Havelock Infant School

Havelock Infant School Havelock Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2LU.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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This is an outstanding school

 The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and ensures that all pupils make strong progress and achieve well.  Leaders, governors and staff have high aspirations for all pupils: for their behaviour, attitudes to learning and the progress they should make.  Leaders and governors are highly effective and they are determined to provide the best possible education. They know the school well; they are highly evaluative and take prompt action to secure improvements in those areas that are not as strong as others.  Leaders and governors continue to employ a range of processes and strategies effectively, including performance management, to maintain and improve the quality of teaching. As a result, teaching is outstanding.  Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average in 2015, reflecting rates of progress above those normally expected.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and at

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This is an outstanding school

play times.  Early years provision is outstanding. Leaders and teachers have secured significant improvements and children make strong progress.  The partnership between parents and the school is very strong and makes a significant contribution to the learning and well-being of the pupils.  Leaders and governors use the pupil premium funding to good effect. The progress of disadvantaged pupils continues to improve.  The work of leaders and staff to keep pupils safe and secure is highly effective. Parents and pupils say that school staff care for pupils very well and pupils say that they are safe and happy at Havelock Infant School.  The school’s values permeate every aspect of the school and the curriculum. This has an extremely positive impact on pupils’ behaviour and safety, and makes a significant contribution to their high rates of progress. As a result, pupils are well prepared for Key Stage 2.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes in mathematics further by providing pupils with more opportunities to deepen, extend and consolidate their mathematics learning.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that governors fulfil their statutory duty to meet the requirements for the school website.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. She personifies the school leadership’s relentless and tenacious drive to ensure that all pupils achieve. Ably assisted by her deputy and senior leadership team, she has developed a culture in which the very highest expectations of pupils and staff are the norm. As a result, leaders and teachers are imbued with a strong sense of purpose to continually improve their practice to secure better outcomes for pupils.  Leaders have ensured that staff are highly motivated by ensuring that everyone shares the vision and values of the school and that they all understand what they are striving for and how they will achieve it. This underpins the excellent, highly focused and comprehensive systems and processes established by leaders.  These whole-school systems and processes are a significant strength; they are joined up and make sense to leaders and staff. This enables leaders to continually and consistently communicate their expectations

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

and hold staff to account for meeting them. For example, the priorities identified in the school improvement plan inform teachers’ performance management targets. The performance management process provides teachers, and support assistants, with feedback and professional development that enable them to incrementally improve their practice, meet their targets and improve pupils’ achievement.  Leaders track the learning, attendance and welfare of all pupils regularly and in detail. They ensure that effective support is provided so that pupils can attend school regularly, catch up in their learning if they fall behind and feel happy and safe.  Leaders and governors know the school very well. Their self-evaluation is very detailed and accurately evaluates the performance of the school. It identifies the areas that need to improve and those areas that leaders and governors need to monitor because improvements there are relatively recent and not yet

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

embedded.  Subject leaders are effective and some are highly effective. They know their subjects well and ensure that there is sufficient breadth to the curriculum. They know the standards achieved by pupils and are able to provide effective support to their colleagues.  School leaders make highly effective provision for disadvantaged pupils and use the pupil premium to very good effect. Consequently, the progress of pupils receiving this funding continues to improve. The pupil premium is used in a variety of ways to support disadvantaged pupils’ engagement in learning and to enable them to catch up. For example, parents determine how a part of the pupil premium is used to help their child and this has led to improvements in pupils’ participation in clubs and attendance on trips. This in turn has led to greater engagement and progress, including in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s report on pupil premium funding 2015–16 is not published on its website as it should be.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Leaders and teachers provide an exciting, stimulating and interesting curriculum for pupils that fulfils statutory requirements. They have ensured that there is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their writing across the whole curriculum and this has been an important factor in the improved progress that pupils have made. The curriculum includes a variety of visitors and trips to places such as Warwick Castle and the Forest School. All the classrooms and learning environments are bright, attractive and stimulating, with readily accessible resources available to pupils. Leaders have used the PE and sport premium effectively, providing pupils with more opportunities to participate in sport and a wider range of sports to take part in. As a result, pupils are more motivated and increasingly equipped to learn and play independently.  Leaders introduced a new assessment and tracking system alongside the new curriculum. However, they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

