Stanwick Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Stanwick Primary School Church Street, Stanwick, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN9 6PS

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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Outcome

Stanwick Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Chloe Neild. This school is part of Nene Education 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), Christopher Hill, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jenna Weedon.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Stanwick Primary School has high expectations for every pupil. Pupils are happy and enjoy attending this school. Staff and pupils follow the core values of ‘teamwork, friendship, perseverance, honesty, respect and responsibility’. Pupils said that they feel safe in school. They are ready to learn and enjoy their lessons. Pupils work hard and achieve well across the curriculum. They make a positive contribution to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Lessons are calm and pupils concentrate on their learning. Pupils play well together at playtime. They show respect for each other and for staff. Children in Reception share and cooperate well. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, it is not tolerated by leaders and is dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their leadership skills as school councillors, values ambassadors and sports leaders. Many pupils attend clubs and enjoy activities where they develop their interests, including in sports and music. Pupils benefit from a range of visits that include theatre trips and residentials.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers overwhelmingly value the work that the school does. One parent represented the views of many by saying: ‘Stanwick is a wonderful school with fantastic staff. They are experienced, knowledgeable and want the best for my child.’ 22 and 23 October 2024

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

The school is passionate about giving every pupil the best possible education. Staff want all pupils to achieve their full potential. Staff have received a significant amount of subject training since the last inspection. As a result, they have carefully designed a curriculum that is ambitious and relevant to the pupils and community that the school serves. The curriculum sets out the important knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which they should learn it.

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

In most subjects, staff design learning activities that enable pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding. However, in a very few subjects, the level of challenge does not allow pupils to apply their knowledge and skills in detail. Staff provide pupils with regular opportunities to revisit what they have learned. This helps pupils to retain important knowledge and make connections between previous and current learning. Staff regularly check what pupils know. In reading and mathematics, for example, staff identify pupils who have gaps in their learning. These pupils receive high-quality extra support that helps them to improve.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to do well. Leaders identify pupils with SEND quickly. Plans to support their learning are clear and effective. The school ensures that staff receive training to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff adapt their teaching so that pupils with SEND can fully access the curriculum and achieve highly.

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

There is a relentless focus on reading across the school. This begins straight away in the Reception Year. Staff teach the school’s phonics programme consistently well. They make sure that books match the letters and sounds that pupils know. Teachers share high- quality books with pupils regularly. In key stages 1 and 2, pupils read carefully chosen, engaging texts in lessons. Pupils practise their reading diligently and read widely. As a result, they become confident, fluent readers who appreciate books.

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

Children get off to a very positive start in the early years. They enjoy learning through well-designed activities. Staff prioritise children’s personal, social and emotional development. Whether collecting sticks to make rectangles and squares, dropping autumn leaves from climbing apparatus or rolling tyres downhill, children learn to be curious, resilient and sociable. Staff engage meaningfully and purposefully with children. Routines are very well established.

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

Pupils attend well. The school monitors pupils’ attendance closely. It works well with families to ensure that pupils attend as often as possible.

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

The programme for personal development broadens pupils’ horizons and develops their character during their time at this school. It provides many opportunities to experience the world beyond Stanwick. Pupils have a good understanding of equality, diversity and fundamental British values. They learn about world religions and people from different cultures. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. This includes learning about the importance of good mental health and healthy relationships. Pupils fundraise 22 and 23 October 2024

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for the local community. The school helps pupils to become responsible and thoughtful citizens.

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Staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported. Staff said that leaders consider their workload and well-being.

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Members of the multi-academy trust and of the local governing board are committed to giving pupils the best possible experience. They are very well informed about the work of the school. Trustees and local governors hold leaders to account, but also support them to bring about improvements in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers do not design learning activities that enable pupils to apply what they know and can do sufficiently well. This means that opportunities are missed to broaden and deepen pupils’ learning. The school should ensure that teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high in these few remaining subjects.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 22 and 23 October 2024

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Stanwick Primary School is part of Nene Education.  The school does not use alternative provision.  There has been a change to the chair of the trust since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with leaders responsible for behaviour, attendance, reading and personal development. The inspector also held discussions with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and representatives of the trust. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.  The inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted online surveys for staff and parents.  The inspector met with the chair of the local board of governors, the CEO of the trust and representatives of the board of trustees.

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Inspection team

Stephen Long, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 2024

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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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