Longlands Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Longlands Primary School and Nursery Nunsbury Drive, Turnford, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire EN10 6AG

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Outcome

Longlands Primary School and Nursery has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in coming to this small and nurturing school. The school fosters a strong sense of belonging for all pupils within its diverse community. Pupils and their families feel the school knows them well. From the Nursery upwards, pupils develop a keen curiosity and eagerness to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for what pupils can learn and achieve. The school’s curriculum helps pupils to build secure foundations across the subjects they study. Over time, pupils develop exceptionally strong knowledge which they confidently apply to new situations. Reading has a high priority in the school. Pupils experience a broad range of texts and authors. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 regularly read with younger pupils. Together, they develop a shared love of reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour around the school is excellent. The school encourages pupils to show kindness and to help others. Pupils are proud to contribute to their school and wider community. Pupils of all ages take on leadership roles around the school. Those pupils who are playground leaders help other pupils to make friends and solve problems. Pupils in the school council organise charity events. These roles help pupils to become confident and resourceful. They are well prepared for life beyond the school gates.

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do better?

This school does not stand still. It is always seeking to develop and improve its provision, and does so successfully. The recently updated curriculum is highly ambitious. There is a 5 and 6 November 2024

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sharp focus on the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and retain. New learning builds on what has come previously. In music, for example, pupils in Year 5 apply their understanding of music structure to their own compositions. In mathematics, pupils develop their verbal reasoning and problem-solving skills. They complete increasingly complex problems. Over time, pupils achieve highly.

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The school has also developed the ways that teachers check what pupils have learned and can do. Teachers skilfully check pupils’ understanding. They are alert to any misconceptions that pupils might have. When these are present, they quickly intervene. Teachers adapt the curriculum to match pupils’ individual learning needs. The school swiftly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school knows the best ways to support these pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND also achieve well.

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The school works tirelessly to develop all pupils’ reading skills. Teachers deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme consistently well. The school identifies any pupils who need additional support to keep up with the phonics programme. These pupils receive the help they need to develop their reading fluency and confidence. The new phonics programme has taken time to embed and has had a positive impact on pupils in key stage 1. It is too soon to judge the wider impact of this work on key stage 2 pupils’ outcomes. In the early years, parents can join sessions each week to read together with their child in school. Through this, parents gain confidence when reading with their child at home.

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The early years environment is bright and inviting. The school carefully chooses the resources that children interact with to support each child’s individual needs. Adults help children to develop their listening skills and attention. They model key vocabulary and encourage children to use new words when they are taking part in activities. The curriculum in the early years supports children to secure strong foundations in mathematics. As a result, children are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1.

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Pupils are polite and well mannered. They confidently introduce themselves and are keen to talk about their learning. Pupils in the school council helped to design the new school values. The school has used these values to reward pupils and help them to reach the high standards of behaviour it expects. The school encourages pupils to consider the impact their behaviour has on others. Consequently, pupils behave exceptionally well throughout the school day.

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The school provides a wide range of additional opportunities that it has tailored to pupils’ needs and wider interests. The extra-curricular clubs change each year based on pupils’ feedback. The school’s curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) gives pupils the tools they need to engage maturely with a range of topics. Pupils voice their considered opinions and listen to the views of others.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance is high. The school works effectively with the families of pupils who struggle to attend regularly. The school routinely invites pupils to take part in additional activities to support their social and emotional development. This 5 and 6 November 2024

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includes forest school, sensory circuits, therapeutic interventions such as music therapy and support from local charitable enterprises. The school has a higher-than-average number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Pupils with SEND, including those with EHC plans, consistently benefit from this excellent provision.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in 17 and 18 October 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. 5 and 6 November 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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Nicola Adams and Joe Wilkinson (Co- Chairs) Headteacher Ashleigh Calver

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school appointed a new headteacher in April 2022.  The co-chairs of the school’s governing body took up their positions in September 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs a before-school breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also met with the co-chairs of the school’s governing body. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 The inspector considered the quality of education in the following groups of subjects: early reading, mathematics, music, PSHE and design and technology. The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also visited lessons in physical education.  The inspector reviewed a range of school policies and documents. This included documents relating to school improvement and records of behaviour and attendance.  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.  The inspector considered the responses to the Ofsted online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke to staff and reviewed the responses to the online staff

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Inspection team

Annabel Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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