have realised that it does not meet their requirements in its present form. Leaders have addressed this and the deputy headteacher has developed a bespoke system with the potential to meet their needs and provide reliable pupil performance information. Other members of the academy trust are also implementing this system.  Leaders have ensured that the school’s values, which are in line with British values, strongly underpin every feature of school life. Leaders have ensured that, through assemblies and philosophical learning activities, pupils have a well-developed sense of fairness and understand very well the school’s rules, rewards and sanctions. Pupils have a developing understanding of democracy and were keen to tell inspectors about how they vote in school council elections. Leaders have also ensured that teachers and support assistants have worked effectively to develop resilience in the pupils through initiatives such as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

‘Learning Warriors’. Inspectors observed both adults and pupils referring to this in their learning and this contributed well to pupils’ determination to have another go at tasks they were finding difficult. As a result, pupils are well prepared for Key Stage 2.  Leaders at all levels provide very effective support to other schools in the multi-academy trust. Trust leaders are very appreciative of the efforts of the headteacher and describe her as a driving force for improvement within the trust.  The governance of the school The governors of Havelock Infant School are highly effective. They have worked well with the headteacher and senior leaders to establish a culture of the very highest expectations of staff and pupils. Governors know the school very well. They know the areas they need to improve and those that need close monitoring to ensure that recent improvements are further developed and embedded. They

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

confidently support and challenge school leaders about school improvement. They have a good understanding of published data and the progress of pupils in the school and hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievement. Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching, which is informed by reports from the school leaders and their own monitoring. They know and understand their role in performance management of staff and of the headteacher and are clear about what is done to reward good teaching or tackle underperformance. Governors have not fulfilled their duty to provide up-to-date information on the school website. For example, the site does not contain a report on the pupil premium or the PE and sports funding for 2015–16.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All parents who spoke to inspectors and all those who responded to Parent View stated that their children are safe at school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is outstanding

 Leaders have ensured that there are four trained designated leads for safeguarding and a designated governor and that roles and processes are fit for purpose. All staff take their responsibility to keep pupils safe seriously and are clear about what to do if they have concerns. When referrals are made to the local authority, designated safeguarding leads are tenacious in following them through and keeping appropriate records. Leaders have ensured that all staff have received up-to-date training and that all teachers have completed online training on the ‘Prevent’ guidance to combat extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

 Teaching over time in all year groups, including in the early years, and in most subjects, is at least good and some is outstanding. As a result, almost all pupils currently on roll in the school, including those who have special educational needs or disability, disadvantaged pupils and the most able, are making more than expected progress. This results in outstanding achievement.  All teachers and other school staff have very high expectations of all the pupils, their behaviour, the presentation of their work and their attitudes to play and learning. However, expectations of pupils’ writing are not consistently as high in some subjects, such as religious education, as in English. Teachers’ expectations of themselves and support staff are equally high. They plan and teach lessons that enable pupils to learn extremely well across the curriculum.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is highly effective and pupils make strong progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Professional development and the implementation of new approaches have secured significant improvements in the teaching of writing and phonics. Teachers enable pupils to apply and practise their writing in a variety of ways across the curriculum; however, pupils do not get similar opportunities to apply what they have learned in mathematics in other subjects. Overall, learning is very well planned and implemented across a range of subjects and, as a result, pupils make sustained progress over time.  Teachers use accurate assessments and information about the pupils to plan learning that meets pupils’ needs. In addition, teachers enable pupils to choose how difficult their learning is through the whole- school target system related to ‘stars’. Pupils were keen to explain to inspectors how they choose the different tasks: ‘one star’ the easiest and ‘shooting star plus’ the most challenging. Teachers monitor

