Longfield Primary School

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

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Mrs Pam Virdee Headteacher Longfield Primary School Dukes Avenue London HA2 7NZ

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

Following my visit with Nicholas Turvey, Ofsted Inspector, to the school on 6 June 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in March 2013.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

The school expanded to a four-form entry school from September 2015. Leaders have managed this well. You have improved and updated school assessment procedures in response to national changes. You have made checks on teaching and learning more rigorous and used professional development to help teachers successfully implement changes to the national curriculum. Teachers’ effective use of assessment has contributed to improvements in pupils’ progress and attainment.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

Parents and carers, pupils and staff overwhelmingly agree that the school is welcoming and inclusive. Pupils say they enjoy school. Pupils learn well and make good progress, reflecting the school’s high expectations and ambition. For example, at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 pupils’ progress in mathematics was significantly above the national average.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

The previous inspection identified that more challenging learning opportunities for higher-attaining pupils were needed. Pupils say that they choose activities that provide a range of challenge, but that the work provided could be even harder. Teachers now have more precise information about pupils’ progress and attainment than in the past. Teachers typically use this information well to plan and adapt work to identify and fill any gaps in pupils’ understanding. You have successfully raised the confidence and skills of staff so that teaching is usually well structured and pupils are engaged in their learning. As a result, current pupils make good progress in reading and writing. Progress in mathematics continues to be strong. Other subjects, such as science, also contribute well to the development of pupils’ reading, writing and numeracy skills.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Training ensures that staff have an up-to-date understanding of risks to pupils. For example, staff help pupils understand the dangers associated with the internet and radicalisation.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

All staff understand the school’s procedures for reporting concerns about pupils’ safety. Thorough records and timely responses ensure that any referrals and concerns are resolved as quickly as possible. Governors have a secure understanding of safeguarding issues based on reports from the school and their own visits. This collaborative focus on safeguarding contributes to a secure culture of safety.

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Short inspection of Longfield Primary School

Pupils say that they feel safe in school because staff are caring and act upon any concerns raised. The vast majority of parents who replied to Parent View, Ofsted’s survey for parents, are confident that their children are safe. Surveys of pupils, parents and staff confirm that cases of bullying are rare and are dealt with promptly and effectively.

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Inspection findings

 A focus for this inspection was the progress made by most-able pupils. Progress of the most able pupils in writing at the end of key stage 2 was below the national average. It was not as strong as their progress in mathematics and reading.  Senior leaders are now providing teachers with better information to inform their planning. This is contributing to raised expectations, as shown by the increased opportunities for pupils to broaden and deepen their learning. Your assessment information and a review of pupils’ work shows that the most able pupils are on track to make good progress by the end of Reception, Year 2 and Year 6. You acknowledge that continuing to improve the progress of the most-able pupils is a priority for the school.  The inspection also looked at the impact of leaders’ action to improve the progress pupils make in reading and writing. This was because in 2016 Year 6 pupils made slower progress in reading and particularly in writing compared with

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Inspection findings

mathematics.  Leaders have raised teachers’ expectations and their understanding of good- quality writing through training activities within the school and externally with local schools. Additionally, leaders have provided training and support to give staff the skills they need to teach writing effectively.  Inspection evidence showed that gains are evident in current pupils’ reading and writing. Younger pupils make links between letters and sounds and use their knowledge of phonics to improve their reading skills. Results in the phonics screening check in Year 1 and Year 2 are high. Across the school, pupils have extensive opportunities to read and write, both in English and across the curriculum. As a result, pupils’ writing skills are improving rapidly. By the end of Year 6, for example, most pupils are able to analyse poetry by discussing rhythm, tone, imagery and metaphors. Many show their understanding of these features

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Inspection findings

and use them when writing their own poems. Pupils enjoy reading and many choose challenging books. They discuss storylines and characters with clarity and detail.  Leaders take effective action, for example, to identify and support pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Additional support is ensuring that differences between the rates of progress of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally are diminishing quickly. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities also make good progress from their starting points. Teachers work well with support staff to make sure that they provide the appropriate challenge and support that these pupils need.  Leaders’ self-evaluation is accurate and provides a secure basis for school improvement. You rightly judge that leadership has raised the confidence and expectations of staff and parents, who share your ambition to see the school become increasingly successful. Leaders provide an inclusive and welcoming

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Inspection findings

environment where pupils are well supported with their learning. However, you acknowledge that leaders need to continue to focus on checking pupils’ progress to evaluate the quality of teaching over time.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 leaders continue to focus sharply on checking pupils’ progress when evaluating the quality of teaching across the school  the progress made by the most able pupils matches that of other most-able pupils nationally, particularly in writing by the end of key stage 2.

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Next steps for the school

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

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Information about the inspection

Inspectors met with you and the senior leadership team, four governors, including the chair of the governing body, and eight teachers. We spoke with a representative of the local authority by telephone. The lead inspector had a discussion with pupils. Inspectors considered 258 responses to Parent View. We jointly visited classes in all year groups with you and other senior leaders. During these visits, we reviewed pupils’ books to evaluate their learning over time. Inspectors considered a range of documentation in relation to safeguarding and the school’s website. Inspectors looked at additional documentation related to leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and learning, and assessment information showing pupils’ progress. Inspectors took account of the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plan and governance records.

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