Outstanding Ofsted Report At Lantern Primary School In Ely

The Lantern Primary School in Ely is outstanding, according to Government inspectors.

Inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) described the leadership of headteacher Jan Cobley and her senior team as outstanding, and said pupils made outstanding progress as they went through the school.

"The headteacher has worked tirelessly to ensure that pupils' learning and development are paramount. She has successfully managed the considerable changes in pupil numbers and staff over the last five years, ably supported by the effective governing body, who also provide appropriate challenge to senior leaders," said the inspectors' report.

"The senior leadership team is outstanding and has the range of skills necessary to develop the school further. Self-evaluation is accurate because the school is exceptionally good at monitoring and evaluating its work.

"The current tracking and target setting systems are extremely rigorous. All these factors mean that the school has an outstanding capacity for further improvement," it added.

Teaching was also praised, and inspectors noted that standards reached by pupils were well above average.

"The school is keen to ensure that all teaching is outstanding and has plans in place to try to bring this about. In the best teaching seen, teachers' very thorough planning meant that explanations were crystal clear and pupils of all abilities knew exactly what they were meant to learn and why," said the report.

It particularly praised the effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage, noting that teaching and learning were outstanding, and that children made outstanding progress.

Inspectors also highlighted pupils' outstanding personal development and well-being, and their exemplary behaviour.

"Pupils love learning and this is evident in all lessons because they are absorbed in the work they are given and find it interesting and fun. This is due to the outstanding curriculum that the school provides.

"Behaviour is also exemplary around the school and on the playground. Pupils' very high level of skills in literacy and numeracy means they are prepared exceptionally well for the next stage of their education.

The school was encouraged to ensure marking and written feedback were consistent across the school, and to implement existing plans to share best practice to increase the amount of outstanding teaching.

Headteacher Jan Cobley said: "We are delighted with the outcome of the inspection. This has been a real team effort and I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work. We are all committed to providing the best learning environment possible for the children at this school and we are pleased that this has been recognised by the OfSTED inspectors.