Langton Green Primary School

LANGTON GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 11 th March 2003

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LANGTON GREEN 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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LANGTON GREEN 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. Langton Green Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lampington Row Langton Green Tunbridge Wells Postcode: TN3 0JG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

E-mail address: headteacher@langton-green.school.kent.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1997 Langton Green Primary School - 4

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Team members

22330 Mr L Lewin Registered inspector 9614 Mrs C Webb Lay inspector 23385 Ms S Gerred Team inspector

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Team members

Full Circle/Parkman The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Langton Green 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

Langton Green Primary School is situated in the village of Langton Green, just outside the town of Tunbridge Wells. There are currently 217 pupils on roll who are taught in year groups, by six full-time teachers (including the headteacher) and five part time teachers. The number on roll has stayed much the same in recent years. The percentage of pupils who join or leave the school other than the usual times of admission or transfer is lower than that found in most schools nationally. All of the pupils come from private housing in the village area or from close by. The vast majority of pupils are of white UK heritage and three pupils in the school speak English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils receiving free school meals, having special educational needs or having Statements of Special Educational Need are well below the national average. The attainment of children starting school is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school. Strong leadership and management inspire staff enthusiasm and commitment and ensure that the school is moving forward rapidly and continually finding ways to enrich the curriculum and promote pupils’ enjoyment in learning. Very good teaching results in pupils attaining well by the time they leave the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work together as a highly effective team. • Very good teaching enables pupils to achieve well. • The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all groups of pupils. • As a result of very effective pastoral care and strong provision for promoting their moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes, relationships and personal development. • Parents are very supportive of the school and well involved with their children’s education. The contribution made by the Parent Teacher Association towards supporting school initiatives is outstanding.

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What could be improved

• The accuracy of judgements made about the attainment of seven year old pupils. 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 has improved at a very good rate since its previous inspection. The last inspection report of December 1997 highlighted assessment systems, the roles of subject co-ordinators, opportunities for higher attaining pupils and the promotion of pupils’ cultural awareness as being in need of improvement. All of these areas have been fully and conscientiously addressed. The school has strengthened further in all areas of its provision and, in particular, the quality of teaching is better than that reported previously. Standards attained by the time pupils leave have continued to rise at a rate that is above the national trend of improvement. The school benefits from a very enthusiastic team of staff and governors and has all the necessary qualities to sustain future rapid development. Langton Green Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

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

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Key

The table above shows the school’s results in the 2002 national tests for eleven year olds as being well above average compared to other schools nationally. The results are also well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science compared to other schools with pupils from the same kind of backgrounds. These results are confirmed by inspection evidence that shows pupils attaining above average levels in English, mathematics and science at the age of eleven. The trend of improvement in the school’s results is better than the national trend of improvement – particularly in English and science. When they begin Year 1, most children exceed what is expected of them in all areas of their learning. In the 2002 national tests for seven year olds, the school’s results were average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics when compared to other schools nationally, but

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Key

well below average in reading and writing and average in mathematics when compared to other schools with pupils from the same kind of backgrounds. Inspection evidence shows pupils attain above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics and that the lower results registered in the tests were due to the school being overly severe in judging attainment for this age group. A particular strength throughout the school is the wide breadth of curriculum coverage that pupils experience. This means that from an early age they build a thorough understanding of all of the concepts they are taught. Pupils show very good investigative skills in subjects such as mathematics, science, history and geography. In all classes, pupils use information and communication technology well to support their learning. All groups of pupils in the school, including those with special educational needs achieve well. The school

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Key

sets itself challenging targets for pupils’ attainment and is successful in achieving these.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very responsive, enthusiastic and motivated.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are polite and considerate. They are quick to help each other and their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils develop a mature sense of responsibility as they progress through the school. They show initiative and a strong sense of social awareness. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. It is above the national average and pupils enjoy coming to school. Langton Green Primary School - 8

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Good Very 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 in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Overall, the teaching in the school is very good. High quality planning and preparation means that lessons match the needs of all groups of pupils and provide them with challenging tasks. Teachers select activities that pupils find interesting and enjoyable so that learning often becomes fun. There are very warm relationships between staff and pupils and many lessons are spurred on by the teachers’ humour and enthusiasm. Teachers show very confident subject knowledge so that the skills of literacy and numeracy, for example, are very well taught during English and mathematics lessons. Pupils are very well managed and high expectations are set for pupils’ behaviour. This ensures that all lessons have a purposeful atmosphere in which pupils apply themselves fully and make very good progress with their learning. A particular feature of the very good teaching in Reception and Years 3 - 6 is the way in

