In the report, inspectors state that the “school has improved considerably since the previous inspection” and that “the trust, governing body and school leaders have a clear vision for ensuring that the school continues to improve.” The College had previously been rated as ‘Requires Improvement’.

Behaviour was a strong area recognised in the report, with inspectors commenting that “pupils behave well” and are “polite and considerate.” The report also highlighted how “pupils are well cared for” and “know how to report anything they are worried about.” As a result, “pupils feel safe and confident to be themselves.”

The “positive relationship” between teachers and pupils at the College was highly commended. Pupils “benefit from the good subject knowledge of their teachers” and “express their views confidently.” Teachers “listen carefully to their [pupils’] ideas and opinions.”

Helena Marsh, Principal at Linton Village College, said: “We are thrilled with the findings and judgement of this Ofsted report; an achievement that reflects the dedication and hard work of our entire school community.

“The report recognises our supportive learning environment and relational ethos, commending our ‘Linton Learners’ who are empowered to be articulate and to flourish in their learning and their lives. The focus on developing well-rounded individuals aligns with our core values of ambition, inclusion and enrichment.

“This report is a great testament to the significant progress we’ve made together. We owe this success to our incredible staff, pupils, parents, and governors, whose support has been invaluable. We are excited to build on this momentum and ensure that our school continues to provide an exceptional experience for all our pupils.”

The report celebrated the exciting opportunities the school offers its pupils, including a “broad range of subjects”, a “range of leadership opportunities” and a “comprehensive programme to support pupils’ personal development.” As a result, “pupils are well-prepared for the next stage in their education.”

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are “identified accurately” and teachers use this information to ensure pupils make “strong progress across the curriculum.”

The Anglian Learning Central team and school leaders were praised for providing “effective challenge, direction and support to improve the school” and ensuring “staff and the local governing body have the expertise needed to fulfil their roles effectively.”

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said: “We are delighted with the improvements that have taken place at Linton Village College and pleased that this has been recognised in their latest Ofsted report. Helena and her colleagues have worked hard to provide an offer that is the very best for the pupils in their community and we could not be prouder of their achievements.

“At Anglian Learning, our relationships are characterised by support, respect and trust. We recognise that this collaborative spirit makes us stronger together. It is fantastic that Ofsted has acknowledged the benefits of this culture for the school and its staff.”

The Ofsted report identified that the College can continue to improve on its success by ensuring all learning activities build effectively on pupils’ previous learning and all pupils have a clear understanding of its behaviour policy.

The full report can be found on Linton Village College’s website: https://lvc.org

Louise Scott, Deputy Headteacher at The Pines Primary School, started her career in EYFS teaching. Alongside this development, Louise has played an instrumental role in the ‘Creativity Collaborative’ research project, supported by Arts Council England, with whom Anglian Learning has a Memorandum of Understanding. 

Why are projects like ‘Creativity Collaborative’ important in improving pupils’ learning experience?  

“As teachers, after you’ve completed your training, there are not many opportunities to pause and think about different pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning due to the time demands of the job. However, being part of this research project where we get to trial and look closely at the impact it is having on pupils is hugely beneficial. Also, makes developing your understanding of teaching, learning and child development a priority. 

“In our primary schools, we often engage in conversations on what reflective practice looks like, talking through the positive learning experiences that are happening in our classrooms, and the impact this is having. Following visits to the schools in our Trust, I can see pupils are getting the education they deserve, as this approach is putting pupils at the heart of teaching and learning.  

“We want our pupils to leave us as ‘life-long learners’, but also acknowledge the other benefits and skills this innovative approach to the curriculum can provide. This research project I believe is some of the solution to ensuring that children develop the characteristics to thrive in the future and prepare them for jobs we do not yet know exist”. 

How has being part of Anglian Learning helped with the collaboration required for the project? 

“I see Anglian Learning as an innovative multi-academy trust that wants to develop an educational experience which places young people and professionals at the centre. 

“The project has created more collaborative thinking within primaries and secondaries, who are both in agreement that we are not so different when it comes to teaching, which would not have happened previously. Leaders from across the Trust can see the value of this project, so it was easy to implement within a culture that is collaborative and not competing against each other. 

“Now towards the end of the project, we are considering how we can continue to develop this method of reflective practice and implementation across all schools”.  

Now three years into the project, do you have a particular highlight? 

