Longshaw Community Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Longshaw Community Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming school. They feel happy, safe and well cared for.

They know their teachers are there to help them and know who to speak to if they have any concerns.

Pupils behave well in lessons and during playtimes. They enjoy the many rewards on offer for good behaviour.

They also know that teachers will listen to them and take the time to deal with any problems. If bullying happens, leaders deal with it quickly and effectively.

Leaders have high expectations of work and behaviour.

Pupils achieve well across a range of s...ubjects. Pupils enjoy the many visits and visitors that help them to remember what they have learned. Pupils talk confidently about what they have learned.

Pupils enjoy attending the many clubs on offer. Leaders ensure that staff encourage them to broaden their experiences and that new clubs are offered to encourage everyone to join in. Parents and carers are particularly appreciative that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are enabled to attend clubs and go on trips.

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

Leaders have prioritised the learning of reading. Pupils who need extra help get appropriate support. Staff are well trained and teach phonics consistently across the different year groups.

There are also additional opportunities for pupils to read with adults in school. As a result, most pupils make good progress from their starting points and become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils enjoy reading more complex texts as they progress through the school.

They have a good knowledge of a broad range of authors. They enjoy using the well-stocked and inviting school library and understand the importance of learning to read for their later life. Reading leaders champion the reading offer in school.

For most subjects, the curriculum is well sequenced and uses the pupils' local area as the starting point. Staff have good subject knowledge which helps them to explain what they are teaching clearly. Teachers use assessment effectively to check what pupils know.

However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not precisely identified the key knowledge and vocabulary that they expect pupils to learn and understand. Consequently, teachers' checks on what pupils know and remember do not fully match what they have taught. In addition, in these subjects, some pupils find it hard to make those learning connections which should help them to know and remember more.

Behaviour is a strength in the school. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are polite to one another and adults.

They want to learn and do their best. Although pupils understand and can explain the consequences set out in the behaviour policy, older pupils said that nothing more than a gentle reminder is ever needed for pupils to behave very well so that learning is not interrupted.

Leaders have ambitions for all pupils.

The experienced SEND team quickly identifies any additional needs that pupils have. Carefully designed activities ensure that pupils with SEND participate fully in lessons. Teachers put extra support in place and monitor it thoroughly to make sure that it is effective.

When needed, leaders use external agencies. Leaders have invested in school-based speech therapy to address the needs of some pupils.

Leaders are passionate about developing the whole child so that pupils understand their role in society.

Pupils understand the importance of attending school regularly and trying their best so that they can get good jobs when they are older. Leaders ensure that pupils know about the wider world so that they can be aspirational in their hopes for the future. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities and are keen to put themselves forward for a variety of roles in the school.

They respect these roles and feel that they have a real purpose. For example, when explaining the role of school councillors, a pupil said: 'You need to speak to those guys – they decide where the money gets spent.'

Staff are proud to work at this school.

They feel appreciated by leaders and know that workload is reduced where possible. Governors are well informed and know their school well. They provide appropriate support and challenge and use their skills effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have built a strong safeguarding team utilising a range of appropriate skills. Regular training means that all staff know and understand their responsibilities in keeping children safe.

They are vigilant and the team ensures that all staff keep their knowledge completely up to date.

Pupils have a very good understanding of the dangers associated with being online. They can explain how to stay safe and know that they should tell a trusted adult if they have concerns.

Pupils also value the way they can obtain access to support for mental health in school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, leaders have not precisely identified what key knowledge and vocabulary they want pupils to learn and understand. As a result, assessment is not sufficiently well matched to what pupils have learned and does not give teachers enough information upon which to base future learning.

It also makes it difficult for pupils to make connections between current and prior learning. Leaders should ensure that there is clarity regarding exactly what should be taught and assessed in all subjects so that pupils know and remember more.

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 May 2013.