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

which teachers succeed in getting pupils to work with a high degree of motivation and enthusiasm.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school provides a wide range of interesting activities to enrich the basic curriculum and extend pupils’ learning. The school has a very inclusive approach towards ensuring that all groups of pupils benefit from the activities provided.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is carefully tracked. The pupils are well supported and guided. They are fully integrated into all activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The development of pupils’ moral and social understanding is very good while their spiritual and cultural development are well promoted.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Staff have a very clear understanding of how best to cater for the needs of pupils. Child protection procedures are fully in place. The school has very good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress. However, judgements about the attainment of seven year old pupils are not always sufficiently accurate, with pupils performing at a better level than suggested by the assessment grades assigned to them.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works in partnership with parents Very good. The school works very closely with the parents who are very supportive of their children and school activities. The Parent Teacher Association makes an outstanding contribution, raising substantial amounts of money to help fund improvements. Langton Green Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the future educational direction of the school and provides an atmosphere in which staff and governors work together as a highly effective team. Roles and responsibilities are very clearly defined.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors have a clear understanding of their roles. They visit the school on a regular basis and provide their full support for the headteacher and staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Very effective procedures are in place to check on teaching and learning and the development of the curriculum. As a result, the headteacher, staff and governors have a clear view on what it is they need to do to keep raising standards attained by pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school ensures that the maximum benefit is derived from all funding and resources available to it. The school’s budget is managed very effectively and governors carefully review all test results and views from parents to ensure that the best value is gained from all spending.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents have a high regard for the work of the school. In particular they feel: • Pupils like school. • Teaching is good and pupils are expected to work hard and they make good progress. • The school is well led and managed and staff are very approachable. • The school helps pupils to become more mature. • The range of after school activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The views above are based on those fifty one per cent of parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire, together with thirteen parents who attended a pre-inspection meeting with the registered inspector. The inspection team agree with the positive views expressed by the parents. The team feel that the range of extra-curricular activities is good compared to other schools of a similar size. Langton Green Primary School - 10

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

1. The headteacher is very successful in providing a working atmosphere in which staff and governors work together as a highly effective team. She inspires a motivated and committed approach in the staff that is helping to drive the school forwards and raise standards further. Working closely with all members of the school community she has created a friendly, purposeful and enthusiastic ethos in the school where pupils feel well cared for and develop an excitement for learning. Through establishing clear lines of communication she also succeeds in helping staff and governors to become clearly focused on setting the goals for the school’s future development. Consequently, there is a clear, shared vision as to how the school will develop over the next few years. This vision is fully expressed in the detailed and realistic school improvement plan. Clear communication is also established between the school and the home. A fine example of

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

this communication is the excellent quality Governors’ Annual Report. This contains well informed contributions from all sections of the school community, including the pupils. The report gives good quality information about all aspects of the school’s work across the year and is written in a user-friendly yet detailed format.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

2. The subject co-ordinators are all very clear about their roles and the lines of responsibility established for them. There is very close liaison between staff and with the governors. The co-ordinators produce very detailed action plans for their subjects and play a full part in formulating the school improvement plan. Consequently, there is a clear joint ‘ownership’ to developing school initiatives and seeking ways to move the school forward efficiently in terms of improving the standards and developing the curriculum and all facilities. The deputy headteacher shows a particularly dynamic approach to leading initiatives. Her role in liasing with other schools in the region to develop the provision for gifted and talented pupils is making a clear impact, for example with the introduction of investigative and problem solving activities to a greater extent in history, geography and science lessons. She also provides strong support for the

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

headteacher by playing a central role in helping to formulate the school improvement plan and providing a strong role model through her very good and occasionally excellent teaching. There is a well established culture of monitoring and evaluating the curriculum and teaching and learning and all staff play a full part in these processes. Much is gained through the sharing of good practice that helps staff maintain a clear overview and find ways to continually improve teaching and standards attained by pupils.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

3. The school benefits from the well-tuned approach of the governors in providing support. They have a clear overview of the strengths of the school and the areas that they consider are priorities for development. They are fully involved in developing and monitoring the progress of the school improvement plan and are proactive, for example, in canvassing parents’ opinions through a questionnaire – in this way they ensure that all views are considered in the planning process. The fact that they have also created their own development plan to run alongside the overall school improvement plan is a reflection of the extra efforts they make to improve the way in which they work. The well organised system through which they visit the school on a regular basis, view lessons and liaise with subject co-ordinators means that governors know their school well and have a clear understanding of the effectiveness of all the initiatives that are underway. In

