Langley Park Primary School

LANGLEY PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 April – 1 May 2001

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LANGLEY PARK PRIMARY 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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LANGLEY PARK PRIMARY 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. Langley Park Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Langley Park Durham Postcode: DH7 9XN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr H S Guildford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 Langley Park Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 22453 Brian Gosling Registered inspector 11392 Terry Heppenstall Lay inspector 29815 Pat English Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Full Circle 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 Langley Park Primary 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

Langley Park Primary School is set in a former mining village with a strong community spirit. It is bigger than most schools. There are 247 full-time pupils; 123 boys and 124 girls plus 50 children who attend the nursery part time. Thirty-three pupils arrived at or left the school other than at the usual time in the last year, which is more than in most schools. A few pupils come from minority ethnic groups and two pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above the national average. There are 51 pupils with special educational needs, which is about average and four pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need, which is above the national average. When most pupils, including all those in Key Stage 2, first started school their attainment was below average. There has been considerable housing development near the school recently and

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the school’s records show that the children’s attainment when they start school has improved and is now close to the average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Langley Park Primary is a very effective school. Until recently, children arrived with standards of attainment that were below average. As a result of very strong leadership that monitors the school’s performance well to ensure good teaching throughout the school including a beneficial nursery provision, the attainment of pupils when they leave the school is above the national average. Consequently, the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the school and pupils achieve well in both key stages. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s effective provision for pupils’ social and moral development. • The quality of the teaching is good across the school. • The school cares well for its pupils. • The school works very well in partnership with parents to support pupils’ learning. • The leadership and management of the school are very good. • The school makes effective use of its accommodation.

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What could be improved

• The timetable allocation to the various subjects does not make the best use of the available teaching time. • There are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to develop independent learning skills through practical activities. • The use of day-to-day assessment to inform planning for individual pupils’ needs is not good enough. 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 last inspected in March 1997. Since then, good improvement has achieved even higher standards in English and science and high standards in mathematics have been maintained. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection and this has had a significant effect on the standards achieved by pupils. Langley Park Primary School - 7 The school has rigorously addressed the areas for development identified in the last report. Consequently, these higher standards have been achieved through developments in the provision for English and the successful introduction of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. Training has been provided on the management of pupils’ behaviour and the success of new policies for behaviour is evident in pupils’ positive attitudes to school. Planning has been improved and there is increased monitoring of teaching. Assessment procedures have been established but there is scope to improve the use of this assessment

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

Science E A* A* A* very high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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schools

Standards are high. In the national tests in 2000, the standards attained at the end of Key Stage 2 were above the national average in English, well above the national average in mathematics and very high in science. (Very high indicates that the school’s performance was in the highest five per cent of all schools nationally.) When compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, results are well above the average in English and mathematics and very high in science. These high standards are being sustained, despite the unusually low results in 1998, because the school maintains a clear focus on preparation for the national tests in Year 2 and Year 6 and teaching is consistently good across the school.

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schools

The attainment of children when they start at the school is generally below average. They make good progress and by the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000, pupils’ attainment was below average in reading but average in writing and mathematics. Pupils’ achievements are very good and good progress is maintained throughout the school resulting in the high attainment by the end of Key Stage 2. Standards continue to improve and the trend in the school’s results is rising above the national trend. The school has set suitable targets for pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics based on their prior attainment at the end of Key Stage 1. Langley Park Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy school and they work hard, applying themselves well to the tasks they are set. This has a considerable effect on the standards they attain.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave well even when they are not supervised. They settle any differences with maturity.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils relate very well to each other and older pupils are encouraged to look after the younger ones. However, there is insufficient opportunity for them to take responsibility for their own learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. The attendance rate is similar to the national average.

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

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.

