Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mrs Helen Lorimer Headteacher Histon and Impington Junior School The Green Histon Cambridge CB24 9JA

p.1

Subject inspection of Histon and Impington Junior School

Following my visit to your school on 15 November 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. The findings do not change the overall effectiveness judgement of outstanding from the last section 5 inspection.

p.1

Subject inspection of Histon and Impington Junior School

This inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for a no formal designation inspection of schools. The inspection was carried out to enable Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector to better understand the quality of education in specific subjects provided by outstanding primary schools.

p.1

Main findings

You are making the teaching of a knowledge-rich history curriculum a priority. Leaders are ensuring that teachers are clear about the history that pupils should learn. You have ensured that pupils study a wide range of time periods and events, from life in the Stone Age to the Second World War. Pupils also consider the impact made by key historical figures, and the history of the local area. They are eager to find out what has happened in the past and they write clear and compelling narratives about key events. These are informed by class work, their own research and their learning during visits, such as to the Black Country Living Museum.

p.1

Main findings

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from teachers’ strong subject knowledge and from access to a rich variety of resources. Teachers present information clearly. They usually sequence activities to build upon what pupils know and prepare them for learning to come. Teachers help pupils to understand the different sources that historians use to find out about the past. Teachers’ questioning often helps pupils to make connections and think deeply, for example about the impact of technological change upon society. Recent changes to assessment are ensuring that teachers typically identify quickly what pupils can remember and any misconceptions they have.

p.1

Main findings

Pupils do not revisit some important historical concepts such as ‘monarchy’ or ‘power’ in different contexts explicitly enough. This limits pupils’ ability to think about how, and how far, some things have changed over time. Older pupils would benefit from further opportunities to write at length when answering key historical questions. Pupils sometimes struggle to make appropriate judgements about the utility or reliability of historical sources in the context of the specific question about the past that they are considering. At times, teachers’ feedback on pupils’ historical narratives is insufficiently subject-focused. This limits pupils’ understanding of how to improve their work.

p.2

Main findings

Leaders’ assessment of the strengths and areas for development in the history curriculum is sharp and accurate. They are supporting staff very well in building upon the many strengths that are evident.

p.2

Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you and other senior and subject leaders, the executive principal of the trust, the chair of governors, teachers and a group of pupils. I made a number of visits to lessons and evaluated work in pupils’ books. I evaluated the school’s curriculum plans and other relevant documentation.

p.2

Context

Histon and Impington is an above-average-sized junior school. Most pupils are of White British background. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged or with SEND is below the national average. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.

p.2

Context

I am copying this letter to the chair of the school’s advisory board, the executive principal of the Cambridge Primary Education Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Cambridgeshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.2