St Lawrence CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Lawrence CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School Dog Lane, Napton-on-the-Hill, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 8LU

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Lawrence School is at the heart of the local community. Pupils, parents and carers value all that the school offers them. Pupils enjoy attending school. They form close relationships with each other and staff. Everybody is included at this school. Pupils recognise that differences are to be celebrated and are what make them unique.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and show positive attitudes to their learning. They welcome visitors politely and are willing to share what is good about their school. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe both online and in the wider world. They know who to report concerns, should they arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils achieve well, and the school has high ambition for all pupils to achieve the best they can. The recently modified curriculum, however, will take time to impact on what pupils know and can do. The new headteacher, supported by a dedicated team of staff, are determined to ensure the curriculum improves outcomes for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular clubs offered to them. Spy club, archery and speed stacking are among their favourites. They visit places such as farms, theatres and residential centres, which helps bring their learning to life.

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

More recently, there has been significant change to the school’s curriculum. Leaders have worked quickly and effectively to make improvements to the quality of education. 11 and 12 March 2025

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However, this new curriculum is still in the early stages of implementation. Staff feel well supported in delivering this new curriculum. They understand that the changes that have been made are in the best interests of the pupils and their learning. However, those responsible for governance have not acted quickly enough to address the weaknesses identified at the last inspection.

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Pupils in the early stages of learning to read are now better supported. They read books that are matched to the sounds they know. Staff deliver phonics sessions accurately. Pupils segment and blend words correctly and enjoy reading to staff. Older pupils are motivated to read widely. They enjoy it most when authors visit their school and bring their stories to life.

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Despite the curriculum being at an early stage of delivery, there are already improvements in what pupils know and remember. In history and geography, for example, pupils understand how different invaders settled in Britain, and how they influenced how we live today. They can successfully locate different countries, continents and oceans. This helps support their understanding of where ancient civilisations lived and ruled. However, pupils are not yet routinely learning the subject-specific skills linked to such subjects and are not provided with enough opportunities to think and act like experts in the subjects

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The school is developing its systems for checking how well pupils understand the curriculum. In some subjects, the curriculum identifies the knowledge pupils are to know. In these subjects, staff make effective checks on pupils’ understanding. When necessary, they make adaptations to future learning and support pupils to know and remember more. However, some subjects do not have clear endpoints identified. When this is the case, the school is unsure whether pupils are ready to move on in their learning.

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The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified early. It works well with external agencies to identify ways to best support these pupils in their learning. Most pupils with SEND needs receive good support from well trained staff who know and understand their needs well. However, some pupils with SEND are expected to complete activities without the necessary adaptations or support being provided.

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Children in the early years of their education are happy and excited to come to school. Parents share the view that their children settle quickly and enjoy school. Children form positive relationships with each other and staff. Changes to the learning environment now better support the areas of learning identified in the curriculum.

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Pupils enjoy their time in school and are motivated to do well. They are inquisitive and ask interesting questions about their learning. Most classrooms are calm places to learn. Pupils look forward to Friday achievement assemblies when their efforts and achievements are celebrated.

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Pupils’ wider development is well supported. They are provided with a vast range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils learn how to play a musical instrument, and some perform in the school orchestra. They raise money and donate food 11 and 12 March 2025

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to those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils learn the importance of being tolerant and respectful to those who are different from themselves. They read books that promote diversity and welcome those new to the country, showing kindness and empathy.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Over time, governors have not held leaders effectively to account for the quality of education that the school provides. As a result, recent improvements to the curriculum are only just beginning to impact positively on the quality of education, with some aspects yet to be delivered. The school should act quickly to address the issues identified and ensure that improvements are sustained and embedded.  Some pupils with SEND are expected to complete activities without the necessary adaptations or support provided. As a result, pupils find it difficult to complete tasks, often making the same mistakes in their learning. The school should ensure that staff use the strategies outlined in pupils’ support plans to adapt learning to meet specific learning needs.  Pupils are not yet routinely learning the subject-specific skills linked to subjects and are not provided with enough opportunities to think and act like experts. Consequently,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

while pupils know lots of facts linked to the topics they study, they are not yet developing disciplinary skills which will enable them to become better at the subject. The school should ensure that staff receive the necessary support to deliver subject- specific knowledge in all subjects.  In some subjects, the school has not yet identified the endpoints they want pupils to know by the end of units of work. This means that staff are not yet able to check how well pupils understand their learning. The school should refine the curriculum where needed to clarify the component knowledge pupils need to know so that they can build their understanding systematically towards the identified curriculum endpoints.

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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 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 11 and 12 March 2025

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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.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2016.

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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). 11 and 12 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stlawrenceprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a new headteacher appointed since the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates before- and after-school provision.  The school’s last section 48 inspection was in February 2024. The next inspection will be within five academic years, and therefore before August 2029.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 11 and 12 March 2025

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 The inspector met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  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.  The inspector met with the co-chairs of the governing body and two other governors.  The inspector spoke with the school improvement adviser for the local authority.  The inspector spoke with the director of education for the diocese.  The inspector considered the survey responses to Ofsted Parent View and the free-text comments from parents.  The inspector also evaluated the responses to the Ofsted online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Tony Bradshaw, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 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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