Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School St Davids Road, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN2 7QL

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Outcome

Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this inclusive school. They say that everyone is welcome. New joiners quickly feel they belong. Pupils feel listened to. They explain that respect for each other is woven through everything. Pupils appreciate the calm, nurturing ethos throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations. Pupils behave well. If they find this difficult, they get extra help. Pupils are proud to receive praise for being determined and working as a team. They want to do their best for themselves and their school. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They appreciate that staff are quick to help them to resolve problems. They say they feel very safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud they are learning more. They study a wide range of interesting books and learn new and ambitious vocabulary. They practise their arithmetic, so they can solve problems accurately in mathematics. They learn from their mistakes. The school is aspirational for every pupil. Pupils find out about interesting careers for the future. The school makes sure pupils have many valuable experiences, including in sport and the arts, to help pupils discover and nurture their talents.

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

The school is ambitious for every pupil to receive a good education. In all subjects, the school has identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to master. For most subjects the curriculum has been reviewed to make sure teachers know exactly what pupils should learn and remember in a logical order. Where this is the case, this helps pupils to know more and remember more over time. The school has not completed this work for a small number of subjects.

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

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to have a severe impact on the pupils in this school. The school has accurately identified what they need to do to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Pupils’ progress is rigorously and robustly checked, particularly in 5 and 6 December 2023

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English and mathematics. Teachers are receiving better support to implement the improved plans with increased rigour. Pupils are now improving their fluency and confidence and achieving better in English and mathematics. The school is determined that pupils are as well prepared as possible for their next stage of education. The impact is not yet consistently seen in published outcomes at key stages 1 and 2.

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The school ensures that pupils learn increasingly sophisticated vocabulary across all subjects. This helps all pupils and particularly the large number for whom English is an additional language. As a result, pupils’ confidence to explain their understanding increases as they move through the school.

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Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes provides a strong start for children. Highly effective relationships between staff and children underpin this. Staff carefully choose what important knowledge children need straight away, as well as for Year 1 and beyond. They design tasks that intrigue and engage children. Children become engrossed in play, exploring and practising what they have learned. Staff choose the right moment to step in and talk with children. They use well-judged questions to deepen children’s thinking. Children’s confidence grows as a result and they achieve their best.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and their gaps in knowledge carefully. A range of effective support helps pupils with SEND to learn well alongside their peers. There is skilful and tailored support for pupils with complex needs. Pupils thrive in the enhanced provision unit.

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Adults work as a team to provide a calm and purposeful environment. Pupils’ learning is rarely disrupted. The school prioritises pupils’ mental health and physical well-being. Pupils learn about different beliefs and family structures. They fully grasp the concept of right and wrong. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Parents appreciate the extra mile the school goes for their children and themselves.

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Staff are proud to work at Kingsthorpe Grove Primary. They say that they feel fairly treated and well supported. Staff appreciate the range of training provided and the opportunity to grow and develop their roles in the school. Staff say they feel valued as part of a strong and inclusive team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some actions the school is taking to improve pupils' achievement are recent. Previously, pupils were not as well prepared for the next stage of their learning. The 5 and 6 December 2023

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school should continue to improve the implementation of the curriculum, so that all pupils achieve as well as they can.  A small number of subjects are at earlier stages of development than others. Where this is the case, pupils know and remember less. The school should continue to develop the curriculum, precisely identifying the knowledge pupils should learn.

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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 June 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.

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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). 5 and 6 December 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.kingsthorpegrove.northants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has resourced provision for up to 28 pupils with autism spectrum disorder.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders. A meeting was held with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at 5 and 6 December 2023

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samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils reading to adults, considered leaders’ curriculum plans and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at curriculum plans and samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school. She spoke with parents at the end of the school day. She considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. The inspector met with groups of staff and pupils and considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Mandy Wilding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 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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