Longlands Primary School and Nursery

Longlands Primary School and Nursery Nunsbury Drive, Turnford, Broxbourne, EN10 6AG

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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.  Pupils settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception classes, where they are looked after well and make good progress, particularly in their physical and social development.  The achievement and standards attained by pupils are improving. The results in the national English and mathematics tests for 11 year-olds were well above-average in 2012. These good results were sustained in 2013, with even more pupils making better than expected progress in writing and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs learn successfully. Teaching assistants provide well-focussed and effective support to individuals and small groups inside and outside the classroom.  Most pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe and secure. They have positive attitudes towards learning and respond well when given leadership roles.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and respectful.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Relationships are good throughout the school.  The quality of teaching has improved as a result of regular checking by senior leaders and good use of staff training and support, including from the local authority.  Teachers have high expectations, question pupils effectively and provide a good variety of activities, which pupils describe as ‘fun’. The quality of teachers’ written feedback to pupils is consistently good, and pupils are encouraged to respond.  Senior leaders are rigorous in their use of data to track the progress of different groups of pupils to ensure that they all achieve as much as possible and to identify those who need additional help. Teachers are increasingly held to account for the progress of their pupils.  The governing body plays an active role in holding school leaders to account and has a good understanding of what needs to improve further.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although attendance has improved, it is only just in line with the national average, and poor attendance is adversely affecting the achievement of a few children in Key Stage 1.  More able pupils are not always challenged enough in lessons and sometimes do not push themselves to work at a good pace when working independently.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons or part lessons, small-group work, and one-to-one sessions. They undertook joint observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher and observed them feeding back to teachers.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils during lessons, around the school and in two organised meetings. They spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor, teachers with subject and other responsibilities, other teachers and support staff.  The team looked at pupils’ current work in lessons and last year’s work from a sample of pupils.  The lead inspector met with the local authority adviser who was linked to the school last year.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading and talked to them about books.  Inspectors analysed the 14 responses to the staff questionnaire, the 24 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, and responses to the school’s own questionnaires for parents and for

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Information about this inspection

pupils. Inspectors spoke with several parents in the morning after they had dropped their children off at school and held a telephone conversation with a parent.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment data, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school action plan, the self-evaluation report, action plans for subjects, safeguarding documents and records, policies, records of the monitoring of lessons and information relating to teachers’ performance management and professional development.

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Inspection team

Helena McVeigh, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Liz Kissane Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Longlands Primary and Nursery School is a smaller than average-sized primary school located in an area of high deprivation.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and other specific groups) is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average. The largest ethnic group is of White British heritage. There are small numbers of pupils from a very wide range of other ethnic groups. A below-average, but increasing, proportion of pupils speaks English as an additional language. Most are at early stage of learning English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is lower than the national average. The proportion supported through school action

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Information about this school

plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ achievement by  ensuring that more-able pupils are given work that is suitably challenging, so they make even more rapid progress in lessons, including when they are being taught to link letters and sounds (phonics)  ensuring that more able pupils always learn at a good pace when working independently.  Improve attendance, especially for those few pupils whose achievement is hampered by their time off school, by pressing ahead with the effective strategies currently being pursued.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Nursery and Reception classes with skills that are below the level expected for their age. In many cases, their language, communication and social skills are well below. Several children are also at an early stage of learning English, which is not their home language. Children are making good progress from their starting point, especially in their physical and social development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children settle extremely quickly, play happily on their own and with other children in the lively indoor and outdoor areas and are very responsive to adults’ instructions. They enjoy playing shopkeeper and ‘buying ice creams’ and sustain their concentration on tasks such as painting, drawing and making shapes with playdough. Adults interact well with children and encourage them to talk and to develop confident early writing and numeracy skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the end of Reception, children’s attainment is broadly in line with expected levels, though still low in literacy in some cases. They are taught well in Key Stage 1 and make good progress. By the end of Year 2 their attainment is just above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. An increased proportion of pupils attained the higher level 3 in mathematics in 2013 than in the previous year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enjoy reading and they apply their knowledge of the phonics (the sounds that letters make) to read unfamiliar words. Phonics sessions take place each day in Key Stage 1 and the school attempts to match the teaching of phonics to the needs of children and has a good range of interventions including one-to-one support. Sometimes the more able pupils are given the same activity as others and they are not challenged enough, so their progress in learning phonics is not as rapid as it should be.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress is rapid through Key Stage 2 and all pupils develop as confident and articulate learners. Results in the national tests for 11 year olds have improved over the last few years and were well above average in English in 2012 and above average in mathematics with some pupils attaining level 6. Mathematics results improved further in the 2013 tests with over two-thirds of pupils making better than expected progress in both tested subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils from different minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language make equally, and sometimes, better, progress than other pupils and achieve well. The progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is tracked very closely and they are given extra help when needed, which enables them to make as good, and sometimes better, progress than their peers. The gap between their performance and others has been closing each year and reduced in 2013 from around 6 months to four months behind in English and from 16 months to four months in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because they receive well planned and targeted support in small groups or own their own, mainly in English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good in all year groups, including the Nursery and Reception, with some that is outstanding which leads to pupils’ good achievement in English and mathematics. There are consistent strengths, indicated below, which are the result of well-directed professional development for staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers know their pupils well and have already established good relationships with them at this early stage in the school year. Behaviour is managed well throughout the school and teachers deal with minor low level off-task behaviour unobtrusively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of pupils, which contributes to their positive attitudes to learning and school. Lessons are usually planned to meet pupils’ different starting points and needs. Occasionally the more able pupils are given work that is too easy for them and does not stretch them enough, or they are allowed to work at too leisurely a pace when working independently.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Less able pupils and those with special educational needs are supported really well by teaching assistants, who make a valuable contribution to the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their speaking skills and language through responding to teachers’ skilful questions. They experience a good range of activities, including whole class discussions, practical work, small group work, ‘talk partners’ and research using lap top computers in the classroom. Pupils enjoy their lessons and say that they are ‘fun’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide clear and appropriate written feedback to pupils to indicate what needs to improve, as well as what has been completed well. This consistent good practice has resulted from recent professional development for staff, which has clearly been effective. Pupils know their targets for improvement and respond to teachers’ written comments, by, for example, correcting or improving the piece of work concerned or answering a challenging mathematics question.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 From Nursery onwards, the behaviour of pupils of all ages in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils are polite and respectful of each other and towards adults. There were no exclusions last year and few incidents of poor behaviour. Low level disruption, which is rare, is dealt with effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning contribute significantly to their good progress and to the calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school. Pupils’ work in books is neatly presented with good handwriting which reflects the pride they take.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils mainly get on well with each other and play very sensibly in the playground during lunch and break times. Older pupils enjoy taking responsibility as ‘peer mediators’ to resolve any minor tensions, or as playground buddies’ helping their younger peers to play safely and productively. They are proud of being part of the school council where they can contribute to management decisions. Their response to a recent questionnaire that sought their views about school life was extremely positive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe and secure in school and are aware of different types of bullying, which they say does occur but not often and is handled swiftly when it does happen. All staff and most parents also believe that behaviour is good and that bullying is dealt with appropriately.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attendance has been a cause for concern as it was well below average in the past. Due to the efforts of school leaders and governors it has improved over the years, albeit slowly. This term, attendance is in line with the national average.  There is a variation between the attendance of different year groups and the school carries out a very useful analysis of the impact of low attendance on pupils’ achievement. This information shows that the poor attendance of a few pupils in Key Stage 1 is adversely affecting their attainment and progress. School leaders’ and governors’ rigorous approach, including more frequent monitoring and the threat of court action, is starting to have a positive impact, but school leaders are aware that this needs to be sustained.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has led the staff well, with commitment and determination, to achieve the improvements in standards since the last inspection. She has the unwavering support of staff, governors, the local authority and most parents. Staff and pupils are proud of their school and describe it as a ‘family’.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers with subject responsibilities play an active and effective part in the school’s management. They attend regular meetings with the senior leadership team and are held to account for the standards in their subjects. They monitor plans, pupils’ work and performance data and provide ideas and support to their colleagues.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school checks the attainment and progress of individual and groups of pupils regularly and rigorously. Findings are shared with teachers who are held to account for the success of their pupils. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and well evidenced. It leads into a concise and well prioritised action plan for further improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders regularly look at the quality of teaching through lesson observations and the scrutiny of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work. Teachers and support staff appreciate the performance management process and opportunities for their professional development which are helping them to enhance their skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school buys into support from the local authority, including visits by the Hertfordshire Improvement Partner (HIP) and subject specialist advisers. This local authority input is much appreciated by staff and governors and is clearly having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and the use of performance data.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils experience a good breadth of subjects, enhanced by a range of after-school clubs and activities, educational visits and visitors. Children spoke excitedly about the recent visit by a ranger who brought a number of exotic animals for children to see and learn about. Pupils enjoy the school’s thematic approach, which is part of the International Primary Curriculum, through which many subjects are taught.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has used its additional physical education funds appropriately to pay for a sports coach who teaches some physical education lessons and after-school clubs. These lessons provide good opportunities for pupils to develop skills and healthy lifestyles. The class teachers also attend the coach’s lessons for their own professional development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through subjects and the general ethos of the school. Leaders have established a caring atmosphere in which relationships are supportive, equality of opportunity is paramount, and racial discrimination not tolerated. Arrangements for safeguarding are managed well and meet statutory requirements.  Parents and carers are kept well informed about developments at the school through weekly newsletters and regular emails. They have opportunities to read with their children each week in the Nursery and Reception class and are invited to after-school sessions where they can learn about new teaching methods, such as calculations in mathematics. The homework diary and reading record provides parents and carers with an opportunity to communicate with teachers about their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance has improved since the last inspection. Governors have a clear view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement, based on a good knowledge of performance data and the quality of teaching. They are aware of how weaknesses in teaching have been addressed in the past, including taking tough decisions when necessary. They have every confidence in the headteacher and the changes that she has introduced to further improve teaching.  Governors provide a good level of challenge and support. They are linked to year groups and participate in ‘stock-take’ meetings where lessons are observed and other evidence scrutinised alongside school leaders and the local authority HIP. They ask searching questions and have ensured that finances are managed well and that there is a good link between teachers’ movement up the pay scale, pupils’ progress and the outcomes of performance management.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Governing Body is tracking the use of the pupil premium funds regularly through information provided that shows exactly how the money is being used and the impact on pupils’ learning. Funds pay for one-to-one and small group support for these pupils in English and mathematics, as well as for their attendance at after-school clubs.

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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 117326 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 425255

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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 199 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Orgar Headteacher Lee-Ann Britten Date of previous school inspection 23 January 2012 Telephone number 01992 460072 Fax number 01992 445537 Email address admin@longlands.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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