Longton Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school is led and managed exceptionally well by a highly effective headteacher and senior leadership team. Together with the full support of all staff and governors, they have ensured that the school has gone from strength to strength since the previous inspection.  Governors are very knowledgeable. They know their school exceptionally well, challenge it to be the best that it can be and are clear about their roles and responsibilities.  The school has fully implemented its outstanding new curriculum, which engages and excites pupils and supports their excellent progress well.  Pupils’ behaviour is of an exceptionally high standard. They are very considerate towards each other and adults, eager to show how responsible they are, and expert at using their own initiative to find things out for themselves.  The quality of teaching is outstanding and has improved since the previous inspection. Teachers

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and teaching assistants work well together. They have very high expectations of pupils and constantly challenge them to achieve their very best.  The teaching of phonics (linking letters and sounds) is outstanding, and has been so for the last two years.  Teachers are very well trained. They make learning interesting and ensure that pupils help to decide on the themes and topics that they study.  Pupils’ overall attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2014 was outstanding and their performance in reading and writing was exemplary.  For several years overall standards attained by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 have also been outstanding, and were well above average in all subjects in 2014.  Pupils’ performance in mathematics has been outstanding for a number of years. In 2014 a much higher than average proportion attained the highest possible Level 6 in this subject.  The attainment of pupils with special educational

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

needs is exemplary. In 2014 it matched that of all pupils nationally.  The majority of pupils make good and often outstanding progress throughout the school. This includes disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils.  The overwhelming majority of parents are of the opinion that all aspects of the school are highly effective. All are happy that their children are safe and well cared for.  Early years provision is led and managed very well. The excellent work of teachers and teaching assistants, coupled with the highly positive relationship that staff have with families, help to ensure that children make exceptional progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed a range of lessons in all year groups, as well as teaching of small groups of pupils, and sessions aimed at helping pupils to learn to read. Some lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with pupils from across the school. Pupils’ work in books was scrutinised during lessons and separately.  Inspectors considered 75 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s own surveys of parents’ views.  A meeting took place with a representative from the local authority.  Responses to a questionnaire completed by 16 members of staff were considered.  A meeting was held with three governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body.  A range of school documents was examined. These included external evaluations of the school's work, the school’s review of its own performance, data on pupils’ progress, records of the school’s checks on the

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Information about this inspection

quality of teaching, records of pupils’ attendance, behaviour records and safeguarding documentation.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Longton Primary is a broadly average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding is well below average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.)  The overwhelming majority of pupils are White British, and none speak English as an additional language.  Reception provision is full time.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  A before- and after-school service operate from the site. These are subject to a separate inspection.  Since the previous inspection a number of staff have been appointed, including the early years manager

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Information about this school

who is new to post, and the governing body has been reorganised. Various refurbishments have taken place which have, for example, enabled the school to relocate its library and provide more space for teaching activities.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further enhance the outdoor area in the early years to reflect children’s interests better.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, senior leaders and teaching staff are exceptionally well focused. Together with governors they have taken a systematic approach to ensuring that all areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection have been tackled head on. As a result of this, the overall performance of pupils in mathematics is outstanding, and their knowledge and understanding of cultural diversity in modern Britain is well developed.  The school is well respected within its local community of schools and shares resources with them, particularly in relation to training. It also regularly shares its good practice in, for example, supporting the most-able pupils, and checking on the accuracy of the marking of pupils’ written work.  Subject specialists, including those responsible for English and mathematics, are highly effective. They are exceptionally well trained, driven and ambitious. Their close monitoring of the quality of teaching,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

through observations and checking on the quality of marking, as well as their regular meetings with teachers to assess on how well pupils are doing, have made an outstanding contribution to raising standards.  The school’s new curriculum is fully implemented and senior leaders have put in place an action plan to monitor its effectiveness. Pupils benefit from a rich and varied curriculum and many opportunities to practise their writing and mathematical skills across all subjects. Year 5 pupils are especially keen on the team building that they do as part of their annual residential trip and Year 4 enjoy their topic on the Romans. Younger pupils are interested in the arts and exploring living things and all pupils benefit from studying German.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is highly effective across the school, including in the early years, and contributes well to their outstanding achievement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

Pupils are very mature in their approach to learning. They enjoy participating in class, and have many opportunities to visit theatres and museums, play various musical instruments, including the piano and flute, engage in dance and drama productions and participate in gymnastics.  Pupils understand the local, as well as the global dimensions of cultural diversity. The school’s links with a school in Malawi, pupils’ visits to places of worship, including a Hindu cultural temple and a synagogue, and opportunities for them to learn about different cultures and traditions have all helped the school to be nationally recognised for its race equality work  The school promotes equal opportunities well. For instance, through its good use of resources and training it ensures that pupils with special educational needs or disabilities achieve outstandingly well.  Systems for monitoring the quality of teaching are very effective and show that teachers’ performance and

