Langton Green Primary School

Inspection of Langton Green Primary School Lampington Row, Langton Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0JG

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 12 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection. 20 and 21 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils become confident and inquisitive learners at this warm and inclusive school. They embody the school culture of mutual respect through their caring and courteous behaviour. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), meet the high expectations of teachers through their excellent conduct and strong achievement in class. Pupils play cooperatively and joyfully at breaktimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending the school and know that teachers work hard to keep them safe. Pupils are enthusiastic learners. They work purposefully and participate excitedly in learning. Pupils show a love for reading and discuss passionately the wide range of stories and books that they study.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills. They act as sports leaders and plan activities at breaktimes or become buddies for pupils who may be experiencing friendship issues. Pupils also apply for positions on the junior leadership team or pupil voice council. They meet regularly with leaders to discuss their ideas and propose changes. Pupil leaders value the roles and the difference that they make to the school. For example, they contributed to the design of the school’s well-being garden.

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better?

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that provides pupils with the essential skills and knowledge that they need to be successful. They have sequenced the curriculum carefully from Reception Year to Year 6, enhancing pupils’ learning with extra-curricular activities, visits and trips. For example, pupils took part in a drumming workshop as part of their learning about African history. Teachers know the needs of their pupils well. Staff carefully plan provision to support pupils with SEND. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, are well supported. Teachers plan a range of adaptations and activities to ensure that these pupils learn important knowledge and skills.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain learning clearly and follow up with effective questioning to check on pupils’ understanding. Teachers use these checks and more formal assessments to plan activities to ensure that pupils keep up with learning. However, in some subjects teachers do not design activities carefully enough and consequently pupils do not deepen their learning.

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better?

Pupils achieve well in national examinations and learn the important knowledge and skills that they require for their next steps. They develop a rich vocabulary and produce good-quality work which becomes increasingly more complex over time. For example, pupils in Year 1 make simple sculptures in clay before producing more intricate soap sculptures in Year 6. 20 and 21 February 2024

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The school teaches pupils to become confident and fluent readers quickly. Teachers use a well-designed scheme to teach phonics. They explain phonics very clearly to pupils, quickly helping those who have misconceptions. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ phonics knowledge and use this information to identify any gaps in their learning. Staff plan activities that help these pupils catch up quickly.

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Pupils develop exceptional attitudes to learning. These begin in Reception Year, where pupils cooperate well and show great perseverance. Pupils listen attentively and contribute enthusiastically in lessons. They have high expectations of themselves and of each other. Pupils respond positively to the schools’ well- established routines. The school has prioritised attendance. Staff monitor pupils’ attendance and punctuality rigorously and use this information to offer a wide range of support to pupils and families. Pupils attend frequently and this is improving over time.

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The school has prioritised pupils’ personal development. Pupils develop an age- appropriate understanding of important concepts such as personal budgets or how to stay safe online. For example, they learn about financial responsibilities from local bank staff. The school enriches the curriculum through a wide range of carefully considered experiences. For example, pupils improve their artistic skills through their work with an ‘artist in residence’. Pupils have opportunities to consider philosophical questions and discuss these sensitively in their lessons and assemblies.

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Pupils benefit from the exceptionally wide range of opportunities on offer that help them to develop their skills and talents. They participate enthusiastically in clubs and activities such as fencing, creative writing or table-top wargames. Pupils proudly represent the school in a variety of events such as swimming competitions and ambitious school performances. For example, pupils produced an outdoor production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’, where they performed several technical roles and acted as the ‘house band’.

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Governors have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They work with leaders closely to develop new policies and practice. All leaders carefully consider the well-being of staff. The school’s approach to staff well-being helps them to manage their workload and prioritise tasks.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not design activities carefully enough. As a result, pupils do not learn what is intended. Leaders should ensure that teachers design 20 and 21 February 2024

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activities that implement the ambitious curriculum consistently well across all subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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 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). 20 and 21 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 June 2012

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school works in partnership with Broadwater Down Primary School, Tunbridge Wells. Alex Cornelius acts as executive headteacher.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of the school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection team met with the headteacher and other leaders. The lead inspector also held a meeting with school governors and held a phone conversation with a representative of the local authority. 20 and 21 February 2024

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 The inspection team carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, geography, art and history. For each deep dive, the inspector 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.

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Inspection team

Gavin Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Jackson Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 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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