St Andrew's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School Grafton Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN16 9DF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an extremely inclusive and welcoming school. Pupils get on well with each other. They are caring and kind. They enjoy positive relationships with staff. Staff hold pupils’ interests at the heart of all that they do. Pupils know that staff care for them and they appreciate this. Pupils ‘LOVE’ (live our values every day) the school’s values and endeavour to demonstrate them in their daily lives, both at school and at home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles. They can stand to be elected as a school captain or member of the school parliament. Others take on roles such as digital leaders. Pupils feel listened to. Pupils know that they make a positive contribution to the school and wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports and music. These enhance the daily curriculum and ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy a wide range of experiences. Pupils enjoy playing with friends in the school’s well-resourced playground.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and what they can achieve. Pupils are keen to meet these expectations. Most pupils enjoy coming to school. A small number of pupils do not attend regularly and miss out on the range of opportunities the school provides.

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better?

The trust has taken swift and decisive action to bring about the improvements to safeguarding arrangements that were urgently needed. They have provided effective support and challenge. This includes bespoke, intense training and strengthened monitoring arrangements.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Pupils study a wide range of subjects. Sufficient time is devoted to each subject to enable pupils to develop a depth of understanding. In most subjects, leaders have identified the most important knowledge they want pupils to learn. Subject curriculums are well planned and sequenced to support pupils to build their knowledge over time. This starts in the early years and builds through to Year 6. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to revisit knowledge and practise skills. Assessment is developing in many subjects. It is more effective in some subjects than others. Pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as other pupils. Leaders ensure that these pupils’ needs are accurately identified and that teachers know how to support them. Pupils with SEND are well catered for and as a consequence, they do well.

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better?

Subject leaders are passionate about their subjects. They work hard to enrich the curriculum. This promotes a love of the subject and provides pupils with cultural capital. 17 and 18 May 2023

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Reading is a high priority throughout the school, starting in the early years. Pupils learn phonics as soon as they start school. The reading curriculum is carefully planned. Pupils who may be at risk of falling behind get the extra help they need. Pupils read books that match their reading ability. This helps to develop their fluency. Reading is taught well throughout the school. Pupils recognise the importance of reading. They know that being able to read well helps them in all areas of the curriculum and prepares them well for life. They also appreciate reading for its own sake. As one pupil put it: ‘Reading fuels our imagination!’ Pupils develop a love of reading.

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Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They are happy and take part in all that the school offers with excitement. The curriculum is well thought out. Staff prioritise developing children’s speech and language. The environment is vibrant and stimulating. It offers a wide range of activities to help children to develop and practise their early mathematics, early reading and physical development. Children are well prepared for the next stages in their education.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development exceptionally well. The school’s values permeate everything that happens in school. They are interwoven throughout the curriculum. Pupils and staff consider and reflect the values in their behaviour and attitudes. Pupils are proud to complete their ‘value passports’ and wear their ‘value badges’ with pride. Pupils celebrate their own and others’ achievements. They make a positive contribution to the community, such as through fundraising. Pupils learn about diversity. They embrace differences in others. Pupils learn about different faiths and values. Pupils develop as responsible citizens and compassionate individuals during their time at the school.

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Pupils behave very well in lessons and around school. Peer mediators help to resolve any minor issues when pupils fall out at playtime. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. They recognise that making mistakes helps them to learn. They demonstrate resilience. Most pupils attend well. Leaders have worked hard to support the small number of pupils who struggle to attend regularly. Nevertheless, some pupils remain persistently absent. They miss out on the richness of experiences and opportunities that the school provides.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders, including those from the trust. Leaders consider staff’s workload and support their professional development well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. The safeguarding team is well led by a knowledgeable designated safeguarding lead, who is well supported by a caring and efficient team. There are clear processes in place to identify and support pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders take quick action when concerns are raised. They involve external agencies and are tenacious in following up concerns. 17 and 18 May 2023

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Staff are well trained and know their responsibilities to safeguard children. They are vigilant in reporting their concerns.

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Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They know who to go to if they have a concern. They know they will be listened to. They know that staff will help them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not fully developed in all subjects. Teachers do not always identify pupils’ misconceptions. Leaders should develop assessment in foundation subjects to ensure that pupils’ understanding is secure before moving on to the next stage in their learning.  Some pupils, particularly those with SEND, are persistently absent. Leaders should continue to work with families to support them to overcome barriers to attending regularly, so that pupils do not miss out on all that the school offers.

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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. 17 and 18 May 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 to 12 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in 2016. Its next section 48 inspection is due next year.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 17 and 18 May 2023

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and geography. For each deep dive, the 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 pupils’ work.  An inspector listened to a range of pupils reading, and met with a group of pupils to discuss their experiences of reading.  The inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders, including leaders from the trust. The lead inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the school’s arrangements for safeguarding, the lead inspector reviewed the school’s policies, procedures and records. She met with the designated safeguarding lead and safeguarding team. Inspectors also

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spoke with staff, trustees and pupils about the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from all years.  An inspector spoke with some parents at the start and end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Deborah Mosley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Di Mullan His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 May 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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