Kings Cliffe Endowed Primary School, located in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was inspected from November 6 to November 7, 2019. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as good across various categories, including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school has maintained a good rating since its previous inspection in November 2018.
Pupils at Kings Cliffe Endowed Primary School generally enjoy their time at school. They exhibit good behaviour, politeness, and courtesy towards one another. The school offers a variety of activities that enhance learning, such as yoga workshops, participation in local music festivals, and visits to places of worship. Pupils engage well in lessons and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. Teachers have high expectations for pupil achievement, particularly in English and mathematics, and pupils benefit from a themed approach to learning. For instance, Year 5 pupils explored the theme of space through the book Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce, which sparked their enthusiasm for reading.
The curriculum covers all subjects in the national curriculum, although the sequencing of learning varies across subjects. In the early years, some teachers do not set high enough expectations for children, which can limit their potential. Additionally, a small number of pupils have a limited understanding of British values, and there have been instances where respect and tolerance were not adequately demonstrated. Leaders have been criticized for not addressing incidents of derogatory language with sufficient seriousness.
The school excels in providing a broad range of subjects, and teachers generally build pupils' knowledge effectively. The themed approach to learning makes education meaningful, as seen in projects like the Great Fire of London, where pupils created models of Tudor houses and learned about combustion. However, in some subjects, the curriculum lacks clear planning, and new knowledge does not always build on prior learning. In early years, the curriculum is not ambitious enough, and some children do not achieve their full potential.
Reading instruction in the early years has been identified as an area for improvement, as teachers are slow to introduce phonics to Reception-age children. However, as children progress through the Reception Year, the pace of phonics instruction increases, and most pupils enter Year 1 with the expected knowledge of sounds. In mathematics, teachers have clear learning goals and ensure that pupils revisit and revise previous knowledge, which aids retention.
Children in the early years are described as chatty, enthusiastic, and independent, and they engage well in play. Staff demonstrate good knowledge of the foundation stage curriculum and effectively develop children's understanding during play activities. Nevertheless, expectations for some children are not high enough, and leaders must ensure that the curriculum is challenging for all.
Leaders have implemented activities that support pupils' personal development, but a small number of pupils still struggle with understanding British values, tolerance, and respect. While most pupils behave well, a few do not consistently demonstrate self-control. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils understand appropriate behaviour in various situations.
The safeguarding arrangements at the school are effective, with staff trained to keep children safe. However, some safeguarding records were not well organized, prompting immediate corrective action from leaders. Governors are aware of their responsibilities regarding pupil safety but have not consistently checked the effectiveness of safeguarding procedures.
To improve, the school must ensure that the curriculum is sequenced effectively to build on prior knowledge, particularly in subjects like music and PSHE education. The early years curriculum should be more ambitious, and leaders must enhance the personal development curriculum to foster a deeper understanding of British values among all pupils.
