Langley Park Primary School

School report Langley Park Primary School

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Behind May Terrace. Langley Park, Durham, DH7 9XN

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well during their time in school. An increasing proportion of pupils make outstanding progress especially in the Nursery and Year 2, and in their reading.  Children get off to a flying start in the Nursery and Reception classes. Excellent care and well-planned routines help them to become confident and curious learners who delight in finding out things for themselves.  Teachers know their pupils well, so learning is skilfully developed through activities that are well matched to each pupil’s needs. Teachers make learning fun, which motivates pupils to work hard.  Teaching assistants are very well trained and often give excellent support to pupils in lessons and small group teaching. This adds much to the quality of learning and ensures that all pupils progress at the same rate.  Pupils’ good behaviour and respect for each other, makes this a warm, friendly school

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

where all are able to do their best. Excellent pastoral care from all adults ensures that pupils feel safe and secure.  The exciting curriculum is filled with memorable learning experiences and fosters pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school is moving forward at a very good rate because of the headteacher’s vision for an outstanding school. His excellent leadership has produced rapid improvement in pupils’ learning and achievement and increased the amount of outstanding teaching.  Some aspects of middle leadership are outstanding and have led to exceptional improvement in Nursery and Reception provision, and in the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Governors are very well informed about teaching and learning in the school. They are highly committed to improving the school and developing its role in the community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Leaders of English and mathematics are not as effective in raising pupils’ achievement to outstanding as the other leaders in the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 20 lessons or part lessons, two of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with members of the governing body, senior and middle leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspectors observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including that relating the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, information about pupils’ progress and attainment, the school’s own self-evaluation of its performance and the school development plan.  Inspectors examined pupils’ work on display and in their exercise books and listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 5.  A large number of parents contacted the school over difficulties in accessing the online questionnaire Parent View. Because of this, inspectors took account of the school’s most recent survey of parent views as well as the 18 responses to the online questionnaire. Inspectors also

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Information about this inspection

took account of the 12 staff questionnaires that were returned.

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Inspection team

Moira Fitzpatrick, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Anne Humble Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is similar in size to an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for those pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those children looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The vast majority of pupils are from White British heritage. Few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The school met the government’s current floor standards in 2013. These are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  There have been significant staffing changes since the previous inspection. A new headteacher

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Information about this school

was appointed in September 2012. In September 2013, a new leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage was appointed and two newly qualified teachers were also appointed then.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement, and the quality of teaching in English and mathematics, thereby increasing the school’s overall effectiveness further by:  improving the leadership of these subjects quickly  providing further training to enable the leaders of English and mathematics to fulfil their role in inspiring ambition in all staff to raise pupils’ achievement to outstanding  providing training to enable these leaders to accurately identify where improvements are needed to teaching and provide appropriate support and advice for staff where they need it  increasing the rigour of monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ work and progress, then taking prompt action to address any weaknesses in teaching through feedback to staff and specific training where necessary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery with skills below those typical for their age. They make outstanding progress in their personal and social skills and in their imaginative development, because of excellent care and teaching. This supports children of all abilities to grow in confidence and make rapid progress in their learning during their time in Nursery. By the end of Reception, a higher than average proportion of children now reach a good level of development and are very well prepared for Year 1, with good basic literacy and numeracy skills and very good levels of independence.  In 2013, the proportion of pupils that reached the expected standard in phonics (the sounds that letters make) was at the national average. Results this year show a strong improvement to well above last year’s national average.  Pupils continue to make good and sometimes excellent progress, to the end of Year 2. Pupils now in Year 2 reach standards close to those expected for their age in reading, writing and

