Longlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Longlands Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

One pupil summed things up well when they said: 'When I get up in the morning, I look forward to coming to school.'

Pupils enjoy school. They say that it is a fun, safe and welcoming place. Pupils attend regularly.

Parents and carers are very positive about their children's experiences of school. Almost all would recommend it.

There is a great sense of community at Longlands.

Pupils are kind to one another and they play well together at break and lunchtimes. Their 'wonderful walking' in corridors is another example of how pupils follow the school's rules of 're...ady', 'respectful' and 'safe'.

Classrooms and corridors are full of colour.

They reflect the pride that staff and pupils take in their work. The school does a lot of high-quality work to help pupils, right from Reception, to understand the importance of looking after their mental health and emotional well-being. This work helps pupils to develop their resilience and to stay positive when things get that little bit more difficult.

Pupils achieve well. They also know that reading is important. They enjoy it, making use of the reading corners, library and sessions with Alfie the school dog.

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

The school makes sure that pupils are taught a broad and balanced curriculum. There are lots of opportunities for pupils to bring their subject learning to life, including workshops such as those for history and religious education, visiting authors and trips.

The school's work to help pupils become confident readers and writers starts early in the Reception Year.

Pupils' daily phonics and regular catch-up sessions for those who need it help them to become fluent readers. That said, when some adults listen to weaker pupils reading, they do not ensure that pupils practise their phonics as well as they should. This holds these pupils back from fully developing their reading fluency.

Parents are well supported to help their children with their reading. Some are also trained 'reading ambassadors', helping to promote and support pupils across the school with their reading.

Staff are alert to any signs of pupils falling behind with their learning.

Pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified as quickly as possible. The school liaises with external agencies such as the early intervention team at the local authority to coordinate any support that is needed. Pupils with more complex needs receive the support and specialised provision that is outlined in their individual plans.

The school has taken time to carefully set out what pupils will learn in each subject. This helps staff to understand what pupils should know and remember as they move through the curriculum. Staff explain concepts well and they check whether pupils are developing misconceptions.

They use a variety of well-chosen resources, including in the Reception outdoor area, to help pupils to understand what they are learning. However, sometimes, class activities, including the adaptation of these activities for pupils with SEND, do not help pupils to deepen their subject-specific knowledge and skills.

In mathematics, leaders have worked effectively with external expertise to help develop the curriculum and inform training for staff.

Pupils are developing into confident mathematicians. For example, Year 6 have a secure understanding of translation, and pupils in Year 4 have built up fluency with their times tables.

The school is justly proud of its award for the way it enables pupils to learn and play outside.

Pupils have lots of activities to take part in during their breaks in the school day. The school's offer of clubs, residential visits, fund raising and opportunities for pupils to go out into the local area all combine to help pupils develop their sense of community and responsibility.

The school's focus on well-being also extends to school staff.

Staff, including those new to teaching, feel incredibly well supported. They have only positive things to say about working at Longlands, emphasising the school's flexibility and sense of teamwork.

Low-level disruption is rare and behaviour is well managed.

Pupils want to do well and typically get on with their activities, happily working together when asked to do so by their teachers. Children in Reception learn how to self-regulate. For example, they concentrate well during 'carpet sessions'.

Leaders are fully alert to any changes in pupils' attendance and are quick to liaise with parents and external agencies where needed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, class activities, including how well they are adapted for those pupils with SEND, do not match the ambition of the school's curriculum well.

Consequently, some pupils do not build up the depth of subject-specific knowledge and skills that the school intends. The school should strengthen the training and support for staff to ensure that the ambition of the subject curriculum for all pupils is fully realised. ? Occasionally, when some staff listen to weaker pupils reading, they do not ensure that pupils apply their phonics knowledge as well as they should.

As a result, these pupils do not benefit from the repeated practice that they need to fully build up their reading fluency. The school should refine its training and support for staff who listen to pupils reading.

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 February 2015.