Titchmarsh Church of England Primary School

Titchmarsh Church of England Primary School

Address: School Lane, Titchmarsh, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN14 3DR Unique reference number (URN): 121994

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders promote high attendance consistently and effectively. They build warm, trusting relationships with pupils and their families. When a pupil's attendance begins to fall, leaders spot this quickly. They take appropriate action to support improvement. Pupils enjoy coming to school and engage positively with school life. As a result, overall attendance is above national figures and the number of pupils who are persistently absent is very low.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Throughout the day, pupils behave well. The school is calm, orderly and welcoming. In classrooms, pupils settle to their learning quickly. They typically respond to teachers’ prompts and guidance swiftly. Around the school, pupils are polite and considerate. In the early years, during unstructured times, children play and learn cooperatively. Pupils socialise happily at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They understand the importance of kindness towards others. As a result, behaviours such as discrimination, bullying and harassment are rare. Pupils feel safe and valued within their school community.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils who need additional support, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, benefit from sensitive and well-considered adjustments that help them manage their emotions and feelings.

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Early years Expected standard

Children make a positive start in the early years. Carefully planned transitions before children start school mean that staff get to know the children quickly. Partnerships with parents are positive. As a result, children feel safe and secure. They are welcomed warmly by staff, who show a genuine interest in their wellbeing. Positive relationships between children develop confidence, independence and resilience.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations of all children. The importance of regular attendance is quickly established. This means that children benefit from a carefully planned curriculum. The curriculum is taught well. Teachers give clear explanations and instructions. Where children have gaps in their knowledge, these are quickly addressed. When it is needed, some children receive personalised support. As a result, most children achieve well. Typically, this includes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised from the start. It is taught consistently well by all adults. Staff create opportunities for children to develop their vocabulary, particularly when they are learning indoors. When adults are available to work with children, they direct their learning and support the development of their communication skills.

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Early years Expected standard

Overall, children successfully build the foundational knowledge and skills they need before moving into Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture where all pupils are fully included in the life of the school. They know all pupils well, including the most disadvantaged. Leaders identify barriers to learning and wellbeing promptly and assess pupils’ needs accurately. Staff have the information they need to ensure that timely, effective support is in place for each pupil. When needed, staff work in partnership with families and external partners to provide personalised support for pupils. This has a positive impact.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Curriculum adjustments are carefully planned and typically well matched to the needs of individual pupils. Some pupils are supported by additional adults. When this support is effectively planned, pupils access the curriculum alongside their peers and make suitable progress from their starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have used additional funding to support pupils who have barriers to their learning or wellbeing, including disadvantaged pupils. This includes access to the reflection room and targeted additional sessions. The support typically ensures that vulnerable pupils successfully access their learning and improve their wellbeing. Leaders are beginning to evaluate their approach with more precision so that they can select the most effective support for pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should as they move through the school. Children make a positive start in the early years and are typically well prepared for key stage 1. However, this progress is not sustained. Some pupils do not secure the essential knowledge they need across the curriculum. As a result, outcomes in the Year 1 phonics check, Year 4 multiplication tables check and reading and writing at the end of key stage 2 are below national averages. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

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Achievement Needs attention

The quality of work in pupils' books is variable. More regular handwriting and spelling practice is beginning to improve accuracy and presentation.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from tailored support that helps them make progress from their starting points.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Overall, leaders have developed a suitable and well-planned curriculum. The key knowledge and skills that pupils must learn in each subject have been identified. Staff training ensures that the curriculum can be delivered with consistency. Pupils with additional barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive tailored support and suitable adaptations to the curriculum. Pupils in the early stages of reading receive targeted phonics teaching through an identified programme, which is consistently well delivered.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There is inconsistency in the quality of teaching across the curriculum. Leaders have an accurate view of the developments that are needed. They have taken effective action to strengthen teaching. However, many of these changes are new and are not yet embedded. This means that the curriculum is not adapted consistently or effectively enough to meet the needs of all pupils in mixed-age classes.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

