Thythorn Field Community Primary School

Inspection of Thythorn Field Community Primary School Bideford Close, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 2QU

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘Be the best version of you’, the school’s motto, is lived out by pupils at Thythorn Field. They like school because it is a happy, calm and orderly place to learn. As one pupil told inspectors, ‘We want everyone to be good at learning.’ The school’s behaviour system helps pupils to understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils listen well to differing viewpoints, showing respect and tolerance. Those who need social and emotional support are encouraged to attend clubs that are linked to their interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they feel safe. Most parents and carers agree. As one parent said, ‘It is a caring school.’ Pupils know that they can talk to adults in school if they have any worries. They know that these adults will help them. Pupils know that adults will quickly resolve any rare instances of bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum helps pupils to understand what being a good citizen means. The ‘character rangers’ help pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning. Pupils understand that everyone is equal. They know they have their ‘own voice’ that will be heard. However, some of the school’s curriculum is not well sequenced yet. Some children do not learn to read as quickly and efficiently as they could.

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better?

Senior leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s next steps. They have put clear plans in place to improve subject leadership and the school’s curriculum. However, many of these changes are in the early stages and are not yet fully established. The governing body makes rigorous checks on leaders’ actions. It is beginning to hold leaders to account for progress the school makes.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is in development. In some subjects, leaders have carefully considered what pupils need to know and when. However, this is not consistent across the whole curriculum. In many subjects, it is not clear what key knowledge pupils need to know, including in early years. This does not help pupils to learn and remember more of the curriculum as they progress through the school.

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better?

Teachers are developing their understanding of what it means to be a subject leader. Many have received training. Senior leaders have supported them to develop their understanding of how to make checks in their area of responsibility. However, many subject leaders are at the early stages of helping teachers to understand how to deliver their subject area consistently well. Often, pupils recall the events and the experiences they have had instead of the key knowledge that was being taught. This does not help them to get better at a subject.

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better?

Leaders want all children to develop a love of reading. Leaders use books to help pupils to make sense of relationships, communities and complex ideas about the world. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Leaders have recently changed the school’s early reading programme. Teachers have received training in how to teach it. However, some parts of the programme are not delivered well. Aspects of the programme that pupils find tricky are not given enough emphasis. This does not help the weakest readers to quickly learn to read.

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High expectations for pupils’ behaviour are evident across the school. Leaders’ actions have helped previously vulnerable pupils to be successful and to be part of the school community.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a curriculum that is well matched to their needs. However, adults in school do not reliably encourage all pupils to use their knowledge independently or with accuracy. Not all staff have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. Too many pupils do not use what they already know, and make errors because high expectations are not enforced.

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Relationships in early years are supportive and secure. Children enjoy exploring the outdoor environment. For example, they explore the language of colour and texture while collecting autumn leaves. They develop their social and communication knowledge. However, the early years curriculum is not sufficiently sequenced. It does not help all adults in school to have a clear oversight of what children in early years need to know, and by when.

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Pupils learn about communities and faiths that are different from their own. When it is helpful, leaders adapt the personal development programme so that they can address issues that are current for the pupils at the school. This helps pupils to understand the consequences of their behaviour, beliefs and actions.

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Teachers enjoy working at this school because it is ‘like a family’. They appreciate the efforts that leaders make to reduce their workload and support their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Teachers help pupils to understand the potential risks they may face when online. Pupils know how to report concerns should anything worry them.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff have training to help them know the potential signs of abuse. Staff are vigilant. Any concerns they may have are swiftly reported to the school’s safeguarding leaders. Leaders have robust systems to record concerns. They ensure that these records help them to understand any changes in a pupil’s behaviour. Where needed, leaders ensure that vulnerable families receive the right support from external agencies. 11 and 12 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff have varying degrees of confidence when delivering phonics lessons. Aspects of the programme that pupils find challenging are not given sufficient emphasis. This is preventing some pupils, particularly the weakest readers, from learning to read confidently and fluently. Leaders should ensure that early reading is taught effectively.  The curriculum in some subjects does not identify the key knowledge that pupils need to know from early years to Year 6. As a result, pupils across all year groups do not know and remember the school’s curriculum well enough. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is planned precisely in each subject for all year groups, including in early years.  Subject leaders are in the early stages of understanding how to lead their area of responsibility. They have not acquired the expertise they need to lead their subjects. This limits their ability to bring about improvements to the curriculum

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

and pupils’ achievement. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the necessary knowledge and skills to lead their subject areas successfully.  Some adults do not have high enough expectations of what all pupils can achieve, including those pupils with SEND. This hinders some pupils’ ability to develop their knowledge, skills and abilities with increasing fluency and independence. Leaders must ensure that all adults have high expectations, so that all pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

24 and 25 September 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up post in September 2021. The deputy headteacher was appointed in the summer term of 2022. There have been some changes in governance since the previous inspection.  The school uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 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 held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and the early years leader.  The lead inspector met with two members of the local governing body and held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority. 11 and 12 October 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Pupils were also observed reading to a member of staff.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, and at breaktime and lunchtime. They spoke to pupils and staff about their views on behaviour.  Inspectors checked the school’s arrangements for safeguarding through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils. Inspectors scrutinised a range of safeguarding documents, including the school’s single central record.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Corner-Brown Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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