Longroyde Primary School

Longroyde Junior School Longroyde Road, Rastrick, West Yorkshire, HD6 3AS

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are very proud of their school, saying it is ‘the best school in Rastrick.’ They flourish here and become increasingly mature and responsible individuals who understand and respect different religions, lifestyles and cultures.  The well respected and inspirational headteacher is ably supported by senior leaders and governors, all dedicated to making the school the best it can be. Attainment has risen over time and the proportion of outstanding teaching is rising.  Staff provide outstanding care for pupils, especially those whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Pupils say that they feel extremely safe in school. Parents expressed very positive views about all aspects of the school.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a great strength. The school provides a wide variety of activities that are enriched by strong links with the local community.  All groups of pupils achieve well, including those

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

who are disabled, those with special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged. When pupils leave the school, their attainment is above the national average in reading and writing and matches it in mathematics.  Behaviour and safety are outstanding. Pupils are very keen to learn and work hard in lessons. They move around inside and outside with great care and consideration for their own safety and that of others.  Pupils of all backgrounds learn and play together happily and harmoniously. They acquire the values of respect, tolerance and fairness. They are beginning to understand democracy. They are very well prepared for their future lives in multicultural Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching, although improving rapidly, does not yet result in outstanding achievement.  Attainment in mathematics lags behind that of reading and writing. Pupils do not always apply their skills and knowledge when tackling problems.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons, including one observed jointly with the headteacher.  They looked at pupils’ books, visited small-group sessions and attended assemblies, talked with and observed pupils outside at break times and listened to readers from Years 3 and 6.  Inspectors met parents as they brought their children to school. They held meetings with pupils, staff, school leaders and members of the governing body and held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  They examined current achievement data, the systems used to gather an accurate picture of pupil performance and how the quality of teaching and learning is checked on and monitored.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils were scrutinised.  Inspectors looked at the 37 responses recorded online in Ofsted’s Parent View, the outcomes of the school’s recent parent survey and the 10 questionnaires completed by members of staff.

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Inspection team

Kathleen McArthur, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This average-sized junior school has two classes in each year group from Year 3 to Year 6.  Two thirds of the pupils are White British. Other pupils are from Pakistani, Indian and Black Caribbean backgrounds.  The proportion supported by pupil premium funding is above the national average and has increased since the time of the previous inspection. (The pupil premium is additional government funding to support disadvantaged pupils).  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The headteacher is a pupil premium reviewer, helping other schools improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.  The school holds a number of awards, including ICT and Active Marks, the Quality in Study Support and Basic Skills award, and holds Healthy School status.

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Information about this school

 The school offers before- and after-school provision each day.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise the quality of teaching and learning to outstanding so that achievement becomes outstanding, most particularly in mathematics by:  ensuring that training for staff to deliver the new mathematics curriculum and whole-school method of calculation is fully in place  giving pupils more opportunities to discuss and explain their ideas in order to strengthen their understanding further  providing wide and meaningful opportunities for pupils to use, apply and consolidate their mathematical knowledge when tackling and solving problems  providing pupils with a wider range of practical equipment to use while working on their tasks.

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The leadership and management are good

 Strong, very committed leadership at all levels has the full support of all staff and morale is high. Leaders successfully achieve their aim of providing equal opportunities for all pupils. Consequently, all pupils achieve well, and attendance and standards are rising.  Carefully focused improvement plans are based on thorough analysis of how well pupils are doing, for example, to raise standards in mathematics further. School data show that these plans are having an impact, but have yet to become fully effective.  Leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching by observing lessons, scrutinising progress data and pupils’ books. The outcomes of these checks lead to professional development in order to broaden and develop staff skills. Staff say that they have benefited from a range of in-service training. However, training for the new mathematics curriculum is still at the planning stage.  Senior leaders are good roles models for other staff in delivering high quality teaching and developing

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The leadership and management are good

management skills. Middle leaders suitably check on teaching in their subjects, and produce action plans for further improvement.  Pupil premium funds are used well. Disadvantaged pupils achieve as well and usually faster than their classmates, and school data show that any remaining attainment gaps are closing rapidly. The school’s work with disadvantaged pupils has received government recognition.  Sport funding has provided extra facilities, for example, improvements to the hard play area. This has increased pupil participation in physical activities, giving them the basis of a healthy lifestyle.  Excellent promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has created a very happy, harmonious school where pupils are protected from discrimination. Voting on how Rastrick Big Local funds should be allocated gave them real insight into democracy in action, and the ‘Food for Life’ programme

