Langham Village School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 24–25 November 2011 Inspection number 380114 Langham Village School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 120825 Local Authority Norfolk Inspection number 380114 Inspection dates 24–25 November 2011 Reporting inspector Judi Bedawi

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 89 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Matt Coe Headteacher Mike Green Date of previous school inspection 31 October 20065 School address North Street Langham Holt NR25 7DG Telephone number 01328 830377 Fax number 01328 830377 Email address office@langham.norfolk.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 11 lessons taught by six teachers. They held meetings with pupils, the staff and members of the governing body, and had informal discussions with parents and carers. They observed the school’s work, looked in detail at pupils’ books, monitoring records and data on pupils’ attainment, a range of school documentation and policies including those related to safeguarding and the schools’ evaluation of its performance. The inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires from 83 parents and carers, 12 staff and 50 pupils.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The inspectors explored the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and the impact on children’s learning.  They investigated the extent of innovative practice across the school and the impact on pupils’ learning.  The inspection team considered the opportunities for pupils to undertake independent learning and research.

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Information about the school

Langham is a very small school situated in rural North Norfolk. About half of the pupils come from other small villages across this wide and remote area. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage with a very few from Other White backgrounds. None are learning English as an additional language. An above average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities at the school action plus stage. No pupils have a statement of educational need. A low proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. The headteacher, who has no deputy, teaches on two days of the week. There are 3 classes, for Reception children and Year 1 pupils; for Years 2 and 3; and for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. The school has adopted the International Primary Curriculum and has the full International Award. It also has Investors in Pupils and Extended Healthy Schools status.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

Langham provides its pupils with an outstanding quality of education. The inspirational headteacher, his dedicated staff team and the astute governing body, all share the drive, skills and ambition to build on the school’s many successes, with energy and enthusiasm. The school’s evaluation of its performance is detailed and highly accurate. The diversity of pupils’ academic interests and their personal achievements is celebrated. Parents’ and carers’ are closely involved in their children’s education and show great appreciation of the school’s work. They typically comment, ‘This is a dynamic and nurturing school, giving an educational experience that our children will treasure.’

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Main findings

Current standards are high in Years 2 to 6, with the very large majority of pupils working at levels at least two years above their chronological ages, in English and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities also attain highly compared to similar pupils nationally. They are on track to achieve expected levels for average ability Year 6 pupils in 2012. Standards have been well above average for several years. As a result, pupils make outstanding progress in learning. Their reasoning skills are highly developed in the clarity of their responses to teachers’ extremely challenging questions. Teaching and the assessment of pupils’ progress are outstanding, characterised, for example, by impressive expectations. In the Reception and Year 1 class, standards and teaching are good and significantly improved since the previous inspection. Pupils’ learning needs are met well, enabling

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Main findings

them to make consistently good progress with some that is outstanding in the youngest children’s reading and writing in Year 1. However, lesson planning in both years, although good, is not of the same quality as the planning for individual pupils in other years, in setting consistently challenging tasks to accelerate learning.

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Main findings

Pupils’ personal development is outstanding. They are inquisitive and enthusiastic learners, relishing the innovative curriculum and opportunities for scientific enquiry involved in the beach project. They take strong ownership of their independent learning. Their behaviour is excellent and their uptake of healthy lifestyles is impressive, as is their contribution to local, wider and international communities.

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Main findings

Given the high standards of attainment, pupils’ outstanding progress and personal development and excellent improvement since the previous inspection, the school’s capacity to further improve is outstanding.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further increase children’s progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Year 1, by fully adopting the outstanding lesson planning practice evident in other years, to provide challenge and accelerate each child’s learning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils enter the Reception class with attainment that is typically in line with national age-related expectations. This is evident in their social development, language and emergent number skills. They make good progress and move into Year 1 at above expected levels. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are promptly identified and precise support is rapidly established, enabling impressive gains in learning. From Year 2 to Year 6, pupils’ progress accelerates dramatically with outstanding progress for all groups of pupils. By Year 6, pupils undertake striking independent work during lessons, using laptops in mathematics to produce high- calibre, superbly-presented data analysis, reflecting their individual research interests. In an outstanding Year 2 and 3 poetry lesson, pupils worked independently using alliteration, adjectives, similes and imaginative vocabulary exceptionally well.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

