Ofsted: Parents appreciate ‘caring environment’ at ‘good’ Northampton primary school

A Northampton Primary School has received a shining report from Ofsted after inspectors found that pupils receive “excellent support.”

Thorplands Primary School, situated in Farm Field Court, was visited by Ofsted in March and in a report published today (May 4) graded ‘good’ in all areas.

The Ofsted report said: “Pupils are happy at Thorplands Primary School. They enjoy coming to school and appreciate the wide range of experiences that the school offers. Leaders are aspirational about what pupils can achieve. They have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. The school is calm, and disruptions to learning are rare.”

Pupils at Thorplands Primary School, described as polite and well behaved, have positive relationships with staff and most of them show positive attitudes to learning. Teachers manage disruptions well and provide effective support for pupils who struggle to regulate their own behaviour, the report adds.

“Excellent support” is provided to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), which enables them to enjoy learning and achieve well.

Parents told Ofsted inspectors that they appreciate the caring environment at the school.

Leaders plan a wide range of experiences to support pupils’ wider development such as cooking, gardening, music, drama and sports clubs. Pupils enjoy trips to the library, theatre, museum and the Houses of Parliament and they have opportunities to embark on residential trips to Derbyshire and Wales.

Inspectors had high praise for leaders, who have planned ambitious curriculums in all subjects and supported teachers to plan interesting lessons as well as manage their workload.

Pupils are taught important vocabulary so that they are able to achieve well in all subjects and talk confidently about what they are learning.

Ofsted found that phonics is taught “consistently well” to help pupils improve their reading. Pupils enjoy reading and those who struggle have access to extra help.

Teachers were commended for using quizzes and other learning activities to revisit topics, adapting lesson plans well to meet the needs of all pupils and helping those who have gaps in their understanding.

Although leaders at the school have prioritised improving pupil attendance and reward those with good attendance, Ofsted found that a “significant minority” of pupils do not attend school often enough. This includes a large number of disadvantaged pupils.

The arrangements for safeguarding at the school were also found to be effective with staff receiving regular safeguarding training so they know how to report and deal with any concerns raised. Pupils know who they can speak to if they have any worries and trust staff to take them seriously.

Inspectors said that leaders know which pupils are more vulnerable and support them well.

To improve to outstanding, leaders must address the issues of attendance and ensure that lesson activities help pupils to learn and remember important knowledge over time. Leaders also need to establish how they will check pupils’ learning over time.

At Thorplands Primary School’s previous full Ofsted inspection in 2017, it was graded ‘good’. It has since joined the Northampton Primary Academy Trust in 2018 and continues to be good.

Read the full Ofsted report here.