Larchfield Primary and Nursery School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 14–15 June 2012 Inspection number 378014 Larchfield Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 109938 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 378012 Inspection dates 14–15 June 2012 Lead inspector David Wynford Jones

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mark Eynon Headteacher Niki Alvarado Date of previous school inspection 8 October 2008 School address Bargeman Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 2SG Telephone number 01628 622522 Fax number 01628 622160 Email address larchfield@rbwm.org achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

David Wynford Jones Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors visited 16 lessons, observing eight teachers. They heard some pupils in Years 2 and 6 read. Inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection; they observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation, including the data the school has collected on pupils’ attainment and progress, procedures for keeping pupils safe and the school development plan. Inspectors analysed 130 questionnaires completed by parents and carers, together with those from staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

Larchfield Primary and Nursery School is broadly similar in size to most schools of its type. The large majority of the pupils are of White British origin. The remaining pupils come from a number of different minority ethnic heritages. Most are of Asian background. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is slightly higher than the national average. Very few are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at ‘school action plus’ or have a statement of special educational needs is below average. However, the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. It has successfully moved forward since the last inspection and has the capacity to improve further. It is not outstanding because there are weaknesses in the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils’ progress in reading and writing is inconsistent, and middle leaders have yet to fully develop their roles.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ achievement is good. Attainment at the end of Year 6 is average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. Overall, pupils make good progress. Their progress in reading and writing is slower than in mathematics because insufficient emphasis is placed on the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) and pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to consolidate and extend their writing skills in different subjects.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils are polite. Most have a positive attitude to learning and a good understanding of personal safety.

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Key findings

 Teaching is good. Pupils in most year groups are making accelerated progress. However, not all teachers make explicit their expectations of pupils of different abilities, and marking, although improving, does not consistently provide pupils with sufficient guidance to improve their work. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers do not make best use of the space available to promote the learning of key skills.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are good. Effective governance, systematic monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and a clear vision for its development have enabled the headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, to identify and address weaknesses in teaching and learning. As a result, provision has improved and standards have risen steadily since the last inspection. Middle leaders are supportive and keen to see the school progress further, but have not yet refined their skills in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve provision and outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation stage by:  making more effective use of the outdoor area to promote all areas of learning, but especially the children’s communication, language and literacy skills and their mathematical knowledge  ensuring that the learning environment in the Nursery fully meets the needs of the children in this age group.  Raise standards in reading and writing across the school by:  placing a greater emphasis on the teaching of phonics  providing pupils with more opportunities to practise their speaking and listening skills  making certain that pupils consolidate and extend their writing skills across the curriculum.  Ensure that the rate of pupils’ progress is consistently good by:  making certain that in all lessons, the expectations of pupils with differing abilities are made explicit  ensuring that marking always provides pupils with clear next steps for

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

improvement  refining the skills of middle leaders in monitoring the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning.

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Achievement of pupils

The majority of children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge below those expected for their age. They settle into the Nursery well and quickly grow in self-confidence. They develop their skills satisfactorily before moving into the Reception class, where their progress is accelerated. Children do not make progress as rapidly in the Nursery because insufficient attention is given to providing a learning environment that is appropriate to their needs. For example, displays do not consistently reflect children’s early learning needs and there is a lack of creative role play areas. The outdoor area, shared between the Nursery and the Reception class, is in the process of being developed. Currently, it is not used sufficiently well to promote the children’s early literacy and numeracy skills. The teaching of phonics in the Early Years Foundation Stage is inconsistent.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement by the end of Year 6 is now good. Attainment at the end of Year 6 has risen steadily from the time of the last inspection, when standards were well below average. Current data and inspection evidence show that standards in Year 6 are broadly in line with expectations in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. This represents good progress from the start of Year 3, when pupils’ attainment was well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. The success in mathematics can partly be attributed to the raising of teachers’ and pupils’ Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

expectations, a focus on developing the use of mathematical terminology and ensuring pupils are able to explain their work. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils confidently used correct terminology to describe various two-dimensional shapes and explained how they had calculated various angles.

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Achievement of pupils

Progress in reading and writing has not been as marked as in mathematics. This is because insufficient emphasis is placed on the teaching of phonics to support and develop pupils’ reading and writing skills. As a result, not all pupils have a range of strategies to read and to attempt to spell unfamiliar words. In some classes, pupils’ writing skills and their targets are not routinely reinforced in lessons other than English. Nevertheless, improvements in the quality of teaching and higher expectations are leading to higher standards in reading and writing. Currently, standards in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics are broadly average.

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Achievement of pupils

There is no marked difference in performance between any sizeable groups, such as disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, or those who speak English as an additional language. Girls tend to reach slightly higher standards than the boys. This is being monitored carefully by senior leaders and, where appropriate, support is given. The difference in performance can in part be attributed to the make-up and small size of each year group. Nearly all parents and carers who returned questionnaires rightly feel their children are making good progress and the school is helping them to develop their skills in communication, reading, writing and mathematics.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils make good progress because teaching is typically good and well matched to their needs. Teachers routinely share the purpose of the lesson with the pupils. Most lessons proceed at a quick pace. Teachers use questioning strategies effectively to challenge pupils’ thinking and to extend their knowledge. Some teachers make good use of opportunities for pupils to engage in discussion with a talk-partner and so develop their linguistic and social skills. For example, in a Year 2 English lesson, pupils were asked to share their experiences with each other following their visit to a local farm. They did so enthusiastically and demonstrated skills expected for their age. This approach helped the pupils to explore language and to develop ideas for their written work. However, this strategy is not yet embedded across the school.