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

The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. Sixty-four per cent of the lessons seen were at least good of which 18 per cent were very good. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum and they prepare lessons well. The purposes of lessons are clear and these learning intentions are shared with pupils, who respond with much enthusiasm and a commitment to do their best. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. Teachers manage pupils very well and have high expectations of work and behaviour. The quality of the day-to-day assessments that teachers keep varies in quality throughout the school and, overall, they are not used well enough when planning lessons to set tasks that match the learning needs of individual pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. A broad curriculum is enhanced by visits and visitors to the school. However, the time allocated to different subjects is inconsistent across the school and this restricts the achievement of a well-balanced curriculum. Langley Park Primary School - 9 Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is an appropriate provision for pupils with special educational needs that suitably supports their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The few pupils in the school with English as an additional language make suitable progress and they have attained the standards expected of pupils of their age.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. However, there are insufficient planned opportunities for practical activities to enable pupils to develop independent learning skills effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school gives a high priority to the welfare of its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very effectively in partnership with parents to support pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong leadership with a clear direction for school improvement. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher. Curriculum co-ordinators have clearly defined roles and they monitor their subjects well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is well organised and fulfils its responsibilities well. Governors have effective systems to monitor the work of the school and all statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school’s systems to monitor its performance are very good. Planning, pupils’ attainment and achievement, and teaching are monitored well and annual test results are analysed effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources well and it effectively applies the principles of best value. In particular, it makes good use of the opportunities provided by the accommodation. Langley Park Primary School - 10

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improved

• Their children like school. • The progress their children make. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The amount of homework provided. • The good quality of the teaching. • The school is approachable. • The high achievement of the pupils. • The close links with parents. • The leadership and management of the school. • Their children become mature and responsible. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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improved

Inspectors agree with parents positive views of the school. The range of activities outside lessons is similar to most schools, although they are aimed predominantly at the older pupils. Langley Park Primary School - 11

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

school and pupils achieve well in both key stages.

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

1. By the time the pupils leave the school at the age of 11, standards are high. In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000, the school’s results 1 were above the national average in English, well above in mathematics and very high in science. (Very high indicates that the school’s results were in the highest five per cent of schools in the country.) Compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the school’s results were well above the average in English and mathematics, and very high in science. Pupils of this age are expected to attain Level 4 2 of the National Curriculum. The school’s results show that a good proportion of pupils attained the higher Level 5. In 2000, this proportion was above the national average in English, well above in mathematics and very high in science. These results represent a significant improvement in English and science and the maintenance of high

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

standards in mathematics since the last inspection.

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

2. Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Until recently, pupils entered the school with attainment that was below average. They make good progress and, in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000, the school’s results were average in writing and mathematics but still below average in reading. Compared to similar schools, these results were close to the average in reading, well above the average in writing and above the average in mathematics. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls and the school has set suitable targets for pupils’ achievement based on previous attainment. The trend in the school’s results is rising above the national trend.

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

3. High standards are attained in English and mathematics through the effective implementation of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. The school has suitably adapted these strategies and develops pupils’ skills systematically. The good attitudes of pupils and effective teaching have a significant effect on pupils’ learning. For example, in one mathematics lesson pupils were asked to consider the strategy they used to add two numbers with two digits. The teacher then introduced the class to a new strategy that involved rounding one of the two numbers. After practising this method, pupils were asked to consider when they thought this method would be useful. After a moment’s reflection, it was thought that this method would be useful when doing calculations mentally. Such effective development of pupils’ understanding allows them to approach mathematics with confidence.

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

1 On the school’s results: An average points score provides schools with a single statistic to compare the overall grades attained by their pupils with the grades attained by pupils in other schools. At Key Stages 1 and 2, the National Curriculum levels of attainment are given a score. For example, in mathematics Level 1 = 9 points and Level 2 = 15 points, and so on. The average test score achieved by a school is calculated by adding up all the scores achieved by the pupils and then dividing by the number of pupils who took the test. These comparisons are the ones used in the figures printed in the summary of the report. When the percentage of pupils attaining a particular level is compared to other schools, this is stated clearly in the text.

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Standards are high in English, mathematics and science by the time pupils leave the

2 On Levels: The National Curriculum has been written on the basis that pupils, by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve Level 3 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. It is a national expectation that all pupils should reach Level 4 by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils who reach Level 5 are therefore attaining above the nationally expected level for their age. Langley Park Primary School - 12

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

effective provision for pupils’ social and moral development.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

4. The personal and social development of the children in the Foundation Stage is carefully monitored through daily observations. Pupils have duties that include taking responsibility for the registers after registration and acting as monitors for the library. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 have homework diaries and they are given the opportunity to attend a week’s residential visit to Middleton-in-Teesdale Field Studies Centre in Year 5 and to Northern France in Year 6. The oldest pupils act as ’buddies’ to the younger pupils and they are easily recognised in the playground by the red caps that they wear. The ‘Buddy’ system is well understood by the younger pupils and they are happy to make contact with these ‘buddies’ when they have difficulties or they are upset. This provides a welcome security for younger pupils and also gives valuable opportunities for the older pupils to act responsibly and to become aware of the needs