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The leadership and management are outstanding

success in raising standards are continually improving.  The headteacher shares her skills and experience with the local authority on a regular basis. In addition to this, the school buys in the services of a school improvement partner who, at the request of the school, conducted with colleagues a full review of teaching and learning in 2012, which showed that the school had improved in all areas since the previous inspection.  The school takes care to ensure that it has effective arrangements for safeguarding its pupils and all statutory requirements in this respect are met.  The governance of the school: - Governors are very well informed and have a wide range of skills which help to ensure that their work is effective. They know their school well and are committed to ensuring that pupils thrive and enjoy their learning. Governors’ role in supporting the school and monitoring its effectiveness, in relation to

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The leadership and management are outstanding

mathematics and the full implementation of its new curriculum for example, has been effective in ensuring that teaching and learning have improved since the previous inspection. - Governors know that the primary school sport fund is helping to improve the health and well-being of pupils, and improve the skills of staff in teaching sporting activities, because they monitor its effectiveness. They are well informed about pupils’ take-up of sports such as trampolining, tennis, rugby and gymnastics and know that such activities have improved pupils’ skills in team work and widened opportunities for inter-school competitions. - Governors make sure that the pupil premium funding is well spent and that well-targeted support is effective in ensuring that eligible pupils achieve well, and are able to participate in all aspects of school life, including educational visits. - Governors receive regular reports from school leaders on the quality of teaching. They go into classes,

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The leadership and management are outstanding

talk to pupils about their learning, and listen to them read. All of this helps to inform their view that the quality of teaching is outstanding. Governors are happy to reward teachers for their hard work, but only after they are satisfied that they have met their targets.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils are very mature and responsible, their attendance is exceptionally high and they enjoy coming to school. Pupils are studious, their behaviour is usually impeccable in class, they are welcoming and respectful, and enjoy the many opportunities they have to take on responsibilities such as sports ambassadors. All of these things make a significant contribution to pupils’ exemplary achievement.  Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy showing visitors around and appreciate their indoor learning areas, and outdoor play areas. They are sensible at all times. This includes during lunch, when moving around the school and when playing with their friends.  Key Stage 2 pupils are exceptionally good role models. As play leaders they enjoy organising games and activities, and regularly organise ‘time trials’, and oversee obstacle course activities on the playground. As

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Behaviour

peer mentors, Year 5 pupils develop meaningful, caring and mutually beneficial relationships with pupils in Reception.  All pupils are of the opinion that behaviour is good, as are staff, the overwhelming majority of parents who completed Parent View, and parents who completed the school’s own surveys of parents’ views. Inspection evidence, including an examination of the school’s behaviour logs, shows that behaviour is typically outstanding over time.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils in all year groups, including in the early years, say that they always feel safe and that they can talk to any adult if they have any problems or worries. All parents are happy that the school’s work to keep their children safe and secure is effective.  Pupils know what bullying is and say that ‘it never happens in school’. Older pupils have a good knowledge of prejudice-based bulling and are of the opinion that ‘everyone is the same’, and that ‘there is no racism here’. The school’s annual week-long programme of activities linked to friendship and anti-bullying goes a long way in developing pupils’ understanding of safe and unsafe situations.  Pupils know that cyber-bullying can occur on mobile phones, the Internet and electronic devices. They say that their parents and teachers always check that they are safe when using the Internet and that they

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Safety

always talk to adults if they are not sure about, for example, the safety of a website or anything that ‘pops up’ on their computer.  Cycling proficiency training helps pupils to cycle safely and develop good road sense, as does the road training they receive from the ’lollypop man’.  Visitors who address the whole school on issues such as fire safety help pupils to understand dangers and risk, as do teachers who explore issues such as drug and alcohol misuse through their personal social and emotional aspects of education (PSHCE) programme.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching, including in the early years, has significantly improved since the previous inspection and is outstanding. Teachers set tasks and activities for pupils that are challenging, stimulating and exciting. They set very high standards and have great expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving.  Teachers and teaching assistants are highly skilled, well trained and work exceptionally well together, both to support pupils and also to encourage them to find things out for themselves. As a result of this all pupils, including the most able and those with special educational needs, progress well and attain highly.  Pupils work together exceptionally well in pairs, small groups and on their own. This was exemplified in a Year 6 English class where pupils made outstanding progress while finding out interesting facts about the life of a well-known celebrity. Some used computer tablets to carry out research and discussed how to

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

summarise their biographies, others debated on what made a good life story, while some worked on their own, concentrating on grammar and interesting words to bring their writing to life.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is outstanding because teachers focus on improving their calculation and problem-solving skills. This was the case in a Year 4 mathematics class where after responding positively to the question ‘are you ready for a challenge?’, pupils set about solving different three- and five-digit number problems. All pupils, including a group supported by a teaching assistant, progressed well because they worked together, were skilled at using different calculation methods and were confident enough to take risks and learn from their mistakes.  Teachers regularly check pupils’ work. Their marking is of a very high standard and is always up to date. Teachers are careful to provide clear verbal and written feedback to pupils and allow them time to

