Saxon Way Primary School is proudly celebrating another successful Ofsted inspection, maintaining its Good rating. The school, part of the Griffin Schools Trust – a family of 12 award-winning schools – was described by the inspectors as a place where ‘pupils were happy and excited to learn, where the Trust’s ‘three pillars of ‘proud traditions, wide horizons and high achievement’ are the foundation of the curriculum, wider enrichment and staff expectations’ and ‘as a result, pupils achieve well’.
Commenting on the report, Headteacher, Jen Vidler-Ironmonger said, ‘We are incredibly proud that Ofsted has once again recognised the strengths of our school. At Saxon Way, we firmly believe there is no limit to what our pupils can achieve. Our motto, ‘Contribute, Flourish, Succeed,’ is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to delivering high standards in reading, writing and maths, while nurturing confident, curious pupils who are well-prepared with the skills and knowledge to be life-long learners.’
The inspectors commended the school for the curriculum which is ‘well sequenced and designed to inspire learning for all pupils’; and that ‘staff understand pupils’ barriers to learning and help them to overcome these through effective adaptations and support… meeting the needs of those pupils with SEND’.
They stated ‘there is a sharp focus on learning to read’, and the ‘teaching of phonics, which starts in Nursery, ensures children get off to a strong start’. Also, that ‘pupils practise reading regularly to develop their skills’, and ‘targeted additional support ensures that every pupil keeps up’. Additionally, ‘children who are new to the school receive the support they need to catch up quickly’; and that ‘they read books that match the sounds they are learning’, which ‘helps them to become confident and fluent readers’.
The school was applauded for its ‘expertly developed’ ‘approach to pupils’ personal development’. With its ‘extensive range of wider curriculum opportunities’ being ‘a strong aspect of the school’s work’, including ‘subject festivals such as the science symposium and the arts festival, where pupils engage with other learners across the Trust’.
It was noted that ‘there is a carefully planned approach to pastoral support that is designed to enable all pupils to be ready to learn’. Also that ‘activities for each subject are well matched to the intended learning’ starting ‘in the early years, where both indoor and outdoor learning environments stimulate curiosity and link to current learning opportunities’.
The report noted that, ‘pupils with responsibilities such as the head boy and head girl relish their opportunities as role models’, and ‘curriculum ambassadors have a positive impact on the curriculum content, empowering them to have a voice for their peers’. The inspectors also observed that ‘pupils learn about equality and diversity, and fundamental British values are taught explicitly’, with ‘well-chosen texts and assemblies’ to ‘help to deepen pupils’ learning’.
The inspectors reported that, ‘behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm… pupils know what school staff expect from them’, and ‘the school rules of ‘be ready, be safe, be respectful’ underpin this’. Also, that ‘pupils understand why (the rules) are important and learn about them explicitly… right from the early years’.
Saxon Way was praised for its ‘wider curriculum opportunities’ and the benefits this offers to ‘disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)’ with ‘trips and visitors designed to reinforce learning alongside an extensive range of clubs’. The school’s ‘links with the wider community and the Trust, strengthen this offer’, with the example of ‘visits by the local football team to promote future aspirations for all pupils’.
The report recognised that ‘promoting good attendance was a high priority for the school’, with ‘robust tracking in place to identify those pupils who are not attending regularly enough’. The inspectors also remarked on the school’s strategy ‘to further improve attendance for these pupils’, with the impact of these strategies evident ‘in the significant improvements in current attendance for the majority of pupils, including some of the most disadvantaged’.
The report recognised that ‘staff benefit from the support and training they receive from the school and Trust’, and ‘consequently, they have good subject knowledge about what they are teaching’. The workload and well-being of all staff is ‘a high priority for leaders’ and ‘staff are positive about the support they receive, including those who are new to teaching’.
Saxon Way’s leaders were praised for having the ‘pupils’ best interests at the heart of all that they do’ and that ‘together with trustees and local governors, they provide well-considered support and challenge, which enables the school to maintain the standards at the last inspection’.
For more information about Saxon Way admissions, please visit: https://www.saxonway-gst.org.
