Langham Village School

LANGHAM VILLAGE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th -20 th June 2001.

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LANGHAM VILLAGE SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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LANGHAM VILLAGE SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Langham Village School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: North Street Langham Holt Norfolk. Postcode: NR25 7DG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr J Bagnall-Oakeley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th March 1997 Langham Village School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 22254 Mrs Hazel Callaghan Registered inspector 9053 Mrs Vivienne Philips Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Middlesex HA4 9NA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Langham Village School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Langham Village School is a small primary school, having only 84 pupils on roll. About half of the pupils come from the village of Langham itself or the local villages of Field Dalling, Morston, Cockthorpe and Saxlingham; the others live further afield. Pupils come from a full range of socio-economic backgrounds. The number of pupils in the school who are eligible for free school meals is a little below that found nationally (13 per cent).

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Children are admitted to school in the September or January just before their fifth birthday. During the inspection, there were 16 children in the reception year. The pupils are taught in three classes, with an average size of 28 pupils. This is smaller than that found nationally, but each class has pupils with a wide range of ages and abilities. A broadly average proportion of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs (31 per cent). Two of them have been identified as having specific learning difficulties, two more have moderate learning difficulties and two pupils are experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties. At present there are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. None of the pupils are from other ethnic backgrounds and no pupils have English as an additional language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has recently been part of a successful bid by the local cluster of small schools for a government grant, which has been used to develop children’s writing skills at Year 6. The initiative included part-time support from a teacher of information and communication technology. The grant also enabled the governors to employ an additional teacher for half a term so the headteacher had time out of his class to carry out monitoring and management tasks.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, with many strengths. It provides a very good quality of education for its pupils, that effectively stimulates pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning. The headteacher provides very good leadership. The staff are evaluative of their work and they readily accept new initiatives and challenges, which they implement well. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and this leads to pupils’ good achievement and often very high standards in English, mathematics and science. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very effectively together and systematically evaluate their work. • The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are frequently above average in English, mathematics and science. • The quality of teaching is good and often very good. Staff promote pupils’ very good attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which ensure they make good progress in their learning. • The school provides an environment where pupils feel respected and well cared for, which enables them to grow in confidence and independence, and develop high self-esteem. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. • It provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral development. • It develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community, which greatly enhance pupils’ learning.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Langham Village School - 7 What could be improved

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• The implementation of more systematic procedures for the monitoring of teaching so that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all areas of their learning. • The school accommodation, so that greater curricular opportunities are provided .

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in March 1997. Since then good improvements have been made. Standards are usually above average at the end of both key stages and, although there has been some fluctuation, they have risen over the last four years. The quality of teaching has also improved. At both inspections there were no unsatisfactory lessons observed, and during this inspection there was a greater proportion of very good teaching. The areas of concern in the last inspection report have been generally well addressed. There are now schemes of work for all subjects, and teachers use a consistent style of short-term planning to support their work. Children who are under five now have regular opportunities to use a range of equipment to promote their physical development. The school has made an effective start to monitoring the quality of education provided. The provision for multi-cultural education, although not a specific concern at the last inspection,

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by eleven year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English C D B A well above average above average A B Mathematics B A B A average below average C D Science A B B A well below average E

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STANDARDS

Standards in the 2000 National Curriculum tests were above the national average in English, mathematics and science for pupils aged eleven years. In comparison with those schools that have pupils from homes of a similar socio-economic background, the standards were also above average. Pupils in this group made very good progress in their learning. Their achievement was judged as well above average when their standards are compared to those that they attained when they were seven.

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STANDARDS

Over the last three years standards have risen steadily, but there have been some fluctuations. This unevenness is due to the small number of pupils in each age group. Each pupil represents a large percentage of the group and consequently they have a significant impact on the school’s overall scores. The results of the most recent National Curriculum tests have not yet been verified but early indications show that they are similar to the inspection findings and that standards in science continue to be above those expected. Standards in mathematics are broadly average in terms of the number of pupils achieving the expected standard, with a good proportion achieving the higher standard of level 5. Langham Village School - 8 Standards in English are not as high this year but are broadly in line with those expected. This drop in standards is due to the much larger proportion of pupils with special educational needs in English. The school recognised the pupils’ potential accurately and it

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STANDARDS

has met its targets for pupils’ learning effectively.

