Olympic Primary

Inspection of Olympic Primary Olympic Way, Wellingborough NN8 3QA

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 24 and 25 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to achieve highly in all subjects and the wider curriculum. Their aims are based on an ethos of respect, honesty, kindness, responsibility and aspiration. These five values influence every aspect of school life. Leaders have ensured that pupils have a deep understanding of what they mean. For instance, pupils told inspectors that aspiration is about ‘motivation and desire’, ‘being the best you can be’, ‘pushing yourself to be more and do more’ and ‘improving your work, day by day’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff reward pupils for demonstrating the school’s values. Pupils are keen to do this, earning points on their class chart as they do. This positive approach has led to significant improvements in behaviour. Classrooms are calm, purposeful places where pupils can focus on their learning. Pupils are kind towards each other. They use the school’s ‘ABC (Agree, Build, Challenge)’ strategy to discuss things in a polite and respectful manner.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe at Olympic Primary. They report that bullying is not an issue at their school. Pupils know that staff will help them resolve any problems they may have. They told inspectors, ‘Teachers care for you here, and they check that you are OK.’

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better?

Leaders have set out an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need from the early years through to Year 6. Subjects have been planned in ‘pathways’ to show how learning builds over time. Staff follow these plans closely so that pupils meet new knowledge and skills in a logical order. Pupils use the ‘pathways’ to link what they are learning now to what they have been taught in the past.

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better?

Staff have good subject knowledge. They show pupils what they need to do through the ‘I do, we do, you do’ approach. Staff encourage independent learning by asking pupils to work through the ‘Five Bs (Brain, Board, Book, Buddy, Boss)’ when they have a problem. Staff adapt lessons to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These changes ensure that pupils with SEND learn the full curriculum.

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better?

In some subjects, the school’s well-planned curriculum has not yet led to the high attainment outcomes that leaders want. Some pupils do not remember the important things they need to know with a sufficient depth of understanding. This is because staff do not check precisely enough on how well pupils are doing during some lessons. As a result, misconceptions are sometimes not put right straight away, and pupils do not spend enough time going over the things they have found more difficult. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Leaders are doing everything they can to raise attainment in reading. Learning to read begins as soon as children join Olympic Primary. Leaders have ensured that all staff have the expertise they need to teach pupils how to read. There is a very consistent approach to the teaching of phonics across the school. Using the ‘my turn, your turn’ approach, staff show pupils how to use their ‘robot arms’ to sound out and blend letter sounds into whole words. Every afternoon, pupils go over the letter sounds from the morning. This helps to keep phonic knowledge fresh in their mind. Many children in Reception already know that a trigraph is one sound made by three letters and they can give examples, such as ‘ear’ and ‘igh’. The books pupils take home to read contain letter sounds that they know so they can become confident, fluent readers. Leaders check closely on pupils’ progress. If any pupil needs extra help, they are given it straight away.

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Leaders monitor pupils’ behaviour and attendance on a weekly basis. They use this analysis to quickly respond to any issues that arise.

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The school’s personal development programme has been planned carefully. Teachers link what they do in the classroom to career paths. Pupils told inspectors: ‘In every lesson, there is a part about how it might help you in later life. For example, in science, we learn how what we do could help us to be a doctor.’ Pupils learn that healthy relationships are based on trust and honesty. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. However, they are far less knowledgeable about British values, protected characteristics and world faiths.

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Staff are very proud to work at Olympic Primary. They recognise that the school has improved considerably since it was taken over by Lion Academy Trust. However, some teachers shared concerns about their workload. Leaders are keen to work with staff to drive down workload further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff know about current safeguarding issues by providing weekly updates. Staff know how to report concerns using the school’s referral system. Leaders have adapted the curriculum so that pupils learn about the risks and issues in their local area. Those with responsibility for safeguarding make sure that pupils get the support they need swiftly. Leaders regularly meet to review safeguarding concerns and check that things are improving for pupils.

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Safeguarding

Pupils share any worries they might have. They told inspectors, ‘We know to talk to one of our five trusted adults on our five fingers.’

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes staff do not check precisely enough on pupils’ progress during 24 and 25 January 2023

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lessons. This means that some pupils do not always fully understand and remember what they are expected to know. Without placing any unnecessary burdens on staff or pupils, leaders must refine their approach to assessment so that teachers quickly pick up on any misconceptions and spend time going over the things that pupils find more difficult.  Pupils lack knowledge about diversity and equality. This means they are not as prepared as they need to be for life in modern Britain. Leaders should review their curriculum offer to ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of British values, protected characteristics and world faiths.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Headteacher Matthew Bolger (Head of School)

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Lion Academy Trust in September 2018. When its predecessor school, Olympic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement.  The current head of school was appointed in April 2022.  The school makes use of one 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, art and design and physical education. For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and 24 and 25 January 2023

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looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the associate leader, curriculum leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff. Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for the early years, pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the

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school.  The lead inspector met the chair of the trust, as well as the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors 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

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Inspection team

Jamie Nairn Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023

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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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