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The leadership and management are good

teaches them to grow and cook food, valuable skills for later life. Pupils visit a different place of worship each year. Consequently, they become increasingly mature and responsible individuals who understand and respect different religions, lifestyles and cultures. Pupils are very well prepared for their future lives in multicultural Britain.  Careful adaptations to the rich, well-planned curriculum ensure that each pupil makes good progress in all subjects, and gains the numeracy and literacy skills needed for the future. Pupils use and expand these skills in all their work, for example, describing the digestive process in science or calculating the ages of famous local people from the epitaphs on their gravestones.  Clubs and additional activities are very well attended. Pupils may learn string or brass instruments, play in the school orchestra or band, sing in the choir, attend sports clubs, learn ballroom dancing and go on

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The leadership and management are good

residential visits, all of which broaden their social and cultural experiences.  Parents are welcomed as partners to benefit pupils learning. They are well informed through weekly newsletters, text messaging, the comprehensive website and parents’ evenings.  Safeguarding arrangements meet all statutory requirements. Staff are well trained in all child protection procedures.  The local authority provides light touch support for this good school, and has offered staff training and support for governors.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is led well. Governors know their school very well, and some have been actively involved for many years. Time spent in school, class links, hearing readers and regular updates on school data give them an informed basis from which to challenge and hold leaders to account, for example, questioning them about actions to raise attainment in mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 Careful financial management supports areas for improvement. Regular reports tell governors how pupil premium funds are being used, and they expect leaders to show how any small gaps between the performance of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils are narrowing.  Governors ensure that the setting of targets for staff leads to further training to improve both teaching and management skills to foster future leaders. They check that salary rewards are given only when staff help their pupils to learn well.  Governors ensure that all pupils are well equipped for future life and acquire traditional British values in a safe, secure environment.  They ensure that primary sport funding is used to improve provision, such as the hard play area. Pupil attendance at sports clubs and activities has increased due to the wide range on offer.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  School records and inspection evidence show that this is typical over time, and parents and pupils agree. There is no record of any discriminatory behaviour or actions, and there have been no exclusions. The well-thought-out behaviour management system, using different coloured cards, is known and understood. Pupils say that it is fair.  Very good relationships between pupils and staff mean that learning proceeds smoothly. Pupils have excellent attitudes in lessons which make a very strong contribution to their good and better progress. They cooperate happily, concentrate and persevere extremely well because they enjoy learning and want to do well.  Pupils say, ‘People are very kind’, reflecting the school’s excellent pastoral care. Pupils and their families whose circumstances make them vulnerable receive extra support, often through the school’s strong

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Behaviour

working links with external support agencies. These pupils can then participate fully and progress as well as their classmates do.  Attendance is above average. Even in the worst weather, the school stays open, sending a clear message to pupils and families that education is highly valued and important.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  All records are painstakingly maintained, and staff receive regular child protection and safeguarding training so that they can fulfil their responsibilities effectively.  Pupils say, ‘Staff keep us safe’, so they feel extremely secure and well cared for in school. The school website states that ‘Every week is Anti-Bullying week’, and pupils say bullying does not happen. They know that they can turn to any member of staff if they have a problem. They understand different types of bullying and how to deal with it. In information and communication technology (ICT) lessons they learn what to do if they were to experience cyber-bullying.  The school is clean, tidy and well maintained, and pupils respect this, which further adds to the positive atmosphere in which they learn and play. Outside, well-supervised activities keep them busy and active, or

