Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Lyng Church of England Primary School on 18 October 2017, following its previous judgment of good in March 2013. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education. The leadership team has effectively upheld the standards since the last inspection, with most parents expressing satisfaction and willingness to recommend the school. Parents highlighted the school's commitment to ensuring their children are happy, safe, and well-informed about their progress. The school employs various communication methods, including a website, newsletters, and termly reports, to keep parents engaged.
The leadership team, subject leaders, and governors possess a clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They have successfully addressed previous inspection recommendations and are focused on raising achievement and enhancing teaching quality. Despite a dip in Year 6 performance in national tests in 2016, the school has fostered a culture of high expectations, leading to good progress for most pupil groups, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Observations during lessons indicated positive engagement among students, with strong performance noted in early years and key stage 1.
The school promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development through its Christian ethos and maintains strong ties with the parish church. Pupils expressed positive sentiments about their school experience, benefiting from a variety of educational visits and after-school clubs that enhance their learning and confidence. Attendance rates are above average, and pupils demonstrate good behavior, with bullying reported as rare.
Safeguarding measures are effective, with the leadership team ensuring that all procedures are robust and well-documented. The school has cultivated a strong safeguarding culture, with staff trained in relevant areas and regular discussions on pupil safety. The inspection focused on the school's response to declining standards in reading and mathematics at key stage 2 in 2016. The leadership team analyzed test results and raised expectations for teaching and learning, resulting in improved outcomes in 2017, with Year 6 standards surpassing the national average.
The school has implemented effective strategies to support boys in early years and phonics programs, narrowing the gap in achievement between genders. The new website complies with requirements, providing detailed information about the curriculum and the impact of additional funding. Governors have strengthened their monitoring role, ensuring effective oversight of the school's work and compliance with policies.
The inspection concluded with recommendations for the school to fully implement its improvement plan to enhance progress for the most able pupils and to rigorously analyze behavior incident logs to identify trends. Overall, the inspection affirmed the school's commitment to continuous improvement and its positive impact on pupil outcomes.
