Long Lee Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Long Lee Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Long Lee Primary School are polite and curious. They welcome visitors to school.

Leaders promote the '4B' values to 'be kind, safe, respectful and inquisitive'. Pupils understand these values. They demonstrate how to 'be the best they can be' in lessons and around school, for example when working with their peers in lessons.

They are proud of their achievements.

Staff have high expectations. They notice, and celebrate, when pupils do the right thing.

Pupils behave well. Bullying is not tolerated. Pupils trust that adults will help them if they need supp...ort with friendships.

Pupils can ask adults for help via the 'buddy box' or in person. Any falling out between pupils is quickly resolved.

Pupils appreciate the awards that they can earn.

They are proud of their work. During the inspection, a visitor brought different types of animals for them to see. Pupils were enthusiastic to learn how to handle them with care.

Pupils are proud to take on leadership roles. These include school council members, librarians, eco-warriors and digital leaders. They take their responsibilities seriously.

Pupils take part in a variety of clubs and activities to develop their interests and talents. Leaders organise competitions for different sports. Clubs include crafts; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and debate club.

Leaders are determined to support all pupils to do well. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who access the resourced provision. As a result, pupils with SEND make progress in their learning and catch up with their peers.

Parents and carers are complimentary of the way their child has benefited from the support they receive. They are positive about the communication system between school and home.

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

Leaders ensure all pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum.

Curriculum plans are carefully sequenced. This helps pupils learn important information. It is clear what pupils should learn, from early years to Year 6.

Pupils from the resourced provision have the support they need to learn well. They access appropriate lessons in mainstream classes. Leaders have the expertise to provide key information about the individual needs of pupils with SEND and the strategies to help them learn.

This means teachers can support pupils well.

Leaders have adopted a structured phonics programme. They provide training for all staff.

Leaders check the quality of lessons to ensure the programme is well delivered. Children start to learn sounds right from Nursery. Children practise reading books matched to the sounds they know.

Pupils who struggle catch up quickly and become confident readers. They learn to share stories with others. They enjoy the 'books and biscuits' sessions in school with their parents.

Older pupils talk about the books they read together in class. They are excited about the class and school libraries, where they can choose books to read for pleasure. Pupils know it is important to read well.

The curriculum is well sequenced. It is designed to introduce pupils to important concepts. Children in early years start to learn important skills that prepare them for key stage 1.

They do a variety of interesting activities to help them explore numbers. For example, they count out different objects in groups of 5 on a grid. From the strong start in early years, pupils develop their understanding.

Staff have strong subject knowledge. In most subjects, they give clear information which helps pupils to access their learning well. Misconceptions are addressed to ensure pupils keep up with their learning.

For example, in mathematics, pupils are confident in their learning. Pupils secure the mathematical vocabulary they need. They draw on prior knowledge when learning new things.

Pupils are keen to be involved in the practical tasks linked to their learning. However, in some subjects, pupils are not secure in their understanding of some of the technical language. The strategies teachers use do not help them to know whether pupils' knowledge is secure before moving on.

Leaders have developed a strong programme for personal, social and health education. Pupils value learning about positive relationships and how to keep themselves healthy. A recent topic, 'healthy me,' gave pupils an opportunity to try new activities, such as yoga and dance fitness.

Pupils are taught about different cultures and beliefs. During the inspection, some pupils were fasting for Ramadan. They had the opportunity to teach their peers about why this is an important part of being a Muslim.

Pupils were keen to support them. Pupils have a clear understanding of fundamental British values. They recognise the importance of being respectful and tolerant.

Leaders plan different experiences and visits as part of the curriculum. Pupils were excited to learn about World War Two. They dressed as evacuees, learned dances and had food from that era.

It helped them to understand what it was like to live at that time in history. Pupils take part in these educational visits, including residential trips, to have new experiences and develop new skills.Governors are passionate about supporting the school.

They visit the school regularly. School leaders provide information to keep governors informed. However, the governing body members do not consistently use the full range of information available to them to guide their work.

They sometimes miss opportunities to challenge leaders further to hold them to account.

Staff are well supported by leaders. Leaders make sure that staff's workload is manageable.

They provide opportunities for professional development to all staff. Staff are happy to work in such a supportive team.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in this school. They ensure all staff and governors understand the wide range of risks that pupils may face. Staff know pupils well.

As a result, staff notice any changes and report their concerns quickly. Leaders take swift action to ensure pupils are safe and get the help they need. Leaders work closely with external agencies, such as following up on referrals for additional help from children's services.

Leaders ensure all statutory checks on staff and visitors are made.

Leaders make sure pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils know to tell an adult if they have a worry.

They know adults will listen to them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge for pupils to remember. Teachers are unsure what to emphasise in lessons and what to assess.

This means that pupils do not consistently secure the most important knowledge and skills. Leaders should make sure that the most important knowledge is identified so that teachers can emphasise it clearly and check whether pupils have learned it. ? Governors do not use the full range of information available to them to guide their work.

This means they miss opportunities to hold leaders to account. Governors should ensure they use the information they receive to provide rigorous challenge and support to school leaders.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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2018.

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