For example, a pupil read, ‘I like to hear sparkling fireworks like the crackling of a roast chicken.’ The teacher set an exhilarating pace, continually challenging pupils to improve, checking their knowledge of individual learning targets and levels. All pupils knew exactly how well they were doing and what to do next.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils relish learning and acquiring new skills. One simply said, echoing others’ views, ‘Lessons are either interesting or fun...but usually both!’ Pupils say there is no bullying so they feel extremely safe in school. They enjoy learning about cyber- bullying and staying safe in the community. Attendance is above average, but a very few parents’ and carers’ take holidays in term time. This limits their children’s learning. Pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles and pupils regularly participate in a range of sports. The school has an enviable reputation for winning inter-school events in football and athletics as well as participating in sailing, archery and fencing. Pupils’ awareness of other societies and cultures beyond their own is impressive. They regularly use the ‘web’ to communicate with pupils in partner schools around the world, including India and Japan. The choir performed at

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

the Royal Albert Hall. Already learning French, Spanish and Finnish, pupils are keenly anticipating learning to speak Russian. The school council manages a small budget and has introduced an ‘ideas box’ with suggestions taken on board by the headteacher, and frequently fundraises for the school and national and international charities. Pupils’ understanding of, and response to, moral issues is exemplary, as observed in an assembly when the headteacher described a situation he should have managed better when he was a teenager.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

The quality of staff teamwork is outstanding. It is completely focused on providing pupils with high quality, enjoyable learning experiences. Subject knowledge and questioning are superb, fully meeting pupils’ needs, including those who are gifted and talented and those identified as needing individual or small group support. The impressive emphasis on independence allows pupils to become confident in managing their own learning and enhances their reasoning and work-planning skills. Expectations set for pupils of all abilities are exceptionally high and pupils eagerly rise to the exacting challenges. Extremely accurate tracking and assessment of progress are shared with pupils on a daily basis. Excellent, detailed lesson plans are amended as needed to inform the progress of pupils in following lessons. Parents and carers value the regular information about their children’s progress.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum is at the forefront of innovative practice, with new ideas relevant to pupils’ enjoyment and learning readily adopted. It is flexibly adapted for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Science and the environment have a high profile. A governor’s idea has become ‘the beach project’, profiling the environmental footprint of local beaches and surrounding areas. Pupils work with the University of East Anglia scientists and with Natural England, accurately identifying scientific information and recording findings. There are significant strengths in physical education and music, including participation in the drum club involving children from the Early Years Foundation Stage to pupils in Year 6. The use of English, mathematics and information and communication technology in different

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

subjects are particularly strong. In art, pupils’ paintings, based on Van Gogh’s ‘sunflowers’, are on a par with secondary school work. Visits, including residential experiences for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 enrich pupils’ personal development and knowledge, as do visitors involved in project work. There is excellent use of facilities, including use of a local secondary school swimming pool; all significantly expand pupils’ learning experiences in this very small school. Parents and carers say, ‘The school’s approach to extra-curricular activities is outstanding.’

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

All aspects of pastoral care and support are excellent. The staff know their pupils and families extremely well. They act promptly to ensure that excellent school links with external welfare groups are utilised to support pupils, including those who find themselves in vulnerable situations, and where relevant, their families, to get the right kind of help. Thorough attendance monitoring has identified the need to reduce term-time holidays. Transition arrangements are highly valued by pupils and their families.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The visionary headteacher, his forward thinking staff and the governing body have excellent skills and strategies that demonstrate best, innovative practice, noted in development and subject action plans. They refuse to rest on their laurels and eagerly explore new initiatives or ideas further to extend pupils’ progress and learning. Challenging targets are consistently met. The staff work flexibly to meet the needs of this very small school and its pupils. Monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance, including teaching and learning, is thorough and involves not only staff but also members of the governing body, who are extremely astute in asking the right questions and in challenging the headteacher’s decisions.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school enjoys an excellent, mutual partnership with its parents and carers. Many volunteer as helpers in lessons or on school trips. Their contribution and that of the highly successful School Friends association is highly valued. Parents and carers regularly attend information evenings, for example, to learn about assessment and helping with home learning. One said, ‘Leadership and communication are excellent.’ Partnerships to promote learning are impressive, from the links with the local Sure Start Centre, to the use of several local schools’ facilities, particularly for sporting events. Work with the University of East Anglia has an impact on pupils’ future career aspirations. Equality of opportunity is outstanding for all pupils. They fully