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STANDARDS

At Key Stage 1 pupils make at least good progress in their learning. Many pupils make very good progress, particularly in the reception year when they make a flying start to their education. School assessments indicate that, on entry to school, children exhibit the full range of attainment, but overall standards of attainment are generally below those found nationally. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests, pupils aged seven achieved standards that were well above average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing. The results of the most recent National Curriculum tests have not yet been verified but early indications show that they are similar to the inspection findings and that pupils are achieving standards that are above those expected in reading and mathematics. Standards in writing have improved since last year, with a good proportion of pupils attaining the higher than expected standard of level 3.

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STANDARDS

Pupils through the school, including those with special educational needs, make at least good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills. Standards in information and communication technology are satisfactory, overall, and pupils are working at the levels expected in many areas. In Year 6, pupils are not as yet working at the same high levels they achieve in English, mathematics and science, but most are making good progress and their information and communication technology skills are satisfactorily developed in many other subjects.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to their work are very good. Pupils are interested in their tasks and show very good levels of concentration. They are keen to learn, and enjoy school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in lessons, around the school and in the playground.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. Pupils make good use of the many and varied opportunities they are given to take responsibility and use their initiative. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. Pupils are tolerant, considerate and caring. They show great respect for the feelings, values and opinions of others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is good and above the national average, Most pupils arrive punctually and many come early into school to meet their friends and start their morning activities.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Langham Village School - 9 The quality of teaching throughout the school is good, which has a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and results in their good progress through the school. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ good behaviour, attention and hard work, which result in pupils’ effective involvement in their tasks. Teachers use good methods to promote pupils’ learning. Activities are well matched to the needs of all pupils and teachers provide good questioning, which develops pupils’ clear understanding. Teachers use praise to promote pupils’ good behaviour and develop their high self-esteem, which results in their willingness to take part and have a go, even when the work is challenging. During the inspection, all

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

lessons were satisfactory or better. Half of the teaching observed was good or better and over a third was very good. One excellent lesson was observed.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching in English is good overall and ranges from satisfactory to excellent. The National Literacy Strategy has been effectively implemented and pupils’ reading and research skills are well developed across the curriculum. The teaching of writing has been a focus of attention this year, which is having a positive effect on standards. The teaching of mathematics is good overall and often very good. Pupils’ skills are effectively developed in science and geography.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and in most respects appropriately balanced. It is enriched by a good range of extra-curricular activities and educational visits. The staff have tried hard to overcome the restrictions that the limited accommodation imposes, but it is not possible to provide the younger pupils with the full range of gymnastics experiences. Older pupils have good opportunities to develop their skills in physical education and swimming. Links with the community and other local schools are very good and they enrich pupils’ learning and provide additional opportunities in many areas.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and results in pupils’ good, often very good, progress. Their learning needs are identified with care, and specific focused support is given, when required, by the special educational needs co-ordinator. Class teachers and support staff know the pupils very well and are sensitive to their needs. The work is planned carefully to good effect.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Overall, the provision for pupils’ personal development is very good, particularly for their moral and social development. Pupils relate well to each other and have a strong sense of responsibility. The staff provide very good role models and all pupils are encouraged to develop independent learning skills that will prepare them for the next stage in their education. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development and their culture awareness is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The quality of the pastoral care is very good. Staff know the pupils very well and respond to their individual needs. Consequently pupils feel well cared for, respected and secure. There are effective procedures for monitoring pupils’ work and progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has worked hard to develop very good links with parents and many of them work regularly in the school. The very good relationships created provide a very good climate for pupils’ effective learning. Teachers are accessible and parents feel confident in approaching them with suggestions or concerns. Langham Village School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. He has a clear educational vision for the future of the school. The staff work very closely together as a strong team, who share the same aims and values. Staff are evaluative and look for ways to improve further and so provide the best education possible for the children.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors carry out their responsibilities well. They are well involved in the life of the school and are consequently knowledgeable and recognise the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are developing effective ways to monitor the school’s performance and provide good levels of support.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its work well and looks effectively for ways to improve the quality of education and care it provides. The headteacher has appropriately identified the procedures needed to further monitor the quality of teaching through the school. Governors effectively use the available data to apply the principles of finding best value.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. Governors continue to seek ways to improve the quality of accommodation and so improve opportunities for pupils’ learning. Professional development of staff is a high priority. The school has actively sought additional support from government grants and makes very good use of the opportunities provided in its cluster of small schools.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Parents generally are very pleased with the quality of education provided by the school. • They feel that standards of attainment are high and that children make good progress in learning. • They believe that their children are well cared for and that relationships in the school are very good. • Parents feel welcome in the school and appreciate the open-door policy that is consistently applied. • They are kept well informed and involved. • The school is a friendly community where pupils develop high self-esteem, independence and confidence. • A few parents are concerned that some pupils exhibit poor behaviour. • Some parents were concerned about the large amount of work pupils were expected to do at home. • A few parents would like to see a greater range of out-of-school activities and clubs.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team endorse all the positive comments expressed by parents. The team observed only very good behaviour through the school. There are a few pupils with emotional and behavioural problems but they are well monitored and supported. Pupils get on well together, recognising that some of their colleagues need special care. The range of clubs and activities provided for pupils out of lessons is good, particularly so considering the few members of staff. Homework is provided according to the school homework policy. It is used well to support and extend pupils’ learning in lessons. Langham Village School - 11

