St Botolph’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Botolph's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

St Botolph's is an ambitious school. Pupils and staff are united in the belief that each new day brings 'endless possibilities'.

Pupils are articulate, courteous and polite.

They are proud of their school. They say that adults always put them first. One pupil told the inspector, 'The adults in the school are the best.

Even if you're having a bad day, they make sure that you go home with a smile on your face.' This view was typical of many.

Pupils enjoy the rewards that are on offer.

They value their weekly 'golden time' and like the... awards that are presented in assemblies.

Behaviour is highly positive. Pupils are rarely distracted from their work.

They recognise that, occasionally, others might need help to follow the school's rules. They know what they can do to help with this. Bullying is very rare.

Pupils enjoy learning about different places, faiths and beliefs. They are respectful and accept others' views, including when they differ from their own.

The school is getting ready to move into a new, bigger building.

Pupils are looking forward to this. Adults in school are helping by talking through any worries that pupils may have.

Parent and staff views are unanimously positive about the school.

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

The curriculum for key stages 1 and 2 is ambitious. It is well sequenced across most subjects. It sets out what pupils should learn in each subject, at each point of their journey through the school.

Teachers deliver exciting lessons that build incrementally on what pupils know. However, in some subjects, plans do not make clear enough which are the most important parts that pupils should be expected to remember.

The curriculum is broad.

It is supported by a programme of trips, visitors and events that help pupils to remember what they have learned. There are a wide range of extra-curricular activities that pupils make use of. These include handbells, the school choir, well-being clubs and a wide range of sporting activities.

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils join in with these.

A new programme for teaching phonics has been introduced. Staff have had training in this.

The programme has brought about greater consistency in teaching. Lessons are engaging. Pupils are learning more sounds more quickly than in the past.

Older pupils love reading. They are eager to talk about the wide range of books and authors that they have read. Teachers read to pupils every day.

Teachers use different accents and character voices. Pupils say that teachers bring books to life.

Teachers check how well pupils are learning the curriculum in each subject.

However, in some subjects, including mathematics and religious education (RE), assessments do not check closely enough how well pupils are remembering the curriculum.

Children enjoy their time in the early years. They play well together and enjoy the wide variety of activities.

However, the early years curriculum is at an early stage of being improved. It is not yet well sequenced across all areas of learning. Leaders have identified this as a priority and have begun work to address it.

Pupils with SEND do well. Teachers and learning support assistants skilfully adapt the curriculum so that all pupils can learn it. Adults make sure that pupils with SEND get the help they need to become independent.

The new leaders for the provision for pupils with SEND have identified what they need to do to strengthen the provision further. They are bringing about these changes quickly.

Leaders know their school well.

They know what is working and what still needs to improve. They plan how they will make improvements carefully. They are rightly thinking about how the school will be organised as it moves into its new building and grows considerably in size.

The governing body provides leaders with the right amount of challenge and support. It makes sure that it has the right range of experience to hold leaders to account. Governors understand their roles and responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is given the highest priority. Leaders make sure that pupils who need help to stay safe get it quickly.

They make regular checks on how pupils are getting on. The family mental well-being leader provides a wealth of support to pupils and families. Records are robust and fit for purpose.

Governors understand their safeguarding responsibilities well. They frequently check to make sure that everything is working as it should.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum plans do not make clear enough the most important content that pupils should remember.

This means that teachers cannot check carefully enough how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that plans identify the most important parts of the curriculum that pupils should know across all subjects. ? In some subjects, assessments are over burdensome.

They do not help teachers to check succinctly how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that assessment processes are succinct and check precisely how well pupils have learned the main things that they are expected to know and remember. ? The early years curriculum is not yet well sequenced.

This means that children do not do as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that the early years curriculum is well sequenced across each of the seven areas of 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 a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2011.