Wintringham Primary Academy

Inspection of Wintringham Primary Academy Nuffield Road, St Neots, Cambridgeshire PE19 0AW

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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 8 and 9 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

New pupils arrive at Wintringham Primary Academy each week, often from other countries. The rich diversity of this rapidly growing school community makes it a welcoming, inclusive place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They are eager to learn and behave very well. There is a strong culture of respect throughout the school. Bullying is not tolerated and adults intervene quickly to resolve friendship issues. Classrooms are calm and purposeful, including in the pre-school, where two- and three-year-olds play and learn harmoniously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils are keen to meet the adults’ expectations and to be ‘the best version of ourselves we can be’. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are encouraged to aim high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Enriching and extending pupils’ life experiences and supporting their well-being are high priorities. Pupils like the memorable trips to places like the O2, Royal Opera House and Hunstanton Beach. They enjoy themed days when specialist visitors, such as archaeologists, teach them new and unusual skills. The school’s dog, Simba, greets pupils in the morning, cheers them up if they are feeling sad and helps them through any tricky moments in the school day.

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better?

Leaders have worked hard to design an ambitious curriculum. It sets out what pupils need to learn and is sequenced to enable them to build knowledge and skills over time. There is a strong focus on vocabulary, so pupils learn the language needed for each subject. The curriculum maps out learning from early years to Year 6. At each stage, it prepares pupils for what they will learn next. Leaders prioritise staff training. They are determined to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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better?

A love of reading is promoted throughout the school. Displays show what teachers are currently reading. Every class has access to ‘100 great reads’ on a shelf in, or outside their classroom. Pupils are keen to read as many of these as they can. Older children in the pre-school learn early reading skills, such as letter and sound recognition. Daily phonics lessons start as soon as they join Reception. Pupils take books home that help them to practise what they have learned. Any pupils with weaker reading skills get the help they need from well-trained staff.

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better?

Teachers know the subjects they teach well and explain things clearly. They make learning fun. Dedicated sessions at the start of lessons enable pupils to revisit their prior learning often. This helps them transfer it to their long-term memory. These sessions also enable teachers to spot any gaps in pupils’ learning. They use these and other checks to identify those pupils who need extra help. Many pupils have 8 and 9 February 2023

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joined the school mid-year from other settings. They have not learned the school’s full curriculum and, in some cases, have significant gaps in their learning. This is a challenge for pupils and teachers. Leaders are aware of it and are making every effort to ensure that these pupils get the support they need to progress.

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Pupils with SEND are identified quickly. They get help to access the full curriculum through adapted tasks, practical resources or extra adults. Leaders liaise with specialist teachers where necessary to ensure that these pupils fulfil their potential and participate fully in school life.

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In the early years, pupils encounter many opportunities to explore and learn through play, indoors and outdoors. Adults model new language and encourage children to practise using it. Children are encouraged to become independent, occasionally taking carefully managed risks. In one activity, Reception children learned a Japanese art technique called hapa zome. They used a hammer and wooden block to make leaf prints on fabric.

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The curriculum for pupils’ wider development is carefully planned. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and economic well-being in personal, social and health education lessons. A programme of assemblies teaches them about resilience, respect and perseverance. They have a well-developed understanding of equality and tolerance. The school council gives them a democratic voice and the eco council enables them to become responsible citizens. Older pupils enjoy special responsibilities, such as being librarians, assembly monitors or playground equipment helpers.

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Senior leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the school as it continues to expand. The trust and local governing board support the leadership team’s school improvement activities. They provide oversight, advice and challenge. Staff enjoy their jobs. They feel valued and know leaders are mindful of their workload. They are all proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know the pupils and their families extremely well. This means they are well placed to spot any signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. All staff are trained and know what to do if they have a concern. Leaders act swiftly when concerns are logged. They build relationships with families and support them if they are vulnerable. Sometimes this means enlisting the support of external agencies. Systems for checking adults who work at the school are robust.

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Safeguarding

Pupils talk confidently about how to stay safe online. They learn about personal safety and safe relationships. 8 and 9 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupil numbers are increasing rapidly. The school is growing in popularity and new pupils are arriving each week into all year groups. These pupils do not always have the prior learning needed to build detailed knowledge and skills across the curriculum, as their previous experiences of school are many and varied. Leaders should continue to refine their systems around assessment to identify these pupils’ needs and in setting up provision to meet their needs. This will enable them to progress rapidly and achieve well in relation to their starting points.

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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. 8 and 9 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255003 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of governing body Annabel van Nieuwkerk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened on 1 September 2018. It is part of the Diamond Learning Partnership Trust (DLPT).  At the time of the inspection, the school was not making use of any alternative provision.  The school has its own pre-school, which takes in two- and three-year-olds.  Wraparound care is provided for the school’s pupils by The Round House Primary Academy, which is also part of the DLPT.

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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, assistant headteacher, inclusion manager, special educational needs coordinator, four 8 and 9 February 2023

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members of the local governing board and three representatives of the DLPT trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, history and art. 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.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and deputy designated safeguarding lead. The team inspector scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. Inspectors also spoke to trust representatives, governors, staff, pupils, and parents and carers to evaluate safeguarding.  Inspectors reviewed a range of other school documentation and policies, including the school development plan and minutes of governor meetings.

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 To gather pupils’ views, inspectors spent time observing and speaking to pupils. There were 36 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.  To gather parents’ views, the lead inspector reviewed the 21 responses and 14 free-text responses submitted to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. The lead inspector also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors gathered staff members’ views by speaking with them in meetings and reviewing the 15 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

Nicola Shadbolt Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 February 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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