Queen Eleanor Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Queen Eleanor Primary Academy Queen Eleanor Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 8NN

p.1

Outcome

Queen Eleanor Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this inclusive school. They say that everyone is welcome and quickly becomes part of the school family. Pupils respect their caring teachers, who frequently go above and beyond to help them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from visits to museums and local landmarks. They enjoy experiences that challenge them personally, such as zip-wiring. Pupils appreciate opportunities to develop their interests in sport and music. They care about the world around them and fundraise for various charities. Pupils in key stage 2 relish different responsibilities, such as being anti-bullying ambassadors.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils aim to be ‘ready, respectful and safe’. They behave well. They are proud to receive awards for demonstrating the school’s values. These include for being courteous and collaborative. They say that bullying is rare. Staff help pupils to deal with any fallings out fairly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils to achieve and to be equipped for their future. Pupils are enthusiastic and keen to learn. Many pupils rapidly develop their vocabulary. This helps them to explain their ideas. Pupils benefit from reading a variety of books. They are confident when solving problems in mathematics. They are helped to be successful in many subjects.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

All leaders and staff are determined to give every pupil a good education. Leaders set high expectations. Staff work as a team to provide a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Subject leaders have identified the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know in all subjects. Leaders work closely with the trust to provide teachers with subject guidance. These improvements help to ensure that pupils know and remember 7 and 8 March 2023

p.1

2

more over time. Many subject leaders are new to their roles. They are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subjects they are starting to lead. However, they do not yet support teachers to implement some subjects consistently well.

p.2

2

Leaders have ensured that reading is a priority. In Nursery Year, teachers ensure that children listen carefully to rhymes, songs and stories. This helps children to be ready to learn phonics from the start of Reception Year. Pupils read books that match their reading abilities. Leaders check and make sure that pupils in key stage 2 continue to read with confidence. Teachers read to pupils every day. They carefully explain the meaning of complex language and new vocabulary. Leaders have reviewed and improved the range of books pupils study. These include poetry books, stories and non-fiction titles. Consequently, pupils are building their love of reading.

p.2

2

In mathematics, teachers follow an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. Teachers have good subject knowledge. This enables them to spot pupils’ errors and misconceptions quickly. Teachers regularly check what pupils have remembered. These checks quickly identify any mathematical knowledge that pupils need to revisit. Pupils use appropriate resources to demonstrate their knowledge and problem-solving skills. Most pupils are progressing well through the mathematics curriculum.

p.2

2

Leaders place high importance on building pupils’ language and improving their vocabulary. This particularly helps pupils for whom English is an additional language. As a result, pupils’ confidence in explaining their understanding of what they learn and think increases as they move through the school.

p.2

2

Staff accurately identify the barriers for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their gaps in knowledge. Sensitive and careful support is helping pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. However, leaders do not check that this extra help matches the precise support that these pupils need. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not make the progress that they should.

p.2

2

Children in early years make a strong start to their schooling. Staff ensure that children are safe and happy. Children settle in well and quickly learn appropriate routines. Staff help children to build their learning through interesting and purposeful activities, both in the classroom and outside. Leaders make sure that children are ready for Year 1.

p.2

2

Leaders prioritise pupils’ mental health and their physical well-being. Pupils learn about different beliefs and family structures. Leaders have ensured that pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships education. They are being prepared well for life in modern Britain.

p.2

2

The overwhelming majority of parents and carers appreciate that their children are happy and safe. New staff value the thorough training and induction provided. Most staff say that leaders treat them fairly and with respect. Leaders continue to find ways to streamline procedures to improve staff workload and well-being. Staff say that they are well supported by the trust, and by leaders and colleagues. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders put pupils’ well-being first. Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when online. Pupils say that they feel safe because adults listen and help.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders provide frequent safeguarding training for staff. Staff know to pass on any concerns about pupils, no matter how small these may seem. Leaders ensure that safeguarding records are robust, and subsequent actions are appropriate. Recruitment processes are thorough.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders understand their community well. They work effectively with external organisations. They are tenacious in securing help for pupils and their families when required.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 New subject leaders are still developing some aspects of their leadership skills, particularly in checking how well the curriculum is being implemented. As a result, they have not yet provided clear guidance to teachers about how to improve the teaching of some subjects. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the skills and expertise they need to lead their subjects and support teachers effectively.  Teachers do not always adapt learning well enough to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Some pupils with SEND cannot always access learning as well as they should. They do not make as much progress as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers provide pupils with SEND with precise support to help them achieve well.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2017. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.4

Date of previous inspection

5 and 6 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in September 2020 and April 2021 respectively. Five teachers have joined the school during the past 18 months.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school runs before- and after-school clubs.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. A meeting was held with members of the academy improvement board, including the chair.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including school policies.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. This included meeting with subject leaders, visiting lessons and speaking with teachers and pupils. 7 and 8 March 2023

p.5

6

The inspector listened to pupils reading to adults, considered leaders’ curriculum plans and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also met with other subject leaders and looked at curriculum documentation and samples of pupils’ work for some other subjects.  The inspector met with groups of pupils. She visited the lunch hall and playground during social times.  The single central record was scrutinised as part of the inspection of safeguarding. The inspector met with safeguarding leaders, spoke with a range of staff and pupils, and considered safeguarding records.  The inspector spoke with parents at the end of the school day. She reviewed the pupil, staff and parental responses to Ofsted’s respective online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Mandy Wilding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 March 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7