Great Staughton Primary Academy

Great Staughton Primary Academy

Address: The Causeway, Great Staughton, St Neots, St Neots, Cambridgeshire, PE19 5BP Unique reference number (URN): 140535

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

As a result of the strengths in the curriculum and the highly consistent teaching, pupils achieve well from the early years through to Year 6. Younger pupils learn to read accurately. The proportion of pupils achieving the phonics screening check in Year 1 is significantly above the national average. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make progress significantly relative to their starting points. This is because of the high-quality support they receive. As a result, pupils build secure knowledge in their basic reading, mathematics and writing skills. In writing, pupils produce imaginative accounts and demonstrate a secure understanding of writing to persuade, inform and narrate. Older pupils explain sophisticated concepts with precise, subject specific vocabulary. Pupils flourish and achieve highly at this school. This puts them

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Achievement Strong standard

in good stead for the next stage in their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders check attendance daily and analyse attendance patterns with rigour. They respond swiftly if attendance drops and they work effectively with parents and carers to ensure that pupils attend school regularly. The school responds intelligently when it recognises the barriers to pupils' attendance. For example, adaptations to the start of the school day have improved attendance and punctuality rates. The school has various tiers of support and intervention in place, including pursuing more formal routes if they need to. As a result of leaders’ diligence, attendance is significantly above the national averages. Rates of persistent absence are significantly below national averages. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities attend very well.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

There is a positive culture in school that is highly conducive to learning. Adults' actions to nurture character, resilience and independence help pupils to develop self-discipline. Pupils consistently show high levels of respect for one another, to adults and to visitors. On the rare occasion there are behavioural incidents, staff manage these very effectively. Any harassment or discrimination are not tolerated and, therefore, do not occur. Leaders' actions have led to demonstrable improvement in the behaviour of some pupils who need some targeted support.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum. They have chosen the knowledge they want pupils to learn carefully. Teachers regularly revisit prior learning. As a result, pupils remember consistently what they have been taught. When pupils learn new knowledge, this builds logically on what they have been taught before. This helps pupils to secure their learning of more complex ideas. For example, in Year 3 and Year 4, pupils compare and contrast Egyptian and Mayan civilisations. Older pupils discuss the impact of colonialism on indigenous cultures.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teachers have rich subject knowledge because of the regular training they receive. Their explanations of new concepts are consistently clear. They break learning down into small stages to help pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, to understand new concepts. Teachers check with rigour how well pupils are learning. They identify and address misconceptions quickly. Pupils receive additional, targeted support if they need it. This ensures that pupils learn to read with confidence and secure important mathematical knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders evaluate astutely how effectively staff implement the curriculum. They adapt the curriculum when they need to, so that it meets pupils' needs. This ensures that pupils in mixed-age classes experience high-quality teaching.

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Early years Strong standard

The early years foundation stage curriculum is ambitious and precisely identifies the knowledge that children will learn. Leaders evaluate accurately how well the provision is meeting the children's needs. They refine the curriculum appropriately when they need to and when cohort sizes fluctuate, as they do in such a small school.

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Early years Strong standard

The school works closely with parents and carers to identify early what children can and cannot do when they join the school. This ensures that leaders have a secure understanding of children’s needs. They carefully target appropriate support to help children overcome any barriers to learning.

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Early years Strong standard

From the start of nursery, staff prioritise children's language development. They interact meaningfully with children throughout the day. They model high-quality language and support children to produce, refine and practise their language use. As a result of this, children build new language quickly. This helps them to make sense of the world around them. They learn how to express their emotions. Staff focus on ensuring that routines are consistent. This helps to establish very positive behaviours. Staff cater very well for children’s social and emotional needs.

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Early years Strong standard

Children gain secure knowledge in the basics. They learn to read well because of highly effective teaching. They develop important mathematical knowledge. The Reception Year provides firm foundations for future learning in Year 1.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusivity permeates the school. Pupils learn to value that everybody is different. They are sensitive and supportive of their friends who may need extra help or adjustments.

