All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Datchworth

Inspection of All Saints Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Datchworth 25 Hollybush Lane, Datchworth, Knebworth, Hertfordshire SG3 6RE

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good Datchworth 26 and 27 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive nurturing school, where pupils are safe, happy and thrive. Pupils across the school are curious and enthusiastic learners. The curriculum supports pupils to learn to read, write and master mathematics. They love learning here, supported by dedicated staff and a strong community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They listen attentively and are polite and respectful towards adults and each other. Older pupils support younger children through their roles as play leaders. They support them during breaktimes. Pupils particularly enjoy collaborating on curriculum projects with pupils in different key stages. This creates strong relationships between pupils across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils recognise that everyone is different. They understand that some pupils in school need extra help with their learning and some require support to manage their emotions. Pupils work and play well together. This makes the school a happy place to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on roles such as eco-warriors, school councillors and digital leaders. These enable pupils to develop leadership responsibilities, a sense of accountability, and a commitment to their community. As a result, pupils gain essential skills and understanding to prepare them for their next stage of education.

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better?

Overall, the school’s curriculum helps pupils learn the essential skills and knowledge they need in most areas of the curriculum. In particular, the school is ensuring that pupils achieve well in reading, writing, and mathematics.

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better?

Teachers employ effective strategies to help pupils build on their prior learning. In subjects like science and art, for example, pupils can confidently articulate their understanding over time, sharing important knowledge.

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better?

In a few areas of the curriculum, teachers have not sufficiently ensured that pupils are building on their learning in a way that helps them remember the intended curriculum. For instance, while pupils have some understanding of different faiths and cultures, some do not retain enough information to discuss them confidently. Furthermore, although the curriculum offers many opportunities for pupils to consolidate their learning through writing tasks, the application of writing skills varies across year groups. For instance, teachers too often miss punctuation errors in pupils’ cross-curricular writing, leading to recurring mistakes in pupils’ writing.

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better?

The school’s reading curriculum is well constructed and taught. From the start of Reception, children develop a love of reading. They learn through listening and reading stories that inspire and engage them. In Reception, children engage in a variety of exciting activities that support reading and writing. Staff interact Datchworth 26 and 27 June 2024

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purposefully, supporting and extending their vocabulary. This helps children get off to a good start.

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In the teaching of phonics, teachers check pupils’ understanding routinely to identify sounds that pupils do not know. Teachers provide small-group targeted support. This helps pupils catch up quickly. Almost all pupils quickly learn to read fluently.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive precise support to achieve their individual targets. Parents are positive about the school’s provision for SEND. There are supportive processes in place to help pupils with transition to secondary school. This is particularly important as many move on to different schools from their peers.

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The school sets high expectations for learning and behaviour. In Reception, children quickly learn routines. Throughout the school, pupils listen and behave exceptionally well. Outside play is harmonious. Pupils play positively together across year groups making for a fun, safe and enjoyable experience. Pupils enjoy school and attend well.

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The wider curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well. Pupils experience a wide range of clubs, activities and residential visits. Through various leadership roles, pupils learn about empathy and responsibility. They help raise money for various charities and look after the school environment by planting flowers and keeping the school tidy. Pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. This introduces them to valuable experiences, such as performing to parents in assemblies.

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Staff feel supported by leaders and governors. Governors are very much part of the school community. They make regular visits to check on staff well-being and leaders’ work. They understand how leaders’ actions are having a positive impact on school improvement and how they can support them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers are not checking carefully what pupils know and can do. For example, some pupils struggle to recall information and do not remember to use key skills in their writing across the curriculum. This leads to gaps in pupils’ learning. The school should ensure all teachers check what pupils know and remember to ensure that learning builds on this to help pupils to achieve consistently well in all areas of the curriculum. Datchworth 26 and 27 June 2024

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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). Datchworth 26 and 27 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2023.

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Diocese of St Albans. The school’s last inspection for schools of a religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, was conducted in June 2019. The next section 48 inspection will take place within eight school years.

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of 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. Datchworth 26 and 27 June 2024

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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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met members of the governing body and held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics, science and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View. The inspectors also considered an email from a parent.  Inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils through meetings and informal discussions. Inspectors also considered the views of staff through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Cindy Impey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ann Bowen-Breslin Ofsted Inspector Datchworth 26 and 27 June 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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