Histon and Impington Brook Primary School

Inspection of Histon and Impington Brook Primary School The Green, Histon, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB24 9JA

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Richard Bakker. The school is part of Meridian Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Mark Woods, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Shirley Jamieson. There is also a deputy CEO, Lesley Birch, who is responsible for this school and four others.

p.1

Ofsted has not previously inspected Histon and Impington Brook Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Histon and Impington Junior School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as Histon and Impington Brook Primary School as a result of conversion to academy status. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending this exceptional school where they have many opportunities to shine. From the moment children join in Reception, they flourish. They understand, and show, their ‘HIBPS’ values which school councillors have recently re-vamped. Values such as ‘responsibility’ and ‘respect’ are second nature to pupils. They live and breathe them throughout the day. This helps pupils develop into the kind and mature young people they are.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils value helping younger pupils in their roles as ‘play leaders’. This helps to build the strong family feel that exists throughout the school. Pupils love coming together as one to chat over lunch in the dining hall or when baking together in the kitchen.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils aspire to be the best they can be. Their behaviour is exceptional. Pupils work incredibly hard to reach the high expectations staff have of them. They focus diligently on their learning. This helps them to produce work of an excellent quality.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the thoroughly designed enrichment programme. Trips to places such as Bletchley Park, the West End or a range of different museums enable pupils to deepen the knowledge they learn in class. Pupils see themselves as budding innovators, artists, mathematicians, scientists, authors and more.

p.2

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

The school, and the trust, have designed a curriculum that clearly sets out the important knowledge pupils need to understand to be successful. They have broken this knowledge down, and ordered it, into specific steps. School and trust leaders check, with rigour, how effectively the curriculum is taught. They use these checks to identify where to provide staff with regular, and high-quality, professional development. This means staff are experts at knowing precisely how to teach the curriculum. This support also helps staff to manage their own workload and wellbeing. They are incredibly proud to work at the school.

p.2

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

Staff accurately check how well pupils understand what they have taught them. They use these checks to revisit, or extend learning, appropriately. There is a shared and persistent focus on providing pupils with a rich and broad vocabulary across all subjects. Pupils secure a deep understanding of important knowledge and vocabulary. They apply their understanding independently within their writing and to explain their thinking.

p.2

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

A love of reading permeates the school. The carefully designed reading spine offers pupils an extensive, diverse and rich reading offer. Pupils gleefully accept the many chances they have to read and to listen to stories. Children in Reception love choosing books from the reading corner to share with staff throughout the day. Learning to read begins from the moment children set foot in the school. This helps staff to quickly get to grips with anyone who needs extra help with reading. Expert staff provide the help that pupils need. Consequently, pupils develop the confidence and fluency they need to be proficient readers. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.2

3

Staff are knowledgeable in how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND with precision. Guidance provided to staff sets out clearly how to help these pupils to achieve well. Where required, staff provide carefully chosen resources such as writing prompts or flashcards to remove potential barriers pupils have. This enables pupils with SEND to achieve highly.

p.3

3

Children thrive in the school’s early years provision. Highly skilled staff set clear routines and expectations from the moment children start in Reception. They reinforce these expectations in a relentless yet kind way. Children look after each other. Whether independently washing up their plates after snack time, or putting an arm around an upset friend, children are kind-hearted and thoughtful. They quickly become the positive ambassadors the school expects them to be.

p.3

3

Providing varied personal development opportunities underpins everything that happens at school. The school has meticulously designed this whole offer to enrich pupils’ school experience. Pupils grasp the many chances they have to develop existing and learn new talents. Representing the school in netball tournaments, learning Spanish during lunchtime, or performing dance routines to their peers are all examples of this. Visiting scientists and authors inspire pupils to aim high for their futures.

p.3

3

The wider offer works seamlessly with the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum. Pupils secure their knowledge of how to live healthy lives. They understand what a healthy relationship is. This understanding further strengthens the bonds that exist between pupils and each other. These positive relationships underpin the exceptional behaviour that pupils demonstrate throughout the school day. Pupils truly value their school and are proud to be part of its’ community.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.3

4

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). 15 and 16 October 2024

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school was previously a junior school. In September 2021, the school became a primary school.  The headteacher took up post in September 2023.  The school is part of Meridian Trust. The board of trustees has delegated some governance functions to a local academy council.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.5

6

 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. Inspections discussed the 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 these subjects: early reading and English, mathematics, art and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read with a familiar member of staff.  Inspectors met with subject leaders, reviewed evidence of pupils’ work and held discussions with pupils about other foundation subjects.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, both assistant headteachers, the special

p.6

6

educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator (SENCo), the assistant SENCo, staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer, the deputy chief executive officer and the SEND lead for the trust. He also met with the chair of trustees and the chair of the academy council.  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 behaviour logs, bullying records, attendance records, pupil records, minutes of trustee and academy council meetings, school development plans, records of monitoring from the trust and school policies.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent

p.6

6

View. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they arrived at school. They also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Michael Williams, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Ania Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7