Hooton Pagnell All Saints Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

It is fun to learn at Hooton Pagnell All Saints Primary School.

Pupils are happy and enthusiastic about coming to school. Adults are welcoming and friendly. They expect pupils to do well.

Teachers have carefully thought out daily routines, so that pupils are ready to learn in lessons.

In lessons and around school pupils behave well. They follow the school rules of being 'ready, respectful and safe'.

Bullying is very rare. Adults have put steps in place to prevent it from happening, such as making sure pupils understand what it means to be a bully. Pupils feel safe.

They are regularly reminded of how to stay safe on and in their everyday live...s, for instance learning how to cross the road safely.

There are some new and established after-school clubs this year, which pupils like to attend. Robotics is particularly popular, where pupils work in teams to design and make a robot.

Teachers encourage pupils to run the 'daily dash' to keep pupils active during the school day. Pupils take part in exciting trips, such as a residential visit to Whitby. On another visit, at a local outdoor centre, pupils learned how to build dens and use compasses.

This was planned to link to learning in their geography lessons in school.

Parents feel that staff go out of their way to help their children and are very welcoming. They say their children are happy and feel safe in school.

Inspectors agree.

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

Leaders have planned a sequenced curriculum, which actively inspires pupils to learn. It helps teachers to plan efficiently.

In lessons, teachers discuss subject-specific vocabulary, such as copyright in design and technology. This helps pupils to remember subject content. Pupils can recall what they have been learning about in history.

However, they do not recall the learning from religious education lessons as well as in other subjects.

Early reading is delivered with consistency. It starts straight away in Reception.

Pupils enjoy taking part in lessons and learn to read quickly. The books that teachers use match the sounds that pupils are learning. All staff, including those who teach extra phonics, teach reading confidently and with the same approach.

Any pupils falling behind in their reading are quickly identified and support is put in place to ensure that they catch up.

In mathematics, leaders have established a well-sequenced curriculum. Teachers follow their detailed plans with care.

They regularly check what pupils can and cannot do in lessons, adapting planning, so that pupils reach ambitious endpoints. Pupils become fluent in mathematics. They eagerly solve problems.

Teachers break down the calculation steps, so pupils become competent more quickly. In the wider curriculum, teachers check what pupils can and cannot do. However, sometimes teachers do not accurately identify gaps in knowledge or misconceptions in pupils' learning in these subjects.

Children in the early years enjoy an extensive, well-considered environment. The intended curriculum is well planned. Adults know what pupils need to learn and are clear what success will look like for individual children.

Adults use questions and a rich vocabulary to extend children's language. For instance, children explained in detail where they were travelling to on a bus that they had constructed. They wrote out bus tickets for their friends to use and were clearly enjoying this imaginative play.

There is a carefully considered personal, social, health and education curriculum in place to support pupils' well-being. In assemblies, pupils value the time to reflect on 'peace, joy, love and hope'. They are respectful of others.

Pupils know how to treat others with the same respect they would expect themselves. Pupils vote for school council members. They could explain the importance of being free to have choice and the value of democracy.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported by adults. Leaders work with external partners to get the best support for pupils. Adults are trained to understand how pupils with SEND learn well.

Teachers make careful adaptions of resources and routines in the school. This enables pupils to access their learning effectively.

Leaders are tenacious in making sure pupils' attendance is improving.

They promote the importance of attending school to parents. This regular contact with families is ensuring that attendance continues to improve.

Governors and leaders work well together to improve the school.

Governors have an in-depth knowledge of the school's journey. Trustees support and challenge the leadership team, so that improvements are continuously made. Trustees perform the required statutory duties with care.

Teachers are well supported and express their gratitude at being part of such a caring team.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding leaders take extra steps to ensure that, where they have pupils at risk, they have rigorous processes in place.

Leaders work with local partners to make sure families get the help they need. All adults take part in an annual training programme. Leaders ensure all adults who work and visit the school have undergone the correct checks needed.

Pupils understand how to manage risks such as knowing how to stay safe around water. They learn about the risks of using new technologies. Teachers regularly show pupils how to stay safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not accurately identify gaps in knowledge or misconceptions in pupils' learning. As a result, pupils' achievement in some subjects is not as strong as it would otherwise be. Leaders need to support teachers to purposefully check what pupils do and do not know in subjects across the curriculum.