Rushton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rushton Primary School Station Road, Rushton, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 1RL

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Outcome

Rushton Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Laura Atkinson. This school is part of the 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 Simms, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Paul Ainsworth.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Rushton Primary School is a kind and caring school. Pupils are happy. One pupil shared, ‘My school is special because it feels like a little family.’ Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils feel safe. They feel confident about sharing any worries or concerns with adults in school. One pupil said, ‘At this school, all of the adults really listen to us.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious. It has recently gone through a period of significant change. This includes the positive development of several subject areas. The school wants all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to achieve their full potential.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is a real strength of the school. They focus well in lessons and enjoy supporting and challenging each other during partner work. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and want to achieve well. Pupils show high levels of resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has recently launched a new set of values: courage, responsibility and aspiration. Pupils know what these values mean. They are excited about the rewards they can achieve. Pupils are polite and courteous. They show respect towards each other and staff. At break and lunchtimes pupils enjoy being able to play alongside their peers from the full age range. 8 May 2024

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

Children get off to a secure start in the Reception Year. They have the opportunity to explore and take risks. ‘Wild Wednesday’ sessions provide children with the opportunity to learn outdoors, engage with their natural surroundings and follow their own interests. Relationships between staff and children are warm and nurturing. Staff support children’s early language development. They skilfully question children and introduce them to new vocabulary. This supports children to develop their communication skills effectively.

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

The school prioritises early reading and phonics. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme. Children talk positively about reading. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the sounds they have been learning in phonics lessons. This helps them to develop their reading fluency. Sound charts in classrooms help pupils to revise what they have learnt. Comfortable reading areas, stocked with high-quality texts, encourage pupils to read independently for enjoyment. The reading curriculum beyond phonics requires further development. It does not clearly identify the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Reading lessons do not always build on what pupils already know.

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

The mathematics curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced. Pupils use learning from their previous lessons to access new learning and build upon prior knowledge. Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge and address pupils’ misconceptions in the moment. There is a clear focus on the use of partner work and mathematical talk. This helps pupils to apply their knowledge and use correct subject terminology. During mathematics lessons, children show resilience when reasoning and problem-solving.

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

The school has recently made some improvements to its wider curriculum. As a result, a number of the foundation subject curriculum plans are new. In some of these foundation subjects, such as geography, the important knowledge that pupils should learn is not explicit enough. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Pupils cannot yet consistently recall their learning. The school’s development plans correctly recognise that time is needed to embed these curriculum changes.

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

There are clear and effective systems and processes in place for the identification and support of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school works proactively with external agencies to seek advice and support. Teachers adapt learning to allow pupils with SEND access to the same ambitious curriculum. Pupils with the most complex needs access their own bespoke resources and lessons which appropriately cater for their specific needs.

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

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils demonstrate an age- appropriate understanding of different types of relationships and families. They understand what fundamental British values are and can relate them to their everyday lives. One pupil shared, ‘It is important to be respectful of other people’s beliefs. It could really hurt their feelings if you were mean about them because part of who they 8 May 2024

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are is what they believe.’ Pupils enjoy taking part in a range of clubs and can take on extra responsibilities.

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Staff feel well-supported with regards to their workload and well-being. Staff highly value the training and collaborative working opportunities they access through the trust. Those with responsibility for governance know the school well and fulfil their statutory duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent changes to some of the foundation subject plans mean that the component knowledge that pupils should know and remember is not yet fully clear. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that component knowledge for all subjects is clearly identified and that corresponding assessments check that pupils know and remember more of the intended curriculum.  The school’s reading curriculum, beyond phonics, does not make fully clear the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Therefore, leaders cannot accurately check how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum, beyond phonics, builds incrementally and makes clear what pupils are expected to know at each stage of their education.

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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 June 2015. 8 May 2024

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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). 8 May 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Pathfinder Schools Trust.  The school does not currently use any 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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and reviewed samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult. 8 May 2024

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 Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development and the provision for pupils with SEND.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan. Inspectors met with members of the local advisory board.  Inspectors met with the director of school improvement and the deputy chief executive of the trust.  The lead 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 Dhoore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Barton Ofsted Inspector 8 May 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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