Lakenham Primary School

Inspection of Lakenham Primary School City Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 2HL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 14 and 15 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Lakenham. The adults quickly get to know the pupils and their families well. Pupils trust that there is always an adult they can talk to who will listen and help them. They are well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are hardworking and respectful in class. They listen carefully to each other, and to their teachers, because this is what is expected of them. The high expectations that staff have for pupils’ achievement means that pupils ‘enjoy, aspire and achieve’ in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school play together well at lunchtimes. They enjoy activities such as den building. Many pupils also take up the opportunity to attend a wealth of different clubs, such as art, karate and gardening club. Pupils love that what they grow is then used in the school kitchens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The enriching experiences which all pupils benefit from are carefully planned in the ‘Lakenham passport’. Pupils gain confidence and are excited about trips to London and around Norwich. They appreciate taking part in local events to help the community, for example litter picking and Bank of England story telling as well as having their school competition winning ‘books in a box’ displayed in the nearby book shop.

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better?

The school’s curriculum clearly sets out what pupils need to learn in each subject. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to develop their vocabulary and spend time talking about their learning. This helps all pupils, including those whose first language is not English. Teachers are provided with effective training to help them to teach the curriculum well.

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better?

In core subjects, teachers carefully check what pupils know and understand. They adapt their teaching where necessary to meet the needs of all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND.) However, in some foundation subjects, teachers are not doing this as well. When this happens, teachers are not always able to identify what pupils have learned. As a result, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not always addressed, and pupils have some misunderstanding about certain topics.

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better?

The school makes sure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified swiftly. Pupils get the resources and support that helps them to successfully access the same curriculum as their peers.

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better?

Although outcomes last year at the end of key stage 2 were low, the school has worked effectively to improve outcomes for pupils throughout the school. 14 and 15 May 2024

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school has carefully chosen resources to help pupils to develop a love of reading. Books are celebrated everywhere. Pupils start to learn to read as soon as they join the school. Staff teach the chosen reading scheme well, as they are well trained. Pupils take home books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning in class. Regular checks help identify those pupils who are finding reading hard and they get support to build fluency and confidence. Pupils in key stage 2 continue to get regular reading lessons. This is helping them to read more complex texts with increasing confidence.

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Children in Nursery and Reception receive a fantastic start to their education. There is a delight and excitement about learning. Learning in the classroom and outdoor areas is precisely planned to make sure that each child is incredibly well supported in their learning. Staff know what children have learned and carefully check this so they know what children need to learn next to achieve consistently well. Adults are experts in supporting children to develop the skills they will need to succeed in Year 1.

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The school supports the behaviour needs of pupils well by making effective use of the pastoral support team and areas such as the ‘come and learn more’ room. In classes, most pupils listen and focus carefully on their learning. Pupils understand the routines and so the learning environment is calm and purposeful.

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Pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The highly effective personal, social, health and economic curriculum helps pupils to become confident and resilient individuals. Pupils learn about staying safe online, healthy relationships and respecting difference. Families are closely involved in school life. Groups such as ‘coffee and lunch box’ and ‘lads and dads’ support excellent home and school collaboration.

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Leaders receive appropriate challenge and support from the governing body. Staff, including those in the early stages of their teaching career, are proud to work at the school. Leaders know that they need to continue to make sure that all staff feel that their workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum subjects, teachers do not use well enough the information that they gain from assessing pupils’ learning so as to enable them to identify gaps for individual pupils. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not make the progress that they should. Leaders need to ensure that effective use is being made of assessment in these subjects to identify and plan 14 and 15 May 2024

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appropriate learning for individual pupils so that pupils achieve highly in all areas of 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.

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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 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 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 October 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Lakenham Primary School has a larger-than-average proportion of pupils who have English as an additional language.  The school includes a nursery, which runs morning and afternoon sessions for three- and four-year olds.  The school does not currently 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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 May 2024

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 Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders and subject leaders.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator and scrutinised provision for pupils with SEND.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke to a member of the local authority school improvement team.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, art and design and physical education. Inspectors looked at a range of books from across all subjects. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders and the senior leadership team, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils, about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took into account the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents and policies, including the school improvement plan and minutes of the governing body meetings.  The inspectors considered the views of parents through responses to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors gathered the views of pupils through the Ofsted pupil survey. Inspectors gathered the views of staff through Ofsted’s staff survey, as well as interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Heather Hann, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rachael Judd Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 May 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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