St Luke's Primary School

St Luke's Primary School

Address: Grange Lane North, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN16 1BN Unique reference number (URN): 118147

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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

Pupils attend school very well. Their attendance compares favourably with national averages, particularly when considering the significant medical needs of pupils. Leaders have a deep understanding of pupils’ needs and their barriers to attendance. Staff work together with external agencies to put support in place. Staff work closely with families to build relationships. This support continues through the school holidays. This means that those who are anxious to attend school have the confidence to do so with increasing regularity.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school’s commitment to relational approaches permeates through all aspects of the school’s work. There is a focus on understanding pupils' sensory needs. Staff support pupils to remain as calm and settled as possible so that they can have a successful day. Staff respond quickly with understanding and compassion if pupils struggle to manage their emotions. Staff and leaders reflect on pupils’ behaviours. This helps to identify what extra strategies can be used both in school and at home. The success from this approach is reflected in there having been no suspensions from the school for a significant period of time. Children and pupils learn how to keep themselves calm as a result of the modelling and guidance that they receive from staff.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The focus on communication and interaction skills from staff helps pupils to become polite and respectful of others. They understand the importance of kindness. As a result, bullying is very rare.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make steady progress from their starting points. This is because staff personalise learning to meet pupils’ individual needs. The school's focus on communication means that pupils are increasingly confident communicators. They express their needs, wants and feelings, using a range of approaches. Staff recognise and respond to these effectively. Some older pupils communicate their learning and ideas very well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils make progress in relation to the targets in their education, health and care (EHC) plan. This is because staff consider the EHC plans carefully as they set up daily opportunities within the curriculum. This supports pupils to work towards their longer-term goals.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well over time. They develop their listening skills and build an awareness of sounds in preparation to learn phonics. Some pupils become confident and fluent readers. Pupils develop an understanding of number, shape and space appropriate to their stage of development. Their achievement is not limited by additional vulnerabilities or disadvantage. Typically, pupils leave the school as confident learners, with the interaction skills to engage with the world around them. This underpins pupils' readiness for the future.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed the curriculum to ensure that it is appropriately sequenced, while remaining flexible. This supports pupils to develop their skills and build on what they already know, regardless of their starting points. Leaders give priority to pupils’ physical development and communication skills. This is so that pupils have the foundations to help them engage in learning. Leaders are ambitious for pupils. The curriculum builds in a way that pupils develop their knowledge in reading, writing and numeracy, as well as in wider topic areas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have recognised that there is inconsistency in the delivery of the curriculum. They have recently shared information with staff, which clearly sets out their expectations for high- quality teaching at the school. Some aspects of this are put in place more consistently than others. For example, occasionally, in some cases, activities do not have a clear learning goal and/or are not well matched to pupils' starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers identify opportunities in the classroom where pupils can work towards targets in their education, health and care plans. This supports pupils’ sense of belonging as they remain part of their class. Teachers use wide ranging assessment to holistically understand and track pupils’ progress. This information shapes the curriculum and teaching, which is typically adjusted to meet the needs and stage of development of the pupils in each class.

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Early years Expected standard

Children make a positive start in the early years. This is because leaders understand the importance of ensuring children are calm and have the skills they need to learn. Leaders carefully consider staffing levels and training for staff. This helps to ensure that children are safe.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years curriculum is appropriately sequenced and adaptable. This adaptability ensures that it is well matched to children’s starting points. Leaders place an emphasis on developing children’s attention and identifying the most suitable type of communication for each child. Staff engage in high-quality interactions with children when this is planned into a structured activity. However, this is less evident in incidental interactions, and, at times, some children engage less readily.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff establish positive relationships with children and families early. This begins with stay- and-play sessions, which support staff to gain a thorough understanding of each child’s needs. Staff guide children to recognise what helps them to feel relaxed, for example spinning, having quiet time or being close to their safe adult. Children are taught to manage this themselves, which helps to promote children’s sense of safety.

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Early years Expected standard

Children make meaningful progress from their starting points. They are carefully supported to move on to the next stage of education through an extended transition period.

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Inclusion Expected standard

St Luke's Primary School is a highly inclusive school. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. Leaders demonstrate adaptability in what they offer. This typically ensures that they support the wide range of pupils' needs effectively. Where pupils have additional barriers to their learning, such as those who are disadvantaged or those who speak English as an additional language, their needs are considered alongside their special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, at times, leaders do not monitor the effectiveness of their differing approaches on these groups of pupils.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff are relentlessly curious. This supports them to identify the emerging or changing needs of pupils quickly and accurately. This understanding of pupils’ individual barriers helps to shape their curriculum and the additional support on offer. Leaders engage with a wide range of professionals. This ensures that staff receive the training they need to support pupils safely and effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

