Langtons Infant School & Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Langtons Infant School & Nursery Westland Avenue, Hornchurch, Essex RM11 3SD

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Outcome

Langtons Infant School & Nursery continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They encourage pupils to aim high and to do their best. As a result, pupils engage positively in learning and are motivated to explore new things.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The atmosphere in the school is friendly and caring. This is because adults teach pupils to show kindness towards each other. Pupils share any concerns with staff, who keep them safe. Staff take pupils’ concerns seriously and deal with them promptly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are diligent in their efforts to improve pupils’ attendance. Clear systems are in place to check and follow up reasons for pupils’ absence or lateness. Leaders are relentless in communicating with parents and carers about the importance of pupils attending school regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They welcome discussions on how they can contribute to the life of the school, through roles such as school councillors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many parents shared the view that the school goes above and beyond in helping their families. Parents of children with SEND appreciated the time and support leaders give.

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

Leaders ensure that the curriculum reflects the expectations of the national curriculum. They have identified what they want pupils to learn in all subjects. Curriculum content is organised in a sequential way and allows pupils to build on what they already know. For example, in Year 2, pupils learn how to use primary and secondary sources to interpret historical information. In some subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is not consistent and secure. Leadership in these subjects is at the earlier stage of development.

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

Pupils enjoy taking part in the exciting learning opportunities teachers provide. For instance, teachers used a Victorian time capsule filled with historical artefacts to make 27 and 28 June 2023

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comparisons between the pupils’ school now and in the past. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They give clear explanations and model effectively what they want pupils to know and understand. There is a strong focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary. New subject-specific words are introduced and used within lessons effectively.

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Adults encourage children in the Nursery to explore different areas of learning. Most adults intervene appropriately and interact with children in meaningful conversations. Children in Reception learn how to recognise numbers. For instance, staff helped children to apply their knowledge of doubling numbers, or calculating one less or more to numbers up to 20. Teachers use problem-solving approaches and resources in supporting children’s exploration of measuring different objects.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND access work in line with their specific needs. Adults provide skilful support to pupils with complex needs. Adults use strategies and resources closely matched to pupils’ individual needs and understanding. This enables pupils with SEND to take progressive steps towards success.

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Reading is a priority. Leaders train staff in delivering the newly introduced phonics programme. Pupils enjoy the frequent opportunities provided to read to themselves, with their peers or to adults. They demonstrate confidence in segmenting and blending words independently. Staff make sure that pupils read books that match the sounds that they learn and know. Staff identify pupils at risk of falling behind in their phonics. They provide additional support to help pupils improve their fluency and accuracy. There have been improvements in pupils’ reading skills, in some cases from very low starting points. However, this did not have sufficient time to have an impact on the end of Year 2 outcomes in reading in 2022. Children in the early years sing songs and discuss sounds they hear in the environment.

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Leaders support staff in applying their expectations of managing behaviour consistently. This promotes pupils’ positive learning behaviours. Staff use a range of strategies effectively to manage any low-level disruption to pupils’ learning in lessons. Adults encourage children in the early years to be independent. Children help to tidy up the outdoor area at the end of each session. They learn to share resources and take turns. Pupils are taught about other religions and cultures.

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Staff value the teamwork that leaders promote. Teachers work together to share many of their responsibilities. This means that staff find workload manageable. Leaders consider staff’s well-being. Teachers appreciated the changes leaders made to impact positively on their work-life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that the safeguarding of pupils is a priority. Those responsible for governance ensure that staff receive the appropriate training to fulfil their statutory duties of keeping children safe. The safeguarding team meets regularly to discuss the needs of pupils and families that may be at risk. They identify help for families as early as possible. 27 and 28 June 2023

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Leaders work closely with external agencies to support the needs of pupils. They follow up concerns in a timely manner.

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Pupils know what to do if they access online information that may not be age appropriate.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the implementation of the curriculum is not fully secure. Leadership in these subjects is at an early stage of checking the quality of teaching. The school should make sure that it develops subject leaders’ expertise and confidence in supporting teachers in implementing the curriculum effectively.  Outcomes for pupils in Year 2 last year were very low in reading. Leaders must ensure that changes made to the teaching of early reading are fully implemented so that outcomes for pupils improve swiftly.

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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 January 2018.

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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.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and 27 and 28 June 2023

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protection; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 27 and 28 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268841 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the chair of the governing body, a local authority representative, the headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector considered information provided about safeguarding arrangements. The inspector scrutinised safeguarding records and the single central record. The inspector reviewed procedures and processes by talking to leaders and staff, and through

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Information about this inspection

discussions with pupils. 27 and 28 June 2023

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 The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 28 June 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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