“The first ever celebration day we had where we got to share our experiences in the first year of the project. There was a real sense of togetherness with teachers who can see the positive impact the project has had in the classroom. Seeing pupils who previously did not engage now fully engaging with learning. The project felt overwhelming to begin with, but with the knowledge and practice that has occurred, I am confident that teaching for creativity is the way forward”. 

How will the delivery of the curriculum at The Pines Primary School, and other schools within Anglian Learning, benefit from the project? 

“I worked closely with Kerry Darby, Headteacher at The Pines Primary School, to develop the school’s values and thematic-based curriculum during the same time the project launched. This provided an opportunity to ensure the school’s values run through our curriculum but also partly gave pupils ownership of their learning by thinking more creatively with the practices put in place. 

Creativity Collaborative meeting with colleagues from across the Trust

“From a funding point of view, the project has given schools opportunities to enjoy valuable learning experiences that some communities have not experienced before due to financial restrictions. 

“The impact of the project has shown to improve not only the children’s knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, but they have also developed characteristics such as good collaboration, developed oracy and vocabulary and resilience. Not all the benefits can be measured, with the collaboration between colleagues, knowledge gained and increase in intrinsic confidence of pupils evident throughout all the schools, and to continue developing for many years to come.” 

To find out more about the Creativity Collaborative research project, click here. To read part one of the feature with The Pines Primary School Headteacher Kerry Darby, click here.  

Kerry Darby, Headteacher of The Pines Primary School has shared with us her approach to creating an inspirational curriculum for her five-year-old school, the challenges and opportunities that arose when dealing with a unique catchment area, and stand-out moments since becoming headteacher.

How did you approach building a thematic-based curriculum for The Pines Primary School? How does this benefit pupils’ learning experience?

“As a new school, we had a completely blank canvas. It gave us a chance to look at what we wanted for the curriculum to ensure we were always meeting the needs of our pupils. The constraint with this was, at the time, we did not know much about our pupils and their needs. I spent a lot of time researching, gaining ideas from Mary Myatt’s Core Principles and decided to work backward in terms of understanding where we wanted our pupils to be at the end of this journey, and working out the journey to our goals.

“Research showed that attendance is low in this area, so we wanted to engage our pupils from day one and get them to keep coming back every day. The thematic approach makes links between different subjects within the curriculum to further strengthen their knowledge and understanding. It is all hinged around reading – which is at the heart of our curriculum (like our library which is at the heart of our school!). The staff here are good at thinking beyond the curriculum to make the learning come alive, especially considering the Creativity Collaborative project.

“Each cohort has required a different approach, so we have had to grow and adapt the curriculum with each new year group. Our Knowledge and Skills Grids set out what pupils will learn and the skills they will gain each year, with the thematic approach allowing for adaptation.”

The Pines Primary School is positioned within a unique community with a transitionary intake of pupils. How do you respond to this within your curriculum and community?

“We have some of the highest mobility within the country due to our unique catchment area. We find new pupils, the majority of whom have already been to many different schools or been school refusers, adapt and thrive with our curriculum and community quickly. Our approach reflects the school’s strapline of ‘Transforming lives through inspirational learning’.

“The pandemic was difficult as we went from having parents in all the time as helpers, to not being allowed to welcome them into the school, so we had to change our approach. However, having Rachael Cox as our Family Well-being Lead, she continues to give direct support around a whole range of matters including financial, SEND and mental health.”

As headteacher, what has been your proudest moment to date at The Pines Primary School?

“This is a hard question to answer! Wider-curriculum events where all the pupils, parents and carers and the whole community come together, like our Jubilee events last summer with everyone singing and celebrating together.

“Also, when members of the community visit our school for events such as the British Science Week and World Book Day. Seeing pupils’ enthusiasm during these special events, their thirst for learning stands out and I am so proud of the pupils, but also the staff for making this learning come alive and inspirational.

Every week, some things stand out for us.”

What advice would you give to colleagues looking to progress within their teaching career to a senior position?

“Keep learning!”

Kerry Darby became headteacher when the school opened in 2018, with the school later joining Anglian Learning in 2020. In the next article, hear from Deputy Headteacher Louise Scott of The Pines Primary School who has played an instrumental role in the ‘Creativity Collaborative’ project at the school and throughout the Trust.

Inspectors visited The Netherhall School and carried out a non-graded inspection on 5 and 6 March 2024, marking a milestone in its journey since academisation. Ofsted conducts ungraded inspections of all ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ schools every four years to confirm the school maintains its current status.  