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Quality of teaching

Adult support is usually deployed well to help individuals and small groups. This enables pupils, particularly those who speak English as an additional language, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, to make progress similar to that of their peers. For example, in a Year 1 class, the teaching assistant worked closely with a group of pupils to create a sentence to record their visit to the farm. Adults hear pupils read on a reasonably regular basis but do not consistently promote pupils’ knowledge and use of phonics.

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Quality of teaching

Marking is undertaken on a regular basis and pupils are encouraged to mark their own work. Teachers make good use of praise and some helpful next-step comments Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

help pupils to make progress toward their literacy and numeracy targets. However, this strategy of recording advice for improvement is not sufficiently well embedded in all classes. In some lessons, teachers do not always make clear their expectations of the pupils working at different levels or take advantage of opportunities to promote and consolidate pupils’ writing skills. As a result, at times some pupils are not sufficiently challenged. For example, in an English lesson, all pupils were expected to complete the same task without any clear guidance as to what was expected of individuals.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development effectively. This is reflected in pupils’ good behaviour in class and around the school. Some aspects of cultural development are promoted particularly well in art, music and an appreciation of some European languages – Italian, French and Spanish. However, there is insufficient emphasis on ensuring that pupils gain a sufficiently broad understanding of different religions and living in today’s multicultural society.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils have a positive attitude to learning and are proud of their school. They behave well and have a good understanding of personal safety. Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and visitors. Several came and introduced themselves to the inspectors and enquired if they could help them in any way. Nearly all pupils said they enjoyed school and found the work interesting. They take good care of the environment and are keen to help in the school garden. The school council is proactive in helping to move the school forward and gives regular reports to the governing body.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Observations and school records show that there are very few bullying or racist incidents. Pupils are aware of the different forms bullying can take. They confirm that instances of bullying, including name-calling and fighting, are infrequent and if they do occur, staff deal with them swiftly. They understand the importance of internet safety and not divulging personal information to others. Older pupils spoke knowledgeably about road safety. Younger children recalled the importance of washing hands following stroking and feeding animals during the visit to a local farm. Pupils’ attendance has improved steadily and is now securely in line with the national average for primary schools. Pupils’ positive interaction with each other contributes much to their social and moral development.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A few parents and carers raised concerns about behaviour and bullying. Inspectors found no evidence to corroborate these concerns. Most parents and carers believe that pupils are kept safe and that behaviour is good.

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Leadership and management

Effective governance and strong leadership by the headteacher and deputy headteacher have driven the school forward since the last inspection. The quality of teaching has improved and standards have risen, expectations are higher and pupils Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

are now making good progress. Staff have responded well to senior leaders’ commitment to improving provision through professional development and performance management. Systems and structures have been introduced to monitor and evaluate pupils’ attainment and progress. Staff are increasingly being held to account for the progress of pupils in their class. Realistic but challenging targets are set. The school development plan is clear and accurately identifies the key areas for development. These are underpinned by appropriate tasks. Middle leaders are developing their expertise well. However, they have not yet gained a secure overview of the work of the school or consolidated their skills in evaluating teaching and its impact on learning and progress.

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Leadership and management

The governing body has effective systems for monitoring the work of the school, ensuring that it meets the latest government requirements on safeguarding, and providing an appropriate level of challenge to senior leaders. Under the leadership of an effective chairman, the governing body scrutinises the school’s data in detail so that any possible instances of a lack of equality of opportunity or discrimination are investigated thoroughly. This has contributed to the ongoing improvement in standards, the acceleration of pupils’ progress and the improved reputation of the school within the local community.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is broad and balanced and promotes pupils’ learning, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, well. The school is in the process of reviewing the curriculum to ensure that there are closer links in learning between subjects, and the skills pupils develop in English and mathematics are consolidated in other lessons. The curriculum is enhanced by a suitable range of after-school activities, visits and visitors to the school. Given its effective systems and structures, and the progress made since the last inspection, the school has the capacity to improve further.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school, and for completing the questionnaire. A special ‘thank you’ to the two pupils who showed us around the school, and to those who came and introduced themselves to us. We enjoyed our visit and talking to you. You were very polite. In our discussions, you told us that you enjoy school and feel safe because the staff look after you. You know that you can turn to them if you are worried. Your behaviour is good. You are taking more responsibility for yourselves and showing a greater interest in your work. Your attendance is also improving. Well done – keep it up!

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

Your school provides you with a good education. By the end of Year 6, your attainment is similar to the national average in reading and writing and above the expected levels in mathematics. This represents good progress and achievement during your time at the school.

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

We have asked the school to help you to make even better progress and reach higher standards, especially in reading and writing, by:

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

 developing the Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor area, with a greater emphasis on teaching literacy and numeracy skills  placing a great emphasis on the teaching of phonics, and giving you more opportunities to develop your writing by allowing you more time to talk in class and practise your writing skills in different subjects  making certain that you know what is expected of you in lessons, and that you are given clear regular written guidance on how to improve your work  asking middle leaders to look a little more closely at how teachers are helping you learn.

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

Please remember that to make your school better, you must always try your best.

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Inspection of Larchfield Primary and Nursery School, Maidenhead SL6 2SG

David Wynford-Jones Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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