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

effectively together and systematically evaluate their work.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

1. The headteacher provides very good leadership and a clear educational direction for the school. He has given time to developing his own professional skills so that he keeps abreast of initiatives and effectively incorporates them in the work of the school. This makes a significant impact on developing an effective and evaluative staff. Parents are very appreciative of the sensitive pastoral care he provides for pupils, and the governing body commented on his dedication to the school and his strong and effective leadership.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

2. The headteacher is very well supported by a committed and hard-working team of school staff. They work together closely and the school’s aims and values are consistently implemented and effectively met. There is a strong ethos for improvement and a desire to provide the best education possible for the pupils. The number of staff is small in comparison with most schools, but they share the areas of responsibility, ensuring that all the subjects and aspects of school life are managed appropriately. Teachers effectively take up the challenge of new initiatives and readily adapt their ways of working, such as in the implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies. The headteacher and other teachers support each other well, providing information and guidance so that effective strategies and ideas are shared. Teachers are keen to ensure that their professional skills are kept fresh, and readily seek opportunities for professional development and to observe key

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

professionals in other schools, so that the skills observed are incorporated into their own teaching.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

3. Communications throughout the school are very good and the formal and informal flow of discussion ensures that all staff are aware of the personal and academic needs of the pupils. The ethos for improvement in the school has had a significant impact on standards, which show an overall rising trend over the last four years. The headteacher and staff monitor and evaluate the standards achieved in the school and analyse the data successfully, identifying areas of weakness and developing satisfactory strategies for improvement. The concerns in the previous inspection report have been well met. There are now schemes of work for all subjects and teachers use a consistent style of short-term planning to support their work. Many successful strategies have been developed to provide a more balanced physical education curriculum and children who are under five have regular opportunities to use a range of equipment to promote their physical development. The provision for

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

multi-cultural education, although not a specific concern at the last inspection, has also been significantly improved.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher is very good. The staff work very

4. There are clear priorities for future development, which are set out in the school development plan, and effectively linked to the school’s financial planning. The school has made an effective start to monitoring the quality of education provided and the school development plan focuses on the need to further develop these procedures. The areas of weakness identified in this inspection report have already been identified by the school and are set out in the main school development plan and in a separate buildings plan. Langham Village School - 12

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

frequently above average in English, mathematics and science.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

5. Pupils are admitted into the school with a wide range of abilities that reflect those that are generally found nationally. A significant proportion, however, are below average in their language and mathematics development. Children make good progress in their reception year and the majority achieve the standards expected nationally as judged in the Early Learning Goals. Very good progress is made in developing their literacy and numeracy skills so that by the age of five most children are well launched into the early stages of reading and writing. The majority of children have good understanding of how books are organised and show great enjoyment in the books they read and the stories they hear. Children recognise a growing number of words and are beginning to use their knowledge of sounds to help them decode new words. During the inspection a good proportion of the children were confidently tackling known and repetitive texts, showing good

