Long Row Primary School

Long Row Primary School Long Row, Belper, DE56 1DR

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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.  Teachers’ performance is managed well. The leadership team has successfully improved it through rigorous monitoring that is followed up with well-targeted support and guidance.  Leaders make sure that pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching are consistently good – some teaching is outstanding. Therefore, pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching and support staff work well together. This benefits pupils’ learning and contributes to their good progress.  Pupils are polite, confident and well behaved. They feel safe and the school teaches them how to be safe. They enjoy learning and are eager to succeed in all that they do.  Parents are mostly very pleased with what the school does for their children. They all say their children are happy at school.  Governors support and challenge the school well. They question data about pupils’ progress

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and teachers’ performance and gain first-hand information through their visits to school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to move pupils’ learning to be consistently outstanding, and more-able pupils are not challenged as much in topic work as they are in English and mathematics.  Pupils do not make as much progress in mathematics as they do in reading and writing. They are not sufficiently aware of how mathematics relate to everyday life, and there are not enough opportunities for them to use their mathematical skills in different subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 33 lessons. Five of these were shared with senior leaders. Inspectors also observed playtimes and lunchtime.  Discussions were held with pupils, governors, staff and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 41 responses to the online parental survey (Parent View) and of comments made by parents during informal discussions at the start of the day.  The nine questionnaire returns completed by staff were also taken into account.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including: information about pupils’ progress and attendance, the school improvement plan, the school’s self-evaluation document, documents relating to safeguarding and records of visits made by the local authority.  The work in pupils’ books was examined and sessions were sampled where pupils were learning letters and sounds (phonics). Inspectors also listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Doris Bell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Susan Wood Additional Inspector Malcolm Johnstone Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are more girls than boys in the school and, in some year groups, significantly more.  The school has its own part-time Nursery. Not all children who attend the Nursery move into Reception at this school. The Reception class is therefore a mix of children who have attended the school’s own Nursery, and those who have attended other pre-school settings.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average and only a very tiny proportion of those pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding, known as the pupil premium, is average. This funding is, for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and some others.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special needs supported through school

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Information about this school

action is average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make teaching and learning outstanding by:  sharing the excellent practice already evident in some classes across the whole staff  making sure more-able pupils are always as well challenged in topic work as they are in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in mathematics so that it matches achievement in reading and writing by:  helping pupils to understand how mathematical learning applies to everyday life  providing more opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills in different subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start Nursery with skills below those expected for their age, as do children joining Reception from other settings. All make good progress and are well prepared for their work in Year 1, although weaknesses remain in literacy, numeracy, and some aspects of personal development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school. Although average overall, attainment is now creeping above average in Year 2 and Year 6. In 2012, writing rose to significantly above average in both year groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enjoy reading and they read well. The recent ‘banding’ of reading books for different reading abilities means they now have books at the right level of challenge so that they can learn to understand fully what they read. This is helping to increase their progress and, particularly, their comprehension skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils use their phonics skills well to sound out and read new words, and to help them spell. Their handwriting is well formed and punctuation, spelling and grammar are usually accurate. Pupils’ writing is engaging because it is well thought out, and they have time to read and discuss different aspects before putting pen to paper. They use their literacy skills well in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although overall good, progress in mathematics is behind that in reading and writing. Pupils do not readily relate mathematical learning to everyday life, or use their mathematical skills in different subjects, because they are not explicitly taught to do so.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2012, Year 6 pupils for whom the school received pupil premium funding made the same good rate of progress in English as other pupils in the school, and better than others in mathematics. However, they were two terms behind other pupils in the school’s attainment in English and one-and-a-half terms behind in mathematics, although they did considerably better than similar pupils nationally in both subjects. Reliable data held by the school show that the gap in attainment has closed further in 2013. This is because the additional funding for these pupils is being used well to provide additional teaching support and resources. These support programmes are monitored rigorously to ensure that they are working to advance eligible pupils achievement further.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More-able pupils often have their own sequence of work that allows them to make the faster progress of which they are capable. This was particularly noted in mathematics lessons with pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5. However, opportunities to extend their learning are often missed in topic work, where all pupils do the same.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same good progress as other pupils. Their learning is very well organised and they benefit from the contribution of skilled teaching and support staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching begins in Nursery and Reception and continues throughout the school. Some outstanding teaching was observed in phonics and in mathematics that resulted in excellent progress for the pupils. Reading and phonics are both taught well.  Teachers transmit to pupils an enthusiasm for learning that engages their interest and motivates them to succeed. Pupils respond very well and understand how their new learning builds on what has gone before, and they know what they need to do to take their learning further forward. They are assisted in this by high-quality marking and precise assessment procedures that involve them in checking and improving their own work. Also, the presentation of learning objectives to pupils for each lesson, framed as ‘We are getting better at …’, give pupils very clear guidance on what is expected of them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are keenly aware of the abilities of the different groups they teach, and they plan work accordingly, often at an individual level. Pupils who qualify for pupil premium funding are spread across the ability range according to their particular needs. Precise planning and the effective use of support staff ensure that they, and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, are fully supported.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff take every opportunity to promote literacy skills in different subjects, and writing is marked equally well, wherever it occurs. A start has been made on promoting numeracy skills across all subjects in the same way, and on relating mathematical learning to everyday life, but opportunities remain very limited in this area.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A key strength in the pupils’ good progress, particularly where teaching is outstanding, is the way teaching and support staff share support for different groups so that all pupils can benefit from well-focused input from staff.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils have many opportunities to work independently and pursue their own learning. For example, more-able pupils are often sent off with work that starts at a higher level than that for other pupils, or less-able pupils go to work with a teaching assistant to develop the skills needed to take a fuller part in the lesson.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Very occasionally, Nursery and Reception staff do not intervene enough to move learning on when children select their own activities. Conversely, in literacy lessons, teachers sometimes continue, unnecessarily, to give instructions or interrupt pupils’ independent work, instead of letting them get on with their writing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school motto ‘inspire, respect, belong’ is evident in the pupils’ desire to do well and in their enjoyment of school. Pupils develop a love of learning and are excited when they are successful. They want desperately to do well and say they ‘really enjoy’ their time at this school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The excellent relationships at all levels in the school set a scene of mutual trust where pupils are prepared to ‘have a go’, secure in the knowledge that they will get help if they need it. Pupils relish the opportunities to talk to a partner before responding to probing questions, and use the time well to clarify their thinking.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils support each other at play and lunchtimes as well as in class. The school ‘buddies’, who pupils report ‘are really helpful and good at sorting things out’, keep a daily record of issues they have helped to resolve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils listen respectfully when others are talking, value what they say, and make sensible suggestions when it is their turn to speak. They speak enthusiastically about the changes made to the system of rewards and sanctions last year, describing them as ‘stricter now but better and so much fairer’.  No pupil spoken to had experienced bullying, but school records show that there has been some in the past. The school logs show that it is dealt with properly, quickly and effectively, just as pupils reported. Pupils are fully aware of the different forms bullying can take, including when using computers and mobile phones, and what to do should any occur.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is average. Although most pupils attend school regularly and on time, pupils from a small number of families continue to be absent too often. The school is working closely with external agencies to improve identified pupils’ attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school leadership’s strong determination to improve the school further is evident in the joined-up thinking that links its accurate self-evaluation, its well-considered school improvement planning, and the challenging objectives set for staff and pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders of different subjects and aspects fulfil their roles well because they feel empowered to do so and are well supported with training. Their action plans mirror whole-school planning with timescales and clear steps to success, which are routinely monitored to ensure their effectiveness.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff have risen well to the high expectations set for them. Teamwork is strong and everyone is working towards the same goal. Pupils, too, understand what the school is trying to do and they enjoy the challenges that faster progress brings.

