Loxdale Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Loxdale Primary School Dudley Street, Bilston WV14 0AU

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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Outcome

Loxdale 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?

Loxdale Primary is a special place where pupils truly do ‘grow together’. The staff, including Monty the school dog, provide exceptional care and support. This makes a significant contribution to pupils’ well-being. They feel happy and safe. Pupils describe with pride the range of opportunities they have that enable them to flourish. Pupils understand the values the school promotes, for example being positive and empathetic. They appreciate how the school inspires them to be the best they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have an accurate understanding of pupils’ needs and provide effective support to pupils in lessons and at social times. This helps pupils to succeed in their learning and personal development. Pupils enjoy great success in many areas of the curriculum. However, in a small number of subjects, they do not always learn what is most important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly respectful to staff, visitors and each other. They behave extremely well in lessons and as they move around the school. During social times, they support each other through a variety of roles and responsibilities.

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

Leaders are passionate about helping pupils reach their full potential both academically and personally. They work relentlessly to make this happen. The school constantly reflects on its provision and is always striving to do even better. This honest and ethical leadership has led to continuous improvements at the school. As a result, the pupils blossom. They are very well prepared for life beyond the school and achieve extremely well in many national tests. 22 and 23 October 2024

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Children get off to a great start in the early years. Staff identify their needs from the beginning. The purposeful environment and positive relationships help children to settle quickly. Adults interact with them skilfully to develop children’s understanding and communication skills.

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Reading is a high priority across the school. Through effective daily phonics lessons, children start learning to read. Staff make frequent checks on how well children are learning their sounds. If children struggle, the school gives them additional support to help them catch up. Pupils build on this good start throughout key stages 1 and 2. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading, and many reach very high standards in this area.

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The school has ensured that staff have the expertise they need to support pupils in early mathematics. The intelligent use of concrete resources and picture representations helps children in the early years to develop an early sense of numbers. Again, pupils build on this sound start as they move through the school.

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Pupils can talk about their learning in a range of different subjects. They know about different religions. They can also explain what deforestation is. Older pupils remember some important knowledge from previous years, such as why Egyptian people buried the dead with their belongings. However, the curriculum in some subjects is new. On occasion, the work pupils complete does not help them learn about what is most important. Sometimes, pupils are asked to complete work when they do not have the background knowledge they need to be successful. This can, at times, hinder their learning.

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The school meets the needs of pupils with SEND extremely well. There is a rigorous cycle of reviewing how well they are learning the curriculum. The school follows the advice given by external agencies to reduce barriers to learning. When pupils need additional support, or a different approach, this is what they get. For some pupils, this involves learning outside the classroom. The school’s work in this area helps pupils to develop their self-esteem and improve their learning.

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The school’s work to develop pupils’ character is exemplary. A structured approach to developing pupils’ character helps them to develop a positive mindset and resilience. The characteristics it promotes can be seen in the way pupils conduct themselves. They are articulate, routinely polite and can successfully manage conflict. The school provides a range of opportunities to raise aspirations. Visits from different professionals provide an early form of careers education. Meaningful leadership roles develop relevant skills that support pupils to achieve their goals.

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From the governors to the pupils, there is a real sense of community across the school. Everyone contributes to an environment where pupils can thrive. All decisions are made with integrity and in the best interests of pupils. Staff are rightly proud to work at the school and feel valued. They appreciate how the school considers their well-being. 22 and 23 October 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, the work pupils complete does not always help them to learn what is most important. As a result, pupils’ knowledge in these subjects is not as good as it could be. The school should continue to refine the curriculum to ensure that, in all subjects, the work pupils complete helps them to learn what is most important.

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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 good 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2014.

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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. 22 and 23 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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has grown in size and moved location since the last inspection.  Loxdale Primary School is now a two-form-entry school.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteachers. She met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector also spoke to a representative of the local authority. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 The inspector focused inspection activity on the following groups of subjects: early English and mathematics, history, religious education and geography. For each group of subjects, the inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Throughout the inspection, the lead inspector spoke to staff. She also considered the opinions expressed through Ofsted’s staff survey.  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 .  The inspector took into account the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector also took into account the views of pupils who responded to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Helen Forrest, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 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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