Lansdowne Infant Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Lansdowne Infant Academy Goodman Street, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE14 2RE

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

Outcome

Lansdowne Infant Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The executive principal of this school is Claire Shaw, who is responsible for this school and one other. This school is part of The De Ferrers Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kathy Hardy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Fiona Stagg.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school which lives its values for all its children: ‘work hard, be kind, choose wisely’. Due to this, pupils learn to get along well with each other in class and at social times. They are happy to come to school and enjoy their learning. They increasingly understand the importance of concentration and focus when they learn.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave with consideration towards each other, including when they are at play. This is because they understand the school’s expectations. Pupils are tolerant of each other and proud of the school’s diversity. They know adults will help them if they have concerns. The are keen to offer their opinion and to discuss the work they are completing.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for pupils’ learning, which are increasingly realised. This is especially the case for reading. Alongside this, the school plans a number of experiences for pupils to bring their learning to life. These include a range of clubs, for example gymnastics, cricket for boys and girls, and an art and craft club. Pupils value these opportunities. Pupils also enjoy the opportunity to discuss the news, which they have once a week. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

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

The curriculum has been reviewed with a particular focus on early reading. The school’s reading curriculum starts in the Nursery with a focus on the children’s communication and language. The phonics scheme is well embedded and consistent. This starts in Nursery and continues with daily phonics practise throughout the school. This approach is consistent and effective in helping pupils progress towards becoming fluent readers. Teachers ensure that pupils are clear on how letter and sounds match up, and how to blend them. They carefully check pupils’ fluency. Where it is necessary, pupils have extra support to ensure they catch up. As a result, pupils achieve well in reading.

p.2

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

The curriculum for mathematics ensures that the key learning that pupils need is secure. Fundamental knowledge around number is introduced in the Nursery and Reception. This means pupils can tackle more complex learning as they move up the school. For example, they successfully learn to manipulate more challenging sums. The development of other subjects is regularly reviewed to ensure the key learning pupils need is clearly identified. Across all of the curriculum, the checking of pupils’ understanding is not always consistent. This means that, sometimes, misconceptions are not addressed, or pupils are not moved on to more challenging learning in a timely way.

p.2

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs accurately identified. Teachers are given useful information on how to adapt the curriculum for these pupils. This is generally used well to adapt the curriculum, which helps these pupils achieve well.

p.2

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

The school promotes high standards of behaviour and attendance. A renewed focus on pupils sustaining attention in class is having an impact. The school takes effective action if pupils find it hard to meet their expectations. Attendance has remained a priority for some time as the school is aware that some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. The school recognises that some families face multiple challenges, which impact on some pupils’ attendance. A new strategy includes outreach work to families. This has led to improvements. The school is working to embed and refine this strategy to ensure all families understand the importance of their children attending school regularly.

p.2

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

The school places the pupils’ personal development at the heart of its provision. There are increasing links to the junior school to ensure pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. The school ensures pupils learn to keep themselves healthy and safe. In addition, the school carefully plans a range of experiences to bring the curriculum to life. These experiences include visits, for example, to the national forest and to places of worship. The school carefully monitors which pupils go on which trips to ensure that cost is not a barrier to pupils attending. The school is proud of its charity days and ‘acts of advocacy’, which are to ensure that pupils are aware of the wider community. There is also a school council, where pupils meet with leaders to discuss improvements.

p.2

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

Governors and the trust work together effectively to support the improvements in the school. The trust monitors checks on standards in the school in a range of supportive 19 and 20 November 2024

p.2

3

ways to secure improvements. Governors are well informed about the school and offer appropriate challenge. Leaders are mindful of staff workload and staff feel supported.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There remain too many pupils who are absent from school too often. This means these pupils miss too much school and learning. The school should continue to refine and embed its strategic approach to improve attendance, working closely with parents and external agencies, so pupils’ attendance continues to improve.  The school has not ensured that pupils’ understanding is consistently checked. As a result, opportunities to move pupils on in their learning or to address remaining gaps in understanding can be missed. The school should ensure that all teachers use assessment effectively to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and select appropriate activities as a result.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Lansdowne Infants’ School, to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2011. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 19 and 20 November 2024

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 3 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is part of The De Ferrers Trust.  The executive headteacher was appointed in April 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 their evaluation of the school.  Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 19 and 20 November 2024

p.5

6

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  As part of this inspection, the inspector met with the chair of the governing board and other governors and the chair of the trust. He met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff and other employees in the school. The inspector also talked informally to pupils to gather general information about school life. The inspector also scrutinised internal review documentation completed by the trust. The lead inspector also met the trust’s education director and chief executive officer.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector discussed with leaders and pupils the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme and personal development programmes.  The inspector reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school

p.6

6

leaders.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including plans to improve the school.  The inspector met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. He took account of responses to Ofsted surveys for staff and pupils, Ofsted Parent View and the free-text responses. He also spoke to parents on the playground.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7