Foxton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Foxton Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Foxton Primary is an inclusive school. Leaders are ambitious.

Leaders have designed a global curriculum which links to the United Nations' global sustainable development goals. Staff have high expectations of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils are happy and feel safe.

There is a strong community feel. Relationships between staff, pupils and families are warm. One pupil shared that, 'Teachers are kind.

If I am worried, they will always help me.'

Pupils show positive ...attitudes to their learning and engage well in lessons. At lunchtimes, they are organised into mixed-age group 'families'.

Pupils play and interact respectfully. Older pupils model expectations for younger pupils.

Pupils understand what bullying is and feel that it is rare for it to happen.

Leaders have created a culture where staff celebrate pupils' achievements. Pupils respond well to this approach and are keen to do well.

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

Leaders have prioritised the reading curriculum and culture at the school.

Leaders share that reading is the 'gateway' to all areas of education: 'Learn to read so you can read to learn'.

Daily phonics sessions in the Reception Year and key stage 1 provide pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers. Reading books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils are taught in sessions.

This helps pupils to practise blending of sounds to decode words. Pupils enjoy reading. Interventions are in place to make sure that they 'keep up'.

Teachers read to pupils daily. Chosen books introduce pupils to a diverse range of authors. Teachers ask pupils questions to check their understanding of key events and to introduce new vocabulary.

Leaders have launched an ambitious, well-designed and well-sequenced wider curriculum. Individual subject plans consider the location and context of the school. Teachers deliver lessons with enthusiasm and confidence.

Leaders are developing the way they check that pupils know and remember more.

Children in the Reception Year learn in a range of different ways. Leaders place a high priority on the development of early language and the acquisition of vocabulary.

Staff display 'wow words', which show ambitious new words that children have been introduced to.

The indoor and outdoor environment provides the Reception-age children with opportunities to explore, follow their own interests and learn through play. The outdoor area provision is less well developed than indoors.

It does not consistently support the ambitious curriculum and promote learning.

Pupils with SEND are well supported. Leaders have the ambition for all SEND pupils to achieve the best possible outcomes.

They place great importance on the early identification of SEND. Leaders liaise with external agencies and secure appropriate support for individual pupils.

Teachers use a range of effective strategies to meet pupils' needs.

Monitoring of pupils with SEND is regular and thorough. Teaching assistants provide pupils with effective support. They also help teachers to identify which pupils could benefit from additional teaching input.

Leaders have clear aims for pupils' wider development. Pupils have access to a wide range of clubs and the chance to take on extra responsibilities. They value these opportunities.

A 'bright ideas' box allows pupils to share their ideas and have a voice in school development.

Personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education lessons meet the statutory requirements. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of different types of relationship.

They know how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

The school makes good use of visitors and trips to enrich pupils' wider learning. Leaders have created a meaningful link with a school in a contrasting community to widen pupils' understanding of different cultures and religions.

Assemblies provide pupils with regular opportunities to reflect. Pupils' understanding of the fundamental British values is not yet secure.

Leaders have realigned the school's non-negotiable high expectations for attendance.

They have introduced new incentives to promote pupils' attendance. Attendance continues to be a challenge for the school.

The school is well led and managed.

Staff are very positive about leaders' commitment in ensuring that workload is manageable. One teacher shared that the school 'is brilliant to work for'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a safeguarding culture of high vigilance. Staff know how to recognise and share concerns. Record-keeping is robust.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. Leaders promote the idea that 'it could happen here' with staff. Leaders check whether staff remember key safeguarding messages by using quizzes.

Leaders are tenacious in communication with external agencies. They ensure that pupils and families receive the support they need.

Pupils feel safe at school and feel that they can share any worries or concerns with any adult.

Governors understand their statutory safeguarding duties and know that it is everyone's responsibility.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

¦ Persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could or make the progress they should from their relative starting points.

Leaders should continue to work closely with families and the local authority to ensure that the disadvantaged pupils attend regularly. ¦ There are inconsistencies in the quality of the early years learning environment. The outdoor environment does not consistently support the intent of an ambitious curriculum.

As a result, learning is not promoted as well as it could be. Leaders should ensure that the outdoor area is as equally well resourced as the classroom and promotes child-led learning. ¦ Pupils' understanding of fundamental British values is not yet secure.

Pupils struggle to relate these values to their everyday lives and local community. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum provides pupils with the necessary opportunities to develop their understanding of fundamental British values so that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.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 2013.