Robert Peel Primary School

Inspection of Robert Peel Primary School Dapifer Drive, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1QJ

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this friendly primary school. It provides highly effective pastoral support for pupils. Relationships throughout the school are built on trust. As a result, pupils feel safe and happy. They love coming to school. One pupil, echoing many others, described feeling ‘safe and cared for’ when arriving at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations for behaviour are clear and consistently applied. Pupils are very well behaved and show kindness towards their peers. They are courteous and extremely polite. Pupils know that unkind behaviour will not be tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a broad curriculum. In lessons, pupils pay close attention to their teachers. They enjoy learning and work hard. They learn and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is committed to helping pupils become well-rounded, empathetic citizens. There are many opportunities for pupils to thrive outside the classroom. Pupils enjoy taking part in an extensive range of clubs, educational visits and events, like the recent Victory in Europe Day picnic. Pupils visit places of interest such as museums and historical landmarks. These visits help extend their knowledge of their local area and beyond. The school puts a strong emphasis on learning about and valuing diversity. Pupils are proud that the school is inclusive and everyone is treated equally.

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

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. It is a curriculum that meets the needs of different groups of pupils effectively. Pupils make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills.

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

The school aspires for pupils to develop a love of reading. In Nursery, children start to recognise letters and sounds in their environment and learning activities. They build on this early foundation through daily phonics sessions when they are in Reception. The early reading lessons are delivered effectively by well-trained staff. Support is quickly put in place for any child at risk of falling behind with their reading. Most pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to read well. Older pupils read a wide variety of high- quality texts in their daily lessons. They talk confidently about the books they have read. The school works hard to instil a love of reading through author visits and ‘buddy reading’.

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

Teaching and learning in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are strong. The school has recently reviewed the foundation subject curriculums. They are well thought through and set out how learning should build over time. However, teachers do not always break down learning carefully enough. This hampers some pupils’ progress, and they do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

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

Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. They have their needs accurately and promptly identified. Leaders adapt provision so that pupils receive personalised support. This helps pupils with SEND to build 7 and 8 May 2025

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their knowledge. Modified tasks, additional resources and skilful adult support help these pupils to achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy their social time and the fun activities the school provides. They develop strong friendships. The ‘golden rules’ motivate them to behave well and do the right thing. The school takes effective action to increase pupils’ rates of attendance. They work with families to promote the value of high attendance and its impact on learning. Attendance is improving as a result.

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Children get off to a good start in the early years. They are happy and well looked after. Children learn the importance of good manners and readily say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to each other and staff. They play cooperatively and are able to focus well on activities. Developing early language is a high priority. Skilled staff help children to improve their communication and language skills through carefully planned activities.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils thrive because of the meticulously planned range of opportunities offered by the school. Pupils strive to take on one of the many leadership roles, such as prefects or head boy or girl. They carry out their duties with pride and are held in high esteem by their peers. Pupils talk about equality, diversity and fairness with a maturity rarely seen in this age group. They have a deep understanding of modern Britain and the importance of respect and active engagement in their community. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe and well. They trust any member of staff to help them if they have a problem.

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Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school. They use their experience well to challenge and support leaders. Staff are proud to work at this welcoming school. They feel leaders consider their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Because of the recent curriculum changes in some foundation subjects, teachers do not have sufficient subject expertise to deliver some subject curriculums to a consistently high standard. This means that sometimes pupils struggle to achieve the intended learning outcomes. The school should ensure that staff have the subject knowledge and skills to deliver the intended curriculum effectively. 7 and 8 May 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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school manages the on-site before- and after-school care club.  The school makes use of one registered 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.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading with a member of staff. Other subjects were also considered as part of the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, who is also the SEND coordinator, and other school leaders, including the SEND manager. They met with

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members of the local governing board and talked to the school effectiveness adviser.  Inspectors met with teachers to talk about the curriculum, workload and the behaviour and personal development of pupils.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s plans for improvement and their self-evaluation, together with minutes of meetings of the local governing board.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils during lessons, around the school, during lunchtime and on the playground. They looked at behaviour and attendance records and considered leaders’ analysis of these.  Inspectors considered the online responses to Ofsted Parent View, including any free- text comments. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Karen Stanton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jennifer Brassington Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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