematics. They talk confidently about their current and prior learning. Teachers provide a suitable range of resources to support pupils in their learning.

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not consistently strong. Leaders are in the early stages of strengthening their approach to identifying and supporting pupils with SEND. There is a plan to ensure that staff adapt their teaching more consistently and skilfully so that pupils with SEND receive appropriate support to access the curriculum. Leaders’ actions have led to some improvements for pupils with SEND. However, the impact is not yet fully realised across the school.

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Leaders promote pupils’ wider personal development well. Pupils know how to stay safe online and to value healthy relationships. Pupils learn about British values and why they are important. They also learn to understand and appreciate equalities. However, pupils’ knowledge of different religions and cultures is not as secure as it might be. This means that they are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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A small number of parents and carers express dissatisfaction with some aspects of the school’s work. Some parents feel that home-school communication needs to improve. Others say that the school needs to be more inclusive for pupils with SEND. Leaders and trustees recognise that further work is needed to improve home-school relationships.

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Staff report that leaders are mindful of their well-being and workload. They value the training opportunities they receive. Those responsible for governance are ambitious for every pupil to receive the best possible education. They have an accurate and realistic view of the school. They know what needs to improve. Governors value the support and training they receive from the multi-academy trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding is given the highest priority. Safeguarding procedures are understood by staff and tracked carefully. Appropriate referrals are made when needed to different agencies. School leaders and trust leaders ensure that all staff have up-to-date safeguarding training. Records are thorough and clear and show timely actions. 4 July 2023

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Leaders complete all the required checks on the suitability of staff to work in the school.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. The curriculum ensures that pupils learn how to stay safe online and understand the importance of healthy relationships.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ work to revise the curriculum is not yet complete. The curriculum is not yet consistently implemented in all subjects. This means that pupils do not always retain the essential knowledge and skills that they should. Leaders should ensure that they embed a well-sequenced curriculum that is consistently implemented by staff so that all pupils know and remember more in all subjects.  A small number of parents express concerns about some aspects of the school’s work. They do not feel well informed about their children’s education. Leaders should ensure that they strengthen home-school relationships by engaging effectively and purposefully with parents.  Leaders do not promote some aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education as well as they should. Pupils do not have a secure enough knowledge of different world faiths. Pupils cannot accurately describe their key features and

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

differences. Leaders should ensure that pupils have a closer knowledge of world faiths so they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders have begun to improve the school’s provision for pupils with SEND. Leaders have accurately identified what needs to improve. Their actions are in the early stages. Pupils with SEND do not yet receive consistently strong support that is closely matched to their needs. Leaders should ensure that they complete their work to improve SEND provision so that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and achieve the best possible outcomes.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Lutton St Nicholas Primary School, to be good in June 2016. 4 July 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. 4 July 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.  Lutton St Nicholas Primary Academy converted to become an academy school with Keystone Academy Trust in September 2021. When its predecessor school, Lutton St Nicholas Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  There is a breakfast club that is managed by the governing body.

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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.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, members of the central trust team, including the chief executive officer, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. They also met with a range of other staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in three subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work and met with teachers 4 July 2023

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and pupils. An inspector listened to pupils read. An inspector also looked at curriculum documentation and pupils’ books in religious education and geography and reviewed a variety of school and trust policies.  An inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and reviewed minutes of some governor meetings. The lead inspector also met with trustees, including the chair of the trust.  The inspectors visited collective worship and observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktime and lunchtime. An inspector also spoke to parents as they arrived at school.  An inspector met with the school’s designated safeguarding leads and reviewed the single central record. An inspector also reviewed school documents concerning safeguarding, safer recruitment, and behaviour and attendance. Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the school’s safeguarding culture.

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Inspection team

Jon Brown, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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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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