Lakefield CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Lakefield CofE Primary School Lake Lane, Frampton-on-Severn, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 7HG

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Outcome

Lakefield CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Ian Williams. This school is part of the Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust (DGAT) which means other people in the trust have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Rachel Howie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Craig Huxley-Jones.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lakefield Church of England Primary is a school where everyone works together to create a happy, inclusive and purposeful community. Care, trust and respect shine through. Pupils are at the forefront of all decisions made. Staff know and understand pupils’ needs well. Pupils are confident they can share any worries or concerns. They trust that the school will listen and act promptly. This means pupils are happy and safe. They are very proud of their school and attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. They take pleasure in the rich opportunities on offer, such as sports and the performing arts. These activities help develop pupils’ interests and talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils learn the behaviours expected of them quickly from the start. They behave sensibly in lessons and during social times. Pupils learn the importance of being tolerant and empathetic. They learn to recognise and celebrate each other’s differences. They understand that some pupils need additional support, for example, to learn how to play with others or how to feel calm. Pupils say it is fair that some people have extra help as ‘we all need help sometimes’. 3 and 4 June 2025

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

The school puts in place a curriculum which excites and motivates pupils to engage in their learning. It identifies the essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary for pupils to learn. Checks on what pupils know and can do are used well in some subjects. However, the school has been right to identify that further work is required to ensure that checks on what pupils know and remember are implemented consistently well across all subjects. Some pupils are not able to retain the specific knowledge they have been taught over time. This makes it more difficult for pupils to build on prior learning.

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

From the moment children start in the Nursery, they learn how to socialise, work together and become independent. They build their early reading, writing and mathematical knowledge well. Children rapidly learn the sensible, kind behaviours that the school expects of them. Staff form positive relationships with children. Children are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

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

The school is determined that pupils will develop a love of books and become fluent readers. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the reading pods set up in the playground for them to use during social times to sit and read. Children begin their reading journey as soon as they start in the early years. In the Nursery and Reception, children experience a wide range of stories which they listen to and enjoy. The school selects books carefully to ensure they match pupils’ phonic knowledge. Pupils develop into confident readers. Pupils at risk of falling behind have the support they need to help them to catch up and keep up.

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

Staff use effective systems to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. The school works closely with other agencies, such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists, to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right support. This enables pupils to develop a broad body of knowledge. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school’s work to develop pupils’ personal development is well considered. It provides pupils with a wealth of experiences, such as the residential trip to Devon. These opportunities develop pupils’ resilience and independence, for example, in climbing and surfing. The school plans trips carefully to enhance pupils’ learning experiences, including a trip to Cheddar Gorge to support pupils’ learning in history and geography.

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

The school encourages pupils to develop their interests and talents. There is a wide range of clubs on offer which include music such as drumming, keyboard and ukulele and, sports which encompasses cricket, dodgeball and football. Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities on offer. These include being prefects, buddies and eco counsellors. Pupils speak with confidence about how their contributions lead to change, for example, building an ecofriendly green house and reducing pollution by walking, scooting or riding to school.

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

Pupils learn how to become thoughtful and caring citizens. They respect and appreciate the diversity of the world in which they live. They enjoy their involvement in and support of charities such as the local food bank and cancer research. 3 and 4 June 2025

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The trust offers strong support, guidance and challenge which the school welcomes and embraces. Staff are proud to work at this school and appreciate the ‘camaraderie’ which exists across the team.

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Most parents are delighted with the school. Typically, they comment how the school ‘fosters a wonderful community’ and how staff provide an ‘amazingly supportive environment which inspires the children to engage and do their best’. However, a minority number of parents and carers have concerns. For example, some are unhappy with the communication between school and home and the provision to meet their children’s individual needs. Inspectors found pupils’ needs being met effectively across the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not used effectively across the school. The most important knowledge pupils need to remember is not checked on consistently. Where assessment information is available, this is not used well enough to consider next steps in learning. This means some pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they might. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively across all classes and subjects to maximise pupils’ learning through the curriculum.

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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. 3 and 4 June 2025

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2013.

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of DGAT.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Gloucester. The school received its last section 48 inspection under the Education Act for schools of a religious character in May 2022.  The school does not use alternative provision.  Inspectors were aware during this inspection that an alleged serious incident that occurred at the setting since the previous inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The headteacher was not present during this inspection.  The inspectors met with the acting headteachers, senior leaders and staff.  The lead inspector met with the CEO, the regional effectiveness lead and the quality assurance lead of education from DGAT.  The lead inspector met with a trustee and governors, including the chair.  The lead inspector met with two SEN officers from Gloucestershire local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, heard pupils read, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered key documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan and governors’ minutes.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. The lead inspector met with school leaders to discuss and review how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and considered additional correspondence sent in via email.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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