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

and difficulties of the younger pupils in the school. A school council has recently been formed and there are pupil representatives from all classes. Again, older pupils are given the opportunity to take responsibility for the younger pupils as they work with and assist representatives from the younger classes in preparing for meetings. The school council is providing the pupils with a responsible role in reviewing the school rules whilst developing an understanding of the beneficial effects that rules have for everybody in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

5. Pupils respond to these opportunities well and they develop a mature attitude that helps them adjust to school routines positively and co-operatively. They are keen to help and, during the inspection, two pupils were observed as they visited the school secretary to enquire if there was anything they could do to help her. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors and they play together happily. In lessons, they are enthusiastic and work hard to complete the tasks set by the teacher. They work well together when given the opportunity. For example, in the class for reception children, they were asked to find a picture of a teddy in the nursery garden. Each was marked with a different number on its tummy and the pupils returned to a central area to position it correctly in a number line. Each pupil was allowed to find only one teddy and, once they had completed this, they were encouraged to help another pupil to find

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

a teddy so that they all found one during the session. This they did willingly and happily. Relationships are good and behaviour is consistently good and often very good. This good behaviour is maintained when pupils are not directly supervised, such as when they enter assembly and the dining hall.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

6. Circle time 3 is used well to encourage pupils to consider the effects of their actions on others. For example, the youngest pupils in Key Stage 1 were told a story about Joan. The pupils put up their hand when they thought an incident in the story could be hurtful to Joan. One girl responded to an incident where other girls excluded Joan from their conversation by telling her it was a secret, saying, ‘Ah poor little girl. Why did they say it was a secret? That’s not nice’. The pupils later considered the things that upset them and how they could solve these difficulties. Significantly, many suggestions involved seeking out a ‘Buddy’ and sharing the problem with them.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

3 On ‘Circle time’ - this is the provision of a discussion period which provides good opportunities for pupils to talk about issues that face them in everyday life. Langley Park Primary School - 13 The quality of the teaching is good across the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

7. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. Sixty-four per cent of the lessons seen were at least good and 18 per cent were very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

8. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum and they prepare lessons well. Teachers use questioning well; posing open-ended questions to the whole class and focusing challenging questions to individual pupils that extend their understanding. Small whiteboards are used appropriately to allow the teacher to see the response of each pupil to questions that they pose. This is very effective, particularly in numeracy sessions when pupils practice mental calculations. The purposes of lessons are clear and these learning intentions are shared with pupils, who respond with much enthusiasm and a commitment to do their best. Teachers manage pupils very well and they have high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

9. There are, however, some areas in which most lessons can be improved. For example, most literacy and numeracy sessions extend beyond the times recommended by the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. This results in a loss of pace in some lessons as activities are extended to fill the time available in the session. There is also an over-reliance on worksheets, particularly in Year 2 and Year 6, and these are rarely dated, which makes the tasks of assessing a pupil’s progress difficult. The quality of the day-to-day assessments that teachers keep varies in quality throughout the school and they are not used well enough when planning lessons to set tasks that match the learning needs of individual pupils precisely enough. For example, the additional challenge required by the higher attaining pupils is often limited to extension worksheets once these pupils have completed the task set for the whole class.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

10. Teachers enhance the curriculum provided for pupils with a number of visits and visitors. Annual book weeks usually feature a storyteller, an author or a theatre group. For example, the author Neil Arksey visited the school in November to read extracts from his books and talk about how he sets about writing stories. The school also maintains a long-standing link with a school in Kostromo, Russia. Music ensembles visit the school and pupils enjoy visits to the theatre. During the inspection, a zoologist visited the school to show pupils in Year 6 a snake, a large scorpion and an Amazonian tree frog that enlivened their science study of food chains.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

11. The quality and number of computers have been increased since the last inspection and teachers are making better use of computers in lessons. For example, pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 used computers during a mathematics lesson to test their understanding of place value and also to enter data into a database. Pupils in Year 6 used a word processor to draft their description of paddling a boat along the River Amazon. This practice is, however, not consistent across the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

12. The school gives a high priority to the welfare of its pupils. Health and safety arrangements are well organised and involve governors and the staff. There are regular inspections of the buildings, statutory inspections of equipment are carried out and risk assessments are made. Lunchtime supervision arrangements are good. The supervisors are experienced and they have been trained in behaviour Langley Park Primary School - 14 management and first aid. Their roles are integrated into the basic school procedures. For example, supervisors and teaching staff are consistent in their use of the school’s good schemes for behaviour management. These are based on the concept of assertive discipline that focuses on rewarding good behaviour. Pupils understand these arrangements and believe that the reward system is effective in improving the standard of behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

