Havelock Infant School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Havelock Infant School Havelock Street, Desborough, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 2LU

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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Outcome

Havelock Infant School continues to be an outstanding school.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Rachel Kiziak. This school is part of Pathfinder Schools trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Emma Sims, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jo Woods (interim). The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy life at Havelock Infant School. They consistently demonstrate exceptionally positive attitudes towards all aspects of school life. In lessons, pupils are eager to learn. They follow well-rehearsed routines that ensure that no time is wasted. Around school, pupils are always polite and respectful. They work and play together happily. Pupils trust that the caring staff will keep them safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Children in early years get off to a great start. Expert staff help children to develop their social and communication skills quickly. Children engage with activities enthusiastically. They enjoy many opportunities to develop their independence. Children are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Classrooms are calm and focused. Staff have precisely designed classrooms so that pupils benefit from a purposeful learning environment. Staff make adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) so that they can access all the same lessons as the other pupils. All pupils, including those with SEND, thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined to make sure that pupils enjoy learning. The curriculum is enriched by a variety of trips and other interesting experiences. All pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy opportunities to pursue their interests in sport and performing arts.

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

The school provides a very ambitious curriculum. Staff work cooperatively with the neighbouring junior school and the multi-academy trust to make sure that learning is 23 and 24 January 2024

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planned sequentially from early years through to Year 6. They have planned precisely what pupils will learn, and when, for all subjects. This helps pupils to build on what they know already and to deepen their understanding as they progress. The school prioritises language and communication in the curriculum. Pupils learn subject-specific vocabulary so that they can understand and talk about what they are learning. ‘Partner talk’ is a feature of every lesson. There are many opportunities to develop reading and writing skills across the curriculum.

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Staff have excellent subject knowledge. They work closely together to plan lessons that excite pupils. New knowledge is always presented clearly. Activities are sharply focused to help pupils learn securely. Staff use interesting resources that engage pupils. For example, in mathematics, pupils use real clocks and coins when they learn about time and money. Lessons challenge pupils to think deeply. Pupils rise to the challenge. They are focused and try hard.

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Staff check pupils’ learning regularly. They quickly identify when pupils need extra support or further challenge. Staff know the children very well. They use this knowledge to make sure that all pupils, especially those with SEND, get extra support when they need it to access learning activities. In history lessons, for example, pupils at the early stages of writing have opportunities to express their understanding of history through talk or drawing. All pupils progress well through the curriculum and achieve well.

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The curriculum for reading is very well planned and expertly delivered. Beginning in early years, well-trained staff lead daily phonics lessons. They check pupils’ reading knowledge often. They use these checks to make sure that lessons, and the books that pupils read, are precisely matched to their stage of reading. This helps pupils to gain confidence quickly and read with fluency. Pupils love reading.

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In early years, staff make every effort to get to know the children well. Activities are carefully planned to meet children’s individual needs and interests. Children are deeply engaged as they work and play together. They progress quickly and develop excellent learning habits.

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Most pupils attend school well. They love coming to school. Behaviour is exemplary. The school’s values help pupils to develop mature and respectful attitudes. Pupils are proud to earn rewards for demonstrating resilience and being responsible.

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The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development is exceptional. The carefully planned personal, social and health education curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They talk confidently about how to stay safe when online. There are many opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to learn about British values and diversity.

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Leaders from the multi-academy trust, along with trustees and members of the local academy board, know the school very well. They provide very effective support and challenge to the school to support its continuing improvement. Staff in the school value the support they get to manage their workload effectively. They are proud to work at the school and support the school’s vision of excellence. 23 and 24 January 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in March 2016.

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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). 23 and 24 January 2024

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School details

Headteacher Rachel Kiziak (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 March 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher was appointed in September 2019.  The school is part of the Pathfinder Schools multi-academy trust.  The school uses no 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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, senior leaders and other members of staff. 23 and 24 January 2024

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 The inspector met with leaders from the Pathfinder Schools trust, including the chief executive officer. The inspector also met with trustees and members of the local academy board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. 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 samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils reading.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum and visited lessons in some other subjects.  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 considered the views of staff and of parents and carers expressed in

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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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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