Preston Hedges Primary School

Inspection of Preston Hedges Primary School Wootton Hope Drive, Wootton Fields, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 6BU

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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

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The principal of this school is Tracey Coles. This school is part of Preston Hedges 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), Paul Watson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Brinkley. 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy and confident. They achieve very well and consistently meet or exceed the high expectations staff have of them. This is because of the high- quality teaching, curriculum and support in place. Pupils are kept safe by expertly trained and nurturing staff who meet their needs on an individual basis.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wealth of enrichment activities that support them to develop their talents and interests. These include music lessons, the school radio station and newspaper and a range of sporting activities and clubs such as choir, football and crochet. Pupils support one another and make a difference to their community. They take on roles such as play leaders or well-being and eco-ambassadors. They also take pride in being able to be a ‘trailblazer’ by raising money for local and national charities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very friendly and respectful towards each other, staff and visitors. They move around the building safely and sensibly. Older pupils support those younger than them with considerable care and kindness by leading sports at breaktimes or helping with reading and well-being. Pupils are rewarded when they exhibit the school values. They wear their values badges or ‘golden ties’ with pride.

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

The school offers an ambitious and extremely well-thought-through curriculum that exceeds the expectations of the national curriculum. Each subject has been meticulously designed so pupils’ knowledge builds each year on the strong foundations laid in Reception. For example, children learn to count to 10 and represent these numbers using objects and pictures. This early number work prepares children for more complex mathematical concepts such as fractions or decimal fractions later on. Similarly, in art, pupils revisit fundamental skills such as the use of line and tone through drawing and shading practice as they explore different artists each year.

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

Teachers are highly effective at helping pupils to learn the intended curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers set tasks that enable pupils to talk about, practise and apply their new knowledge. This ensures it becomes part of their long-term memory. When necessary, teachers adapt the curriculum or the way they deliver it so pupils’ needs are met and they learn effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND are very successful. Teachers check pupils’ learning of current knowledge and knowledge learned over time. They correct misconceptions as they occur and address any gaps they identify.

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

The school ensures that there is a sharp focus on pupils’ reading. Many reading spaces in the school, including the ‘reading bus’ in the playground, demonstrate how much reading is prioritised. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and readily talk about the different types of books they like. From the very start children are taught to read with accuracy and fluency by expertly trained staff. The school’s systematic approach to reading informs pupils’ writing, vocabulary acquisition and spelling very effectively. As a result, pupils are well 11 and 12 February 2025

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prepared for secondary school with very high levels of success in literacy. Those pupils who need additional support are identified quickly and helped to catch up.

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Behaviour is excellent. Pupils exhibit particularly positive attitudes to learning and towards each other. They engage thoughtfully with their work, and their conduct around the school is calm and orderly. This is because staff have consistently high expectations and embed strong behaviour routines from the start in Reception.

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This school has a very ambitious approach to pupils’ wider development. It is as well considered and thought through as the academic curriculum. The school ensures pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught about a range of religions, cultures, families and relationships. The school ensures it equips pupils with the knowledge to identify risks and help themselves stay safe both online and physically. Pupils have an embedded and secure understanding of how fundamental British values and protected characteristics link to the school’s own values.

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School leaders, including members of the trust, ensure the school maintains a highly effective provision for all its pupils. They have a shared ambition for every pupil to achieve well at each stage. School leaders are considerate of the workload and well-being of school staff, who are very happy. The school ensures parents are well informed about pupils’ learning, progress and well-being. Leaders are continually developing and learning. They seek advice and guidance from a range of agencies. This enables the school to be a beacon of best practice in many areas for other schools in the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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, 11 and 12 February 2025

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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

Website www.prestonhedges.northants.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 June 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of a Preston Hedges Trust.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.  The school provides breakfast and after-school care, managed by the school.

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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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 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography, science and religious education. To do this, they met with subject leaders, held discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. Other subjects were considered as part of this inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with the principal, the assistant principals and other senior leaders, including those leading on inclusion and safeguarding.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the trust, including the chair of the trust board and the CEO. They also spoke with a school improvement partner who

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works with the trust.  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.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Una Buckley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Aird 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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