Foxton Primary School

Inspection of Foxton Primary School 11 Hardman Road, Foxton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB22 6RN

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 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 Good 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Foxton Primary School. They feel safe and well cared for by staff. Pupils flourish because the school is welcoming and everyone is treated equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to learn. They respond well to the high expectations that staff have for them. Pupils are enthusiastic and curious to learn something new. They especially enjoy learning about the local area and how it compares with other communities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s values of respect, responsibility and resilience. Pupils learn to be responsible. They help others by taking on roles such as being buddies for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is positive. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to staff. Bullying is rare in this school. If there is any unkindness between pupils, it is dealt with quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The playground is a happy place to be during lunchtimes. Pupils play well together, sharing play equipment fairly and encouraging friends to join with different games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They talk highly of the leaders, teachers and support staff. They value the care and attention that their children receive.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is well structured and ambitious. In most subjects, including reading and mathematics, leaders have thought carefully about what it is that they want pupils to know. Important knowledge is set out in a logical order so that pupils develop their understanding over time. Teachers make links between subjects, so that pupils have opportunities to strengthen the knowledge they have learned across different subjects. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified clearly enough what pupils will learn and when. This means that in some lessons teachers do not focus on the specific knowledge that they want pupils to learn and understand.

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better?

In the early years, learning is carefully planned and skilfully delivered. Adults support children to develop their knowledge and understanding across all areas of the curriculum. Children are well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

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better?

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adapt their teaching and provide pupils with 30 November and 1 December 2022

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personalised support so that any barriers to learning are removed. As a result, pupils with SEND make timely progress and achieve well.

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Leaders have chosen a phonics programme to support the teaching of early reading. The teaching of reading begins as soon as children start in early years. Leaders provide pupils with books to read that are closely matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils who have gaps in their reading knowledge are supported effectively by staff to catch up quickly. Pupils become confident and fluent readers quickly. They read a wide range of texts, which helps them to develop a love of reading.

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During lessons, teachers make sure that pupils listen carefully and follow instructions. Lessons flow smoothly. Pupils share their ideas about their learning and help each other without interruption.

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Leaders check pupils’ attendance closely. They share their high expectations with the parents of any pupils who do not attend school regularly. However, there are still some pupils whose attendance needs to be better so that they can learn more successfully.

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Staff teach pupils about diversity and difference. Pupils understand the meaning of democracy and how this affects them. They can describe how it is used when they decide which charities to support. Pupils model the school’s ethos of always caring for others. The curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe and lead healthy lives.

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Governors bring a wide range of skills and expertise to their role. They have an accurate understanding of the strengths in the school and what needs to improve. Leaders and governors are outward-looking. They have benefited from the guidance provided by the local authority, which has enabled them to further develop subject leadership.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They have put effective systems in place to keep all pupils safe. All staff take their responsibilities for the safeguarding of pupils seriously. They receive thorough training so that they know what to do if they identify any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work with external agencies to make sure that vulnerable pupils and families get the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know who to talk to if they have a worry or a concern. They are confident that staff will help them. Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in public spaces. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the specific knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, teachers have to make decisions about what is taught which are not always as leaders would intend. Leaders should make sure that the agreed subject-specific knowledge is set out explicitly in all subject plans. This will support teachers to teach more effectively.  Leaders check pupils’ attendance regularly. A small number of pupils are still not attending school often enough. Leaders should make sure that all pupils attend school as often as they can so that they benefit fully from the education that the school provides.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241550 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The current headteacher was appointed in January 2022.

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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 received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior teacher, special educational needs coordinator, early years leader, subject leaders, teaching and support staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 30 November and 1 December 2022

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguard lead to discuss the systems and processes in place to keep pupils safe in school. They reviewed the single central record, staff training and recruitment procedures, and records of concern. Inspectors also spoke to teachers, to support staff, pupils and governors about how well pupils are kept safe.  Inspectors reviewed the records of attendance, behaviour and bullying incidents. They spoke with pupils to seek their views and experiences of the school. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during playtimes.

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 Inspectors considered 38 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration 10 staff survey responses and a pupil survey was offered with no responses.

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Inspection team

Rod Warsap, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Pryor Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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