When teaching is most effective, teachers check pupils’ knowledge and understanding well. However, checks of pupils’ work do not consistently identify errors, including in spelling and grammar. As a result, some pupils do not develop these skills securely, and learning tasks do not match their needs closely enough.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s context, strengths and areas for improvement. Their actions are appropriately targeted to secure improvement, including prioritising the quality and consistency of education across the school. However, it is too early to see the positive impact of these changes on pupils' outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and staff make decisions in the best interests of pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Where required, they work proactively with external professionals to support pupils and their families. Leaders are developing systems to precisely review the impact of their actions, including the provision for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors do not always have the knowledge required to ensure that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities. However, they understand the school’s context and values that underpin the community. Alongside leaders, governors have developed their role in identifying development priorities. Despite this, governors do not always challenge leaders with sufficient rigour to ensure that actions are strategically targeted.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

All staff are proud to work at the school. They describe it as ‘a community’ where everyone is valued. Leaders and governors ensure that staff feel valued, and that their wellbeing is supported. The programme of professional learning for staff is well considered and increasingly evidence-informed. It is beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents are very positive and supportive. They value the school's welcoming and nurturing atmosphere.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders have ensured that the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum covers all the required topics. This ensures that pupils know about relationships, managing their emotions, staying safe when online and looking after their health. Leaders have adapted the curriculum to address local issues, such as road safety. Where the curriculum is sequenced to build knowledge over time, pupils remember more. Pupils’ recall of key knowledge from the PSHE curriculum is inconsistent. This is particularly the case for pupils’ understanding of protected characteristics, British values and cultural diversity. This means that pupils are not as effectively prepared for life in modern Britain as they might be. However, pupils are developing their knowledge and understanding of the wider world. This includes developing an appreciation for world religions. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to visit different places of worship, such as the local Mandir. They value the

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

daily assemblies, where they collectively pause and reflect.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils have developed positive relationships with each other and adults in school. These are based on a shared importance of respect. This means that pupils develop a sense of belonging in the school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff provide effective help for those who require emotional or pastoral support. Leaders provide targeted support for wellbeing, including the opportunity to use the reflection room. Pupils know they have trusted adults in school, who will listen to them. This helps them feel safe.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils have access to a range of experiences beyond the curriculum. They benefit from visits to the theatre, art clubs and performances. Pupils are enthusiastic about the extra- curricular activities they can do. Leaders are beginning to track pupils’ experiences to ensure that they all, including disadvantaged pupils, benefit from these opportunities.

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

Titchmarsh Church of England Primary School is a welcoming and nurturing community. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They behave positively and build warm relationships with adults and each other.

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

Pupils enjoy school and settle quickly into their learning. However, teaching is inconsistent. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. This is reflected in attainment at the end of key stage 2 and in the phonics and mathematics checks for younger pupils. Overall, this means that pupils are not prepared as well as they should be for their next steps in education. Leaders have begun to make changes that are having a positive impact on the quality of teaching. For example, changes to routines at the start of the school day provide more opportunities for pupils to practise handwriting and spelling. Pupils with significant barriers to learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported effectively.

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

Pupils attend well because they feel valued and accepted by others. Because of this, bullying is rare. Pupils know that they can share their worries with trusted adults at school. They have confidence that staff will help them to overcome these. Children in the early years play and learn alongside each other positively. Older pupils are supported to develop the skills needed to resolve issues with friends independently.

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

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They participate in a range of clubs and activities, such as tennis and music. The school and church councils provide some pupils with opportunities to develop their leadership. Through the personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. However, they do not consistently develop the specific knowledge required to effectively prepare them for life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is suitably well designed and delivered to suit mixed-age classes and pupils’ individual needs and capabilities, so that all pupils make suitable progress. Leaders should develop staff expertise in the use of assessment to identify and address misconceptions and gaps in foundational knowledge swiftly, to enable pupils to build their knowledge securely and achieve well. Leaders should ensure that teaching enables pupils to accurately recall content from the personal, social and health education curriculum, including protected characteristics and fundamental British values, so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that they carry out detailed and precise analysis of improvement actions, to ensure that precision enables rapid progress across the school. Leaders and governors should ensure that they develop a strong understanding of their

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Next steps

statutory responsibilities so that these are appropriately enacted.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Lisa Curtis.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a soft federation called The Unity.

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, staff, pupils and parents. They also spoke with representatives of the local authority and those responsible for governance during the inspection.

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About this inspection

This school is registered as having a Church of England religious character. It is in the Diocese of Peterborough. Its last section 48 inspection was June 2024.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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 (final) 60% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 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

2022/23 (final) 75% 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

2022/23 (final) 69% 71% 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 (final) 80% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 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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gap

‘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.

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Urgent improvement

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

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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