Watton-at-Stone Primary and Nursery School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 March 2023

Children and pupils are happy here. Staff keep them safe. Pupils value the strong working relationships with adults that underpin their work in classrooms. Expectations for learning and behaviour are high, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The youngest children in the pre-school and early years learn quickly in a language-rich environment. Leaders want pupils to experience a strong curriculum that is rich in subject knowledge. In some areas, pupils make very strong progress in building this knowledge. Leaders and teachers work hard as they aim to make learning in all subjects equally strong. Most pupils behave well. They understand differences between different types of bullying and know how to recognise if it is taking place. Although rare, they are confident that staff would take swift action to stop it. Routes for reporting concerns are clear, including through 'worry boxes' in classrooms. A wide range of clubs and activities is on offer, including choir, sports, science and Spanish. Older pupils enjoy residential trips. They value the opportunities given to assume responsibility, such as being sports leaders and play leaders.

What the school should improve

• While provision for phonics is broadly effective overall, a few inconsistencies are evident, for example in the occasional use of books not matched to phonics learning phases. Consequently, pupils do not consistently get the practice they need to develop their skills. Leaders should review the school's strategic approach, not just to ensure that it consistently meets all the criteria for an effective phonics programme but also to ensure that it makes the most efficient use of leaders' time.
• In a few foundation subjects, schemes of work do not precisely reflect the progression as set out in the school's theoretical knowledge progression statements. Consequently, pupils' participation in, and completion of, tasks is assessed, rather than their developing knowledge or the quality of their responses. Their knowledge and understanding in these subjects is less secure. Leaders should complete their work to overhaul the curriculum by ensuring that schemes of work in all subjects, and all assessments of pupils' work, are closely aligned with the school's knowledge progression statements.

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