St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury

St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury Langleybury Lane, Hunton Bridge, Kings Langley, WD4 8RJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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.  Standards have risen over recent years and pupils now leave at the end of Key Stage 2 with above average standards in English and mathematics.  All groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school.  Teaching is good and some is outstanding because lessons are interesting and teachers ensure that work is well matched to pupils’ different abilities.  Pupils know how well they are doing and receive clear guidance in teachers’ marking about how they can improve their work.  Good use is made of the school’s grounds to enthuse and encourage pupils’ learning and physical well-being.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They know how to stay safe in different situations and older pupils routinely help younger ones around school.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is particularly good and underpins their positive attitudes to learning and good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achievement.  The school is led well. The headteacher and senior staff carefully check the quality of teaching and closely track pupils’ progress to ensure both are at least good.  The governing body is very supportive of the school and is working effectively to further strengthen the way it works.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Boys’ progress in writing is not always as rapid as the progress made by girls.  Not enough teaching is outstanding to ensure all pupils maximise their achievement.  Some leaders have not yet built the skills required to analyse the progress pupils make in the subjects for which they are responsible.  The purpose and focus of governors’ monitoring visits are not clear enough and this hampers their effectiveness. Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons or parts of lessons, seven of which were seen together with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, staff, two groups of pupils, the acting chair and another member of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  Informal discussions were held with parents and carers.  The inspectors took account of the 72 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own parental questionnaires, 15 completed staff questionnaires and individual communications from parents.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a range of documentation including at the school’s checks on its performance, its analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress, records of behaviour and safety, school improvement plans, leaders’ records of classroom observations, the management of staff performance, safeguarding arrangements and records of governing body

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Information about this inspection

meetings.  They also looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on pupils’ attendance.

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Helen Bailey Additional Inspector Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional funding for certain groups, is below average. In this school, it currently applies to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or in local authority care.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action and at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs, are all below average.  The chair of the governing body has recently resigned so the vice–chair is currently holding the position of acting chair until a new chairperson is appointed.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of outstanding teaching and further improve pupils’ achievement, particularly boys by:  using practical and exciting opportunities to engage boys in writing and develop their skills so that they make the same rapid progress as girls in all lessons  ensuring that teachers regularly check the learning of pupils working with other adults in the lesson to ensure they make good or better progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by:  giving all leaders the opportunity to develop their skills so that they can analyse data and track progress in the subjects they lead  ensuring that governors’ visits are tightly focused on school improvement priorities and that findings are evaluated and clearly reported to other governors. Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 4 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

 While children typically start school with skills expected for their age, some have less well developed language and social skills. They make good progress in the nursery and reception classes because activities, both indoors and outside, are well-planned to help them learn and develop successfully.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A slight drop in standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2012 reflected lower starting points for some of these pupils. Work in books and school data show that progress was good last year, in Years 1 and 2, especially in writing. The progress of pupils in Key Stage 1 in the early days of this term is clearly good because they are being well taught.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of last year’s national screening check on how well pupils know the sounds that letters make (phonics) in Year 1 were above average. During the inspection, some Key Stage 1 pupils who find reading a challenge showed that they could confidently use their decoding skills to read words such as ‘supermarket’ while older pupils read ‘diphtheria’ with precision.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium make good progress in English and mathematics. There is no significant difference between their achievement and that of other pupils in school and they do better than other similar pupils nationally. The premium funding is used effectively to enable them to be taught in small groups or individually, as necessary so that they learn well. It has also been used to ensure that all pupils can take part in additional activities such as trips and residential visits which help bring their learning to life.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress and achieve well because support for them is well matched to their specific needs. Additional adults in the classroom are well-briefed and receive good training, enabling them to give high quality support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In all years pupils work with enthusiasm and sustained interest. They have positive attitudes to learning which underpins their good achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress throughout Key Stage 2. They leave the school in Year 6 with standards above average in English and mathematics. However, the progress made by boys in writing is uneven as reflected in the 2012 achievement data. Whilst their achievement overall is good, progress is still less rapid than girls’ progress in some year groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is at least good and some is outstanding because work is well matched to pupils’ abilities. This results in pupils’ good achievement in English and mathematics. From nursery onwards, pupils become successful learners because lessons capture their interest and stimulate their positive attitudes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 During the inspection pupils in Year 3 visited a Roman villa and were later able to talk expertly using subject-specific vocabulary, about the armour that one member of their class was dressed in. Pupils in Year 6 write moving accounts of wartime experiences after acting out an air raid. All pupils talk enthusiastically and with pride about the benefits of being a forest school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The reception and nursery classes give children a good start to school life. Activities are planned around children’s own interests and they have a wide range of opportunities to learn both in and Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 5 of 10

