Leagrave Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Leagrave Primary School Strangers Way, Luton, Bedfordshire LU4 9ND

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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Outcome

Leagrave Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff are immensely proud to be part of the school community. Pupils make friends easily. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. This helps pupils to be highly motivated learners and to settle to tasks quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a broad and challenging curriculum. This enables all pupils to achieve exceptionally well in all areas. Pupils are proud of their work and are keen to talk about their accomplishments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in school is exemplary. They are polite and courteous to each other and to visitors. From the moment children join the school, all staff have high expectations for their behaviour. Pupils show high levels of respect towards each other and staff. They know adults will help them if they face challenges. This carefully thought-out support enables pupils to feel safe and thrive with their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A well-planned personal development programme enables pupils to understand their own rights and responsibilities. Pupils can take on leadership roles. These include prefects, school councillors and digital ambassadors. These roles enable pupils to feel valued members of the school community. Pupils know that they have a ‘voice’ and can help improve the school even more. They understand the importance of thinking of others through their charity work. 15 and 16 October 2024

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

The school has continued to improve and develop the curriculum since the last inspection. The precisely designed curriculum runs from Nursery to Year 6. The school has structured the knowledge pupils learn into clearly defined and manageable steps. This enables pupils to build solid foundations for their future learning. Pupils achieve well in national tests and assessments. They leave ready for secondary school.

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

The school prioritises training to ensure staff know the curriculum well. Teachers use activities that are designed to engage and inspire pupils. Staff revisit prior learning and provide continuous guidance. Staff ensure that important links between subjects are made clear. This enables pupils to understand their learning and make connections between essential concepts.

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

Teachers use their checks on pupils’ understanding to identify gaps in learning. This ensures pupils get the help they need at the right time. Pupils are clear on their next steps and how to move forward in their learning. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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

The importance of reading and language acquisition are at the centre of the curriculum. This starts in Nursery, where children benefit from a language-rich environment and access to a wide range of texts. Pupils at the early stages of reading read well and fluently. Books match the sounds they know. This enables pupils to practise the sounds they have learned. Precise support is put in place where pupils need it. Pupils talk about how much they love reading and experiencing new worlds. Pupils are eager to select new books from the book vending machine.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. This ensures that pupils with SEND receive precisely planned support and achieve well.

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

From the start of Nursery, staff set high expectations for children’s behaviour. There is little disruption to lessons, enabling pupils to learn well. Pupils are extremely polite and show good manners to each other.

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

Leaders have worked hard to rebuild a culture of high attendance for all pupils after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff work closely with families to ensure they get the support they need. Pupils know they need to be in school to learn. As a result, pupils’ attendance rates are high.

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

The school has an extensive personal development programme. In the early years, adults model behaviours for children through well-considered activities. This enables children to reflect on and express their own feelings. Pupils understand what British values are and the importance of these values to their lives. For example, they learn that democracy means having a voice in society. Pupils know how to keep healthy through eating well and taking exercise. They have a range of strategies to support their mental health. Pupils know how to keep safe online as well as in the wider world. They are knowledgeable 15 and 16 October 2024

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about different faiths and cultures. A wide range of visits and visitors enhance the curriculum. For example, a dentist teaches children in Reception how to clean their teeth.

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Leaders prioritise staff training and well-being. School leaders ensure that any changes do not add to staff’s workload. Staff are proud to work at the school and morale is high. Governors have a thorough understanding of the context of the school. They work in close collaboration with leaders to ensure that standards remain high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in December 2018.

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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. 15 and 16 October 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). 15 and 16 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Julius Kandekore

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has nursery provision for three-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 15 and 16 October 2024

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The views of parents, staff and pupils were considered from meeting with them and from the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Lisa Massey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 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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