The report highlighted the school’s dedication to innovation, commending its ‘Integrate’ programme as “innovative” and “well-attended by parents who receive informative guidance on how to support their children”, ensuring that “leaders take care to secure positive relationships within the school community.” 

State-of-the-art programmes of study like ‘Integrate’ go beyond the classroom and actively support the community. Complementing a strong academic foundation, the school also offers access to its ‘Hobbs Centre’ and ‘ALVIN’ (Anglian Learning Virtual Integrated Network) which cater to “pupils who need an adapted curriculum” and help them to “make strong progress and achieve the grades they require to follow their chosen pathway”, according to Ofsted inspectors. 

Chris Tooley, Principal at The Netherhall School, said: “Maintaining our ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted is a tremendous achievement, a testament to the dedication of our entire school community. The achievement affirms our commitment to supporting every pupil through our unique curriculum. 

“The Ofsted report’s recognition of our innovative programmes aligns perfectly with our vision, and we’re thrilled to see their positive impact on community engagement, career preparation, and pupil well-being.” 

The ‘Hobbs Centre’ offers specialist programmes that allow pupils who cannot access mainstream schooling to pursue GCSE qualifications. Similarly, pupils in Years 9 to 11 facing medical challenges that prevent in-person attendance can access online lessons and remote welfare checks through ‘ALVIN’. These initiatives ensure all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can access quality education through “specially resourced provision” and “benefit from the programmes implemented to meet their needs.” 

As shown in the report, The Netherhall School equips leaders with skills and strategies that encourage a positive culture, improving pupil behaviour: “Leaders have taken effective action to address inappropriate behaviour”, leading to pupils that “behave well” and “trust adults to keep them safe.” Inspectors noted that as a result, “the number of pupils who receive a suspension has been significantly reduced.” 

The secondary school was complimented on its careers education, which offers “regular opportunities to meet employers, apprenticeship providers, colleges and universities” meaning that “pupils can make well-informed decisions about their future.” Before leaving the school to embark on their careers, sixth-form pupils at The Oakes College “have respectful and trusting relationships with staff.” Leaders “prepare them well for a deeper, more independent way of learning” and as a result, they “value their education and the personalised support they receive.”  

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities can access “specially resourced provision” and are “particularly well catered for” by teachers who have “received the training and information they need to adapt teaching effectively”. 

Chris continued: “This praise reinforces the importance we place on establishing a strong community based on great relationships. We believe in inspiring our pupils by providing a nurturing environment; meeting the needs of the individual, and creating an inclusive place where all pupils and staff are valued. It is fantastic to see these values radiate throughout the report.” 

The Anglian Learning Central team and school leaders were complimented on their leadership and deemed as “highly effective in helping the school to secure [these] key improvements.” 

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said: “We are extremely proud of The Netherhall School for continuing its ‘Good’ Ofsted rating. The school community, including its staff, parents, and pupils have worked hard to achieve a fantastic report that truly sang the school’s praises. 

“Ofsted’s positive feedback is thoroughly deserved, reflecting the positive impact of our Trust’s support since academisation. This is particularly evident in the development of their innovative programmes and strong leadership, which align perfectly with our mission to positively transform the lives of children and the wellbeing of our wider society.” 

The full report can be found on The Netherhall School’s website: Ofsted Inspection 2024 – The Netherhall School

Miss Collinson, from Redrow Homes, asked the children to put together a huge drainpipe from parts she had brought in.

Miss Hodges, a local plumber talked about toilets which, of course, the children loved! Mrs Smith, from John Huntingdon’s Charity, talked about the importance of food banks. Mrs Barrett, from Innovate Food Group, spoke to Reception and KS1 about nutrition and eating their 5-a-day fruit and vegetables.

Mrs Laxton, from Sawston Scene, spoke about magazine publishing. Mrs Brown, from the graphic design company Red Graphic, asked the children to put logo leaves on the Icknield tree.

Sarah Golding, our Trust Marketing Manager and PA to the Executive Leadership Team, was pleased to participate and share her career path.

Lastly, the pupils were visited by the fire brigade.

The new library is at the heart of our school and hosted their recent Art Exhibition for parents. Every child had the opportunity to showcase their work in the beautiful new surroundings producing a visual feast for all. Having achieved the Gold Artsmark Award in August 2023, Howard Community Academy has a strong focus on the Arts, recognising their value in promoting wellbeing, developing confidence, oracy and ensuring that all children have opportunities to access and engage with learning experiences across the curriculum.

