Ofsted: Loxley School is like one big family
THERE’S so much to celebrate at Loxley C of E Community Primary School which has just received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted during a momentous year when the school is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
Headteacher Claire Woolley said she is “so proud of all of the staff and children at Loxley Primary School and their well-deserved successes.”
The Ofsted report includes the observation that: “Loxley C of E Community Primary School is like one big family”.
It added: “Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are kind to one another and know how to be a good friend. The school sets high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Guiding lights remind pupils of the school’s expectations.
“Any incidents of poor behaviour are managed swiftly and effectively. Restorative conversations help pupils to reflect on how their behaviour impacts others.”
The school also possess a strong culture of safeguarding, including keeping safe when online, therefore pupils are happy and safe, and they enjoy attending.
The report continued: “A range of clubs, including the roving reporters and the dance club, help pupils to develop new interests. Museum visits, history workshops and fieldwork trips deepen pupils’ learning of the curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about taking part in mathematics and volleyball competitions. All this broadens pupils’ horizons effectively. Parents are very positive about the quality of education their children receive. One parent, typical of many, commented that ‘the school is small, but massive in personality’”
There was praise for the teachers and the methods they use to encourage pupils to grow and learn through education.
“Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. Pupils are proud of their work. In addition, pupils get effective support to correct and improve it in lessons. Reading is prioritised and taught well. Pupils enjoy the high-quality and diverse texts written by a broad range of authors on offer. Various initiatives, including visits from a storyteller and the lunchtime library, promote a love of reading. Phonics teaching by highly skilled staff helps children get off to a strong start in their early reading,” Ofsted inspectors said.
They also noted: “The school’s work to promote pupils’ character is of high quality. Pupils learn to be active citizens in the local community. For example, they perform at the Loxley Strawberry Fayre and collect food for a local food bank. Pupils are proud of their Green Tree Schools Award. In addition, pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities in school such as clean-up crew, school council representatives and class worship team.”
There was special mention for the inclusivity of the whole ethos of the school. Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were quickly identified and achieve well, the report added.
Ofsted’s suggested next steps to help the school improve even more included the following: “Teachers do not consistently check that pupils are learning the curriculum in some subjects. This means that gaps in learning are not always identified and addressed. The school should support teachers to check how well pupils are learning the curriculum in all subjects and address any gaps in learning so that all pupils learn the curriculum well.”
