Foxdell Primary School

Inspection of Foxdell Primary School Dallow Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 1TG

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 January 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Foxdell Primary School is a supportive and welcoming community, putting pupils at the centre of all it does. The school celebrates the diverse cultures and backgrounds of its community, ensuring a safe and happy environment for every child.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for both behaviour and learning. Pupils follow the ‘Foxdell Way’, moving calmly and responsibly through the school. Most attend regularly, are happy and enjoy their lessons, striving to do their best and taking pride in their work.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on various roles, such as play leaders and school council members. The Eco Council is especially proud of its efforts to improve the school grounds and of earning the Eco Green Flag Award. These experiences foster a strong sense of pride and belonging within the school community.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos is built on positive and supportive relationships between adults and pupils. Children feel safe and know they can confidently approach staff with any concerns.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

A careful and personalised approach to early language development helps pupils build strong communication skills right from the beginning. Most pupils achieve well across the curriculum and understand what it means to be a good citizen. This ensures they are well-prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.2

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and broad. Despite staffing challenges in the past, the school has identified its most important learning priorities and has started to address gaps in pupils’ understanding. Pupils’ outcomes in national tests and assessments are improving as they increasingly recall important knowledge across subjects and complete work to a high standard.

p.2

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

Leaders have recently established curriculum subject teams to ensure consistency of curriculum delivery across both sites. Effective systems are in place to develop staff at all levels through well-thought-through training programmes tailored to the school’s specific needs. However, with many new staff, including those new to the profession, some areas of the curriculum are not taught as effectively as others. For example, while strong systems are in place to identify pupils with barriers to learning, such as pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or pupils who are new to speaking English, some staff are still developing the skills needed to consistently adapt learning to meet pupils’ differing needs and help them to be as successful as they can.

p.2

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

Staff are committed to fostering a love of reading and helping pupils develop a solid foundation in literacy throughout their primary years. Leaders aim to ensure that every pupil, regardless of background, ability or language, becomes a confident and capable reader. Targeted sessions ensure that pupils catch up quickly. 7 and 8 January 2025

p.2

3

The school provides a strong start for children in the early years and those joining at different points in the year, including pupils arriving from other countries. By identifying communication, speech and language needs early, the school offers tailored support that helps pupils settle quickly and engage with the reading curriculum. Reading is firmly embedded as the foundation for learning, and as a result, most pupils make strong progress across the curriculum.

p.3

3

The school’s early years curriculum sets clear expectations for behaviour and learning. Children engage well in most lessons. Adults are skilled at identifying and teaching the letters and sounds children need to learn. However, during child-initiated learning, adults are sometimes unclear about the purpose and learning goals of activities meant to encourage independent play. In these instances, children rely too much on adult support or lose focus and become disengaged.

p.3

3

Pupils across the school behave well. Recent changes to lunchtime activities have encouraged positive engagement, and pupils report noticeable improvement. While most pupils attend school regularly, the pastoral team works closely with families and professionals to support those who struggle, helping some pupils to improve their attendance.

p.3

3

The school’s values are deeply embedded in its curriculum. Pupils are caring and sensitive to others’ needs, expressing aspirations to abolish racism, fighting and poverty. They learn about a range of religions and respect the beliefs and choices of others. Annual interfaith workshops, well attended by parents, promote understanding and respect within the community. The school’s values help pupils to develop as positive role models and responsible citizens.

p.3

3

Enrichment opportunities, such as trips to the zoo and reptile workshops, are carefully planned to enhance learning. The strong music curriculum deepens pupils’ appreciation of music and fosters joy in playing instruments together, enriching their experience and strengthening the school community.

p.3

3

Leaders, including governors, show strong commitment to supporting families and pupils, with a clear understanding of their needs. Staff value the consistent support and targeted training provided by leaders. This enables them to perform their roles effectively and improve pupils’ learning experiences.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

4

 Some teachers do not consistently adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils, occasionally setting tasks that are too difficult. As a result, some pupils struggle to complete these tasks successfully. The school should ensure that all teachers have the expertise needed so that they can modify tasks so that all pupils can access learning and make progress through the curriculum.  In the early years, tasks designed to support children’s independent learning do not always give sufficient consideration of children’s developmental needs and learning goals. As a result, some children struggle to sustain engagement with activities, limiting their ability to fully benefit from these opportunities. The school should ensure that teachers have a clear understanding of the specific learning objectives for each activity so that they design activities that are purposeful, capture children’s interest and foster

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 7 and 8 January 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in 2022.  The infant school amalgamated with the junior school in 2022.  The infant school and junior school are on separate sites.  The school runs a breakfast club.  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. 7 and 8 January 2025

p.5

6

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that 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 met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, music and science. 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 inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

6

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, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with several parents at the start of the school day on the second day of the inspection.  The inspectors considered the views of staff and pupils through meetings and informal discussions. Inspectors also considered the views of staff and pupils through their responses to Ofsted’s online survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Cindy Impey, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Laura Hewer Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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