Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School 1 Burley Road, Langham, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7HY

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Outcome

Langham CofE (Controlled) Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy school. They said school is ‘like a second home’. Pupils appreciate their caring teachers who listen to them and always help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from experiences and visits to interesting places to help them learn more. They appreciate opportunities to develop their interests in sport. They care about their community and the world around them and fundraise for charities. Pupils in key stage 2 relish different responsibilities, such as being house captains and librarians.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They know ‘following the Langham Way’ helps them to make mature choices. They are proud to receive praise and awards for being resilient and respectful. They say that bullying rarely happens, if at all. Adults help them with any worries they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders set high expectations. Adults work as a team to provide a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils enjoy learning about interesting ideas and facts. Staff help pupils to learn from their mistakes and remember more over time in all subjects.

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

Leaders want the best education for every pupil. Leaders have identified the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know in all subjects. Leaders work together with the Rutland Learning Trust to refine and improve subject guidance. The trust and senior leaders provide effective training. This helps staff to ensure that pupils learn important knowledge and know and remember more in all subjects. Senior leaders are providing training for curriculum leaders. Curriculum leaders show high levels of commitment to the subjects they lead. They check that pupils are taught the right knowledge. However, for some subjects, leaders have not yet checked how well the curriculum is being taught in class, so that they can support their colleagues to improve further. 16 and17 May 2023

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Leaders ensure that reading is always a priority. Children learn phonics from the start of Reception. Pupils read books that match their ability. Leaders make sure that pupils in key stage 2 continue to read with confidence and understanding. Leaders have carefully chosen the range of books that pupils study. They ensure that pupils read books that are more demanding and extend pupils’ knowledge as they move through the school. Teachers read to pupils every day. They carefully explain the meaning of complex language and new vocabulary. Pupils talk confidently about the books they read. Pupils develop a love of reading.

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In mathematics, teachers follow an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. Teachers have good subject knowledge. This enables them to spot pupils’ errors or misconceptions. Teachers use regular assessment checks. These quickly identify any mathematical knowledge that pupils need to revisit. Teachers use resources well to help pupils demonstrate their knowledge to solve problems. Consequently, pupils enjoy mathematics, feel confident with mathematics and progress well through the curriculum.

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Leaders ensure that pupils learn increasingly sophisticated vocabulary across all subjects. Teachers help them to remember and connect what they learn. As a result, pupils’ confidence to explain their understanding increases as they move through school.

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Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as other pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils receive appropriate and sensitive support.

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Children in the early years make a strong start to their schooling. Staff ensure that children are safe and happy. Children settle in well and learn appropriate routines. Staff help children to build on important learning through purposeful and engaging activities. Children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ mental health and physical well-being. Pupils learn about different beliefs and family structures. Leaders have ensured that pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships. They are being prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Parents appreciate that their children are happy and safe at school. Staff say that leaders treat them fairly and with respect. Staff appreciate that senior leaders are considerate of workload and continue to streamline procedures to focus on what is most important. All staff appreciate the range of training they receive. Staff say they feel valued as part of a strong and inclusive team. The local governing body is an important part of the team. There is a strong sense of endeavour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and17 May 2023

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Leaders make safeguarding the highest priority. Recruitment and induction processes are thorough. Staff are well trained. They know to share any concern because it could be important.

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Leaders know pupils and families well. Leaders work effectively with other agencies. When necessary, leaders are tenacious to secure appropriate support.

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Pupils say they feel safe because adults listen and help them with any worries. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including online. They know to report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Senior leaders are developing the role of subject leaders, particularly their monitoring of how effectively the refined curriculum framework is being implemented. Some subject leaders have not yet identified how they can best support other teachers to improve the teaching of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders are given the time and training they need so that they can support teachers to improve the implementation of the curriculum further.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 16 and17 May 2023

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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. 16 and17 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10254949 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of The Rutland Learning Trust since April 2017.  The religious character of the school was inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in December 2019.  The school currently uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. A meeting was held with representatives of the trust, including the chief executive officer and the chair of the local governing body.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including school policies.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. This included meeting with subject leaders, visiting 16 and17 May 2023

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lessons and speaking with teachers and pupils. The inspector listened to pupils reading to adults, considered leaders’ curriculum plans and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also met with other subject leaders and looked at curriculum documentation and samples of pupils’ work for some other subjects.  The inspector met with groups of pupils. Pupils’ behaviour was considered at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school and at lunchtime.  The single central record was scrutinised as part of the inspection of safeguarding. The inspector met with safeguarding leaders, spoke with a range of staff and pupils, and considered safeguarding records.  The inspector spoke with parents at the end of the school day. The inspector reviewed parental responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Mandy Wilding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16 and17 May 2023

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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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