All Saints CofE VA Primary School

All Saints CofE VA Primary School Boughton Green, Kingsthorpe, Northampton NN2 7AJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The highly committed headteacher, ably supported by a dedicated leadership team, has secured significant improvements since the last inspection.  School improvement work has a sharp focus on teaching and pupils’ outcomes. As a result, pupils of all abilities, including those who have special educational needs or disability, make good progress.  The quality of teaching has improved as a consequence of leaders’ rigorous monitoring and support.  Clear targets and training for staff are well focused and enable teachers to improve their practice. As a result, the progress pupils make has improved.  Disadvantaged pupils are taught and supported effectively so that they make good progress.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare are good. Pupils show consideration and respect towards adults and each other. They conduct themselves well around the school.  Pupils feel safe and are safe at school. Leaders have developed strong safeguarding practices and

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This is a good school

all staff follow them.  The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.  Provision in the early years ensures that children get off to a good start in their education.  Governance is effective. Governors know the school well and visit regularly. They provide a high level of challenge and support. Consequently, pupils’ outcomes are improving.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not yet highly effective across the school. Teaching assistants do not always provide the support pupils need. As a result, some pupils are not making rapid enough progress.  Leaders have yet to strengthen the range of subjects covered in the curriculum and provide opportunities for cross-curricular learning.  Expectations in writing are not as high as in other areas of learning, especially for boys. There is variability in the presentation of some pupils’ work.  Early years baseline measures do not provide an accurate, or timely, assessment of children’s attainment on entry to the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by reviewing the curriculum to ensure wider coverage of subjects, including art, technology and a modern foreign language, and increase the opportunities for cross- curricular learning.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: making sure that writing and presentation are better developed, especially for boys ensuring that pupils are consistently moved on to more demanding work more quickly ensuring that teaching assistants consistently provide appropriate support for pupils who need it.  Improve provision in the early years by strengthening the system that measures baseline assessment to give leaders an accurate picture of children’s attainment when they start school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher and other leaders have a clear vision for the school’s improvement. This is based on accurate checks on the school’s work. Priorities for improvement are clear and are closely monitored to check their impact on the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.  Staff morale is high. The school has been through a turbulent time with many staff changes. New staff have embraced the high expectations that the headteacher has set for the school. Consequently, pupils are making good progress.  Senior leaders’ analysis of the quality of teaching is accurate and well informed. They are quick to identify shortcomings and to take action to address any underperformance. Consequently, work to improve teaching is sharply focused and successful.  Both middle leaders and senior leaders track and analyse the progress pupils make, check the quality of teaching and provide appropriate support to teachers and teaching assistants where it is needed.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders work alongside teachers in the classroom. This helps teachers to improve and is particularly helpful to the newly and recently qualified teachers, who value this support. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection.  Procedures for holding staff to account for pupils’ progress are now much more robust. Teachers have clear targets to improve their teaching and for pupils’ outcomes.  The local authority closely monitors and supports the school. The school is actively involved in a school- to-school network where leaders challenge and support each other to secure improvements. The authority has confidence in the school and its leaders.  Leaders have set out a suitable approach for assessing pupils’ attainment against the new national curriculum. Accurate assessments inform teachers on how well pupils are doing. Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment are compared within the school and with those of other local schools to ensure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

judgements are reliable and consistent.  Senior leaders have developed a good system to track and record information about pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. This information is captured regularly, analysed carefully and used to identify which pupil groups are on track to meet or exceed expectations. Leaders have not, however, used this system to identify the variations between boys’ and girls’ achievement within the school.  Teachers comply consistently with the school’s marking and feedback policy and pupils are committed to improving their work. Time is allocated to review learning, which helps pupils consolidate and deepen their knowledge, understanding and skills.  Leaders have introduced the new national curriculum with the emphasis on literacy and mathematics. Music and religious education continue to play prominent roles. Science is increasing. Leaders have not yet, however, devoted time to planning the curriculum sufficiently well to extend coverage of art,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

technology and a modern foreign language. There are insufficient opportunities for cross-curricular learning.  The school provides a broad range of opportunities for pupils to take part in extra-curricular learning in other subjects. For instance, all pupils are given the opportunity to play a musical instrument. A variety of clubs cover a range of interests and include: mad-science; cookery; film club; dodge-ball; yoga; and basketball. Pupils say that they enjoy these activities and clubs are well attended.  Leaders make well-considered use of the school’s sports premium funding. Pupils have become young sports leaders; their participation in sporting activities has increased and they take part in inter-school competitions. Staff have been trained to teach sport and physical education and are part of a sports partnership programme. However, leaders do not yet have a precise understanding of the impact of this

