Helmdon Primary School

Inspection of Helmdon Primary School 21 Station Road, Helmdon, Brackley, Northamptonshire NN13 5QT

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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 Good 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s core beliefs of ‘happiness, perseverance and success’ encapsulate the caring, aspirational ethos at Helmdon. Pupils feel safe and secure in this nurturing environment. They say that staff motivate them and encourage them to do their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are courteous and considerate. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and they work hard in lessons. They concentrate and listen well most of the time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They attend well. Pupils like spending time with each other. They play together nicely. They make the most of the resources and facilities on offer at break times to be active. Pupils enjoy running the daily mile. They say, ‘It’s good for your mental health and your physical health.’ Pupils also look forward to competing in one of the many sports tournaments that the school takes part in.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of enrichment activities. Through its ‘contract of cultural entitlement’, pupils learn about societies and traditions from around the world, as well as what makes Britain special. This includes a variety of musical, literary, artistic and theatrical experiences. These opportunities have been deliberately chosen to broaden pupils’ horizons and prepare them for their futures.

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better?

Pupils achieve highly in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2. This journey begins in the early years, with so many opportunities for children to consolidate and apply their literacy and numeracy skills. Children in Reception enjoy spending time at the writing table. They think carefully about the letter sounds they will use to spell words. They enjoy showing how they can write in full sentences on their own.

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better?

Reading is an integral part of the curriculum at Helmdon. Pupils encounter a rich range of fiction, non-fiction and poetry in each class. This selection includes stories to teach pupils about diversity and equality. The value that the school places on reading is reflected in pupils’ attitudes. Pupils enjoy reading. They read often in their own time. Staff implement the school’s chosen phonics programme consistently well. The school ensures that anyone who falls behind in phonics is given support straight away to catch up. Pupils read books containing the letter sounds they recognise. This helps to develop their fluency. Younger pupils enjoy sharing stories with Louis, the reading dog who visits the school.

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better?

There have been significant improvements to other areas of the curriculum since the last inspection. The school has adopted several new schemes of learning. As a result, there is now a precise order to what pupils will be taught in all subjects. However, the school is in the early stages of delivering some of these changes. The 19 and 20 March 2024

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new approach to helping pupils remember their prior learning has not yet had the impact that the school intends, in some subjects. Some pupils cannot recall the important knowledge that they have been taught in sufficient detail, in those areas of the curriculum.

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The school checks on the quality of teaching and learning more effectively in some subjects than others. Where checks have been less frequent, pupils’ understanding is less secure.

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The school has improved its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has ensured that staff have the expertise they require to meet the needs of pupils with SEND in their lessons. This means that pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum content as their peers.

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Staff have good subject knowledge. They explain things clearly. They check pupils’ understanding before moving on. Staff ensure that pupils have access to materials and resources to support their thinking. The development of pupils’ vocabulary is a consistent feature of lessons in all subjects. Staff encourage pupils to use precise, technical terms. They provide ‘sentence stems’ to help pupils structure their verbal responses accurately.

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There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about their community, their country and the wider world. Pupils have a very good understanding of British values and equality. They know why these values are important. However, pupils’ knowledge of world faiths is less secure. There are a wide range of clubs and responsibilities on offer to develop pupils’ talents and interests. There is high quality pastoral support available for pupils who need additional support.

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Staff like being part of a supportive, committed team. They appreciate the consideration that is given to their workload. They say, ‘We wear many hats, but well-being is clearly a priority here.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has developed its approach to the recall of prior learning in some subjects. However, these changes are quite recent. They are yet to have the intended impact on what pupils remember. The school should embed the changes that have been made to its curriculum, ensuring that pupils remember important knowledge securely over the long term.  The school checks how well the curriculum is being taught and learned in some subjects more effectively than others. Where subject monitoring is less frequent, 19 and 20 March 2024

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pupils do not gain a sufficiently detailed understanding of the curriculum. The school must check closely on the implementation and impact of the curriculum in all subjects, so its ambitious vision is fully realised.

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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). 19 and 20 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Acting chair of governing body Richard Goodall

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, science, history and physical education. For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector discussed the curriculums for mathematics and design and technology with subject leaders and visited lessons in these subjects. 19 and 20 March 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, subject leaders, teachers, and support staff. Inspectors met with the leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, the school development plan, and documentation relating to behaviour, attendance, and governance.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the school.  The lead inspector met with governors, including the acting chair of the governing

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body. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Charley Oldham Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 March 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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