Langley Hall Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Weaknesses identified at the previous inspection have been tackled thoroughly. As a result, the school's effectiveness has significantly strengthened in a short space of time.

Governors, staff, parents and pupils recognise the positive changes made. They agree that the school has improved notably. Safeguarding is effective.

All staff and governors have received the latest training, meeting their statutory responsibilities well. Pupils say that they feel safe. Leaders have ensured that the quality of teaching is now consistently good.

Most teachers now plan well for the differing range of pupils' needs in their classes. Pupils' ac...hievement has improved. Most now do well in reading, writing and mathematics and reach the standard expected.

Some exceed the expected standards, although too many of the most able disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as much as they could because tasks do not always challenge them sufficiently. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. Their needs are met well.

The curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils attain highly in a range of subjects, including physical education, art, drama and music. Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent.

They exhibit high levels of enthusiasm for learning. Pupils attend school regularly. They enjoy the wide range of activities on offer and achieve high standards across the curriculum.

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Classrooms are a hive of harmonious activity. Children make good progress in all areas of learning.

Governors have supported leaders steadfastly during the school's improvement journey from special measures. They have played their part well, embracing the support of others, in order to develop their skills and expertise rapidly. The governors focus closely on the school's most important priorities for improvement.

They make good use of a range of evidence to check the impact of leaders. However, their reference to information about the progress of different groups of pupils, and the impact of the curriculum, is not always sharp enough for them to challenge leaders fully.

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. Since the previous inspection, the chair of the governing body has completed his term of office. A new chair was elected in September 2016.

Several teachers left at the end of the summer term and several new teachers joined in September 2016. Langley Hall Primary Academy is much larger than an average-sized primary school. The academy free school, which started as a one-form entry school in 2011, has four classes in each year group.

The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is lower than in other schools nationally, as is the proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Three quarters of the school's population are from minority ethnic groups and over a half speak English as an additional language. In 2015, the school did not meet the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.