All Saints Church of England Primary School, located in Wigston, Leicestershire, was inspected on May 8 and 9, 2024. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, with specific areas of focus including the quality of education, personal development, and safeguarding. The headteacher, Julie Wright, leads the school, which is part of the Learn Academies Trust, overseen by CEO Jane Jones and a board of trustees chaired by Jeremy Benson. The school has a strong ethos, emphasizing care and kindness, which is reflected in the positive relationships between staff and pupils. Most students express enjoyment in attending the school, highlighting the supportive environment that fosters their well-being.
While the school has made strides in behavior management, with staff maintaining high expectations and effectively managing low-level disruptions, there are significant concerns regarding the curriculum. Changes made to the curriculum have not yet yielded the desired impact, particularly in areas such as phonics, where implementation is inconsistent. Some subjects lack clarity in what pupils are expected to learn, leading to gaps in knowledge and understanding. Consequently, not all pupils are achieving their full potential.
The early years provision is a notable strength, with children receiving a solid foundation through well-planned learning opportunities. The structured learning sessions prepare them effectively for their next stages in education. However, this strong start is not consistently mirrored in later years, where the curriculum's implementation varies across subjects. In mathematics, for instance, the curriculum is logically planned, but this clarity is not present in all areas of study.
Teachers employ questioning techniques to assess pupils' understanding, but they do not always utilize this information to inform future lessons. This oversight can lead to persistent knowledge gaps, hindering some pupils' progress. The school promotes a love of reading, supported by a phonics program that aligns reading materials with the sounds being taught. Despite this, the teaching of early reading is not consistently strong, and some pupils struggle with phonics knowledge, which affects their reading fluency and overall academic performance.
Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities receive adequate support, with staff trained to address their specific needs. The school has invested in resources to assist these pupils, although financial constraints limit the extent of support that can be provided. The school is actively working with parents to improve attendance, and there have been positive developments in this area.
While the school offers various opportunities for character development and mental health support, there is a lack of coherence in the personal development curriculum. This results in limited exposure to enriching experiences that could enhance pupils' cultural capital and understanding of British values. The school recognizes the need for a more structured approach to personal development to better prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.
New leaders within the school receive effective support from the Learn Academies Trust, contributing to a positive working environment for staff. The well-being and workload of teachers are prioritized, fostering a sense of pride in their work at the school. Safeguarding arrangements are deemed effective, ensuring that pupils' safety and welfare are prioritized.
To improve, the school must address the inconsistencies in the phonics program and ensure that reading is prioritized to help pupils become confident readers. Additionally, the curriculum needs to clearly define the knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to acquire, with a focus on consistent implementation across all subjects. Addressing knowledge gaps before introducing new learning is crucial for enhancing pupils' progress. The personal development curriculum also requires a coherent structure to ensure that all aspects contribute to developing well-rounded citizens.
In summary, while All Saints Church of England Primary School has strengths in its supportive environment and early years provision, significant improvements are needed in curriculum implementation, reading instruction, and personal development to ensure that all pupils can achieve their full potential.
