Ofsted Report
Working together, with Jesus beside us, to achieve our full potential.
Our last Ofsted inspection took place in March 2023. Please click the links below for more information about our school's performance.
The main findings of our latest Ofsted Report were:
This is a good school. This school continues to be good.
The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.
You and other senior leaders, including those with responsibility for governance, set and promote the values of the school with clarity and consistency. You and your colleagues have high aspirations for the pupils in your care, which enable them to be ‘the best they can be’. Parents and carers are very positive about the school and speak highly of the successes their children achieve.
You know the school very well, so your self-evaluation of the school is thorough and accurate. You set a clear direction and establish appropriate areas for improvement for the school. These are understood by all.
Pupils demonstrate the utmost respect towards one another and adults, both in and out of classrooms. They show courtesy and kindness and try hard in their work. Pupils are given responsibilities in school, such as taking on the role of e-safety monitors. They all contribute to the monthly ‘School Forum’, where their ideas on school improvement are listened to and acted upon.
Children achieve well from their secure foundations at the start of school life in Preschool and/or Reception. The majority of children make accelerated progress to achieve at least a good level of development. The teaching of early reading is a strength of the school. You have invested in effective training for staff and new resources, so that the standards in the Year 1 phonics check are above those of pupils nationally. A greater proportion of pupils achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics year-on-year at the end of both key stages 1 and 2. However, expectations of most-able pupils could be raised further, particularly in writing and mathematics.
Safeguarding is effective.
St Lawrence Primary Academy places a high priority on keeping all pupils safe. Leaders, including Governors, ensure that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that staff training is fully up to date. The school’s Safeguarding Policy meets statutory requirements. The introduction of an electronic system ensures that all concerns and incidents are recorded in detail and that appropriate agencies are involved where necessary.
School leaders and pupils alike have identified access to the internet and the use of social media sites as the biggest safeguarding risk to pupils. The e-safety monitors, led by a member of staff, are very enthusiastic about their role in supporting other pupils in keeping safe online. They are knowledgeable about the dangers that communicating with strangers can pose, and actively promote being safe to others. Pupils are clear that they are safe in school and that bullying does not happen. They are clear as to the difference between falling out and being bullied. Pupils say an adult would intervene if bullying did take place.
You monitor attendance carefully and take positive action to ensure that all pupils attend regularly. This includes a rigorous approach, including carrying out home visits, to following up any attendance issues that have not been communicated with the school. As a result, the parents have a positive attitude towards their children attending school regularly.