It was a joy to share the creativity of our children with their parents and caregivers, seeing the sense of pride as our children presented their work. Wowed by the newly created environment, the children have asked to repeat the event, so watch this space!

Alison Weir, Headteacher at Howard Community Academy

In a letter addressed to the school, Damian Hinds, Minister for Schools, states that he was ‘delighted’ to see 100 per cent of pupils in Year 1 meeting the statutory requirements for phonics.

He goes on to say that this achievement means ‘your pupils are developing a firm foundation, from which they can become increasingly fluent and develop a lifelong love of reading’.

Nichola Pickford, Executive Headteacher for The Meadow Primary School and Wimbish Primary Academy, said “We are delighted to see our results which are a testament to the hard work of our staff and pupils. Our Early Reading curriculum supports our vision for pupils to be independent readers and confident, lifelong learners.

The planned approach we take when introducing reading to pupils from when they start school, to our well-stocked library, has helped The Meadow Primary School to achieve this significant result, and I could not be prouder of our community.”

Rachael Johnston, Director of Primary Education at Anglian Learning, the multi-academy Trust of which The Meadow Primary School is a part of, said “It is great to see Nichola and her team’s determination and dedication achieve this result and be recognised by the Minister for Schools. This proactive and innovative teaching perfectly represents Anglian Learning’s vision of creating dynamic and empowered learners.”

Later in his letter, Damian noted the latest figures to show that 83 per cent of pupils who met the expected standard in the Screening Check went on to achieve the expected standard in reading at Key Stage 2 in 2023 which ‘underlines the importance of developing the ability to decode words effectively at an early age’.

The Phonics Screening Test was established by the Government in 2011 following a successful pilot. It aims to confirm children have learned phonic decoding to an age-appropriate standard. The results are not published in performance tables but instead allow schools to benchmark their pupils’ performance.

The Meadow Primary School joined Anglian Learning in April 2020. To find out more about The Meadow Primary School, please visit: https://www.themeadowbalsham.co.uk/  and www.anglianlearning.org.

Our first speaker, Greg Bottrill, led a session on the role of the adult in play and how we can co-play with children while supporting their individual development. Our second speaker, Jacqui Lewis, did a session on Sustained Shared Thinking and how this underpins how adults play with children and develop their critical thinking and metacognition skills. The Third Speaker was Amy Arnold, who led a session on how to support creativity and enquiry. She inspired us with simple ways we can bring experiences to the children that open up opportunities to be curious and find learning irresistible.

Article by Louise Scott, Creativity Collaborative Primary Good Practice Lead

The Icknield Primary School was commended for its variety of “opportunities that support pupils’ personal development well”, including working with charities and “taking part in school productions, as well as musical and sporting events.” Mindfulness is prioritised at the Cambridge-based school which pupils are “taught about” to “prepare them well for lessons and the tests they take in Year 6.”

Ofsted conducts ungraded inspections of all ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ schools every four years to confirm the school maintains its current status. Although there has been no change to The Icknield Primary School’s overall judgement of ‘Good’, inspectors found that should they carry out another graded inspection, the rating could change.

Diane Mitchell, Headteacher at The Icknield Primary School, said: “There is lots to be proud of in this report, but one aspect that stands out is the reinforcement of our core values: resilience, uniqueness, and ambition. I am thrilled that the diverse opportunities we offer have been recognised for their contribution to these principles.

“We highly value each child’s unique contribution to our school community, and we are dedicated to developing their academic, creative, sportive, and social goals within our curriculum. This report serves as a foundation for us to grow, building upon the positive feedback from Ofsted. As we move forward, the school remains fully committed to addressing any areas that may further enhance the learning experience for our pupils and maintaining the school’s ‘Good’ rating in the next graded report.”

According to the report, The Icknield Primary is a school where “pupils are confident to answer questions and ask for help if they need to.” Across the school, there are “positive relationships” between staff and pupils, which is likely a result of the school’s “clear expectations [set] for pupils’ behaviour” meaning that “classrooms are calm and disruption to learning is rare.”

