‘Teachers you will never forget’: Ofsted rates Northampton primary school ‘good’ in all areas

Spring Lane Primary School in Northampton has been graded ‘good’ in all areas in their latest full Ofsted inspection.

This is the second time the school - situated in Spring Lane - has been rated good in all areas since their last full inspection in June 2016.

During their latest inspection in November, one older pupil told inspectors: “When you join from a young age and then you get to Year Six, you just feel like you are part of a family. You have made friends you will never lose and met teachers you will never forget.”

In the report, pupils are described as being polite, welcoming and proud of their school, where they are happy, safe and have a “strong sense of belonging.”

Inspectors found that pupils meet staff’s high expectations of their behaviour, learning is rarely disrupted and there has been a reduction in fixed term exclusions and incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils told inspectors that there is hardly any bullying and they trust staff to deal with it effectively should it occur.

The education watchdog commended school leaders for promoting the understanding of diversity and respect - for example, when Spring Lane’s pupils participated in the local Diwali parade.

Pupils also appreciate the range of extra-curricular clubs available, especially those related to sport. They noted that both the boys’ and girls’ football teams are popular.

The curriculum at Spring Lane Primary School is described as “broad and ambitious” taught by staff with “good subject knowledge.”

The school was praised for making the curriculum just as ambitious and fully accessible for pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language. Inspectors said this ensures all pupils are able to catch up quickly as a result of the support they receive.

The Ofsted report said that children in the early years get off to a “swift start” in learning how to read and staff regularly assess pupils’ reading to help them identify and support pupils who require further assistance to become confident readers.

One parent told an Ofsted inspector: “The school supports the wider community, I feel this is crucial and much needed. My son loves attending and the staff are fantastic.”

With regards to children in the early years, inspectors found that staff support children’s personal, social and emotional development well. However, when children are playing, staff need to take more opportunities to use the conversations they have with children to help them learn more during these less structured times.

To improve their rating to ‘outstanding’, Spring Lane Primary School needs to ensure that the sequence of key knowledge and skills is clear in all subjects so pupils can build their knowledge over time.

The school is part of the Campfire Education Trust and, as of November, has 411 pupils on roll.

To find out more about Spring Lane Primary School, visit their website at https://www.springlaneprimary.com.

Read the full Ofsted report here.