Ludwell Primary School

Inspection of Ludwell Primary School Coronation Drive, Ludwell, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 9ND

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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

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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 Harriet Collins. This school is part of Pickwick Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, James Passmore, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Robert Ward. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto, ‘inspiring creativity, fostering compassion, nurturing excellence’, underpins all aspects of school life. Pupils benefit from high-quality pastoral care. They respond well to the school’s clear expectations for their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning through the school’s enquiry curriculum. They take part enthusiastically in lessons and display positive attitudes to learning. Pupils contribute to discussions and listen respectfully to others. This starts from Reception Year, where children enjoy suggesting items in the role play area to retell familiar stories.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil voice is a strength of the school. Pupils’ ideas are valued. They are proud of their contribution to school life. For example, the well-being warriors designed the friendship bench for the school’s playground. School councillors lead assemblies to share ideas with the rest of the school. This builds pupils’ confidence and sense of purpose.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is very much a part of the local community. Pupils actively participate in events such as tree planting. They also enjoy visits from their local MP. Trips, charity work and topical news activities enrich the curriculum. As a result, pupils develop a sense of themselves as local and global citizens.

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better?

Everyone is ambitious for pupils at the school. The trust has contributed significantly to the success of the school. Alongside governors and new leaders, it has made improvements to the quality of education its highest priority.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all. This takes into account the school’s mixed-aged classes. The school has also made sure that it meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum enables pupils to build their knowledge and understanding over time.

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better?

In most subjects, the school has identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn and the order in which they should learn it. For example, in mathematics and phonics, pupils know, understand and apply what they have learned. However, in a few subjects, the school has not identified or sequenced the knowledge pupils need to learn with enough precision. As a result, this limits the depth of knowledge that pupils acquire in these subjects.

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better?

Leaders have swiftly addressed the dip in pupils’ progress and outcomes in mathematics. The school has reviewed the content of the mathematics curriculum. It is now carefully organised and sequenced. Teaching builds on what pupils already know. Staff make regular checks on what pupils know and understand. They use this information to help to reshape learning where needed. Consequently, the school is successfully reversing a legacy of underachievement. 16 and 17 April 2024

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Pupils learn to read well. Children in Reception Year and pupils in key stage 1 enjoy phonics lessons. They confidently segment words and blend sounds. Staff have expert subject knowledge to teach the phonics programme. However, the school is not complacent. It constantly seeks ways to refine and develop the delivery of phonics. As a result, the vast majority of pupils keep up with the pace of the early reading programme.

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The school has worked hard to establish an inclusive culture. Pupils with SEND enjoy learning alongside their peers. The systems for identifying their needs are effective. Staff work with parents to set and review pupils’ targets. In some subjects, such as mathematics and reading, carefully selected resources support pupils’ understanding and help them to progress well. These include concrete resources and well-matched decodable books. However, sometimes, staff do not adapt the learning for some pupils with SEND well enough. When this happens, these pupils become too reliant on adults during lessons. This prevents them from becoming independent learners.

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The school’s investment in staff training is key to its success. Staff confidently teach the curriculum because their subject knowledge is strong. The school has developed a range of teaching strategies to implement the curriculum effectively. For example, the school asks pupils to ‘think, pair and share’ their opinions and ideas. This helps pupils gain confidence in explaining what they know.

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Pupils develop a strong understanding of equality and diversity. The school chooses books and offers enrichment activities thoughtfully. This helps pupils to appreciate how people are all different. Pupils’ understanding and tolerance of each other’s differences contribute to the welcoming culture.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not identified the precise knowledge it wants pupils to learn. As a result, pupils do not develop a progressive subject knowledge that builds on what they already know. The school should develop the subject- specific knowledge that pupils must know and remember across the enquiry curriculum.  Teaching does not always build independence for some pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils become too reliant on adult support during lessons. This is not preparing them well for the next stage of their education. The school should develop adaptive teaching strategies so that all pupils with SEND become increasingly independent learners. 16 and 17 April 2024

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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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ludwell Primary School converted to become an academy in November 2019. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school joined Pickwick Academy Trust in November 2019.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2022.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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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. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English including early reading, mathematics 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 held meetings with the headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff, members of the local governing body, including the co-chairs of governors, a trustee, the CEO and members of the executive leadership team from the trust.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation form.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katharine Anstey Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 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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