Long Knowle Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Long Knowle Primary School Blackwood Avenue, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV11 1EB

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Outcome

Long Knowle Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Long Knowle Primary prides itself on being a school where pupils can ‘learn, know, progress and shine’. Pupils’ interests and talents develop across a wide range of subjects and activities. They receive good care and attention. Pupils have a broad education that prepares them well for their future lives.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. Topics are well planned and build on what pupils already know. Out-of-school clubs give pupils the chance to participate in sports including netball and football. Pupils take part in trips that extend their learning. For example, a visit to Bridgnorth where pupils study the features of the town. A residential visit to Condover enables pupils to make memories that will stay with them for many years to come.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to come to a school where they feel safe and well cared for. Staff know pupils and their families well. Relationships are positive. Pupils behave well in lessons and as they move around school. Pupils say bullying rarely happens but know how to get help if it does.

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

Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make a good start to their learning. Teachers have very high expectations of the children. Teachers keep detailed observations of what the children can do. Children’s ‘learning journey’ books show a wide range of activities. The classroom and outdoor areas are full of interesting things to do.

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

Leaders prioritise reading in the school. Pupils have many opportunities to read throughout the day. Phonics teaching begins in the Nursery and the sounds children learn are monitored. Pupils who need extra support receive it. The books pupils take home match their abilities. Most pupils read fluently by the end of key stage 1. The oldest pupils can talk about the books they have read. This includes their class text ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ by Emma Carroll. They are less confident when talking about the reading 26–27 November 2019

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skills they learn in their English lessons and need further practice of reading longer texts in order to increase their reading stamina.

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Teachers plan learning activities that build well on pupils’ previous learning in all subjects. In history, themes such as childhood and settlements allow pupils to compare life in different periods of time. In science, links are made to previous topics the pupils have studied such as materials. Pupils have opportunities to investigate and make sense of the world by asking questions and testing them. In reading, writing and mathematics assessment helps to plan pupils’ next steps. Assessment practices in other subjects are not yet fully in place.

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Pupils were able to talk about the many differences that exist between people, from the way they look to what they believe. Pupils say it is ‘good to be different’. They talked about a book read to them in assembly, ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ which showed how the colourful crayons were all unique and special.

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Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to talk about their work. One lesson gave pupils the chance to think about whether they believe in the theory of evolution. Pupils say that ‘lessons make your mind work’.

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Teachers are clear about which pupils need extra support. Resources help to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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The school is well led and managed. Subject leaders continue to develop the work they have started so that all pupils achieve well in every subject. Staff enjoy working at the school and agree that leaders ensure their workload is manageable. Parents say good things about the school. They say the headteacher is readily available and they get the information they need.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant in their care for pupils. They report their concerns in the right way and to the right people. Leaders carry out the correct employment checks on school staff. Staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training.

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Safeguarding

Many staff are first-aiders. The school site is secure, and access to visitors is controlled. Safety procedures such as fire drills and lock-downs are familiar to pupils. Medicines are stored in the correct places.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet, and when out in their local community. 26–27 November 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching of reading and phonics in the early years and key stage 1 is strong. Further up the school pupils’ stamina when reading and their ability to answer higher- order questions about what they have read is not as strong. Teachers need to ensure that pupils are able to use a variety of reading skills in order to deepen their understanding of a range of texts.  Assessment is effective in the core subjects. Formative and summative assessment of pupils in foundation subjects is not yet fully in place. Leaders need to implement a consistent approach to assessments across the foundation subjects so teachers can plan more effectively pupils’ next steps in learning.

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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 school to be good on 19–20 January 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111766 Type of school Primary

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 210 and 31 part-time in the Nursery

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19–20 January 2016

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Information about this school

 Children start school either in the part-time Nursery class or full time in the Reception class.

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Information about this inspection

 I focused on the following subjects during the inspection: reading, science and history. I visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and examined teachers’ plans. I talked with pupils and staff about the way these subjects are planned and taught. I also looked at work from other subjects and spoke with pupils, staff and parents about the school.  I examined the external performance data about the school and looked at the school’s website.  Pupils; staff, including the business manager; leaders; parents and governors spoke to me about safeguarding arrangements and routines at the school. I examined the record of employment checks on school staff.  I watched pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times of the day and spoke to parents, staff and pupils about behaviour.  During the inspection, I had formal meetings with the headteacher, deputy 26–27 November 2019

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headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, governors, teachers and pupils. I also talked informally to pupils and parents to gather information about school life.  By the end of the inspection, there were 32 recent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I considered these and looked at the 23 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–27 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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