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

particular, the headteacher and the chair of governors maintain a close working Langton Green Primary School - 11 partnership founded on regular liaison. All funding is carefully monitored and the governors and headteacher ensure that the maximum use is made of all available resources.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

Very good teaching enables pupils to achieve well.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

4. Very good teaching for children in the reception class helps the children make considerable improvement in their ability to listen and concentrate. They develop confidently so that by the time they start Year 1, they reach above average levels in all of the areas of learning. The success of the teaching is based on the very warm and charismatic presentation style through which the class teacher thoroughly engages the children who ‘hang on her every word’. She provides very interesting tasks that link the areas of learning skilfully. For example, in considering a story about a ‘lonely boy’, the teacher gets the children to relate the ideas in the story to what they might do to help a lonely pupil on the playground. Through such discussion work the teacher fully encourages children’s speaking and listening so that they give clear answers to her questions. Many of the children use full sentences. The work also helps them to

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

develop their social awareness and understanding. Amongst the wide range of very good strategies, the teacher makes particularly good provision to help children develop their understanding of phonics and, as a result, children develop a strong foundation to their knowledge and skills with reading and becoming familiar with books. Children show a keen interest in books and many identify simple words in the sentences that are read to them. The teacher makes very effective use of resources such as a glove puppet baby monkey while teaching children to count. The children particularly enjoy picking up the ‘monkey’s mistakes’ and ‘helping’ him learn to count to 20. Overall, the teacher shows very good subject knowledge and is very well supported by the learning support assistant.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

5. Pupils progress well in Years 1 and 2 as a result of good teaching. Confident subject knowledge is at the heart of this good teaching, with, for example, teachers showing a skilful approach towards teaching literacy and numeracy. This was noted in a Year 2 numeracy lesson where the teacher questioned pupils well, very effectively varying the level of challenge in questions so that pupils of all different attainment levels were extended by the work. She taught a range of different strategies to help pupils learn to add mentally and enabled them to see that there are lots of methods they could use. Consequently, pupils learn to calculate confidently and rapidly. A review of their books showed that most pupils calculate accurately with two digit numbers, have a secure knowledge of how numbers grow in tens and a good grasp of number facts in the times two, times three and times ten multiplication tables. Good crisp and clear explanations

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

of tasks help pupils get on with their work immediately. For example in Year 1 lesson, some good demonstrations of writing by the teacher helped pupils understand exactly how to go about the task. Consequently, the pupils wrote down their ideas in short sentences using interesting words and with handwriting that was well formed and clear. Work in Year 2 pupils’ books shows good coverage of work in literacy with pupils writing extended stories and commentaries indicating what they enjoy in books they have read. Spelling shows a good degree of accuracy and pupils show they know how to sequence sentences and extend their ideas in a logical way. For example, in one piece of writing about a book that had been read, the pupil carefully built up the ideas about what it was she liked about the characters in the story. Pupils’ books, show that they gain a wide range of experiences that are clearly well planned to help them progress with their

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

understanding. For example, in science work the teachers provide good chances for pupils to develop their knowledge through practical investigation and the results of tests carried out are carefully recorded. Pupils gain a good knowledge of animal and plant habitats and through studies of life cycles they understand, for example, how tadpoles Langton Green Primary School - 12 adapt to life in a pond through having gills to help them breathe. They also gain a good knowledge of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ forces and learn to make simple generalisations about phenomena such as light, heat and sound.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

6. In Years 3 to 6, very good teaching helps pupils learn at a rapid pace. The teachers demonstrate activities, explain and direct pupils with precision so that lessons are purposeful and expectations of behaviour and attainment are set high. For example, in a Year 6 literacy session getting pupils to write ‘Kennings’, the teacher made skilful use of a sample of writing from another school. The searching discussion fully involved pupils in explaining the use of language in the sample of writing used. The additional challenge to put their eventual writing onto an Internet site produced an enthusiastic response from pupils who consequently worked very hard on the project. They created above average and very imaginative and amusing descriptive phrases like ‘quicker ticker’, ‘brain acher’ and ‘inspector impresser’ as a means of describing their teacher in a ‘Kenning’ style poem. The high level of interaction in the discussion and the level of good humour was

