Langford Village Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Langford Village Academy is a welcoming and nurturing environment. Each morning pupils receive a warm welcome, eager to start their learning.

They look forward to meeting their friends. They enjoy each other's company and the support they receive from adults. Pupils are safe and happy.

Pupils have an astute understanding of their own feelings and those of others. Lessons in mindfulness provide different ways they practise managing their emotions. This contributes to a calm atmosphere that exists across the school.

Pupils know what adults expect of them. They work hard in lessons and know it is important to always try their best.

Pupils are keen to sh...ow how they achieve the school values 'GREAT'.

They reflect them in their attitudes to learning and to one another. Pupils are proud when they receive a 'value brick' for the 'LVA value wall'. This helps them understand the importance of why everyone should work and play together.

Pupils' knowledge is improving because adults have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve. Improvements to the curriculum and teaching are helping pupils to remember more of what they learn.

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

The school has reviewed the design of the curriculum.

The curriculum breaks down the important knowledge for pupils to learn. This ensures that pupils build their understanding in a logical way. From the start, children build secure foundations so that they are well prepared for key stage 1.

They particularly develop their ability to communicate through well-structured learning and adult engagement.

The school, supported by the trust, have tackled previous weaknesses in the curriculum. For example, in mathematics, focused sessions provide pupils time to practise recall of number facts.

Pupils now confidently use these skills when solving multi-step problems. Teachers have received extra training for new approaches used in the curriculum. They have secure subject knowledge.

Teachers use this effectively to question and check for misconceptions in pupils' understanding. There are clear strategies for assessing what pupils know and remember in every subject. A number of former pupils left last year when Langford became a primary school.

This, combined with the small cohort, contributed to the weaknesses in last years published outcomes. In lower year groups, cohorts have been more stable, and this shows, for example, in pupils' phonics achievement.

The school has supported staff to better understand how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/disabilities (SEND).

Staff quickly identify and plan for the specific needs of pupils. This helps pupils with SEND to learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND learn well during their time at school.

In a few subjects, teachers do not adapt the curriculum as well as they might to meet the needs of pupils. On occasions, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of important knowledge. This limits what some pupils could achieve.

Well trained staff teach early reading in a systematic way. Pupils learn their sounds quickly. Books pupils read to practise their sounds are well matched to the sounds they know.

Close tracking of pupils' reading picks up any who struggle. The extra help they receive is effective in helping them catch-up quickly. Reading is a priority across the school.

Older pupils talk excitedly of the ways teachers introduce them to different authors and genres. Pupils develop a love of reading.

Pupils enjoy wider experiences to promote their character.

They value roles of responsibility such as head of school or play buddies. Pupils organise school and community events such as raising money for charities. Pupils understand how people can be different and why it is important to be tolerant and respectful.

They learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.

Established and clear routines mean that pupils behave well. They are polite and kind to each other.

The school has made changes to how it checks attendance. High expectations and regular communication with parents are paying off. Overall attendance is improving.

However, a small number of pupils do not attend frequently. This means that they are missing important learning when they are not in school.

Staff are very appreciative of the high-quality provision leaders and the trust make for their well-being.

They consider it highly beneficial and helps them carry out their roles successfully.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In few subjects, teachers do not make precise enough pedagogical choices for teaching the curriculum.

When this happens, pupils are not sufficiently stretched or challenged. This means pupils do not learn the content of the curriculum well, especially those who require more stretch and challenge. Leaders should ensure that all staff understand how to provide appropriate opportunities for pupils to secure a deeper understanding of important knowledge.

• Some pupils do not attend school frequently enough. This means that they do not benefit from the school's learning offer. Leaders should continue with their work to engage with parents and improve the attendance for those who miss too much school.

Also at this postcode