Longmeadow Primary School

Inspection of Longmeadow Primary School Oaks Cross, Broadwater, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 8LT

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Over a period of time, pupils have not received a high-quality education. Too many pupils leave this school not academically prepared for their secondary school experience. The school is starting to make the necessary improvements to help pupils achieve their full potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe at this school. They value the warm relationships that they have with staff. Pupils know that they will be supported if they feel worried. They have trusted adults in school who listen and care for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well together at social times. At playtime, adults manage pupils’ behaviour well. The school field is a hive of activity. Pupils take part in a range of physical activities. During lesson time, pupils’ behaviour is generally calm. Most pupils demonstrate strong learning behaviours. Learning in class typically proceeds without disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the leadership roles they can undertake. Well-being leaders help pupils to openly share any worries they might have while school councillors are busy developing a ‘secret garden’ in school. These roles give pupils responsibility and a chance to contribute to the wider school community. Clubs and trips enhance pupils’ school experience. The chance to perform in musical concerts and share learning at family assemblies enrich the curriculum offer.

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

The school is making the necessary changes to improve how well pupils learn. After a significant period of instability, new school leaders have brought a clear sense of purpose and determination to improve. An ambitious curriculum is now in place. However, the delivery and impact of this curriculum are still too variable.

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

Children make a much better start in the early years. Staff set clear routines and expectations which children meet. The curriculum through early years is taught well by skilled staff. It combines children’s interests with the knowledge that they need to secure. Staff interact meaningfully with children to extend their learning. The engaging environment gives children numerous opportunities to further their learning through thoughtfully planned activities.

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

Reading is now a clear priority. Pupils are becoming more fluent and confident readers as a result. The school has an effective approach to teaching early reading. Trained staff now typically deliver the school’s phonics programme as intended. Staff routinely check pupils’ progress as they move through the programme to ensure that pupils are keeping up. Teachers support pupils who fall behind to catch up. Pupils read books containing the sounds that they have learned. The improvements in the reading curriculum are now evident, and pupils are becoming better readers.

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

The curriculum identifies the knowledge pupils are intended to secure and build on as they move through the school. Staff training has taken place, but the curriculum is not 13 and 14 May 2025

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consistently delivered in a way that supports pupils to learn effectively. On some occasions, the key knowledge pupils should learn is not presented clearly enough. Sometimes the activities pupils complete do not support them to learn what is intended. This means some pupils do not secure knowledge securely over time.

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Beyond early years, expectations of what pupils can achieve are not as high as they need to be. Staff do not consistently ensure that pupils’ work is completed to a high standard. Sometimes pupils are not encouraged to take enough pride in their work, and they cannot revisit learning when they are unsure of something.

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Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access an adapted curriculum successfully. Other pupils with SEND receive a bespoke individual curriculum. The school’s ‘explorers’ provision supports these pupils well. The needs of pupils are identified accurately. Teachers support pupils with SEND well.

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Staff manage behaviour effectively. The school’s golden rules are well understood by pupils. Staff expect pupils to follow these. Where behaviour falls below expectations, staff deal with this swiftly. The school has ensured that pupils understand the importance of regular attendance. Staff are rigorous in their approach to support pupils to attend well. Where pupils fall short of this expectation, the school takes necessary and effective action to improve attendance.

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The provision for personal development is of a high quality. Pupils’ knowledge of how to maintain their physical and mental health is strong. Pupils are respectful of different cultures and beliefs. They are polite and respectful when spoken to by adults. Pupils know how to remain safe, including online. Pupils are suitably prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Many members of the governing body are newly appointed. They are developing in their role and are determined to support the school’s improvement journey. Alongside school leaders, they have an accurate picture of the school and know where further work is required. Staff appreciate that their workload is being carefully considered as changes are introduced across the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are inconsistent and sometimes low expectations of the work pupils should produce. The work pupils produce at times lacks quality and does not demonstrate what they can achieve. The school must ensure that staff have high expectations of the work pupils produce across the curriculum. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 Teaching is not consistently effective. Key knowledge is not well presented. Some activities do not match the intended aims of the curriculum. This means pupils do not secure the most important knowledge as well as they should. The school must ensure that teaching is consistently effective across all subjects.

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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.

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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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jo-Ann Staniforth and Lucy Canney (Joint Chairs) Headteacher Lynne Osborne

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 March 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up the role in a substantive capacity in September 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is breakfast and after-school club provision which is run by the school.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have 13 and 14 May 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, staff, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read with a familiar member of staff.  Inspectors also considered curriculum documentation and spoke to pupils about their learning in geography.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, attendance records, pupil records, records of governing body meetings, school development plans and external quality assurance.  The inspection team considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents spoken to during the inspection.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carley Holliman Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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