Saffron Green Primary School

Inspection of Saffron Green Primary School Nicoll Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 2PP

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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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 Requires improvement 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. There is an emphasis on togetherness. Pupils told inspectors, ‘Everyone cares about each other.’ Staff and governors build strong relationships with pupils quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations have risen since the previous inspection, and this is reflected in recent improvements to behaviour. From early years to Year 6, behaviour in lessons is settled. The school has introduced effective ways to help pupils manage their feelings. For example, the new ‘calm zone’ is helping pupils manage their behaviour with greater success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum. It is aspirational for pupils’ academic achievements. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from this. Pupils work hard in lessons and enjoy learning. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their understanding of different cultures and faiths that make up modern Britain. They understand the similarities and differences between a range of religions and cultures. The school promotes pupils’ leadership skills effectively. For example, as house captains, pupils develop their character and teamwork. They are proud to make a difference in their school.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has developed a well-sequenced curriculum. It outlines what pupils need to learn in each subject clearly, at each stage of their education. The school expects pupils to achieve highly, including those with SEND. Staff are knowledgeable in identifying and meeting the needs of all pupils. They make suitable adaptations to meet individual pupils’ needs.

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

Staff have secure subject knowledge. They communicate concepts to pupils clearly. The school has developed robust procedures to check what pupils have learned over time. This is used to inform and improve the curriculum. However, staff do not check pupils’ understanding consistently in lessons to identify and correct errors swiftly. As a result, a small number of pupils have misconceptions that go unaddressed.

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

Reading is prioritised. From the early years, children are immersed in daily rhymes and stories. The phonics programme is well established and taught consistently well. This ensures that pupils make a strong start. Regular checks and careful analysis ensure pupils are identified early if at risk of being left behind, and they are helped to keep up. As pupils move through the school, they continue to enjoy a strong reading curriculum. High- quality texts support pupils in developing and using their vocabulary.

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

Children are taught quickly how to behave when they join in Nursery or Reception. The school has established effective routines. Recently, the school has updated its approach to managing behaviour. This has been very successful in improving quickly how pupils 11 and 12 February 2025

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behave in lessons and around school. Pupils are enthusiastic about the impact of these changes. They are polite and well-mannered. Learning is rarely disrupted. When pupils find it difficult to behave well, they are supported well by staff. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They have confidence in adults to help them.

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The school monitors and manages attendance well. For example, the school has improved how it identifies and responds when pupils are absent. Despite the school seeing some significant improvements for individual pupils, some do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, they miss valuable learning.

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The school has developed a broad offer to support pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils are taught how to stay safe online through the wider curriculum. This has been particularly important for older pupils. Pupils excitedly recall trips. For example, when they experience life as Victorian children. The school has improved the clubs on offer to develop pupils’ talents and interests, including for those who are disadvantaged. For example, the recent addition of ‘spy club’ has been popular with pupils. Parents are rightly very positive about this aspect of the school’s work.

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Governors understand their role and take this seriously. They have developed useful systems and processes to hold the school to account effectively. Governors benefit from external experts’ advice. This is used to monitor the school’s progress against agreed actions effectively. Staff speak very highly of the school. They are all proud to work here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not check pupils’ understanding during lessons carefully or consistently. Therefore, a small number of pupils develop misconceptions, which go unaddressed. The school should ensure staff are equipped with the expertise they need to identify and correct errors swiftly, enabling pupils to make better progress.  The school’s work to improve attendance has not yet had enough impact. Some pupils still do not come to school regularly enough and too many are persistently absent. The school should continue to apply its improved systems to support pupils to attend more regularly.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Pamela Aristokle

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 February 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, the school had a period where interim leadership arrangements were put in place.  The school does not use any alterative provision.  The school runs breakfast and after-school club provision.

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Leaders met with the headteacher, interim headteacher, assistant headteacher, inclusion manager, staff governors, a from the local authority and pupils.  Inspectors met with subject leaders, reviewed evidence of pupils’ work and held discussions with pupils about other foundation subjects.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to 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 also discussed the curriculum in some other areas, including writing, history and design technology.

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 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 reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, suspension records, attendance records, pupil records, minutes of governor body meetings, school development plans, records of monitoring from the local authority and school policies.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they arrived at school. They also took into consideration the online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Emma Breckenridge, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ania Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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