Vernon Terrace Primary School

Inspection of Vernon Terrace Primary School Vernon Terrace, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 5HE

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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 6 and 7 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Vernon Terrace is an inclusive school. All pupils are looked after and well cared for. Leaders expect pupils to be successful, enthusiastic learners who are confident and critical thinkers. Pupils do their best to live up to this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils celebrate the wide diversity that makes up their school. As one pupil said: ‘In our school we have different religions, heritages and languages. We embrace our differences and make sure that nobody feels left out.’ Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive. They get the help they need and are fully included in the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They relish being selected for achievement assembly, earning certificates and medals. They enjoy watching the recordings that show how pupils have used their ‘character muscles’. Pupils understand the school’s sanctions. They reflect on the types of behaviour that they see. They understand that some pupils might need extra help to live up to the school’s expectations. They do what they can to support this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupil leadership team members make a positive contribution to the school. They help all pupils to discuss and consider a wide range of issues. Leaders use this to help inform important decisions.

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better?

Teaching pupils to read is a high priority at the school. The school’s phonics programme is comprehensively planned. It makes clear the sounds that pupils should know at each stage of their education. Sounds are taught in a logical order. All staff have been trained to teach phonics. It is taught consistently and effectively. As a result, pupils remember the sounds that they have learned. They use these to read new and more challenging texts.

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better?

Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is not fully sequenced. It sets out what pupils should know and be able to do at the end of each year. However, it does not set out the interim milestones that pupils are expected to achieve.

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better?

Overall, the rest of the school’s curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It builds incrementally on what pupils know and can do. However, much of the curriculum has been implemented recently. It has not yet been taught in full. As a result, pupils have not learned the full breadth of curriculum content. Additionally, in a few subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember.

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better?

The provision for pupils with SEND is a strength of the school. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that pupils’ needs are fully understood by staff and that their learning needs are provided for. Pupils who attend the deaf and partially hearing (DaPH) provision are fully integrated into the life of 6 and 7 December 2022

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the school. British Sign Language is commonly used and understood. Pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs receive well-tailored support. They are prepared well for the next stage of their education.

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Children in the early years are well looked after. They are happy and engaged in their learning. The early years curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It makes clear what children are expected to achieve across each of the areas of learning. It builds incrementally on what children know and can do. Teachers regularly check to see how children are getting on. They adapt their teaching to make sure that no one is left behind.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is comprehensively planned. It is designed specifically for the pupils of the school. Teachers use the curriculum skilfully to address any emerging themes or issues as they arise. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values. Leaders make sure that, over time, all pupils engage with the school’s extra-curricular offer.

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Senior leaders have secured many improvements in a relatively short period of time. They use the full range of information available to them to identify and drive improvements. They have designed and implemented a curriculum that is fit for purpose. They have strengthened subject and phase leadership. They have secured significant improvements in behaviour. They have built a cohesive team of staff who share their ambition. Leaders ensure that pupils are at the heart of every decision they make.

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Governors are committed and ambitious for the school. The use a wide range of information to check on how the school is doing. They provide leaders with an effective level of challenge and support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding procedures are consistently understood and applied. All concerns, regardless of how small they might appear, are recorded and acted upon. The school’s safeguarding team regularly reviews records and incidents to ensure that all pupils get the help that they need. The school offers a wide range of help and support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe in a range of situations. They say that they can talk to any member of staff if they have a worry or concern. 6 and 7 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s reading curriculum does not make clear what pupils are expected to know and be able to do at each point through the year. This means that leaders cannot be sure that content is being taught in the best order. Leaders should ensure that the school’s reading curriculum is fully planned and sequenced.  Some parts of the curriculum are at an early stage of implementation. They have not yet resulted in pupils knowing and remembering the full range of content. Leaders should continue to embed their curriculum, ensuring that it results in pupils knowing and remembering the intended curriculum content.  In some subjects, the curriculum does not make clear the most important content that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means that pupils’ recall of curriculum content is inconsistent. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum, across all subjects, makes clear the most important content that pupils should

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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michael Henderson

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 September 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in January 2021. She appointed a new leadership team early in her tenure.  The school operates an enhanced resource provision for pupils with SEMH needs.  The school operates an enhanced resource provision for pupils who are deaf and partially hearing.  The school does not make use of any alternative education providers.

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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. 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 deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the early years leaders and the SENCo. 6 and 7 December 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and computing. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also looked at curriculum documentation for modern foreign languages and PSHE.  The lead inspector met with seven representatives of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and written comments from parents. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leads. They reviewed school documents, including those relating to safeguarding, governance, behaviour, exclusions, the use of pupil premium and attendance. An inspector visited the school’s Nativity

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play.  An inspector visited the SEND provision for SEMH and DaPH.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Luella Manssen Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 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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