Chiltern Primary School

Inspection of Chiltern Primary School Chiltern Way, Duston, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN5 6BW

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 February 2024

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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 Requires improvement 13–14 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Chiltern Primary School is a welcoming and friendly school. Pupils benefit from warm, positive relationships with staff and each other. Staff are determined that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive the support they need to thrive and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well mannered and courteous to adults and visitors. They behave well. They are enthusiastic about their subjects. Most pupils listen well and sustain their concentration in lessons. Staff model the kindness and respect they expect pupils to show. Pupils feel safe and happy here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is an extensive range of opportunities open to pupils, including after school clubs like ‘knit and natter’, dodgeball and craft clubs. ‘Fab Friday’ enrichment activities are also popular, and include options like mindfulness yoga, friendship bracelet making, dance and sports.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the character-building roles and responsibilities they take on here, such as ‘helping hands’ roles in classrooms, or by becoming school councillors, ‘eco councillors’ and librarians.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the school. A typical comment was, ‘My children love it here and they’ve never been so happy to come to school.’ Another parent commented, ‘The teachers always put the children first.’

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better?

Since the last inspection, leaders have prioritised the development of the curriculum and made significant, appropriate changes. The school has carefully planned the knowledge and skills that pupils need to gain in different subjects.

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better?

The curriculum is well sequenced, so that pupils at every stage build on what they already know and deepen their understanding over time. For example, in design and technology lessons, children in Reception were tasting and describing different fruits. In Year 1, pupils were learning to chop fruit and categorize foods and in Year 3 pupils were making apple tarts. Pupils enjoy their design and technology lessons, and one child, typical of many, said, ‘I could do it all day if I had to.’

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Most teachers assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding frequently. Lessons start with a retrieval task to check pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding. Teachers check what pupils know and demonstrate what they need to do next. When this is done well, it is effective.

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better?

In a small number of foundation subjects, the delivery of the curriculum is not yet consistent. Sometimes, lesson activities do not support pupils to learn knowledge securely. Leaders are also aware that assessment procedures are not fully developed across all foundation subjects. Currently, summative assessments in these subjects 13–14 February 2024

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do not always check learning and misconceptions, identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge or inform future teaching.

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Reading is a priority in the school. The library has been recently re-stocked and is an inviting place for pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils read texts that explore diversity. This helps pupils to broaden their understanding of the wider world. Teachers and other adults have received training to ensure that they deliver the phonics programme well. Pupils receive reading books that are well matched to their reading development. Pupils who struggle to learn to read get extra support and practice.

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Pupils with SEND receive the support they need. This support is well tailored. Teachers adapt their teaching to ensure that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Children in the early years settle in quickly. Children are happy and know their class routines. Teachers are passionate and knowledgeable and create a warm and caring environment. There are clear routines and high expectations in place for all. Early mathematics is developed well. However, the environment in the setting is not yet as rich as it could be to support children’s learning. It does not always help children to develop their language, ideas and vocabulary when they are learning independently.

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Most pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. There are clear routines and expectations of pupils’ behaviour.

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There is a well-planned personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme, which ensures that pupils learn about relationships and keeping themselves safe. Pupils speak with respect when discussing difference, saying, ‘It doesn’t matter if people are different, everyone is unique, which is a good thing.’

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The governing body, leaders and staff all work together in the best interests of all pupils. Staff are proud to work at the school and enjoy being part of a team. Staff support one another and say that consideration is given to their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the curriculum need further refinement, in particular in ensuring that teachers’ use of summative assessment in foundation subjects consistently identifies gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge and that the purposes of activities are well considered. The school must ensure that assessment processes 13–14 February 2024

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and the delivery of the curriculum in all subjects are of an equally high quality, so that pupils learn as well as they should.  When children in the early years are learning independently, opportunities to develop their language, ideas and vocabulary are not always well considered and the environment does not support learning as well as it could. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise to develop the environment so that opportunities for children’s communication, language and vocabulary are maximised.

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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’ 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). 13–14 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been changes in leadership since the previous inspection.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders and a member of the governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, design technology and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to groups of 13–14 February 2024

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pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read to a member of staff. The inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and samples of pupils’ work for science, modern foreign languages, music and physical education.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site during playtime.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and staff. An inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, as well as the staff and pupil survey.  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’ interest first.

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Inspection team

Dawn Ashbolt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chrissie Barrington Ofsted Inspector 13–14 February 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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