Thongsley Fields Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Thongsley Fields Primary and Nursery School Buttsgrove Way, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 1PE

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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

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The headteacher of this school is David Jones. This school is part of CAM Academy 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), Claire Heald, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sue Williamson. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Thongsley Fields Primary School is a welcoming school where pupils are happy. They show respect and kindness towards one another. Pupils behave well. They embrace and show the school values of ‘being ready, respectful and safe’. Staff provide clear routines and apply the school’s high behaviour expectations. Staff are caring and approachable. Pupils know who to talk to if they have a concern, and as a result, pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of additional opportunities. Clubs including sports and arts are well-attended and much loved, for example the ‘Dragon Puppet’ Club. These extra- curricular activities allow pupils to explore their interests, build friendships and develop new skills beyond the classroom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. It sets high expectations for pupil achievement. Published outcomes confirm that pupils achieve well in most subjects. The vast majority of pupils attend school regularly and on time. They enjoy doing so. Pupils share their learning enthusiastically with others, including visitors to the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading and talk passionately about their reading experiences. They value the author visits and activities that help to bring the books they read to life.

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

The school provides a well-sequenced and organised curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. This enables pupils to make meaningful connections across subjects. From the early years, staff explain learning clearly to pupils. They are skilled at asking questions to check pupils’ understanding in the moment. Pupils say lessons are interesting and teachers help them to learn in fun ways, particularly in mathematics. Work given to pupils helps them to apply their learning well. Pupils take great pride in their work. However, in some subjects, the key knowledge is not clearly identified. Staff do not always know the key knowledge that should be the focus of teaching. This can limit how well pupils build on their knowledge over time.

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

Staff are dedicated to supporting pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify pupils’ needs quickly. They adapt the curriculum and teaching to meet these needs. Pupils’ interests are developed into meaningful learning opportunities, for example using water play to understand how and why artists paint water in specific ways. Staff support pupils with SEND well so they can access and learn the curriculum.

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

The school ensures that pupils are exposed to a wide range of texts so that they develop a love of reading. There is a strong focus on early reading. Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning to read receive well-structured support. The school is proactive in identifying pupils who may fall behind. Effective support is put in place to help pupils catch up quickly and become confident, fluent readers. 29 and 30 April 2025

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Attendance is a priority. The school works hard to reduce absences. It has put a range of strategies in place to encourage better attendance. The school works closely with external agencies to make sure families and pupils get the support they need. On occasion, pupils who are on part-time timetables do not access full-time education quickly enough. This means that some pupils do not benefit from the high-quality curriculum as well as they could.

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Behaviour is positive. Pupils show respect for staff and one another. Lessons are calm, and disruptions are rare. Pupils are polite and caring. They hold doors open for adults and their peers. Pupils enjoy the structured activities at playtime and lunchtime. They look forward to playing games with their peers and staff. The play leaders thrive on the responsibility to lead play for the younger pupils.

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Pupils’ personal development is well-considered. The school offers opportunities for pupils to explore different cultures and faiths through events such as ‘the faith tour’. Pupils are encouraged to think about fairness, kindness and their responsibilities in the wider world. They take part in community projects such as the school food bank and litter picking. This helps them to develop empathy and a strong sense of social responsibility.

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Leaders and governors make thoughtful decisions to enhance the quality of education. The school is committed and focused on improvement. It regularly checks that any improvements are having a positive impact on pupils and staff. Leaders take steps to ensure staff are well-supported through training and development. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the key knowledge that pupils should learn is not clearly identified. This limits how well pupils build their knowledge over time. The school should ensure that key knowledge is clearly identified across all subjects, allowing staff to check that pupils are learning this knowledge effectively and ensuring any gaps in knowledge can be addressed.  On occasion, pupils who are on part-time timetables do not access full-time education in a timely enough manner. This delay prevents some pupils from fully benefiting from the high-quality curriculum. The school should review its process for transitioning pupils from part-time to full-time education so that they can access the full curriculum without unnecessary delays. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The CAM Academy Trust.  The school provides wraparound provision. This includes breakfast and after-school provision.  The school uses one unregistered provider of alternative 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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders to discuss the school’s curriculum and the school’s work on behaviour and attendance. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design and history. 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 listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors

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considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ comments submitted via the free-text facility.  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.

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Inspection team

Nerrissa Bear, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Hynes Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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