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

understand that discriminatory behaviour is totally unacceptable.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Safeguarding is outstanding in all aspects, including the attention and support given to those pupils and families facing significant difficulties in their lives. The promotion of community cohesion is excellent because the school reaches out to communities far beyond their immediate locality. This has a marked impact on pupils’ understanding of communities that are significantly different to their own.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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driving improvement

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children are happy, with many friends. They settle quickly, enjoying known school routines. They make good progress in learning through play and in a few aspects, including physical development, where their progress is outstanding, observed in a lesson that showed children’s excellent football dribbling skills, significantly better than that of children of similar ages. Their early reading and writing development is enhanced by the good focus on learning about letters and their sounds. Teamwork and the quality of teaching is good, with an increasing proportion of outstanding practice. The individual ‘learning journey’ books show good evidence of ongoing assessment and some outstanding progress. This is less evident in lesson plans which do not match the excellent practice higher up the school. This is because planned tasks offer limited challenge to enable all children to accelerate their learning, for example, in creative development. There is a good balance of adult-

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Early Years Foundation Stage

directed and child-led learning, with free access to the small but well used outdoor area. Right from the start, expectation of children’s independence is a strong feature. Leadership and management are good, staff are well trained and fully understand the needs of young children. Welfare arrangements including safeguarding are, as in the rest of the school, outstanding. Parents and carers are involved in all aspects of

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

their children’s early education and are welcome to stay and play with their children at the start of the day. One commented, ‘there is an excellent pre-entry transition programme.’

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

There was an exceptionally high response to the questionnaire. Almost all parents and carers who responded were entirely positive about all aspects of their children’s education. All said that their children enjoy school and they are happy with the quality of education, that healthy lifestyles are well promoted and they are enabled to support their children’s learning. They also felt teaching and the leadership and management of the school are good. The inspection judgements found all aspects mentioned in the questionnaire to be outstanding.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Langham Village School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 83 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 89 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 72 87 11 13 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 68 82 14 17 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 58 70 24 29 1 1 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 53 64 27 33 1 1 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 70 84 13 16 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 60 72 23 28 0 0 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 66 80 17 20 0 0 0 0 The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 61 73 21 25 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 60 72 21 25 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 51 61 29 35 0 0 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 57 69 25 30 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 77 93 6 7 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 74 89 9 11 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 08 April 2011 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.  The school’s capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Langham Village School, Holt, NR25 7DG

Thank you for giving us such a delightful welcome when we visited your lovely school recently. We could see how much you enjoy learning and how hard you all work. You impressed us with your excellent behaviour. Well done! It was really good to hear that you could not think of anything that could be better. I particularly enjoyed listening to those of you in the drumming club, preparing for a performance for your families. Your drumming skills are excellent. We are glad that you feel very safe because everyone looks after you exceptionally well. You go to an outstanding school and make far better progress than pupils in almost all other primary schools; keep it up! Your headteacher and the staff want to continue to improve your school. I have asked them to do this:

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Inspection of Langham Village School, Holt, NR25 7DG

 to improve the lesson plans in the Reception and Year 1 classes, so that you all get more challenging work and make faster progress

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Inspection of Langham Village School, Holt, NR25 7DG

You can help your teachers by telling them if learning is too easy in Class 1. You can also remind your families that you will miss a lot of learning if you go on holiday during term time.

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Inspection of Langham Village School, Holt, NR25 7DG

I know that you will continue to find life and learning interesting and fun at Langham.

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from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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