Lidlington Primary School

Overview

The report describes a school where pupils are “happy and get along well with one another” and feel “included and welcomed.” Leaders have high aspirations, and the curriculum is generally “organised thoughtfully” to support achievement, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The inspection resulted in an overall effectiveness judgement of Good.

Strengths

• Pupils behave well, with bullying occurring rarely, and they feel safe because they know they will be “well supported” by trusted adults.
• The curriculum in most subjects, including English and mathematics, is “carefully planned and well taught,” ensuring pupils build securely on prior learning.
• A clear phonics and reading programme helps children become “confident and fluent readers,” with timely support provided for those falling behind.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to access the same curriculum as their peers and “achieve well alongside their peers.”
• Early years provision is ambitious, with children meeting high expectations and being “well prepared for the move to Year 1.”

Areas to improve

• In a small number of curriculum areas, plans are “less well structured,” so leaders must ensure content in every subject plan is set out clearly.
• Leadership roles and responsibilities have not been defined well enough, meaning some staff are unsure how to be fully effective; senior leaders and governors need to clarify these roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with leaders creating a culture where staff care deeply about pupils and understand their responsibility to report any concern.