Kingsthorpe Village Primary School

Inspection of Kingsthorpe Village Primary School Knights Lane, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN2 6QL

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 October 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 19 and 20 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak enthusiastically about the school. They say they enjoy the interesting lessons and good friendships. Pupils also enjoy playing in the well-developed outdoor areas. There is an impressive range of equipment and some calm spaces to help develop both physical fitness and social skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Extra-curricular activities have resumed after a period of restriction. Pupils spoke with excitement about the new computer coding club. The school offers a range of activities for all ages. These include various sports and other interests, such as choir and book club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. Pupils say that teachers help them ‘not to worry and feel happy and safe’. Pupils like the ‘worry monsters’ into which they can post a note if they feel too shy to talk about a concern. They understand the meaning of bullying and say that they are sure teachers would sort it out. They could not recall any recent instances of bullying and say that it rarely happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school is good. They are helpful and polite to each other and to adults. They respond well to teachers’ high expectations. The calm atmosphere in lessons supports pupils to focus on their learning.

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better?

Leaders are in the process of revising the curriculum in all subjects. The aim is to set out clearly the important knowledge and skills that pupils should gain as they progress through the school. Leaders have made a strong start. They have drawn up a clear plan of action. They have drawn up new curriculum plans in some subjects. However, this work is not yet complete. This is partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pace of improvement. In a few subjects, the curriculum does not take into account the importance of the early years foundation stage.

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better?

Senior leaders have worked in partnership with the local authority to secure training for subject leaders. The aim is to support all leaders to improve their skills and gain a clear overview of their subject areas, from the early years to Year 6. This training is currently under way.

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better?

In mathematics, leaders have introduced a new approach to the curriculum. This sets out clearly what pupils should know, and be able to do, in each year group. Pupils can apply what they already know when learning new concepts. Many told inspectors that they enjoy the lessons.

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better?

Reading, and a love of books, are promoted throughout the school. The teaching of early reading and phonics is particularly strong. Well-trained staff follow a consistent approach in the daily phonics sessions. Pupils clearly enjoy reading and are proud of 19 and 20 October 2021

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their growing skills. Children in the early years, and pupils in Year 1, get off to a positive start. They read from books that match their phonics knowledge. They develop quickly as confident, fluent readers.

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The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Leaders and staff respond quickly to identify and assess pupils’ needs. They carefully adapt the curriculum, so that pupils with SEND can take part in lessons.

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Pupils show consistently positive attitudes to learning. They understand the school’s core values, such as trust and resilience. They enjoy collecting ‘value pebbles’ and earning class rewards. They agree that the school rules are fair and that the school is a safe and happy place, where they can focus on learning.

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Leaders and staff foster pupils’ personal development well. Pupils say they ‘learn lots’ about a range of faiths and cultures. This helps them to understand the importance of democracy and tolerance. They enjoy debating a range of issues in lessons and in the school council.

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Governors fulfil their roles well. They have links with subject leaders. This means they can gather first-hand information about the curriculum. In their meetings, governors question leaders about the school’s performance. They regularly discuss ways to support staff well-being. Governors take steps to seek the views of parents and carers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders send a strong message to staff that safeguarding is a shared responsibility. They make sure that all staff and governors receive up-to-date training. There is an established system for logging concerns about pupils. Leaders take action promptly in response to concerns. Records show that they are persistent in securing the right outcomes for pupils. Pupils spoke confidently about how to keep themselves safe. They are especially well informed about how to stay safe online.

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Safeguarding

Governors carry out regular checks on the school’s safeguarding procedures. They fulfil their statutory duties relating to safeguarding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan this year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. 19 and 20 October 2021

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 Leaders and staff share an ambitious vision for their curriculum. Leaders have devised an appropriate plan of action to achieve that vision. However, the curriculum revision is not complete across all subjects. Subject leadership is not consistently strong in all curriculum areas. The curriculum does not currently support pupils to know and remember more over time, in all areas. Leaders should ensure that subject leadership is strengthened, and that the curriculum sets out clearly what pupils should know, and be able to do, in all subjects from early years to Year 6.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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. 19 and 20 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199785 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Marie-Clare Soan

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24–25 May 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 No relevant changes since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors and held a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 19 and 20 October 2021

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 Inspectors looked at curriculum plans, pupils’ work and spoke to subject leaders in a range of other subjects.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks and other documents, and by holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out a range of activities to evaluate pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and how well the school promotes pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors evaluated the quality of the provision for pupils in the early years foundation stage by visiting this area of the school and speaking to staff and children.

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Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Ward Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 October 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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