For children in care and those known to social care, the school liaises with wider professionals to support joined-up approaches. This supports pupils and their families in an effective way. Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used well to enhance the school’s work, for example, by providing training on the school’s approach to managing pupils' behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including governors, are committed to being 'champions for every child'. They understand the school’s context and how this is changing over time. Leaders recognise the school’s strengths. They navigate changes, such as the significant increase in pupil numbers, together. They seek support and advice from wider professionals to aid their work. Leaders recognise where there is more work to do, such as ensuring consistency in some aspects of teaching.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors actively visit the school on a regular basis. They use their knowledge and experiences to provide consistent support and challenge to leaders in school. Governors ensure statutory duties are met. They ensure that decision-making is in pupils’ best interests. Leaders maintain an awareness of staff workload and apply their understanding of good practice to support the wellbeing of staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value their professional learning. This is often tailored to ensure that staff are well equipped and appropriately knowledgeable to support the pupils that they work with. Recent development work with leaders has had a tangible impact in school. Several leaders from the school support the development of staff in other schools and wider professionals.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors, supported by the 'Friends of St Lukes', develop positive relationships with pupils and their families. This brings about a sense of community, offering activities such as bingo nights, a Santa stride and a music festival. Additionally, together they support fundraising for local charities. Families welcome the extensive support and understanding that the school and its staff provide.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. This is central to the school’s work and is reflective of pupils’ needs. The school places an emphasis on the importance of developing relationships. Pastoral support is underpinned by staff’s understanding of the impact of trauma on pupils’ development and wellbeing. This is seen across the curriculum and in established daily routines. Pupils develop awareness of their needs and their feelings. They learn how to manage these effectively with increasing independence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders carefully consider how and when pupils learn about growing up and body changes. Learning is well matched to their age and delivered in a way appropriate to their stage of development. This is supported by external agencies and discussed with parents so that there is a shared understanding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils’ personal development is planned progressively. It is taught through a range of classroom activities and wider experiences across the school. This is closely matched to individual needs. Targets are set and reviewed bespoke to each pupil. Pupils benefit from a range of visits, which develop their understanding of the world around them. They also enjoy a range of activities delivered within the school day. These help pupils to discover new interests and talents, such as taekwondo. Opportunities to learn about other faiths and religions are also included in classroom work and whole-school events.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about healthy relationships and know how to identify their ‘safe adult’. They learn how to share and tolerate others. This is evident in the kindness they show others and the respectful way that pupils interact with each other. Pupils are taught about road safety and how to stay safe online. Additional support is made available for parents to ensure pupils remain safe online when not in school. Throughout their time in school, pupils become more confident and responsible. This supports them to transition to their next stage of education.

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

At St Luke’s Primary School, pupils are welcomed into a warm, caring and safe environment. Their wellbeing and personal development are paramount. A focus on fostering pupils’ ability to communicate supports children and pupils to learn how to get along with one another. Pupils are kind and considerate. As a result, bullying is rare.

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

Pupils attend very well and appreciate a well-supported transition into school each morning. There is clear communication between parents and carers and staff who support pupils when they arrive at school. Pupils respond well to familiar routines. With staff support, they quickly learn what helps them to feel calm and how to communicate when they need help. Children and pupils can identify their safe adults should they need them. At breaktimes, pupils enjoy the opportunity to be outside.

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

Staff establish positive and understanding relationships with families from the earliest opportunities. Children in the early years benefit from this as their needs are understood quickly and accurately. Staff know pupils well. They respond swiftly and effectively to changes in pupils' needs as they get older and move through the school.

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

The school recognises that every pupil is unique, and, as such, the school's curriculum is designed with flexibility. This means that it can be matched to pupils' individual starting points and their pace of development. Across the school, pupils are happy, engaged and supported to enjoy their learning. Pupils also benefit from trips and visits to explore the world around them, such as to the beach and to a farm. Pupils benefit from regular opportunities to work towards the targets set out in their education, health and care plans. This supports pupils to achieve well from their starting points. They are generally well prepared for their next steps.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught well so that pupils develop detailed knowledge and skills. Leaders should ensure that staff consistently maximise the opportunities for engaging younger children in high-quality interactions, proactively seeking out children who engage less readily. Leaders should ensure that staff rigorously monitor the progress of pupils with additional barriers to learning, such as those who are disadvantaged, so that strategies are systematically and skilfully adjusted. Leaders should use detailed and insightful analysis of the school’s performance to help identify priorities for improvement to support their vision of achieving consistently strong standards across all areas of the school’s work.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Colin Howsam.

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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 the head teacher, leaders and the wider staff team during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with the pupils and parents. The lead inspector also spoke with governors and a local authority representative.

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About this inspection

All pupils who attend the school have an education, health and care plan. Pupils have a range of primary needs, including speech, language and communication, autistic spectrum disorder, physical disability and severe learning difficulties.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Dennis Ley, Ofsted Inspector Sacha Schofield, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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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 proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Alastair Sutherland 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 needs support 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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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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