Wootton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wootton Primary School Farmclose Road, Wootton, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 6HJ

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 February 2024

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteachers of this school are Jamie Nairn and Robert Crilly. This school is part of The Tove Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jamie Clarke, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christopher Watt.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wootton Primary School is an ambitious and inclusive school. The school’s curriculum is aspirational. It is designed to develop pupils’ character and their passion for learning. The school has established strong links with the local community. As a result, the school has a nurturing, family feel. One parent shared, ‘Children are not just a number at this school. They are part of a community. Staff genuinely care about all aspects of your child’s development, not just the academic.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They conduct themselves with respectful confidence. Pupils show high levels of engagement in lessons. Pupils work equally well independently, in pairs or in groups. Pupils work with excitement, interest and enthusiasm. Pupils support each other well in lessons and social situations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk about their achievements with a mature sense of pride. Pupils are happy, polite and well mannered. One pupil shared, ‘My school is special because it’s just a nice place to be! The teachers make our lessons fun, interesting and enjoyable.’ Pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy access to a wide range of clubs. They are proud of the opportunities they are given to take on extra responsibilities. For example, some pupils are sports leaders. 13 and 14 February 2024

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

In the Reception Year, children explore and learn through play. Spoken interactions between staff and children support the development of early language and communication. Staff skilfully question and model new words for children to use in conversations. There are clear routines in place that children follow and understand. Children concentrate well on their learning. They are well prepared for key stage 1.

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

There is a strong reading culture at the school. Phonics lessons support pupils to develop their reading fluency. Staff are well trained. Interventions are in place to support pupils who are at risk of falling behind. This helps these pupils to ‘keep up’. The school’s ‘reading practice’ sessions provide a structured next step for pupils on their reading journey. These sessions support pupils’ comprehension and vocabulary development. Pupils enjoy reading and confidently talk about their favourite books and authors.

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

The school’s aspirational curriculum is based on developing a ‘sense of self, sense of others and a sense of the world’. Leaders have explicitly identified the important knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils will learn in each subject. In some subjects, pupils write end-of-unit essays to summarise their learning. Pupils achieve well. Staff make meaningful links across subjects. For example, in an art and design lesson, one pupil shared, ‘Blue is azul in Spanish.’

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

Mathematics lessons help pupils develop their fluency, as well as their problem-solving and reasoning skills. In lessons, teachers use the school’s ‘ten principles for effective teaching’. For example, teachers recap previous learning with pupils. Teachers present new learning in small steps. They provide clear models for pupils to refer to. Pupils said that recapping previous learning helps them to remember more.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make strong progress from their starting points. There are clear processes in place to identify and support pupils with SEND. Leaders have worked proactively to secure additional funding. This is supporting a number of pupils with significant SEND. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to secure support for pupils with SEND. They have also created strong working relationships with schools in the local area. These connections are helping to develop the school’s provision for pupils with SEND even further.

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

The wider curriculum is preparing pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and can relate them to their everyday lives. When discussing diversity, one pupil shared, ‘Everyone should be treated the same. Nobody should be treated differently just because of their skin colour or religion.’ Pupils show an age-appropriate understanding of different types of families and relationships. Older pupils understand the concept of ‘safe and unsafe touch’. The school’s termly ‘5 to thrive’ initiative ensures that all pupils benefit from a range of additional opportunities. These have been carefully planned to enhance pupils’ learning. Opportunities include a range of trips, visitors and experiences. 13 and 14 February 2024

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Staff, including early career teachers, feel well supported by leaders. Staff feel they are considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff describe leaders as approachable and supportive. Staff appreciate the many opportunities they have for their professional development. Governors understand their statutory responsibilities and fulfil them well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 October 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). 13 and 14 February 2024

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School details

Headteachers Jamie Nairn and Robert Crilly

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Tove Learning Trust.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and reviewed samples of pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector checked the work pupils had produced, reviewed curriculum plans and spoke with pupils and leaders for several other subjects. 13 and 14 February 2024

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 The inspector met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, and the provision for pupils with SEND.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan. The inspector met with members of the local governing body and trust board.  The inspector met with the director of primary and the CEO of the trust.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments, as well as the results of Ofsted’s survey for school staff.

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Inspection team

Luella Manssen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 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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