Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Make further improvements to the quality of teaching and learning, especially in mathematics by:
  • placing greater emphasis in the mathematics curriculum on using and applying pupils’ number and calculation skills in problem solving and reasoning
  • establishing an agreed approach to the progressive teaching and learning of problem solving in mathematics
  • ensuring that work is consistently challenging for the most able pupils
  • ensuring that work is consistently modified to fully meet the learning needs of pupils who find learning more difficult
  • ensuring that teaching assistants are fully deployed throughout lessons.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has led a comprehensive review of all aspects of the school since it was last inspected. No stone has been left unturned. The school’s governing body and middle leaders have been appropriately involved in this review. The result of this work is that pupils make faster progress in their learning, and the quality of teaching and the use of assessment are better. Also, pupils’ personal development and behaviour have improved and are now outstanding.
• The headteacher frequently provides clear and effective guidance to staff to help them improve the quality of their work. Staff said that they value this guidance. They are confident in the leadership of the headteacher and are very clear about what is expected of them and what they should expect of the pupils. Staff work to the common end of helping pupils do their best. Teamwork and relationships are strong.
• The headteacher’s reports to teachers on their work are accurate and clearly identify the key strengths observed in teaching or in pupils’ books. Guidance to staff is later followed up with each individual teacher to support their professional improvement. Sometimes, these reports do not sufficiently evaluate the progress of groups of pupils.
• Regular meetings are held between leaders and each teacher to discuss the progress of each individual pupil. Those pupils who are not quite doing their best are identified and additional support is arranged. The effect of this is checked at later meetings and learning difficulties are appropriately addressed. These meetings have been a key factor in increasing the accountability of teachers for the progress that pupils make and have led to pupils making better progress.
• The curriculum is much better than at the time of the previous inspection. Much has been done to help make learning more interesting and pupils enjoy lessons and often find learning fun. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. They concentrate in lessons, cooperate and take pride in their work.
• A particular strength in the curriculum is the way in which pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is promoted. Pupils respond very well to the school’s ‘Six Rs’, which show them how to be, for example, reflective, resilient people. Personal values, including British values, are continually explored with pupils. Even younger pupils can give a clear view of the meaning of the ‘Six Rs’ and understand how these attributes make them better learners and better people. Pupils show a good understanding of other ways of life and faiths and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Additional funds, such as those for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, pupil premium funding and primary physical education (PE) and sport premium funding, are spent to good effect and each of these has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and development.
• The curriculum and provision for reading are of high quality and meet the learning needs of pupils of all abilities.
• Although the curriculum for writing and mathematics is mostly varied to meet the needs of the most able, on occasions, these pupils could be provided with more challenge to fully extend them, particularly in mathematics. Also, in a few classes, learning sometimes proceeds at too fast a pace for those who find learning more difficult.

Governance of the school

• Governance is much improved and now very effective.
• Governors have a clear and comprehensive understanding of their roles and responsibilities and continually check that they carry out each of their roles well.
• The governing body receives high-quality information from senior leaders. The chief executive officer of the Rutland Learning Trust has worked closely with governors to develop innovative and high-quality ways of ensuring that governors have up-to-date information to enable them to challenge and support leaders to continue to make the school better.
• Governors are also adept at checking out information for themselves first hand through visits and other means. For example, the safeguarding lead governor carries out spot checks and audits to ensure that arrangements for safeguarding are robust, fully meet statutory requirements and keep pupils safe.
• Governors manage the school finances well. They check that teachers’ pay is linked to how successfully they promote the learning of pupils in their classes. The headteacher and governors together effectively track the impact of spending on pupils’ learning. This includes how the spending of additional funds such as pupil premium funding has an impact on the progress of disadvantaged pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Robust systems are well established in school. Training is up to date, and regular reviews are carried out to check that requirements are fully met. All staff and governors understand and follow the school’s procedures.
• Keeping pupils safe is given a high priority by leaders so that staff create a safe and secure environment where pupils’ welfare is seen as important. Consequently, pupils said that they feel safe at school and act with respect for the safety of others. The great majority of parents said that their children are well looked after.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching and the use of assessment, including in early years, have improved since the last inspection and are now consistently good.
• Staff know pupils well as individuals. Relationships are excellent and pupils show good attitudes to learning. Pupils are keen to do their best. Staff have done much to make lessons more interesting and this helps motivate pupils.
• Reading is particularly well taught. In the early years and younger classes, phonics is taught well and pupils’ phonics skills are much better than previously. Pupils use these to help them read and spell unfamiliar words. The school’s system to reward pupils for reading frequently motivates pupils, including the most able, to read often. The recent school performance, written in the style of Roald Dahl, did much to motivate many pupils to read more widely.
• The school has developed an agreed approach to providing feedback to pupils during lessons and through staff marking. The school’s policy is consistently implemented in all classes and helps pupils overcome difficulties in their learning.
• Writing is also taught well, not only in English lessons, but also in other subjects. Pupils apply their writing in real-life contexts. In writing, especially in extended writing sessions, the most able are fully extended, but those who find writing more difficult, in some classes, undertake too little extended writing.
• Mathematics is well taught, particularly calculation, place value and other number work. Teaching of these aspects is guided by a clear school policy that guides teachers in all year groups on the progression of skills. Leaders recognise the need to develop a similarly clear framework for teaching pupils to tackle mathematical problems. In mathematics, in some classes, the most able pupils are not consistently extended.
• Any pupils who are at risk of falling behind, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, are given additional support in the class or additional sessions outside the classroom. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the learning of these pupils. Teaching assistants are sometimes less effectively deployed when the teacher is leading the full class.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• During lessons, pupils are keen to learn and thoroughly enjoy their work. They sustain concentration over extended periods and do not give up easily. Pupils take pride in their work and present their books well.
• In lessons, pupils show very clear understanding of where they need to focus their efforts to improve their work.
• Pupils said that they enjoy school and are proud of it. The many pupils spoken to also said that they feel safe in school and that there is no bullying. They are also clear that adults would quickly sort out any incidents that did arise.
• The school has excellent procedures to promote values among pupils. Pupils of all ages show impressive understanding of the school’s ‘Six Rs’, and this provides strong support for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Not only in lessons, but also around school, pupils behave with courtesy and safely. They also show consideration for the safety of others. Pupils told inspectors that the excellent behaviour seen during the inspection is typical for their school.
• Levels of attendance are high and any absence is routinely and rigorously checked. As a result, any emerging incidents of poor attendance are addressed effectively.
• Pupils show a very clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.
• Older pupils, in particular, enjoy taking responsibility. Many enjoy helping younger pupils, for example on the playground or as reading buddies.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The school’s accurate assessment records, and the work in pupils’ books, show that pupils make good progress from their various starting points throughout the school. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education and the world of work beyond school.
• There is a clear upward trend in how the school’s results compare with those of other schools nationally since the last inspection.
• The most able pupils are often extended well and fully challenged, especially in their reading, but this is not as consistently the case in mathematics.
• Support for pupils identified as falling behind, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities, is of good quality. These pupils enjoy school and make good progress throughout the school. Their needs and any problems in learning or personal development are quickly spotted and addressed.
• Pupils’ progress in reading is good. Many pupils are keen readers. They talk excitedly and knowledgeably about their favourite authors and books and many read widely. Most pupils adhere to or exceed the school’s expectations that they should read regularly at home, and the well-organised home-reading programme contributes to the good progress they make. Pupils use their phonics skills well to read unfamiliar words and they show good understanding of their texts. Some pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills in mathematics are less well developed than their knowledge and understanding of number and place value.
• Writing progress is also good and the teaching of writing is mostly good. One weakness identified is that lower attaining pupils’ skills in extended writing in some classes are underdeveloped. Pupils use and develop their writing skills not only in English lessons, but also in a range of other subjects such as history and geography.

