Longden CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 February 2026

At the heart of Longden CofE Primary are the school’s values of friendship, respect and compassion. Pupils say that the best thing about this school is that ‘everyone is friendly'. Pupils learn how to get on well with each other. This is because staff establish positive relationships with them from the start. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school because they all know the code of conduct of ‘care, share and be fair’. Bullying is rare at this school and always well dealt with. Pupils attend well because leaders’ work on attendance has been highly effective. This is a school at the centre of its community. Because staff get to know pupils well and care deeply for them, pupils feel safe and have trusted adults to talk to if needed. Leaders have high ambition for all pupils to achieve well. They actively tackle barriers to learning. As a result, pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. Many parents agree. One comment was typical of many when they stated, ‘Staff clearly care deeply and work hard to build positive, supportive relationships with the children, creating a gentle and inclusive environment.’ The school has an impressive array of extra-curricular clubs on offer. There is something for everyone. Nearly all pupils attend a club after school. Clubs such as ‘pick and mix’, ‘loopy-loos’, LEGO and challenge club promote pupils’ talents and interests well. A range of visits further enhance pupils’ learning. For example, pupils can explain how a visit to an air museum had helped them understand the Battle of Britain in World War 2. The sense of community is further enhanced by the whole school enjoying regular walks in the country. All this work prepares pupils very well for later life.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that staff consistently enable pupils to secure and apply important spelling, handwriting and punctuation knowledge and skills in their writing.
• Leaders should continue to support subject leaders to monitor their subject well and act on their findings so that pupils remember important knowledge over time.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)