Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School

Inspection of Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School Monks Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN2 5PF

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 24 and25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School. They feel lucky to be part of a diverse and vibrant school community. Staff show pupils respect and care. Pupils said that they appreciate their teachers. They said that many of their teachers are ‘superheroes that have their best interests at heart’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the early years, pupils learn to behave well. They learn how to restore relationships if things go a little wrong. Lessons are calm. Pupils are highly focused on their learning. They are keen to achieve. They really appreciate the rewards they receive for their positive conduct.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show a natural concern for their peers. Older pupils look after younger pupils. No one is left out of games on the playground. Pupils said that they feel happy, safe and cared for in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Diversity is promoted and respected. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They visit many different places of worship. Recently, pupils and teachers worked with the Lincoln Muslim Sisters to prepare food, which the whole school then ate and really enjoyed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations. Staff are keen for pupils to achieve well. The quality of the curriculum has improved. However, phonics is not yet taught well enough. Some pupils do not learn to read as accurately or as fluently as they could.

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

There is a well-planned phonics curriculum in place. However, this curriculum is not implemented consistently. Staff do not make enough checks to ensure that pupils make the correct sounds for the letters or groups of letters that they are learning. Reading books are not accurately matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils who fall behind with their reading do not always receive precise enough help to catch up. Leaders have taken recent action to address these issues with urgency. There are signs of improvement. More improvement is needed.

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

The curriculum matches the expectations of the national curriculum. Most subjects are planned effectively. The writing curriculum, for example, is particularly well crafted. It is a well-sequenced ‘writing journey’. Consequently, pupils develop the knowledge needed to write with confidence and skill. They know how to write for a range of different purposes. Spelling and punctuation are more accurate. In a few subjects, curriculum planning, although improved, is not precise enough. It is not focused on the specific knowledge that pupils need. As a result, some pupils do not acquire the depth of understanding that they could. This is particularly the case in key stage 1.

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

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Nursery children are well cared for. They are prepared well for their next learning steps. The outdoor learning space is carefully designed. Even the youngest children develop their confidence and 24 and25 September 2024

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independence as they learn. Children know the routines well. They share and take turns. They are inquisitive and excited learners.

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Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) experience an ambitious curriculum. Parents are complimentary about the support that their child receives. However, the curriculum does not always allow sufficient opportunities for some pupils with SEND to develop independence. Sometimes, there is not enough planned opportunity for them to socialise with peers.

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There is a concerted effort to ensure that pupils benefit from new and exciting opportunities. Interests and talents are nurtured. Pupils are regularly involved in sports, yoga and dance. They enjoy gardening club. They learn different languages. They visit the theatre and local events, such as the Lincolnshire Show. Pupils really appreciate these additional activities.

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Pupils benefit from a well-planned and sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum. They learn about festivals and celebrations through assemblies. Pupils are knowledgeable about their community. They are well informed about the ways in which they can keep themselves healthy and safe.

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The school is a strong community hub. The welfare team supports pupils and their families expertly. They work tirelessly to ensure that pupils are safe, well cared for and in school. Pupils’ attendance is a real success story. Most pupils, including the most vulnerable, attend school regularly. Pupils said that there are ‘great possibilities at their school’. They do not want to miss a minute.

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Experienced new leaders have had a positive impact in a short amount of time. There is real optimism about the change taking place. Parents appreciate seeing leaders ‘out and about’. They have confidence that they can share their worries and concerns. Staff feel valued. They show strong commitment to the community. They are rightly proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is a well-planned and sequenced phonics curriculum in place, but it is not implemented consistently by all staff. Some pupils do not get the help they need. Reading books are not routinely well matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. This means that some pupils do not learn to read with accuracy and fluency as quickly as 24 and25 September 2024

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they could. The school must continue the rapid work already underway to ensure that all staff receive expert training and support to implement the phonics curriculum well. They must ensure that reading books are better matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils who fall behind their peers must receive high-quality help to catch up.  Most pupils with SEND experience a high-quality education. They achieve well at the end of key stage 2. However, although pupils with SEND receive tremendous care, some do not always receive the support needed to independently develop appropriate knowledge and skills. They do not have sufficient planned opportunity to socialise and learn with peers. The school must continue the work to ensure that all pupils with SEND access an ambitious curriculum that promotes independence and allows many opportunities for learning and play with other pupils.  Most of the curriculum is well planned and sequenced. However, the curriculum in a

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few subjects does not identify precisely enough the knowledge that pupils must acquire. As a result, when these subjects are taught, some pupils do not learn knowledge to sufficient depth. This is particularly the case in key stage 1. The school must ensure that knowledge in these subjects is more precisely identified so that pupils can build a depth of understanding as they progress.

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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 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). 24 and25 September 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2024.  The school provides education for two-year-old children within the Mini Monks provision.  The school does not make use of 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s provision. 24 and25 September 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and a range of school staff, including the welfare team.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and five members of the governing body. She spoke by telephone with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and writing. As

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part of the deep dives, inspectors spoke with curriculum leaders to review the curriculum, visited lessons and considered pupils’ work. They spoke with pupils and teachers. Inspectors reviewed an additional sample of the work of pupils with SEND and observed their learning.  Inspectors met with the curriculum leaders of science, music and physical education. They reviewed the curriculum plans of these subjects.  Inspectors met with the early years lead and visited the early years provision, including Mini Monks.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times in the school day, including the start and end of the day and at lunchtime and breaktime.  Inspectors considered the response to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the survey of staff. They spoke with parents.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Thompson Ofsted Inspector 24 and25 September 2024

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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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