Camp Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Camp Primary and Nursery School Camp Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 5PG

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Outcome

Camp Primary and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They are safe and happy. They say lessons are fun and teachers are kind. Bullying is rare. Pupils trust the adults and the peer mediators to help them sort out any friendship problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and friendly. They try hard to keep the school’s golden rules, which are: be kind, be respectful, be safe and try your best. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm. Pupils strive to meet adults’ high expectations for behaviour and for learning. Any pupils who struggle with their behaviour receive the support they need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to thrive beyond the classroom. Older pupils apply for special roles, such as sports councillors, librarians and eco-councillors. Year 5 pupils act as buddies for children in Reception. These relationships are an important part of the school’s nurturing culture.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the trips they go on. Visits to places of worship, for example, enhance their knowledge of world religions. A programme of assemblies teaches them about important attributes such as perseverance and resilience. The richness of the school community supports pupils’ appreciation of diversity. This is strengthened by inspirational visitors, such as the world’s tallest man.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. It sets out the knowledge and skills pupils must learn and when they should learn them. This starts with the youngest children. For example, in mathematics, children in the Reception class use practical resources and games to develop confidence with numbers. In art, children in Nursery create paintings inspired by different artists. They use a range of tools including brushes, leaves and bubble wrap. This curriculum prepares children well for their learning in Year 1. 11 and 12 July 2023

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Teachers know the subjects they teach well. From the early years to Year 6, they ensure pupils learn the vocabulary they need for each subject or new topic. Teachers provide a good range of interactive and practical activities. Pupils enjoy their learning and try their hardest to produce their best work.

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Teachers use a range of methods of assessment. They use questioning skilfully to check pupils’ understanding. They give pupils immediate verbal feedback in lessons to support their progress. Teachers revisit what has been learned before often, to help pupils remember it. After lessons, teachers sometimes give pupils written feedback in their books, in line with the school’s policy. They prompt corrections or pose further questions. Pupils do not act on feedback routinely enough. When this happens, some pupils’ misconceptions are not dealt with. Their progress may be slowed as a result.

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Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified early. Leaders and teachers work closely with parents and pupils to review how well pupils are doing. They ensure that they provide the right support at the right time so that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers successfully. Pupils with SEND learn and achieve well.

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The school promotes a love of reading. Pupil librarians keep the recently refurbished library tidy. Carefully chosen texts support pupils’ learning in all subjects. Phonics is taught well. Pupils in Reception and key stage 1 take home books that are matched to the sounds they are learning. Any pupils with gaps in their learning get rapid support to keep up or catch up. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors. Their reading diet is rich and varied. Pupils learn to read fluently and enjoy reading.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ learning goes beyond the academic. Pupils enjoy regular group singing sessions. All pupils have a chance to learn to play instruments such as the recorder and the ukulele. Their understanding of healthy eating is reinforced by regular trips to the school allotment, where they grow a range of fruit and vegetables. Pupils have a solid understanding of democracy and equality. This includes younger pupils, who enjoy recalling what they know about the suffragettes.

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Staff appreciate leaders’ efforts to reduce their workload, through the recently introduced assessment policy, for example. Staff are proud to work at the school. Governors have a clear picture of the school’s strengths. They support leaders’ work to drive further improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff and governors are trained in safeguarding. Staff report any concerns they have promptly. Leaders act decisively to ensure that the right support is in place for any vulnerable pupils. They seek advice from external professionals if they need to. 11 and 12 July 2023

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The system for vetting adults who work at the school is thorough. Leaders and governors ensure that the appropriate checks are carried out. Safeguarding records are kept up to date.

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Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe online and offline through personal, social and health education and computing lessons, as well as through a programme of assemblies.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not routinely ensure that pupils use the written information provided to them to address misconceptions. This means that some pupils’ misconceptions are not dealt with, and their progress may be slowed as a result. Leaders need to ensure staff are fully trained in the school’s new assessment policy. Leaders should check that this is implemented consistently across the school, while taking account of staff workload and well-being.

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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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2014.

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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.

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Date of previous inspection 1 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides care, before and after school. This is run by school staff and managed by leaders.  At the time of the inspection, the school was not making use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their 11 and 12 July 2023

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learning and looked at samples of their work. The inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and governors. She held a telephone meeting with a representative from HFL Education.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders and reviewed safeguarding records. The inspector scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. She also spoke with staff, pupils and governors about safeguarding.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including the school development plan and minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector reviewed 120 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire and spoke with pupils during lessons, at breaktime and at lunchtime.  The inspector reviewed 106 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents and

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carers, Ofsted Parent View, including 76 free-text responses. The inspector also gathered parental views at the end of the school day.  The inspector reviewed 28 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and gathered the views of staff during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 July 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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