Archdeacon Cambridge’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Archdeacon Cambridge's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe, happy and love attending this school. Parents and carers are highly positive about how leaders have created a lively and caring place for their children to learn in. Parents particularly enjoy the many opportunities to come together to celebrate pupils' achievements.

For example, weekly assemblies enable pupils to showcase their learning to parents. Older pupils prepare and present in assemblies on topics that are important to them, such as living with autism.

Pupils are encouraged to be leaders.

The school council meets re...gularly and discusses topics pupils feel strongly about, such as fundraising for charity. There are a wide range of playground and classroom monitors, who are keen to contribute positively to school life. This adds to an environment where pupils get on well and support each other.

Pupils behave very well, and bullying is rare. However, leaders are vigilant, and when it does occur, they act quickly to stop it.

The curriculum is broad and, typically, well designed.

Pupils produce work of a high quality in different subjects. Music holds a special place in the school. The large school choir is well known in the community for its contributions to local events.

The Philharmonia Orchestra and other music providers hold regular workshops and have encouraged many pupils to learn to play a musical instrument.

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

Pupils follow a rich and varied curriculum. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn over time.

In most areas, including in the early years and in mathematics, curriculum thinking is rigorous. Leaders ensure that pupils build on their knowledge and skills systematically each year. For example, pupils develop a strong understanding of number.

This is because right from the start of Reception, children are given repeated practice to identify groups of numbers and break these up into smaller parts. These foundations support pupils later on to calculate larger numbers and solve more complex problems.

However, in a small number of areas, the knowledge and skills that pupils need to develop are not as clearly identified.

As a result, opportunities for pupils to develop a deeper knowledge of the curriculum, year by year, are sometimes missed. Leaders have appropriate plans in place to address this.

Classrooms are calm and joyful.

Pupils are confident in asking questions and working together productively. Teachers know their classes well and have a good understanding of the subjects they teach. They explain ideas clearly and break down complex information and tasks into simple parts.

This supports pupils to be successful in what they are learning. Teachers ask questions that are carefully designed to check pupils' understanding. This means that any gaps in knowledge are identified and addressed swiftly.

Phonics and early reading are prioritised. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic leaders have ensured that staff are thoroughly trained to implement the agreed programme with precision. As a result, pupils become confident and fluent readers.

Pupils who need extra help receive timely support to catch up quickly, including those who arrive at the school at the early stages of speaking English as an additional language. Pupils develop into motivated readers who enjoy reading widely for pleasure.

Leaders make sure to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly.

These pupils have clear support plans, and staff receive regular training on how to help pupils with SEND to learn well and achieve. As a result, pupils are fully included in the classroom and access the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils' wider development.

Through a mix of lessons, workshops and assemblies, pupils learn about important topics such as how to stay healthy and how to keep safe online. There are plentiful activities for all pupils, which are well attended. These include chess, tennis, judo and dance.

Additionally, there is a busy calendar of educational visits that aim to build pupils' knowledge of the curriculum and the wider world. For example, all pupils participate in residential trips, farm visits, local area walks, outings to Hampton Court Palace and days at the London Wetland Centre and Bushey Park stockyard.

Staff enjoy working here and described leaders as supportive of their workload and well-being.

Governors are highly skilled and understand their roles well. They are fully aware of the school's strengths and areas for further development because they regularly engage with staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school has a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular and up-to-date training. As a result, they know how to identify any concerns that they may have about a pupil's well-being and know to report all concerns, no matter how small, to the school's safeguarding officers.

Leaders are quick to respond to any concerns raised. They liaise effectively with local agencies and work with local partners to keep pupils safe. Accurate records are kept and regularly reviewed by leaders.

The curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe. For example, they are taught to speak to a trusted adult if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn and how these build from year to year.

Where this is the case, pupils do not develop a deep understanding of these subjects. Leaders should ensure that they continue their work to improve the curriculum in these areas, specifying what pupils are expected to be able to know and do at each stage of their learning.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2014.

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