Longney Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Longney Church of England Primary Academy Chatter Street, Longney, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 3SL

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Outcome

Longney Church of England Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Heather Francis. This school is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rachel Howie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tim Brock.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Longney Church of England Primary Academy is a welcoming and inclusive school at the heart of its local community. Pupils here are happy and safe. They particularly enjoy the range of extra-curricular activities on offer, which include sports, arts and a popular chess club. Many pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take part in local sports events. Pupils know and understand the school’s values of respect, courage, friendship and perseverance. The school arranges a variety of trips to broaden pupils’ understanding of the local area and develop cultural awareness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn from a broad and well-planned curriculum. They achieve well in most areas. Children in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) get off to a strong start, quickly learning to read. They understand the school’s rules and routines.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that staff help them to sort out any issues. Bullying is rare. Pupils behave well in lessons and are keen to learn. Older pupils support younger pupils to play games at lunchtimes, and there is much activity to keep pupils occupied. This ensures that playtimes are harmonious.

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

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including in the EYFS. Careful thought has been given to what pupils should learn and in what order. This means that most pupils build knowledge and skills effectively over time. Most pupils talk about their learning confidently. There is a sharp focus on vocabulary development across the whole curriculum. For example, children in Reception learn geographical vocabulary through building imaginary places. 1 February 2024

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The school has robust plans to fill existing gaps in some pupils’ learning. However, a significant number of pupils have gaps in their writing knowledge. This means that they struggle with letter formation, writing sentences and completing extended writing tasks. This is having an impact on the way they learn in all subjects.

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There have been significant changes at the school, such as to the school’s staff and the introduction of new curriculums. As a result, pupils’ knowledge in a few areas of the curriculum is not securely embedded. For example, new content is sometimes introduced before pupils’ knowledge is secure. Pupils do not learn effectively when this occurs.

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The trust has supported the school to improve the EYFS curriculum. Staff interact positively with children, helping them to develop good communication skills. This means that children learn happily in a stimulating environment. They enjoy a range of purposeful activities, including in early mathematics. Children have many opportunities to develop their fine motor skills, preparing them well for the next stage in their learning.

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Reading plays an important part in school life. The school’s phonics programme ensures that pupils, including children in Reception, quickly learn letters and sounds. If pupils fall behind, well-trained staff quickly support them to catch up. All pupils read widely and often with their class teachers. Older pupils regularly read for pleasure.

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Pupils with SEND are identified accurately. Staff are knowledgeable about how to support pupils with SEND in the classroom, adapting learning when needed. The school works effectively with specialist services to support pupils’ individual needs. All pupils participate in the wider life of the school.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Recent changes to the behaviour policy have had a positive impact. Pupils who struggle to meet expectations are supported to make better choices. Poor behaviour rarely disrupts lessons. The school works closely with pupils and their families to improve attendance, when needed. Pastoral care is a strength of the school.

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Alongside the wide range of clubs and activities on offer, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They remember important information about healthy eating and the importance of staying physically active. Pupils successfully learn about world religions and other cultures. Children in the EYFS explore the wider world and learn how to express themselves. Older pupils enthusiastically take on leadership responsibilities, including being house captains, sports leaders and student council representatives. This gives pupils a sense of pride and belonging.

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The school has undergone significant change since the start of this academic year. The trust has supported the new leadership team and teaching staff effectively in order to implement changes, where they were needed, quickly. This includes engaging proactively with parents. Staff feel part of a strong team and are well supported. Staff understand and value the systems and processes that are now in place to support them and the pupils. 1 February 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils in some year groups have gaps in their writing knowledge. This means that these pupils struggle with letter formation, writing sentences and completing extended writing tasks. The trust must ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are quickly filled and that they have regular opportunities to develop age-appropriate writing skills.  The implementation of some newer areas of the curriculum is not consistently effective. It is not always delivered as intended. This means that some pupils’ knowledge is not securely embedded. The trust must ensure that staff are well trained to implement all areas of the curriculum well so that pupils learn effectively in all subjects.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Longney Church of England Primary School, to be good in July 2013.

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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. 1 February 2024

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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 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). 1 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Longney Church of England Primary Academy is part of The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust of primary schools in Gloucestershire.  The school is designated as having a religious character. The school is in the Diocese of Gloucester. At the most recent section 48 inspection of the school, carried out in April 2019, the school was judged to be good.  The leadership team and all teaching staff changed in September 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 1 February 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at pupils’ writing.  Inspectors analysed responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors also considered the responses of staff to Ofsted’s online survey.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils during lessons and social times.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and

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discussed how pupils with SEND are identified and supported.  Inspectors met with staff who oversee the personal development and behaviour of pupils.  The lead inspector met with members of local governing body, the deputy chief executive officer of the trust and a member of the board of trustees.

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Inspection team

Victoria Griffin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks Ofsted Inspector 1 February 2024

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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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