Lavenham Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Lavenham Community Primary School Barn Street, Lavenham, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 9RB

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Outcome

Lavenham Community 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 feel happy and safe at Lavenham Primary. They are enthusiastic about school and attend well. Pupils know that if they ever feel worried, they have adults who care for them and will listen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A love of learning permeates the school. Pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about different things they have learned. Pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in class and around school is excellent. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils listen to their teachers attentively and settle to tasks quickly. At breaktimes, pupils socialise well together. Pupils eagerly engage in imaginative play and games. Pupils are confident, happy to participate in learning and extremely polite to adults and visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an active and valued voice at this school. Older pupils take on a wealth of leadership responsibilities. The eco committee and house captains meet regularly and bring about improvements to their school, such as the development of a new school pond. Weekly ‘pupil voice’ assemblies give every pupil the chance to share their views about real-life issues. All pupils contribute their opinions in a mature and sensible way. Pupils develop strong communication and leadership skills through these thoughtfully planned opportunities. 18 December 2024

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

The school has adopted an ambitious curriculum. It has designed a curriculum that identifies the important knowledge and vocabulary pupils learn in their mixed-age classes.

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

Children make a strong start in early years. The small class structure in the Reception class supports children to settle in quickly. Adults establish the routines and expectations straight away. The curriculum ensures children learn key knowledge. Adults prioritise the teaching of early number and language skills. For example, children use a range of apparatus to make the number ‘4’ in different ways. Children establish a secure understanding of early number, which prepares them well for more complex mathematics later on. Children in early years achieve well and are well prepared for their next stage.

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

The school’s early reading curriculum is well established. The school’s chosen phonics scheme is taught effectively. Pupils read books that match their stage in learning. Adults regularly check on pupils’ progress. Any pupil at risk of falling behind is supported to catch up. As a result, pupils become confident, fluent readers.

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

The planned curriculum makes it clear about what pupils must know and remember at each step of their learning. Teachers typically present new information clearly, using thoughtful and well-constructed approaches. For example, pupils value the opportunity to take part in paired discussions in mathematics that deepen their learning and understanding. Pupils then articulate their learning confidently, benefiting from the chance to discuss it with their peers. However, there are occasions when the activities pupils complete do not enable them to learn the curriculum as well as they could. Some activities do not allow pupils to practise or apply their learning sufficiently well. On these occasions, pupils do not achieve as effectively.

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

The school understands the needs of its pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND effectively and makes successful adaptations to the curriculum. This means pupils with SEND typically access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers and achieve well.

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

The school sets high expectations for how it expects pupils to behave. Adults model positive behaviour to pupils, who respond well. The strong relationships between adults and pupils mean that pupils want to behave well and learn. Lessons proceed without disruption.

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

The wider opportunities for pupils are well considered. Pupils benefit from different extra-curricular clubs and trips. Trips such as to the Globe Theatre in London provide pupils with the chance to visit new places and learn about life beyond the local community. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme meets requirements and supports pupils in learning key aspects, such as how to stay safe online. However, the school’s approach to delivering this curriculum does not fully reflect the changes to life in modern Britain. Some important areas are not covered in the school’s 18 December 2024

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provision. As a result, pupils may not always gain the knowledge they need to be fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Those responsible for governance are fully invested in school life. They visit regularly and recognise the strengths of the school. Equally, they challenge school leaders where further improvements are required. The workload and well-being of staff are carefully considered. Staff value the support they receive from school leaders. They are proud to work at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, the school uses activities that do not effectively support pupils in acquiring the intended knowledge. Consequently, pupils develop gaps in their understanding due to not having enough opportunities to practise and apply their learning. The school should consistently implement the curriculum as intended to ensure pupils develop a depth of understanding across all areas of the curriculum.  Some elements of the PSHE curriculum are not fully covered. As a result, some pupils may not be fully prepared for life in modern Britain. The school needs to further review its approach to delivering the PSHE curriculum to ensure it consistently equips pupils for life in modern Britain.

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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. 18 December 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in February 2019.

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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.

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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). 18 December 2024

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4 to 11

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered provider of alternative provision for pupils.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. They also met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons in a range of subjects, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 18 December 2024

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge His Majesty’s Inspector 18 December 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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