Leighswood School

Inspection of Leighswood School Broadmeadow, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands WS9 8HZ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Leighswood School. They are polite, considerate and caring.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils, which they enjoy living up to. Most pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school at the end of key stage 2. Pupils behave well in lessons and during more social times of the day. As a result, no learning time is lost.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff benefit from the kind, respectful relationships between all members of this school community. Pupils say that there is always an adult to talk to if they have a worry. This makes them feel safe and well cared for. Pupils also learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Voting for school councillors and nominating their peers for ‘Proud’ awards at the weekly assembly help pupils to develop their understanding of others and how democracy works. Pupils also learn about different faiths and show tolerance and understanding. They say that everyone is treated equally and fairly at Leighswood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from some activities to enrich their learning. For example, pupils in Year 6 deepen their understanding of rationing during World War II by preparing and cooking soup using rationed ingredients. However, opportunities to develop talents and interests through other extra-curricular activities are more limited.

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

The broad and ambitious curriculum identifies what pupils are to learn and when. This starts in the early years, where there is a shared vision for children to engage in real-life experiences and use real-life objects and resources to help them learn about themselves and the world around them. Children in the early years develop the vocabulary they need for later learning.

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

For each curriculum subject, there is a clear sequence of learning. This helps pupils to build their knowledge and skills over time. For example, pupils in Year 6 making electrical circuits in science draw on their previous learning about electrical components. In history, pupils in Year 4 confidently recall what they have learned before when putting important periods from history into chronological order. Children in the early years enjoy practising ‘touch counting’ using characters from familiar stories to get them ready for their later learning about numbers in mathematics.

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

The school has ensured that learning to read is a priority. Children in Nursery begin learning the skills they will need to become readers, for example by listening to sounds in the environment. As soon as pupils start Reception Year, they begin learning phonics. Staff are trained effectively to deliver the phonics programme, and pupils enjoy learning to read using books well matched to the sounds they know. There are regular checks on pupils’ progress in reading. As a result, pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and support is put in place to help them to catch up successfully. 18 and 19 March 2025

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The school has implemented some new approaches to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access the important learning and information they need to succeed. While some of these approaches, for example, visual timetables, are not being consistently used, where they are, they are having positive impact. The school ensures that pupils’ needs are swiftly identified, and there are strengthened processes in place to ensure that pupils receive the support they may need.

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The school has also introduced some new teaching and classroom strategies, intended to ensure that all groups of pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, achieve as highly as possible. Some of these changes are in their infancy and not yet being used consistently.

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Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. They listen carefully in lessons and are proud to show visitors the work they complete outdoors. For example, when making Viking jewellery, knot tying and den building. These opportunities deepen pupils’ curriculum understanding and help pupils to develop resilience and problem-solving skills.

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Pupils understand, appreciate and respect difference in the world. Roles in school, such as ‘playground leaders’, librarians and ‘digital leaders’ provide some pupils with the chance to develop important skills. However, the school is aware that other opportunities to support pupils’ wider development are more limited. Some pupils do not currently benefit from a wide range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum.

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The school has worked hard to improve pupils’ attendance. Strong relationships are built with families and effective dedicated pastoral support means that vulnerable pupils and their families receive the help they need.

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A small number of parents and staff have felt unsettled by some recent changes. The school has identified this and has worked hard to communicate changes clearly. There is a strong vision for school improvement and the school, federation and local authority work closely together. The school is mindful of staff well-being throughout this period of change.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has implemented several new strategies, not all of which are embedded or delivered consistently. As a result, the school’s intentions to improve outcomes for all groups of pupils, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, are not sharply focused enough. The school should ensure that all staff effectively and consistently 18 and 19 March 2025

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deliver the newly agreed strategies across all subjects and classes, so that all pupils can reach the highest possible outcomes.  The school’s current offer for extra-curricular opportunities is limited. This means that pupils do not have the chance to take part in activities that may help them to identify talents, explore new interests or make a positive contribution to the life of the school and the wider community. The school needs to ensure that a wide, rich set of experiences are available, so that all pupils can develop character, explore talents and make a difference.

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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 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Cadmus Family of Schools federation. This is comprised of eight schools from the Walsall area.  The school has a local committee which the federation governing board has delegated some responsibilities to. The chair of the local committee is Sam Rogers.  The head of school is Jane Hanmer.  The executive headteacher joined the school in November 2023.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school provides on-site before- and after-school care.

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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 18 and 19 March 2025

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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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 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, head of school, assistant headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator and other leaders in school. The lead inspector met with the chair of the federation board of governors and the vice chair of the local committee. The lead inspector also spoke on the telephone with a representative from Walsall local authority.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, art and design and science. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also discussed the curriculum and looked at pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parent free-text responses. The inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  An inspector talked to parents and families at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Rachel Henrick, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Tilley Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

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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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