Longden CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, happy and safe at this welcoming school.

They enjoy learning and are proud of their achievements. For example, they talk confidently about how they learn to play a range of musical instruments and perform regular concerts in the community.

Relationships are a strength of the school.

Older pupils organise and play games with younger children at playtimes. Older pupils are seen and act as role models. Similarly, adults care about pupils.

All staff are well trained in supporting pupils' mental health, so pupils feel assured that there is always someone to talk to if they are worried. Pupils behave well and say both bullying and disrup...tive behaviour are rare. One pupil said, 'The biggest rule of the school is no bullying.

We just won't have it.'

The school has raised the expectations of what pupils can achieve. Leaders have acted quickly to put in place a curriculum that is ambitious and reflects the national curriculum.

Pupils achieve well in English and mathematics. However, this is not the case in all subjects. The curriculum does not yet identify precisely what pupils need to know and this means that pupils do not learn what leaders expect.

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

In a short space of time, new leaders have rapidly improved the school's curriculum. There is now a formal curriculum in place for all subjects. New subject leaders have been appointed and there is a shared drive to improve the school.

Leaders have quickly identified areas that needed strengthening and put actions in place to do this. For example, all staff have been retrained in the school's phonics approach in order to ensure that the scheme is followed carefully. The teaching of English and mathematics has developed because staff are now clear about what they should teach and when.

Expectations have been raised and this means pupils' outcomes are improving.

In other subjects, the curriculum is less developed. Leaders are still in the process of identifying the precise knowledge that they want the pupils to know and remember.

Teaching does not always build on what pupils can already do or address gaps in their knowledge. While staff are developing strong assessment systems in English and mathematics, these are underdeveloped in other subjects. Teachers do not systematically check what pupils can and cannot do.

This means gaps and misconceptions remain unchecked.

Leaders have worked hard to develop the culture of reading across the school. They have carefully mapped out the stories that they want the pupils to know and love.

Pupils value story time. Phonics is taught well. Skilled staff address misconceptions and ensure support is put in place for any pupil who needs additional practice.

Most pupils make a prompt start learning to read. However, children in early years do not start learning their sounds quickly enough.The nursery is a hive of activity.

The youngest children are curious and settle into school quickly. Relationships across early years are strong and children learn how to interact well with both adults and their friends. However, the curriculum in the early years lacks precision for some children.

It is not clear what the children should learn and when. Activities do not have a clear intent, which means opportunities are missed to develop children's knowledge and skills.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Their needs are identified and skilled staff ensure that the most appropriate support is quickly put in place. Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school and achieve well.

New leaders have significantly improved attendance.

They have worked with parents and carers to ensure that they understand the importance of pupils being in school regularly. As a result, the number of pupils who regularly miss school has declined significantly.

The school's values of 'share, care and be fair' come through all aspects of school life.

While this is a Church of England school, pupils know and understand about other faiths and beliefs. Pupils value the opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as being school councillors and organising charity events.

Governors are skilled and carry out their duties well.

They have an accurate view of the school and this enables them to effectively hold leaders to account. Staff are proud to work in the school. They are positive about the recent changes and appreciate how workload has been well managed.

Additionally, parents are overwhelmingly positive. They appreciate the strong communication and feel they understand and appreciate the changes that are taking place.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is not coherently planned and sequenced and leaders are at an early stage of identifying the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not develop a deep enough understanding and do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that pupils' learning in all subjects is well sequenced so that teaching helps pupils to know and remember more over time.

The use of assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics is at an early stage of development. This means that teachers and subject leaders are not clear about what pupils understand and remember, or what gaps in learning pupils have. Leaders should ensure that assessment is used effectively to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and use this information to plan next steps in learning.

• The early years curriculum does not identify and order the precise knowledge and skills that children need to know across the whole early years phase. As a result, learning does not support children to build their knowledge and skills systematically over time well enough. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced from Nursery to Reception so that children are prepared for learning in Year 1.

• Children in early years do not make a quick enough start in learning to read. This means children do not progress as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that children in Reception make a quicker start learning to read.