Everton Heath Primary School

Inspection of Everton Heath Primary School 33 Potton Road, Everton, Nr Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2LE

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Katie May. This school is part of the CAM Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Stephen Munday, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sue Williamson. There is also an executive headteacher, Shelley Desborough, who is responsible for this school and two others.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Everton Heath Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Everton Heath Lower School to be outstanding, before it opened as Everton Heath Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. 19 and 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment they join, pupils at Everton Heath Primary School live out the school’s motto of ‘learn, grow, thrive’. From the early years through to Year 6, children play and learn happily. They embrace every aspect of school life. Pupils are safe in the school’s nurturing environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are calm and considerate of others as they move around the school. In the classrooms, they listen attentively and learn well. Pupils know the adults have high expectations of them. They try their best to meet these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly inclusive. Pupils are very accepting of the differences between them. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly, so that they can be supported to access the same curriculum and opportunities as their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers pupils a range of enrichment experiences. A morning club provides exciting activities that give pupils a positive start to each day. Events, such as the Young Voices concert in Birmingham or a trip to Shuttleworth Aerodrome, enhance the curriculum and extend pupils’ horizons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their roles as school councillors or Year 6 ambassadors. They are proud of their school and enjoy playing their part in making it even better.

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better?

The school has been through a period of change. Leaders, supported by the trust and governors, have established a strong vision for the school. They have made significant and rapid progress towards realising this. For example, to address historically weaker outcomes for some pupils, the school has overhauled its curriculum. The resulting curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious. It has been carefully crafted to meet the needs of the school’s mixed-age classes.

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better?

The curriculum starts in the early years. Children are well-prepared for later learning. For example, children in the pre-school and Reception classes use technology to record their learning through photos and videos. This prepares them for computing lessons in key stage 1. The curriculum builds pupils’ learning progressively over time. It revisits concepts often and deepens pupils’ knowledge. However, historic weaknesses in the curriculum mean that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. For example, in some subjects, pupils do not use subject-specific language when talking about their learning.

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better?

Teachers explain new learning clearly. In lessons, they assess how well pupils are learning, using skilful questioning. Teachers adapt their teaching in the moment, if necessary. In some subjects, such as reading and mathematics, there is a clear system for checking how well pupils have achieved the aims of the curriculum, at the end of a unit of work. Teachers and subject leaders use these checks to plan 19 and 20 March 2024

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support for pupils with gaps or to make improvements to the curriculum. However, in some other subjects, this form of assessment is still in development.

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The school has taken effective action to make reading a priority. Children develop a love of reading in the early years, where adults share stories with them often. This stays with pupils as they move through the school. They choose from a selection of high-quality texts in their class book corners or in the newly refurbished library. Phonics is taught well. Pupils learn the sounds they need to become fluent readers. Those who struggle get the focused support they need to succeed.

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Teachers adapt their teaching and design activities so that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers. These pupils progress well thanks to the effective, tailored support they receive.

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The school supports pupils to behave well, through clear routines and consistent modelling of positive behaviours from adults. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. From the early years onwards, pupils develop confidence, resilience and a desire to learn. Most pupils attend well. If a pupil’s attendance causes concern, the school acts quickly to support improvements.

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Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, children in the Reception class learn about voting systems, where they vote daily for a story. In personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), pupils learn about healthy lifestyles and healthy relationships. Older pupils learn about peer pressure. In religious education (RE), pupils learn about different world religions. They show tolerance and respect for diversity in all its forms.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the networking and professional training opportunities provided by the West Village Partnership and the wider trust. Trust and school leaders have been mindful of staff workload and well-being during the period of change.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There were historical weaknesses in the curriculum. While the curriculum has been reviewed and improved, pupils have gaps in their learning in some subjects, particularly around their use of subject-specific language. The school should ensure that curriculum plans, from the early years through to Year 6, identify the language pupils need to learn alongside each topic or subject. The school should ensure that this is taught explicitly and reinforced regularly to strengthen pupils’ learning across all subjects. 19 and 20 March 2024

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 In some subjects, the school’s systems for assessment are not yet fully developed. This means that teachers and curriculum leaders do not address gaps in pupils’ knowledge or adjust curriculum plans as effectively as they could in these subjects. The school must continue to work on achieving clarity and precision in its approach to assessment across all subjects, so that it can identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, adapt curriculum plans and achieve its ambitious vision for all pupils.

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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

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The predecessor school, Everton Heath Lower School, converted to become a primary school, taking in pupils up to age 11, in September 2017.  Everton Heath Primary School joined the CAM Academy Trust in September 2018.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2022 as a senior leader. She took over as interim headteacher in January 2023 and was confirmed in the role substantively in April 2023.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Within the CAM Academy Trust, this school and two others form the West Village Partnership.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 19 and 20 March 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school's education provision.

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo), governors and trustees, including the chair of the local advisory board. The lead inspector met with the trust’s primary education leader.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and spoke with some pupils about their learning. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to several pupils read to a familiar adult. She also looked at samples of pupils’ work and plans for history and geography.

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 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’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation and policies. These included the school development plan and minutes of local advisory board meetings.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s parent, staff and pupil questionnaires. They also spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Michele Geddes 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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