Langtons Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Langtons Junior Academy continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Anna Thorpe.

This school is part of REAch2 Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Cathie Paine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gavin Robert.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of this school because teachers help them to learn and because they have kind friends to play with.

Pupils feel safe here. Pupils are confident that if they have a concern, staff will listen and help them.

Pupils get off to a positive start each mo...rning because staff greet them with a smile and take the time to ask how they are.

Pupils behave well here. Behaviour in lessons and during social times is calm and orderly. Therefore, pupils feel happy.

The school prioritises attendance. Leaders take effective action to support pupils and their families so that attendance remains high.

There are a range of opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility.

For example, 'Eco Warriors' wanted to help their local community. They worked with leaders so that they could 'litter pick' in their local park. 'Eco Warriors' are proud to care for their community and describe themselves as 'role-models'.

Pupils talk positively about the enrichment activities on offer, such as boxing boot-camp, gymnastics and athletics club. Activities broaden pupils' experiences. For example, pupils learn French and visit France so they can practise French and learn about a different culture.

These opportunities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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

The curriculum here is designed well. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn year-on-year.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge, and this means the curriculum is taught effectively. Teachers ask effective questions and explain concepts clearly. For example, pupils in Year 6 know how to convert fractions to decimals.

They do this accurately because they are able to recall multiplication facts quickly. In Year 4 pupils enthusiastically recalled a science investigation on melting. They confidently explained which variables need to stay the same to make the test fair.

The school wants pupils to learn ambitious vocabulary across the curriculum. However, sometimes teachers do not check pupils' understanding of key vocabulary and subject content that pupils are expected to know and remember. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their learning and have misconceptions about key knowledge.

Reading is given the highest priority across the school. Pupils regularly visit the school library and are read aloud to daily. Pupils read widely and often and discuss their favourite books with enthusiasm.

These experiences develop a love for reading.

The school wants all pupils to read fluently across the curriculum. Teachers and other adults have been trained well in reading.

Reading is taught consistently and effectively. The reading programme is well-sequenced. Pupils read books matched to their knowledge of phonics.

Therefore, pupils read with developing accuracy and confidence. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils who need help to catch-up are identified swiftly and given the help they need.

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and effectively. Leaders work with external professionals such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists. These experts deliver training to teachers and teaching assistants so that pupils with SEND can access learning alongside their peers.

Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life and achieve well here.

Classrooms are purposeful learning environments. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning because teachers expect pupils to work hard and because pupils want their efforts to be celebrated in the 'time to shine' assembly.

This means that the curriculum can be taught without any interruption.

The wider curriculum is carefully structured so that pupils develop responsibility, respect and resilience. Pupils are taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate manner.

They are also taught about democracy which pupils practise by voting for their classmates to be school councillors.

Staff are proud to be part of the school community. They value the support they are given to develop their practice and manage their workload.

The trust effectively monitors the school's work so that pupils achieve well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, pupils' understanding is not checked as sharply as it should be.

This means that some pupils develop misconceptions and gaps in their learning. The school needs to make sure that pupils' learning is checked accurately and any misconceptions are identified and corrected quickly.

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 January 2015.

Also at this postcode