13. There is no formal procedure to monitor personal development. However, teachers have a good personal knowledge of their pupils and the pupils have confidence in their teachers, with whom they share good relationships. There is a designated teacher for child protection and adequate levels of training.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

The school works very well in partnership with parents to support pupils’ learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

14. Evidence from the parents' questionnaire and meeting for parents indicates a high level of satisfaction with the school. Some concern was expressed about information on progress and a significant number of the questionnaire responses were concerned about the range of activities out of lessons. However, parents rate all other aspects of the school highly and they are particularly pleased with the school's expectations for their children, their children's progress and the standard of behaviour. There is also a clear indication that parents feel very comfortable when approaching the school and that they appreciate the welcoming and helpful attitude of the staff.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

15. Parents are pleased with the information provided by the school. There are regular newsletters and meetings about issues such as the transition to Key Stage 2. There are two parents' consultation evenings each year that are well attended. Reports of pupils' progress are comprehensive. They include some background to each subject area, targets for improvement and provision for pupils' comments. However, there is some inconsistency in the use of these provisions. For example, not all reports give targets and there are few constructive criticisms. The prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are generally informative and they meet legal requirements.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

16. Parents support the school well in a variety of ways. There are regular helpers in classrooms with additional parental help for educational visits, and parents’ knowledge and experience are used as a resource in lessons. The ‘Friends of Langley Park’ raise about £2000 each year for school use and they provide support for school events, such as refreshments on sports days. Parents are encouraged to help their children at home and most respond well. Advice on helping their children is provided by the school and there is an effective system of communication between home and school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

The leadership and management of the school are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

17. The headteacher continues to provide strong leadership and a clear direction for school improvement within the caring and positive learning environment. She is supported very well by the deputy headteacher and they benefit from a good, professional relationship. Curriculum co-ordinators have clearly defined roles and they contribute to the school development plan through annual audits of their subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

18. The school has good systems to monitor its performance and to consider ways to improve its provision for pupils. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators monitor teaching and learning in the classroom, as does the Langley Park Primary School - 15 local education authority link inspector. The headteacher also monitors medium-term and, in addition to curriculum co-ordinators, short-term planning that contains an evaluation section completed by the teacher. The curriculum co-ordinators conduct a scrutiny of pupils’ work annually with an agreed focus and they analyse national tests to identify trends, strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning and to set curriculum targets for improvement. The school also seeks the views of parents and pupils in Year 6 through questionnaires and all pupils have the opportunity to contribute their ideas through the school council.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

19. The governing body is very supportive of the work of the school. Governors are well organised into sub-committees that report regularly to the full governing body. They receive regular reports from the headteacher and presentations from curriculum co- ordinators. Individual governors have been appointed to monitor literacy, numeracy, special educational needs and the arts. They observe lessons and/or discuss issues with the co-ordinator before reporting to the full governing body. The school development plan is a useful document for school improvement but it could provide a stronger focus for all staff if clearer identification was made of timescales, financial implications and success criteria to evaluate its effectiveness. A larger than recommended amount was carried forward from last year’s budget. The governing body has noted this and set a budget for this year that will reduce it to within

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

The school makes effective use of its accommodation.

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

20. The school occupies buildings that were originally opened in 1912 and previously accommodated a junior school and a secondary school. A section of this building is currently used by social services. Some areas are no longer used and the old changing rooms are in such a poor state of decoration that they perfectly suited the needs of film-makers in the recent production of ‘Billy Elliot’. As a result, the shower/changing room scene was filmed at the school. The area used by the school provides a good deal of space but there are many areas that are less than ideal. Much consideration has been given to the improvement of these areas to provide the best use for educating pupils in the school. An enclosed area within the buildings has been developed effectively as a nursery garden that provides a good outdoor play area for the Foundation Stage. The long, dark corridor that links the infant and junior

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and this is promoted by the school’s

sections of the school has been enlivened by large, attractive displays of pupils’ work that includes some high-quality portraits painted by the pupils. Many classrooms are large and well furnished and the stairwell in the infant section has been enclosed to ensure pupils’ safety. A welcoming reception has been built and an information technology area established alongside the junior classrooms. The use of part of the old school by social services required a new entrance to be built and an industrial blacksmith made the gates from designs created by the pupils. This provides an interesting and welcoming entry to the school. The school continues to implement its plans to improve the accommodation, including further improvements to the classrooms. Langley Park Primary School - 16

