Setting

Donna Christy Langland Community School Langland Road Netherfield Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK6 4HA

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Langland Community School

Following my remote inspection with Julie Sackett, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), of your school on 27 and 28 January 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Langland Community School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted's published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require special measures.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Langland Community School

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on-site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Langland Community School

The inspection took place because the school was judged to require special measures at its previous section 5 inspection. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in September 2018.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Langland Community School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 reduce the number of pupils who are not accessing or engaging in the daily remote education provided by the school.

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Context

 Since the previous monitoring inspection in October 2019, one teacher and two teaching assistants have joined the school.

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Context

 During the autumn term, all pupils were educated remotely for anything from two days to two weeks due to the need to be tested for COVID-19 or to self- isolate.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, around 80% of pupils were being educated remotely. The vast majority of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who have an education, health and care plan were attending school full time. Twelve vulnerable pupils were also being educated on site.

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Context

 Leaders were not dealing with any significant levels of staff absence due to COVID-19 at the time of this inspection.

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Main findings

 Leaders moved quickly to provide remote education when the school closed to most pupils in January 2021. Pupils attending school and those at home study the same curriculum. All pupils who are working remotely are expected to join five daily lessons. Staff have provided laptops to pupils who do not have one and make weekly calls and visits to families to help them to understand and complete the work set. Attendance at online classes has risen over recent weeks. However, despite leaders’ efforts, a significant minority of families are still not accessing the remote education provided for them.

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Main findings

 Prior to March 2020, leaders had revised the curriculum and provided additional training to improve teachers’ subject expertise in English, mathematics and personal, social and health education. Staff have identified the most important knowledge that pupils need in these subjects, which has been helpful in the move to remote learning. Some content has been reordered to make it easier for pupils to learn remotely. Staff have adapted lessons in physical education (PE) and science so that pupils can complete activities without specialist equipment. As a result, pupils are still learning the intended curriculum in these subjects. This is not the case in all subjects. Computing, modern foreign languages and humanities have only recently been revised to match leaders' ambitions. Historic weaknesses mean that older pupils have gaps in their knowledge in these subjects which impact on their learning now.  Children in Nursery and Reception are provided with daily tasks that improve

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Main findings

their communication, physical and personal development. Unlike older pupils, these children need significant adult support to complete their activities. Staff are regularly checking in with parents to adapt these plans to suit individual families’ circumstances.

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Main findings

 Staff have received training in the teaching of reading, which has helped them to continue to deliver the curriculum remotely. The teaching of phonics is given a high priority. Children in Reception and key stage 1 are taught phonics daily. They learn to recognise letters and the sounds they make using a range of books they can access online. Pupils who fall behind in phonics are quickly identified and supported through additional remote teaching. Texts for older pupils are carefully selected to ensure that pupils learn the vocabulary, styles and structures they must understand in order to interpret a broad range of texts. These are either shared through weekly online story sessions or sent to pupils to read before their reading lessons.

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Main findings

 Support for pupils with SEND has been carefully managed to minimise disruption to these pupils’ education. Work set is aligned to pupils' individual plans. Pupils in school continue to work with their usual teachers and support staff, which has helped to provide consistency during a time of significant change. Pupils with SEND and vulnerable pupils who are not in school have benefited significantly from the home visits from familiar members of staff. This helps to make sure that pupils can access and understand the work that is set and to check on their well-being.

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Main findings

 Governors have refined the focus of their work to meet the current needs of the school and its pupils. For example, governors have ensured that school places are made available for vulnerable pupils and the children of keyworkers. They have a strong grasp of how leaders have adapted the curriculum to ensure that pupils can continue to learn remotely. They are challenging leaders to increase the numbers of pupils accessing remote learning.

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Main findings

 Over the past two years, leaders have worked closely with officers from the local authority to evaluate and improve the school’s curriculum. Officers have signposted leaders towards support to improve the English curriculum and to train staff to deliver this content effectively. As a result, staff have been able to quickly adapt their teaching so that the content can be delivered remotely.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and executive headteacher, five senior leaders, six members of staff and five governors, including the chair, to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown. Inspectors also examined the school’s curriculum plans and viewed some samples of learning that is being provided remotely. They talked to six pupils about their current experiences in school.

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Evidence

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

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