Kington Primary School

Inspection of Kington Primary School Mill Street, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3AL

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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 Good 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school where pupils do well. They take pride in their school and all feel welcome. Pupils enjoy learning, achieve well and participate in the many opportunities that the school organises for them. As one pupil, typical of many, stated to inspectors: ‘’This school has something for everyone and cares about everyone as an individual.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand that the school has high expectations for how they should behave. They meet these expectations by listening and trying hard in class and by playing harmoniously during social times. They know there are adults who will listen and support them if they have a concern.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular activities the school offers. They also appreciate the wide range of external trips and visits, especially within the local community. These experiences include a visit to a local literary festival, enrichment days, a ping-pong challenge and a residential trip. The members of the school council are proud of the work they do to lead the school community, and how they contribute to improving provision at the school. They are especially proud of their collaboration with leaders to enhance the playground facilities.

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

The school has reviewed its curriculum extensively. This is now securely in place. There is clear identification of the key learning pupils need, and also the order in which it should be taught. The school has paid particular attention to its new curriculum for mathematics to ensure all pupils have the key learning they need, which they learn to apply with fluency.

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

The curriculum is taught well. This means pupils learn more and remember more, supported by carefully selected tasks and explanations. Teachers generally check pupils’ learning well to spot gaps or misconceptions. However, this is not always consistent. At times, pupils may be unclear about their learning, or opportunities to extend their thinking through more complex tasks may be missed. As a result, some pupils do not progress as well as they could. In mathematics, the teaching of the new curriculum with a focus on mastery helps pupils to learn to apply their learning in a range of different situations.

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

Early reading is a significant priority for the school. In Nursery, children are taught to recognise and explore key sounds. This helps to prepare them for learning to read in Reception. These sounds are introduced in a clear and logical sequence. Pupils are supported to read regularly, and the school ensures that all pupils have opportunities to read aloud to an adult. Those who need additional help with reading are identified quickly and receive targeted support to secure their understanding of the sounds they need. The school has strengthened its provision for older readers who need further support, recognising the importance of building fluency and confidence.

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

Staff in the early years carry out careful checks on children’s learning. Based on these, they design activities that support each child’s individual needs, including activities that 20 and 21 May 2025

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help develop speech and language or coordination. The well-resourced Nursery offers a variety of learning areas that children benefit from. Additional adults are well trained and enrich children’s interactions. Children are typically able to sustain their attention, as activities are well matched to their needs. In this way, children are well supported as they move into key stage 1.

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The school clearly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school ensures that teachers have the information that they need to adapt the learning for these pupils. Appropriate adaptations are then put in place. There are a number of additional adults throughout the school who also help pupils with SEND to achieve well.

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The school’s new behaviour policy, based on ‘ready, respectful, safe’, is well understood and embedded. This means that pupils and staff share a common understanding of the school’s expectations and apply them consistently. This contributes to the school being a harmonious community where pupils typically behave in a kind and tolerant way towards each other and try their hardest in class. The school takes effective and supportive action should pupils need support to meet its high expectations. The school tracks pupils’ attendance closely and acts promptly should absence be of concern. It works well with parents and external agencies to ensure all pupils attend regularly.

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The school is proud of its provision for pupils’ personal development. Pupils are taught how to look after themselves and stay safe through a carefully constructed and delivered programme. There are a range of opportunities for them to learn about other traditions and faiths. The school is proud of the engagement it has with the town and of the contributions the pupils make to local events. There are a number of trips and activities, which enrich the pupils’ learning. Leaders track which pupils attend these opportunities.

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Leaders have a deep and evaluative understanding of the school. They also place significant emphasis on the school’s role in the local community. They engage in a meaningful way with staff around workload and developments to provision. Governors are well informed about the quality of provision through the clear evaluations from the school, as well as reports from external advisers. They offer appropriate, supportive challenge to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that all staff use assessment consistently to identify when pupils have fully understood their learning. As a result, on occasions, gaps in learning are not consistently identified and closed, or pupils are not moved on to more complex tasks when they are ready. The school should ensure that assessment is used 20 and 21 May 2025

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effectively to check pupils’ understanding and that all teachers make appropriate adaptations to their teaching.

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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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post in September 2022.  The school uses one registered alternation provision.  The school has nursery provision that takes children from age two.

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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

 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. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  As part of this inspection, the inspectors met with governors and directors, including the chair of the trust. They met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff and other employees in the school. Inspectors also talked informally to pupils to gather general information about school life. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority by telephone as well as the school’s external adviser. He scrutinised records of external visits to the school. Governing body minutes were reviewed.

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, modern foreign languages and science. For each deep dive, the 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 in these subjects and others.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme, and the careers and personal development programmes with leaders and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders.  A range of documents were scrutinised, including plans to improve the school.  The inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. They took account of responses to Ofsted surveys for staff and pupils, Ofsted Parent View and the free-text responses. An

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inspector also spoke with a selection of parents informally.

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Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Lewis Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 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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