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Safety

they can find a sheltered spot and be quiet. Older pupils act very responsibly as playground ‘befrienders’, ready to help anyone who needs a friend or to sort out any squabbles, which are rare.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Progress is good and attainment has risen because the quality of teaching is improving, owing to well- planned professional development. Teachers motivate and capture pupils’ interest and imagination well. This was seen in the enthusiastic, well-informed response of older pupils after a local studies walk round Brighouse, a lesson that extended their investigational, literacy and numeracy skills along with their knowledge of local history.  Pupils describe their work as ‘challenging but we can manage it.’ Well-organised classrooms have lots of displays to help pupils with punctuation or mathematical strategies. Staff use resources, such as interactive computer white boards well, to help pupils learn. For example, the use of the white board clarified for pupils how to find equivalent fractions.  Reading and writing are taught well so pupils progress very rapidly. The accelerated reading programme

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The quality of teaching is good

has made a big impact, and in 2014 attainment in reading for Year 6 pupils was significantly above average. The introduction of various well taught strategies including commercial schemes has had a positive impact on the teaching of writing.  Teaching in mathematics has been less effective than in writing or reading. Useful training on questioning has helped staff to get their pupils to think and reason. However, practical resources are not always available to help pupils as they work. Pupils do not often get the chance to discuss their answers with a partner to help them explain and strengthen their reasoning. In order to eradicate pupils confusion a consistent method of calculation is still under review.  The teaching assistants are very skilled and committed. They are deployed well, know their pupils’ needs well and make a strong contribution to the good progress made by all groups of learners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff assess how well their pupils are doing carefully. They use the information to plan work that matches every pupil’s needs, whether to stretch those who find learning easy or to direct additional help where needed. Work is marked carefully and pupils say teachers’ comments are helpful. Homework is set regularly and pupils can attend a homework club if they choose to receive extra support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils make good progress. School data show that progress is speeding up as a result of school leaders’ determination to raise attainment for all pupils. Pupils are well prepared for further learning.  The attainment of most pupils when they enter the school in Year 3 matches national averages. However, an increasing number come from outside the locality, and their attainment is often below this.  Attainment has risen over time and is typically above national averages when pupils leave the school. Outcomes were particularly strong in 2014 and the proportion of pupils who attained the expected level in reading, mathematics and spelling, punctuation and grammar was significantly above national averages. At the higher attainment level, all subjects were above national averages, and a few pupils attained even higher than this.  Due to a focus by leaders and managers on improving writing since the last inspection pupils reached

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The achievement of pupils is good

standards in writing that are above national averages. The numbers of pupils, including the most-able, reaching higher attainment levels in writing was well above national averages in 2014.  The work in pupils’ books, school records and inspection evidence show that pupils currently in Year 6 are well on course to meet their targets, which are challenging, but matched appropriately to reflect the different starting points of this cohort.  Standards in mathematics match national averages, but are more variable across the school. Pupils often struggle to use their knowledge of number facts or times tables, and may be unsure which method to use when given problems to solve.  Reading is taught well so pupils make rapid progress. Pupils said they ‘love reading’, and the library is one of the best things about the school. The accelerated reading programme has boosted enjoyment and raised standards very successfully. Pupils flock to the library in their lunch break to complete the quizzes

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The achievement of pupils is good

that test their understanding before moving on to the next level. They talk knowledgeably about different authors and favourite books, and gain the skills they need to help them learn in all subjects.  The school’s work with disadvantaged pupils has received government recognition. They achieve well and make good progress, often progressing more rapidly than their classmates do. In 2014, they made better progress than other pupils nationally in English and matched them in mathematics. Their attainment was just over two terms behind other pupils in their year group in mathematics, reading and writing. Compared to other pupils nationally, their attainment was about a term behind in writing and less than a term behind in reading and mathematics. Careful analysis of the impact made by pupil premium funding, such as support in small groups, the ‘Get Set Go Club’ and enrichment activities, show that remaining gaps

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The achievement of pupils is good

are very rapidly closing.  Provision for disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is led and managed well. By staff targeting and supporting their individual needs, they are able to participate fully and make good progress in relation to their starting points.  Extra challenges in lessons deepen knowledge and understanding for the most able pupils. Participation in additional activities with the local high school, the Lunar Park reading event at Crosslet Heath Grammar School or the Book of the Year at Halifax library stretches and extends their learning effectively.

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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 107501 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 448335

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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 Junior School category Foundation Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 253 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Richardson Headteacher Robert Fox Date of previous school inspection 15 April 2010 Telephone number 01484 715300 Fax number 01484 401810 Email address admin@longroyde.calderdale.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

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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