Mary Exton Primary School

Inspection of Mary Exton Primary School St Michael’s Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 0QA

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2022

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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 Requires Improvement 27 and 28 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Mary Exton Primary School is a happy place for pupils to learn and play. The school is like a big family where everybody supports each other and welcomes others. Positive relationships are quickly forged between staff and children in the early years and this mutual respect is further strengthened as pupils progress through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons, on the playground and around the school. They show understanding and kindness towards each other and especially towards those who require additional support. They can talk to staff about the worries and concerns they may have. All forms of bullying are rare. This is because pupils know that staff will listen carefully and help them to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about the opportunities the school offers them. These include clubs and residential visits and day trips to learn about art and culture.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy lessons because they learn about the things they will need to know in the future. They also learn about British values, such as democracy and how to be open and tolerant to others.

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better?

Leaders have developed the curriculum, including in early years, that is well sequenced, broad and relevant. In most subjects, the curriculum supports pupils to achieve ambitious goals and ensures they are ready for the next stage of their education. The development of language is a particular strength. When learning modern foreign languages, for example, pupils begin to learn both the essential vocabulary and verbal skills they will need at secondary school from the moment they start key stage 2. In the early years, words related to scientific enquiry, such as ‘examine’, ‘find out’ and ‘question’, are used by adults and mimicked by children. In a few subjects, leaders have not set out precisely the most important content that pupils need to learn. This makes it difficult for staff to plan for and assess the key knowledge that pupils have learned and understood.

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better?

Reading is a priority for the leaders of the school. The teaching of phonics is rigorous and younger children, including those in early years, quickly build their knowledge of sounds. Older pupils benefit from reading a range of interesting books. Staff encourage them to read often for pleasure and to share their favourite texts through, for example, ‘open book’ assemblies.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that the personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well structured, helping pupils to look after themselves and others. They are able to talk about protected characteristics. For example, during an assembly for older children, pupils were assertive about the rights of a boy to attend a ‘princess’ themed event if he wanted to. Pupils identify how they are feeling by using a colour 27 and 28 September 2022

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system, which allows those of all ages and abilities to articulate their emotions. Pupils feel that this makes them more resilient as they can develop their own strategies for coping with stress or sadness. There is also a range of opportunities to enhance the personal development of pupils. These include themed weeks, such as ‘parliamentary week’ and ‘growth week’, and the support of younger pupils at lunchtimes through a ‘buddy’ scheme.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well by the adaptations made by teachers and support staff in the classrooms. This ensures that every pupil is able to access a full curriculum. Leaders quickly identify when a pupil needs additional support, a process which starts even before they join the school. Appropriate plans are in place for those pupils with challenging behaviours, developed with the assistance of local agencies and organisations.

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School leaders’ ‘firm but fair’ expectations for pupils’ behaviour in lessons ensure a calm and purposeful learning environment. Leaders also work hard to ensure that attendance is as high as possible. If a pupil is regularly absent from school, a bespoke intervention is put in place to support the pupil and their family.

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Leaders at all levels are focused on ensuring each individual pupil receives the best care and support they need. The governing body supports the school through their oversight of improvement work, regular strategy meetings and monitoring visits. They understand the context of the school particularly well and offer appropriate challenge and support the leaders to ensure that the school focuses closely on the most important priorities. Staff feel that leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff are able to quickly identify those pupils who may be at risk of harm. Any concerns are quickly passed onto leaders, who take timely and appropriate action. The school has robust systems for training and induction which ensures that all staff understand their role in keeping pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to stay safe and protect themselves online. They can readily identify who they should report any concerns to and are confident that staff will act quickly to help them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, staff have not been sufficiently trained to deliver the intended curriculum. When this is the case, teachers, rather than leaders, make decisions about which content to deliver and which aspects of pupils’ knowledge they will assess. Leaders must ensure that all planning and training identifies the specific 27 and 28 September 2022

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knowledge pupils will learn in series of lessons and which aspects of pupils’ knowledge staff should check have been remembered and understood.

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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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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. 27 and 28 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241109 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs of governing body Karen Gordan and Kirstie Buckridge

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School details

Headteacher Angharad Paterson and Tracy Clements

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 December 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative provision providers.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, inspectors met with the co-headteachers and the deputy headteacher. Inspectors also met with a wide range of staff.  Inspectors met with three members of the governing body, including the co-chairs of governors.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation relating to safeguarding. They examined leaders’ approach to safer recruitment. Inspectors also spoke to staff about their safeguarding knowledge and checked how well they understood their safeguarding responsibilities. 27 and 28 September 2022

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtimes and while in lessons.  Inspectors gathered the views of parents and carers about the school. Inspectors also spoke with staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, science, history and a modern foreign language. Inspectors spoke with staff who lead these subject areas. They visited lessons and spoke with teachers. Inspectors spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples of their work. Inspectors also considered how leaders organise other subjects across the wider curriculum.  Inspectors observed children in the early years and key stage 1 read to a trusted adult.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to the Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Michael Thomas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ania Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 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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