Lunts Heath Primary School

Inspection of Lunts Heath Primary School Wedgewood Drive, Widnes, Cheshire WA8 9RJ

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 15 and 16 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lunts Heath Primary School is an encouraging and aspirational place where pupils thrive. Pupils’ positive educational experience is reflected in their infectious enthusiasm for learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to reach the high expectations that staff have of them. Right from the start of their time in the early years, pupils benefit from a carefully constructed and stimulating curriculum, which is delivered consistently well. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly in a wide range of subjects. This means that they take the next step of their education with confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils forge strong relationships with the staff and with each other. This helps them to feel safe and secure. They are encouraged to talk about any of their worries and are offered the support that they need to engage positively in school life. Pupils are friendly and articulate. Behaviour across the school is excellent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of clubs on offer, where they develop their interests and talents. Pupils are excited about experiences such as residential visits and trips to local theatres and museums. By taking on special roles, such as school ambassadors, pupils learn how to represent their classmates and make an active contribution to the success of their school.

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

Staff have a shared determination to build on its already notable success. The exceptionally positive culture of self-improvement is palpable. All aspects of the school’s work are reviewed regularly and evaluated rigorously to ensure that they are highly effective.

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

The school has applied creativity and ambition in designing and implementing a broad curriculum, rich with interesting opportunities designed to motivate all pupils to learn. In all subjects, from the Reception class to Year 6, the school has reviewed and set out precisely the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn and remember. The school has focused particular attention on connecting themes across subjects and over time. This helps pupils to make links in their work and to strengthen and deepen their understanding of important concepts.

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

Subject leaders have strong expertise. Teachers benefit from detailed support and guidance to deliver the content of the curriculum as intended. Assessment strategies are used well. For example, pupils have regular opportunities to recall and revisit their earlier learning. Teachers routinely check pupils’ understanding during lessons and respond immediately to address any misconceptions. 15 and 16 October 2024

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In the early years, children’s communication, language and spoken vocabulary is given a high priority. The sharp focus on listening attentively prepares children well for learning about sounds and letters.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Staff benefit from targeted training and support to deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Pupils who do not keep pace with the phonics programme are given prompt help by highly skilled staff and catch up quickly. As a result, almost all pupils become confident and accurate readers before the end of Year 2.

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As pupils progress through the school, they learn to read a carefully curated range of texts with increasing fluency and comprehension. Pupils’ confidence in reading contributes strongly to their achievement in other subjects.

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The school ensures that pupils’ additional needs are identified swiftly and accurately. Curriculum delivery is successfully adapted to support these pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates. Pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.

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In the Reception class, children learn to share and play happily with their friends. They develop independence and concentrate well on activities. These firm foundations of positive learning behaviour are built on throughout the school. Classrooms and playgrounds are harmonious places to be. Pupils are highly respectful and polite. They behave exceptionally well, which means everyone can learn free from distractions. Parents and carers are resoundingly positive about the school and appreciative of all the staff do to support their children.

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The school’s offer for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. It ensures that pupils have as broad and rich an experience as possible. Pupils understand how to keep physically and mentally healthy, as well as how to behave and keep safe when online. Pupils are highly considerate of the views and beliefs of others. They spoke with sensitivity and maturity about people’s differences. They are extremely well prepared for their future lives.

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Governors bring wide-ranging expertise and considerable experience to their roles. Staff appreciate the support and opportunities for development that they receive. They value leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 15 and 16 October 2024

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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). 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 Jennifer McCormick

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 July 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2022.  The leadership structure has been reviewed recently. The deputy headteacher and three assistant headteachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.  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. 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. 15 and 16 October 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and during lessons. They

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spoke with pupils to discuss their views of school, their learning, their behaviour and safety. Inspectors also reviewed documentation about pupils’ attendance, safety and behaviour.  An inspector met with the SEND coordinator and reviewed samples of documentation relating to SEND.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors reviewed curriculum documentations and discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult. Inspectors also reviewed aspects of several other subjects in the school’s curriculum.  The lead inspector considered the views of parents through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She also took account of staff’s views through the

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responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s survey for pupils.  The inspectors considered a range of documents shared by school leaders, including the school improvement plan, leaders’ self-evaluation document and the minutes taken at governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Janette Walker, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephanie Swift Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

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