Kingsley Primary School

Inspection of Kingsley Primary School Wallace Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN2 7EE

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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 13 and 14 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are incredibly happy and feel safe at this welcoming, inclusive school. They are confident and proud to talk about their school. They say that everyone is friendly and that teachers are nice and polite. Pupils understand the importance of respecting difference. They show this in their behaviours towards each other. The school’s tag line, ‘We are Kingsley’, gives pupils a real sense of place and belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils to achieve as well as they can. Staff encourage pupils to know and follow the ‘RAISE’ values of ‘respect, aspiration, integrity, synergy and endeavour’. Pupils have a particularly good understanding of the meaning of these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is calm and orderly, and pupils behave well. The majority of pupils are polite and well-mannered. They show respect to adults and to their peers. Pupils are ready to learn in lessons, and most enjoy learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They would highly recommend it to other parents. One parent, typical of many, stated, ‘Kingsley is a wonderful school, with caring, supportive teachers that go beyond to ensure children have a great learning experience.’

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. It builds on the knowledge pupils should know over time. Most teachers deliver key concepts clearly to pupils. The activities are well matched to what teachers want pupils to know. The work in books is of a high standard and shows pupils’ pride in their work.

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better?

Teachers check what pupils know at the start of each lesson. Pupils know this helps them to retain the knowledge they learn. Most pupils are able to remember key learning in their subjects. Leaders know how well pupils achieve in mathematics and reading. They do not yet have an overview of pupils’ achievement in all subjects, including science and physical education.

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better?

Reading starts in the early years. All staff are trained to teach the phonics scheme. The teaching of phonics is strong and well led. Pupils in Reception and key stage 1 read with confidence. This includes pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pupils who struggle to read get the support they need to help them catch up. Pupils enjoy reading and know they will improve by practising often. They enjoy visiting the well-stocked library and have access to the books they enjoy.

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better?

Children in the early years get off to a good start. They enjoy learning and playing together. They follow well-established routines. The environment is vocabulary-rich. It supports children’s language and communication skills well. Learning is purposeful and children know what they are doing. They enjoy mathematics and can remember their previous learning well. Children have many opportunities to write at length. 13 and 14 June 2023

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Some children’s handwriting is well developed for their age and stage. They are well prepared for Year 1.

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Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have access to support to help them achieve their best in lessons. Teachers adapt opportunities for pupils with SEND to learn the curriculum through the use of widgets, resources and preteaching. This practice is not yet consistent in all classes.

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Pupils who speak English as an additional language are very well supported and access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Most pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. There are times when some pupils become passive learners. They sit back in lessons and do not engage actively with the learning. This happens in some lessons where teaching is not as strong as it could be.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. Pupils have an excellent understanding of fundamental British values and protected characteristics. They know to respect people’s differences. Many pupils say: ‘We are all special and unique and it does not matter what we look like. It’s the person inside that counts.’

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Pupils enjoy rich experiences of cultures and other faiths, including visits to a local mandir and mosque. These visits support pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different faiths and cultures well. There are opportunities for pupils to learn about different career options, including, for example, at the recent hands-on motor-sport workshop. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Leaders have worked hard to make the necessary changes to the curriculum and have the full support of all staff. There is a culture of trust, and staff feel well supported by leaders. Staff say that their well-being and workload are well considered. They are all proud to work at this school.

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Governors and members of the trust work well with leaders. They act to support and challenge leaders effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. All staff receive training and regular updates to help them identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff report concerns to leaders. Vulnerable pupils are regularly monitored. Leaders ensure that they take the necessary actions to keep pupils safe. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to get pupils the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They know what to do if they have any worries or concerns. 13 and 14 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are not yet checking what pupils know in some subjects, such as in physical education and science. They do not have an overview of how well all pupils, including those with SEND, are achieving in these respective subjects. Leaders should ensure that they and subject leaders have a clear understanding of pupils’ achievement across all subjects, so that they can make sure that all pupils receive the right support to achieve as highly as they should across the whole curriculum.

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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 June 2023

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School details

Website https://www.kingsleyprimary.net/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school uses the services of a third party to deliver breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with: the headteacher; the deputy headteacher; the assistant headteacher; trust leaders, including the chief executive officer and the school improvement lead; members of the board of trustees, including the chair; and the chair of the local academy committee.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history and physical education. The inspectors met with 13 and 14 June 2023

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subject leaders, teachers and groups of pupils. They visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding procedures, including the single central record and child protection and safeguarding policies. She met with the designated leads for safeguarding.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online parental survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors considered the views of staff gathered through meetings with groups of staff and through responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for school staff.  The inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  The inspectors met with pupils both formally and informally and considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.  The inspectors looked at documents relating to self-evaluation, school improvement, attendance and behaviour, the curriculum and governance.

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Inspection team

Anita Denman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chrissie Barrington Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 June 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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