Leasowes Primary School

Inspection of Leasowes Primary School Porlock Avenue, Weeping Cross, Stafford, Staffordshire ST17 0HT

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Gemma Bettany. This school is part of the South East Stafford Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Matthew Rowell.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Leasowes Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Leasowes Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leasowes Primary is an exceptional and vibrant school which fully lives out its values of: respect, aspiration, enjoyment, courage, collaboration and love. Pupils here thrive, as leaders’ high expectations for them are realised in all aspects of the school’s provision. Pupils say they look forward to coming to school, and they talk enthusiastically about how all adults at Leasowes help them to do their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and considerate to each other and to visitors. They understand what leaders expect of them and how they can support each other in their choices and behaviours. This starts in the early years, where leaders support the children in establishing good routines and ensure that all children have a highly effective start to their learning and personal development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Safeguarding pupils is an absolute priority for leaders. All pupils spoke confidently about being able to talk to trusted adults should they have a concern. They know that such concerns would be taken seriously and resolved. Pupils enjoy the wealth of opportunities that leaders have created for them, such as interesting visits and a wide range of clubs. They are proud of the roles they hold, such as reading ambassadors, their work with local charities and the school’s status as a ‘Rights Respecting School’.

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better?

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum extensively, right from the early years. They have ensured that it is ambitious for all pupils, and have carefully considered the order in which pupils need to learn key knowledge and skills. Teachers skilfully select activities that enable pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding, and also make links between subjects. Within the curriculum design, teachers have carefully considered misconceptions that pupils might have. This means that misconceptions are pre-empted and addressed clearly and quickly. Assessment is used highly effectively to identify and close any gaps in the pupils’ understanding. Through careful planning, pupils are able to discuss their learning as a ‘Leasowes Learner’, which further deepens their understanding. All this enables pupils to achieve highly.

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better?

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Staff adapt lesson activities consistently to meet pupils’ needs. Because of this, pupils with SEND achieve very well. Leaders fully realise their vision to ensure that these pupils successfully learn the school’s curriculum alongside their peers.

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better?

In the early years, staff are highly ambitious for all children. The curriculum is well designed and based on high-quality research. This ensures that all children make excellent progress, with communication as a golden thread. On entry to the early years, children’s needs are quickly identified and additional support is put into place where needed. No ceiling is placed on learning. The highly effective provision enables children to remain engaged in their learning for sustained periods of time. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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For example, children can use a fine paint brush after mixing colours together to produce high-quality work.

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Early reading underpins the excellent progress made by all pupils. This starts with highly effective delivery of the agreed phonics programme. Any pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge are rapidly supported to ensure that all can read with fluency for their age. A highly engaging reading curriculum for all pupils then develops their range of reading through an ambitious selection of literature.

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Pupils consistently conduct themselves with exemplary politeness and consideration. This includes how they behave towards visitors. Leaders have ensured that all pupils understand the school’s values and what they mean in terms of conduct. In lessons, pupils of all ages show resilience and openness to challenge. The leadership roles that leaders have embedded mean that pupils play a highly visible role in all aspects of the life of the school. Leaders have an unrelenting focus on attendance and have worked successfully to ensure that all pupils maximise their time in school.

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The pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the curriculum at Leasowes. Pupils learn to respect others and their beliefs and background. Difference is celebrated in this school. There is an extensive range of clubs and enrichment opportunities and leaders work well to maximise participation, especially for more vulnerable pupils. Morning club is highly effective in supporting pupils with their learning, for example.

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Leaders’ ambition for Leasowes Primary is fully embedded. The headteacher’s energy, drive and determination are a key part of this. Governors and trustees have a forensic understanding of the school and the areas for development. Their delegated responsibilities are carried out effectively by governors. Governors and trustees provide appropriate challenge to leaders. Leaders have clear plans for the future development of provision in the school. Leaders are considerate of staff well- being and workload, and make appropriate allowances to support all staff when needed. Leaders engage extensively with parents. Parents are glowing about their children’s school and the consistently high-quality provision leaders have put in place.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the South East Stafford Academy Trust.  The school offers a morning club before school, and many after-school clubs.  The school does not use 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  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. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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 As a part of this inspection, inspectors met with the trustees, governors, senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff as well as other employees in the school. They also scrutinised trustee and governor minutes.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and art. They also looked at examples of pupils’ work in other subjects. 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 visited lessons in some other subjects.  An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme and the careers and personal development programmes with leaders and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school

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leaders.  Inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. They took account of responses to a staff survey, a pupil survey and Ofsted Parent View and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ellen Taylor Ofsted Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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