The primary school was complimented on its “ambitious, well-planned” curriculum: “[Anglian Learning] and the school have identified what they want pupils to know and remember in each subject, for example, mathematics and history.” To embellish this further, it reports: “Leaders have used appropriate checks to assess where there are gaps in learning and in many subjects, pupils are helped to keep up or catch up quickly.”

The report notes the joy that learning brings, particularly within its Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): “Children in Reception enjoy their learning and respond well to all adults. They learn to count and recognise numbers and have many opportunities to use this knowledge.” Highlighting this, “the school makes sure that those in the early years or at the early stages of reading have the correct books to help them get better at reading” which helps “children learn about the recent past and show an understanding of historical events.”

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities are able to access “the same ambitious curriculum” as their peers, which is more tailored to their individual requirements and learning styles: “The school identifies and supports pupils with SEND effectively. Staff make sure that the curriculum is broken down into small steps when necessary. They make sure that pupils with SEND learn alongside their classmates and that they access the same ambitious curriculum. Pupils have meaningful targets. Some pupils work on these outside the main classroom when this helps them. Pupils learn and achieve well because of this support.”

The Anglian Learning central team and school leaders were applauded for the support they provide to early-career teachers, aiding in their personal growth: “The trust provides good support for the school, which includes training and mentoring. The trust, school leaders and those responsible for governance ensure that staff workload and well-being are considered. They provide appropriate resources and give those teachers at the beginning of their careers the necessary help to ensure that they are effective.”

Jonathan Culpin, CEO of Anglian Learning, said: “I am pleased to note that the report underlines our commitment to continuous growth and excellence within our community, emphasising our concerted efforts in supporting our teachers and providing personal development opportunities for our staff. We remain dedicated to creating a nurturing and encouraging environment that supports both pupils and educators alike.

“I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to everyone involved, from the diligent staff and dedicated parents to our ambitious pupils. We will push forward in our commitment to further enhancing the educational experience for all.”

The project team has been working closely with the College, Anglian Learning and officers at South Cambridgeshire District Council in preparation of the plans and is inviting local people to view them at an exhibition on Tuesday 23rd January 2024, from 5.30-8.30pm in the Henry Morris Hall, Sawston Village College, New Road, Sawston, CB22 3BP or by visiting the project website where you can register for updates and leave your feedback after the exhibition.

Jonathan Russell, Principal, commented, “The regeneration of Sawston Village College is a transformational opportunity for our staff, pupils and the community we are privileged to serve. We are proud to be the first village college founded by Henry Morris in 1930. His vision was for a school which would nurture a lifelong love of learning for people of all ages, in an environment that offered inspiration. Based on Cambridge University courtyards, our original Grade II listed buildings reflect these ideals, and these values are still at the heart of our work nearly a century later. The proposals we are asking the community to consider will help protect those ideals and values for generations to come.”

Jonathan Culpin, Chief Executive Officer at Anglian Learning said, “The plans represent a major investment from the DfE in this excellent local community-facing school. The mission of Anglian Learning is to enable inclusive and aspirational learning in every classroom, empower leaders across every academy, and ensure inspiring, exciting opportunities and educational success for our learners, people and communities. Our brief to the architects was to undertake the regeneration plans with this mission and our values in mind. They have responded with a new school building that respects Sawston’s important historic and listed buildings whilst meeting the latest standards of sustainability and improving the functionality of the site layout.”

Primary leaders, teachers and support staff focused on the topic of reading with guest speaker, Christopher Such, author of The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading.

James Puxley, Headteacher of Linton Heights Junior School and organiser of the event, said “It was fabulous to join Trust teachers and teaching assistants from our primaries for our annual joint inset. Collectively, we were inspired by Christopher Such, author of The Art and Science of teaching Primary Reading – and reading expert.

The training provided important takeaways for all year groups, and I know that the impact of this training will be very positive across our primaries.”

Meanwhile, nursery colleagues started the day with a Phonics and Learning Environment session, later discussing In The Moment Planning and then working together on action planning in the afternoon.

Louise Scott, Deputy Head of The Pines Primary School and organiser of the Early Years activities, said “It has been exciting to have the spotlight on developing practice in our Nursery and Preschool settings.

Lauren Davis from Stapleford Nursery shared how to incorporate Phase 1 Phonics within our play and creating inspiring enhancements to engage our young learners. This was followed by ‘In the Moment Practice’ training from Hayley Ward at Pinecones Preschool.

Both will support the development of best practice across all our Early Years settings, ensuring the children get the best possible start to their learning journey.”