Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Langley Mill Church of England Infant School and Nursery continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe here.

All the staff provide a warm welcome; they know the children and their families well. Children are curious learners. They want to know more and always do their best.

They enjoy playing and learning in all the different parts of the extensive school grounds. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. They want every child to leave the school being able to read.

Most pupils have settled back into school routines and are excited to see their friends again. A few found it difficult when al...l pupils returned after schools reopened more fully. Staff work together to teach pupils how to behave well.

Pupils say that bullying does not happen very often. They are adamant that teachers deal with it straight away.

Parents praise the work of the staff.

They say that they find out lots about what their children are learning and would recommend the school. They feel that the school is a 'credit to the community'.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have raised their ambitions for what all pupils will know and be able to do by the time they leave the school.

They have established a well-sequenced reading curriculum so that pupils build on the sounds that they know. They have organised training for staff. Both leaders and staff know what they want pupils to learn at each stage and spot if they are falling behind.

When the school reopened to all pupils, staff found that some pupils had forgotten some of the sounds that they had learned before. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get help in class to keep up with their peers. They practise some of the sounds they learned before.

Most pupils use the sounds they know to work out words. However, some of them do not yet do this well enough. This makes it difficult for a few pupils to read their books fluently.

Children in Nursery get off to a strong start. They listen carefully to different sounds. They enjoy matching the sound that they can hear to the instrument that makes it.

They are very proud of themselves when they get this right. In the Reception Year, children build on what they learned before about number. Teachers make sure that children practise this when they line up or count objects.

Children use the equipment well to make pairs of numbers that equal 10.

Older pupils say that teachers help them to think again when something is tricky. They know that practising what they have learned helps it to 'stick'.

In art, pupils learn to draw with increasing accuracy. Younger children learn pencil control and to use colours in a range of contexts. Older pupils can explain how perspective and proportion are important when drawing objects.

Teachers select with care the artists that pupils will learn about, including local artists.

Staff value the opportunities they have had for professional development. They say that this has made their teaching better because they have identified the right things to teach at the right time.

Subject leaders are helping teachers to refine their curriculums further so that the needs of all learners, including pupils with SEND, are always included. Staff appreciate the support that they get from leaders to make their workload manageable.

Pupils learn how to behave appropriately right from the start of their time at school.

Staff use the school's 'bucket filling' approach to behaviour to explain this. Children in Nursery say that the Rainbow Fish is a 'bucket filler' when he shares his scales with the other fish. Older pupils are delighted when they are the 'bucket filler of the week'.

They can explain that they listen to each other and care for all the children around them.

Leaders have prioritised activities which can take place outside. Gardening clubs and forest school have begun again.

An area outside for prayer and reflection is being developed. Leaders are proud of the range of activities they can offer. They value children's positive attitude to new experiences, such as taking part in sporting events and winning awards for their team spirit.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made sure that staff know what the warning signs are that a child might need help. They pass on concerns about a child's safety straight away.

Leaders challenge other agencies when they do not think enough is being done to help children. Checks are in place before adults start to work at the school.

Staff help parents to know which electronic games are inappropriate for younger children to play.

Parents appreciate the advice and support that they get. They unanimously feel that their children are safe at school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In discussion with the headteacher, we agreed that these areas may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

• Leaders have developed a new approach to the teaching of phonics. This is not yet fully embedded. While pupils can decode consistently, not all pupils can blend these sounds together well enough so that they can read books fluently.

Leaders should continue to support staff as they refine the curriculum. They should continue to check that staff knowledge is developing so that all books are well matched to the stage of pupils' reading. ? Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to make sure that it sequences the knowledge that pupils will gain.

They have begun to check that this is making a difference, but the development of some aspects of subject leadership is at an earlier stage. Senior leaders should continue to support subject leaders so that teachers can further build their expertise and support colleagues as they adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good school could now be better than good, or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 24 November 2010.