Schools & FE · Report card

Welford Sibbertoft and Sulby Endowed School

Inspected 24 Mar 2026 · published 22 May 2026 · URN 144319

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Claire Stylianides (lead), Tim Leah

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Needs attention
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Needs attention
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Needs attention
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
24 Mar 2026
Inspectors verified
Claire Stylianides, Tim Leah
Postcode verified
NN6 6HU
Name on report verified
Welford Sibbertoft and Sulby Endowed School
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
144319

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Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
Early yearsExpected
InclusionNeeds attention
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+50Positivemore positive than 21% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseconsistentlypositiveeffectiveproudambitioussecurefeel saferespectful

Criticismgapsweaknessesconcernstoo oftennot consistentlyvariablenot well preparedlow

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1608w+48
Leadership241w+71
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve89w+33

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,989; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 45, typical 43
Average sentence: 16 words
Next steps: 4; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 5%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 53%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 3%About the inspection 34%

Full report text

Welford Sibbertoft and Sulby Endowed School

Address: West Street, Welford, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 6HU Unique reference number (URN): 144319

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders consistently promote the importance of regular attendance. They check pupils’ attendance closely. Knowing families well enables leaders to both support and challenge parents and carers to make improvements whenever absence increases. They find out the barriers and provide tailored support. Leaders’ tenacious approach has had a positive impact, especially on the groups of disadvantaged pupils they have focused on. Overall attendance rates are now in line with national averages, and rates of persistent absenteeism are low.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the school is a calm and purposeful place for pupils to learn in. Pupils live out ‘the Welford way’ of being ready, respectful and kind. The relationships between pupils and staff are respectful. Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently. They support pupils who need extra help in managing their behaviour or emotions well. This means that pupils can learn without interruption. Pupils have positive attitudes and typically focus on their work. Well-established routines are in place to support pupils at social times too. Pupils of all ages play well together. They feel safe and happy at school because bullying is rare. Trained staff help pupils to resolve any friendship issues should they arise.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure that children get off to a positive start in the early years. Through 'stay and play' sessions and pre-school visits, staff identify children with any barriers to learning quickly and make appropriate adaptations. The warm relationships which staff build with both children and their parents help children feel secure and grow in confidence. Clear routines help children begin each day calmly and independently. Children find their names to help take the register before getting on with activities to develop their writing skills. Staff ensure that children hold pencils and form letters correctly.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Reading is a priority and phonics teaching is effective. Staff use stories well to develop children’s vocabulary while they play. They model language and encourage conversation carefully, without interrupting the flow of children’s play.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

The curriculum and provision provide for all areas of children’s development, preparing them well for their future learning in key stage 1. The environment is well resourced and organised. Staff use their checks of children’s learning to provide activities that support children's development well. They know children’s interests and use these to engage them in key activities, such as mark making using ‘spy pens’.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an astute understanding of the community the school serves. They recognised and responded quickly when needs of the community changed. Leaders work constructively with the trust to review and evaluate the school’s performance and to identify areas for development. Together they focus tenaciously on the right aspects of the school’s work.

p.2

Leadership and governance Expected standard

School and trust leaders have developed a carefully considered programme of professional development for staff, including early career teachers. Training is designed to support the school’s improvement journey alongside developing staff expertise in specific areas, such phonics and inclusive teaching. Leaders provide a well-balanced mix of instruction and coaching, which makes staff confident putting their training into practice. Staff feel leaders support them well while being mindful of their workload. Leaders and the trust place high priority on staff wellbeing and respond caringly when staff need more support.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