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

training.  Leaders make good use of pupil premium funding to support the small group of disadvantaged pupils in the school. Funding is used to provide individual support for these pupils so that they can catch up from any underachievement. As a result, the progress these pupils make is good, and gaps in attainment between them and others in the school and pupils nationally have closed in many instances.  The inclusion leader ensures that pupils who have special educational needs or disability are identified and suitably supported. Early intervention ensures that these pupils make good progress.  The school’s approach to helping pupils catch up when they are behind is effective. However, leaders recognise the importance of strengthening teaching practice further to reduce the need for pupils to have to catch up.  The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils engage in reflection

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

after worship has taken place and are given opportunities to say what they think. Thought-provoking quotations from the Bible provide stimulating discussion points, such as, ‘Better the poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways’.  Pupils have a good understanding of democracy and the rule of law. For example, they discuss what British values mean to them and were helped to understand the European referendum process. A student council is elected and pupils learn about tolerance and respect. Pupils are adequately prepared for life in modern Britain.  The school maintains good communication with parents and carers. Leaders work hard to provide parents with opportunities to support their children’s learning. For example, the school has presented information to help parents understand the new curriculum and assessment procedures. Leaders offer a number of workshops, including one on calculations, to explain to parents how their children learn. Families are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

encouraged to attend Friday family worship alongside their children, and the school uses this as an opportunity to engage parents further in their children’s learning. Parent surveys show their appreciation of this support.  The governance of the school The governing body has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors know where it is typically good. Where any weaknesses exist, they know what is being done to address them. Governors bring a wide range of professional skills and experience to their roles. An external review of governance has led to a sharper focus of their work. As a consequence, governors have restructured their committees and undertaken training to improve their understanding of the key priorities needed to bring about improvement. This has generated a culture of challenge and support, especially around the school’s work on teaching and pupils’ progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The information governors request is presented in an accessible format. This enables them to ask challenging questions about how well different groups of pupils are doing. Governors check for themselves that what leaders tell them is accurate. For example, they visit the school, look at pupils’ books and take into account the views of pupils and parents. Governors are vigilant in fulfilling their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding arrangements.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Clear procedures are in place for checking that any adult employed is suitable to work with children. Teachers are clear on the procedures to follow and are trained to do so. The curriculum contributes to raising pupils’ awareness of safe practices, for example, on e-safety and road safety. Risk- and health assessments carried out by the school are thorough. Child protection procedures are robust and case studies demonstrate strong practice. Action taken by the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

school to support those children who need help is effective. All staff have had training in the ‘Prevent’ duty and are alert to potential risks.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Effective leadership has led to an improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. As a result, pupils make good progress.  Teachers typically have high expectations and plan lessons that enable pupils of different abilities to make good progress over time. For example, a Year 6 lesson was planned so that pupils could use nouns, verbs and adjectives and develop language skills at different levels of understanding. However, some teachers do not always plan well enough to ensure that pupils move on to more demanding work quickly enough.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this to good effect when asking questions to deepen pupils’ thinking and develop their reasoning skills. Teachers use technical terms accurately and encourage pupils to do the same. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils were exploring the meaning of the words ‘perimeter’ and ‘rectilinear’ to help them understand the task they were completing. A few

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

teachers use questioning less well and, where this is the case, it occasionally slows progress.  Pupils have good relationships with teachers. They are engaged in learning and find lessons interesting and fun. They are enthusiastic learners and are keen to learn from their mistakes. Pupils told inspectors that they particularly enjoy mathematics. This was observed by the inspectors in a Year 5 intervention class, where pupils were presented with a real-life problem. Pupils were asked to work out how many tiles were needed to cover the floor of a house, in order to develop their knowledge of calculating areas.  Where teachers provide work that is challenging, most-able pupils are stretched. For example, in a Year 5 writing lesson, the most able pupils were inspired to write newspaper articles using increasingly difficult literacy skills. In a Year 6 science lesson, pupils were asked to sketch the internal organs into a life-sized

