West Haddon Endowed Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: West Haddon Endowed Church of England Primary School The Green, West Haddon, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN6 7AN

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Outcome

West Haddon Endowed Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They respect their teachers and appreciate that they help them to achieve their best. They feel very safe because they know that adults listen to them and care about them. Year 6 pupils say that this is a great school to grow up in.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want pupils to have excellent academic skills and to be thoughtful citizens. Pupils use their fluent reading skills to learn about interesting topics. For example, pupils explained the sources they use to understand Mayan everyday life. They know that some evidence is biased and some is more reliable. Pupils ask respectful questions of visitors to understand the world beyond their village.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are responsible school councillors and librarians. Older pupils are caring ‘buddies’ for younger children. Pupils take part in events, such as tag rugby, archery, and the annual community ‘Wassail’. Pupils relish activities, such as visiting French pen pals, national museums and theatre performances.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well at all times. They show the school’s ‘monthly values’, such as honesty and respect. They are proud to earn headteacher or value awards. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens because adults are quick to sort out any issues.

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

Leaders have been successful in sustaining high standards since the last inspection. This is because they know the school, its pupils and staff very well. They set clear expectations of everyone. They check that policies are fully implemented. They provide staff with effective training. This has ensured that pupils achieve particularly well in English and mathematics. 11–12 February 2020

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Leaders give the highest priority to reading, because it gives pupils the key to all learning. Phonics is well taught from the very start. This begins in Nursery. Staff receive regular training to keep their subject knowledge fresh. Pupils use the sounds they know to tackle new words. They enjoy using their skills in activities across the curriculum. By Year 2, pupils can read about interesting topics, such as finding out that male penguins hatch out the eggs.

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In key stage 2, leaders make sure that they provide tailored support for the few pupils that need it. Teachers introduce sophisticated vocabulary to pupils. They show pupils how to use information from the text to answer questions about what they read. Teachers read to pupils every day. Leaders ensure that parents and carers understand that reading with their children is essential. Leaders have improved the library. Pupils enjoy using it and Year 6 boys told me that they are reading more often.

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Senior leaders have ensured that pupils have studied the full range of national curriculum subjects for many years. They are now refining plans to make sure that the most important knowledge they want pupils to learn is clearly and logically set out. Parents are enthusiastic about the new knowledge organisers that show what pupils should learn.

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Pupils remember a lot of knowledge from past topics. Some teachers skilfully help pupils connect new knowledge to what they know already. For example, Year 6 pupils can identify features of a ‘civilised society’ in their Mayan, Roman and Ancient Egyptian studies. Leaders know that other subjects are not yet taught as well as English and mathematics. They are training new leaders to become subject experts. Leaders are determined to raise standards in all subjects.

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Leaders precisely identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure that staff adapt learning to meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND achieve very well.

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Staff in the early years work well with families. Parents feel well informed about their children’s achievements. Children confidently join in with the clear routines. Staff develop children’s number and language skills at every opportunity. They plan learning that captures children’s interests. Children were happily hammering ice blocks. They told me: ‘If we were in the Antarctic, ice wouldn’t melt, because it is too cold.’ Children are very well prepared for Year 1.

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Pupils behave well. Staff give pupils many opportunities to develop as well-rounded individuals. Teachers help pupils to organise their own charity fundraising events. Activities such as a visit from an international athlete and a residential visit to France raise pupils’ aspirations. Pupils learn from regular visitors about a range of different faiths. Pupils take part in local church and community events.

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Staff know that leaders care about their well-being. Leaders are determined to find ways to help conscientious staff work smarter. Parents appreciate that staff go the extra mile. 11–12 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff put pupils’ welfare first. Leaders provide staff with regular safeguarding training. Staff know the signs that may mean a pupil is at risk of harm. They report any concerns to leaders without delay.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with external agencies to provide support for pupils who need it. Leaders undertake appropriate checks before staff start to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils understand how to stay safe online and what to do if they feel worried. They also learn about fire, road and water safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have ensured that pupils have experienced a broad and balanced curriculum over time. Last year, they reviewed the curriculum to identify the most important knowledge they want pupils to learn and ensure that planning is sequenced logically to build up pupils’ knowledge and skills progressively. Curriculum plans in English and mathematics are highly developed and skilfully implemented. Also, in history, French and religious education (RE), plans are being implemented well and are having a positive impact on learning. The plans and implementation for some subjects, for example art and design, and design and technology, are not as far advanced. Leaders should ensure that they complete their review and refinement of plans for all subjects.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged West Haddon Endowed Church of England Primary School to be good on 12–13 January 2012. 11–12 February 2020

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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.

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Further information

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. 11–12 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121274 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 May 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Since February 2017, an on-site nursery has become part of the school. This includes places for two-year-olds.  The school is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England primary school, within the Diocese of Peterborough. The school had its last section 48 inspection in April 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. I also met with the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). I met with the chair of governors and four other members of the governing body. I spoke to a representative of the local authority.  I did deep dives in reading, history and science. I met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, scrutinised pupils’ work, listened to pupils read, and spoke with pupils and teachers about their lessons. I also scrutinised examples of pupils’ work and looked at curriculum plans for French and RE with the headteacher.  I scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, the school’s plans for improvement and minutes from meetings of the 11–12 February 2020

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governing body. I considered information about pupils’ achievement from published information and information on the school’s website.  I spoke with parents informally. I considered the 84 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. I also took account of the 24 responses to the staff survey and the 77 responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Mandy Wilding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11–12 February 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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