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

understanding of the story and predicting what they thought would happen next. Many children were confidently writing their own ideas, spelling simple words correctly and showing effective awareness of letter sounds. In mathematics children were showing a good understanding of numbers up to 20, being able to order, read and write numbers effectively. The more able pupils confidently recite numbers to 100, show a good understanding of numbering, and could count on from 36 or 42. Most children are secure in their ability to add and subtract numbers within 10. Children under five have also made good progress in developing their personal and social skills. They organise their activities well and take responsibility for their work, filing it away when they have finished. Children work and play together harmoniously, sharing resources and toys sensibly.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

6. Pupils continue to make good progress in their learning through Key Stage 1 so that, by the time pupils reach seven, most are achieving the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics and a significant proportion achieve the higher than expected standard of level 3. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests the standards achieved were well above average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing. The school’s overall high scores were the result of a very high proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard of level 3. In comparison with schools that have pupils from similar socio-economic background, the standards were also well above average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

7. Pupils continue to make at least good progress in their learning at Key Stage 2 and by the age of eleven many pupils are achieving standards above those expected in English, mathematics and science. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests the above average standards attained in English, mathematics and science were the result of pupils’ very good progress. In comparison with all schools nationally, the pupils at Langham were in the top 25 per cent in terms of their improvement over the standards they had achieved when they were seven. In comparison with schools that have pupils from similar socio-economic background, the standards were also well above average in English, mathematics and science.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

8. The number of children admitted to the school each year is small in comparison with most schools and so direct comparisons with the standards found nationally are difficult as each pupil’s attainment makes quite an impact on the overall standards achieved by the school. Similarly, making comparisons from one year to the next is also difficult. However, over the last four years, although there have been fluctuations, standards at both key stages have shown a steady improvement. Langham Village School - 13 During the inspection, standards were generally not quite as high as those achieved in the 2000 tests as the proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the proportion of pupils of higher ability in both Year 2 and Year 6 were different from those of the previous year. The results of the most recent National Curriculum tests taken this summer have not yet been published but standards during the inspection

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

show that, at eleven, pupils achieved standards in science above those expected. Standards in mathematics were broadly average in terms of the number of pupils achieving the expected standard, with a good proportion achieving the higher standard of level 5. However, standards in English were not as high this year though they were broadly in line with those expected. This is due to the much larger proportion of pupils in Year 6 who have special educational needs in developing their English skills. The school recognised the pupils’ potential accurately, however, and it effectively met its targets for pupils’ learning. The results of the most recent National Curriculum tests taken this summer show that pupils in Year 2 achieved standards in the National Curriculum tests that are above those expected in reading and mathematics. Standards in writing, which were not as high as in reading last year, are improved and a good proportion of pupils are attaining the higher than

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

expected standard of level 3. The school had identified writing as an area of weakness and this improved standard shows the positive impact made by the school’s efforts to raise standards.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

9. The standards achieved in the National Curriculum tests and those observed during the inspection show that pupils of all abilities make at least good progress through the school. Higher attaining pupils are well challenged and are enabled to achieve the higher standards of which they are capable. Boys do not usually achieve as well as the girls in English, but are still usually above the national average. This difference in attainment was recognised by the school and a number of effective procedures have been employed to support boys’ learning and encourage their efforts in both mathematics and English. Special group sessions in mathematics, held by the headteacher before school for a few boys in Year 6, plus the strategies used as part of a ‘Writing Project’ developed by the local cluster of schools, have raised confidence and standards. It is too soon for their efforts to be fully effective and so similar strategies are now to be focused on pupils in Year 5. Standards in

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

science have remained high this year and both boys and girls achieve good standards overall. At Key Stage 2, boys achieve better than the girls in mathematics, which is a similar picture to that found nationally.

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

10. Information and communication technology has been an area of focus this year. The school has benefited from the help of a part-time support teacher who has worked with the pupils to promote their skills and knowledge. The curriculum in this subject is appropriately broad and balanced and pupils are achieving standards in line with those expected in most areas. At eleven, however, pupils are not yet attaining expected standards in the use of spreadsheets and the development of formulae to make calculations, and most pupils have not yet experienced working with multi- media presentations, or used computers to measure or monitor outside events. Pupils are making steady progress in their learning and are using information and communication technology in many aspects of their work. In Class 1 computer programs are used regularly to support pupils’ learning in spelling and reading; in Class 2, for example, information and communication technology was used for

