Frithwood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Frithwood Primary School Carew Road, Northwood HA6 3NJ

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Outcome

Frithwood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Frithwood is a large, nurturing, inclusive primary school with a ‘family feel.’ The school’s motto of ‘striving for excellence, learning for life, achievement for all’ is lived out here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils learn effectively and, in most subjects, benefit from a curriculum that prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. They are polite and respectful to adults and are kind and caring towards each other. Pupils concentrate and try their best in the classroom. They are enthusiastic about their learning and love to chat about all they enjoy at school. Bullying is rare. If it does occur, pupils are confident to share their concerns with adults who they know will deal with them quickly. As a result, pupils feel safe, and are kept safe, at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the many ways they can take on responsibilities such as those of peer mediators, games makers and librarians. The school council takes its role very seriously, which includes raising money for the school and recently organising a talk from a Paralympian. A programme of exciting visits enriches the curriculum. Pupils enjoyed their visit to the Houses of Parliament.

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

Leaders are ambitious to provide pupils with a high quality and well-rounded education. They have recently reviewed and refreshed the curriculum to ensure it matches the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. Learning is carefully sequenced, providing many opportunities for pupils to build understanding through repetition and practice. For example, in mathematics, children in the early years learn to count to 10 and beyond. They count forwards and backwards with increasing confidence, developing a deep understanding of relationships between numbers and patterns. Older pupils apply this knowledge to find fractions of numbers. 8 and 9 May 2024

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In a few subjects, the important knowledge and skills pupils need to know and remember have not been as carefully identified. In these instances, pupils do not develop as deep an understanding of important ideas.

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Teachers typically have secure subject knowledge. They carefully design tasks and activities that enable pupils to learn the intended curriculum. Teachers use clear instructions and explanations to introduce new ideas and to support pupils to understand what is being taught. However, leaders have correctly identified that some teachers are less confident in teaching some subjects. For example, assessment is not used consistently to check pupils’ understanding of what they have learned. This results in misconceptions not being identified and corrected and learning moving on before pupils are secure in their knowledge.

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Reading is given a high priority. Children start learning letter sounds as soon as they start in school. Staff are well trained and deliver the agreed phonics programme consistently. Pupils’ phonics knowledge is checked regularly, and those falling behind are given extra help to catch up. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils have learned. This helps to ensure those at the early stages of reading can read with fluency and confidence. The school makes sure that pupils have many opportunities to practise their reading. Pupils enjoy talking about the diverse range of books they read in class and home.

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Staff know pupils well. They identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly so they can provide the right support. Leaders ensure appropriate adaptations are in place so that pupils, wherever possible, can access the same curriculum as their peers. Those pupils who need a more bespoke offer benefit from tailored support.

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Good attendance is a priority and staff work with families closely to follow up any concerns that arise. Staff teach pupils how they should behave and help them to manage their emotions. Pupils respect and follow the school’s rules. As a result, lessons are not disrupted by poor behaviour.

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Leaders are passionate about pupils’ broader development. The school provides a diverse range of trips, experiences and visitors to the school. Pupils were keen to share their experience of singing at Wembley Stadium, a visit to the Verulamium Museum in St Albans, linked to their learning about the Romans, and a recent visit to the school by an author.

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Staff well-being and workload are hugely important to school leaders and the governing body. Effective systems are in place and, as a result, staff morale is high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 and 9 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum does not sufficiently identify the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. This means pupils do not build as deep a body of knowledge as in other subjects. The school should ensure that the important ideas pupils need to know and remember are clearly defined so that pupils are helped to remember key content over time.  In some aspects of the curriculum, teachers’ subject knowledge is less well developed. As a result, assessment is not used as effectively to check understanding and address any misconceptions. This means that some pupils’ learning in these areas is less secure. The school should provide appropriate training and support to ensure subject expertise is strengthened to better implement the planned curriculum.

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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 March 2015.

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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 8 and 9 May 2024

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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 and 9 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governors Matt Benn and Hershil Patel (Co-chairs)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Frithwood Primary is a larger-than-average primary school.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school does not currently make use of 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.  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 it into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders. She held discussions with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and languages. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, considered the 8 and 9 May 2024

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curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also considered the curriculum for history.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of school 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 met with parents at the start of the school day and considered responses to Ofsted Parent View and free-text surveys.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 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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