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Inclusion Strong standard

When children join the school in the early years, leaders carefully assess their starting points. For example, children with significant delay in communication, build their language and vocabulary quickly. By Year 1, they can write in paragraphs with accuracy.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school identifies the needs of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities precisely. To do this, leaders draw on the support of other professionals when necessary and they work closely with families. Leaders have an astute understanding of pupils' needs and how best to support them if they face barriers to learning. Where necessary, the school's use of the pupil premium funding enhances this support effectively. Leaders provide staff with purposeful training, for example, in supporting pupils with autism and dyslexia. Staff receive precise guidance on how to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of vulnerable pupils. Leaders check rigorously how well these adjustments support pupils. Following these checks, leaders make refinements or adjust the support pupils receive, if it is needed.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders’ actions have had a demonstrable impact on disadvantaged pupils. They progress very well from their various starting points.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff share leaders' highly ambitious vision to foster an inclusive and kind ethos that supports pupils' learning, wellbeing and development. This vision is realised successfully. Leaders, governors and trustees have the needs and interests of disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and other vulnerable pupils at the forefront of their decision-making.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, scrutinise all areas of school life rigorously. Leaders have a precise and accurate understanding of what the school does well and what the priorities are for even further improvement. Leaders provide staff with high- quality training to realise this continuous improvement. Staff deliver the curriculum with great confidence and a high degree of consistency. Leaders' actions to improve pupils' oracy and writing have had a demonstrable impact. Pupils are articulate and confident speakers. They use correct, subject specific vocabulary. Pupils write with increasing length, in a range of styles and with considerable accuracy.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Trustees and governors are effective in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities. They contribute extensively to the school's inclusive vision. They are robust and thorough in the ways they hold leaders to account. Equally, they provide great support and prioritise leaders' wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff appreciate how leaders support them and are attentive to their needs. They value that leaders prioritise their workload and wellbeing. They appreciate the quality of leaders' communication and the training they receive to help them fulfil their roles to a high standard.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school offers pupils a well-constructed personal development programme. At its heart is leaders’ intention to nurture compassionate, respectful citizens who celebrate diversity. Pupils learn about notable figures from different cultural backgrounds who have championed people’s rights, such as Martin Luther King and Malala Yousafzai. Pupils understand that not all people in the world have the same opportunities. They embody British values, such as justice and tolerance.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand how to look after themselves and know how to care for others. They have an appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. Older pupils understand how their bodies will change as they mature. They have a thorough knowledge of how to keep safe online. Pupils learn in detail about fake news and, as a result, question the reliability of what they read online. Leaders organise an annual careers week. Pupils meet visitors from a range of professions and enjoy the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. They learn useful skills, such as form-filling. These experiences fuel pupils’ aspirations.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop their independence and their experience of the wider world through a range of trips and residential opportunities. Visits to the zoo, botanical gardens and the Royal Opera House enhance pupils’ understanding of what they have been taught, as well as their wider cultural knowledge. Older pupils take part in a national choir event and hone their singing and performance skills at public venues. These opportunities help to build pupils’ confidence.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school offers a range of clubs and activities to support pupils’ wellbeing and help them gain new skills. Pupils have many opportunities to develop leadership experience. For example, they prepare the hall for assemblies. School councillors represent their peers’ views in meetings with leaders. This helps to enhance pupils’ understanding of democracy.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have an astute understanding of their vulnerable pupils. They shape the personal development curriculum and pastoral care to meet these pupils’ needs precisely.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This small village school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain as well as globally responsible citizens. Pupils respect and embrace diversity. They understand how people overcome barriers to succeed. This helps them to be empathetic, compassionate and open- minded young people. They do not tolerate any prejudice.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are happy because they feel safe and they value what they learn. If a child has a problem they can turn to a staff member for help. This is because leaders have established a highly caring and inclusive ethos. Pupils flourish here. Older pupils support their friends and younger pupils too. Prefects in Year 6 become 'buddies' with the children in the Reception Year. This helps them to settle quickly into school life. Pupil mediators support their friends to resolve any rare disagreements.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Teachers’ consistent high expectations ensure that pupils behave positively and with kindness. In the nursery, teachers establish clear routines. As a result, children listen carefully and understand what is expected of them. Pupils are eager to learn from the moment they arrive at school. They bring tremendous enthusiasm to their learning. They settle quickly without prompting. Bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that it is dealt with swiftly by the school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are articulate and build a rich vocabulary. They discuss their ideas confidently in groups. Older pupils in the mixed-age classes support the younger pupils. For example, they demonstrate how to solve more complex mathematical problems. Pupils develop the resilience to work things out for themselves. They are confident learners and achieve well. Pupils love their school. They do not want to miss a day of learning. As a result, rates of attendance are high.

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Next steps

• Leaders and those responsible for governance should sustain the effectiveness of their work in all areas. They should seek continued improvement overcoming barriers and challenges, in order to drive a transformational impact for all pupils. This includes disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are known (or previously known) to children's social care and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Diamond Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jonathan Lewis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Godfrey Smith.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our updated inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees, the chair of the governing body, the headteacher, other leaders, teachers and support staff.

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About this inspection

Inspectors also spoke to parents during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school also, under the same registration, runs nursery provision for 2 year olds.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Suzanne Whiting The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 64% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 78% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 79% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 78% 72% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 78% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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