Lark Rise Academy

Inspection of Lark Rise Academy Cartmel Drive, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3PT

p.1

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Romina Lang. This school is part of the Chiltern Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Adrian Rogers, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Graham Pryor.

p.1

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness 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 December 2013. 11 and 12 March 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are charming, compassionate and confident because of the guidance they receive at home and in school. Having adults around them who encourage personal responsibility means pupils try their best and support their peers. A wealth of well-being support is in place, including trained therapists and planned check-ins with trusted staff. The pupil ‘safety squad’ also shows the same determination as staff in reporting concerns. With staff and peers looking out for them, pupils remain happy and safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve highly. They build strong foundations in key skills, helping them tackle complex tasks. For example, many achieve top marks in the Year 4 multiplication tables check, allowing them to confidently solve multi-step word problems. Pupils also enjoy sharing their knowledge. Reception-age children recall what plants need to grow, while Year 6 pupils explain a Newton meter’s purpose. Their knowledge shows the impact of high expectations and a well-planned curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school helps pupils develop self-esteem by giving them the confidence to try new things, overcome challenges and take pride in their achievements. Starting in the early years, a strong focus on routines and clear instructions helps children follow expectations. Across the school, well-structured lessons, where guidance is clear and needs are met, create calm and purposeful learning environments.

p.2

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

Leaders are meticulous in the checks they make to ensure the ambitious curriculum they have designed supports pupils to achieve especially well. This careful oversight ensures that staff receive the precise support they need to deliver clear explanations and effective demonstrations, enabling pupils to grasp key concepts securely. As a result, pupils produce high-quality work and perform strongly in statutory assessment tests. Ultimately, this rigorous approach means pupils transition to secondary school with firm foundations in reading, writing, mathematics and the wider curriculum.

p.2

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

Children get off to a flying start in reading. In Nursery, they develop a strong grasp of pre-phonics, so they are ready to learn the sounds letters make. Many race through the phonics programme, enjoying daily chances to read poems, stories and information texts. Staff give well-timed prompts, helping pupils answer questions with confidence. The school checks reading carefully, making sure any pupil who needs extra help gets it straight away. Staff know when to step in and when to hold back, so pupils grow in independence and avoid relying too much on support. Reading is a joy for pupils, who are eager to visit the ‘reading robot’ and choose a brand new book to treasure.

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) thrive because staff know them well and adapt teaching with precision. This includes using ‘magnet eyes’ as a cue for focus, to seamlessly integrating assistive technology. Well-trained staff provide discreet support, such as personalised resources or carefully timed prompts. These ensure that pupils stay engaged and achieve alongside their peers. The school works closely with parents and carers, offering a ‘talk-through’ approach that values their insights. The 11 and 12 March 2025

p.2

3

school also draws on expert input from educational psychologists and outreach teams to best meet pupils’ individual needs.

p.3

3

Pupils show high levels of respect for those around them, reflecting the school’s strong culture of positive behaviour. They attend well. Leaders analyse trends closely, allowing for swift action that keeps attendance above the national average. Strong relationships and clear expectations, reinforced by house points and ‘Attendopoly,’ encourage positive habits that pupils sustain over time. As a result, they are enthusiastic, responsible and fully engaged in school life.

p.3

3

The school’s personal development programme helps pupils grow in confidence, social awareness and life skills. Activities like Year 5’s trip to France, where they practise French and bake croissants, enrich their learning. The personal, social, health and economic programme builds knowledge step by step, from understanding bullying to managing peer pressure. With their own laptops, pupils learn safe internet use, build independence and take on roles like ‘digital leaders’, who design posters for school events. ‘Magic moments,’ like Reception-age children meeting snakes and learning to tell males from females, create lasting memories and secure knowledge. The ‘golden tickets’ recognise pupils who consistently uphold school values, ensuring their efforts do not go unnoticed. Engaging newsletters keep parents informed, leading many to recommend the school.

p.3

3

Leaders are accurate and methodical in evaluating the impact of their actions on pupils’ achievement. They use these insights to shape staff training, ensuring a skilled and confident workforce. Clear communication helps staff understand leaders’ high expectations, enabling efficient work and effective workload management. This improves outcomes for pupils and enhances staff well-being through personal satisfaction. Trustees and local governors provide rigorous oversight and opportunities for leaders to share their expertise, spreading best practice and improving outcomes beyond the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 11 and 12 March 2025

p.3

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). 11 and 12 March 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 December 2013, under Section 5 of the Education Act 2002

p.5

Information about this school

 The trust board delegate certain functions to a local governing body.  The school joined the Chiltern Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust, in June 2018. Before that, it operated as a single-academy trust.  The school has a published admissions number of 45. Except in the early years, where there is one Nursery class and two smaller Reception classes, most pupils are taught in mixed-age classes.  The school offers before-school childcare for pupils. It is run by school staff and managed by school leaders.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

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 11 and 12 March 2025

p.5

6

(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.

p.6

6

 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.  Inspectors held meetings with leaders, including the CEO, deputy CEO, director of the teaching school and personal development, director of SEND and safeguarding, headteacher, two assistant headteachers, two local governors and a representative from the Hertfordshire virtual school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and music. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions with leaders about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, and held discussions with some pupils about their learning and wider school experience. They also reviewed

p.6

6

samples of pupils’ work and listened to a selection of pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in the early years and in some other subjects.  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 documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement plan, minutes of meetings of the trust board and local governing body, and a report on pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, along with responses to Ofsted Parent View, which included free-text responses. An inspector also spoke to a sample of parents at the start of a school day.

p.6

Inspection team

Daniel Short, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Paul Wilson His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 March 2025

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