Longsands Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Longsands Community Primary School

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Longsands Lane, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9PS

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Outcome

Longsands Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this happy and welcoming school. They develop close friendships with each other and love their learning. Pupils gain a firm understanding of how to work well as a team. They follow the school’s motto, ‘Together everyone achieves more’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ high ambitions for all pupils to achieve are reflected in how well pupils learn. Pupils develop their knowledge securely across the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from effective support. Pupils deepen and widen their learning through the regular and exciting ‘wonder days’. For example, they talked with enthusiasm about their learning about the environment as part of the school’s ‘earth day’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are exceptionally polite and friendly. They behave very well in lessons and are keen to do their best. Incidents of bullying are rare. These are quickly and appropriately dealt with by leaders.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe. They know they can share any concerns that they have with caring staff. Pupils learn useful relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and yoga to support their mental health.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious, well balanced and meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

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

Leaders have placed a high priority on the teaching of reading. This begins when children first join the Reception class. In all classes, teachers share a wide range of books and stories with pupils. Pupils love reading. They develop as fluent readers. Staff follow the carefully ordered curriculum plans when teaching phonics. However, some staff have not 29–30 June 2021

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had recent training. This means that there is some variation in how staff teach phonics. This slows the progress that some pupils make in developing their early reading skills.

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Leaders have set out the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn and remember in curriculum plans. They have ensured that the curriculum builds pupils’ learning in a logical order. For example, in mathematics, pupils develop accuracy in their written calculations by learning in a carefully sequenced way. This starts from the Reception class. This sequencing helps pupils achieve well. In some subjects, subject leaders are taking further steps to improve the way that pupils revisit and build on their previous learning. This is to ensure that across all subjects and year groups, pupils remember even more of their learning.

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In mathematics and English, subject leaders have an accurate view of how well pupils are learning. In some other subjects, leaders have introduced new systems to check how well pupils are remembering the curriculum. These changes are at an early stage of implementation. This means that in some subjects, leaders do not have a detailed insight into precisely how well pupils are gaining knowledge.

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Leaders work closely with parents, carers, and other professionals to quickly identify any pupils with SEND. Through working with a specialist teacher, leaders have an accurate view of the help that these pupils need. Staff who support pupils with SEND benefit from a range of carefully planned training to develop their expertise. In class, pupils with SEND have regular and useful support that helps them keep up with their learning.

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Pupils concentrate well and do not disturb their classmates when learning. They contribute to class discussions with enthusiasm. Pupils work successfully together.

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Pupils take full advantage of the wide range of opportunities to enrich their learning and develop their confidence and social skills. For example, they enjoy extra-curricular sport such as netball and cricket. Pupils in Year 6 are preparing for their end-of-year production with great excitement. Pupils develop as confident and thoughtful individuals, keen to contribute to school and community life.

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The governing body has recently been reorganised and some governors are new. Governors bring a wide range of professional skills to their role. They use their knowledge to provide support to leaders. However, some governors have limited knowledge of the curriculum. This prevents them from offering well-informed challenge.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They are very positive about leaders. Leaders take account of staff’s workload and well-being when making decisions about the aspects of school life. This helps staff to feel supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 29–30 June 2021

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Leaders ensure that staff have regular training. This helps staff to identify any signs of possible abuse or neglect. Leaders work closely with parents and external professionals to provide help and support for pupils who are at risk.

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Through the school’s nurture provision, pupils benefit from a wide range of pastoral support. The curriculum helps pupils to develop their understanding of risk. This includes the risks linked to relationships, drugs and alcohol. Pupils learn how to use the internet safely.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all adults who teach phonics have had recent training. This means that the approach to the teaching of early reading differs a little across teaching groups. Leaders should ensure that all staff who teach phonics are well trained and understand the phonics programme. This will help to ensure that all pupils benefit from a consistent approach to teaching phonics.  In subjects other than English and mathematics, assessment systems to check how well pupils are learning are new. This means that leaders do not have a full insight into how well pupils are knowing and remembering the taught curriculum. Leaders should ensure that these improved checks are used to identify clear next steps for pupils in their learning.  The governing body has recently been reconstituted and some governors are new to their roles. The governing body lacks some expertise in holding leaders to account for the educational performance of pupils across the curriculum areas. Governors should develop

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

their knowledge of the curriculum. This is so they can provide more effective support and challenge for leaders to continue to provide a high-quality education for pupils.

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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 or outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 13 and 14 June 2011. 29–30 June 2021

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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 are the school and you are 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 here .

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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. 29–30 June 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10194629 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 January 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. She met with subject leaders in these subjects, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, met with teaching staff and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their work and school life. She held meetings with the headteacher and governors. She spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector reviewed documentation, including the leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. 29–30 June 2021

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 The inspector considered the views expressed by parents in the 37 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and the 34 free-text comments.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents about safeguarding. She spoke with staff to understand how they keep pupils safe. She reviewed the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly appointed staff.  The inspector met with the headteacher and pupils to discuss provision for pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attendance. She looked at documentation associated with these areas.  The inspector spoke with a range of staff to discuss leaders’ support for them.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Stevens, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 29–30 June 2021

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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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