The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have a clear vision for your school which puts pupils at the heart of everything you do. All members of staff support this vision and it can be felt when walking around the school. Well supported by your deputy headteacher, you strive to improve pupils’ knowledge and skills to ensure that their future opportunities will be limitless. Since federating with another local school, you and your governing body have worked hard to continue to improve many aspects of the school’s work. Linthwaite Clough Junior, Infant & Early Years Unit is a vibrant, creative school with pupils who are polite, well mannered and friendly. Pupils are able to communicate and express themselves confidently. The memorable curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to reflect and express their feelings through a variety of different media. For example, the emotion conveyed through dance, which reflected the work pupils had done on the conflict in Syria, was breathtaking. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils are well behaved and motivated to learn. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school, with one parent saying she had moved house to come here. Another parent told me, ‘I cannot praise the school enough because every child counts and is made to feel like they’re worth something. The headteacher runs the school brilliantly and I couldn’t wish for my children to go anywhere else.’ Since you federated, you have worked hard to develop the skills of middle leaders to make sure that the standard of education continues to improve. Leaders know pupils well and use individual attainment information to set appropriate targets. They then, alongside you and other senior leaders, hold staff to account for the progress of all pupils. You use published data to set the correct priorities for further development. Leaders assist teachers in improving outcomes by identifying the key issues, researching best practice and then communicating this throughout school. Leaders recognise that, while the teaching of reading in key stage 2 and the teaching of mathematics for the most able pupils in key stage 1 have improved, there is more to be done. Governance is effective. Governors visit regularly. They offer support where appropriate and they have a good understanding about the school’s performance. Governors use their expertise effectively. They ask challenging questions to ensure that leaders direct resources effectively to secure further improvement. Governors report regularly to parents and invite them to annual meetings as they seek out ways to improve. At the time of the previous inspection, inspectors asked you to make sure that work was well matched to pupils’ needs, particularly in writing and mathematics, and to refine how pupils’ progress is checked. You have responded well. Through looking at pupils’ books, it is clear that you now ensure that work is suitable for all pupils. Your approach to individual pupil tracking ensures that staff know the needs of their pupils and are regularly held to account for their progress. Consequently, attainment and progress in writing and mathematics have improved by the end of key stage 2. Safeguarding is effective. There is an established culture of safeguarding at the school and there is a clear ethos that everybody is responsible for safeguarding. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are detailed and of high quality. Leaders have ensured that all members of staff and governors are regularly trained in different aspects of safeguarding. Leaders and governors ensure that relevant checks on visitors and staff are carried out before they enter or join the school. You know the families of pupils very well and are vigilant about pupils’ welfare, especially any whose circumstances make them vulnerable. You work closely with local agencies to ensure that pupils receive the care and support that they need. Attendance of pupils is regularly analysed and checks are made to ensure that all pupils are safe. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and parents agreed. Pupils could talk extensively about the ‘Clough Code’ where they are encouraged to ‘be themselves, respect everyone and consider others’. Pupils said that bullying is rare but were confident that, if it happens, an adult would stop it immediately. Pupils are aware of how to stay safe online.