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The pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve standards that are

research into the life of the Romans, and in Class 3 pupils gathered data from the Internet about the Peak District after their residential trip. At this rate of progress pupils are on line to achieve the expected standards. Langham Village School - 14

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

ensure pupils make good progress in their learning.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

11. Standards achieved in the National Curriculum tests in 2000 and those observed during the inspection show that pupils of all abilities make at least good progress through the school. This is due to the overall good standard of teaching provided and the good support of the learning support assistants. It is also the result of the pupils’ very good attitudes to their work and the desire to do well. Teachers make learning interesting and challenging, which stimulates pupils’ enthusiasm and involvement.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

12. Only a small sample of lessons was observed; however, from the scrutiny of pupils’ work and the standards achieved, it is judged that the teaching is good throughout the school. During the inspection all lessons observed were satisfactory or better. Four lessons in ten were of a very good or better standard, which is an improvement on the standard seen at the previous inspection. One lesson observed was excellent. The age and ability range in each class is wide and a particular strength of the teaching is the way activities are very well matched to the learning needs of all the pupils. Teachers know the pupils very well and often refine group tasks to match the particular stage of individual pupils’ development. Pupils appreciate this level of care and respond well, knowing that with a little effort and with the teachers’ support they can succeed. Teachers use effective methods to promote pupils’ learning.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

Good questioning develops pupils’ clear understanding, and the sharing of pupils’ work with the whole class enables the younger pupils to be aware of, and interested in, the work that older pupils are tackling. This exposure to more complex ideas and vocabulary has proved very successful in the oldest class, and many of the younger pupils are developing concepts in advance of those expected for their age. All teachers use praise to promote pupils’ good behaviour and develop their high self- esteem, which results in their willingness to take part and have a go, even when the work is challenging. Teachers’ high expectations for pupils’ good behaviour, attention and hard work result in pupils’ effective involvement in their tasks and their high productivity so they complete their tasks well.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

13. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by the class teachers and support staff. Their specific difficulties and needs are very effectively identified by the special educational needs co-ordinator who provides good focused teaching sessions to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. She is only in the school for one day a week, but is considered very much one of the team. She works very closely with all staff providing support, guidance and expertise for the benefit of the pupils. A recent audit carried out by the local education authority found the special educational needs provision to be very thorough and effective, and the expertise provided by the special educational needs co-ordinator to be very good; as a result pupils make very good progress towards their individual targets for learning.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

14. Pupils with the potential to achieve high standards are also well supported. Where appropriate they are enabled to work with older pupils so their understanding and learning are effectively extended. Their progress and well-being are monitored carefully to ensure that the demands made on them are appropriate and that their personal and social development is also well supported. Langham Village School - 15 15. Teachers have a secure knowledge of both the numeracy and literacy strategies, which they are implementing effectively. Pupils’ reading skills are used well to support learning in other subjects, especially in research, whereas pupils’ writing skills are only satisfactorily employed in other subjects. Pupils’ information and communication technology knowledge and skills are being well promoted across the curriculum. The school now has its Internet link, for which they have waited for several years, and good resources that are enabling them to move forward more

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

quickly. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily in science, history, music, art, English and geography. It is less well used in mathematics.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

16. Homework is provided regularly according to the school homework policy and it very effectively supports pupils’ learning in lessons. However, some parents were concerned about the large amount of work pupils were expected to do at home, feeling that they did sufficient in school. Inspection shows that the homework provided is very relevant to the pupils needs. It effectively builds on the work taught in lessons and extends pupils’ skills and understanding.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

17. Pupils enjoy school and show very good levels of involvement and concentration in their work. They persevere even when there are difficulties until they succeed in the end. Even the youngest pupils in the school show good levels of concentration. They are eager to work and their attention is well maintained to the end of the lesson. In the literacy lesson observed in Class 1, all pupils showed great application to their different tasks, readily moving on to the next activity without fuss or hesitation, knowing clearly what was required and confident in their own abilities. Pupils are interested in their work and want to show what they know and can do. In Class 2, for example, pupils wanted to explain about all the fascinating things they had learnt about the Romans, and how they had lived.