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

drawing of a body, which proved demanding for all pupils. In contrast, in a Year 1 lesson, ‘story maps’ were being used when they were not always needed. A few pupils told inspectors that they would like harder work at times.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) and reading is strong. Pupils read fluently and confidently. They use expression and intonation effectively. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy reading. Pupils question each other during guided reading sessions to improve their comprehension skills, and the teachers use a good selection of reading material to engage pupils.  The work in pupils’ books shows that teachers generally expect much of pupils. The teaching of writing is improving. Pupils were inspired to write at home after a visit to the school by an author. Boys’ writing is not, however, as well developed as that of girls. Interesting and varied homework is completed to a good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

standard.  Additional group and one-to-one teaching is effective in helping pupils catch up. Teaching assistants use resources to support learning and help pupils develop their ideas. This approach is not always effective and some teaching assistants do not use time well to provide the additional support that some pupils need. Consequently, progress is less rapid for some pupils.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are given additional help to help them make good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are polite, friendly and courteous to each other and to adults. There is a strong culture of respect and tolerance throughout the school.  Pupils are taught how to keep safe and healthy. Pupils who spoke with inspectors were clear that they feel happy and are well cared for. They say that there is always someone to talk to and a ’worry box’ is available if something is bothering them. Pupils have a good understanding of e-safety and how to keep themselves safe when using technology. Parents agree that their children are safe and well cared for.  Pupils are knowledgeable about all forms of bullying and racism, and those who met with inspectors were not aware of any incidents. They were clear, however, that adults would take action if any bullying or racism did occur.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is strong. Assemblies are used to promote personal

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Personal development and welfare

reflection and to develop pupils’ understanding of democracy. Themes demonstrating how different religions show respect encourage pupils to be open-minded to others who are different from themselves. Pupils’ cultural awareness is not as fully developed.  Pupils are encouraged to take on positions of responsibility. For example, pupils play an active role in staff recruitment and the student council members have trained as Young Leaders.  Pupils have access to a wide range of clubs to help them develop additional skills. For example, there is a school brass band, a choir and a drama club.  Programmes such as Forest School, breakfast club and the ‘Zone’ (a lunchtime club for vulnerable pupils) all provide additional support in helping pupils develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils’ conduct is exemplary at playtimes, during assemblies and around the school site.  Pupils wear their uniforms with pride and take care of their environment. Most pupils take pride in their work. A few pupils have yet to improve their presentation skills.  Clear procedures and routines support learning in the classroom. The school’s behaviour policy is understood by the pupils and behaviour incidents have decreased over time.  Typically, pupils behave well in lessons. They engage in their learning, listen to each other and work harmoniously together on collaborative tasks. Disruption is rare. In a few lessons, however, some pupils lose focus on their learning at times and need to be reminded to concentrate on the task in hand.  Pupils’ attendance is above average. They are punctual and ready to start their learning at the beginning of lessons throughout the day.

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Behaviour

 Pupils and parents agree that behaviour is good.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils across the school typically make good progress from their starting points.  The percentage of children in Reception who achieve a good level of development is typically average. Literacy and numeracy are historically strong in the school.  In 2014 and 2015, attainment at key stage 1 improved to be at least average. The school’s performance information indicates that this is likely to be similar for current Year 2 pupils.  Inspectors observed good teaching of phonics. In 2015, attainment in the phonics screening check declined. The school has addressed this and current information indicates that the attainment of pupils in Year 1 is likely to be above average.  Attainment at the end of key stage 2 has improved over the last two years, to broadly average, in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s performance information suggests that these improvements have continued and that Year 6 pupils are on course to be in line with all pupils nationally.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