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

also an illustration of the very good relationships between the teacher and her class that spurred the pupils on, made the work fun and encouraged them to become confident. Other Year 6 written work on display in the classroom shows pupils also reaching above average standards in extended pieces of writing with some very mature and complex phrases introduced in some writing; for example one pupil wrote … ‘I thought I had her stumped, but unfortunately my sister is extremely witty at eleven years old – which is a great disappointment’ …. The strong rapport between teacher and pupils noted in Year 6 was also reflected in all other lessons seen. For example, in a Year 4 science lesson, the teacher’s very calm and kindly approach was picked up on by the pupils who consequently worked hard to please her in a purposeful atmosphere where strong collaboration was clearly evident between individuals. In many lessons seen teachers

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

use a healthy dose of good humour to brighten the lessons. The pupils appreciate this and the rapport with their teachers is enhanced as a result.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

7. Teachers throughout the school make very good use of resources to support learning. In particular, ICT is very well used. In a Year 5 science lesson the teacher used a computer-linked microscope, research on the Internet and CD ROMs to help pupils learn about the parts of a flowering plant. This work was very successful in broadening pupils’ understanding. In another Year 5 lesson, the teacher used the overhead projector well to enhance pupils’ ability to learn how to draw angles. In a Year 3 mathematics lesson, the teacher used computers to enhance the learning, using a program that precisely matched the work to pupils’ attainment levels.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

8. Another strength of the teaching at Years 3 to 6 is the very powerful use made of investigations to extend pupils. This was noted in mathematics, science, history and geography work. The teachers set challenging projects that very usefully target the idea of developing pupils’ independent learning skills. For example, as part of their geography work, Year 6 pupils are working on a project to find ways to improve a local park. They have formed ‘committees’ and written letters to different organisations and, in one lesson seen they discussed and prepared for a meeting with a representative from the local council. A similar approach in a Year 6 science lesson challenged pupils to develop their investigation methodology. For example, after much trial and error in testing whether the length of cable makes a difference to the flow of electrical current, one pupil eventually concluded: …‘ it takes a substantial length of wire to see a difference…’. Also, in

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

mathematics, pupils respond well to the investigative challenges set and, Year 6 pupils investigating the nets of different boxes that they unfolded showed a good ability to describe the results of their work and to provide their reasons for simple conclusions drawn. Langton Green Primary School - 13 9. At both key stages, planning is very good and lessons are well prepared so that all groups of pupils including those with special educational needs are given tasks that match their levels of attainment precisely. Teachers are especially good at asking questions that target pupils at different levels and throughout the school they provide activities that match the needs of all pupils. This was noted for instance, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson where, following a very clear whole class mental oral session, pupils had the chance to practise the skills taught in different tasks that suited their levels

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

of attainment. This meant they could develop their understanding of doubling numbers in calculations and build on their skills in a confident manner. Many instances were seen where, in addition to the main tasks set, teachers often provide well designed extension tasks for pupils finishing work ahead of schedule. In a Year 2 mathematics session and in a Year 4 science session, it was clear that this sort of strategy very effectively sustained pupils’ motivation and interest.

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Very good leadership and management enable the staff and governors to work

10. Throughout the school learning support assistants provide very effective backup for teachers and pupils. They work very closely with the teachers, providing strong support for individuals and groups of pupils. In particular, they provide strong and effective support for pupils with special educational needs so that the pupils concerned successfully tackle the same work as other pupils in their classes.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

11. The success of the school in helping pupils to reach above average attainment and in providing lessons that are stimulating and interesting for the pupils stems from the fact that much emphasis has been placed rightly upon providing a rich and diverse curriculum. Samples of pupils’ work, displays around the school and lessons seen provide much evidence that the school puts a lot of effort into enriching the curriculum above and beyond the basics of the National Curriculum recommendations. In addition to this enrichment, teachers have developed their planning in a skilful way to promote links between subjects – this ergonomic approach means that all time in the day is used to maximum benefit with, for example, literacy, numeracy and ICT being carefully interwoven within lessons for other subjects such as science, history and geography. In this way, lessons often promote more than one subject at a time.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

12. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. For a school of this size there are a good number of well attended clubs; these include football, netball, computers, dance, choir and library. In addition, the school provides many trips and visits to places of interest to compliment work in the classroom. Of particular note, the day trip to France and the residential visit to France for older pupils provide a significant broadening of pupils’ experiences and knowledge of French. The school hosting a visit for a group of French pupils further extends this. All pupils are taught French at some point during the week and through the visits and these lessons, the school provides pupils with a very strong foundation for their future progress in this subject.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

