Longworth Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this welcoming school. In class they are keen to learn and appreciate how well their teachers know them.

In the mixed year group classes and across the school, pupils of all ages get to know each other. Older pupils take pride in helping younger children as reading buddies and during social times in the playground.

The school's values are well understood.

Pupils recognise how these shared values help to create a nurturing environment. Pupils rise to the school's shared high behaviour expectations and disruption to learning is uncommon. Staff provide additional support to help the small number of pupils who find managing their behaviour mor...e difficult.

This helps these pupils make the necessary improvements to help them also behave positively.

Pupils feel safe at school. They appreciate the thoughtful pastoral care and guidance they receive that helps them to understand how to look after themselves and their friends.

If they have concerns, pupils know they should talk to staff to get the help they need.

Children in early years enjoy the range of outdoor activities in their shared play space. Through play, staff help children in the Nursery develop skills in readiness for moving to Reception.

Pupils of all ages value the way that they are prepared for their next steps in their education.

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

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. Staff are united in their aim of providing a full education that will help pupils to flourish in life.

The school has recently introduced a range of suitable systems and approaches to achieve this. While these are already having a widespread positive impact, staff recognise that continued refinement will be needed before they are fully realised to help pupils achieve highly across the curriculum.

The school's new curriculum precisely identifies the knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember.

Learning is logically sequenced. In most lessons, recap is frequent and is underpinned by teachers detailed subject knowledge. This helps pupils to recall their prior learning.

Teachers regularly check pupils' understanding and use targeted catch up and adaption of teaching where it is needed. However, in some areas, the new curriculum is not yet securely in place, and pupils are not consistently applying previous learning in their lessons. The school is rightly continuing to check that pupils are getting the support they need to accurately learn the curriculum.

This includes making checks on the provision in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers are very clear about pupils' individual needs, leading to support being put in place that is effective.

Children in both Nursery and Reception are well known by staff.

Children receive help to learn as individuals and while working with their peers in groups. Early reading and early mathematics are taught frequently and accurately but are less common in play activities. The school is continuing to develop ways to deliberately and precisely include these aspects within play to help children practise what they have learned.

Reading is a priority across the school. Pupils in the earlier stages of learning to read are carefully supported. Teachers' strong phonics knowledge means that pupils learn sounds and letters quickly.

Interventions are precisely targeted. The weekly whole-school reading assembly helps pupils to share their love of stories. The school has chosen books that reflect a wide variety of people, places and ideas which build on pupils' understanding of difference.

The school is expanding its range of texts to include more non-fiction and poetry to enhance what pupils read.

Staff carefully consider how the school's values support the school's culture. The importance of respect is emphasised and is well known by pupils.

They understand how they should treat each other, and how they should expect to be treated. In class, pupils' behaviour is calm, and their attitudes to learning are positive. Away from the classroom, some pupils do not always meet the school's high expectations for behaviour.

The school recognises this and is continuing to ensure that staff and pupils get the help they need to ensure that pupils behave well throughout the school.

A wide range of trips and opportunities help pupils to develop their understanding of the world. Local museum and gallery visits emphasise the cultural opportunities close to where pupils live.

Residential trips help develop pupils' independence and experiences. The school makes sure that potential barriers to pupils joining in are overcome, meaning all pupils can attend.

Some pupils' attendance remains too low.

This means they miss out on the valuable education on offer. While the school is creative in helping pupils to attend regularly, leaders recognise the need to strengthen this further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are some inconsistencies in implementation of the new curriculum, and other policies and processes. This means that staff do not always make the most of the range of new plans and structures which are in place to support all aspects of pupils' education. The school should continue to refine how it checks the implementation and impact of the new curriculum to ensure this is in line with expectations.

• Some pupils are not attending school as regularly as they should. As a result, they are missing out on vital learning. The school needs to continue to strengthen its actions to support these pupils to improve their attendance.