Ladybarn Primary School

Inspection of Ladybarn Primary School Briarfield Road, Withington, Manchester M20 4SR

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Lisa Vyas. This school is part of Kingsway Community Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Lisa Vyas, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Atiyah Malik.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Ladybarn Primary School as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school. 14 and 15 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this warm and welcoming school. Staff are committed to helping pupils to develop a strong sense of community and belonging. Pupils feel confident to be themselves because of the supportive atmosphere that permeates the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined for all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, to achieve the very best that they can. Pupils have high aspirations for themselves and each other. They work hard in lessons to achieve the ambitious learning goals that their teachers set for them. As a result, pupils typically achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. During social times, pupils are considerate of one another. They told inspectors that they make sure that everyone is happy and included in the fun and games at playtimes. Pupils said that if they make mistakes with their behaviour or learning, staff will help them to put things right.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that all pupils are able to access the wide range of activities on offer that extend and enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 6 spoke enthusiastically about a recent residential trip to the Lake District. Pupils benefit from clubs such as taekwondo, yoga, choir and sewing that encourage them to explore and develop their talents.

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better?

The school has developed a highly ambitious and creative curriculum that meets the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), successfully. The school has carefully considered what pupils should learn, starting in the early years. As pupils get older, subject curriculums are suitably designed to build on pupils’ previous knowledge. This enables most pupils to develop a broad and deep understanding across the curriculum.

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better?

Within the school and across the trust, teachers support one another to design learning that develops pupils’ understanding of concepts securely. Teachers typically present information clearly and select appropriate activities that help pupils to consolidate their learning. Most teachers routinely check that pupils are securing the knowledge that they require for subsequent learning. Teachers quickly identify and remedy any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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better?

The school promotes a love of reading for all. Younger children enjoy a range of books, stories and rhymes with staff. Staff encourage pupils in older classes to read widely and often.

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better?

The school’s recently implemented phonics programme is supporting younger pupils, including children in the early years, to develop into competent readers. Pupils regularly practise their reading with books that match the sounds that they have learned. Most staff in the early years and key stage 1 have been well trained to 14 and 15 November 2023

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deliver the phonics programme effectively. However, some other staff have not received sufficient training to develop suitable expertise in phonics. As a result, some older pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge are not supported as well as they could be. This sometimes hinders these pupils from developing into confident and fluent readers as quickly as they should.

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The school ensures that staff are equipped to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND swiftly. Typically, staff use a range of suitable strategies to support these pupils effectively. This enables pupils with SEND to learn successfully.

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Pupils behave exceptionally well. Highly effective systems that support and promote positive behaviour are well understood by pupils and staff. These systems underpin the strong, caring relationships that are evident throughout the school. In the early years, staff teach children about the routines and expectations of the classroom. This helps children to quickly settle in and adapt to school life.

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Pupils experience a range of opportunities that enhance their personal development, beginning in the early years. There is a strong focus on fostering pupils’ appreciation of the diversity within the school and local community. For example, pupils visit local places of worship and learn about religious and cultural festivals. Pupils learn about how to look after their physical and mental health in an age-appropriate way. They develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe, both online and in the community.

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Governors and trustees have a wide range of expertise which enables them to provide effective support to the school. Those responsible for governance have a strong oversight of leaders’ work.

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Staff spoke very highly of the school. They told inspectors that leaders seek out and consider their views when making changes to the curriculum. Staff are appreciative of the steps that the school has taken to reduce unnecessary workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff do not have the expertise required to provide effective support for some older pupils who find reading difficult. This means that these staff do not address the gaps in some older pupils’ reading knowledge as rapidly as they should. The school should ensure that staff are fully equipped to help these pupils to develop into confident and fluent readers. 14 and 15 November 2023

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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). 14 and 15 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ladybarn Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2013. When its predecessor school, also called Ladybarn Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school is part of the Kingsway Community Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision for any pupils.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 November 2023

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 Inspectors met with senior leaders, including the headteacher and a range of staff. The inspector also spoke with representatives of the trust board and local governing body, including the chair of the trust.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation documents, improvement plans, and minutes of trust board and governing body meetings. Inspectors also reviewed records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  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 spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and social

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times.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, English, geography, and art and design. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some teachers and pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Charlotte Oles, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kevan Naughton Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 November 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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