13. The school frequently participates in sports competitions against other schools and a good display of silverware pays tribute to the success of pupils in competitions such as kwik cricket, short tennis, football, netball and swimming. All of these activities help to extend pupils’ sports skills and enhance their sense of social awareness and team spirit. In addition, local excursions for rock climbing serve to encourage pupils’ interests and promote their ability with outdoor adventurous pursuits.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

14. The school is building up pupils’ musical expertise at the present time under the guidance of the new music co-ordinator. Good quality singing in assemblies and a choir Langton Green Primary School - 14 practice show that pupils are benefiting from expert guidance and the extra practice they receive. Parents feel that the musical performances across the year are of a good calibre and the music co-ordinators’ intention to promote a ‘live music week’ each term means the school is well placed to further promote this area.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

15. The school’s strategy of promoting a ‘curriculum enhancement’ week is another good initiative that brings a strong focus upon developing pupils’ skills through providing a good range of interesting activities such as the idea of bringing in a ‘story teller’ to work with pupils. The school seeks out extra activities to enhance learning and to extend the higher attaining pupils, such as entering national competitions. In a national science competition the pupils used their ICT skills to design a PowerPoint presentation to gain their first place award.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

16. A major input into advancing the curriculum provision and extending pupils’ skills is the current focus placed upon promoting investigations. The Year 6 investigative work in science, history and geography is helping to improve pupils’ problem solving skills. For example, in a history project pupils had to choose a site to build a castle in mediaeval times and show methods to defend it from invasion. The work entailed much independent research and application of logic.

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The school provides a rich curriculum that offers a wide range of experiences for all

17. A strength of the school is the very inclusive way in which teachers work with pupils. Staff ensure that all groups of pupils are given full opportunities to be involved in and succeed in all subjects. This is achieved by ensuring that all pupils are fully supported and fully extended according to their individual needs. For example, specific learning support assistant help for individuals during French lessons, ensures that they participate and have chances to speak in the same way as other pupils.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

18. The school projects a strong ethos of care for individual pupils. Lessons and activities are thoughtfully organised to encourage pupils to gain in confidence and develop their awareness for others both within the school and beyond. Regular lessons are taught to promote personal, health and social education (PSHE). Through these lessons as well as assemblies, the school’s moral code and emphasis on promoting social awareness are very well promoted. For example, during a very good assembly, the headteacher highlighted the fact that the pupils are the most ‘valuable assets’ of the school and she succeeded in helping pupils realise that they are each individually an important part of the community and have much to contribute. In a similar vein, during a Year 3 PSHE lesson, the teacher focused pupils well on the theme of ‘What do we do to make each other happy?’. Pupils showed a good awareness and described how close relatives and

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

people that they know made them happy. The lesson effectively drew pupils’ attention to the need to contribute to society by helping other people.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

19. Teachers encourage pupils to use their initiative and, as a result, pupils carry out responsibilities in a sensible and conscientious way. For example, pupils help sensibly in the classrooms, assist with the organisation and clearing up operations in the hall at lunchtime, help prepare for and operate equipment during assemblies and work on a rota of ‘telephone operators’ answering the office telephone at lunchtime. One particularly good example of teachers following through on pupils’ initiatives was the idea raised by pupils to organise a Blue Peter ‘bring and buy’ sale. Pupils are also involved in a range of fund raising activities – further heightening their awareness of the way in which they can contribute and help others who are less fortunate than themselves. Langton Green Primary School - 15 20. Parents appreciate the strong encouragement given to pupils by the awards they receive in ‘Superstar Assemblies’. In addition, the parents feel that school productions are

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

another good medium that the school uses to promote social awareness and confidence by giving pupils good opportunities to perform in front of others. These areas as well as the strong relationships developed between staff and pupils in lessons are part of the well embedded systems in the school’s ethos that ensure individual achievements are celebrated wherever possible.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

21. The school has established a council that meets on a regular basis and provides a very good forum for pupils to raise issues that they feel are important. An observation of one of these meetings showed that all the elected members of the council from across the school took their roles seriously. All pupils from the reception class to Year 6 take the opportunities to raise ideas that either they have thought about or that pupils in their class have asked them to raise. The council is very well run and some of the ideas raised by the pupils have a positive impact on improving aspects of school life. Overall, the council has many benefits in promoting the social and moral awareness of all pupils in the school.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