Early years provision Good

• There are effective arrangements to introduce children to school life and good links with parents help children settle in quickly and make good progress.
• Attainment at the end of Reception has risen well since the previous inspection and children now leave Reception with above-average standards and are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teaching and the use of assessment are good. Questioning is used well and any gaps in children’s learning are identified and staff help them overcome any difficulties. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed throughout lessons and have a positive impact on the good progress children make. On a few occasions, teaching is not sufficiently demanding for the most able, who could sometimes cope with more difficult activities.
• Staff expect children to behave well. Children respond well to these high expectations.
• Parents are invited to, and many do, contribute to assessments of their child. Parents’ views about the early years provision are very positive and they are pleased with the school and their child’s progress.
• The school’s support for children’s personal development is a great strength. Levels of care and welfare are high and staff look after children very well.
• Many children benefit from being helped with their learning, especially with their reading, by older pupils in the school. Well-taught daily phonics lessons help children make good progress in their reading.
• There are very good-quality arrangements for safeguarding and careful attention to safety in both the indoor and outdoor areas.
• Leaders know what is already effective and where further improvements are needed. Staff in early years are an effective team and work consistently to the same ends. Staff are given good-quality training and guidance to help them develop their expertise. Senior school leaders have a clear understanding of the progress of each individual child and work closely with early years staff to ensure that children’s needs are met.
• The outdoor areas are much improved and provide good-quality support for children’s learning and enjoyment of school. The curriculum is often interesting and exciting and provides children with many opportunities to develop across all areas of learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139858 Rutland 10036067 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Ian Evley (Chair of school governing body) Diane Rowland 01572 722676 www.langhamprimary.co.uk langhamoffice@rutlandlearningtrust.com Date of previous inspection 6–7 October 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• Few pupils are from minority ethnic groups or speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is well below average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is broadly average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is part of the Rutland Learning Trust.
• Governance is provided by the trust board of the Rutland Learning Trust and locally through the school governing body. The trust provides support for school improvement mainly through its chief executive officer.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. Some lessons were observed jointly with a senior leader. In addition, shorter visits to classrooms were carried out to see particular aspects of the school’s work, such as the teaching of reading.
• A range of other school activities, including during playtimes, lunchtimes and assembly, were observed.
• Inspectors scrutinised past and current work of pupils of different abilities in all year groups and heard some pupils reading.
• A meeting was held with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. A number of discussions were held with the chief executive of the Rutland Learning Trust. Pre-arranged and informal discussions were held with members of staff and pupils. The results of the staff survey and the survey of the views of Year 6 pupils were also considered.
• Inspectors analysed documents, including plans for school improvements and reports showing the school’s view of its own performance and minutes of the governing body’s meetings. The school’s website was evaluated. Safeguarding documents, as well as policies and records relating to pupils’ personal development, behaviour, welfare and safety and attendance, were inspected.
• Inspectors analysed information on the performance of the school in comparison with that of other schools nationally and the school’s own records of pupils’ attainment and progress.
• Inspectors took account of the 67 responses to the online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also took account of the 69 responses to the school’s most recent survey held last June and spoke to 34 parents of 53 children at the start of the school day.

Inspection team

Roger Sadler, lead inspector Karen Lewis

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector