Naunton Park Primary School

Inspection of Naunton Park Primary School Naunton Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7BT

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since June 2013. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a wonderfully positive and warm environment. The school’s vision encapsulates the ethos of the school. Everyone wants the very best for all pupils. As a result, pupils are highly motivated and achieve well. They thoroughly enjoy learning and many produce work of a high quality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and orderly place. There are high expectations for behaviour. Most pupils follow these well. This begins in Reception where children quickly learn the rules and routines. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They play well together during social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils recognise how the school rules encourage them to try their best. For example, pupils know that it is okay to make mistakes because they learn from them. This helps them to learn about resilience and perseverance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A significant number of pupils benefit from the many extra-curricular clubs that the school offers. These include choir, cross country, music clubs, sporting activities and drama. The opportunities the school provides help pupils to expand their interests and to discover and develop new talents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in a wide range of enrichment activities. For example, visiting the local literature festival and attending outdoor learning activities. These opportunities help pupils to broaden their experiences beyond the classroom.

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

The school is highly inclusive. There is clear ambition for all pupils to ‘achieve great things, in a great way’. There has been a relentless drive to develop the curriculum. This work is on-going. The school is continuing to refine the curriculum in a few subjects. As yet, in those subjects, the curriculum does not set out the precise knowledge that pupils need to learn to ensure that their understanding builds over time.

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

Most teachers ably support pupils to learn new content. Consequently, pupils confidently talk about what they are learning. They are beginning to make links to what they have learned before. This is more secure in reading and mathematics. Teachers adapt learning well in these subjects. This helps pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Learning is not yet as effectively adapted for pupils with SEND across all subjects.

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

The school has rightly prioritised the development of reading and mathematics. In these subjects, pupils build on what they already know to develop a strong understanding. Systems for checking what pupils know and remember are well established. For example, teachers identify if pupils are falling behind and adapt subsequent teaching to help them to catch up. This helps pupils to develop a secure understanding. In a few subjects, while teaching checks what pupils know and remember, it does not address gaps and misconceptions as well. 22 and 23 October 2024

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There is exceptionally high ambition for all pupils to learn to read and to develop a love of reading. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading. Pupils learn to read fluently and confidently. They enjoy listening to the stories that teachers read to them. The school has carefully selected high-quality texts to expose pupils to a wide range of genres and authors. These texts also help to enrich learning across curriculum.

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The school has taken effective action to improve writing. This is beginning to have an impact. For example, older pupils follow the school’s structured approach to build their writing and use well-chosen vocabulary. However, some younger pupils do not secure the technical skills or the grammar and punctuation knowledge they need to be ready for later work. The school’s work on this is in its early stages.

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Lessons are calm and purposeful. The school provides effective social and emotional support for pupils who need it. For example, adults act swiftly to support pupils who need help managing their behaviour. As a result, pupils learn without disruption.

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The school is making improvements to the early years provision. It has designed and implemented a new curriculum. This supports children’s learning well in the indoor area. Children learn to play co-operatively and to take turns. However, some outdoor activities do not support children’s development as well as they could. For example, in helping children to develop their language and communication skills.

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The school works with families to ensure that the expectations for attendance are clear. Many pupils attend regularly and on time. Nevertheless, the school is continuing to develop its approach to managing attendance to ensure that all pupils attend regularly. Staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. Staff value the opportunities for professional development which helps them to improve their practice.

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Pupils learn about keeping themselves healthy including their mental and physical health. There are a range of leadership opportunities such as the school council, house captains, eco-warriors and reading ambassadors. These help pupils to learn about responsibility.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is developing and refining the curriculum. In a few subjects, it does not identify the essential knowledge that pupils should know and remember. Assessment of pupils’ learning is less established in these subjects. The school should continue to refine the curriculum to ensure that it identifies the precise knowledge that it wants 22 and 23 October 2024

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pupils to know and remember in all subjects and ensure that learning is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils, making effective use of assessment.  The writing curriculum is less well developed than reading and mathematics. Some pupils do not yet secure the fundamentals of writing that they need to be ready for later work. The school should ensure that the new writing curriculum is fully embedded so that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in writing, including their handwriting.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body James Pembrooke (acting)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 and 12 June 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school.  There have been a number of recent changes to leadership. The headteacher took up the substantive post in September 2022. The deputy headteacher and inclusion lead both took up their posts in September 2024.  The governing body appointed an acting chair of governors in October 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club which is managed by the governing body.

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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. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders and groups of staff.  The lead inspector held meetings with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, 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 lead inspector also discussed

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the curriculum in some other subjects including geography, writing and physical education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View including the free-text comments. Inspector also spoke with parents at the start and the end of the school day. Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, inspectors spoke to pupils to discuss their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Wigley 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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