Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 September 2024

Pupils are proud to attend Lincoln Monks Abbey Primary School. They feel lucky to be part of a diverse and vibrant school community. Staff show pupils respect and care. Pupils said that they appreciate their teachers. They said that many of their teachers are 'superheroes that have their best interests at heart'. From the early years, pupils learn to behave well. They learn how to restore relationships if things go a little wrong. Lessons are calm. Pupils are highly focused on their learning. They are keen to achieve. They really appreciate the rewards they receive for their positive conduct. Pupils show a natural concern for their peers. Older pupils look after younger pupils. No one is left out of games on the playground. Pupils said that they feel happy, safe and cared for in school. Diversity is promoted and respected. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They visit many different places of worship. Recently, pupils and teachers worked with the Lincoln Muslim Sisters to prepare food, which the whole school then ate and really enjoyed. The school has high expectations. Staff are keen for pupils to achieve well. The quality of the curriculum has improved. However, phonics is not yet taught well enough. Some pupils do not learn to read as accurately or as fluently as they could.

What the school should improve

• There is a well-planned and sequenced phonics curriculum in place, but it is not implemented consistently by all staff. Some pupils do not get the help they need. Reading books are not routinely well matched to pupils' phonics knowledge. This means that some pupils do not learn to read with accuracy and fluency as quickly as they could. The school must continue the rapid work already underway to ensure that all staff receive expert training and support to implement the phonics curriculum well. They must ensure that reading books are better matched to pupils' phonics knowledge. Pupils who fall behind their peers must receive high-quality help to catch up.
• Most pupils with SEND experience a high-quality education. They achieve well at the end of key stage 2. However, although pupils with SEND receive tremendous care, some do not always receive the support needed to independently develop appropriate knowledge and skills. They do not have sufficient planned opportunity to socialise and learn with peers. The school must continue the work to ensure that all pupils with SEND access an ambitious curriculum that promotes independence and allows many opportunities for learning and play with other pupils.
• Most of the curriculum is well planned and sequenced. However, the curriculum in a few subjects does not identify precisely enough the knowledge that pupils must acquire. As a result, when these subjects are taught, some pupils do not learn knowledge to sufficient depth. This is particularly the case in key stage 1. The school must ensure that knowledge in these subjects is more precisely identified so that pupils can build a depth of understanding as they progress.

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