Setting

Mrs P Evans The Acting Headteacher Longleaze Primary School Byron Avenue Wootton Bassett Swindon Wiltshire SN4 8BA

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Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 2 November 2010, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please thank the chair of governors and the pupils on the school council who also contributed to the evidence gathered.

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Primary School

Since your last inspection there has been a change in staffing as people moved on to new posts. You currently have two teachers on maternity leave and the headteacher has been on sick leave since September 2010. You, as the substantive deputy, are currently acting headteacher in his place. The deputy’s role is being shared by the senior management team which includes the head of the special needs unit based at the school. The school, parents and governors have recently successfully campaigned to keep this unit open. You have one newly qualified teacher and two classes with job shares. There is now one class that is mixed aged for some Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, others are single-aged classes.

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Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 26 and 27 November 2008, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Primary School

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made:

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Primary School

good progress in making improvements and good progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement. Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : Fiona.allan1@tribalgroup.com Pupils’ achievement has improved; although their average overall attainment remains below the national average. However, the school’s published results do not always reflect the good progress pupils make from their starting points as you cater for an unusually high number of pupils with special educational and complex needs.

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Primary School

Pupils’ learning in English and mathematics lessons is generally good. Most pupils are now making, or exceeding, the expected rate of progress year-on-year in both subjects. If they are not then effective interventions to support them are quickly put into place. The overall picture of good progress includes those with special educational and complex needs and those who are potentially high achievers. The proportion reaching the higher levels in Year 2 and Year 6 increased in 2010. The dip in mathematics, seen in 2009, has been successfully redressed. Pupils have made significant progress in improving their writing from the early years onwards as a result of: additional staff training; the use of imaginative methods, such as the recent visit from a ‘pirate’ (who left messages for pupils to answer) that engage both boys’ and girls’ attention; and, the determined focus on raising standards. Case studies seen demonstrated how well pupils, including the potentially vulnerable, are

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Primary School

helped effectively to progress academically and socially. Liaison between the special needs unit staff, the class teachers, teaching assistants and parents is good.

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Primary School

The local authority has provided good support, most recently in mathematics. The overall provision is stronger now than at the last inspection and this includes the outdoor learning provided for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The whole school has a richer curriculum that includes imaginative themes and events that capture the pupils’ interest and motivates pupils to write on a wider variety of subjects. Improving some of the technical aspects of writing rightly remains an ongoing focus for development.

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Primary School

A larger proportion of teaching is good rather than satisfactory. Assessment is better used to plan the next steps in learning and pupils now have time to respond to teachers’ marking and to learn from what is said. Pupils’ target setting is currently being personalised and the use of information and communication technology, such as the Merlin platform, is one method helping families to follow what pupils are studying and to see how they can help them. Parents are supportive of the school and this is shown by their regular support, for example in the Reception class, as well as the generally good levels of pupils’ attendance. The school goes the extra mile to help families and pupils when life is tough and to keep potentially vulnerable pupils in attendance. Safeguarding procedures are secure. The pupils’ well-being and personal development continue to be good as does their behaviour. There have been

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Primary School

no exclusions recently. School councillors are rightly proud of the contribution they make to seeing that the school is a friendly and happy place for all who attend. They reported that children feel safe and happy at school.

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Primary School

You and the headteacher have successfully led the school improvement and you have involved and coached more staff to develop their roles as subject leaders. As acting headteacher you have provided strong leadership during the headteacher’s absence. The leaders of English and mathematics have a firm grasp on the areas for development and are now able to use assessment data well to support the drive for further improvement. The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is developing satisfactorily. Overall, the raised standards in writing throughout the school and the school’s ability to function well even in the absence of the headteacher shows it now has a good capacity to continue improving. You are confident to share tasks out and devolve some of the responsibility as the whole- school team is working well.

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Primary School

Please wish the headteacher a speedy recovery and I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in the school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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place in November 2008

 Raise standards in writing throughout the school and, in particular, ensure that pupils have more opportunities for writing in other subjects.  Improve opportunities for the development of children's early writing skills and for learning outdoors in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Ensure that full use is always made of assessment information to provide all pupils with the right level of challenge, including those with special educational needs and the more able pupils.  Develop the role of subject leaders and the Early Years Foundation Stage leader, particularly their knowledge of how to use assessment data to develop pupils' learning.

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