Langtons Infant School & Nursery

School report Langtons Infant School Westland Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 3SD

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders and governors have not maintained the good standard of education since the previous inspection.  Although governors are supportive, they do not contribute to setting goals across all areas of the schools’ work.  Some leaders responsible for subjects or specific aspects of the school’s work do not monitor pupils’ progress effectively.  Teaching throughout the school does not secure consistently good progress for all pupils.  Some groups of pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, do not make enough progress in their reading, writing and mathematics.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is not always at the right level of challenge for some pupils.  Children’s progress in the early years is variable. Disadvantaged children do not achieve as well as their classmates in some areas of learning.  A minority of pupils find it hard to remain actively involved in their activities during lessons.

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Although there have been recent improvements, pupils’ attendance remains below the national average for some groups.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders ensure that pupils learn in a broad range of subjects.  The school places emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Due to this, pupils are confident, responsible and articulate.  Welfare arrangements for pupils are prioritised by leaders. First aid and medical care is effective, including for pupils with complex medical needs.  The learning environment is calm, orderly and celebrates pupils’ achievement across a range of subjects.  Staff and parents are supportive of the school’s work.  Pupils enjoy their lessons and say they feel safe at school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics, including in the early years by making sure that teachers: use accurate assessments to plan work at the right level of challenge for pupils check pupils’ understanding in lessons to address any misconceptions in their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve rates of progress in phonics, including in the early years, by ensuring that: staff understand and implement the school’s expectations regarding the pace and progression of phonics teaching and learning at each stage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ behaviour by: supporting all pupils to maintain concentration during their lessons increasing pupils’ attendance, including disadvantaged pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: leaders and governors set goals with milestones, so that academic progress can be monitored regularly, including for disadvantaged pupils and children in the early years. leaders responsible for specific areas or subjects monitor pupils’ progress regularly and support improvements to teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The vast majority of staff say senior leaders have created a climate in which they are trusted. Due to this, working relationships are effective, positive and supportive. This enables good support for pupils’ safety, personal development and welfare. Parents agree that their children are safe.  The headteacher has secured a strong commitment from senior leaders, staff and governors to improve teaching and learning. The school’s plan for improvement correctly focuses on improving attendance and the quality of teaching. However, milestones against which progress will be measured are not focused on accelerating academic progress, including for disadvantaged pupils.  Senior leaders ensure that teachers have targets to improve their teaching and pupils’ achievement. Teachers’ performance is reviewed each term against how much progress their pupils make. However, targets are not linked to improving progress in specific subjects or for key groups of pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The pupil premium grant is used to provide subsidised places for after-school clubs and educational visits. This ensures that all pupils can enjoy equal access to these events. However, the grant does not secure accelerated academic progress for some of the disadvantaged pupils, notably those pupils in Year 2 last year.  Recent staff training has focused on improving literacy, including the teaching of phonics. This has enabled some staff, including learning support assistants, to develop their confidence in teaching this subject. However, the impact of training on the quality of teaching is too variable in lessons, including in the early years.  The school has implemented a new system for assessing pupils’ progress against the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics for each year group. Senior leaders hold meetings with teachers each term to discuss pupils’ achievement. However, these meetings do not fully hold teachers to account

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

for the progress of some groups, including disadvantaged pupils.  Where teaching is having a stronger impact on pupils’ outcomes, leaders with specific responsibility for areas (or subjects) use information carefully to track pupils’ progress. This is the case for pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs. This practice is not yet widespread.  The curriculum provides learning opportunities across a range of subjects for pupils. It promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. During an assembly, pupils were able to explain in some detail the moral of the fable, The tortoise and the hare. Pupils also use and apply their learning in other subjects. For example, in Year 2, pupils’ work about Florence Nightingale demonstrated their ability to write factually, including relevant historical details.  The school’s work to promote fundamental British values is effective. During philosophy lessons, pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

have good opportunities to discuss current affairs or any concerns they raise. This is helping pupils to become confident, articulate and kind. Pupils say the school encourages them to respect people from other backgrounds and to treat everyone equally.  The school uses the sport premium funding effectively to provide a range of activities at the school. A variety of clubs is also available after school, including football and dance. These are very popular with pupils and parents. Leaders also promote pupils’ participation at competitive events. The school hosts an annual sports day and pupils compete at local events.  Parents are positive about the school’s work. They receive information about their child’s academic progress at parent consultation evenings each term. The school hosts a range of events to encourage parents to be actively involved in their child’s learning. A good proportion of parents attend regular