22. Pupils respond very well to all of the systems mentioned above and the very good attitudes, behaviour, relationships and personal development that result are evident in all lessons seen and the conversations that inspectors had with individuals and groups of pupils. Individuals are polite and show respect for one another and for adults with whom they work. For example, in discussions during a geography lesson, Year 6 pupils listened very carefully to, and responded to each other’s views in a mature and sensible way.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

23. The high expectations of the staff throughout the school are an important facet in creating the climate of very good behaviour. It is these high expectations that mean that all pupils have a clear idea of what is expected of them and are therefore usually fully focused on their work and keen to get on in a purposeful way with the activities given to them by their teachers. However, it is not just the high expectations, but also the fact that teachers ensure that the work is always organised to provide the maximum level of interest for pupils and opportunity for them to work collaboratively - this ensures that pupils want to engage themselves in the tasks set. This was noted, for example, in the Year 5 science and mathematics lessons seen where the range of different interesting opportunities meant that pupils worked intensively and with much enthusiasm. Throughout the school, pupils show a very good ability to collaborate with one another as

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

was seen in mathematics lessons for Year 1 and 2 pupils and many other practical sessions throughout the school.

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moral and social awareness, pupils develop very good behaviour, attitudes,

24. The very positive atmosphere generated in all classes throughout the school is a particularly strong feature that encourages all pupils to achieve well and reach good standards by the time they leave the school.

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education. The contribution made by the Parent Teacher Association towards

supporting school initiatives is outstanding.

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education. The contribution made by the Parent Teacher Association towards

25. Parents appreciate the strong efforts made by the school to involve them in their children’s education. The very good flow of information from the school helps promote this area and there are numerous examples of ways in which parents assist in the school. For example, parents help run after school clubs. They help in lessons and also with supervising pupils on school visits and trips. The school involves the parents Langton Green Primary School - 16 wherever possible. A recent ‘curriculum enhancement week’ saw 120 parents visiting during the week to help with the activities that were set up for the pupils. The analysis of pre-inspection questionnaires filled in by parents shows that they have a high regard for the work of the school. The questionnaires and the pre-inspection meeting with parents underlined the fact that parents feel that the school is very approachable and responds efficiently to resolve any questions or concerns.

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education. The contribution made by the Parent Teacher Association towards

26. The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is very active in organising events to support the school and through its activities, makes an outstanding contribution towards improving the quality of pupils’ education. There are a network of ‘class link’ PTA members who organise an extensive programme of social and fund raising events. The substantial funds raised are used to provide a wide range of extra resources for classrooms and to support activities for pupils Langton Green Primary School - 17

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The accuracy of judgements made about the attainment of seven year old pupils.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. The school has very robust procedures for assessing pupils’ progress as they move through the school. Assessments carried out at the end of each year show that pupils make good progress. School performance data is carefully analysed to help teachers identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning. However, teachers’ assessments of the levels attained by pupils at the age of seven are not accurate enough. The pupils perform better than the levels assigned to them indicate. This was noted for example in a scrutiny of last year’s school annual written reports that showed the statements made about what pupils know, understand and can do, did not always match up with the numerical levels assigned to the pupils. This indicates that the school is overly severe in the judgements made about the attainment of pupils at the age of seven. Consequently, the picture of pupils’ attainment and progress at this age group is not as clear as it

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. In order to improve further the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the accuracy of teachers’ judgements of the levels attained by seven year old pupils. (Paragraph 27) Langton Green 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 28

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one four percentage points.

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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) - 217

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals - 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Yr

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 19

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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 3

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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 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Langton Green Primary School - 19 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Langton Green Primary School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 17 13 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 14 13 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 87 (93) 83 (93) 90 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 14 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 87 (93) 87 (97) 90 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 11 22 33

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 22 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (85) 97 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 23 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 97 (91) 97 (81) 100 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Langton Green Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

*Of these pupils, three speak English as an additional language. Langton Green Primary School - 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.6 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 456983

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 482873

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 127 Expenditure per pupil 2256

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 59406

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 1 33516

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3.4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

1 This figure, at seven per cent of the school’s overall expenditure, is slightly above the recommended five per cent level, but this is due to the school setting aside funds to assist with forthcoming building work for an outside play area. Langton Green Primary School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 34 2 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 55 6 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 45 10 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 44 44 6 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 24 5 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 34 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 43 47 7 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 31 2 4 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 33 6 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 44 32 0 0

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