Boddington Church of England Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Boddington Church of England Voluntary School Church Road, Upper Boddington, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 6DL

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Outcome

Boddington Church of England Voluntary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone knows each other well in this small, friendly school. Pupils are happy and safe. They learn and play well together. Bullying is exceptionally rare. Pupils cannot recall any incidents of bullying taking place. Nonetheless, when pupils have a problem, or are worried about something, they are confident that the adults in school will help them to sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults in this close-knit team are excellent role models for the pupils. Pupils learn to treat each other with respect. They value each other and treat everyone with kindness. Pupils, staff, parents and carers all say that the school is like a family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want the best for every child in the school. They are ambitious that every pupil will develop the characteristics they need to learn well and succeed. Leaders also want pupils to make a positive difference to the communities in which they live. Leaders have clearly identified the values that are important in the school. Acts of service are at the heart of the school’s ethos. Every pupil is encouraged to take responsibility for an aspect of school life, for example helping at lunchtimes or welcoming everyone to collective worship. Pupils can stand to be elected as head boy or head girl, or to become a member of the school council. Pupils are proud of these roles and take their responsibilities seriously.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and challenging curriculum to engage pupils in their learning. They have thought carefully about how the curriculum can be delivered successfully in the school’s mixed-age classes. Curriculum plans outline the important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. These plans are in place for all subjects and in all year groups. Currently, leaders are reviewing the early years curriculum and aligning it with plans for later years. However, curriculum plans do not always make it clear at which point in the school year the key knowledge identified should be taught, or which topic it relates to. 22 September 2021

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Teachers use a well-structured early reading programme to deliver daily phonics lessons. Pupils quickly learn to recognise sounds and letters. Teachers make regular assessments to make sure that no one is falling behind. Where pupils find reading more difficult, teachers use a wealth of resources to make sure they get the help they need. Leaders promote a love of reading. Every adult in school makes a book recommendation and these are displayed around the school. Pupils are read to every day from a wide range of age-appropriate books. Pupils say that they look forward to story times. Texts are used systematically to improve pupils’ vocabulary.

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In mathematics, curriculum plans provide a clear sequence that helps pupils to build on prior learning. Teachers have been provided with the training they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. They use assessment well. Mathematical concepts are regularly revisited to make sure that pupils develop a secure understanding of what has been taught. Pupils are confident mathematicians. They have developed a can-do attitude, even when they find work challenging.

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In other foundation subjects, for example, religious education, leaders have not yet developed effective assessment procedures. Teachers do not systematically check what pupils have remembered from prior learning. This means that pupils do not always have the depth of understanding they need to complete their work as well as they could.

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The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. Pupils with additional needs are quickly identified. Teachers plan support that is bespoke to ensure that pupils’ needs are met. The leader with responsibility for special educational needs works closely with parents and seeks support from external agencies where it is needed.

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Leaders have ensured that a range of activities are provided to support pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn how to be healthy and how to keep themselves safe. Trips and visitors to school enrich the curriculum. Leaders are taking steps to make sure that pupils develop an understanding of the diverse nature of modern-day Britain. For example, the school houses are named after inspirational people from a range of different cultures. However, this aspect of the school’s work is relatively new. Opportunities for pupils to learn about diversity are not coherently planned for.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed a culture in which staff are not complacent. Staff have received appropriate, recent training in safeguarding. They are alert to the potential risks to pupils. Staff understand the importance of passing on their concerns. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding take every concern raised seriously. Leaders work closely with external agencies to make sure that pupils and families get the help or advice they need.

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Safeguarding

Governors understand their responsibilities with regard to safeguarding. There is an experienced and appropriately trained safeguarding governor. 22 September 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans for foundation subjects do not identify which topics key knowledge relates to and, at what point in each school year it should be taught. This means that staff may not teach curriculum content in the order in which it was intended. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans are refined further to ensure that the order in which knowledge should be taught is made explicit. When the revised early years curriculum has been completed, this should be included in curriculum plans. This will make clear how the knowledge that the youngest pupils in school learn provides the foundation for later learning.  While assessment is used effectively in English and mathematics, there is no consistent approach to assessment in foundation subjects. As a result, teachers do not securely build on what pupils have learned in the past and remember from prior learning. Leaders should develop a manageable system to check what pupils know and

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

remember in foundation subjects.  Leaders have taken some steps to promote diversity across the school. However, this is at an early stage. In the past, pupils have not been provided with a wide range of opportunities and experiences that will prepare them for life in modern-day Britain. Leaders should develop a strategic plan to ensure that these experiences are part of the school’s curriculum and personal development offer.

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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 evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 June 2016.

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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. 22 September 2021

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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. 22 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199800 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Evolve Church Academy Trust.  The school is much smaller than an average-sized primary school.  The head of school took up post in September 2021.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is higher than the national average.  The school is a voluntary controlled Church of England school in the Diocese of Peterborough.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  During the inspection, inspectors held meetings with the head of school and other leaders, including representatives from Evolve Church Academy Trust and members of the governing body. 22 September 2021

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in three subjects: reading, mathematics and religious education. Inspectors met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, spoke with pupils and staff, and listened to pupils reading.  Further meetings were held with safeguarding leaders. Inspectors reviewed the school’s single central record and spoke with staff to check how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities.  Inspectors reviewed 18 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and eight responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julian Scholefield Ofsted Inspector 22 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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