Putnoe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and harmonious because they are all highly tolerant and respectful of each other. Pupils from diverse backgrounds care for each other, hold hands and include each other in their games. If ever anyone is feeling sad, staff quickly notice and come to chat things through.

Everyone wants to learn, behave well and do their best. Pupils show the school values such as politeness, trust and honesty in everything they do. They are deeply committed to these values at all times.

This is because the school regularly focuses on each value and celebrates and rewards pupils who show these.

Pupils know that 'knowledge is power strengthening you' or, as the s...chool refers to it, 'KIPSY'. They relish the interesting range of subjects that are brought to life through trips and experiences.

For example, pupils recently visited local universities to learn all about physics, through conducting crash tests.

Even younger children strive to achieve their best. Most pupils achieve the high expectations that the school has of them.

They love reading and eagerly get through a wealth of books. A small minority of pupils require further support to write to a consistently high standard.

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

The school had a difficult circumstance with the sad death of the previous headteacher in 2021.

Leaders have undertaken exceptional work to recover from this and move the school forward. Consequently, key stage 2 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is improving.

Leaders place pupils' welfare at the heart of everything they do.

They go to extraordinary lengths to support families with the wider challenges they sometimes face. As a result, pupils attend very well. They are supported to be in the right place to learn when they arrive at school.

This is because leaders use their expertise to work effectively with other agencies to remove barriers that impact negatively on pupils' education.

The school's curriculum is both ambitious and broad. Leaders have identified the important knowledge pupils should learn in each subject.

Teachers use assessment diligently to make sure pupils can recall and apply this knowledge well. For example, in music, pupils use complex subject vocabulary confidently because of this.

The school has an effective whole-school approach to teach writing.

However, sometimes, staff do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their writing across the curriculum. This includes in the early years. Consequently, a small minority of pupils do not develop their writing as well as they should.

The school has evolved a very effective approach to teaching children to read. Staff are experts at teaching reading. Pupils get precisely targeted support where they need it and read with confidence and fluency.

They develop their understanding of the meaning of texts well. Staff help pupils to develop a love of reading by fostering their love of books through dedicated time in the library and a wealth of opportunities to read across the school day.

The school effectively supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to be fully included in class.

Staff provide additional help, such as writing scaffolds and modelling of examples, to enable pupils with SEND to access the curriculum and learn it well. This includes in early years, where support staff know children's individual needs well and work caringly with them to ensure these are met.

Leaders have ensured that children in early years have a wide variety of interesting activities to explore that help them to develop well in each of the seven areas of learning.

Children successfully secure important attributes such as sustaining focus and respecting and including others.

Pupils go out of their way to support one another. They care about each other's feelings and offer help to those who need it.

The school has a consistently highly positive culture of behaviour and attitudes. Everyone wants to learn and play their part in contributing to the class.

Personal development is very richly promoted and opportunities are vast.

For example, the school coordinates days where pupils learn first-hand from the fire and police services about important issues such as road safety. This helps them to learn about society and being responsible citizens. Most pupils take up the highly meaningful leadership roles which the school provides.

For example, the school council led work on organising a famous athlete to come into school to raise money for charity. This taught pupils about both democracy and strong moral values.

Staff are extremely appreciative of the high-quality professional development opportunities and support that leaders provide.

Trustees continually evolve their skills and capacity. This enables them to challenge and support the school robustly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some teachers do not plan enough high-quality opportunities for pupils to develop their writing across the curriculum. As a result, a minority of pupils do not always produce writing that has sufficient depth or extends their writing ability well enough. The school needs to ensure that all teachers plan regular opportunities for pupils to practise, extend, and develop their writing across the whole curriculum so that all pupils consistently develop their writing ability well.