Ofsted says Pinxton’s Longwood Infant Academy is Outstanding!

Pinxton’s Longwood Infant Academy is an Outstanding school, says Ofsted following its latest inspection.

Part of Pinxton Village Academies, consisting of three schools, namely Longwood Infant Academy, John King Infant Academy and Kirkstead Junior School, their recent results in Ofsted inspections are seeing a transformative change for educational provision in the community.

Anne Ingle is Headteacher of all three schools and she said, “I am beyond proud of the outstanding result for Longwood. I am incredibly lucky to work with a dedicated team who make every moment count for our children. It was wonderful that the inspectors understood and recognised our fantastic school, children and community, not just for its academic achievements, but for all the holistic ones. Our children are kind and thoughtful and they care for one another, and these are important life qualities both now and for their futures.”

The inspectors said ‘Longwood Infant Academy is a vibrant learning community. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. Pupils meet these expectations consistently. Pupils are incredibly positive about the school. A typical comment is that the school is ‘fantastic.’’

Children are praised in the report and their behaviour is described as ‘exemplary’ saying, ‘They show resilience and a commitment to learning.’

‘They are polite and well mannered’ said inspectors, ‘They show respect for each other. Pupils said that they know how to be kind and to make friends. As one pupil said, ‘We are nice and help people.’ Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school.’ Inspectors also describe a range of enriching after school clubs for children and playtime games to support children to socialise and take turns.

The report says the curriculum at Longwood is well designed and implemented saying, ‘As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from this aspirational curriculum. They achieve extremely well.’ Further praise for SEND provision states, ‘The school has ensured that pupils with SEND have their needs identified well. Teachers get clear information on how to help these pupils. Adults support these pupils exceptionally well so that they can access the curriculum and achieve highly.’

Inspectors say the school prioritises reading for all; ‘Developing pupils’ communication and language is at the heart of what the school does. Pupils learn ambitious vocabulary in all parts of the curriculum.’

Deputy Head, Bethany Dickson said, “The phrase ‘it takes a whole village to raise a child’ seems very apt, as it’s only by the whole school community working together that we can ensure all our children can achieve beyond their potential, and I am delighted that the magic of Pinxton has been recognised by Ofsted.”

Pupils also wanted to share their thoughts about the report and what makes their school special when the news was shared. Grayson Henry Yr. 2 said, “I am proud of my school because of all the learning we get to do.” Frankie Repton Yr. 2 said, “I am proud of my school because everyone is kind and helpful.”

Theodore Thompson Yr. 2 said, “I love my school because lunch times are full of colouring, sports and games!” Dolcie Voyse Yr. 2 said the school was a ‘creative place’ and Eleanor Elliott-Cruddas Yr. 2 said, ‘my school keeps me safe’.

Pinxton Village Academies are part of the Flying High Partnership multi academy trust, and Chris Wheatley, founder and CEO says he is delighted with the news. He said, “Longwood Infant Academy thoroughly deserve this Outstanding rating. A huge well done to the children, families and to the staff who have worked so hard to make this school a fantastic place for children to grow and learn.

“Under such effective leadership, all three schools making up the Pinxton Village Academies are now delivering the highest calibre of education to the children in the community, transforming educational outcomes for the better, and importantly, the future life chances of children. Well done to everyone! We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this fantastic community.”

Headteacher Anne Ingle said, “It is wonderful for the community of Pinxton to have the school recognised so positively. We love our school as we do all of our Pinxton Village Academy schools, and we are proud of the grading.

“We are fortunate to be part of the Flying High Partnership which has enabled us to be the best we can be. Being part of the partnership enables us to access high quality support through system leaders like Grant Worthington, lead practitioners, as well as high quality professional learning for the team. Claire Stirland, our Director of Education has been a huge part of the school’s journey since joining Flying High Partnership. Claire's passion to ensure every child has the best experience every day is infectious and inspirational. The Outstanding grade is something we can be very proud of, -and our community can be proud of too.”

Jess Moody is Assistant Head at Longwood Infant Academy and has witnessed the school's progress for many years, she said, “This is such a deserving report for our children, families and our community. I am so proud to work in these fantastic schools in Pinxton. I have worked here for the past 11 years and have come to know many families through teaching sibling after sibling. This success is no accident though, it has taken hard work, perseverance and sacrifice at times, -but the overriding aspect is the love for what we do as a staff team. I just am so immensely proud.”

Lucy Flint is Phase Leader at Longwood Infant Academy and said, “Achieving an outstanding Ofsted for Longwood has been a passionate journey for me. I am thrilled at the achievement and proud of the team that surrounds me. At Pinxton, the staff strive for the children every day and they are the heart of the school. Pinxton will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Rebecca Carlin is Deputy Head across Pinxton Village Academies and said “I am incredibly proud to have been a part of Longwood’s fantastic success. It is an honour to be a part of such a hardworking team that always strives to do the very best for the children and the community. It is great that their hard work has been recognised.”