The motto at Lady Lumley’s School is ‘be our best’. This is promoted throughout the school, including academic studies and pupils’ wider personal development. Pupils study a broad and balanced curriculum. In 2023, pupils at Lady Lumley’s School made similar progress to other schools in national assessments. However, most pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds do not achieve as well as their classmates. Recent changes to the curriculum have allowed the school to encourage pupils to see themselves as members of a diverse modern Britain. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds through the form time reading programme, assemblies and the ‘life’ curriculum. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. Pupils behave well in lessons and there is a calm atmosphere in classrooms and at social times. Bullying can happen and there are instances of derogatory language. The school takes any incidents seriously and acts quickly to address these issues. Students in the sixth form are proud to be at Lady Lumley’s. They value the positive relationships that they have with staff. One student told the inspectors, ‘It is like being part of a family’. This comment was typical of many others.