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

improve their spelling and check their calculations.  Pupils know that they can always improve their learning. They know exactly what they are expected to achieve during individual class sessions. Their individual targets help them to improve their reading, writing, mathematics, grammar, punctuation and spelling throughout the year.  All pupils, including those in Year 1, receive regular homework and enjoy improving their skills in all subjects through the many educational games that are available on the school website. Key Stage 1 pupils are especially keen on finding out about subjects such as tsunamis and extreme weather conditions, and enjoy sharing what they have learnt with their peers.  Pupils’ skills in writing are developed exceptionally well from a very early age. This was the case in a Year 1 English class where pupils were given different tasks relating to describing a ‘spooky’ setting. Some were

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

asked to use interesting adjectives to describe what they could see in the picture of the setting, while others used similes to describe the scene. One group of pupils wrote, ‘the water is very sticky and it is as dark as a river’.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Standards attained by pupils, including in the early years, are exceptionally high and have improved since the previous inspection. Their overall attainment in national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2014 was outstanding and well above average in reading and writing. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014 was well above average in all subjects and their overall attainment has been outstanding for several years.  Children enter Reception with different skills and abilities. However, overall their skills are typical for their age. All groups of pupils, including those with disabilities or special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils make at least good, and mostly outstanding progress in all subjects across the school.  The progress of a very small minority of pupils in reading and writing at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014 was not quite as good as the school expected. However, in 2013 the progress of all groups of pupils at the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

end of Key Stage 2 was outstanding in all subjects, as it is so far this year.  Mathematics is taught exceptionally well. Teachers are highly skilled, have good subject knowledge, and set pupils activities which challenge them to excel in their calculation and problem-solving activities. Because of this, their progress in this subject is outstanding.  Pupils have a good grasp of the technical aspects of the English language. In 2014 their attainment in grammar, punctuation and spelling was well above average. This helps pupils to produce high quality written work not only in English, but in subjects such as history and science, and has helped to ensure that they make at least good progress in all year groups.  Pupils are well read and enjoy taking ‘the reading challenge’ where in Key Stage 1 they read over 25 books and in Key Stage 2 they read over 50 books. Less-able readers use their phonics skills (linking

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

letters and sounds) exceptionally well, and were proud to demonstrate how they ‘karate chop’ unfamiliar words, before blending and reading them. The results of the Year 1 national check on pupils’ skills in phonics in 2014 have been outstanding for the last two years.  No pupils speak English as an additional language, and none of those who sat national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2014 were from minority ethnic groups. It is not possible to comment on the performance of pupils from these groups currently in school because this would identify them.  No meaningful comparisons can be made between the performance of disadvantage pupils and their peers in school, or nationally, in 2014 because of their very small numbers. However, inspection evidence and the school’s own data show that these pupils make progress at least in line with that of their peers and achieve at least well in all subjects and in all year groups.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils with disabilities or special educational needs are cared for exceptionally well by well trained staff who work closely with a range of specialist partners. At the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014, their overall attainment matched that of all pupils nationally and was about one term behind that of their peers in school.  The most-able pupils are constantly challenged in class. They have conversed with well-known writers through live video streams on the Internet, entered national writing competitions, and engaged in mathematics competitions at the local high school. In 2014 the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in all subjects was well above average. A small number of pupils attained the highest possible level, Level 6, in writing and grammar, punctuation and spelling and the proportion attaining Level 6 in mathematics was well above average.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Early years provision has improved since the previous inspection. It is led and managed very well by an experienced teacher who is well known and respected in the local authority and by schools. Though new to post, she is very clear about how to improve provision even further and works exceptionally well with skilled, very able and well-trained teaching assistants. Together they ensure that children enjoy their learning and achieve well.  Children enter the Reception with a wide range of skills and abilities, and from several different nurseries. At the start of the year in 2013 their skills in all areas of learning were typical for their age. However, this year their skills in some areas of learning, including reading and writing, are lower than those typical for their age.  For the last two years children’s progress in Reception has been outstanding, with the vast majority entering Year 1 with very well developed skills in all areas of learning. School data show that so far this

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The early years provision is outstanding

year children are already making exceptional progress and that their skills are developing well in, for example, speaking and listening and coordination and movement.  Phonics (linking letters and sounds) is taught exceptionally well. This helps to ensure the rapid development of children’s speech and language skills, as well as their early writing, spelling and reading skills.  Adults have very high expectations of children. This was shown in a phonics teaching session where children confidently came to the front of the class to identify, using the interactive white board, nonsense words, which they put into a dustbin and real words, which they placed in a treasure chest.  Staff constantly monitor and assess children’s learning and progress. They do this in close partnership with parents. They regularly share information on children’s’ performance, explain how they are supporting their progress, and share notes and photos which illustrate what children have achieved.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Children benefit from well-resourced indoor and outdoor playing and learning areas. However, the early years leader is aware that the outdoor area does not fully reflect children’s own interests. Parents are of the opinion that their children are happy, safe, well cared for and achieving well.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 119350 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 448907

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 209 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Harry Glover Headteacher Julie Brown Date of previous school inspection 27 January 2010 Telephone number 01772 612495 Fax number 01772 619982 Email address head@longton.lancs.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 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

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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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