Bourn CofE Primary Academy

Inspection of Bourn C of E Primary Academy Riddy Lane, Bourn, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB23 2SP

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 September 2023

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Laura Latham. This school is a single academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Vince Chaney.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since November 2009. 26 and 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bourn is a friendly and respectful school. It is very much at the heart of the local community. Pupils understand and embody the school values of hope, courage, justice, forgiveness and friendship. The regular assemblies play an important part in sharing these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a typically calm and welcoming place. Pupils describe being ‘friends with everyone’. They play well and enjoy chatting together at breaktime and lunchtime. Older pupils take responsibility for younger children. As a result of the warm and kind culture, all pupils feel safe and included in the life of the school. They trust in school staff to help and support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The expectations of pupils are high, and most pupils meet these. Generally, pupils behave well and follow routines; they listen to their teachers and respond well to instructions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils can take on leadership roles within the school, such as traffic monitors, house captains and school councillors. Pupils are proud of these roles and take them seriously because they make a difference to the school. There are a range of activities, such as orchestra and gardening club, that also enable pupils to develop their talents and character.

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better?

The school’s curriculum planning is firmly established. This enables pupils to perform well academically at key stage 1 and key stage 2. Where changes to the curriculum have been made recently, these have been carefully considered. Such changes benefit the pupils. In some subjects, the curriculum has been developed with support from local secondary schools to ensure pupils are prepared when they leave Year 6. The assessment of pupils’ knowledge is typically consistent. In some subjects, this assessment is being modified to be more rigorous.

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better?

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are met well. Appropriate adaptations are made to the curriculum to ensure that all pupils can work at the same level. Pupils with SEND experience the same level of challenge as other pupils from the early years onwards.

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better?

The school has recently introduced a new scheme for early reading which better meets the needs of its pupils. Some pupils are still getting to grips with the sounds they need to remember. Leaders understand the importance of reading and have prioritised this. Pupils read regularly and frequently. Reading books are appropriate. The school makes good use of its ‘Book Bus’. Most pupils read well, but the progress of some younger pupils is affected because they do not concentrate, and routines are not yet firmly established in lessons. 26 and 27 September 2023

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Most pupils behave well. However, some younger pupils take a little longer to learn the ropes. This prevents them from learning and distracts other pupils during lessons. They do not yet all follow established routines. The behaviour of older children is typically much better. At social times, the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils’ attendance is above national average. The number of pupils regularly missing school is very low.

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Pupils achieve well academically. They also benefit from wider experiences. Pupils develop knowledge and maturity through their programme of personal, social and health education. They learn about how to keep themselves safe online and the impact of their ‘digital footprint’. Pupils also develop an understanding of the school values through assemblies, displays and visiting speakers. The school is a diverse community in many ways, with 30 languages spoken. Pupils celebrate the differences between people and cultures. All pupils feel included.

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Leaders at all levels are passionate about improving the experience of pupils at Bourn. They understand the school and its priorities. Leaders take the workload of staff seriously. As a result, staff speak highly of the leadership of the academy. Trustees understand their statutory responsibilities and hold school leaders to account. The school is supported by the diocese and through an associate link with a local trust. The school has a very strong relationship with parents and the local community and engages effectively with these groups. These relationships benefit the pupils through activities such as fundraising and parent volunteers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Younger pupils do not always meet the high behavioural expectations of staff. As a result, some pupils miss out on the intended learning, slowing their progress. Leaders should ensure that all teachers consistently apply the expectations of new policies.  The programme of early reading in the school is very new. As a result, its intended impact has yet to be realised. Leaders must ensure that this scheme is implemented effectively and reviewed comprehensively. The progress of pupils must be carefully and regularly monitored to ensure any gaps are addressed immediately.

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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 26 and 27 September 2023

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Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 and 27 September 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 November 2009, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  Bourn is a Church of England school.  The last inspection of the school’s religious character took place in October 2019.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: Spanish, early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions 26 and 27 September 2023

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about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspection team met with pupils from different year groups to talk about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents provided by the school. These included the school improvement plan, curriculum documentation and school policies.  Inspectors considered 48 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included 34 comments from parents and carers in the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered the 13 responses to the staff

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Jonathan Rockey, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Simon Harbrow Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 September 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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