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attitudes, so they work with very good levels of effort and concentration, which

18. Pupils have a good understanding of how well they are working, and of their own progress and achievement. The teachers’ marking is informative and gives praise for good work and effort. Pupils have targets for their future development in English and mathematics. The targets are very individual to the child and are discussed with them so they can focus on what they need to do to improve. A third target identifies another area in which the pupil needs to improve. It could be in another subject or relate to their personal development, making them more aware of aspects of their behaviour or learning that need attention. If teachers were more explicit about what is to be learnt in each lesson, pupils would see more clearly what they were expected to achieve.

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which enables them to grow in confidence and independence, and develop high self-

esteem. Relationships throughout the school are excellent.

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which enables them to grow in confidence and independence, and develop high self-

19. The staff are very effective in providing a secure environment where the pupils feel respected and well cared for. Teachers are skilled in promoting pupils’ high self- esteem through their encouragement and praise. Pupils are supported well so they make good gains in their learning and confidently try new ideas and show initiative in their work. The headteacher, in particular, puts great emphasis on giving pupils the courage to attempt something new. They recognise that it is good to try, and know that their efforts will be recognised. Time is given to celebrate their attempts, as well as their successes. For example, everyone’s attention was drawn to the great improvement made by one boy in a mathematics lesson because he was tackling something new and using very sensible strategies to help him succeed. Langham Village School - 16 20. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to work independently and plan their own work, to

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which enables them to grow in confidence and independence, and develop high self-

develop ways of working and to help one another in their tasks. Children in the reception year, for example, plan their own activities, knowing that over the week they must have tried all the activities available. They are expected to keep track of what they have done during the day, and by the summer term most reliably record what they have done over the week.

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which enables them to grow in confidence and independence, and develop high self-

21. The pastoral care provided throughout the school is very good. Pupils are well known by all the staff, which creates a strong sense of a family community. Great attention is placed on the importance of the individual − on each child and their personality and circumstances − in order to meet their personal and learning needs. The staff provide very good role models for the pupils and they respond by treating each other with respect and care. Pupils of all ages enjoy working and playing together. They are tolerant of each other and show great sensitivity to those who have troubles. Relationships are excellent, between pupils, between pupils and adults, and between the adults who work together as a very united team.

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The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral

22. The promotion of pupils’ personal development has a very high priority throughout the school. There are many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility within their own class and in the school generally, such as photocopying documents for the teachers and carrying messages. These tasks are carried out reliably and many pupils of all ages will automatically tidy away and carry out tasks because they can see they need to be done. Pupils respond well to each other and show care and consideration. They are sensitive to the needs of others, as was clearly seen in the older pupils’ care of the younger children at lunchtimes, and their thoughtful relationships with pupils who have behavioural difficulties.

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The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral

23. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The regular opportunities to discuss issues in their personal, social and health education lessons make pupils more aware of their impact on each other and how to develop effective relationships. The school is small, but pupils have opportunities for meeting pupils in other schools in competitions and tournaments. The school regularly enters quizzes in which the pupils achieve well. The recent visit to a local school for the ‘Multi-cultural Extravaganza’ was a great success. The pupils in Years 5 and 6 have regular opportunities for going on a residential trip, which provides very good opportunities for developing their independence and inter-dependence. Other visits to local places of interest also enhance their awareness of the world outside their school. There are frequent visitors to the school − regular helpers and visitors who come to share

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The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral

information and present new ideas. The School Council also provides good opportunities for all pupils to discuss how they can improve their school. They respond well to the opportunity and raise many pertinent issues about playtimes and safety. It provides a purposeful introduction to their learning about citizenship.

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The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral

24. Pupils’ moral development is very well promoted. They respond well to the class rules, which they helped to draw up after discussion on what is important about the way they should behave. Teachers use these rules effectively to promote pupils’ awareness of the need to work together, and to recognise the needs of all people in the school. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. Langham Village School - 17 There was no evidence of bullying and the quality of relationships throughout the school has been well maintained since the previous inspection. ‘Circle time’ discussions explore moral issues, what is right and what is wrong, and how pupils can make informed decisions. Older pupils discuss and debate moral issues connected to events in the news, such as saving the environment.

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The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ personal, social and moral

25. The staff all help prepare the pupils for the next stage in their education and give them a very good start to their personal, social and moral development.

