Longridge Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Longridge Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend Longridge Church of England Primary School. They arrive each day with positive attitudes, ready to learn. Pupils are courteous and polite.

They are respectful of one another during lessons and at playtimes.

Pupils feel safe in school. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive.

Pupils said that leaders deal with any poor behaviour or bullying so that it does not reoccur. Pupils know that leaders have high expectations of them. They try their best to live up to these expectations and follow the school rules.

...They enjoy earning points, stars and certificates for good behaviour.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that go beyond the taught curriculum. Recently, pupils have planted trees in the school grounds.

Children in the early years have planted sunflower seeds ready for the summer. Older pupils relish taking on a range of extra responsibilities. These include becoming captains and vice-captains of the school's house teams.

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils leave Year 6 well prepared for the challenges of secondary school.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum.

They have carefully considered the important skills and knowledge they want pupils to acquire in each year group. Governors ensure that all pupils in the school benefit from an effective curriculum. They hold leaders to account for the quality of the education that pupils receive.

Children in the early years get off to the best possible start. Learning in the early years sets the foundations for what leaders want pupils to learn in key stages 1 and 2.

Subject leaders engage in a wide range of regular, professional training.

This helps them to keep their knowledge up to date. They support teachers well to deliver effective curriculums in different subjects.

Teachers introduce new learning carefully.

They ensure that new learning builds on what pupils have learned before. Teachers use assessment systems well to check that pupils know and remember earlier learning.

Staff know pupils well.

This helps them to identify pupils' additional needs at an early stage. Leaders ensure that all staff have the necessary training needed to provide effective support for all pupils, including those with SEND. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their friends and achieve well.

The promotion of reading is a high priority across the school. Leaders have planned the phonics curriculum well. Teachers introduce new phonics to pupils in a logical order.

The books that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 take home to practise build on the sounds that they have learned in class. That said, some staff do not always follow leaders' agreed approach to the delivery of the phonics curriculum. This means that, from time to time, a small number of pupils do not develop their confidence and fluency in reading as quickly as they could.

During lessons, pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm and productive environments. Pupils get on with their learning without being interrupted by any poor behaviour.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about other faiths and cultures. Pupils are tolerant of views and opinions that may differ to their own. They have many opportunities to develop their citizenship skills, for example by engaging in a wide range of fundraising activities for their local community.

Staff are very positive in their support for school leaders. Staff told the inspector that leaders really do consider their workload and well-being. Staff said that they feel well supported.

They said that they have the time and training they need to do their jobs well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an established culture of safeguarding at Longridge Church of England Primary School.

Leaders ensure that all staff receive regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. Staff know how to raise and respond to safeguarding concerns.

Leaders are vigilant and determined in their safeguarding duties.

They follow up concerns swiftly. Leaders work in close partnership with a range of expert services. They provide suitable support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Members of the local governing body have a strong oversight of safeguarding procedures in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, a small number of staff do not follow the agreed approach to the delivery of the phonics curriculum. As a result, a minority of pupils do not receive a consistent approach to the development of their early reading skills.

This in turn slows down these pupils' ability to develop their reading fluency and confidence. Leaders should ensure that all staff follow the agreed approach to the delivery of the phonics curriculum.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 23 February 2012.

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