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The leadership and management are good

 The monitoring of teaching and learning is accurate, evaluative and robust. Areas for improvement are followed up within tight timescales and professional development opportunities given where necessary. Staff speak positively of the support they get from all of this. Nevertheless, the school does not have a systematic approach to sharing best practice in teaching across the school, therefore, missing opportunities for staff to learn from each other.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school uses assessment information skilfully to inform next steps in learning and to implement support programmes should pupils’ learning falter. The programmes are monitored frequently to ensure they are working, and changed if they are not.

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The leadership and management are good

 In Nursery and Reception, good leadership and management has resulted in well-planned learning areas, indoors and out, with activities that have clear learning outcomes, and tight assessment procedures that track children’s development well.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subjects other than literacy and numeracy are linked in topics that meet pupils’ personal and academic needs well but do not always provide the challenge that more-able pupils need to take their learning further. Literacy skills are promoted well in topic work, numeracy skills less so. A wide range of visits, visitors and well-attended extra-curricular activities add to pupils’ enjoyment of learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school meets current safeguarding requirements and it promotes equality of opportunity well. It successfully teaches pupils to be reflective and caring, to understand, accept and celebrate each other’s differences, and to avoid discrimination of any sort.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides an appropriate level of support for this improving school and it is confident in the school’s ability to continue that improvement. The school’s track record of improvement shows it has the capacity to improve further.  The governance of the school:  Governors know the school well. They have a good understanding of the data describing pupils’ attainment and progress and of teachers’ performance, which they use well to support and challenge the school. They help the headteacher make decisions about staffing and staff salaries and relate rewards closely to performance. They support the headteacher in addressing any underperformance. Governors are rigorous in checking that pupil premium funding is being used effectively to improve the progress of the pupils who qualify for it. They have made sensible decisions about spending the primary schools sports funding – for example, to employ a dance specialist, and specialist sports coaches to train teachers, and to

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The leadership and management are good

extend the range of physical education activities and competitive sports available to pupils. However, it is too early to evaluate the impact of these initiatives.

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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 112785 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 424976

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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 290 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Shirley Harvey Headteacher Cheryl Lodge Date of previous school inspection 9 November 2011 Telephone number 01773 823319 Fax number 01773 828835 Email address info@longrow.derbyshire.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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