Green Lea First School

Green Lea First School

Address: Mill Lane, Milwich, Stafford, Staffordshire, ST18 0EU Unique reference number (URN): 149639

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders prioritise high attendance across the school. They track and analyse any absences carefully and use the information they gain to spot patterns and act quickly when concerns arise. Leaders work closely with families to understand any barriers and provide effective support to reduce absence. As a result, overall attendance is well above the national average and persistent absence is very low. Disadvantaged pupils attend well and benefit from leaders’ targeted actions.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour across the school is extremely positive. This is because leaders' high expectations, clear routines and an embedded behaviour curriculum help pupils to understand what is expected of them. Staff apply the behaviour policy positively and consistently. On the rare occasion that a pupil requires additional support, leaders act swiftly and appropriately.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Trusting relationships between staff and pupils mean that pupils feel safe and supported. Bullying is not accepted and pupils are confident that staff deal with concerns quickly and effectively. This means that pupils benefit from a calm and purposeful learning environment. They are respectful, responsible and ready to learn.

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Early years Strong standard

Children settle quickly into school. This is because staff build warm, caring relationships and establish clear routines from the start. Leaders have established an ambitious early years curriculum. The environment is well organised and richly resourced. As a result, children access materials independently and stay engaged in purposeful play and adult-led learning. Staff choose activities carefully to build on prior learning. High ‑ quality adult interactions extend children's vocabulary, promote independence and develop their early language skills.