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

‘parent sharing afternoons’. Parents told inspectors they value these opportunities to visit their children’s classrooms.  The headteacher is ably supported by the deputy. Nevertheless, leadership and management require improvement because recent actions have not yet secured improvements to attendance, the quality of teaching or achievement in some classes, subject areas or for disadvantaged pupils.  The governance of the school Since the previous inspection there have been several changes to membership of the governing body and a new Chair has been appointed. Governors have attended training provided by the local authority. This has enabled new governors to develop their understanding about what the school needs to do further to improve. Governors make regular visits to the school. They attend events and hold regular meetings to monitor aspects of the school’s performance, including about the school’s finances. They have successfully

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

supported recent improvements in computing and technology provision across the school. Governors ensure that steps are taken to keep pupils safe. They have identified a governor to oversee safeguarding practice at the school. This includes scrutiny of information about the suitability of staff employed by the school. Governors are familiar with the school development plan. However, they do not receive regular information about attendance, or pupils’ academic progress. Due to this, they are not able to monitor these aspects of the school’s work regularly or with sufficient rigour. Furthermore, they are not able to set goals or milestones to measure pupils’ academic progress. For example, they are not able to monitor progress for disadvantaged pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium fund.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The current safeguarding policy and school’s practice places sufficient emphasis on the most recent

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

guidance from the Department for Education. The local authority undertakes an annual audit to make sure that safeguarding is effective at the school.  Training for leaders ensures that recruitment processes are safe. The Chair of the Governing Body makes sure that suitability checks about staff are thorough.  All staff receive relevant and up-to-date child protection training. Training is planned for all staff and governors to increase their understanding about extremist views and the dangers relating to radicalisation.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 There is some good teaching at the school. However, too much requires improvement to have a marked impact on all pupils’ learning over time. Notably, for the disadvantaged pupils.  Teachers’ marking is sometimes effective. It provides pupils with useful comments to develop their learning and pupils respond positively to this feedback. However, in some classes this approach is not effective or in line with the school’s policy.  The majority of pupils enjoy their learning and say that teachers listen to their ideas in lessons. Some pupils recognise that the behaviour of a few pupils could be improved in some lessons.  Staff have received training to improve their phonics teaching. Where teaching has improved, teachers have good subject knowledge and clear expectations about what pupils can achieve. This also sustains good levels of participation and concentration during lessons. However, this good practice is not yet

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

widespread. In some lessons, pupils’ learning is hindered because activities are not closely matched to pupils’ abilities. Consequently, a few pupils lose concentration and become distracted.  When teachers plan their lessons, they do not always use recent assessment information to build on pupils’ previous learning. Due to this, some pupils are not provided with sufficient challenge to work at a faster pace. In Year 2, pupils enjoyed weighing objects in their mathematics lesson. However, several pupils completed similar work the day before and so finished the task quickly and with great ease. A few then became distracted and unclear about what to do next.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Senior leaders instil a calm, positive atmosphere in school where staff and pupils work together harmoniously. This has been successful in developing pupils’ self-confidence and ability to communicate their ideas during lessons, assemblies and to visitors.  Pupils are becoming helpful citizens. They contribute to their wider community by raising funds for charities. They also visit the local residential home for the elderly to perform songs.  The school enables pupils to develop independence and responsibility. Pupils undertake a range of leadership roles, including as school council representatives or monitors, and by helping at playtime.  Pupils confirm that the school encourages them to be healthy through physical education and healthy eating. At lunchtimes, pupils are supported effectively to make healthy choices, eat appropriate portion

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Personal development and welfare

sizes and use their cutlery correctly.  Welfare arrangements are effective. Staff have up-to-date first aid training to enable good care for the pupils at school and during educational visits. Health care plans for pupils with complex medical needs are maintained and monitored by qualified staff.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils say they feel safe. They confirm that bullying is extremely rare at their school and they can go to an adult if something is worrying them. This level of care is enhanced through the individual class ‘concern books’ which are maintained by teachers. These record any issues raised by pupils, so that appropriate action is taken, including parental engagement.  The school keeps records about any poor behaviour. The headteacher monitors these, takes action to address incidents and keeps parents regularly informed. The need for fixed-term exclusions has reduced significantly due to leaders’ effective work, including liaising with other agencies.  The school’s system of sanctions and rewards, including the ‘cloud system’ in classrooms, is used well by staff. Leaders celebrate good behaviour during assemblies and by regular feedback and praise to pupils.

