Longford Primary Academy

Inspection of Longford Primary Academy Ascot Drive, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 1PD

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

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The principal of this school is Louise Lawrence. This school is part of St Bart’s Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lisa Sarikaya, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Johnny Anderson. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Longford Primary Academy. They feel safe and know how to stay safe. They want to do well. The school has placed an emphasis on building strong relationships with pupils and families, and there is a harmonious school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils and is determined for them to do well. While that ambition is not being realised in published outcomes at the end of key stage 2, the school’s revised curriculum is enabling pupils to know and remember more.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for behaviour and learning for all pupils. Routines are established in the early years, where children learn to work together and to consider each other’s feelings. Pupils respect one another and adults, and classrooms are calm and respectful places in which to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school supports pupils’ wider development well. There are many opportunities for pupils to take on extra responsibilities. Pupils take pride in roles such as school councillors, play leaders, prefects, eco-warriors and peer mentors. This helps them to develop as responsible citizens. Pupils of all ages experience a range of enriching opportunities. Assemblies, lessons and extra-curricular opportunities support pupils’ wider learning, including about life in modern Britain.

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

The school has developed the curriculum to ensure that pupils learn important knowledge. It provides opportunities for pupils to revisit knowledge they have encountered previously. The school ensures that new learning builds on what pupils already know. For instance, in art, pupils apply their previous learning about primary and secondary colours when creating tertiary colours. They show a secure understanding of shade and use their studies of different artists, such as Alma Thomas, to inspire their work.

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

The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of pupils effectively, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Those at the early stages of understanding English learn new words in different contexts. However, in some subjects, for some pupils, opportunities to deepen understanding are missed. Pupils who have already mastered their understanding are not given the opportunity in different contexts.

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

The school encourages a strong reading culture. From the moment they start in Reception, pupils are taught how to read. Regular checks on learning help to identify and fix any misunderstandings. The school has established a rigorous and well-structured approach to early reading. Staff receive high-quality training and ongoing coaching, ensuring the reading curriculum is delivered with fidelity. Most pupils benefit from additional support when they fall behind in their reading. However, some pupils in key stage 2 do not receive the right support at the right time to improve their reading. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Improving attendance is a clear focus for the school. The school has focused on developing parents’ understanding of the importance of attending school every day. However, some pupils who are persistently absent from school continue to miss school too often.

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Pupils are interested in their learning and have positive attitudes that contribute to their progress. Their behaviour in lesson time is positive and focused on learning. When pupils’ behaviour falls short of the school’s expectations, staff help them to reflect and refocus. Pupils’ behaviour towards one another is kind and considerate.

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Governors and trustees understand their responsibilities. They are effective in their roles. They provide the school with appropriate challenge and support. Staff are positive about working at the school. They appreciate being part of a team where everybody is supportive of each other.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils in key stage 2 who are still learning to read do not receive precise and targeted support. This does not enable them to improve their reading fluency. The school should ensure that pupils who are not yet fluent readers receive timely, well- matched support.  The curriculum is not sufficiently tailored to enable pupils who have already mastered the curriculum to deepen and apply their understanding in different contexts in some subjects. As a result, these pupils are not supported to achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils are given sufficient opportunities to deepen and extend their learning.  The school’s approach to improving attendance is not yet reducing the absence of some pupils. As a result, these pupils miss important learning and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should continue to refine and strengthen strategies to reduce pupil absence, including continuing to promote the importance of regular

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

attendance across the whole school community.

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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. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 October 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of St Bart’s Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 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, the deputy CEO, members of staff from the school and from across the trust, and members of the governing committee and trust board, both online and in person.  A significant majority of meetings held with staff were attended by a member of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, computing and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance and documentation relating to

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attendance and pupils’ behaviour. Inspectors looked at a range of documentation on the school’s website.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and took into consideration responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Max Vlahakis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Amarjit Cheema Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

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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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