Longwood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Longwood Primary School Allton Avenue, Mile Oak, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 3NH

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Outcome

Longwood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations that pupils will achieve well. The school environment is well resourced, bright and attractive. It is a stimulating place to learn. Teachers are highly skilled and knowledgeable. Pupils read, write and do mathematics every day. By the time they leave, pupils reach high standards in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a wide range of other subjects and activities both within school and after school. For example, pupils attend art clubs and sports clubs, including martial arts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons and when moving around school. For example, many pupils open doors for visitors and wait politely. However, some pupils reported that on occasions behaviour is not as good. A few pupils reported that they feel bullying and incidents of poor behaviour are not dealt with. Other pupils said problems did get sorted if they told a teacher.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and know how to keep themselves safe. They know how to use the outdoor equipment safely and to speak out and tell a trusted adult if they feel unsafe.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

School leaders, governors and staff all want to provide the very best education for their pupils. Teachers ensure that learning activities are interesting. These build on pupils’ previous learning across a range of subjects.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children in the Reception class make a good start. This is because the classroom environments are well organised. Children can learn inside and outside of the classroom. There are many activities that enable pupils to speak and listen, for example when performing on the outdoor stage.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Phonics lessons start in Reception and carry on every day. By Year 3, most pupils are 12 November 2019

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reading fluently. Anyone who finds reading hard gets extra help from well-trained staff. Pupils study high-quality texts. For example, Year 6 were enjoying ‘The Explorer’ by Katherine Rundell. On top of this, reading areas are exciting to look at and the library is full of books.

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Teachers use their enthusiasm to plan and deliver lessons well in other subjects. Leaders make sure that learning is practical and relevant for pupils. A range of resources help pupils understand key ideas and learning. This is particularly the case in mathematics.

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In other subjects, such as art, learning takes place in one half of the term but not in the next. The way pupils record their work in art makes it difficult for them to reflect on what they have learned. Pupils were not confident to talk about the artists they had studied. They did not know about the techniques they had used in art.

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Pupils take part in a wide range of trips and visits linked to their current topic. Some pupils were not able to talk about what they had learned from these visits.

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Pupils behave well in class. They are rarely distracted from their learning. A small minority of pupils perceive the behaviour policy as unfair. They are not clear about what happens to peers who misbehave.

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Pupils learn about other cultures and other faiths. They visit different places of worship. This helps them prepare for life in modern Britain.

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The school ensures that work caters for the needs of all pupils. The most able pupils have work that stretches them and makes them think. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive appropriate help and support.

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Teachers say they are well supported by leaders and their workload is manageable. Staff have attended courses on mindfulness. They also take part in yoga as part of a whole- school focus on staff and pupil well-being.

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The school is well led and managed. The direction provided by the headteacher is strong. Parents speak highly of the school. Governors understand their responsibilities and check the work of the school well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ welfare is the top priority. Leaders train staff so they know what to do if they have concerns about pupils’ well-being or safety. Staff and leaders act right away when they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

The school works well with other organisations to support pupils, and their families, to get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors check that staff are suitable before they begin work at the school. 12 November 2019

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. For example, an assembly reminded children who they can talk to if they feel worried about anything.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils feel that behaviour is not dealt with effectively. Leaders need to ensure that the school’s behaviour policy is understood by all. Rewards and consequences need to be consistently applied so pupils see them as fair.  In art pupils find it hard to remember some of the artists they have studied. Leaders need to ensure that the way art is taught, and the way pupils’ work is recorded, enables them to know more and remember more.  Some pupils are not clear about what they had learned as a result of taking part in a range of trips and visits. Teachers need to check pupils can link what they learn and understand in the classroom to the places they visit.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Longwood Primary School to be good on 11–12 February 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 12 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111807 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Acting chair of governing body Lucy Hateley

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–12 February 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Tame Valley Cooperative Learning Trust.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors focused on the following subjects during the inspection: reading, mathematics and art. The inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, examined teachers’ plans and talked with pupils and staff about the way these subjects are planned and taught. The inspectors also looked at work from some other subjects in less detail and spoke with pupils, staff and parents about the school.  The inspectors examined the external performance data about the school and looked at the school’s website.  The inspectors talked to pupils, staff including the bursar, leaders, parents and governors about safeguarding arrangements and routines at the school. They examined the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspectors watched pupil behaviour in class and at other times of the day and spoke to parents, staff and pupils about behaviour.  During the inspection, the inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher,

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subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, governors, teachers and pupils. The inspectors also talked to pupils and parents to gather information about school life.  By the end of the inspection, there were 41 recent responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. An inspector considered these and looked at the 25 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Minter Ofsted Inspector 12 November 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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