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

26. The headteacher places great importance on building effective links with parents, and the staff have developed many whole-school procedures to promote and maintain these very good relationships. The quality of these links with parents was considered good at the previous inspection and they have been improved so that the vast majority of parents who responded on the parents questionnaire and at the parents’ meeting held before the inspection said that they were very comfortable in approaching the school with any suggestions or concerns. Most parents felt that the school kept them well informed. These strong and positive links with parents have a very beneficial impact on pupils’ learning and on their very positive attitudes to school. 27. The ‘open-door’ philosophy for parents is consistently applied through the school. Parents feel very welcome and appreciate the opportunities provided to discuss

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

aspects of their children’s life at school both formally and informally. Many opportunities are made to inform parents of school events and to involve them in the decision-making process. Parents’ opinions have been sought on the revision of the school’s homework policy and the Home/School Agreement. Parents’ views of the school have been sought through a questionnaire, and regular meetings are held so that parents are kept well informed about new initiatives and aspects of pupils’ learning. An annual Parents’ Forum is planned as part of the ‘Governing Body’s Report to Parents’ evening, which is usually well attended. Issues such as the school’s work with pupils with special educational needs, the development of information and communication technology and ‘Involving Parents in the Learning Journey’ have been some of the areas of discussion. Formal parent consultation meetings to discuss their children’s work and progress are timed so that the majority

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

of parents can attend and, in addition, there are planned monthly opportunities for parents to discuss their children’s work. Regular newsletters keep them informed of school news and events. Many parents give their time to work with the pupils at school and the Parent Teacher Association works closely with the school to raise money, provide additional resources and arrange enjoyable events for the pupils and their families.

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

28. Parents are very effectively involved in their child’s learning. As well as the regular consultation evenings, parents’ views are welcomed and they are asked to write a response to their child’s annual report. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept well informed and are invited to the regular reviews. The school tries very hard to work closely with the parents and they are encouraged to meet regularly with the special educational needs co-ordinator and the class teacher to discuss how best the child can be supported. All parents are kept well informed about the regular homework that is set as part of their child’s learning and great importance is attached to the help parents give in this process. Langham Village School - 18 29. The school also makes very good use of its links with other local schools, which has led to many activities that directly enhance pupils’ learning. Teachers support each

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

other through joint ventures, such as professional training, and they work together to provide support in implementing new initiatives, such as the literacy and numeracy strategies. The local cluster of small schools recognised that they had similar needs and successfully worked on a bid for government funds that supported their development of strategies such as a ‘Writing Project’. Pupils’ writing skills were stimulated through discussions with visitors to the school and pupils’ visits out of school. For example, pupils in Year 6 visited London. Similar strategies are now planned for pupils in Year 5. Part of the grant has also provided the joint use of a visiting support teacher of information and communication technology who has been developing pupils’ information and communication technology skills in other areas of their learning. The local secondary school provides time in its gymnasium and swimming pool for the Langham pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 so they have

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

opportunities to develop skills in all aspects of the physical education curriculum. Recently a joint ‘Multi-cultural Extravaganza’ was held at a local school, which all the pupils attended. They obviously enjoyed the experience very much and many children enthusiastically talked about their experiences, which led to some interesting writing and a much greater awareness of the music, festivals and celebrations enjoyed by other people.

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The school develops very good links with parents, local schools and the community,

30. The school refers to itself as Langham Village School and this indicates its central position in the local community. Strong links have been forged that support the school and enhance the pupils’ learning. There are regular visits to the local church and the vicar makes regular visits to the school. The school gives performances for the people of the village, such as the annual Christmas show. The school advertises local events in its regular newsletters and, in return, school events are published in a local newspaper. The annual village summer fayre regularly provides money for the school. Several local industries have also given their support to the school, including the donation of a strip for the football team.

