Lydiate Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Lydiate Primary School Lambshear Lane, Lydiate, Liverpool, Merseyside L31 2JZ

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Outcome

Lydiate Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are nurtured and well cared for. They are happy in school and trust staff to support them when any problems arise. Pupils value spending time in the ‘blossom room’, where staff help them to manage their emotions well. Pupils who act as ‘blossom leaders’ are proud of their pivotal role in supporting the well-being of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years settle into school confidently. They learn quickly how they are expected to behave and move seamlessly from one activity to another. Older pupils uphold the school’s values with genuine pride. They know that it is important to show respect to others and to the environment, as well as to themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to learn. They concentrate and try their best in lessons. Ongoing improvements to the curriculum mean that pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school fosters pupils’ sense of community through various projects. Older pupils spoke with fervour about their enterprise initiative to ‘grow a pound’. Pupils readily assume roles of responsibility. For example, pupils who act as sports leaders enjoy helping others to keep fit and healthy, while those who are librarians value their part in encouraging their classmates to read.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has designed a suitably broad and ambitious curriculum. It has carefully identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which this content should be taught. A whole-school focus on oracy means that pupils are able to communicate their ideas and thinking with increasing clarity.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Overall, most pupils achieve well. However, the school’s most recent published data does not reflect this. In 2023, a significant proportion of pupils left Year 6 having made below average progress in reading and mathematics. Despite the school’s best efforts, there was 13 and 14 June 2024

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insufficient time to address gaps in these pupils’ learning owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with some instability in staffing. Pupils currently at the school are progressing well through the intended curriculum. They are better equipped with the knowledge that they need for the next stage of their education.

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Teachers appreciate the high-quality training that they receive. This enables them to carry out their roles effectively. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to explain new learning clearly to pupils. In most subjects, teachers check carefully that pupils have learned all that they should. They skilfully identify and address misconceptions so that pupils’ learning is unhindered. However, in one or two subjects, teachers do not support pupils to remember key knowledge over time as well as they could. Consequently, at times, pupils struggle to recall and build on their previous learning.

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The school has placed reading at the core of its curriculum. Pupils develop positive reading habits. They enjoy earning rewards linked to reading, such as choosing a book from the book vending machine. Pupils spoke of literature helping them to make sense of their world, including what it feels like to be a stranger in a new country.

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Children in the Nursery class listen carefully to environmental sounds. They are attuned to patterns in sounds and repeat these carefully. Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well across the Reception class and key stage 1. Pupils read from books that closely match the sounds that they know. Staff provide prompt help for pupils who do not keep pace with the phonics programme.

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The school identifies any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) that pupils may have accurately. Often, this happens while children are in the early years. Staff support pupils with SEND effectively so that they learn successfully alongside their classmates.

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Pupils’ sensible attitudes make a positive contribution to their achievement. The school is vigilant to fluctuations in pupils’ attendance. It works in partnership with parents and carers to reduce the number of pupils whose attendance is causing concern. As a result, the attendance of this group of pupils is improving strongly over time.

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The programme to support pupils’ wider development is well considered. Pupils take part in a diverse range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum, including sports clubs, drama and performing arts. They benefit from a range of trips and visits that help bring the curriculum to life. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about a visit to a museum where they explored archaeological finds related to ancient Egypt.

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Pupils are prepared well for life beyond their local area. They gain a strong understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils recognise the changes that will happen to them, and the challenges that they may face, as they grow up.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They hold leaders to account effectively about their work to improve the school. 13 and 14 June 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, some pupils struggle to recall their earlier learning. This sometimes makes it more difficult for them to build securely on what they know. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, staff carefully revisit and check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before introducing new learning .

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 13 and 14 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. She also spoke with members of the governing body.  The inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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. 13 and 14 June 2024

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 The inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, history and mathematics. She spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. The inspector also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  The inspector also spoke to a sample of pupils about their learning in other subjects. She reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  The inspector spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. She observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and when they moved around the school. The inspector also scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspector spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school. She considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 June 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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