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Behaviour

 Most pupils try their best and show positive attitudes to learning. Sometimes, a few become distracted in lessons when the activities do not match their learning needs. This hinders pupils’ progress, particularly boys’ progress during phonics lessons.  Although the school has been effective at reducing the high level of persistent absence this year, attendance rates remain below the national average, including for some disadvantaged pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Although at the end of Key Stage 1, standards in reading, writing and mathematics remain above the national average, disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as other pupils. For example, in 2015 disadvantaged pupils were approximately two terms behind in their reading.  In 2015, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level in the Year 1 phonics screening check declined from the previous year to just below the national average. Achievement was also a concern for some of the boys. Senior leaders have identified phonics as a priority. However, the school’s current assessment information demonstrates that pupils, including boys, will need to make rapid progress to achieve the expected standard in 2016.  The school’s assessment information and pupils’ workbooks in Years 1 and 2 show progress since the start of the year, but there is some variation across classes. Notably, gaps in attainment for some

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

disadvantaged pupils are not closing fast enough. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making better progress.  The school’s own assessment information shows that in 2015, the proportion of pupils reaching a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year had improved since the previous year.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Leaders and staff establish effective partnerships with families before children start school, for example through workshops, and stay and play sessions. This ensures that children settle quickly, are able to follow new routines and enjoy school life.  Staff have worked hard to ensure that activities both outside and indoors stimulate children’s learning across all areas. Resources are organised and easily accessible to the children. This means that children can select a range of books, writing tools, construction and craft equipment to develop their own interests and learning.  The learning environment is nurturing and relationships are encouraging and supportive. This enables children to play and learn alongside each other amicably. Pupils follow instructions carefully, show good levels of independence and enjoy helping out at ‘tidy up time’.  Although the proportion of pupils reaching a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year

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The early years provision requires improvement

was above the national average in 2015, the early years provision requires improvement. The school’s own assessment information shows that the proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving the early learning goals in reading, writing and number was low compared to other children in school and nationally.  Leaders make checks on children’s skills and abilities on entry to the Reception class. This indicates that the majority of children start school with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age in most areas of learning. However, the quality and accuracy of these assessments has not been monitored by senior leaders. Therefore, the current information for measuring children’s progress is not robust. Due to this, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that current children in the Reception class are progressing fast enough.  Teaching in the early years ensures that pupils settle well into life at the school. Children enjoy a good

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The early years provision requires improvement

range of learning across all areas. However, it does not secure good enough progress for disadvantaged children or in developing children’s understanding and use of phonics.  Leaders have plans to improve children’s phonics knowledge and skills but it is too early to evaluate the impact of these on accelerating children’s progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 102280 Local Authority Havering Inspection Number 10008718

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4−7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Bejon Headteacher Kim Hopkinson Telephone number 01708 447866 Website www.langtonsinfants.com Email address office@langtons-inf.havering.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4–5 October 2010

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized infant school. Most children join Reception in the September following their fourth birthday.  Nearly one fifth of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding which the school receives to provide additional support for pupils who are looked after by the local authority or those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is low compared to the national average. Most pupils are from White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons in all classes and were accompanied by school leaders in the majority of lessons.  Inspectors observed pupils at different times of the day, including during assembly, and at play and lunchtimes.  Inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 2. They also held conversations with pupils to gain their views about their school.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other leaders with responsibilities, including staff responsible for the safeguarding and welfare of pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 14 responses to Parent View, the online questionnaire for parents. They also spoke to parents visiting the school during the day.  Inspectors took account of the 12 responses to the staff questionnaire and 30 responses to the pupil questionnaire.  A meeting was held with three governors, including the Chair.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s own documents including the development plan, summary

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Information about this inspection

of self-evaluation, checks on pupils’ progress, teaching quality and staff performance.  A meeting was held with a representative from the local authority.  A range of pupils’ work was considered, and included exercise books, classroom displays and the profiles for children in the early years.

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Inspection team

Kirstie Fulthorpe, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Janice Howkins Ofsted Inspector Jean Thwaites Her Majesty’s Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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