Mawsley Primary School

Inspection of Mawsley Primary School Scholars Row, Mawsley, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 1GZ

p.1

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 Requires improvement 21 and 22 June 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Mawsley Primary School is a happy and welcoming school where everyone respects each other. Pupils enjoy learning and playing together. Leaders want all pupils to ‘be brave, be kind and be yourself’. Pupils certainly are.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and well behaved. They feel safe in school. Pupils are confident that should bullying occur, it would be sorted out straight away by staff. Pupils say that bullying is very rare. They understand the importance of treating everyone with kindness, understanding and respect.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed in their learning and in life. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils live up to these expectations. They achieve well in the calm environment that leaders have created.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the opportunities to take on roles and responsibilities in school. As members of the pupil parliament, pupils play an important role in the life of the school. Older pupils take their ‘cabin leaders’ roles seriously when leading after- school activities for younger pupils. Digital leaders help to make sure pupils stay safe online.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak highly of the school. They typically commented: ‘Mawsley is a lovely school with caring teachers and staff.’

p.2

better?

Leaders, governors and staff are united in their desire to provide the best possible education for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. They have organised learning so that pupils, including children in the early years, build on what they already know. They have designed a curriculum that is ambitious and enjoyable and meets the needs of the Mawsley pupils.

p.2

better?

Leaders have ensured that staff have the knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum well. Teachers use assessment information to identify what pupils know and what they need to learn next. This is less well developed in the early years. Staff do not always extend children’s learning when they are accessing independent learning activities. This means that some children in the early years are not learning as well as they could.

p.2

better?

From the early years, reading is a priority. There has been significant investment in reading materials and books. This is increasing pupils’ enjoyment of reading. Leaders have made sure that the books in school reflect diversity and difference. This helps to develop pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain. Effective staff training means that staff have the expertise in teaching phonics. Staff use 21 and 22 June 2022

p.2

3

assessment information well to pinpoint the support needed for pupils who are struggling to read. Pupils who need extra support to read well receive it. Pupils are confident and fluent readers.

p.3

3

Children in the early years soon learn how to concentrate and listen well. They are happy and curious learners. Children learn together and show respect for one another. For example, children take turns and look after each other. Staff have created an environment that develops children’s independence and resilience. Children know it is fine to make a mistake. In fact, children celebrate mistakes, saying: ‘It is fine, we can just try again.’

p.3

3

Older pupils build effectively on these skills. All pupils understand the school rules: ‘be ready, be respectful, be safe’. Pupils are polite and well-mannered when talking to adults and to each other. Pupils’ positive behaviour helps them to learn, free from disruption.

p.3

3

Leaders provide many opportunities for personal development. Year 6 pupils develop their resilience and confidence during their residential trip, for example. The ambitious graduate programme allows pupils to learn the value of independent study. Pupils can attend after-school clubs for sports. Leaders intend to resume more extra-curricular activities to develop pupils’ wider interests, such as cooking and art. A catch-up swimming programme has been put in place this year. Careful thought is going into the planning of activities that pupils may have missed in the last two years.

p.3

3

Pupils respect the differences and similarities of the various cultures, faiths and beliefs found in modern Britain. While leaders are ambitious for the curriculum to be reflective of life in today’s world, it is not fully embedded. This means that some pupils have not developed a wide cultural understanding of different religions and beliefs.

p.3

3

Governors use their knowledge of the school well to hold leaders to account. They are not afraid to ask probing questions, especially around the quality of education. They are proud of the school’s achievements. Governors are mindful of staff workload and well-being, including that of the headteacher. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The well-being of pupils is at the heart of all the school does. As a result, there is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders follow the correct procedures when appointing staff. They maintain thorough records of any concerns and make referrals if required.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders work with agencies to ensure that families facing challenging circumstances get the help they need. Staff receive regular training and understand their 21 and 22 June 2022

p.3

4

responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Staff ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Governors make regular checks to ensure that this important work is carried out to the highest standard.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the early years, some children are not given sufficient opportunities to deepen or consolidate their learning in the continuous provision. As a consequence, some children are not learning as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that there are rigorous checking systems in place to ensure that children’s learning is maximised in the continuous provision, so that they achieve as well as they should.  Although leaders are ambitious for their curriculum to be reflective of life in modern Britain and multiculturalism, it is not yet fully embedded. Consequently, not all pupils have developed a wide cultural understanding of different religions and beliefs. Leaders need to ensure that their curriculum is fully reflective of multicultural Britain and the wider world so that pupils leave the school fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 21 and 22 June 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10227381 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 September 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior leaders and a range of staff.  Inspectors met with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, computing and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the 21 and 22 June 2022

p.5

6

curriculum, spoke with teachers and spoke with pupils about their learning. They visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, inspectors reviewed school policies, procedures and records. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors also spoke with staff, governors and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors met with staff and considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. Inspectors also considered the responses of pupils in the Ofsted’s pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jamie Nairn Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 June 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7