Chesterton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and school staff share a strong belief that every pupil can achieve well. Leaders provide a highly effective curriculum and wide range of opportunities to enable all pupils to flourish. Pupils believe they can do well and they work hard.

Pupils are happy in school. At breaktime, pupils and school staff enjoy a wide range of activities together, including musical action games and playing various sports. Pupils have positive, respectful working relationships with adults and each other.

Pupils said that the adults help them to sort out any problems that may arise. Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively. Pupils are safe.

Leade...rs provide many wider curriculum opportunities. Pupils enjoy caring for animals in the school's forest school environment and collecting produce from the edible garden. Pupils have opportunities to take up positions of responsibility in the school.

This includes house captains, librarians and school council representatives. Older pupils enjoy helping younger pupils. Pupils enjoy sharing their views and making decisions about this school.

For example, in recent times, pupils decided they wanted to create a foodbank at the school. Pupils worked together to raise funds to set up the facility.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and matches the breadth of the national curriculum.

Leaders have thought carefully about the school's curriculum. Leaders decide the key knowledge and important vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. They make this clear in all subjects from the early years onwards.

Leaders ensure that pupils build knowledge sequentially so that pupils know, remember and can do more as they move up through the years. Leaders monitor the curriculum and provide effective training and support for teaching staff. As a result, teachers and teaching assistants deliver the curriculum effectively.

Teachers regularly recap prior knowledge and link it to current learning. Pupils have a deep and broad knowledge of subjects. Pupils connect knowledge together from their learning across different subjects.

For example, pupils in Year 6 spoke confidently about using their knowledge of mathematics to help them to calculate historical timelines.

There is a strong focus on reading. Pupils here love reading.

Pupils read many times during the school day. The teaching of early reading starts as soon as children join the school in the Nursery. Phonics sessions and reading time take place every day.

Pupils read books matched securely to the letters and sounds they know. Leaders think carefully about how to engage older pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read. Pupils read decodable books specifically tailored to their reading needs and their interests.

They quickly develop the knowledge and skills needed to become confident and fluent readers.

Teachers and teaching assistants frequently check that pupils remember important subject content. They use assessment information to inform what pupils learn next.

This includes identifying when some pupils need additional support. Leaders, teachers, parents and carers work together to identify whether a pupil has special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders and teachers adapt the teaching and resources appropriately. Leaders work with external experts and therapists to ensure that pupils receive effective support and achieve highly.

Leaders work successfully with pupils and their families to improve attendance and punctuality.

Pupils enjoy receiving praise and rewards for showing kindness and resilience. Pupils are committed to learning. They are focused and attentive in class.

Teachers have consistently high expectations of behaviour. Learning the curriculum takes place uninterrupted.

Leaders think carefully about the wider opportunities they would like pupils to experience.

For example, pupils take part in various activities as part of the school's forest school. These experiences help to prepare pupils for situations they may encounter during residential visits. Leaders provide a range of after-school activities for pupils.

These include skateboarding, dance and computing. Pupils are taught about the importance of staying healthy. This includes the importance of maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Pupils are taught about rights and responsibilities. Pupils spoke confidently about the importance of healthy relationships and treating others with kindness. Pupils enjoy being taught about different religious traditions and the lives and experiences of diverse groups of people.

Representatives of the trust provide effective support and challenge for leaders. For example, the local academy committee work closely with leaders to make sure school staff have a manageable workload. Many members of school staff commented that leaders care about their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide appropriate safeguarding training for school staff. Staff know the signs that may indicate that a pupil needs help and support.

They report concerns swiftly. Leaders follow these up without delay. Leaders work effectively with safeguarding partners and outside agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help and support that they need.

Pupils are taught how to stay safe, including online. For example, recently, pupils in Year 6 took part in a workshop on the dangers of knife crime. Pupils said there are trusted adults in the school who they can turn to for help if they need it.