Leedon Lower School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 April 2026

For too long, pupils have not had a good enough standard of education at this school. They do not achieve well, as expectations are not high enough. Pupils have gaps in reading, writing and mathematics knowledge that are not addressed quickly. Pupils do not secure enough detailed knowledge to be sufficiently well prepared for middle school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make suitable progress from their starting points. Pupils are starting to benefit from the necessary changes new leaders are making to improve the school. Leaders are working hard to make sure pupils get the education and provision they deserve. Leaders know exactly what needs to be done. However, it is still too early to see the full benefit of this work on pupils' outcomes. Leaders’ actions have resulted in pupils behaving better overall. Pupils like the new reward systems and the support they receive for their wellbeing. Most pupils are happy coming to this school and make friends. However, there are still some unwelcome behaviours that pupils would like to stop. Pupils have staff they trust to help them if needed. Attendance is now improving, but it needs to be higher. Some pupils still miss too much school and therefore miss key learning. Children in pre-school and Reception generally make a positive start to school life. They settle well into routines. Children enjoy learning all of the different topics. However, the current curriculum design in early years does not clearly link what children learn in pre-school with what they go on to learn in Reception. This means there is not enough precision over how well children’s knowledge builds over time. Pupils love sport and playing team games. Pupils would like it if there was more to do at lunchtime. Wider opportunities to develop pupils’ interests or broaden their horizons are limited. When they are offered, such as visits or the residential, pupils relish these experiences.

What the school should improve

• The school needs to significantly raise the expectations of what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, can achieve so that gaps in reading, writing and mathematics close quickly. Leaders, including governors, need to check that this is happening.
• Leaders need to ensure that teachers use assessment to inform the next steps in teaching and adapt learning so that pupils succeed across the whole curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND have targets set that are specific and matched to their needs so they make suitable progress from their starting points.
• Leaders should ensure that their strategies continue to improve attendance, especially for persistent absentees.
• Leaders need to ensure that the order and detail of what children in early years need to know is explicit from the start of pre-school to the end of Reception to ensure that staff build and extend on children’s prior learning more precisely.
• Governors need to tighten their strategic oversight and strengthen how well they hold leaders to account for all aspects of the school's work, especially standards in education, pupils' wider opportunities and preparation for life in modern Britain.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)