Abbots Farm Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Abbots Farm Infant School Abbotts Way, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 4AP

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2022

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Outcome

Abbots Farm Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils at Abbots Farm Infant School. The core values of respect, responsibility and self-confidence are at the heart of this school’s work. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are happy and safe. Bullying is not tolerated at the school. Staff act quickly to resolve any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders ensure that the curriculum is taught well and meets the personal and academic needs of pupils. Pupils enjoy reading. They have opportunities to read to adults in school and to be read to. Extra-curricular activities have started again now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased. The school council, after-school clubs and trips allow pupils to develop their interests and talents. However, some pupils are not attending activities that could be of benefit to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils play happily together. In lessons, pupils concentrate well on their learning. Parents and carers are positive about the school. One parent’s comment was typical of many when they said, ‘Abbots Farm gives my child the opportunity to learn in a safe, fun and structured environment where he is happy and excelling.’

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum for pupils so that every child can succeed and do well. Learning is thoughtfully sequenced and teachers implement the curriculum well. In a few subjects, including music and computing, the curriculum has only recently been revised. Leaders’ plans were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are not as far ahead with this work as they would have liked.

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

Curriculum leaders ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach each subject well. Teachers encourage pupils to think hard and solve problems. Pupils are curious and inquisitive. They enjoy opportunities to explore their learning. Teachers teach 18 and 19 January 2022

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pupils the vocabulary needed to deepen learning. This allows pupils to build up knowledge over time. However, in a few subjects, the vocabulary pupils should learn is not set out clearly enough. Teachers check pupils’ learning often. They provide effective support to pupils and challenge any misconceptions. As a result, pupils achieve well. Leaders prioritise support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) so that they access the same curriculum as other pupils.

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Children in the early years settle well to school life. They develop positive attitudes to learning. Staff have high expectations of children. They model early language and communication skills well. Teachers plan learning activities that are matched to children’s needs. Children enjoy learning about number through stories, songs and rhymes. They learn to make choices in their learning and develop independence. Leaders prioritise reading. The reading curriculum is carefully planned and pupils are taught to read well. Recent improvements to the teaching of early reading are highly effective. Children learn to read words and simple sentences accurately because teachers teach phonics extremely well. Pupils read to adults regularly in school. Reading books closely match the sounds pupils are learning. Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are skilfully supported by adults. As a result, these pupils achieve well in school.

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The school provides a range of enrichment opportunities as part of the curriculum. These experiences help pupils’ personal, social and spiritual development. For example, pupils learn to think of others. They enjoy fundraising for their chosen charity. Pupils learn to care for their local environment through activities such as tree planting and litter picking. However, the programme of after-school activities has been significantly hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders have recently reinstated these activities where they can.

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In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils confidently share ideas and feelings. Staff teach pupils to recognise and respect individual differences. Pupils listen to and value the opinions of others. Pupils learn how to manage their feelings. Strong pastoral support means pupils get the help and advice they need. This enables them to focus on their learning and to do their best. Parents are positive about the support their children receive.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. Staff feel well supported by leaders, who manage their workload effectively. Staff are appreciative of the support they receive from leaders to cope with the impact of COVID-19 on school and home life.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise pupils’ welfare. They make sure that staff know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil. Staff are aware of specific areas of concern, such as protecting pupils from bullying, sexual harassment and radicalisation. Leaders ensure that pupils get the right support when they need it. This includes support from external agencies when necessary. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Leaders ensure the appropriate checks on staff are undertaken before they are appointed. Pupils learn about road safety, online safety and keeping themselves safe. They know how to raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

◼ In a small number of subjects, the curriculum has been recently revised. The vocabulary that pupils need to know is not set out explicitly enough in some topics. Leaders should ensure that pupils learn the key subject-specific vocabulary which helps pupils to remember more of what they have been taught. ◼ The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the programme of extra-curricular activities on offer for pupils. Various activities are being reinstated. However, some pupils are not currently attending activities that could be of benefit to them. Leaders should monitor pupils’ uptake of these activities and encourage participation to ensure that the most vulnerable pupils benefit as much as possible.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 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.

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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 . 18 and 19 January 2022

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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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Nicholas Morrott

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

◼ The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

◼ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. ◼ The inspector carried out deep dives in music, reading and science. This included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum documents and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector also looked at work from a sample of other subjects. The inspector considered information on the school’s website. ◼ The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff. ◼ The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times during the day. ◼ During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs and

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disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, the early years leader, governors and a representative of the local authority. ◼ The inspector took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 January 2022

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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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