Lime Wood Primary School

Lime Wood Primary School

Address: 2 Sandy Road, Erith, Kent, DA8 1FJ Unique reference number (URN): 143922

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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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Achievement Strong standard

The well-planned curriculum and effective teaching help pupils achieve well across subjects. Work in books reflects pupils’ secure and confident understanding of what they have learned. Children in early years make highly positive progress from their starting points. They are well prepared for Year 1. Reading and phonics are prioritised, and children in Reception quickly learn letters and sounds. This includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils in Year 1 attain the expected standard in the national phonics screening check. They develop the foundations they need to become competent, fluent readers.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, secure the foundations they need to be well prepared for their next stages in learning. They make notable progress in mathematics, writing and speaking and listening, and this continues as they move through the school. Pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points because the curriculum is adapted carefully to ensure they achieve and make progress.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established effective systems that have improved attendance, particularly for pupils who are disadvantaged or face barriers to education. Highly effective partnerships with families and external agencies have contributed to rapid improvements for individuals and groups. Pupils want to be in school, and overall attendance is above the national average. Leaders understand attendance patterns well and provide timely support for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to ensure that they attend school regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Behaviour across the school is calm, positive and well managed. Pupils show respectful attitudes towards one another and positive attitudes to learning. The nurturing environment helps pupils to feel safe, supported and valued. Staff use consistent approaches and shared language to manage behaviour effectively, including for pupils with more complex barriers. Adaptations and personalised strategies help pupils with SEND to manage their behaviour and engage successfully in learning and social times. Leaders monitor behaviour patterns carefully and respond with appropriate support. Incidents of bullying or discriminatory behaviour are rare and dealt with quickly and consistently. Leaders work effectively to secure improvements in behaviour over time. For example, they are working on building pupils’ awareness and understanding of different things that might influence their behaviour and emotions or those of their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is broad, rich and carefully sequenced so that pupils build knowledge securely over time. It is ambitious for all pupils and adapted thoughtfully to meet the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers understand what pupils know and can do, and they build on this with precision. Well-chosen tasks and resources, including the use of technology, enhance pupils' learning across subjects and support their engagement.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and adjust their teaching when needed so pupils achieve well. In mathematics, for example, teachers respond quickly to support pupils who need extra help or additional challenge to extend their thinking. Phonics is taught effectively, and pupils develop a love of reading through high-quality texts woven throughout the curriculum. A range of school-based reading events further strengthens pupils’ enthusiasm for books.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders check the quality of teaching carefully and provide training that develops staff expertise. Teachers understand the needs of pupils with SEND and receive guidance that helps them to adapt their lessons effectively. The school's sharp focus on reading, writing and mathematics ensures that pupils develop key foundational skills from the start and build confidence as they move through the school.

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Early years Strong standard

Children make a positive start to school life in the early years. The setting is nurturing and caring, with children’s happiness and wellbeing prioritised. The ambitious, coherent curriculum supports children's progress across all areas of learning. High-quality interactions with staff help children to secure and deepen their understanding and achieve well by the end of Reception.

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Early years Strong standard

Children develop important early skills in reading, writing and mathematics quickly and are well prepared for Year 1. Purposeful teaching and resources, including outdoors, help children to apply learning across different areas. Staff check progress carefully and build on emerging skills with thoughtful adaptations so that all children experience success.

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Early years Strong standard

Children show positive attitudes to learning and sustain concentration well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are curious, eager to explore and confident when discussing their learning. Teaching provides thoughtful opportunities, ranging, for example, from the 'exploration station' to minibeast investigations, to promote enquiry, communication and vocabulary. Oracy is a strength, with staff modelling high-quality language and encouraging children to speak confidently.