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

31. The previous report recommended that the school should ‘monitor and evaluate teaching and learning effectively’. The staff have made a good start to implementing these procedures. The school’s successful bid for a government grant enabled the headteacher to employ an additional teacher for half a term which gave him time to monitor and carry out his management tasks. Time was also given to all teachers to work alongside each other and to monitor both formally and informally the work of the school. The support provided by the local education authority advisers gave additional input into this process through their monitoring of different aspects, such as the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The headteacher and other staff have worked together closely and made good use of the information collected so there is a satisfactory consistency of style and approaches in teaching. The quality of communication in the school is very good and

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

staff are very supportive of each other; those with particular expertise provide guidance for others where necessary. The headteacher has recognised the need to formalise the procedures used, and a good start has been made. There is now a clear rationale and policy for monitoring, and the documentation to be used has been developed. Langham Village School - 19 32. The school now needs to focus more directly on the quality of teaching and learning within subjects so that good practice is shared and pupils are enabled to make the best progress in their learning. There are to be a number of changes in the role and responsibilities of staff due to the employment of two new teachers. The need for more formalised and systematic monitoring of teaching now becomes even more appropriate if the good standards are to be effectively maintained and further improved. The staff and governors use the data provided from the National

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

Curriculum tests to evaluate the pupils’ achievement and to analyse the strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning, and in the quality of teaching. Writing was recognised as an area in which pupils did not make as much progress as elsewhere and strategies were satisfactorily developed to work towards improvement. Time given to reviewing pupils’ work in each year group, focusing on specific aspects of their learning, would further stimulate the teachers’ awareness of how skills and knowledge are being developed through the school. A profitable area of review could be pupils’ work on research and their development of non-fiction writing,

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

The school accommodation, so that greater curricular opportunities are provided.

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

33. The curriculum provided is broad, and in most subjects is appropriately balanced. In physical education, however, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils in Key Stage 1 to develop the full range of gymnastics skills. This is due to the lack of appropriate accommodation and large gymnastics equipment in the school. The concern about the impact of this lack of accommodation was expressed at the previous inspection and the school has worked hard to address the problem. Pupils throughout the school use the school playground and field effectively for games and athletics. The youngest children use a variety of small apparatus and large wheeled vehicles during their morning play sessions to promote their physical development. In order to ensure that the other aspects of the physical education curriculum are addressed as well as possible, the headteacher arranged for regular physical education lessons to take place away from the school. Pupils in Classes 1 and 2

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

walk to the village hall for weekly physical education lessons and there are adequate opportunities there for pupils to develop the appropriate skills and knowledge in movement and dance, and in floor gymnastics. Older pupils, those in Years 4, 5 and 6, travel to the local secondary school to use its gymnasium and swimming pool throughout the year. This has proved a very successful arrangement, but the journey does add to the time taken out of other lessons. In addition to these arrangements there are regular sporting activities out of lesson time in which many pupils participate. There is a satisfactory range of these through the year that are run by staff and parents, including football and netball in the winter and a sports club, which includes tennis coaching, in the summer. Pupils also expressed their enjoyment of the house tournaments in netball, football and hockey held each year.

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

34. The lack of space in the school building, as well as impairing the physical education curriculum, also adversely affects many other activities. The classroom used by the oldest pupils is very confined, which makes circulation around the class very difficult and restricts opportunities for practical sessions such as art, design and technology and science. The pupils and teacher cope well, but there are considerable difficulties. Langham Village School - 20 35. The headteacher and governing body have long recognised the difficulties that a very small school building creates and in recent years have successfully improved the quality of the accommodation. In the past a library was developed and one of the classrooms was extended. The old external toilet block was transformed into an effective resource room. The governors have tried to find ways to extend the building to include a hall. This has proved difficult, as many different avenues have

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that good practice is shared, and pupils are enabled to make good progress in all

been closed to them. There are now other procedures available for raising the money required and it has become one of the governing body’s priorities for development in the new financial year. It will require considerable persistence and the continuing support of the community for a successful end to this project.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to further improve the standards achieved and education provided the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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building developments

Both of these key issues have been recognised by the school and are part of the school development plan. Langham Village School - 21

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

8 31 15 46 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 84

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Langham Village School - 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 3 9 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 3 3 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (92) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 3 3 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (92) 100 (100) 100 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 84(82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 7 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 6 7

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (71) 88 (71) 94 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 6 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 6 7

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 65 (71) 88 (86) 94 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Langham Village School - 23

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.2 Financial year 1999-2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 173907

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2174

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 80 Balance brought forward from previous year 18690

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 19043 FTE means full-time equivalent. Langham Village School - 24

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 40 2 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 31 14 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 38 14 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 69 24 7 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 12 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 17 12 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 71 24 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 79 21 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 26 5 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 29 17 0 2

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