Some year groups currently in the school show a little more variability at this time. School leaders have accurately identified this issue and action is being taken to bring about the necessary improvement.  The progress made by key stage 2 pupils, from their different starting points, over the last two years has improved and is now good. This trend is set to continue for current pupils in the school. A weaker Year 3 cohort is being given appropriate support to catch up.  The school has worked hard to bring about improvements for those pupils who make more than expected progress. Equally, the most able pupils are making more rapid progress than they have previously made, although some variability remains across different years as some teachers do not always move pupils on to more demanding work quickly enough.  As a result of a review of the use of pupil premium funding, disadvantaged pupils make good progress in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

most years. Many disadvantaged pupils are making better progress than other pupils in school and pupils nationally. Where this is not the case, the school is taking action to close gaps in attainment.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are making similar progress to others in the school. Where this is not the case, individual pupils are supported effectively to help them secure progress to an appropriate level.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language are making better progress, in most years, than other pupils in the school. This is because of the effective tracking and support they receive.  The historical gap in achievement within school, between boys and girls, has closed in mathematics. Reading gaps are closing in most years, but writing gaps are still evident.  Pupils leave Year 6 well prepared for their transition to secondary school.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years provision is led and managed effectively. Staff work well together to look after children’s individual needs.  Leaders and other adults take care to ensure that children are kept safe. Safeguarding practices are effective and statutory requirements are met.  Children are polite when asking for help. They are confident and work well together. Children talk about their work and, as an example, explained to inspectors how their writing could be improved.  Children’s progress in Reception is good as a result of team planning and the use of assessment, which is used to provide a range of imaginative activities for children to engage in. Teaching is good. Staff regularly observe and record children’s achievements and ensure that each one makes good progress.  The indoor and outdoor areas are stimulating and rich in resources. Leaders ensure that there is a variety of activities to encourage children to grow in confidence and independence.

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Early years provision is good

 Good questioning by adults develops children’s vocabulary, knowledge and understanding. For example, children are asked to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it.  Pupil premium funding is used effectively in Reception. Children who have special educational needs or disability are supported well. The Forest School project helps these children engage in their own learning, learn how to manage risks and keep themselves safe.  The curriculum is addressed through topic work which covers all areas of the early learning goals. Where gaps in learning are identified, the team plans and builds in opportunities to address them. Children’s own interests and views are not yet being used to influence the curriculum provision. As a consequence, at times, a few children are disengaged in their learning.  Leaders have good arrangements with pre-schools, other providers and parents. This ensures a

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Early years provision is good

successful transition to the school. Children are equally well prepared for moving into Year 1 and the transition is managed smoothly.  Parents are kept involved through regular communication and the use of children’s learning journals, which move between the school and home on a weekly basis.  Children are assessed on entry to the school to get an understanding of what they can already do. This process is not, however, as thorough as it needs to be to ensure that it provides an accurate picture quickly.

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School details

Unique reference number 122096 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10001820

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 385 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sharon Sharples Headteacher Claire Dunstan Telephone number 01604 715658 Website www.allsaints.northants-ecl.gov.uk Email address head@allsaints.northants-ecl.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 21 November 2013

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Information about this school

 All Saints is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are two classes in each year from Reception to Year 6.  Since the last inspection, a large number of teachers have joined and left the school. Several teachers are newly or recently qualified.  Three quarters of the pupils are of White British heritage, with the rest coming from a wide range of minority ethnic groups. Each of these ethnic groups has only a few pupils. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, supported by the pupil premium, is well below the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability, supported by the school, is well

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Information about this school

below average. The proportion with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is broadly average.  In 2015, the school met the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school provides a breakfast club for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 lessons, of which five were observed together with senior leaders.  Discussions took place with school staff, the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors met with three groups of pupils, talked to pupils informally, and took account of the questionnaires completed by seven pupils.  Inspectors attended two assemblies and listened to Year 1 and Year 4 pupils read.  The 18 questionnaires completed by staff and the 39 responses submitted by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View) were taken into account. Inspectors spoke informally with a few parents at the beginning of the school day and reviewed the school’s own surveys.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a broad range of evidence, including: the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses; planning and monitoring documentation; the work in

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ books; records relating to attendance and behaviour; and the school’s own information on pupils’ current attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Vondra Mays, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector John Savage Ofsted Inspector Christine Lethbridge 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

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Inspection team

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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.ofsted.gov.uk

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