Moulton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Inspection of Moulton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School School Road, Moulton, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 8PR

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 13 and 14 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Moulton CEVC pupils love coming to school. They feel safe in this welcoming, inclusive environment, where they blossom and grow.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a strong culture of aspiration at the school. Pupils rise to adults’ high expectations and achieve well across the curriculum, particularly in reading and mathematics. Every pupil is encouraged to reach their full potential, regardless of their starting point.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave extremely well and have beautiful manners. They show respect for each other, the adults who work with them and visitors. Their classrooms are calm spaces, where they can concentrate and learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s approach to unkind behaviour reflects its Christian ethos - it simply is not tolerated. Pupils demonstrate the school’s core values of community, individuality and responsibility at all times. They say bullying does not happen and they trust staff to deal with any unkindness quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their learning beyond the curriculum. Older pupils are proud to be junior librarians or members of the mental health team. These responsibilities enable them to act as excellent role models and help them develop a sense of community. A carefully planned programme of trips and extra-curricular activities enriches pupils’ experiences and develops their talents.

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better?

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum. It sets out clearly the key knowledge and skills pupils should learn. The curriculum starts in Reception and gradually builds, preparing pupils well for each phase of their education. It is topic based, helping pupils to make connections between subject areas. The school’s core values are cleverly threaded through it, so that these can be developed at every opportunity. For example, in history, individuality is reinforced when pupils learn about significant historical figures, such as Boudicca or Guy Fawkes.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and choose activities that bring learning to life. They teach the key vocabulary needed for each lesson very well and pupils use this confidently. Teachers do not put a limit on their expectations of pupils. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson, pupils reading about William the Conqueror’s early life understood and explored the issue of ‘illegitimacy barred succession’.

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better?

Teachers’ well-planned activities ensure that pupils learn the ambitious curriculum. Pupils confidently make connections between what they learned in the past and what they are currently learning. Year 6 pupils recalled building simple circuits in a Year 4 science lesson. This prepared them for making a buzzer game using a more complex circuit in Year 6. 13 and 14 December 2022

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Teachers check pupils’ understanding often. This enables them to identify those who need extra help. They set this up quickly, so pupils are ready for the next step. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are exceptionally well supported, through technology, adapted tasks and skilled adults. They are fully integrated in school life and make strong progress against their starting points.

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Reading is a priority. The well-stocked library is overseen by the junior librarians. They keep it tidy, manage computerised borrowing and returns, recommend books and lead story time. Pupils read widely and love listening to their teachers read stories to them. The school follows its chosen phonics programme with great consistency. This starts in Reception, so pupils quickly learn what they need to become fluent readers. Their progress in reading is rigorously monitored, so those who need help get it promptly.

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The early years curriculum is ambitious and carefully planned. Children take turns, share and get along extremely well. Adults’ interactions with them are nurturing and considered, so that children learn as they play. In the outdoor area, children excitedly discussed with an adult what might have caused patterns in the snow.

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Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are excellent. They show curiosity in lessons and have high levels of resilience. They say, ‘If you make a mistake, just try again.’ Low- level disruption to learning very rarely happens. Staff are well trained in supporting pupils to make the right behaviour choices.

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Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their future lives. They learn to be good citizens, fundraising for charities, litter-picking locally and considering ways of reducing their use of plastics. A partnership with a nearby secondary school prepares key stage 2 pupils for moving on, through a programme of visits. Talks for older pupils help them discover career options. As a church school, Moulton CEVC focuses strongly on values and spirituality. Pupils learn about many of the world’s major religions and understand diversity.

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Senior leaders are determined to improve the life chances of all pupils at the school. They prioritise staff training, so pupils get high-quality teaching. Governors share leaders’ uncompromising vision for continuous improvement. They visit often, ensuring they have strong oversight of school activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a culture of safeguarding in the school. All staff know what to look out for and are quick to report any concerns to the safeguarding leaders. This leads to effective support being put in place for vulnerable pupils and families. Sometimes, leaders liaise with external agencies for additional help or advice. The school ensures new members of staff are properly checked and vetted before starting work. 13 and 14 December 2022

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Pupils understand the risks associated with the internet and know how to keep themselves safe on and offline. They are quick to share any worries they may have with adults in school.

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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. 13 and 14 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241277 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 5 and 6 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs its own breakfast club. After-school care is provided by a registered provider, Fit for Sport.  At the time of the inspection, the school was not using any 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 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, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, three members of the governing body and one early career teacher. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority and a representative from the diocese on the telephone. 13 and 14 December 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, science and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. Inspectors looked at evidence from other subjects, including art, geography, history and religious education.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL. They scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. Inspectors also spoke to governors, staff and pupils to evaluate safeguarding.  Inspectors reviewed a range of other school documentation and policies, including the school development plan and minutes of governor meetings.  To gather pupils’ views, inspectors spent time observing and speaking to pupils.

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There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.  To gather parents’ views, the lead inspector reviewed the 62 responses and 46 free-text responses submitted to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors gathered staff members’ views by speaking to several of them and reviewing the 21 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Rod Warsap Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 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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