Littleton Green Community School

Inspection of a good school: Littleton Green Community School Colliers Way, Huntington, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 4UD

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Outcome

Littleton Green Community School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud and happy to attend Littleton Green School. In fact, the school’s ‘purple’ values (which stand for proud, unique, reflective, positive, loving and empowered) shine out in all aspects of school life. Whether working in class, growing their own vegetables, putting on a show or visiting the local university, pupils are helped to develop resilience and a positive outlook.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that they are expected to work hard and do their best. Most of the time, they behave well in lessons and get on with others. Any pupils who struggle to manage their feelings and behaviour get extra help, so that they can cope in school. The school puts on special lessons to teach pupils about teamwork and understanding others. This helps them realise that everyone has a part to play in building a safe and responsible community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught to spot the difference between falling out and bullying. If bullying happens, it is stopped. If pupils are worried about anything, adults help them. In the large well-maintained building and grounds, pupils feel safe and enjoy many different sports and outdoor activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

They do well in most subjects, but could do better in reading.

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

The school is a very positive place in which to work and learn. Whatever their abilities or difficulties, all pupils are supported and encouraged to develop their talents and interests. Often, staff take them out and about to new places to give them new experiences. Pupils are regularly inspired by the many extra things that the school does to lift their aspirations and boost their confidence. This is a great strength.

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

During this inspection, for example, some muddy and beaming Year 6 pupils returned to school delighted with the vegetables they had grown and harvested. Elsewhere, pupils worked in teams with a specialist teacher to develop their cooperative skills. Furthermore, regular visits to Staffordshire University open their eyes to the options available to them. 12–13 November 2019

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In class, pupils study a broad range of subjects. They do very well in mathematics and writing. Pupils usually do well in reading too. They read every day in class and are reminded to read at home. Some new books have recently been introduced and the teaching of early reading is well organised. However, in key stages 1 and 2, some reading activities are not pitched quite right. Sometimes, pupils find work too hard or are confused by reading tasks. In class, teachers often teach the right things but do not do enough to check how well pupils are managing the work and keeping up.

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Established subject leadership in subjects such as physical education and science enables pupils to succeed in these areas. There are lots of sports and pupils learn to think like scientists. In other subjects, like art, music, design technology and humanities, subject leadership is at an early stage of development. Pupils still cover all the ground that they should, but, with more careful planning, learning could be better.

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Similarly, the leadership of special educational needs has recently changed. Currently, there is a need for more training to make sure this new leadership is up to full speed. That said, work with specialist agencies, such as autism outreach, is well established and usually successful. Pupils who have found it hard to cope in other schools often do well here because of this.

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On occasions, staff have to deal with some poor behaviour. This is done well. Pupils say that their learning is not affected by it and that behaviour is better than it used to be. A significant factor in this improvement is the school’s constructive attention to pupils’ emotional and physical health.

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In the early years, children are kept safe. They are well cared for by attentive staff who know what they are doing. Staff work hard to develop children’s language skills and to get them ready for Year 1. There is always lots going on, with plenty of space to play and learn outside.

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Parents are kept well informed, often through digital means, about what is happening. The school also holds parent engagement days. These involve parents in classroom activities and provide tips about how to help at home. More than this, these special days are used to celebrate achievements and to emphasise the value of making an effort and aiming high. Parents who come to these well-attended days say that they are worthwhile.

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Around the school, uplifting quotes and messages about conduct and expectations remind pupils to do their best. Pupils learn respect for others and how to show it. For example, a message in a thank-you card from a Year 6 leaver says: ‘Thank you so much. I enjoyed every minute of school’, a simple statement that captures the flavour of so many other comments from pupils and parents.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff training and pupils’ records are kept up to date and important information is shared with outside agencies when necessary. Records of attendance are kept correctly and, if a pupil is absent, staff check why. When the school has cause to exclude a pupil, the right process is followed. 12–13 November 2019

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Pupils are taught how to stay safe in different situations. The premises are kept secure and medicines are stored in the right place. The local governing body and the trust have robust systems for checking that everything is in order.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching of reading could be better. Currently, different teachers interpret the school’s guidance in different ways. Sometimes this works well, sometimes it does not. In order to improve this, school leaders should make it very clear how new resources are to be used. They should ensure that reading books in key stage 1 build on the effective work in the early years, and that reading tasks in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2 are pitched at the right level for pupils’ different needs.  The leadership of some foundation subjects and special educational needs is at an early stage of development. Leaders should make sure that newly appointed leaders continue to get the training and support they need in order to do their jobs as well as possible.

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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 the predecessor school, Littleton Green Community School, to be good on 20–21 May 2014.

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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. 12–13 November 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 12–13 November 2019

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School details

Website www.littletongreen.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Staffordshire University Academies Trust.  The school provides before- and after-school child care.  The school runs Nursery classes and has provision for children from one year of age.  The school has a unit on site for pupils with severe behavioural or emotional difficulties. Currently, there are six pupils at this unit. These pupils come from other schools in the local area.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, the inspector focused on the following subjects: reading, mathematics and science. The inspector visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, teachers’ plans and talked with pupils and staff about the way these subjects are planned and taught. The inspector also looked at other subjects in less detail and spoke with pupils, staff and governors about the school curriculum.  The inspector examined external performance data about the school and looked at school documents and the website.  The inspector talked to pupils, staff, leaders, parents and governors about safeguarding 12–13 November 2019

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arrangements and routines at the school. The school’s employment checks on staff and other school records were also checked.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour and spoke to staff and pupils about behaviour and the school’s response to bullying.  During the inspection, there were formal meetings with the principal, senior leaders, subject leaders, governors, teachers and pupils. The inspector also had a meeting with the chief executive officer of Staffordshire University Academies Trust.  By the end of the inspection, there were 80 recent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. The inspection took account of these. The inspector also considered the 54 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaires for staff, an anonymous email and 33 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12–13 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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