Lickey End First School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

This school has high expectations for pupils' achievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Since the last inspection, leaders have taken effective action to improve the curriculum. Overall, pupils now do well. In addition, the school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour, including those who need support to manage their behaviour. Pupils are polite to each other and courteous to visitors. Pupils are happy at school and attend very regularly. They love reading to Doug, the school dog. Staff and pupils form trusting and positive relationships. The culture of safeguarding follows the credo of 'it could happen here'. Staff are vigilant, believing that 'nothing is too small'. This means pupils feel safe. Pupils embrace the school values of resilience, teamwork, respect and independence and participate fully in school life. They volunteer as junior leaders, play leaders, librarians in the outside 'book hotel' or well-being ambassadors. Pupils participate in a wide range of activities to help broaden their horizons. These include dancing, ballet and designing mosaic patterns. Pupils recently took part in a remembrance coffee morning in school with the British Legion and made an Anderson shelter as part of a World War Two day.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, leadership is still at an early stage of development. As a result, the monitoring and evaluation of the impact of pupils' learning in these subjects are less well developed. The school should ensure that leadership in each subject is equally well established.
• Formal assessment systems in some foundation subjects are underdeveloped. Consequently, in some subjects, leaders are not always clear about how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. The school should ensure there are systems for checking how pupils are doing in each subject.

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