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Langafel Primary School, Longfield, provides county blueprint for academic success

A headteacher's masterplan for turning a struggling school's fortunes around has been earmarked as a blueprint for others to follow.

Langafel Church of England primary in Longfield was previously graded as "requires improvement" by Ofsted following inspections six years ago.

Mrs Maynard, Headteacher with pupils, from Langafel CEP, happy that their school is featured in the Parliamentary Review for best practice in primary schools across the South East. Picture: John Westhrop.. (18787930)
Mrs Maynard, Headteacher with pupils, from Langafel CEP, happy that their school is featured in the Parliamentary Review for best practice in primary schools across the South East. Picture: John Westhrop.. (18787930)

Results were just above government floor targets and children were underperforming across the board.

But since Katie Maynard was installed as headteacher and a new leadership team put in place it has experienced a change in fate.

The education facility received its second "good" grading from the education watchdog in October last year.

Key Stage 2 results were 19% above national figures with 83% of children achieving the expected grade for reading, writing and maths.

Now the ideas behind this acceleration in performance have been published in The Parliamentary Review, an industry guide to best practice backed by senior politicians.

Langafel Primary School in Longfield has gone from "requires improvement" to being graded a "good" school under the new leadership team. Picture: Simon Hildrew
Langafel Primary School in Longfield has gone from "requires improvement" to being graded a "good" school under the new leadership team. Picture: Simon Hildrew

Crucial to its success has been introducing a "no excuses culture", Ms Maynard explained.

She said the school had previously tried to justify poor results by reference to its large intake of kids with special needs, as well as ADHD and behavioural problems.

"Every child needs to be able to do well. Not just pushing up performance from the top," she said.

"By raising the expectations for teaching and learning and introducing a no-excuses culture our attainment and achievement continued to rise."

Support staff identified triggers, strategies and resources to assist such pupils.

They also sought to prioritise "wellbeing above academic success", taking the time to walk round the corridors and re-introduce troubled kids back to lessons.

Ms Maynard said it was vital all students were "excited about school as a place where memories could be created".

A number of small tweaks were introduced to improve attainment levels.

This included looking at the individual areas of English and maths where children were below par and tutoring in smaller grouped sessions.

Teachers looked at each area of the core curriculum, identified the gaps and then grouped children in mixed-age classes.

This period of academic upheaval was not without its challenges, with an increase of 130 children across seven year groups in three years bringing the total number of students to 320.

She said this was made more difficult as the faculty was hit by "budgetary restraints".

"At times we could afford a teacher but no support," the headteacher explained.

"Rooms that were used for some of the intensive support were no longer available so staff had to be more flexible."

Ms Maynard and the school staff will now toast their achievements at a gala evening to be held next month.

She admitted their work was far from done and they would need to adapt and "change regularly".

"By focusing on what will have the most impact and by staying true to our vision, children at Langafel will continue to thrive, flourish and achieve."

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