Fairfield Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Fairfield Community Primary School Cheshire Drive, South Wigston, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 4WA

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 September 2021

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Outcome

Fairfield Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values, ‘The Fairfield way’, reflect the school’s high ambition and ‘we can do it’ attitude. It is a happy school. Pupils missed their friends and teachers during the three national lockdowns. They thrive on the warm relationships that staff foster throughout the school. Pupils feel safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons and around school. They play and dine happily together. If there are disagreements, adults help sort these out quickly. Pupils told the inspector that bullying or name-calling hardly ever happen. If they do, adults make sure that the unkind behaviour stops.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The education pupils receive remains good, and they leave Fairfield ready to succeed at their next school. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about what the school offers their child. One written comment was typical: ‘I love the wide range of subjects and the professionalism and welcoming attitude from all the staff. They care for every child and want the best for them all. They go above and beyond to make this happen while ensuring the child is happy and enjoying their primary school experience.’

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

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil. They have put in place a curriculum that sets out what pupils must know and remember in each subject. New learning builds upon earlier learning. Right from Reception Year, children’s learning and experiences prepare them for their futures.

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

Teachers make sure that pupils can remember what they have been taught. In mathematics, pupils practise their number bonds and times tables daily. Their recall of these vital number facts is strong. In phonics lessons, teachers begin by checking that all pupils remember their last lesson. Lessons proceed smoothly and are not interrupted by poor behaviour from pupils. 15 and 16 September 2021

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Leaders have recently introduced new plans for teaching history and geography. Currently, pupils struggle to recall what they learned in previous years in these subjects. The new plans highlight what pupils must remember from their lessons over the long term. Teachers now check regularly how well pupils have understood and remembered things. Leaders want pupils to achieve as well in history and geography as they do in other subjects.

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Effective teaching of reading is leaders’ priority. Pupils love their story sessions. Teachers choose books that are interesting and varied to broaden pupils’ knowledge. Teachers know it is important that pupils know the meanings of lots of words. They go over the meanings of them and introduce new words in lessons throughout the school day.

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Children in Reception Year enjoy books and stories from the very start. Staff use consistent approaches to teaching phonics in each class. Pupils develop their phonics knowledge well. Early readers practise using books that match the phonics they are learning. Pupils who fall behind get the extra help that they need. This extra help does not stop at the end of Year 2. Daily reading is helping older pupils become more fluent and confident readers.

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The previous inspection asked leaders to improve pupils’ writing skills. Leaders changed the way teachers teach writing. Pupils now enjoy writing. Their written work shows how their skills improve over time.

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Teachers check carefully on how well pupils are learning. This has helped them to spot where the pandemic has hindered pupils’ progress. In almost all subjects, leaders and teachers have made changes to the curriculum because of the impact the pandemic had on learning.

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Staff are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adapt the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can do the same work as their classmates. These pupils achieve well. They are fully involved in the life of the school.

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Pupils learn to respect different cultures and religions through lessons, visits, visitors and assemblies. Before the pandemic, pupils enjoyed a wide range of clubs and interesting activities. These broadened pupils’ experiences. Leaders plan to reintroduce these soon.

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The headteacher models ‘The Fairfield way’. He is respected by staff because they feel valued and cared for. Staff feel leaders are mindful of their workload. Governors and trust representatives take their responsibilities seriously and make sure that leaders use resources for the pupils’ benefit.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are clear that keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility. Staff know what to look out for and how to act on any concerns. Leaders do all they can to help vulnerable pupils thrive in school. Leaders are tenacious when seeking support for pupils at risk. 15 and 16 September 2021

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Their records show the success they have had getting pupils the help and protection they need. There are procedures in place for staff recruitment and to manage concerns if ever needed. The curriculum ensures that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans overall are ambitious, well sequenced and implemented effectively. In almost all subjects, there is clarity about what pupils are expected to learn and remember. However, until recently, the curriculums for history and geography have not been sufficiently clear what knowledge pupils should retain over time. As a result, pupils’ knowledge in these subjects is patchy. Leaders should ensure that the new curriculum plans are implemented effectively so that pupils achieve as well in history and geography as they do in all other areas of the curriculum.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that a good 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2010.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 15 and 16 September 2021

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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. 15 and 16 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199072 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, two assistant headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, a group of staff, the chair of the governing body and two representatives of Symphony Learning Trust.  The inspector examined the quality of education that pupils receive in reading, history and mathematics. He visited lessons, scrutinised pupils’ work, listened to pupils read, and spoke with pupils and teachers about their lessons.  The inspector looked at curriculum planning and samples of pupils’ written work in a range of subjects.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including those relating to safeguarding and behaviour. 15 and 16 September 2021

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 The inspector reviewed the 28 responses that were submitted by parents to Ofsted Parent View, including 28 free-text responses. He considered the 14 responses to the staff survey and the 77 responses to the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Anthony O’Malley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 September 2021

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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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