Wootton Primary School

Inspection of Wootton Primary School Farmclose Road, Wootton, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 6HJ

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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 Good

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The headteachers of this school are Jamie Nairn and Robert Crilly. This school is part of Tove Learning 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), Jamie Clarke, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Chris Watt. 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly aspirational for its pupils to do well. It ensures that its pupils achieve exceptionally well across the whole curriculum. It has a clear motto for what it wants for all its pupils: ‘to develop a sense of themselves, a sense of others and a sense of the world’. Pupils talk warmly about how they need to respect themselves and be kind to themselves. This helps them to do that for others. Pupils develop into highly respectful individuals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s work to develop pupils’ character is top-notch. The curriculum, school assemblies, and myriad roles and responsibilities that pupils have contribute to this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school actively fosters opportunities for pupils to develop and confidently express their opinions. For example, Year 2 pupils respectfully discuss topics such as the Big Bang Theory and the existence of God. Pupils develop a strong sense of moral purpose.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live by the school’s values of respect, honesty, courage, ambition, care, cooperation, friendship and responsibility. They recognise the importance of these to them now and in the future. The values help them become responsible citizens. Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are happy and enjoy coming to this joyful and welcoming school.

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

The school has developed a carefully considered and well-designed curriculum. This enables pupils to build an excellent knowledge base in all subjects. Pupils make strong links between subjects and explain their learning articulately, for example how what they have learned in history about the Magna Carta links with the fundamental British value of democracy.

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

The school’s procedures for delivering the curriculum are thoroughly embedded. Teachers use recap quizzes to help pupils remember what they have learned previously. Teachers adapt future activities to make sure any missed content or misconceptions are considered and resolved. The school makes sure that all teachers have the knowledge they need to teach all subjects well. This helps them to deepen pupils’ understanding. Pupils enjoy their learning and demonstrate exemplary attitudes throughout the day.

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

This school is exceptionally aspirational for its pupils to read fluently, with confidence and with understanding. It believes this to be the foundation for success. Pupils recognise this and, as they said in summary, ‘Reading provides a gateway to future learning.’ The school checks rigorously how well pupils are doing. It takes swift action for those who have fallen behind. Pupils love reading.

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

Children get off to an exceptional start in the early years. Staff design activities that cleverly develop independence, resilience and cooperation. For example, children must gather water vessels to catch water from spouts far away to fill their own water tray. These activities spark children’s interests. They encourage the children to concentrate and work for sustained periods of time. The school’s emphasis on developing a wide range of 17 and 18 June 2025

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vocabulary enables children to articulate their learning well. Even at this young age, children understand how to write for purpose.

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The school is ambitious for and committed to all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It ensures that the curriculum remains broad and inclusive. It meticulously organises activities to support a diverse range of pupils’ needs. The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure that their child’s needs are identified, known, understood and met. Pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points.

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Support for pupils to attend regularly and behave well is extensive. Whatever struggles pupils and families face, the school is determined to help them. Staff welcome pupils unconditionally. Relationships throughout the school are warm and positive. This enables pupils to develop a sense of belonging and high levels of self-esteem. Pupils enjoy coming to school, attend well and feel part of a big, family community.

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The school provides a multitude of opportunities for pupils to contribute to the work of the school and its wider community. Eco-warriors encourage recycling and the planting of bulbs in the local community. Reading buddies support younger children to become confident readers. The school offers a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ talents and interests. This is carefully targeted to ensure that all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, can participate in activities such as music lessons and a wide range of trips. This offer is carefully thought through and extensive.

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Unsurprisingly, parents hold the school in high regard. All staff are united in their pursuit of excellence for the pupils who attend. Leaders and the trust create the conditions for all staff to do their jobs well. They understand their responsibilities well. This is a united and highly ambitious school.

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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 17 and 18 June 2025

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Headteacher Jamie Nairn and Robert Crilly

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.  The school is a part of the Tove Learning Trust, a multi-academy trust. The school joined the trust in October 2020.

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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 17 and 18 June 2025

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provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, science, history, music and computing. 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 explored the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with three members of the governing body, including the chair, and the chair of the trustees’ board.  The lead inspector met with the CEO.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses, and Ofsted’s survey for school staff. Inspectors spoke informally with

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parents outside the school.  An inspector visited the after-school club that pupils attend.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime. They scrutinised the school’s records for attendance and behaviour.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Gilbride Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 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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