Ling Moor Primary Academy

Inspection of Ling Moor Primary Academy Richmond Drive, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN6 8QZ

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 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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The headteacher of this school is John Sisman. This school is part of The Priory Federation of Academies, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Ian Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Howard Gee.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding 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 June 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘By the good deeds that you do, you will be remembered in the stars for eternity.’ This ambitious motto forms the beating heart of Ling Moor Primary Academy. The school provides a top-quality education that goes hand in hand with preparing pupils exceedingly well for life beyond the school. Pupils are expected to become respectful, empathetic and well-rounded individuals who achieve highly. This expectation is achieved. The school’s description of the ‘Ling Moor Family’ is tangible. The school is one big, happy learning community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are eager to do the right things because, as the school teaches them, ‘It is the right thing to do.’ Pupils understand the school’s approach to ‘serious fun’. As one pupil explained, ‘We have fun, but we’re very serious about our learning.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of wisdom, curiosity, courage and passion permeate all aspects of school life. Pupils strive to live out these values every day. Older pupils wear their ‘Priory Badges’ with pride, showing that they consistently exemplify these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school parliament, ably led by the elected prime minister and their deputy, represents pupils’ views. It makes an important contribution to all aspects of school life. For example, pupils who act as parliamentarians play a central role in evaluating the quality of education.

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

At all levels, leadership is of the highest quality. Leaders are uncompromising in their aim to ‘empower potential’. The school ensures that leadership is nurtured, trusted and enabled to innovate. The school has built a passionate, highly skilled team of staff. Staff are expected to continually improve their performance and to be experts in their role. These expectations are realised. Staff’s workload and well-being are consistently well considered and prioritised. The trust and local governors provide high-quality challenge and support.

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

The school has a strong reading culture. As one pupil summed up: ‘Our school is all about books, books, books!’ Pupils become passionate readers. They have an impressive knowledge of a wide range of genres. Through the ‘Secret Reader’ activities, pupils introduce new texts and authors to each other. They eagerly follow this up with requests for additions to the school library. New books arrive quickly. The school’s well-organised phonics programme is expertly taught. Pupils master phonics quickly. They go on to learn the reading curriculum at an impressive rate. Anyone who begins to fall behind gets the help needed to keep up. From an early age, pupils are helped to become fluent readers.

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

Across all subjects and the early years, the school’s curriculum is meticulously designed and structured. Content builds cumulatively on what has gone before. It prepares pupils well for what will come next. The ‘target memories’ set out the most important knowledge that pupils are expected to learn and remember. Teaching enables pupils to revisit and 19 and 20 November 2024

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recap what they have learned before. This results in pupils building an extensive store of knowledge across the full range of subjects. They use it to make links and draw comparisons when they learn new content.

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Children in the early years get off to the best possible start. The school checks closely on how well children achieve the incremental milestones that are set out in its curriculum. Anyone who begins to fall behind is quickly identified and given the help needed to keep up. Adults’ interactions with children are of a consistently high quality. Staff routinely find out about and build on what children know and can do. Children become curious and inquisitive learners. They have an impressive ability to concentrate for extended periods of time.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get expert help, care and support. The school carries out regular and detailed assessments. As a result, it has a well-refined understanding of the help that pupils need. The school checks meticulously to make sure that the help that these pupils receive works as it should. Pupils with SEND are helped to become independent and to grow in confidence. They are well supported by their peers.

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Pupils benefit from a broad and rich personal development offer. It extends well beyond the well-organised personal, social and health education curriculum. Along with their impressive knowledge of fundamental British values, pupils have a detailed understanding of the protected characteristics and what these mean in law. Pupils are highly inclusive. Any form of discrimination is simply not tolerated. There is an extensive range of extra- curricular activities that pupils make good use of. The school makes sure that no one misses out. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests and talents, including in sports and music. The school’s careers programme broadens pupils’ knowledge of the working world and helps to build their aspirations.

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Pupils, staff and the vast majority of parents and carers hold the school in high esteem.

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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.

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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. 19 and 20 November 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 June 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Priory Federation of Academies.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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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 education provision. 19 and 20 November 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in five subjects: reading, mathematics, science, physical education and history. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and pupils, reviewed curriculum documentation and pupils’ work in geography, religious education, modern foreign languages, art and design, design and technology and music.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing body, including the

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chair and vice-chair of governors. He met with the CEO of the trust, the primary executive and a representative of the board of trustees.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View. They spoke informally to parents outside the school. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  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.  Inspectors reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tim Leah Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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