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Early years Strong standard

In Nursery, children are encouraged to develop a love of stories and poems. They practise their fine motor skills and develop their mark ‑ making ability. In Reception, children are taught to read using phonics. Carefully chosen texts support children's comprehension and early writing skills. Children progress well from their starting points. Their ability to form letters correctly, create simple sentences and use capital letters and full stops increases appropriately through the early years.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff check children's understanding carefully to identify next steps and provide timely support, including for children with additional needs. As a result, children in the early years achieve well. Partnerships with parents are strong, and children are very well prepared for the move into Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established a clear ethos where pupils are placed firmly at the heart of everything they do. They understand the school’s strengths and identify priorities for improvement accurately. Leaders' precise actions result in rapid improvement. The impact of their work shows in pupils’ positive outcomes in national assessments. They have worked hard to develop an environment where children achieve well, thrive and feel they belong.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They praise the strong relationships between staff and pupils and appreciate the small class sizes. Staff describe a safe, well ‑ led school where they feel valued, are treated fairly and receive high-quality professional learning. They express high levels of confidence in leaders and are proud to work at the school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Strategic oversight from the trust enables the school to maintain its rural distinctiveness while benefiting from wider collaboration, leadership development and networking opportunities. Trustees and governors work closely together, supported by effective two ‑ way communication and robust reporting systems. They balance rigorous accountability with careful consideration of staff workload and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders and governors are committed to maintaining and developing the unique character of the school. They are well placed to continue to improve and enhance this very special learning community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed a thoughtful and extensive programme of personal development. It ensures that pupils gain the knowledge and experiences they need to respect others, develop their social skills and appreciate cultural diversity before leaving Green Lea. All pupils are supported to participate and benefit fully from this offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for pupils and determined to prepare them well for life in modern Britain. Leaders have made deliberate curriculum choices to ensure pupils understand fundamental British values, protected characteristics and the wider world beyond their rural community. As a result, pupils speak confidently and positively about these areas. They describe in detail how their lessons in personal, social and health education help them to understand different types of families and healthy and unhealthy relationships. Pupils know how to manage the risks they face and are taught how to keep themselves safe, both online and in their local area.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The ‘Green Lea Graduate Goals’ ensure pupils experience a wide range of meaningful opportunities before they leave school. These include sharing a story in a local library, signing and singing at a care home and holding a community event. Pupils appreciate the variety of school visits they are offered, which range from castles and places of worship to factories and residential stays. They enjoy the numerous leadership opportunities available to them, including being on the reading council and supporting others as play leaders.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils' experiences are further enhanced through the strong relationships the school has established with the local community. Regular events and activities take place throughout the year, many of which are organised and hosted by the pupils themselves. Staff support pupils to have high aspirations for their future. They are very well prepared for life beyond school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils at the school achieve well over time. Recent published outcomes show that pupils perform above average in the Year 1 phonics screening check and the multiplication tables check at the end of Year 4. This means that most pupils acquire the essential knowledge needed for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders ensure pupils secure the knowledge they need in reading and mathematics. This supports them to access the wider curriculum with increasing confidence as they move through the school. Pupils who need additional help to learn to read typically receive effective support. As a result, most of them catch up with their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally achieve well from their starting points. Staff provide support that helps them to become more independent. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education and learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have built an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum. They have set out clearly the key knowledge, vocabulary and concepts pupils must learn into logical steps. This ensures that pupils' knowledge and skills build over time. Outdoor and environmental learning have been thoughtfully incorporated into the curriculum. This reflects and celebrates the rural location of the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers understand the curriculum and know how to deliver it well. They have secure subject knowledge because leaders provide clear training, modelling and support. Leaders visit lessons regularly and work closely alongside staff to identify strengths and next steps. Leaders use what they learn from such visits to make decisions that improve teacher practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils learn to read well using phonics. Typically, well-trained staff teach the curriculum in a consistent way. Leaders have taken steps to strengthen oracy, handwriting and spelling across the curriculum. Any pupils who need extra help to catch up are supported to do so.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders and staff know pupils' needs well. They use this knowledge to check pupils' understanding and put support in place for those who need it. Teachers generally adapt their teaching so that all pupils can take part in lessons successfully and access the full curriculum. At times, these adaptations could be more precise.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders know pupils well and identify their needs quickly and accurately when they start at the school. This includes disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known (or previously known) to social care. Clear systems and high-quality training help staff respond to pupils' needs appropriately. Teachers typically make adaptations to teaching and the learning environment so that pupils can experience success in lessons. At times, these could be more precisely matched to pupils' needs. Leaders work closely with external agencies to secure specialist advice and ensure pupils get the support they need. Because of this, pupils' barriers to learning and wellbeing typically reduce over time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders make effective use of pupil premium funding. Disadvantaged pupils have their needs identified and addressed effectively. Pupils receive support with their learning, attendance and social development. Progress is carefully tracked and leaders ensure that pupils are included in the wide range of enrichment opportunities on offer.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils benefit from thoughtfully-planned transitions at every stage of their school journey. Leaders’ inclusive approach ensures pupils feel safe, valued and part of the community. Pupils settle quickly and develop a genuine sense of belonging.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud of their ‘small but mighty’ school, where every pupil is nurtured and valued. Attendance is high because pupils enjoy coming to school. They are safe, happy and well cared for. Pupils feel they belong and are cherished by their school family.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave very well, both in lessons and around the school site. They engage positively in their learning because the curriculum is inspiring, taught well and extends beyond the classroom. Pupils describe a community built on kindness and respect where bullying is not tolerated. They say that adults act quickly to resolve any concerns.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff know pupils and their families very well. As a result, any barriers faced by pupils are identified as soon as they start school. Support is put in place to ensure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can succeed and thrive.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school motto of ‘Learn, Explore, Achieve’ is reflected in the secure progress made by pupils and their achievements in national tests. Forest school sessions are embedded in the curriculum. These are underpinned by the school’s ‘green goals,’ which all pupils are encouraged to achieve before they leave.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from the wide range of enriching experiences on offer. These include educational visits, leadership roles and extra ‑ curricular clubs. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their aspirations for the future and are very well prepared for life in the wider world beyond their rural community.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that any barriers pupils face are addressed swiftly through the use

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Lead inspector:

Claire Medhurst, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspector:

Sarahjane Cuncannon Edwards, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Total pupils

of more precise adaptations in lessons and through the school's wider support strategies.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Creative Learning Partnership 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), Samuel Compton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr Peter Ford.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the executive headteacher and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. They also spoke with representatives of the trust, including the CEO, and representatives of the trust board and local governing board during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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