Langley Primary School

Langley Primary School Titford Road, Oldbury, B69 4QB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement across the school is good because they are taught well.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics has been steadily rising and is now average at the end of Year 6.  Teaching is good with some examples of outstanding practice across the school.  Teachers are skilled at helping pupils to know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve their work.  A wide range of memorable events mean pupils are excited about their learning.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. There are strong relationships between all in the school and as a result the school is a cohesive and tolerant community.  Leaders and governors have been effective in improving the quality of teaching. This has resulted in improving standards and in challenging the more-able pupils to reach higher National Curriculum levels, particularly in writing.  Targeted small group support for pupils who

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

may be finding work difficult is very effective in helping them to make rapid improvements.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Sometimes, in whole class sessions, teachers do not make sure that all pupils are involved in answering questions and so their learning slows in that part of the lesson.  Work set in class for less-able pupils is not always exactly matched to their specific learning needs. As a result their progress slows during some lessons.  Subject leaders have not yet had sufficient opportunity to develop their skills of monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, in their areas of responsibility, through observing their colleagues’ lessons.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 23 lessons and part-lessons and saw 21 members of staff teaching and working with the pupils. They were accompanied by the headteacher or deputy headteacher in five of the observations.  Meetings were held with staff, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and with pupils from Years 1 to 6.  The inspectors heard pupils read from Years 1, 3, 5 and 6.  Inspectors looked at the school’s development plans and monitoring files, the headteacher’s leadership files, and arrangements for performance management of staff, and evaluated the work of the governing body. They also looked at the school’s records of pupils’ progress and evaluated work in pupils’ books.  There were only seven responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) and so no information is available. Inspectors held informal discussions with parents and carers after an assembly and at the start of the school day. Inspectors also took note of the school’s survey of

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Inspection team

Jenny Batelen, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Bailey Additional Inspector Adam Hewett Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school with 15 classes.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the 66-place Nursery and two Reception classes.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. These include pupils with complex learning needs and behavioural and social emotional needs.  An above-average proportion of pupils come from a range of backgrounds including Indian, Pakistani, White and Black Caribbean and White European.  The proportion of pupils who join and leave the school other than at normal times is higher than average.  An above-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language and start school, either in the Early Years Foundation Stage or in different year groups, speaking little or

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Information about this school