There is a collective determination among school leaders and the trust to secure the best outcomes for all pupils. Pupils’ best interests are central to the decisions they make. The trust ensures that its statutory duties are met. Robust systems and clear lines of accountability provide the trust with accurate oversight of the school’s work. The trust provides the right balance of challenge and support.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers are positive about many aspects of the school's work and recognise the improvements being made. Most speak highly of the care and education that their children receive and the progress they make.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders focus on pupils’ wider development and wellbeing is central to their work. The school’s values underpin a coherent and well-considered programme. Leaders make sensitive adaptations to ensure that all pupils benefit from this, including those who are disadvantaged.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils gain a suitable understanding of how to keep healthy, both mentally and physically. Pupils understand the importance of sleep and recognise the link with screen time. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. The curriculum supports pupils' learning about relationships and gaining an understanding of consent, for example. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values and the characteristics that are protected by law, such as race. They relate these to their school values of ‘love’ and ‘being me’. They speak keenly about the importance of treating others fairly and with respect, recognising who they are and celebrating their unique traits.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn the importance of being part of a community and playing an active role. Staff promote pupils’ sense of responsibility in many ways, including through a range of pupil- leadership roles. House captains, worship leaders, digital leaders and the sports crew are proud of their contribution to the smooth operation of school events, routines and activities. The school council and eco squad support the school’s sustainability work, which was recognised recently with an environmental award.

p.3

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a rich range of opportunities to broaden pupils’ horizons and develop their talents in arts, music and sports. Pupils benefit from a comprehensive offer of clubs and thoughtfully selected visits. Pupils speak enthusiastically of travelling on the train to sing in London. They look forward to residential trips where they try out activities such as archery

p.3

Needs attention

and rock climbing. Pupils reflect on different religious and cultural viewpoints when they visit places of worship like a gurdwara.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities often do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should. Additionally, some pupils have significant gaps in essential writing knowledge. This means that pupils are not well prepared for their next stage in learning.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

By the end of Year 6, published outcomes are typically in line with national averages. There is some variation, partly due to there being small numbers of pupils. However, pupils’ performance in the punctuation, grammar and spelling national curriculum tests is consistently below average. Changes in the writing curriculum are in their infancy so some gaps in this knowledge and in handwriting persist.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Following recent improvements in teaching, leaders are addressing a dip in phonics outcomes. Pupils’ gaps in phonics knowledge are closing quickly now so they become fluent readers. Additionally, supported through daily arithmetic practice, pupils secure essential number knowledge.

p.4

Achievement Needs attention

Generally, pupils’ recall and understanding of what they have learned about in other curriculum subjects is secure, even where their written work does not present this knowledge as well.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Staff often do not make suitable adaptions for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to enable them to learn the curriculum well. This occurs mostly when staff do not consider properly these pupils’ individual needs and support plans. In addition, staff do not take account of pupils’ stage of learning or gaps in writing when designing writing activities. Recently, leaders made improvements to how staff teach writing. However, these changes are in their infancy. Leaders have not ensured that staff follow a consistent approach so that pupils' handwriting is accurate and fluent. Misconceptions in essential writing knowledge are not addressed routinely.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Despite these weaknesses, leaders ensure that staff receive training and support to strengthen their delivery of the curriculum, including for pupils with barriers to learning. Following recent training, staff consistently use helpful strategies that ensure all pupils engage in thinking and talk about new learning. Staff use these opportunities well to check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that sets out precisely what pupils need to know and remember. They review the curriculum when necessary to help pupils learn better. Recently, leaders took steps to ensure that all staff teach phonics well. Staff provide effective support to close any gaps in pupils' phonics knowledge quickly.

p.4

Inclusion Needs attention

While leaders have an inclusive vision that celebrates the uniqueness of every pupil, too often pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive precisely the right support to thrive. Recognising that many more pupils were joining the school with vulnerabilities, leaders recently set about improving their systems to identify and support pupils’ barriers to learning. Leaders have embedded their new systems to identify pupils' needs but the improvements to ensure that pupils get the right support consistently are in the early stages.

p.5

Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work closely with parents and carers to ensure that they identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. They work with a range of external specialists to shape the support that pupils with SEND should receive. Leaders provide staff with training to ensure that they understand fully their responsibilities and develop their expertise in providing the right support. However, the support that staff provide to pupils with SEND is too variable, as they do not consistently refer to pupils’ individual support plans. Additionally, leaders do not evaluate pupils’ progress, and the impact of support, systematically to ensure that strategies have the desired impact.

p.5

Inclusion Needs attention

Overall, leaders make effective use of pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils. The impact is particularly seen in addressing gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge.

p.5