St Helen's Primary School

Inspection of St Helen’s Primary School Colne Road, Bluntisham, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 3NY

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 8 and 9 June 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this welcoming village school. They enjoy learning and playing together. Playtimes are calm and happy. Pupils play together kindly. They say, ‘the teachers are kind and everyone is nice’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They understand what bullying is but say it rarely happens. They are confident that adults would stop any bullying straight away.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave sensibly in lessons. They respond well to adults’ high expectations. Pupils are keen to learn and do well. They listen carefully to their teachers and follow instructions straight away. They concentrate on their work. They are confident to share their ideas and listen to each other. They reflect on how to improve their own work and generously praise the work of others.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to express themselves. They love to read and chat in ‘the nest’. Older pupils organise clubs for younger pupils. Pupils take part eagerly in dance workshops. Their enthusiastic singing is delightful. They produce artwork using lots of different resources such as clay, paint and computer software.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about different religions, cultures and ways of life. They are tolerant, respectful and kind.

p.2

better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They have established a broad curriculum for all pupils, starting with the youngest children in the early years. For example, in mathematics, the youngest children are given lots of well-considered opportunities to learn counting and simple calculation skills. This ensures that they are ready for Year 1 and beyond, as they are required to apply their learning in more-complex ways.

p.2

better?

Teachers deliver the school’s chosen reading programme very effectively. Pupils quickly develop their phonic knowledge and apply this learning with increasing independence. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know and are learning. Adults regularly check on what pupils know and can do. As soon as teachers identify any pupils who need extra help, this is put in place. Consequently, pupils are quickly reading accurately and fluently.

p.2

better?

Pupils talk with great enthusiasm about the books they are reading. The love to hear their teachers read stories aloud, such as ‘Beowulf’. Pupils enjoy creating their own stories and books, and these are displayed proudly in the school’s library. Reading is enjoyed at playtimes too, with attractive and engaging books in ‘the nest’. 8 and 9 June 2022

p.2

3

Curriculum planning and staff training ensure that most areas of the curriculum are delivered effectively. For example, in design and technology, children in the early years experiment and build with a range of materials while older pupils design and make vehicles with progressively more complex mechanisms. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about how they use skills they have learned previously when tackling new projects. In a few subjects, this planning and training is not as well developed. Leadership monitoring in these subjects is also less well established.

p.3

3

Teachers know their pupils well. They plan interesting activities, and pupils respond with enthusiasm. Adults select and teach vocabulary carefully throughout the school. Pupils quickly learn and apply new words. For example, younger pupils can discuss brush control techniques and colour blending following explanation by their teacher. From the early years, pupils behave responsibly in lessons and carry out tasks diligently. Pupils take pride in their work and present it to a high standard.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need in a timely way. Leaders identify any needs early for pupils, and check regularly on how these pupils are faring. Leaders work closely with families and professionals to understand the challenges for pupils with the highest level of need. Plans for these pupils are detailed and precise. Teachers are well trained to support individual pupils’ needs.

p.3

3

Leaders seek out ways to enrich the curriculum for pupils. Pupils enjoy a wide range of practical workshops such as drumming. Visits by authors and artists enthuse pupils and broaden career aspirations. Pupils can develop their interests and talents through after-school clubs such as sewing or animation club. Pupils learn how to stay safe online. They learn how to be safe out of school through extra opportunities such as ‘Bikeability’. They stay healthy with regular exercise such as lunchtime dance and athletics club.

p.3

3

Governors take their statutory responsibilities seriously and are developing their strategic role. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They appreciate the concern for their well-being. Parents are also appreciative of school leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is taken seriously. Staff are vigilant in their work with pupils. They know and follow school systems to report their concerns. Leaders use this information to ensure that pupils and families get the help they need. They act rapidly to keep pupils safe. They work effectively with a range of external agencies. The curriculum is adjusted to address local safeguarding priorities. 8 and 9 June 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, curriculum plans, staff training, and leaders’ monitoring are less well developed. Plans lack precise detail, staff do not deliver these subjects as effectively, and leaders do not know as much about how pupils are faring. Leaders should ensure that learning in these subjects is carefully sequenced, staff are confident to deliver the intended curriculum, and leaders have effective systems to monitor the delivery of these subjects.

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. 8 and 9 June 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10227305 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 – 6 June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school does not use any off-site alternative education providers.

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 is the first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, including the headteacher and governors.  The inspectors also spoke to other leaders, staff, pupils and the school’s effectiveness partner from Cambridgeshire.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a 8 and 9 June 2022

p.5

6

sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. In early reading this took the form of listening to pupils read to a familiar adult.  An inspector spoke to parents when pupils were being collected from school. The inspectors also spoke to pupils in the lunch hall and in the playground.  As part of the evaluation of the school’s safeguarding processes, the inspectors reviewed the school’s single central record and met with the designated safeguarding lead.  An inspector reviewed a range of school documents, including the school development plan, curriculum plans and school policies.  An inspector reviewed the 102 responses that were submitted by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and also considered the 48 free-text responses from parents. The inspector also considered 28 responses to the Ofsted staff survey and 68 responses to the pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Lynne Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Simon Harbrow Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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