Lickey Hills Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Lickey Hills Primary School and Nursery Old Birmingham Road, Lickey, Birmingham, West Midlands B45 8EU

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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 9 and 10 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend Lickey Hills happily and regularly. Warm relationships help pupils settle quickly and feel safe in school. This starts before the official school day begins in ‘The Hive’. Attentive and caring staff ensure pupils have a calm and interesting start to the day and older pupils support the younger pupils impressively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of trying their best and working hard. This is evident in how well they behave in lessons to ensure no precious learning time is lost. On the rare occasion that disruptions do occur, pupils are able to re-focus on their learning quickly and sensibly. The school’s ambition that everyone achieves to the best of their ability is well realised. It is reflected in how well pupils achieve in the end of key stage tests. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported very well. They are fully included in the life of the school, including those who attend the language base who spend part of the day accessing their specialist provision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their interests through trips, visits and after-school clubs. Some of these are so popular that even more pupils would value the opportunity to be able to attend.

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better?

Reading is a priority at Lickey Hills. The effective teaching of phonics leads to pupils being able to read with increasing fluency and accuracy. Some pupils need extra support to keep up with their peers. They are identified without delay. Sessions to support pupils close any gaps they have in their learning are effective. Pupils in the language base receive excellent support to make the progress they are capable of. Pupils talk readily about how they apply their skills in reading across many other areas of the curriculum.

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better?

Curriculum plans in all subjects are precise. They have ‘golden threads’ that link topics and subjects. All curriculum plans start in the early years, where children get off to a good start. Foundational knowledge is introduced well with the use of stories. An example of this is children learning simple facts about life cycles by reading ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. Lots of other learning activities, linked to mathematics, are also planned around this. The engaging curriculum prepares children well for when they move into key stage 1. However, as pupils move through the school and start recording their work more formally, some misconceptions in pupils’ work are not routinely addressed. This leads to some pupils having gaps in their knowledge and not always making as much progress as they might.

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better?

Pupils behave well. The new behaviour policy is inspiring pupils to do the right thing at the right time. They are routinely polite and well mannered. They engage positively with learning and talk enthusiastically about what they learn. Pupils understand how important it is to always do their best. They relish the opportunity to earn ‘E-Praise’ points for doing the right thing. Rewards for these points are 9 and 10 April 2024

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suggested by the pupil parliament. Alternatively, pupils choose to convert their points to a monetary value instead that is given to the pupil’s chosen charity. This reflects the kindness and care pupils have for others, which is also evident many other aspects of the school’s work.

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Pupils are given opportunities to make links with the local community and local area. This includes building purposeful relationships with the local old people’s home, singing in the community, collecting food for the local foodbank and planting trees in collaboration with a local construction company. However, pupils still have a limited understanding of fundamental British values . They are not yet secure in how these underpin what it means to be a citizen in a modern and diverse world.

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The school has recently undergone significant leadership changes. Many members of staff are new to roles or have taken on new responsibilities. Despite this, they can clearly articulate the actions they need to put in place to further improve and strengthen the strong educational offer already in place. The whole staff are effective and cohesive, working in the best interests of pupils. They are proud to be members of the Lickey Hills family.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not use assessment routinely to address misconceptions or check that pupils fully understand what they have been taught. This prevents pupils from building their knowledge securely on what they already know and leads to repeated mistakes. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively during lessons, and after, to check how well pupils understand what was taught.  Pupils’ knowledge about British values is limited. Consequently, pupils are not being prepared well enough for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that opportunities to develop pupils’ understanding of British values are purposefully planned and delivered throughout the curriculum.

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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. 9 and 10 April 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). 9 and 10 April 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average primary school.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2024 and other leaders are also new to role.  The school has a breakfast club and after-school wraparound care.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school has a resource base for pupils with language and communication difficulties.

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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. 9 and 10 April 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work in a range of subjects, including English, reading and religious education.  The lead inspector spoke with two governors, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke on the telephone with a representative from the local authority.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector 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.

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 The lead inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about school life. In addition, they took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ views.

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Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Dukes Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 April 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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