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Early years Strong standard

Children play and learn happily together. For example, children collaborate well with each other when they build structures from resources available in the classroom. Partnerships with parents and carers are highly positive. Initiatives such as the class mascot project help families to engage with learning at home.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Lime Wood is a highly inclusive school where leaders, governors and staff work with determination to ensure that every pupil succeeds. The school removes barriers to learning and supports pupils’ social and emotional development with care and expertise. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged receive effective academic and pastoral support. The specialist resourced provision for pupils with SEND has been thoughtfully developed. The teaching and care it provides have a consistently positive impact on pupils’ wellbeing and progress. Staff receive regular training so that they can meet pupils’ complex needs confidently.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff hold high expectations for all pupils and are ambitious about what they can achieve. They check progress carefully and adapt the curriculum so pupils can succeed, irrespective of their barriers. Staff know pupils well and use this knowledge to provide support that helps pupils to feel secure and ready to learn. Pastoral support is a notable strength in the school's approach to inclusion. Staff know and understand the needs of their pupils very well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use funding for disadvantaged pupils thoughtfully. The school's approach has led to improvements in attendance and strengthened pupils’ communication and oracy skills. The school’s inclusive culture ensures that pupils consistently feel valued, supported and are able to take part in all aspects of school life.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Since opening in 2023, Lime Wood has been shaped by leaders, governors and staff who are ambitious for pupils and committed to the school’s vision of 'finding a champion in everyone'. Pupils and staff are proud to be part of the community. Staff feel well supported with workload and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders identify the right priorities for improvement and think carefully about the actions needed to strengthen the school further. They have implemented a high-quality curriculum for all pupils and successfully overseen the opening of the school's specialist resourced provision. This provision has been thoughtfully planned and is helping pupils who attend to thrive.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders’ self-evaluation processes are thorough and accurate. The trust board includes knowledgeable, skilled education professionals who undertake their duties effectively. They hold the school to account and support its work effectively. The local governing board is committed to fulfilling its defined role and contributes positively to leadership's work. For example, it has supported the school with recruitment as well as ensuring that a wider range of cultural festivals is celebrated. Governors are keen to develop in their defined roles further and contribute to the school's continued development, for example, by increasing their involvement in self-evaluation processes.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders work well with professional networks across the trust, sharing and learning from practice with colleagues in other schools. This supports and enhances the professional learning opportunities provided to all staff. Most parents and carers are very positive about the school's work. Leaders continue to work closely with families to sustain the school's highly inclusive ethos, where the needs of all pupils are understood and supported, including, for example, in relation to behaviour.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Work to support pupils’ personal development is prioritised and embedded throughout the personal, health, social and emotional curriculum. The programme is carefully planned from early years onwards and adapted to meet pupils’ needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. The school’s ethos, together with the carefully planned programme, helps to ensure that staff make the most of opportunities to promote pupils' all-round development, right from the moment pupils arrive each day. For example, pupils are supported very well to have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships and to be aware of online safety.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral support is a strength. Pupils gain confidence in themselves and their learning, and they understand what resilience means. They talk proudly about times when they have shown determination. Pupils learn about different cultures and traditions and show respect for diversity. The school’s values reflect fundamental British values and help pupils to understand important principles, such as fairness, respect and responsibility.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders place a clear emphasis on preparing pupils for life beyond school. For example, Year 1 pupils explored their future aspirations, using technology to create books showing themselves in future careers. The wider personal development offer is extensive and thoughtfully planned. Pupils benefit from a rich range of opportunities, including educational visits, clubs and community partnerships. For example, activities such as participating in an 'inter-generational' cafe help pupils to develop empathy and communication skills. Extra- curricular clubs are extensive, ranging from illustrators to drumming. Leaders monitor participation to ensure that all pupils can and do access this offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils take on meaningful responsibilities, such as becoming 'children’s champions'. Such opportunities are carefully planned to build leadership skills and foster independence. The school celebrates diversity and promotes respect, care and consideration for others. Pupils feel valued, included and well supported.

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

Pupils arrive at Lime Wood eager to begin their day and are greeted warmly by staff who know them well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the time and space they need to settle so they can start learning calmly and confidently. Relationships between pupils and staff are nurturing, respectful and built on trust. Pupils enjoy school life and feel safe, valued and cared for. One pupil, typical of many, summed this up by saying, 'our teachers are kind and care about us,' reflecting the positive culture across the school.

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

From the moment children join the Reception Year, they are welcomed into the Lime Wood community and quickly feel part of the school family. As pupils move through the school, they are supported to play, learn and collaborate well with one another.

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

Bullying is rare but dealt with swiftly and effectively if it occurs. Pupils behave well in lessons and at playtimes. They attend regularly and do not like to miss school. Pupils are enthusiastic, confident learners who take pride in their achievements and have high aspirations for their future. Pupils in the newly created specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND receive thoughtful support that helps them to achieve well and feel included. The curriculum is broad, rich and enhanced by clubs, educational trips and the school's links with the community. Teachers adapt learning skilfully so that all pupils can access the curriculum. For example, teaching makes use of resources and technology to promote pupils' learning and tailor activities to pupils’ needs. Children in Reception thrive in the carefully planned provision, benefiting especially from high-quality interactions with staff. Children are well prepared for Year 1. Throughout the school, pupils achieve well and are

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Next steps

The school should sustain, and where appropriate, refine its purposeful approaches to evaluating its work, so that all those involved in leadership, including governors, maintain a sharp understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Leaders should build on their highly effective work to nurture an inclusive ethos, underpinned by high standards of behaviour, by further fostering awareness and understanding of factors that can affect pupils’ behaviour and emotions.

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About this inspection

The school is part of the Woodland Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief education officer (CEO), Navdeep Sanghara, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Osborne.

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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 at HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the CEO, the deputy CEO, the assistant headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, staff, pupils, parents and carers. They also spoke to trustees and members of the governing body.

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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 opened in September 2023. A specialist resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities was established in November 2025. This currently caters for 15 pupils with an autistic spectrum condition.

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About this inspection

The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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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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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 4.6% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 12.7% 13.0% Close to average

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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

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