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The quality of teaching is good

outside the classroom. Independence is encouraged and children put on their own outdoor shoes and boots to explore the well-planned activities outside. By Year 1, pupils confidently use the ‘numeracy working wall’, which displays key information, to help them solve mathematical problems independently.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ask questions which both check pupils’ understanding and also deepen their thinking and reasoning. Pupils are asked to explain their answers to help extend their learning. For example, Year 2 pupils were asked to explain how a character from the book they were sharing might be feeling. They justified their answers both from the text and from their own experiences very articulately.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking in books is thorough and very helpful to pupils. Teachers regularly give guidance about the next steps in learning and pupils are routinely given the opportunity to respond. Books from last year show that pupils from Year 1 onwards made mature responses to teachers’ comments and improved their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils who receive the pupil premium, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are all well supported. They receive a good balance of small group and whole class teaching where the tasks are well matched to their specific needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Girls throughout the school make consistently good progress. Occasionally boys do not write to the same high standards. Boys made better progress when they were writing about practical experiences, such as sessions held in the forest school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Other adults in the classroom are very well briefed because teachers share and discuss their planning and what they expect pupils to learn. This means that all adults are aware of how best to support pupils. Occasionally, however, teachers rely too much on the feedback from the other adults rather than seeing for themselves how well the pupils are doing in a lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in and around school. Older pupils support younger ones and readily help the youngest children to find their way around, escorting them from the hall after assembly and showing them what to do with their lunch plates.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand what bullying is and know about its different forms including physical, emotional and cyber bullying. They say there is very little bullying in school but are confident that any isolated incidents are quickly dealt with by teachers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The ‘worry boxes’ in each classroom are highly valued and pupils know that any concerns they raise are taken seriously. ‘Golden time’ is very popular. Pupils say that sanctions placed on this for poor behaviour and the opportunity to earn back time is very fair and works well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school provides pupils with good guidance on how to keep safe. Pupils spoke knowledgably to the inspectors about firework, road and fire safety and were very clear about how to stay safe when using the computer.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they enjoy school and most parents agree that it is a happy place to be. Relationships are mutually respectful and pupils play a key role in decision-making through the school council. Attendance is above average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and are enthusiastic about their learning. Behaviour is not Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 6 of 10

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

outstanding because occasionally some pupils lose concentration if the pace of the lesson slows, become restless and rely on the teacher to keep them on task.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior leaders have improved the system for checking pupils’ progress throughout the school since the previous inspection. As a result, the progress of all individuals, and groups of pupils, is regularly checked to make sure that anyone in danger of falling behind is quickly identified and helped to catch up.

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The leadership and management are good

 The appraisal system introduced last year contributes to improvements in teaching. Leaders’ judgements about teachers’ performance are based directly on how much progress their pupils make and how well they fulfil their different roles in the school. Individual targets are used by senior leaders and the governing body to measure whether promotion up the pay scale is justified by results.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is well planned to help pupils develop literacy, numeracy and communication skills in different subjects. Pupils are able to choose their own topics for study which fosters independence and self-study skills. For example, last year pupils in Year 6 chose to study fashion in the summer term, and presented a catwalk show for the rest of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Physical Education is taught well by a specialist teacher and many additional clubs provide sporting and dance opportunities to help pupils to lead healthy lifestyles. The school has robust plans to develop this further over the coming year using the primary school sports funds. Good use is made of the school’s grounds to enthuse and encourage pupils’ learning and physical well- being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The ‘Link’ books are a good method of communicating between home and school and show that most pupils read regularly at home. They also provide opportunities for parents to communicate any concerns. Complaints and other procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure parents feel they are listened to and systems are robust.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school rigorously promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination. All pupils are fully involved in activities, and all groups of pupils are making good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ moral, social and cultural education is good and close links with the church help to develop their good spiritual awareness. The school promotes arts and sports well through music, visits to the theatre, displays around the school and a good range of well-attended clubs. These, and special events such as multi-faith weeks, also support an understanding and respect for other cultures.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides good support. It has worked with the school to develop leadership skills, supported the Early Years Foundation Stage developments and provided training for governors.

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The leadership and management are good

 The development of staff with specific responsibilities is managed effectively within the constraints of a small school. For example, English and mathematics leaders have a firm grasp on pupils’ progress in these subjects because of the professional development they have received. However, some leaders of non-core subjects have had few opportunities to build their monitoring and evaluation skills. This hampers the role they play in tracking progress and driving forward improvements in teaching and learning. Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 7 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are very supportive of the school and manage the finances well. They check on the achievement of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium and are involved in planning the allocation of the new sports funding to benefit pupils’ well-being. The acting chair meets regularly with the headteacher and another governor has meetings with senior staff to look at progress and attainment data. Governors have ensured that an appraisal system for teachers is in place and have a growing understanding of its impact on the quality of teaching. The governing body has recently commissioned a review of its work which has given helpful guidance about strengthening monitoring and evaluation activities. Governors make sure that national requirements for safeguarding and child protection are fully met and review policy in accordance with changing circumstances. Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 8 of 10

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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. Inspection report: St Paul's Church of England Primary School, Langleybury, 17–18 September 2013 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 117417 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 425259

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 234 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Reverend Ysmena Pentelow (Acting Chair) Headteacher Sarah Winter Date of previous school inspection 21 November 2011 Telephone number 01923 263641 Fax number 01923 291557 Email address admin@stpauls779.herts.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

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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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