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The timetable allocation to the various subjects does not make the best use of the

21. The available teaching time each day is a little below the recommended time for pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The school day is divided into four teaching sessions and the general practice is to plan for one lesson in each session. All teachers plan for a session of English and mathematics each day and between two and four sessions for science each week. All teachers also plan extra sessions for English. Consequently, the time given to English and science is significantly above the time agreed by the school. This results in too little time being planned for the non- core subjects, particularly, art, design and technology, history, geography and music as well as information and communication technology in Key Stage 1. The time allocated to these non-core subjects is well below that agreed by the school.

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The timetable allocation to the various subjects does not make the best use of the

22. All of the sessions on the timetable, except for the final session in the day, last for more than one hour. This leaves short periods that are not long enough for another lesson and so lessons, particularly in literacy and numeracy, tend to last for longer than the recommended times. These long sessions create unnecessary difficulties for teachers and pupils and restrict the time that is then available for other subjects.

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There are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to develop independent

learning skills through practical activities.

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There are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to develop independent

23. There is little evidence in pupils’ work of them engaging in practical activities that allow them to apply their knowledge and skills in collaboration with others so as to develop their understanding. In Year 2 and Year 6 particularly, there is a strong focus on the national tests with too few opportunities for pupils to use the library for research purposes, to use and apply mathematics to practical situations and to carry out experiments and investigations in science. The school’s frequent assessments of pupils’ learning show that this focus on the national tests is necessary to address the ‘gaps’ in pupils’ learning. These ‘gaps’ appear because assessments of pupils’ learning are not used well enough by teachers throughout the school to inform their planning so that tasks match the specific learning needs of individual pupils.

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The use of day-to-day assessment to inform planning for future lessons is not good

24. The short-term planning forms provided by the school contain a section for evaluation of the lesson. However, there is not sufficient space to record what the pupils have learned or not learned and the practice of completing these sections is inconsistent across the school. Some teachers keep detailed records of their daily assessments of pupils’ learning but this depends on the skills of individual teachers and there is no established school practice. Consequently, there is incomplete recorded information of what pupils already know, understand and can do for teachers to use when planning activities that extend pupils’ learning and ensure that they learn systematically. The ‘gaps’ in pupils’ learning identified by teachers in the analysis of annual tests, are the result of insufficient attention being paid to pupils’ previous learning when setting tasks and activities. Langley Park Primary School - 17

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The use of day-to-day assessment to inform planning for future lessons is not good

25. Many lessons do not provide sufficiently different tasks for pupils with different learning needs. There is an over-reliance on worksheets and, in some lessons, the provision for higher attaining pupils is limited to an extension worksheet when they have completed the work set for the whole class. The lack of tasks that are sufficiently based on individual pupil’s learning needs results in ‘gaps’ in their learning. Teachers effectively address these needs in Year 2 and Year 6 in preparation for the national tests, but there is insufficient opportunity for pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding through practical activities that involve investigations and independent research.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

26. In order to maintain high standards and further develop the learning opportunities for pupils at the school; the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Review the organisation of teaching sessions so that the time available is used efficiently and monitor the class timetables to ensure that there is a balanced allocation of all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Plan for a greater number of opportunities for practical investigations to enable pupils to develop independent learning skills.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Establish a school policy for day-to-day assessments of pupils’ learning based on the best practice in the school and develop the use of this assessment to plan learning tasks that more closely meet the learning needs of individual pupils. Langley Park Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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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

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

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 247

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 67

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 51

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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 2

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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 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Langley Park Primary School - 19

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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 15 19 34

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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 10 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 76 (74) 76 (89) 82 (94) 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 10 11 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 79 (86) 82 (94) 100 (100) 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 11 10 21

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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 9 8 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 7 10

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 86 (71) 71 (69) 95 (71) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (68) 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 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 9

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 81 (67) 76 (79) 90 (71) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Langley Park Primary School - 20

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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 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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) 10.4 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 483,736

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1,935

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60 Balance brought forward from previous year 34,844

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 45,234

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 66

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Langley Park Primary School - 21

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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. 57 39 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 55 0 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 48 7 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 55 11 2 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. 59 34 7 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. 52 45 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 34 59 5 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 61 32 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 32 7 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 41 18 7 11

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