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics. An increasing proportion exceeds this level, especially in reading.  By the end of Year 6 pupils’ performance in English and mathematics is at the national average. This represents good progress from pupils’ starting points when they join the school. Inspection evidence and school data show that pupils now in Year 6 are on course to achieve similar results.  Pupils’ reading skills have improved rapidly in the last year because of the highly effective introduction of a new teaching scheme. This has been extremely successful in developing good reading skills from Nursery to Year 3, because staff are well trained and the progress of pupils is checked rigorously. In older classes, regular group reading sessions and additional support ensure that all pupils are developing good reading skills, so they are able to read with good understanding and enjoyment.  The most able pupils are increasingly well challenged as teachers make more accurate

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The achievement of pupils is good

assessments of their learning and use this to set demanding work. This is especially the case in Year 2 where the most able are working well above the level expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics, and relishing the hard work they do.  Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs are very well supported to make good progress. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely to plan tasks to ensure they find success and achieve well in each lesson.  Pupil premium funds are well used to ensure that the achievement of pupils who are eligible for free school meals make similar progress to other pupils. Since the headteacher took up post the gap between the attainment of pupil premium pupils and others has narrowed significantly. Currently, the gap between the achievement of these pupils and others in the school is half a National Curriculum level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and there is an increasing proportion that is outstanding. The headteacher has worked closely with the local authority since his appointment to provide high-quality, effective training for teachers and teaching assistants.  Careful planning, based on a good knowledge of pupils’ learning and what they need to learn next, supports good progress. Year 2 pupils made very good progress writing their own fairy stories because all were well prepared for the task by the teacher’s careful development of their ideas, which were then linked to how to write these ‘really well’.  Pupils’ learning moves at a rapid pace in phonics lessons because work is pitched at just the right level to bring immediate success. Teachers and teaching assistants expertly capture pupils’ interest with resources that help them to learn through many of their senses. These lessons move at a brisk pace, with all pupils able to keep up because the work is so well matched to

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The quality of teaching is good

their level of skill.  Pupils of all ages comment on how much they enjoy learning through practical activities. Pupils in Year 5 are ‘mad about’ science because they find out so much for themselves. Their experiments to make their own fizzy drinks, demonstrated how well such learning develops their ability to collaborate and learn from each other. Year 6 pupils who joined them for this lesson were clearly enjoying this way of working too. Regular use of problem solving as a way of learning is developing pupils’ staying power and resilience very well.  Pupils make good progress in their mathematical knowledge because of good questioning which tests their understanding. Year 2 pupils responded well to the teacher’s probing questions when solving a mathematical puzzle. Their thinking and reasoning were rapidly developed, so they were very pleased at how quickly they could work out the problem.  Excellent planning for the Nursery and Reception classes accelerates learning by linking different

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The quality of teaching is good

kinds of learning in activities. For example, Nursery children developed their curiosity when looking into Billy’s bucket to see what was there; then used their imagination well to ‘invent’ a creature they could see. They then developed their speaking by explaining to other children what they saw the creature do.  The headteacher has introduced robust systems for marking and feedback to pupils to help them improve their work and accelerate progress. These are generally well used by staff, so that pupils act upon the advice given promptly and there is clear improvement in their skills and understanding. However, a lack of consistency has not been identified sufficiently by the literacy and numeracy leaders, so not all pupils are benefitting fully from the new systems, nor from rigorous monitoring of their progress and teaching in these subjects.  Vulnerable pupils are extremely well supported by highly skilled, dedicated teaching assistants

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The quality of teaching is good

who tailor activities precisely to meet their needs. The result is that these pupils often make outstanding progress and are very happy in school because obstacles to their learning are so skilfully removed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils conduct themselves well in and out of classrooms. They are kind and supportive of each other, and are friendly and welcoming to visitors.  Pupils’ have good, and occasionally, but not yet consistently, excellent attitudes to learning. They learn from the earliest age that they will be successful. They work hard to meet teachers’ high expectations and are delighted when they surprise their teachers with how well they have worked in the lesson. From the youngest age, pupils are enthusiastic learners determined to do their best.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. They are taught well to assess potential risks to their safety and well-being and follow rules sensibly. This was seen clearly in pupils’ calm response to the fire alarm during inspection. Pupils of all ages evacuated the building promptly and followed the school’s safety procedures and teachers’ instructions

