Kings Langley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Kings Langley Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong sense of community at Kings Langley Primary School. Pupils are proud to be part of the school family. They trust the adults to sort out any problems or worries that occasionally arise.

This leads to pupils feeling happy and safe here.

Pupils are friendly. They behave well around the school, at work and during play.

They strive to meet adults' high expectations. Pupils are motivated by the 'star awards' system. This recognises pupils who show the school's values of hard work, respect, honesty, willingness to try, good manners, acceptance, teamwork, a...nd perseverance.

Older pupils develop leadership skills through special roles. They can be sports leaders, reading buddies, eco-warriors, school councillors, or peer mentors. Pupils pursue new interests at clubs such as chess, knitting or art club.

Physical activity has a high profile. Pupils participate in a variety of competitive sporting activities, often with success.

Pupils go on trips that enhance their learning and broaden their horizons.

For example, pupils visit places of worship, museums, and sports venues. The curriculum is enriched further by themed days, weeks or months. These include the International Day of Peace, recycling week and Black History Month.

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

The school's curriculum is carefully planned. It is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is broken down into manageable chunks.

These are taught in a logical sequence so that pupils can build their learning gradually.

The curriculum starts in the early years. From the moment they join the school, children start to learn the essential knowledge they will need for later learning.

In mathematics, for example, children in Nursery learn about numbers by counting moves in a dice game. They learn to recognise the numbers on the dice without counting the dots.Teachers are generally confident about the subjects they teach.

They explain ideas well and model examples clearly. This helps pupils to understand and practise new learning. Teachers design lessons so that pupils can access the curriculum and be successful.

This includes pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND are identified promptly. They receive appropriate support for their needs.

This might involve practical resources, additional adults, or adapted tasks. Where needed, teachers receive effective guidance from external professionals on how best to support pupils with SEND.

Teachers check how well pupils are learning through ongoing questioning in lessons.

They address any misconceptions that arise. At the end of a topic, teachers use quizzes to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge. Curriculum leaders use this information and other checks to establish how well the curriculum is working.

However, this aspect of their work could be developed further through, for example, more regular and varied checks. This would give curriculum leaders a stronger oversight of the effectiveness of the curriculum and any improvements that are needed.

The school promotes a love of reading from the early years through to Year 6.

Teachers choose inspiring books to read to their classes. Older pupils read widely. They enjoy supporting younger pupils with their reading.

Pupils in the early stages of learning to read learn the sounds they need through daily phonics sessions. They practise these by taking home books that match the sounds they know. If any pupils fall behind, they receive effective help.

Most pupils become confident readers by the end of key stage 1.

From the early years onwards, adults set up routines that help pupils to behave appropriately. Most pupils follow instructions well.

In classrooms, pupils move from one activity to another swiftly. Learning time is rarely wasted. A small number of pupils struggle to meet adults' expectations for behaviour.

However, they get the support they need to improve.

There is an extensive programme for pupils' wider development. Pupils show resilience.

They talk about the importance of learning to fail, to become stronger. Pupils develop confidence through performing at the annual Artsfest, or through nativities and end-of-year shows. Pupils learn about other cultures and faiths, sometimes through members of their own community.

They are tolerant and respectful of any difference.

Members of the governing body bring a range of expertise and experience to their roles. They work closely with leaders to ensure the school's priorities are being addressed, holding leaders to account if necessary.

Individual governors and senior leaders are conscious of the pressures staff are under. They support the well-being of staff, ensuring they feel valued. A minority of parents would like to see improved communication.

However, most parents have a positive view of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Subject leaders' oversight of the effectiveness of the curriculum could be stronger.

The checks subject leaders carry out do not always identify areas for improvement that will enable pupils to progress well through the curriculum. The school should ensure that all subject leaders carry out a range of checks on the curriculum so that any improvements can be identified and made.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2014.