Battle and Langton Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Battle and Langton Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and excited by the many opportunities on offer to them at this inclusive, caring school. Relationships are warm and good humoured.

Pupils are well known and understood by staff, which ensures that they feel valued.

Pupils thrive and do well here. Expectations are high and pupils strive to meet them.

Mostly, they are successful and attain well. In addition, pupils relish the opportunities on offer to get involved in the extensive musical programme of performances and t...he choir or sporting events. This helps them to explore their talents and grow in confidence.

Pupils generally behave well. They get along together whether working in partnerships in class or enjoying the extensive grounds at social times. Those pupils who need a little extra support to manage their emotions and behaviour benefit from a high level of staff expertise and well-developed support.

This helps everyone to be happy and successful.

Parents, rightly, express a high degree of confidence in the school. They appreciate the friendly atmosphere and care shown to their children.

One parent summed up the views of many in saying, 'This is a school that children will look back on when they are older and be grateful for.'

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

The school has ensured that an ambitious curriculum is in place. It sets out clearly the key knowledge that pupils need to learn from Reception to Year 6.

Staff swiftly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They adapt learning so that pupils with SEND access the curriculum alongside their peers and experience success.

Staff have strong subject knowledge.

They use this, and their regular checks on what pupils know and remember, to help identify and address any misconceptions. Pupils generally attain well and are prepared for the next stages of their education. Occasionally, teachers do not focus enough on challenging and extending pupils' thinking within subjects.

The school rightly aspires to ensure that pupils attain highly across the whole curriculum.

Pupils learn to read quickly, and well. As soon as they join the school in Reception, children start to learn phonics.

Staff ensure that reading books are well matched to the sounds that pupils are learning so that they can successfully apply their growing knowledge. Staff identify quickly any pupils who start to struggle or fall behind and give them the help they need to catch up. Pupils are keen readers who enjoy using the inviting school library.

Pupil reading ambassadors help recommend new genres and authors for other pupils to try.

A sharp focus on building vocabulary starts in Reception. Staff introduce children to new words through stories and activities.

They model the use of rich language and encourage children to use it in their learning and play. As pupils move through the school, they learn a wide range of technical and descriptive vocabulary.

The new behaviour policy has been developed.

Pupils knows what is expected, and staff apply the agreed processes consistently. This supports pupils well. The school is calm and orderly.

Mostly pupils come to school regularly and on time. They are keen to learn, and enjoy school. There remain a few challenges in securing consistent, regular attendance for all pupils.

The school knows that pupils who do not come to school as much as they should miss out on important learning. The school continues to work closely with parents and carers to understand and remove any barriers to attendance.

The school's values of love, joy, kindness, patience, peace and self-control are well embedded.

Pupils know these and enjoy writing prayers that focus on them in their roles as worship leaders. The school is closely linked to the community. A wide range of visitors come into school, such as the local fire service.

Strong outward links include working with the local secondary school, taking part in community events and visiting local care homes. The school is determined to give pupils the experience that they need so that they are ready to play a productive part in society.

Governors are well trained and informed.

They hold school leaders appropriately to account and help drive the school forward. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported and included in key decisions and policy making.

The school is a happy community, united in striving for the very best for the children, families and community it serves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally teachers do not focus enough on the subject-specific skills pupils need to challenge and extend their thinking.

This means that sometimes pupils do not achieve as highly as they might. The school's work in reading has developed this successfully, but it is not yet as evident in some other curriculum areas. The school should continue to ensure staff have the necessary training and support to help pupils achieve highly across the full curriculum.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, they miss out on learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should further strengthen its work with parents and carers to ensure that pupils attend regularly.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2015.