Ladywood Primary School

Inspection of Ladywood Primary School Oliver Road, Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 4NH

p.1

Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Melanie Lawson. The school is part of Embark Federation Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the trust leader, Matthew Crawford, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sarah Armitage. 10 and 11 October 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is at the heart of its community. It is warm and welcoming. Parents are positive about the school and value the help they get. The school invites parents and toddlers in to help them to be ready to settle in when they start in the early years. Pupils organise the reading shed, where families can borrow and exchange books. The school connects pupils to the community. Pupils visit the local care home, for example.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ personal development. It provides a vast range of wider opportunities, such as pupil leadership roles. There is an active school council. Pupils get to share their views and vote on aspects of school life. Leaders make sure that governors hear pupils’ ideas in their meetings. Pupils like that their opinions matter. It makes them feel valued and confident. Pupils benefit from the ‘Embark Awards’ run by the trust to broaden their experiences.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Playtimes are happy and active. The ‘mini leaders’ run games and activities so pupils can enjoy playing together. Pupils say that if bullying happens, teachers deal with it.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an inclusive school. It is ambitious for all its pupils. There are high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.2

better?

Children make a good start to their education in the early years. There is a sharp focus on early reading and language development. Staff help children learn new words through a range of activities. They support children to talk about the books they read when they play.

p.2

better?

Children start learning letter sounds as soon as they join the school. Staff have the subject knowledge they need to help pupils progress through the school’s reading scheme. Staff recite and repeat letter sounds to make sure that pupils remember them. Staff help pupils who need more support to catch up. Pupils develop accurate and fluent early reading skills. Ensuring that pupils develop a love of books is at the centre of the school’s curriculum.

p.2

better?

There is an ambitious curriculum for all, including for pupils with SEND. The school ensures that the curriculum is reviewed and refined so that pupils can achieve well. Learning is adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

p.2

better?

Pupils make a good start to their mathematics education in the early years. They continue to learn important concepts across all key stages. Staff continue to improve their choice of learning activities that will enable pupils across the school to deepen their understanding in mathematics. 10 and 11 October 2023

p.2

3

Staff have good subject knowledge. They model the steps in learning to guide pupils and check their understanding. Pupils get feedback straight away. This helps them to improve, for example with their writing. Pupils take pride in the work they do in their books. However, in some subjects, staff do not regularly revisit the key content and concepts that pupils have covered before. Where this is the case, pupils do not reliably remember the important knowledge that they need to retain.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well around school. They understand the importance of respect. Occasionally, when pupils need to be reminded to listen in lessons, teachers do this with kindness so that pupils can concentrate and return to their learning.

p.3

3

Pupils enjoy going to Ladywood Primary. The school values high attendance. It is working hard to make sure that all pupils attend school every day. As a result, attendance is improving.

p.3

3

The school is passionate about pupils flourishing. Pupils like the variety of clubs they can join, such as the choir. There are many visits for pupils to enjoy. Pupils say that visits help their learning. The school supports pupils’ mental health and well-being. Pupils know they can speak to adults about any concerns they have. The school has set out what pupils must know about life in modern Britain. However, pupils do not always remember important information about British values or equality.

p.3

3

Leaders champion links with parents and the community. The school values the views of parents and nurtures good engagement, for example with attendance. Leaders are ambitious. They ensure that there is high-quality education for all, particularly disadvantaged pupils. They ensure that statutory duties are fulfilled.

p.3

3

Staff, including those in the early stages of their teaching career, value the training they receive, as well as the support they get to manage their workload.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not remember the most important knowledge they have been taught before. This creates gaps in pupils’ knowledge and prevents them from making connections between important ideas. The school must ensure that a strategy is in place so that pupils remember the most important knowledge over time.  Pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of British values or equality. This means they are not as prepared as they need to be for the next stage of their lives and future learning. The school should ensure that pupils acquire the knowledge they need about British values and equality. 10 and 11 October 2023

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘ disadvantaged pupils ’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 October 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Ladywood Primary School converted to become an academy in December 2020. When its predecessor school, Ladywood Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be a good school overall.  The school is part of Embark Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 October 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and teachers in the school. They met with trust leaders who support the school, trustees, the trust leader and local governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, English and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in science, music, art and religious education. Inspectors looked at books in a number of subjects.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for the provision for pupils with SEND, behaviour, attendance and pupils’ personal development. This included consideration of the curriculum for PSHE.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

p.6

6

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors also considered the views of parents, staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Donna Moulds, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Paul Heery Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7