Longmoor Community Primary School

Longmoor Community Primary School Hall Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside, L9 0EU

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  From a low starting point, pupils achieve very well in reading and mathematics.  The most able pupils, those eligible for the pupil premium, disabled pupils and those with a special educational need make good and sometimes excellent progress.  Teaching is good with examples of outstanding teaching.  Many lessons are exciting and include activities that make learning fun.  Teachers and teaching assistants work together to make sure tasks set meet the learning needs of all pupils.  This is a very caring school and pupils say they feel extremely safe.  Behaviour overall is exemplary. Those who have difficulty controlling their actions are managed effectively and do not disturb others.  The curriculum provides a wide range of stimulating and exciting experiences for pupils.  The passionate headteacher puts into practice her great determination that pupils should have every opportunity to flourish and makes

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

sure that pupils aim high for themselves.  School leaders, including governors, work very well as a team. Their successful actions have a positive impact on pupils’ achievements and the quality of teaching. The school continues to get better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet consistently outstanding.  Achievement in writing is not as good as it is in reading and mathematics.  Children in the Reception class have too few opportunities to develop their writing skills.  There are times when opportunities for pupils to practise their writing in other subjects are missed.  Attendance has only recently reached the national average and too many pupils are late for school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 parts of lessons and sessions taken by teaching assistants. They also listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, parents, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and school staff. The inspector also spoke to parents on the telephone.  Telephone conversations also took place between an inspector and the headteachers of two local educational facilities that work in partnership with Longmoor Primary School to meet the needs of pupils. These schools are Mab Lane Special School and the Primary Education Centre, both located in Liverpool.  Inspectors took account of 36 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and 39 responses to a staff questionnaire distributed during the inspection.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, checks on the quality of

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Information about this inspection

teaching, minutes of governing body meetings and records relating to attendance and safeguarding. Inspectors also examined work in pupils’ books.

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Inspection team

Louise Murphy, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Susan Walters Additional Inspector Marilyn Massey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Longmoor Primary School is larger than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well-above average. The pupil premium is additional funding provided for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from services families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are from a White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average and the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Since the previous inspection, there have been a number of changes to staff including the appointments of a new deputy headteacher and an assistant headteacher.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of teaching that is outstanding and thereby drive pupils’ progress at an even faster rate especially in writing, by making sure that more opportunities are provided for:  the Reception Class children to develop their writing skills  pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 to practise their writing skills across other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop systems to improve pupils’ attendance and punctuality, so that attendance is at least maintained at a level similar to the national average and more pupils arrive at school on time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with knowledge and skills that are lower than those typical for their age. They make outstanding progress in the Nursery class. Progress across the Reception class is not as rapid and children who join the school in the Reception Year miss the excellent start provided by the Nursery class. Most children reach a good level of development, although reading and writing skills are slightly below those expected when children join Year 1.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is mostly well- above the national average in reading, although it dipped to broadly average in 2013. Mathematics attainment shows an improving trend over the last three years and is slightly above the national average. However, pupils’ attainment in writing is well- below average.  By the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6, their attainment in reading and mathematics is often significantly above the national average. For the last two years, attainment

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The achievement of pupils is good

in writing has been broadly average.  The end of Key Stage 2 2013 national test results showed that pupils made excellent progress in reading and mathematics and made the progress expected of them in writing. The school has started to put systems in place to improve writing. The work seen in pupils’ English books in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 show that improvement has begun.  Phonics (matching letters to the sounds that they make) is now taught effectively as soon as children start school. As a result, the proportion of pupils working at the expected level increased in the Year 1 2013 national screening check. Older pupils read fluently with good expression and speak enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors. Pupils who spoke to inspectors were very positive about the range of books available at school.  The most able pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good

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The achievement of pupils is good

and sometimes excellent progress. This is because their different needs are quickly identified and the good support from teachers and teaching assistants helps each of them to make progress in reaching their targets.  The school provides very good support for those pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which demonstrates the school’s commitment to equal opportunities. Assessment information shows that gaps in attainment between eligible pupils and those who are not reduce as pupils move up through the school. However, in the 2013 national tests the attainment of Year 6 pupils known to be eligible for free school meals was two terms behind their classmates in reading and mathematics, and one year behind in writing. Nevertheless, many of these pupils overall made good progress from their starting points.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good with some examples of excellent teaching; this helps pupils to make good progress.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because children in the Reception class do not have enough opportunities to develop their writing skills. Moreover, opportunities to practise writing skills in other subjects are sometimes missed during Key Stages 1 and 2.  There is a consistent approach to making clear to pupils what they are going to learn and pupils know what is expected of them. Staff encourage pupils to believe in themselves and aim high. Pupils who spoke to an inspector were ambitious; one wanted to become a vet and another a military tactician.  Teachers generally use their knowledge of pupils’ learning to plan work that is hard enough for all abilities. For example, the most able pupils are provided with challenging activities during lessons. Furthermore, the school works with external partners to provide additional opportunities