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

pupils’ choices and intervene if they think the choice is too hard or easy. This is well understood, appreciated by pupils and contributes to their high rates of progress. However, teachers do not always provide sufficiently challenging mathematical activities for the most-able pupils.  Teachers and learning support assistants provide pupils with effective support. They monitor their learning closely, question intelligently and provide timely support to help pupils make progress. They provide straightforward feedback in books, implementing the school marking policy consistently and ensuring that their guidance is well understood by pupils. Pupils frequently self-correct and know how to improve their work because of the guidance and support that teachers give them.  Teachers ensure that learning is exciting and interesting. Overall, teachers’ subject knowledge is very good, such as in science and phonics, although there are some inconsistencies between subjects for some

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

teachers. They use a range of teaching strategies effectively and use subject-specific vocabulary accurately. They explain and model new learning clearly.  Pupils are proud of their work and were keen to share it with inspectors.  Teachers set homework regularly and it supports pupils’ learning. This is recognised by most parents, who believe the homework their children receive is right for them.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The values and culture of the school promote all aspects of pupils’ welfare. Systems for safeguarding are thorough and the designated leaders are determined to ensure that all pupils are well cared for and that all staff and agencies fulfil their responsibilities.  Pupils were keen to tell inspectors that they feel safe and happy at school. Pupils shared with inspectors all the ways that teachers and support assistants keep them safe and teach them to be safe at school, in the wider world and online. They trust adults to take prompt and effective action to address their concerns.  Pupils were able to talk about bullying and agreed that it does not happen very often. They also agree that school staff deal with any occurrence of inappropriate behaviour swiftly and effectively.  All parents who responded to Parent View or spoke to inspectors believe that their children are well

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Personal development and welfare

looked after by the school and the overwhelming majority say that their children are happy at school.  Staff have taught pupils how to be resilient learners. There are displays around the school and staff teach pupils how to stick at their learning even when it is difficult. Pupils understand this and it helps them to learn.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding because of the high expectations of adults, the highly effective strategies and routines staff employ, and the learning activities they provide. This view is shared by the overwhelming majority of parents, who believe behaviour is good.  Pupils take pride in their schoolwork and in their behaviour. They enjoy school and arrive at school, and for lessons, keen and eager to begin learning and playing. Pupils’ conduct and self-discipline in lessons is excellent; they learn well on their own, in small groups and as a class. They abide by school expectations and follow adults’ instructions. Pupils are motivated to learn and sustain their engagement in learning activities independent of adult direction.  Pupils are friendly, polite and happy to engage in conversation. They cooperate well and listen to each other carefully, taking turns meticulously when talking to adults and each other.

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Behaviour

 Leaders and teachers have established vibrant, interesting and exciting learning environments and this makes a significant contribution to pupils’ self-confidence and assurance. Inspectors did not observe any disruptive behaviour.  Pupils’ behaviour at break times and around the school is also excellent. They enjoy opportunities to play and do so safely. ‘Lunchtime buddies’ are at hand at break to support those pupils who need a friend at lunchtime.  Leaders and teachers know those pupils who find behaving well to be difficult and provide them with effective support. For example, the ‘Lunch Bunch’ helps pupils to improve their behaviour so that they, and their peers, can enjoy their playtimes.  In 2015, overall attendance was broadly in line with the national average. However, the attendance of some groups was significantly below the national average. Leaders know who these pupils are and are working diligently, with partners and agencies when appropriate, to improve their attendance. Leaders

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Behaviour

have secured some improvement. However, there are a very few families with whom leaders are continuing to work, using a range of interventions and sanctions, including through liaison with local health representatives.

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

 Pupils make substantial and sustained progress at Havelock Infant School and as a result are well prepared for Key Stage 2.  In 2015, pupils made strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, Year 2 pupils attained significantly above the national average overall in reading and mathematics. They also attained above the national average in writing.  In 2015, disadvantaged pupils also made strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This high level of performance is being matched by pupils currently at the school, with disadvantaged pupils making similar rates of progress to other pupils.  The most-able pupils also make substantial and sustained progress. In 2015, most-able pupils made strong progress and the current Year 2 pupils are all on track to achieve higher than age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. However, evidence in mathematics books suggest that

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Outcomes for pupils are outstanding

opportunities to challenge the most-able pupils are missed on a few occasions.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress from their starting points and given their needs. This is because teachers understand and meet their needs well through high-quality teaching and effective additional support.  Leaders and teachers monitor the progress of pupils systematically and carefully. They are quick to identify those pupils who are falling behind and put in place measures to enable them to catch up. Consequently, pupils’ achievement is very strong.  The proportion of pupils meeting the national standard for phonics has improved over the past three years and was broadly in line with the national average in 2015, although disadvantaged pupils were below the national average. Leaders and teachers have continued to make improvements and the overwhelming majority of current Year 1 pupils are on track to meet the standard.

