Schools & FE · Ungraded school inspection
Wootton St Andrew's CofE Primary School
Summary
Jaimie Holbrook (lead), Jo Bentley
What we read, and from where
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- Inspection date verified
21 Jan 2025
- Inspectors verified
Jaimie Holbrook, Jo Bentley
- Postcode verified
DN39 6SG
- Name on report verified
Wootton St Andrew’s CofE Primary School
- URN verified
118038
Deep dive
What this report says
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Tone of the report
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How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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Concerns
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Next steps
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- Occasionally, it is not clear what pupils must know in some topics. p.2
- The school has ensured that staff have the training they need to teach children to read. p.2
- In some areas of the curriculum, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. p.3
- The school should ensure that assessment information is used effectively to address gaps in pupils’ learning. p.3
- The curriculum for English and mathematics clearly identifies what pupils should learn and how knowledge should build over time. p.2
- The school needs to ensure that important knowledge is clearly identified in each area of the curriculum. p.3
What the report dwells on
Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.
Leadership & governance4
“Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities.” p.2Personal development3
“Pupils have a strong understanding of fundamental British values.” p.2
Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 7
- Words of findings
- 1,257
- about usual (typical 1282)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 55, typical 51
- Average sentence
- 15 words
- Next steps
- 6
- typical 3
- Hedged sentences
- 8%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Wootton St Andrew’s CofE Primary School 6 High Street, Wootton, Ulceby, Lincolnshire DN39 6SG
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Outcome
Wootton St Andrew’s CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.
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What is it like to attend this school?
The school’s Christian values, including love, joy and trust, are at the heart of pupils’ experiences. This is a caring school. The school prioritises the development of pupils’ character. Pupils are considerate of the views of others and highly respectful of different beliefs and cultures. The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The majority of pupils reach these expectations by the time they leave the school.
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What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils feel safe in school. They are confident that staff will help them if they have any concerns. Pupils move around the school sensibly. They learn to develop their independence from an early age. Pupils are highly supportive of one another. For example, older pupils help their younger peers at lunchtime. In classrooms, pupils help each other when they are finding their work difficult.
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What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils learn how to stay safe, including when using the internet. Pupils enjoy attending extra-curricular clubs. They compete with pupils from other schools in sporting tournaments. Pupils contribute well to the local community. For example, pupils plant flowers in the village and take part in special events at the church.
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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The early years environment is attractive and well organised. This helps children to develop independence from an early age. Clear routines and a nurturing approach lay the foundation for the positive behaviours that are seen throughout the school. Staff plan well considered activities that support children in developing their independence right from the start of Reception Year. 21 January 2025
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Children start to read as soon as they start the Reception class. The school has ensured that staff have the training they need to teach children to read. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds they have learned. Teachers make effective checks on whether pupils are remembering new phonics knowledge. Those who are struggling receive extra support. As a result, phonics teaching helps pupils to become fluent in reading.
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The school ensures that pupils receive rich first-hand experiences. The school plans trips and visitors to support pupils’ learning. For example, pupils in key stage 2 enjoyed visiting a history museum as part of the history curriculum. Pupils in Year 6 visit the local secondary school so they are ready to join a much larger school in Year 7.
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The school has started work on developing the curriculum. The curriculum for English and mathematics clearly identifies what pupils should learn and how knowledge should build over time. Teachers ask questions that encourage pupils to think carefully and explain their answers. Pupils are keen to answer questions and contribute to discussions. There is still work to do in some subjects. Occasionally, it is not clear what pupils must know in some topics. This means that some pupils do not consistently develop a deep knowledge of the subjects they study. The school gathers assessment information to check how well the curriculum is being taught. However, the school does not use this information well enough to make further improvements. As a result, some gaps remain in pupils’ learning.
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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from the effective support of adults. Teaching assistants provide support for those with complex needs. This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well. Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. Parents of pupils with SEND appreciate all that leaders and staff do to provide a good quality of education.
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The school is careful to promote equal opportunities and encourage pupils to raise their aspirations. Pupils take part in a career’s fair at a local school. This allows them to meet pupils from beyond their village and learn about the opportunities that exist when they grow older. Pupils have a strong understanding of fundamental British values. They can relate the importance of individual liberty to their respect for different beliefs and opinions.
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Leaders take the right steps to ensure that the pupils in their school succeed. The school places a strong emphasis on the well-being of staff and pupils. Staff are proud to work at the school. They feel there is a supportive team ethos. Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities. They provide appropriate challenge and support to help improve the school.
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Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21 January 2025
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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
In some areas of the curriculum, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. As a result, in lessons, staff do not routinely prioritise the most important knowledge. As a result, pupils’ knowledge in some areas of the curriculum does not build as effectively as it could. The school needs to ensure that important knowledge is clearly identified in each area of the curriculum. The school gathers assessment information to check how well the curriculum is being taught. However, the school does not use this information well enough to make improvements. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning in a small number of subjects. The school should ensure that assessment information is used effectively to address gaps in pupils’ learning.
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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.
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Background
This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 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. 21 January 2025
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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). 21 January 2025
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School details
Appropriate authority The governing body
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School details
Date of previous inspection 27 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005
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Information about this school
The school operates a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils. The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.
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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 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 school’s senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 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 21 January 2025
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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View as well as the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils. The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including safeguarding records and minutes of governing body meetings.
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Inspection team
Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector
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Inspection team
Jo Bentley Ofsted Inspector 21 January 2025
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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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted
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