Great Alne Primary has been through a period of substantial change since January 2023. We are grateful for the support of Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust, who have worked closely with new members of staff to enable rapid progress. For those of us who have arrived even more recently, we have liaised very closely with them throughout this transition to continue this work.

Key strengths from the Ofsted Monitoring Visit in October 2023.

The school is generally a calm and purposeful place to learn.

You are focused on the right things to improve the quality of education.

Staff and pupils appreciate the school’s revised approach to managing behaviour. You recently introduced the values of ‘respect, responsible and ready’ to promote the positive behaviours that you expect to see. The values are beginning to be reflected in everyday school life. 

You have arranged for the small staff team to work collectively to develop the curriculum. The curriculum is now better organised to build pupils’ knowledge logically. Leaders have set out a more coherent approach to ensure that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. 

The school is able to demonstrate tangible steps already taken to improve pupils’ broader school experiences.

Staff have a clearer understanding of how lessons connect pupils’ learning to achieve the curriculum’s aims.

Leaders’ […] actions are beginning to make a positive difference to the way that the curriculum is implemented.

Leaders have prioritised developing adults’ expertise in how to teach reading. Some staff have accessed development opportunities with an expert practitioner. 

Governors care about the school and are determined to improve pupils’ experiences.

You have successfully taken action to strengthen safeguarding procedures at the school. The school’s safeguarding procedures are now effective. The school has a policy that is understood by all. The policy is consistently put into practice. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They report concerns quickly, and leaders act decisively to protect children when needed.

The local authority has arranged for the school to be supported by a local multi-academy trust. This support has proved to be extremely helpful to the school. Leaders have significantly benefited from the support of expert practitioners.

The most recent Ofsted Report can be found here