Langford Village Academy

Inspection of Langford Village Academy Church Street, Langford, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9QA

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Debbie Randall. This school is part of Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Dr Alan Lee, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ilona Bond. The principal is responsible for this school and one other. 24 and 25 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Langford Village Academy is a welcoming and nurturing environment. Each morning pupils receive a warm welcome, eager to start their learning. They look forward to meeting their friends. They enjoy each other's company and the support they receive from adults. Pupils are safe and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an astute understanding of their own feelings and those of others. Lessons in mindfulness provide different ways they practise managing their emotions. This contributes to a calm atmosphere that exists across the school. Pupils know what adults expect of them. They work hard in lessons and know it is important to always try their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to show how they achieve the school values 'GREAT'. They reflect them in their attitudes to learning and to one another. Pupils are proud when they receive a 'value brick' for the 'LVA value wall'. This helps them understand the importance of why everyone should work and play together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ knowledge is improving because adults have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve. Improvements to the curriculum and teaching are helping pupils to remember more of what they learn.

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better?

The school has reviewed the design of the curriculum. The curriculum breaks down the important knowledge for pupils to learn. This ensures that pupils build their understanding in a logical way. From the start, children build secure foundations so that they are well prepared for key stage 1. They particularly develop their ability to communicate through well-structured learning and adult engagement.

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better?

The school, supported by the trust, have tackled previous weaknesses in the curriculum. For example, in mathematics, focused sessions provide pupils time to practise recall of number facts. Pupils now confidently use these skills when solving multi-step problems. Teachers have received extra training for new approaches used in the curriculum. They have secure subject knowledge. Teachers use this effectively to question and check for misconceptions in pupils' understanding. There are clear strategies for assessing what pupils know and remember in every subject. A number of former pupils left last year when Langford became a primary school. This, combined with the small cohort, contributed to the weaknesses in last years published outcomes. In lower year groups, cohorts have been more stable, and this shows, for example, in pupils’ phonics achievement.

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better?

The school has supported staff to better understand how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with special educational needs and/disabilities (SEND). Staff quickly identify and plan for the specific needs of pupils. This helps pupils with SEND to learn the 24 and 25 April 2024

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same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND learn well during their time at school.

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In a few subjects, teachers do not adapt the curriculum as well as they might to meet the needs of pupils. On occasions, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of important knowledge. This limits what some pupils could achieve.

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Well trained staff teach early reading in a systematic way. Pupils learn their sounds quickly. Books pupils read to practise their sounds are well matched to the sounds they know. Close tracking of pupils' reading picks up any who struggle. The extra help they receive is effective in helping them catch-up quickly. Reading is a priority across the school. Older pupils talk excitedly of the ways teachers introduce them to different authors and genres. Pupils develop a love of reading.

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Pupils enjoy wider experiences to promote their character. They value roles of responsibility such as head of school or play buddies. Pupils organise school and community events such as raising money for charities. Pupils understand how people can be different and why it is important to be tolerant and respectful. They learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.

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Established and clear routines mean that pupils behave well. They are polite and kind to each other. The school has made changes to how it checks attendance. High expectations and regular communication with parents are paying off. Overall attendance is improving. However, a small number of pupils do not attend frequently. This means that they are missing important learning when they are not in school.

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Staff are very appreciative of the high-quality provision leaders and the trust make for their well-being. They consider it highly beneficial and helps them carry out their roles successfully.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In few subjects, teachers do not make precise enough pedagogical choices for teaching the curriculum. When this happens, pupils are not sufficiently stretched or challenged. This means pupils do not learn the content of the curriculum well, especially those who require more stretch and challenge. Leaders should ensure 24 and 25 April 2024

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that all staff understand how to provide appropriate opportunities for pupils to secure a deeper understanding of important knowledge.  Some pupils do not attend school frequently enough. This means that they do not benefit from the school's learning offer. Leaders should continue with their work to engage with parents and improve the attendance for those who miss too much school.

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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). 24 and 25 April 2024

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School details

Website www.langfordvillageacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a member of the Bedfordshire Schools multi-academy trust.  A new vice principal and assistant principal took up their posts in September 2023.  The school makes use of three unregistered alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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 a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, vice principal, assistant principal, curriculum leaders, teachers and other staff from the trust. The lead inspector met with chair of trustees, the chief executive officer, the director of education and the chief 24 and 25 April 2024

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operation officer all from the trust. Inspectors also met with the local governing board including the chair of governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a range of pupil’s work.  Inspectors also considered work from another subject. This subject was geography.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders and staff; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents through their responses to the online survey and parents’ free-text comments. They also met informally with

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parents as they brought their children to school. Inspectors also considered responses to the Ofsted staff survey and to the responses on the pupil survey. Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experiences of school.

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Inspection team

Steve Mellors, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Scott Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 April 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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