Studfall Infant Academy

Inspection of a good school: Studfall Infant Academy Rowlett Road, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 2BP

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2022

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Outcome

Studfall Infant Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Studfall Infant Academy is a warm and welcoming place. The school’s ethos of ‘nurture, discovery, believe, achieve and shine’ runs through every part of school life. Leaders have created a caring environment where all pupils feel secure and valued. As one pupil, typical of many, said, ‘I feel so safe here because the grown-ups always help you.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders say, ‘Inclusion is in the DNA of Studfall Infants’. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the individual support they need to thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like going to school and they enjoy learning. They are polite and cheerful. Pupils concentrate in lessons and take pride in what they do. They know that bullying is not tolerated at their school. Pupils get on well with each other and follow the ‘golden rules’. They say it is easy to make friends at Studfall Infants because everyone is so kind.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very happy with the school. They recognise the great efforts that staff go to for every pupil.

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

Leaders have organised each subject logically. The things that pupils need to know and do have been set out clearly for most parts of the curriculum. This helps pupils build on what they have learned before. In geography, for instance, pupils in Year 2 add to what they already know about the United Kingdom and its capital cities by learning about the surrounding seas. They also develop their geographical fieldwork skills by creating their own maps with keys to explain where things are. However, some parts of the curriculum do not set out clearly enough about what pupils need to know and remember. Where this is the case, pupils do not develop a deep understanding of what they are learning.

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

Children get off to a good start in the early years. There is a sharp focus on developing pupils’ language through stories, rhymes and songs. For example, nursery children can 22 and 23 November 2022

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learn the names for different colours from a story about colour mixing. Teachers share the joy of reading every day. Pupils love listening to their teachers read expressively at story time.

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Leaders have made sure that all staff know how to teach the school’s new phonics programme well. Staff use the same method in all classes to help pupils sound words out. For instance, pupils use their ‘robot arms’ to separate the different sounds that letters make. Any pupil who is behind where they need to be with their phonics is given additional support straight away to help them keep up. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the letter sounds they know. However, some pupils do not read as fluently as they need to. This is because they sometimes sound out words when they do not need to. When they read with pupils, some staff do not make sure that pupils know what fluent sentence reading should sound like.

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Pupils really enjoy mathematics. Teachers ensure that pupils know precise mathematical vocabulary. Pupils benefit from watching their teachers show them what to do and having resources on their tables to help them count. For example, Year 2 pupils confidently use counters and number blocks to help them subtract from a two-digit number.

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The leader with responsibility for SEND ensures that all pupils get the right support to help them to learn the curriculum. Teachers adapt lessons to ensure pupils’ individual needs are met. Those pupils who are part of the school’s sunshine class benefit from a nurturing environment and bespoke support. Parents of pupils with SEND appreciate the great lengths that the school goes to care for their children.

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Leaders have given careful consideration to pupils’ personal development. Pupils take part in significant national and local events. They visit places of importance linked to the religious education, history and geography curriculums. Pupils have the chance to take on responsibilities and to attend a range of clubs. They show respectful and positive attitudes towards difference and diversity.

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Trustees and representatives of the Greenwood Academies Trust have a clear vision for the school. They know what is working well and what they need to work on next. Staff appreciate the professional support they receive from the trust.

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Leaders give careful consideration to the workload and well-being of staff. Staff enjoy working at Studfall Infant Academy. They like the team ethos at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Everyone at Studfall Infants knows their role in keeping pupils safe from harm. Staff have been well trained. They know the signs to look out for that might show that a someone is in need of help. Staff swiftly report any concerns. Record-keeping is detailed and secure. The leaders with responsibility for safeguarding work well with other agencies to secure support for pupils when it is needed. They make sure circumstances improve for pupils 22 and 23 November 2022

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where they need to. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They know that the adults in school are there for them if they have any worries.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum thinking is not as clear as it needs to be in some aspects of some subjects. This means that pupils do not develop a deep understanding in all areas of the subjects they study. Leaders need to continue to refine their curriculum thinking in some foundation subjects so the key knowledge that pupils need to remember is precisely defined and checked in all subjects.  A new phonics programme has been recently introduced. Leaders have ensured that it is taught well by all adults. However, some pupils do not read as fluently as they could. This is because they sometimes sound out words when they do not need to. When reading with pupils, staff do not always make sure that pupils know what a fluent sentence reading should sound like. Leaders should ensure that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading fluency so that pupils get the help the need to become fluent readers as quickly as possible.

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Background

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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Studfall Infant School, to be good in October 2012.

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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. 22 and 23 November 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. 22 and 23 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10242243 Type of school Infant

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Greenwood Academy Trust in June 2018. When its predecessor school, Studfall Infant School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The school has a special educational needs provision for pupils with severe learning difficulties.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For the deep dives, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 22 and 23 November 2022

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 The inspector also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector met with the principal, vice principal, curriculum leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff. The inspector met with the leaders responsible for pupils with SEND, behaviour and personal development.  The inspector met with the designated leader for safeguarding to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  The inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 read to a familiar adult. The inspector met with groups of pupils from across the school.  The inspector met with representatives of the trust.

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 The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff survey.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 22 and 23 November 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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