Lea Endowed Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Lea Road, Preston, PR4 0RA

Diocese: Blackburn

Local authority: Lancashire

Dates of inspection: 25^th June 2010

Date of last inspection: 12^th July 2007

School’s unique reference number: 119567

Headteacher: Mrs K Middlemiss

Inspector’s name and number: Michael Collins

School context

The school is situated in a semi-rural location on the western outskirts of Preston.  Pupils come from a mixed socio-economic background but are mainly of white ethnicity. A significant proportion of children come from homes outside the school’s immediate catchment area and pupil mobility has resulted in a high number of children joining the school later than at the foundation stage. There has been an interregnum in the school’s parish for the past 18 months.

The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Lea Endowed CE Primary School as a Church of England school are good.

The distinctive Christian ethos is clearly evident in this school.  There is a shared Christian vision that is important to all and reflected in positive and supportive relationships.  The school is welcoming.  It values the contributions made by staff, parents, governors and clergy to its Christian mission and also to recent improvements in pupil learning.

Established strengths

• The Christian commitment and vision of the Headteacher, well supported by the Governors and staff team.
• The positive impact of worship on the whole life of the school
• The impact of the school’s Christian character on the personal development and well-being of all the pupils.
• To embed Christian values which are currently implicit in the daily life of the school.
• To develop children’s wider understanding of diversity within the world-wide Christian Church.

Focus for development

The school, through its distinctive Christian character, is good at meeting the needs of all learners.

There is a very strong shared Christian vision at the school and all know what it means to belong to a distinctive and supportive faith community. This effective ethos can be readily seen in good pupil behaviour, the relationship of pupils with staff and with each other and how pupils can relate this to the Christian character of the school. Christian values are encouraged and are evident throughout the school.  In particular, the revised Behaviour Policy (Behave and Be Happy) has had a very positive impact on how the children relate to each other, as has the Buddy system, encouraging older children to work with and care for the youngest.  The school environment is attractive and well cared for, providing the pupils with many opportunities to develop aspects of Christian spirituality The environment is well supported, both in public areas and in classrooms, by thoughtful displays and relevant symbols, which uphold the Christian foundation of the school. The atmosphere at the school is welcoming, relaxed and very orderly.  Adults at the school are good role models and pupils have learnt to treat each other with consideration and good manners.

The impact of collective worship on the school community is outstanding.

All pupils and staff are aware of the importance of worship, which holds a central place in the daily life of the school.  Very positive use is made of displays in the Hall and a worship table is the focus of attention. Great care is taken to present worship in a peaceful and well-organised environment. Pupils are fully engaged with worship through drama, singing and reading prayers. Planning and worship evaluation recognise the importance of providing for as much pupil participation as possible. Full staff participation in planning has had a very significant impact on the quality of worship which has affected the culture of the school very positively.  Pupils know what it means to pray and use prayer trees, share lunchtime graces and to pray at the end of the day, demonstrating the importance of prayer in the life of the school.  All members of the school community feel involved and affirmed by the daily act of worship and it contributes very effectively to the spiritual development of the school. Despite the absence of a parish vicar during the interregnum, the school is trying hard to share the breadth and opportunities of traditions in the Church of England’s year and values the support of visiting clergy with this endeavour.

The effectiveness of the religious education is good.

Religious Education has now been given a place of priority within the school’s curriculum and it contributes to the very obvious Christian character of the school. Effective assessment procedures have been put in place and these have had a good impact on raising standards which are now in line with other subjects, allowing pupils to make positive progress with their learning. Classroom observations, book scrutinies, developing a portfolio of evidence and monitoring by the RE coordinator and governors have all contributed to the strength of RE teaching.  Learners show enthusiasm and enjoyment for well-organised lessons which contribute to a growing understanding of belief. Pupil attitudes are positive and the effective use of a wide variety of teaching strategies ensures that the subject is relevant and of interest to learners. Pupils are able to talk about the content of lessons, their beliefs and the Christian faith with confidence and understanding. Classroom displays, prayer corners and artefacts all contribute to the importance of RE in the life of each classroom.  The school is working hard to develop an understanding of wider world faiths through some specific teaching and through inclusion of themes within the units of study in each class.  This aspect of RE requires further development in the future especially as the school reflects a mainly mono-cultural population.

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the school as a church school is good. Leaders and governors are preparing for the future leadership of church schools through team-work, sharing of roles and good in-service training.

The Christian vision based upon Christian values is clearly encouraged in its mission – “Let Everyone Shine” and is shared, affirmed and promoted by the whole school community.  The strong leadership of the headteacher has led to the creation of this distinctive vision.  Good teamwork with staff, governors and parents has enabled an effective and continuing evaluation of the Christian character of the school. This is reflected in aspects of the annual School Development Plan which recognise the importance of developing the school as a church school.  The wider leadership is to be congratulated on the progress that has been made in tackling the issues raised in the previous inspection. The governors are very supportive of the school ethos and take part in the whole life of the school.  In making appointments and developing plans for the future, they have ensured that the school’s distinctive character is carefully taken into consideration.  Staff are very committed to this school distinctiveness and act as good role models for the pupils.  Despite the interregnum, there are strong links with local clergy who visit school regularly and who provide that important link for staff, children and parents with the local faith community.