SIAMS Inspection
Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) report November 2019
The school was pleased to be awarded a “Good School” grading at our recent Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). SIAMS inspections focus on the impact of the school’s Christian vision on pupils and adults, with inspectors assessing the Christian life of the school, the provision and quality of collective worship and all areas of Religious Education.
We were pleased that the Inspector noted that “Strong leadership at all levels embeds the vision so that pupils flourish, build resilience for life and live out their Christian values.” The report also acknowledges “the mutually beneficial partnership between the local parish and the school which enriches the lives of all within the community.” Particular reference was made to the dynamic relationship between the clergy and the school enhancing the Christian vision within the community.
The inspector concludes her report with the following affirming statement “Longwick has an ambitious and nurturing vision which embraces all members of the community. It is committed to a journey of continual improvement, which enables all staff and pupils to flourish and feel loved”
Ofsted Inspection
At our most recent Ofsted inspection, January 2018, our inspector confirmed that we are a ‘good school’ and we have ‘maintained the good quality of education’ from our previous inspection 5 years ago.
Schools judged good by Ofsted at their previous inspection are currently subject to a 1-day visit to confirm whether the school remains ‘good’.
The key lines of inquiry identified by our inspector matched what we have already identified in our self-evaluation and have already begun addressing in our improvement plans.
Our inspector not only acknowledged that there is a ‘happy and hard-working community’ and ‘a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for pupils and staff’– but also praised our school for the steps taken to improve the quality of teaching ‘through a number of initiatives’. It was noted that ‘the whole school focus on mathematics last year resulted in a significant increase in pupils’ achievement at the end of key stage 2’.
Leadership and management (the key focus for these one-day inspections) was also noted as a strong feature, stating that we ‘know how well the school is performing and the areas that need further development’ with governors that ‘offer strong support to the school’ and are ‘determined that pupils do well’. Parents supported this view with the Ofsted online survey showing 92% of parents saying that our school is well led and managed.
Our vision at Longwick is to inspire a love of learning through our Christian values. It was pleasing to note the inspector saw that ‘pupils are confident and enjoy learning’ and staff ‘appreciate the training opportunities and support’ and are ‘proud to be associated with the school’. As well as the pupils saying that ‘they feel safe and well cared for’ and ‘if they were worried about something they have someone they could turn to, and they were confident that teachers would help them’.
I would like to thank all members of the school community for their ongoing contribution and role in making Longwick the special community it is, and particularly to those parents who took time to complete the online Ofsted ParentView survey and/or speak to the inspector himself.
Please find below our most recent Ofsted reports, and relevant information from the Department for Education Performance Tables.