Leavening Community Primary School

Inspection of Leavening Community Primary School Back Lane, Leavening, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 9SW

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 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 Requires improvement 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they enjoy school. Staff work hard to ensure that learning is enjoyable. They know the pupils well and adapt learning to meet individual needs. Many pupils talk about how kind everyone is at Leavening Primary. They say everyone is included. Many parents echo this view. They comment on how well their children ‘thrive’ and ‘flourish’ at this nurturing school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Staff help pupils to understand how to respond positively in difficult social situations. Most pupils behave well and encourage others to do so. Some pupils are too eager, and interrupt the teacher or other pupils. This can disrupt the process of learning. Most pupils say that bullying does not happen. If it does, they are confident that adults will sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a variety of after-school clubs and a range of well-planned ‘golden opportunities’. These include looking after the school guinea pigs, visiting the Royal Armouries and the opportunity to take part in Young Voices at Sheffield Arena. Pupils enjoy the range of activities available.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and engaging. The school has mapped this out over a four-year cycle that meets the needs of this small school. In each subject, leaders have organised learning so that pupils can build their knowledge and skills over time. Teachers understand the content to be covered. In most subjects, the curriculum identifies the important content and vocabulary that pupils need to learn by the end of each phase. However, in some subjects, the range of content is too broad. The school has not agreed what is the most essential knowledge for pupils to learn and remember.

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better?

Pupils enjoy learning. They have many opportunities to talk and to take part in practical activities and visits. Pupils use their subject knowledge independently to discuss their learning. For example, pupils in key stage 1 confidently explain how a character in the class story travels from one country to another, using vocabulary learned in geography lessons. Staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in lessons. Staff target extra help where needed to ensure pupils can engage in learning.

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better?

Pupils talk with confidence about their recent learning. For example, in art, some older pupils shared information about the work of Picasso. However, they struggle to remember important knowledge about colour mixing from previous years. Teachers use strategies such as ‘flashback four’ across the curriculum to help pupils remember what they have learned. Teachers have identified the subject-specific vocabulary that pupils need to know to support their learning. They use these words in their teaching. However, teachers do not routinely check that pupils can remember and use this language precisely. 28 and 29 November 2023

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Reading is a priority at Leavening Primary School. Staff encourage pupils to enjoy books. Older pupils talk about their favourite authors. They know the benefits of reading for pleasure and to learn. The school has invested in improving the quality of phonics teaching. This is having a positive impact. Pupils read books that closely match the sounds they know. Pupils learn to read fluently and to develop their understanding. Staff identify and support pupils who need extra help quickly.

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Children in the early years benefit from a curriculum that prepares them for future learning. They learn and explore alongside key stage 1 pupils. Adults encourage pupils to talk and to extend their vocabulary. For example, they support mark making and children’s understanding of the wider world by exploring ice and frost in the outdoor area.

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The school prepares pupils well for life in the wider world. Visits to museums, art galleries, theatres and places of worship help pupils to develop their knowledge. The school provides pupils with opportunities to learn a musical instrument and to take part in a variety of sporting activities. Older pupils speak thoughtfully about equality and diversity. Pupils learn about tolerance, and most show respect for adults and other pupils. The school cultivates a positive, family environment.

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School leaders, including governors, make effective use of external support. They cultivate positive relationships with families. All staff have access to professional development opportunities. Leaders consider workload carefully and staff feel valued. There is a positive culture of learning and development for all, summed up in the school’s vision: ‘Together We Can’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, such as art and geography, the school has not made clear the essential knowledge pupils need to remember. This means that teachers cannot efficiently check that pupils are ready to take the next step in learning. The school should ensure that the most important knowledge is clearly identified in all subjects, and that staff check that pupils have retained this knowledge before moving learning on.  It is not always clear what subject-specific vocabulary pupils should know and use at each stage of their learning. As a result, teachers do not always know which vocabulary needs specific attention. The school should refine the subject vocabulary lists to ensure that staff can confidently support pupils to learn and use new vocabulary well in their spoken and written work.  Some pupils frequently interrupt the teacher or other pupils. They do not always listen carefully to explanations or give other pupils the chance to contribute. The

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school should ensure that all staff apply the high behaviour expectations consistently so that all pupils can learn without disruption.

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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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a Nursery class that is currently open four days a week.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school club.  The school has a high proportion of pupils with SEND, including a number of pupils with autism.  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.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher and staff to discuss the quality of education. The lead inspector held meetings with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art 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 other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 met with parents and carers at school. They also considered the

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responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including free-text responses.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, at breaktime and at lunchtime. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.  Inspectors met with staff to discuss their well-being and workload. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Gill McCleave, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

June Richardson Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 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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