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

extremely well. Pupils have been well taught about the dangers of the internet and social media, and know the different forms that bullying can take.  Pupils are able to distinguish between bullying and occasional squabbles, because of the school’s meticulous work in this area. Pupils are aware of their rights, through their learning as a Rights Respecting School, and are alert to any behaviour that affects these rights. They have absolute trust in adults to resolve problems, especially in the headteacher, ‘who knows everything that goes on and won’t put up with bullying’.  Excellent pastoral care ensures that pupils and their families are always very well supported, and that any barriers to pupils’ well-being and learning are removed. The school’s work with families in the last year has seen attendance rise to average as persistent absence has been reduced.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s ambitious vision and steely determination have driven very good improvement to teaching and pupils’ achievement since he was appointed. Nevertheless, staff and governors recognise that there is more to do before the aim of achieving outstanding teaching and learning is realised. Staff are eager to be involved in improving the school, morale is high and team work is developing very well.  Rigorous systems introduced by the headteacher to check on pupils’ learning and progress are having a strong impact on teachers’ understanding of their pupils’ needs. Records of pupil progress meetings show meticulous detail and paint a very clear picture of individual pupils’ progress. These systems are accurately identifying future priorities while ensuring that all pupils receive the help they need to achieve well. Equal opportunities are well promoted.  The contribution of middle leaders to the school’s improvement is uneven. There has been rapid

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The leadership and management are good

improvement to provision in the Nursery and Reception classes this year as the result of the appointment of a new leader. The special educational needs leader has transformed the teaching of phonics, so that pupils’ performance has moved from very low compared with the national average in 2012 to well above the national average in 2014.  Leadership of mathematics and English is not as effective. This is because checks on teaching and learning are not as sharp as they need to be to fully support the school’s ambition to move quickly to outstanding. Identification and follow up of weaknesses is not prompt or consistent. The headteacher has recognised this, and works closely with both leaders to develop their skills.  Staff performance is well managed, with clear targets and priorities. All staff understand their accountability for the progress their pupils make.  A rich, well panned curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to follow their interests

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The leadership and management are good

and find out about their local heritage. Pupils are particularly pleased about the increased visits and visitors to the school and enjoy the way learning in one subject helps their learning in another. Basic skills are well used in all subjects as pupils’ topics books show, with good use of writing and mathematics skills to present learning.  The school has used primary sports funding wisely to extend the breadth and improve the quality of physical education and sport provision. There has been a good extension to after- school clubs, with many more pupils taking part because they recognise the benefits to their well-being and enjoyment of sporting activity.  The school makes good links with parents, and goes to some lengths to involve them in the life of the school and their children’s learning, for example, through the annual Year 4 garden party to enjoy the produce of the gardening club. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the

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The leadership and management are good

school.  The local authority has provided strong support to help the school quickly improve teaching and learning since the new headteacher arrived. This support is now much reduced for this rapidly improving school.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed about the school’s performance, the quality of teaching and how additional pupil premium funding is used to ensure the gap between the attainment of these pupils and others is narrowing. They visit the school frequently to monitor its work and undertake training to maintain their effectiveness, for example, in monitoring data on pupils’ progress. They have ensured improvements to the quality of teaching by holding teachers to account, only rewarding those who fully meet their targets. Governors ensure that safeguarding meets requirements and that health and safety checks are robust to keep pupils and staff safe and secure on site. Finances are well managed, so there are good staffing levels

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The leadership and management are good

and resources to support pupils’ learning.

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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 114193 Local authority Durham Inspection number 443914

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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 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Bloor Headteacher Michael Gardener Date of previous school inspection 3 February 2010 Telephone number 0191 373 1398 Fax number 0191 373 7270 Email address langleypark@durhamlearning.net 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 and 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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