no English.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the pupils from service families) is above average. There are no pupils from service families at the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement further so that all pupils make at least consistently good progress, especially the less-able by:  making sure that all pupils are involved in whole class sessions and are keen to answer questions  planning tasks that meet the specific needs of the less-able pupils.  Strengthen the skills of subject leaders so that they can fully evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of teaching and learning by observing their colleagues’ lessons and providing developmental advice.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in Nursery with basic skills that are below those typical for their age, especially in communication, language and literacy.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils, including those from a range of backgrounds, make good progress throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics. The constant encouragement to talk in pairs, groups and to the whole class means that communication skills are developed well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of pupils in Year 6, who have been in the school since at least Year 2, making rapid progress, is similar to the national average in reading and mathematics, but higher than national in writing. This is because the pupils engage well with their writing activities that link to other subjects studied.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school other than at usual times are helped to settle and make good progress through small group support and the friendship of their new classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who speak little or no English are helped to acquire the basic literacy skills in order to access the full curriculum because adults work with them in their home language as well as in English during their early days in school. As a result they are able to settle well and make good progress, particularly in Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are clearly identified and their needs are suitably assessed and planned for. Small group work and one-to-one support in class are both effective. Improvements to the way their progress is tracked means that these pupils are now making more rapid progress. However, the specific learning needs of less-able pupils are sometimes not clearly identified and so tasks planned for them do not help them to make good progress consistently in all lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The skilled teaching of phonics (sounds that letter make) means that pupils have great confidence in tackling unfamiliar texts and in using these skills to help them write words. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2012 was in line with the national average. Pupils enjoy reading a range of books and talk with enthusiasm about the books they are currently reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils who benefit from the pupil premium make similar progress to their peers. The average point scores (a method of measuring pupils’ attainment) for these pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 show that they are two terms behind other pupils in English, but reach similar standards in mathematics. The school has good evidence that the gap between the attainment of these pupils and that of their classmates is beginning to close in all year groups. The extra funding is used to provide extra staff to support smaller teaching groups and individuals and to ensure that these pupils are able to participate in all school activities.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons are planned to make sure that pupils make progress from what they have previously learnt. There is a rigorous and consistent process of helping pupils to check how well they have done, decide what they need to do to succeed in the lesson and then to check their progress at the end of the lesson.  Oral and written feedback informs pupils how well they have done and how they can improve their work. As a result pupils are very clear about how well they are doing and how they are progressing towards their targets.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have a range of exciting opportunities to explore and develop their learning through adult-led and self-initiated activities, both inside and outside. Children are helped to develop their skills and to do their very best as was clearly demonstrated when a group in the Reception class, writing about caterpillars, were able to write complex sentences, using punctuation and also their phonic ‘robot arms’ to help them spell the word ‘cocoon’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan activities that have links across the subjects pupils are studying. As a result pupils understand the purpose for the task. Pupils in Year 3, learning about Brazil, made excellent progress in applying the skills of note-taking as they watched a video clip about the Amazon and made notes ready for more extended writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All adults are skilled at questioning pupils and challenging them to extend their thinking. This was clearly demonstrated in a Year 6 mathematics lesson as the range of questions helped pupils to deepen their understanding of probability. Occasionally teachers do not make sure that in a whole-class session all pupils are answering the questions or sharing back information. As a result some pupils lose concentration and their progress slows.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Tasks planned make sure that most pupils are able to make at least good progress and work independently, when required. In some lessons the work for the less-able pupils does not take full account of their prior learning and may be too hard, so that they are not able to tackle the task successfully.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A wide range of small-group focused activities take place every day. These help pupils to make progress in particular areas of learning that they find difficult. Skilled teaching assistants, including the ‘Learning Champions’, lead these effectively as well as giving good support in classrooms to individuals and groups.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is typically good. They are well-mannered and polite and pleased to talk about their school with visitors.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Clear behaviour management strategies and effective behaviour support, led by the learning mentor, mean that those who find it difficult to manage their feelings are helped to get on well with others. The school has clear evidence of improvements in behaviour for such pupils. Parents comment positively about the improvements in behaviour. There have been no exclusions since the previous inspection.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Where teaching is good and better, pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They are keen to learn, ask questions and make good progress in their lessons. They appreciate the fact that their teachers help them and comment that their ‘teachers are kind’. Very occasionally, when adults don’t ensure work is suitable or pupils are fully engaged in the discussion, pupils lose focus and interest in their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school. They spoke very positively about the buddy system that helps Year 3 settle into the Key Stage 2 break times. They report that there is very little bullying of any kind and that any there may be, such as name-calling, is effectively dealt with by the adults in school. They are confident that adults will help them if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe, including when using modern technology.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has a range of strategies to improve attendance and, as a result, this has risen since the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, well supported by the deputy headteacher, has enabled the school to make good progress since the previous inspection. The careful monitoring of all pupils’ progress is ensuring that there are improvements in learning for all groups and individuals, so that there is no discrimination against any group or individual. Well-planned support and training has ensured that the quality of teaching has continued to improve. This demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders carefully analyse how well the school is doing and draw up clear action plans to address priorities. All leaders take responsibility for monitoring the progress of pupils but subject leaders have not yet had enough opportunity to develop skills so that they can observe lessons and provide developmental feedback to their colleagues.

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The leadership and management are good

 The robust process of setting targets for improvements to teaching mean that teachers understand how they are responsible for the progress of pupils in their class and that there is no automatic progression up the pay spine.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils and teachers plan together the themes they study that cover the range of subjects. Pupils love the exciting moments, such as when a mysterious package arrives in Year 1 from Barnaby Bear, which leads to the next learning activity. Visits and visitors further enhance pupils’ learning. They develop a good understanding of different cultures across the world, as well as those represented in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding requirements are in place and parents are confident that their children are kept safe in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority gives ‘light touch’ support, particularly supporting the evaluation of the school’s work and helping members of the governing body understand the school and national information about pupil attainment and progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body have a range of skills which they use effectively to monitor and support the work of the school. They are able to ask pertinent questions and challenge the school leadership regarding the standards that pupils reach compared with the national average. Governors have a clear understanding of the areas that need developing. They know about the quality of teaching and the impact of this on pupil progress. Governors understand and check the process of setting targets for teachers and make sure that increases in pay and promotion are justified by pupils’ progress and achievement. Governors know how the pupil premium funding is used and how this makes a difference for those pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 103978 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 400041

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 440 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Petra Stannaway Headteacher Tony James Date of previous school inspection 15 February 2011 Telephone number 0121 5521744 Fax number 0121 5522300 Email address tony.james@langley-pri.sandwell.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available 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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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

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 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

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School details

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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School details

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

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