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Early years provision is outstanding

 Teachers and leaders have created a stimulating and creative environment – a fun place to learn. Both indoor and outdoor learning environments are attractive and interesting with a wide range of resources for children to use and a diverse range of opportunities to learn.  Most children enter Reception class at levels that are broadly typical for their age and a few enter at levels that are below. They make strong progress and more children attain a good level of development than nationally. In 2015, a greater proportion of boys, girls and disadvantaged children attained a good level of development than nationally. Children currently in the Reception class are also making strong progress.  Leadership and management of the early years are highly effective and result in children making strong progress. Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the early years. They take swift and effective action to ensure that areas for development are addressed

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Early years provision is outstanding

effectively. For example, in 2015, boys did less well than girls and disadvantaged children did less well than other children. Due to focused interventions, boys and disadvantaged children’s progress is now at least in line with that of other children.  The quality of teaching over time is outstanding and never less than consistently good. Teachers ensure that their teaching, and the support the children receive from early years staff, is highly responsive to children’s needs. Teachers provide a rich variety of activities that encompass the whole of the early years curriculum. Children engage very positively with these. They show determination in their learning. The teaching of phonics is now particularly strong and children make good progress in their reading.  The partnership between parents and early years staff is very positive and productive. Leaders have established robust and effective strategies and systems to enable early years staff to successfully engage

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Early years provision is outstanding

parents in the learning of their children. Parents come into school regularly to support their child and to contribute to assessments. As a result, children thrive.  Teachers make very effective use of assessment. Thorough assessment of children’s strengths and needs informs the planning and the provision of interventions. Consequently, children are appropriately challenged and effectively supported and, as a result, they make strong progress.  Parents speak very highly of the early years provision, particularly the measures taken to secure the emotional well-being of children. They are extremely appreciative of the staff, who they describe as friendly and approachable. Parents recognise that their children are happy and are making rapid progress.  Children settle quickly into Reception and are soon highly motivated and very eager to join in. They consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning with high levels of curiosity, imagination

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Early years provision is outstanding

and concentration. They listen intently and are highly responsive to adults and each other. They are keen to share their learning with visitors. They demonstrate exceptionally positive behaviour and high levels of self-control, cooperation and respect for others.  Safeguarding is effective.

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School details

Unique reference number 140051 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10010876

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Infant School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 254 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Burnett Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Ann Davey Telephone number 01536 760486 Website www.havelockinfantschool.co.uk Email address head@havelock-inf.northants-ecl.gov.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is broadly the same size as an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is below average.  The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. A very small minority come from minority ethnic groups. Few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils) is below average.  The headteacher and senior leaders provide support to other schools in the Montsaye Community Learning Partnership.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed nine lessons or parts of lessons and the headteacher accompanied the lead inspector on walks around the school and looked at short periods of learning in all classes.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books, listened to pupils read and talked to them about their work. Inspectors also met with groups of pupils including members of the school council.  Inspectors held meetings with school leaders, the designated leaders for safeguarding, the leader responsible for pupils who have special educational needs or disability, subject leaders, members of the Montsaye Community Learning Partnership and members of the governing body.  Inspectors considered parents’ views, including 70 responses to the online Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors listened to the views of staff and evaluated 26 responses to the Ofsted staff survey.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation including information about safeguarding, the

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Information about this inspection

school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, the most recent performance information on pupils’ achievements, and information relating to teaching, behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

Derek Myers, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Victor Wilkinson Ofsted Inspector Kevin McHenry Ofsted Inspector Philip Garnham Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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