Great Doddington Primary

Inspection of Great Doddington Primary Church Lane, Great Doddington, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN29 7TR

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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 Requires improvement 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident and friendly at Great Doddington. They welcome visitors to the school with enthusiasm and are proud to show off their work and achievements. Pupils embrace the school’s values of ‘respect, resilience, responsibility and reflection’. Through these, pupils understand their role in making the community a better place. They recognise that they can affect those around them and choose to have a positive influence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school and have someone to talk to if they have a problem. They appreciate the supportive, restorative approach taken when things go wrong. This helps them learn to reflect and make different choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils rise to these and benefit from a peaceful and productive learning environment. They work hard in lessons and achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the extended opportunities to explore the world outside of their local area. They learn about different cultures and faiths and are passionate about embracing difference. Older pupils welcome opportunities to take on responsibility. They act as positive role models to their younger peers and especially enjoy offering support as ‘reading buddies’.

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

The school has ensured that there is a well-planned and sequenced curriculum in place, starting in Reception. This curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including for those with SEND. Teachers design activities that develop key ideas well. This helps pupils to develop their knowledge and skills. Frequent opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning assists them in remembering more. As a result, pupils can speak meaningfully about their understanding of different subjects. This remodelled curriculum is helping current pupils to achieve well, following previously low outcomes in mathematics and writing.

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

Children in Reception learn to communicate and cooperate with others successfully. They start learning to read from their first day at school. Children practise matching letters and sounds and begin to develop the skills to decode words. They enjoy being read to and join in with well-known stories.

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

Rigorous training ensures that expert staff teach phonics consistently well. Pupils appreciate the routine and structure of the daily sessions. They respond to verbal prompts with gusto. Pupils have frequent opportunities to read, helping them to become confident and accurate readers. However, some staff do not support pupils consistently to use appropriate reading strategies. This means that some pupils do not learn to read fluently as soon as they could.

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They ensure that activities are engaging and develop pupils’ understanding. Usually, pupils with SEND are well supported and achieve in line with their ability. However, at times, teachers do not provide appropriate support so 29 and 30 April 2025

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that these pupils can access learning effectively. When this happens, pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

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Teachers check what pupils know well. They identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and provide support to help pupils to catch up. When pupils require more support, the school responds quickly. It identifies the specific needs of pupils with SEND swiftly. External support is used effectively, when appropriate.

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Pupils behave well. The school’s new approach to promoting positive learning behaviour develops pupils’ emotional literacy and self-awareness. This starts in Reception, where children learn to take turns and follow rules. Pupils develop the skills and vocabulary to talk about their feelings, and they learn how to problem-solve situations. Staff listen to pupils and offer effective support and guidance. The positive relationships between staff and pupils mean that the school is a calm and purposeful place, where learning is the most important focus.

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Pupils’ wider development is interwoven into all aspects of school life. Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education builds the foundation of a strong community ethos. Staff know pupils well and understand the nature of the school’s rural community. They ensure that pupils understand healthy relationships, develop useful friendship skills and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils benefit from the wide range of clubs on offer. The school supports them to think beyond the village, introducing them to aspects such as travel and the arts. Families are invited to join in the ‘creative missions’.

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Pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values is excellent. They link curriculum learning skilfully to different values. Pupils celebrate and embrace difference. They understand that diversity is important, and they do not tolerate discrimination of any sort.

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Governors have a positive working relationship with the school. They provide effective support and challenge to leaders. Staff appreciate the help to manage their workload and consideration of their well-being. They feel valued by the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, staff do not implement the reading curriculum in the way the school has planned. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge to deliver the reading curriculum consistently well.  Sometimes, staff do not provide appropriate adaptation or support in lessons to ensure that all pupils are able to access the learning. When this happens, some pupils, 29 and 30 April 2025

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particularly some pupils with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills so that they can adapt their practice to meet the needs of all pupils.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Josie Garnham (Executive headteacher) Rachael Shelton (Head of school) Website www.greatdoddingtonprimary.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Great Doddington Primary school is part of the Green Shoots Partnership.  The school does not use any 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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. 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.  Inspectors also considered the curriculums in geography, physical education, PSHE, religion and world views, and the early years provision.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher and the head of school, as well as subject leaders and staff. The lead inspector met with leaders responsible for SEND, behaviour and attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector reviewed the single central record. Inspectors 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

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around safeguarding.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and the school improvement plan, as well as documents relating to behaviour, attendance and governance.  The lead inspector met with the vice-chair of the local governing board and four other governors.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and carers, and considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Nyree Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Talbot 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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