Lapage Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Lapage is a school where every pupil matters. As a result they are extremely happy, feel safe and enjoy school. Pupils' progress is accelerating rapidly because of the headteacher's relentless and successful focus on raising standards.

This has led to the eradication of previous underachievement and improving all aspects of the school's work, especially teaching. The youngest children settle quickly into school routines and thoroughly enjoy learning in a vibrant environment which enables them to make outstanding progress. All groups of pupils, including those supported through pupil premium, make good progress in both Key Stage 1 and Key... Stage 2 so that by the end of Year 6 attainment is average Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding.

The well above average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who join the school partway through their education are well supported A caring and nurturing atmosphere pervades the school and contributes extremely well to pupils' good behaviour, safety and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leadership and management, including the interim executive board, are successful at driving the school forward. They carefully check the quality of teaching, which has improved since the previous inspection.

Any pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified and given the help they need to catch up. Attendance is average and improving It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching does not always offer enough challenge, and as a result, this occasionally slows the rate at which pupils make progress as they move through the school The marking of pupils' work, the guidance on how they can improve and the opportunities they have to respond to teachers' comments are not consistently good. Pupils are not always provided with sufficient opportunities to write extensively in subjects other than English.

Teachers do not always insist on the highest standards of presentation in pupils' books and as a result their work is not always presented neatly.

Information about this school

Lapage is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Since the previous inspection the school has experienced considerable difficulties and changes in staffing.

The very large majority of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest groups are represented by pupils of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage. The proportion of pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language is well above average.

The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is above average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.

The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual time is above average. The school meets the current floor standards, which set the government's minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school was previously inspected in April 2011.

Prior to this inspection the school was receiving a high level of support from the local authority and the governing body had been replaced by an IEB to lead and manage the school. The local authority has now withdrawn the high level of support because it is of the opinion that the school has the capacity for sustained improvement. A new governing body has been appointed and will assume governance of the school in September 2013.

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