Chesterton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Chesterton Primary School Green End Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB4 1RW

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Outcome

Chesterton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being at this school. Most attend well and are keen to learn. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should be able to do in a wide range of subjects. Pupils are doing well in English and mathematics and in other subjects such as music and religious education. Lessons in different subjects are interesting because teachers are confident in knowing the subjects they teach. There is a wide range of activities such as sports clubs that pupils enjoy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff say that behaviour is better than it was. Staff always expect pupils to behave well. This includes children new to Reception, who adjust quickly to new routines. The overwhelming majority of pupils work hard and respond quickly to teachers’ instructions and requests. Pupils show respect to teachers, visitors and each other. They take pride in their appearance and in their schoolwork. Pupils from different backgrounds get on well together at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Bullying is very rare, but pupils know what to do if they have concerns. There is a small number of pupils whose behaviour is concerning. This is managed increasingly well by staff, who are supported by their leaders.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils’ learning is planned and delivered effectively across a wide range of subjects. This is true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and the increasing number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The school is particularly successful at introducing pupils to whole-class teaching who had previously struggled to cope.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The way subjects are taught was reorganised in September 2019. Teachers and pupils are clearer about how well they are doing in each subject.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children receive a strong start in learning to read as a result of a well-planned and ambitious phonics curriculum. For example, the Reception class spent time learning the 23 January 2020

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‘ch’ sound in the outside storytelling chair. Staff were dressed as characters from the story of ‘Chicken Licken’, which enthused the children.

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Pupils enjoy reading. They talk fondly of books they have read and the authors who wrote them. Reading sessions are purposeful and focus on books known to pupils from their work in the wider curriculum. The teaching of reading is logical and follows a coherent plan. All staff know what they would like pupils to be able to know and do by the time they leave school. Mathematics follows a similar pattern. Pupils progress through a curriculum that is well planned. In most classes, pupils acquire mathematical skills quickly. They can explain their knowledge and demonstrate their understanding and skills. Pupils use mathematical vocabulary well. In practice, pupils are not yet being taught to the same high standard across the school. This is because there is some inconsistency in how well teachers build on previous learning.

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Since September 2019, other subjects have been well organised. For example, in music, pupils in Year 2 can use words such as pitch and pulse. They are using the musical terms but because the language is quite new to them they still get confused about the meanings. Religious education (RE) has had effective subject leadership for longer than some other subjects. Subject leadership has been innovative in its approach. For example, the innovation of ‘faith days’ has been highlighted by staff as an opportunity for them to develop in-depth subject knowledge of a range of religions. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge in their lessons. Pupils build their knowledge and understanding of different religions, and in turn tolerance of different views and opinions. Pupils enjoy RE and are thoughtful in class discussions. From Reception up through the school, there is a strong emphasis on values such as tolerance and respect. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social

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and cultural development is promoted well through the school’s range of subjects. Subjects are brought alive. For example, during our visit, caterers were working with pupils making bread.

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Behaviour in lessons and around the school is generally positive. Pupils are polite and welcoming. They told me that everyone gets on well together. A small group of pupils in a few year groups occasionally disrupt learning. This is managed well by staff, who are supported by their leaders. Exclusions are used as a last resort. Attendance is improving because of a sharper focus on the issue and improving relationships with families.

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The multi-academy trust (MAT) provides opportunities for subject leaders to develop their knowledge and expertise. It also enables school leaders to benefit from advice and support from leaders of other schools with expertise in meeting the needs of pupils, especially those with challenging behaviour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The procedures for the recruitment of staff are secure. Staff are all well trained to keep pupils safe. They are clear about what to do if they have concerns about pupils. The processes to seek support from external agencies are appropriate. 23 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is well planned but, especially in English and mathematics, there is some inconsistency in teachers’ understanding of what pupils can already do. Leaders should continue to help all teaching and non-teaching staff to assess the knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils bring from their previous learning so that they can help pupils to move on more quickly.  Leaders are doing commendable work in building relationships with families, leading to reduced exclusions and increased attendance. Some of these strategies have been introduced this academic year. Leaders should monitor their effectiveness and their impact.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 10 July 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 23 January 2020

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 23 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10133407 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 July 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since April 2019 the school has been led by an interim headteacher while the newly appointed headteacher is on maternity leave. The headteacher is due to return in April 2020.  The school is a broadly averaged-sized primary school. There is one class in each year group.  The school opened six years ago with just early years provision. It has added a year group each year. The school now has its first Year 6.  The school has pupils from a wide range of nationalities. The proportion of its pupils that speak English as their first language is below average.  The proportion of pupils who receive support for SEND is high. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is lower than the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is average.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the interim headteacher, senior and subject leaders, the chief executive and the director of learning of the MAT and a member of the local governing 23 January 2020

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body (LGB). We held a telephone discussion with the chair of the LGB.  During the inspection, we conducted deep dives in mathematics, music, reading and religious education. In each subject, we met with subject leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ work.  We considered the views of staff from a meeting with a group of staff.  We reviewed safeguarding records, including the central record of recruitment checks on staff.  We considered the views of 21 parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online parental questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Adrian Lyons, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joseph Figg Ofsted Inspector 23 January 2020

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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