Ludwell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school Leaders, including governors, have not tackled the school's weaknesses with sufficient urgency.

The school's performance has declined considerably since its previous inspection. The capacity for improvement is weak. The governing body does not challenge leaders to make the rapid and sustained improvements required.

They have failed to hold leaders sufficiently to account for falling standards. The school's assessment systems have not provided staff with an accurate picture of pupils' knowledge and understanding over time. Some subject leaders are not sufficiently knowledgeable to teach or lead their subjects.

They, and tea...ching assistants, have not had sufficient training to ensure that pupils' needs are fully met. Middle leaders do not drive forward improvements in the quality of teaching, or monitor pupils' progress in their areas of responsibility across the school. The most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged to deepen and extend their knowledge.

Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged do not make the progress of which they are capable. Poor teaching, learning and assessment over time have resulted in pupils failing to achieve as well as they can. As a result, outcomes for pupils are inadequate in reading, writing and mathematics.

Pupils' weak reading skills hamper their ability to work independently and hinder their progress in mathematics. Too many pupils do not take pride when completing written tasks. The school has the following strengths Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well.

Pupils throughout the school receive a broad and balanced curriculum. Children in the early years are making better progress than in the past, although their outcomes still require improvement. Good relationships between pupils and staff ensure that pupils are happy and feel safe.

Pupils' attendance is in line with the national average. The school provides an attractive and stimulating learning environment.

Information about this school

Ludwell Community Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The number of pupils in each year group fluctuates and sometimes is fewer than 10. The school has recently separated the early years provision from pupils in key stage 1. This has been done by altering the internal structure of the building to provide specialist early years spaces.

The school now has four classes, as opposed to three, and the classes have been renamed. Since the previous inspection, there has been a significant change in staffing, which is currently stable. The school appointed one of the class teachers to the role of assistant headteacher in the autumn term 2017.

Some staff have new middle leadership roles, and a new class teacher joined the school in September 2017. The school provides a breakfast club and after-school club every day, which are to provide care for children while parents are working. The school also has activity clubs that pupils can join at lunchtime and after school.