Falconer's Hill Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Falconer’s Hill Infant School Ashby Road, Daventry, Northamptonshire NN11 0QF

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone at the school wants pupils to feel happy, safe and loved. There is a great start to the day at breakfast club. Pupils enjoy eating fruit and bagels in a relaxed atmosphere. Breaktimes and lunchtimes are fun. There are always activities going on for pupils to get involved in. Pupils get better at controlling their bodies and taking part in games. The field is an enjoyable place to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to recognise when they are angry and upset. Pupils learn to have kind hands and use their words to explain how they feel. There are special ‘jellyfish’ learning times for pupils who find this tricky. Sometimes pupils fall out. They know that they can put any concerns in the ‘worry monster’. Pupils say that the teachers always sort out any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about the school’s values, such as being responsible. Teachers spot when pupils demonstrate these and reward them. Pupils grow in pride. There is a new curriculum in place. Leaders have thought about what pupils need to know so that they are ready for the next stage of their learning. This is more embedded in some subjects than others.

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

Pupils are keen to learn in mathematics. They work well with their partners to explain their ideas when they are solving a problem. Teachers want them to deepen their thinking. For example, teachers challenge children to find different ways to make 10. They encourage children to work out the answers using equipment, to deepen their thinking. Teachers model the correct mathematical vocabulary, such as ‘inverse’. They spot when pupils need more help to understand a concept such as time. They break the learning down into smaller steps so that pupils get more chances to practise what they are 13 and 14 July 2022

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learning about. They adapt their teaching to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Leaders want all pupils and families to share special times together with a book. Children in Reception Year look forward to story time. They remember books that they have read before by the same author and enjoy predicting what ‘Baby Bear’ will do next. They listen with rapt attention to see whether they are right.

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All staff want pupils to get off to a strong start in learning to read. Leaders have recently introduced a new phonics scheme. Some training has taken place. Staff value this and are highly motivated by it. However, not all staff have the subject knowledge that they need. They do not model the sounds that letters represent consistently well. Misconceptions remain. New books have been bought to help pupils at the early stages of learning to read, including those with SEND. However, these books are not always matched to the sounds that pupils know.

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Staff value the support that they get from leaders. They feel that leaders think carefully about what they ask staff to do and make sure that workload is manageable. Staff say that they work well together and that pupils learn about effective teamwork by seeing the example that they set. Leaders feel well supported by the multi-academy trust.

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Careful thought has been put into developing a new curriculum. Leaders want pupils to be well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Leaders have thought about what children will learn in early years. Children explore how objects move. They learn how to use a pencil to make a hole in paper and how to join materials together using glue, tape and split pins.

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Pupils enjoy talking about what they have made in design and technology lessons. They can explain how they would like to make their product better. However, they do not always have the chance to use the knowledge that they have gained before in their designs. They understand that they should eat a range of foods. They explain how they should not eat too much of some food groups. Leaders plan to give pupils more opportunities to deepen their knowledge of how to combine different foods.

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Staff use stories about ‘Fizz’s friends’ to help pupils understand that families can be different. Pupils learn about each other’s cultures and religions. They know that they should respect each other and look after the world by being ‘water wizards’ and turning taps off when they do not need to be on. Pupils enjoy time to be quiet and reflective during yoga sessions and learn to ‘boot and shoot’ at football club.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know that they need to pass on all concerns, however small. They understand how to record these. Leaders meet regularly to check that everybody is doing what they should to safeguard pupils. They directly challenge decisions when they do not feel that these are in the best interests of the child. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Teachers make sure that pupils know exactly how to challenge unwanted behaviour through saying, ‘Stop it, I don’t feel safe’. Pupils can explain how a grown-up will help them with this or with any messages that pop up on a computer.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The new curriculum for teaching phonics is not implemented consistently well. Not all staff have the subject knowledge that they need. Books that pupils have to read do not always match the sounds that they know. Some pupils, including those with SEND, do not get the right teaching to build their phonic knowledge. All staff require training so that they have the subject knowledge that they need. Checks should be made to ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across the school.  Leaders have written a new curriculum from early years to Year 2. However, pupils do not always have the chance to use what they have learned before and build on it. Leaders should make sure that pupils have the chance to revisit and recall their learning. They should ensure that staff have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the new curriculum.

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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 a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Falconer’s Hill Infant School, to be good in September 2013.

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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 . 13 and 14 July 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. 13 and 14 July 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The senior leadership team has changed since the previous inspection. The headteacher is also the interim headteacher of another school.  The school became an academy on 1 February 2018 when it joined INMAT, a multi- academy trust. When the predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector spoke with leaders from the trust, the chair of the local area committee and two other governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, design and technology, and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, 13 and 14 July 2022

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spoke to teachers and pupils, and visited lessons. The inspector heard pupils read aloud to a familiar adult.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector spoke with parents and carers and staff. She scrutinised documents that the school keeps and spoke with leaders.  The inspector spoke with parents at the end of the day. She considered the views expressed on Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector spoke with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspector spoke with pupils in groups and at less structured parts of the day. She visited an intervention session and spoke with a range of staff about how they support pupils.

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Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 July 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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