Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Kim Hopkinson Headteacher Langton’s Infant School Westland Avenue Essex RM11 3SD

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School

Following my visit to your school on 30 September 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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School

The school should take further action to.

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School

 Further improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  ensuring that leaders responsible for specific areas or subjects continue to monitor pupils’ progress regularly and support improvements to teaching.  embedding the new teaching strategy to improve outcomes in mathematics.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you, the deputy headteacher and middle leaders, two governors and a representative from the local authority. I met a group of pupils from different year groups. I observed learning, scrutinised work and spoke informally to pupils in visits to lessons with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. A range of documentation was considered. This included the single central record, the school action plan, current assessment information, recent external reviews of the school’s work and analysis of the impact of pupil premium spending and governance review.

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Context

Since the last inspection the school has appointed a new deputy headteacher and class teacher.

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Main findings

You and the school leaders lost no time in working to address the areas for improvement since the last inspection. A full school self-review has resulted in more effective practice. This had a positive impact on pupil outcomes for 2016. You led the school successfully through this drive for improvement and consequently morale is high and staff are committed to the school’s high expectations for all pupils.

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Main findings

The school’s information on the progress of the disadvantaged pupils has improved. The school now sets clear milestones for progress and achievement and this group are a regular focus for the pupil progress meetings. The information is analysed more sharply and from this the senior leaders ensure that the right support is given to meet pupils’ needs. The cycle of monitoring measures the impact of support on pupil outcomes, and leaders use this information to identify barriers to learning. This has improved practice across the school. The recent review of pupil premium funding has resulted in leaders, including governors, having a better understanding of how best to use resources and evidence spending to ensure that disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes improve. It has comprehensively changed the school approach to providing the best interventions for the needs of the pupils. The leadership team, including year leaders, regularly monitor teaching and use a variety of strategies to

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Main findings

support and challenge teachers. Performance management is used effectively to develop teachers’ skills. The school’s tracking system is more effective at evidencing the impact of teaching on learning. As a result teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good.

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Main findings

The school’s feedback system is developing pupils’ ability to reflect on their learning. Pupils regularly review and improve their work using clearly set targets. Books show that the level of challenge enables pupils to keep on track to meet age-related expectations by the end of key stage 1. Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to apply their literacy and mathematics learning across the curriculum subjects. As a result the basic skills are used effectively in cross-curricular pieces of work. The school recognises that the 2016 set of results showed that mathematics was the weaker subject and leaders are already working on plans to address teaching to improve the 2017 results. School leaders have been successful in the actions they have taken to improve teaching and outcomes in phonics. The school reviewed the delivery of the phonics teaching across the school. Training has had a positive impact on the quality of

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Main findings

teaching. Teachers use assessments more accurately. The regular review of pupil progress ensures that no group is at risk of not meeting the expected standards. As a result, the 2016 data showed that there was an increase in the number of pupils achieving and/or exceeding the phonics check in Year 1.

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Main findings

Behaviour across the school is consistently well managed. The pupils’ behaviour for learning is strong and as a result no learning is lost due to interruptions. Pupils respond well to staff, visitors and each other. They are polite and well mannered. Attendance is improving since the previous inspection. The school has successfully recruited a family support worker who works with the families where attendance is a concern. More work has been done to link attendance with achievement and the school is working hard with families to emphasise the need to be in school regularly. Consequently, the disadvantaged pupils’ attendance is catching up with that of pupils who are not covered by pupil premium.

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Main findings

The governing body commissioned the review of governance swiftly after the last inspection. The skills audit has enabled them to work more effectively and have a deeper understanding of school performance information. The governing body now have more confidence to challenge the school leadership and hold them to account. Training has been effective and governors are better placed to fulfil their responsibilities. They have a good understanding of the next steps for the school.

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External support

The local authority’s view is that while the judgements made at the February inspection were disappointing, the school has been proactive in seeking support and advice from other settings. The progress reviews show that the school is quickly addressing the areas raised in the previous report. The school is making very good use of the external support. As a result, teachers have been able to observe other colleagues and use information to improve their own practice.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for the London Borough of Havering. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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