Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School

Inspection of Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School Lydeard St Lawrence, Taunton, Somerset TA4 3SF

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Rebecca Lihou. This school is part of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies 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), Nikki Edwards, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Warren. 10 and 11 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary sits at the heart of the local community. There are strong relationships between pupils and staff at this small school. Pupils, staff and parents and carers describe the school as ‘small yet mighty’, which reflects their strong shared sense of belonging. Pupils treat each other with care and respect. They are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils’ achievement. These are realised. Pupils are keen to learn and behave well. They know that staff will help them if they have any worries. Pupils take pride in the responsibilities they hold and play an active part in their school. For example, ‘pupil ambassadors’ introduced a ‘growing garden’. Pupils enjoy harvesting vegetables and appreciate the importance of caring for the environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a range of enrichment activities. They develop their talents and interests through extra-curricular clubs. The school ensures that there is equality of access. Consequently, a high number of pupils participate in these activities. Pupils experience visits to places of interest which are often linked to curriculum subjects. For example, pupils visit a rural life museum to deepen their understanding of history.

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

Leaders, with the support of the trust, have completely overhauled the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils. It is now broad and ambitious. In most subjects, the way that the curriculum is taught helps pupils to know and remember more. For example, pupils use their scientific knowledge to further their understanding of the digestive system. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is not taught in a way that supports pupils to develop their subject knowledge coherently. It is not routinely well-matched to pupils’ needs. Consequently, some pupils do not reach the intended curriculum goals.

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

Staff make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. Pupils have opportunities to revisit learning. This helps them to know and remember more over time. However, sometimes what is known about pupils’ learning is not used to adapt some subjects with precision. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning and do not build securely on what they know.

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

The school has placed a sharp focus around reading. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books. They enjoy listening to stories they get to know well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know, which helps them to develop fluency. Those who struggle are identified promptly and given swift support to catch up. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

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

The school effectively identifies, assesses and meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff across the school ensure there is appropriate support and adaptation to support pupils with SEND. Pupils experience school 10 and 11 June 2025

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life that is inclusive, supportive and accessible. Parents of pupils with SEND wholeheartedly agree.

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Pupils benefit from a well-considered programme of personal development. This includes a wide range of enrichment activities to help bring learning outside the classroom to life. They have a strong understanding of how to support their own mental health and value the ‘calming wall’ and the nurture room as places to reflect.

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There has been a real shift in behaviour over the last few years. The school has worked with parents, staff and pupils to develop an agreed approach to behaviour. Consequently, the school environment is calm and purposeful. Attendance is a high priority. The school analyses attendance and works with families to gain an understanding of the causes of pupils’ absence. Consequently, levels of attendance have risen sharply.

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Leaders at all levels share a determined vision. The school engages parents and the community thoughtfully and positively in a way that supports pupils’ education. The trust local committee and trust leaders know the school extremely well and support the school on its journey of continual improvement. The school prioritises the training and well-being of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum implementation is not always well-matched to the needs of pupils. This means that some pupils do not reach intended curriculum goals. The school should ensure that teaching is informed by robust pedagogical expertise.  In some subjects, what is known about pupils’ learning is not used to make the necessary curriculum adaptions. Therefore, gaps in learning are not always rectified swiftly. The school should ensure that assessment is used to inform teaching so that it supports pupils to build their knowledge cumulatively in all subjects.

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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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Website www.lydeardstlawrenceprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust.  There is a school-run breakfast club.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school converted to become an academy in November 2021. When its predecessor school, Lydeard St Lawrence Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate for overall effectiveness.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector 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 management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 10 and 11 June 2025

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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 COVID19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, the deputy CEO, the assistant director of education, the representative of the chair of the board of trustees, other trustees and members of the trust local committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. 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.

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 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 inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicola Berry Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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