Leintwardine Endowed CE Primary School

Inspection of Leintwardine Endowed Church of England Primary School Watling Street, Leintwardine, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 0LL

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2023

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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 Good 13 and 14 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school serves the community well. In addition to providing a good education, the school’s leaders and staff take an active interest in local life. From selling puddings in the village to fundraising fun runs, the school does much to fuel community spirit. Pupils learn a lot about being helpful and supportive members of society.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils also learn a lot in lessons. The curriculum is well planned, and staff are ambitious for pupils. Teachers treat pupils kindly but also make sure that pupils apply themselves in class. Pupils respond well to this. They work hard and behave well. Pupils also support one another. Whether they are working together on classwork or playing outside, they respect the school’s rules and get on with others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is uncommon, but staff teach pupils what to do should it happen. Any problems or careless behaviour are sorted out promptly and fairly. Pupils feel safe and happy at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Imaginative and thoughtful leadership steers the school, showing regard for tradition while also keeping up with new ideas. Over time, the school’s expectations have risen and this shows in pupils’ achievement and participation in school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers rate the school highly.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has strengthened several aspects of its work. The teaching of early reading, for example, is now more organised and consistent. There is a smoother transition between Nursery and Reception classes, which helps to establish good habits from the start. The school has more suitable books, and daily phonics lessons target the right things at the right time. Most pupils learn to read quickly. For those who take longer, the school provides informed and effective support.

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better?

On top of this, the school does much to promote reading. Teachers regularly read aloud to their classes and talk enthusiastically about books. Staff run a well-attended lunchtime book club for pupils. Visiting ‘mystery readers’ from the community come into school to read stories to pupils. Furthermore, well-chosen texts provide the backbone for an informed reading curriculum that builds logically from early years to Year 6. The school is now well placed to introduce the same level of deliberate progression to developing pupils’ spoken language.

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better?

In other subjects, curriculum design identifies the essential knowledge that all pupils should know and remember. In geography, for example, the curriculum is tightly focused on core content that will help pupils with future learning. It is simply set out and easy to follow. This makes it easier for teachers to do their jobs and for pupils to learn. Assessment, on the other hand, is still at different stages of development. 13 and 14 December 2023

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In subjects including mathematics and art and design, it works well because checks on pupils’ understanding are an integral part of teaching and learning. Staff routinely assess learning in ways that help to embed knowledge and enable pupils to use it in more complex ways. However, in some subjects, this practice is not so well established.

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As well as lessons, pupils can attend clubs and go on school trips. In key stage 2, there are two residential trips that give pupils a taste of independence away from home. The school also gets involved in community activities. This is a most distinctive aspect of Leintwardine Primary. At the time of this inspection, for instance, the school had supplied local restaurants with a sizeable quantity of Christmas puddings. This and other such ventures teach pupils about the value of tradition and help to build community-minded attitudes that endure.

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The school supports pupils’ personal development in other ways too. There is a coherent personal, social, health and economic education programme. Among other things, this successfully teaches pupils about safe, respectful behaviour. Pupils also take on responsibilities, such as those of being an ambassador or sports leader. In both these roles, pupils act as role models for others and look for ways to help out. Furthermore, pupils are given opportunities to perform in front of an audience. During this inspection, children from early years and key stage 1 did a fine job in their Nativity performance for parents. Because the school takes these confidence- boosting activities seriously, pupils rise to the challenge and enjoy them. They sing well and with joy.

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Parents speak highly of the school. They like its inclusive nature and the support provided for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Inspection evidence supports these views. The school identifies pupils’ needs accurately and provides a curriculum that enables all to achieve well.

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Staff like working at the school and feel well supported by leaders and governors.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some foundation subjects is still being developed. Leaders and staff have identified what pupils need to know. However, their checks on what pupils remember and can use to help them grasp new learning are not as focused as they could be. Leaders should sharpen the focus of assessment so that it is manageable and efficient, helps to deepen pupils’ learning and prepares them for what comes next. 13 and 14 December 2023

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 The school’s plans for progression in pupils’ spoken language do not have the same level of ambition and deliberateness as other aspects of English. Many good things happen, but not in a carefully thought-out way. This means that some pupils do not develop their oracy skills as well as they might. The school should plan for more meaningful progression for all pupils in spoken language.

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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’ 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). 13 and 14 December 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body David Willis and Dawn Blakeway (Co- chairs) Headteacher Nicola Gorry

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leintwardine Endowed Church of England Primary School is a Church of England voluntary-aided school. Its most recent diocesan section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in March 2020. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next section 48 inspection will be within eight years of the previous one.  The school has Nursery provision that takes children from two years old. The Nursery used to be run by a private provider but came under the school’s governance in 2023.  The school provides before- and after-school childcare on the school site.  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. 13 and 14 December 2023

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors considered published performance data about the school. Inspectors also looked at a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour and attendance, the curriculum, extra- curricular activities, governance, school improvement planning and documents published on the school’s website.  During the inspection, the inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff, pupils and governors. The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with the school’s improvement partner.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, geography, and art and design. In these subjects, inspectors discussed the curriculum with

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subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work. They also considered the curriculum in other subjects to check how these subjects were organised, taught and assessed.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff and parents’ views.  Inspectors observed pupils in class, at lunchtime, on the playground, at clubs, during assembly and during a school Nativity play, and at other times during the day.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Dukes Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 December 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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