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The quality of teaching is good

for some most able pupils to help them to raise their own achievement levels.  Pupils have plenty of time to share their ideas and discuss what they are learning. Teachers question pupils carefully to deepen their understanding and assess learning. Pupils are regularly asked to assess their own level of learning so that the teacher can intervene quickly and helpfully when pupils are not sure about their work.  Teachers link subjects effectively and include real-life scenarios if possible, which makes learning more purposeful. For example, during their computing lessons one Year 5 class helped the teacher to plan the Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor area. They measured the space, chose equipment within the constraints of a budget, ensured proposed equipment would fit and that it would help their young friends to learn what they need to.  Practical resources are very well used to help the children learn better. For example, in a Year 1

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics lesson, pupils counted the number of beanbags that landed inside and outside a hoop. They used these two numbers to make up their own addition sums. The whole activity was exciting to take part in and really helped the pupils to understand what they were learning.  Teachers mark workbooks regularly and consistently provide good written advice to pupils on how to improve their work even more. Pupils are given time to correct and edit their work which helps them to learn from their mistakes.  Effective teamwork by teachers and skilled teaching assistants guarantees a high level of support for all groups of pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Staff and pupils say that behaviour is exceptionally good and school records show that this is typical. Most parents agree that the school makes sure pupils are well -behaved.  Pupils are superbly polite and show respect for each other and the adults around them. They value their learning and this is reflected in the stunning presentation of their work. Pupils have an incredible sense of fairness and really appreciate that, ‘Teachers treat everyone the same.’  There are a few pupils in the school who sometimes find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. However, they are very well -supported and there is no disruption to learning.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel very safe in school because adults care for them well and children look after each other. For example, the anti-bullying ambassadors are pupils who are trained to spot anyone who is upset and they will

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

try to help. The ambassadors know when they can be successful in sorting the issues and when they need to involve an adult. Pupils can explain different forms of bullying and the difference between bullying and falling out. Pupils agree that bullying is not an issue at their school.  Longmoor provides a range of opportunities for pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. Pupils are keen to contribute to the school community, by becoming school or eco-councillors, monitors and buddies. They are also proud of their fund-raising efforts; they contribute toward buying equipment for the school, such as books and the playground pagoda. Pupils regularly donate money to charity because they want to help others.  The Primary School Sport funding is used to employ a specialist teacher who is coaching school staff so that they can teach sporting activities to a higher standard. University staff work with

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

pupils to help them become more aware about how to become and stay healthy. Consequently, more pupils are taking part in a wider range of sporting activities to help them stay healthy and to promote their well-being.  Staff work closely with parents to make sure that good attendance and punctuality are always on the agenda. Attendance has recently improved to reach the national average. However, not all parents respond to the school’s requests for their help in improving attendance and getting their children to school on time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher wants the very best for the school and has the expertise and determination to successfully steer continued school improvement. During a period when new staff have joined the school and staff roles and responsibilities have changed, areas for development identified at the previous inspection have been dealt with effectively. Moreover, pupils’ attainment has been maintained and is often well above national levels due to the effective strategies put into place.  The school’s evaluation of how well it is doing is accurate because it is based on detailed and regular scrutiny of the work that it does. The writing of the school improvement plan is a team effort and sets out a manageable number of appropriate actions to raise standards further.  School leaders, including middle leaders, rigorously check pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. They make sure that staff are supported by an effective programme of ongoing

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The leadership and management are good

training that fits with both the school’s priorities and with what each member of staff wants to do to improve in their work.  Inspection evidence, including school documentation and discussions with parents and school leaders, demonstrates that the school is highly responsive to issues raised by parents. For example, during the inspection, a few parents commented that they were not entirely happy with how information is shared when pupils move up a year from one class to another. Although secure arrangements are in place for this, school leaders immediately proposed a meeting to look closely at the system because they want to be responsive and work as closely as possible with parents.  Provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is effective and highly valued by parents. School leaders also work well in partnership with external agencies and other schools to meet the needs of pupils whose current circumstances make them vulnerable.

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The leadership and management are good

 Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is given good attention and the curriculum meets pupils’ needs well. It is enriched by a range of after-school and lunchtime activities. Visitors to the school and trips linked to topic themes provide experiences that pupils remember and enjoy discussing.  The local authority provides light touch support and when necessary responds to specific requests for assistance from this good school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are extremely supportive of the school. They know its strengths and priorities because they visit school regularly and receive accurate and comprehensive reports from school leaders and staff. The governing body is determined to know what the school is like from the pupils’ perspective and have introduced ‘a day in the life’, whereby a governor follows a class for the day to understand the pupils’ experience. Governors regularly attend

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The leadership and management are good

training and are able to analyse data about pupils’ progress, which enables them to challenge school leaders effectively. The governing body monitors the progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium to confirm that the spending is effective. They also check that the new Primary school sports funding is used to bring about improved access to sporting activities. Governors have an overview of the quality of teaching and how it is linked to the salary structure. They undertake statutory duties, making sure that pupils and staff are safe and the budget is well managed.

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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 133334 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 440340

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 402 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Rea Headteacher Alison Johnson Date of previous school inspection 28 February 2011 Telephone number 0151 5215511 Fax number 0151 5215171 Email address longmoorp-ao@longmoor-pri.liverpool.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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