Chiseldon Primary & Nursery School

Chiseldon Primary School Castle View Road, Swindon, SN4 0NS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

 Leaders have been too slow in making sure that teaching is good enough to enable all pupils to reach their full potential.  Teachers do not plan enough activities that are at the right level of difficulty for pupils to use and develop their writing and calculation skills.  Progress in reading is not fast enough because pupils are not heard read regularly to enable teachers to choose books for them that will support and challenge them.  Marking does not give clear guidance as to how pupils can improve their work.  Leaders do not check often enough that targets set to improve individual teachers and the whole school are being met.  Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement because they lose concentration in some lessons because teachers do not make sure they are all listening.  The governing body does not have the skills to challenge the school or to become more involved in how improvements can be made.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Recent changes and developments in the leadership of the school are holding teachers more to account and resulting in pupils making faster progress.  Progress in Reception is good because children’s learning is well planned and adults provide good support and challenge.  The school provides good care and support for pupils, looking after them well and keeping them safe.  Improved tracking systems are ensuring that pupils who are falling behind are identified and given additional support.  Pupils enjoy school and attendance is above average. They are polite and welcoming and enjoy good relationships with adults.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 14 lessons, of which one was a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, they made a number of other short visits to lessons. They also looked at pupils’ books and observed other aspects of the school’s work.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and a parent governor and school staff. Key Stage 2 pupils gave the inspectors a tour of the school. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about their reading and listened to them read. A meeting was held with a representative of the local authority and a telephone discussion with the school’s external finance consultant.  The inspectors took account of the 52 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and spoke to parents and carers at the school gate. They also reviewed 12 questionnaire responses from staff.  A number of documents were looked at, including: the school’s own data relating to pupils’

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Information about this inspection

achievement in the school year 2011/12 and since Septermber 2012; the school’s checks on how well it is doing; the school’s development plan; and planning and monitoring documentation, including records relating to behaviour and attendance, policy documents and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Martin Marsh, Lead inspector Additional inspector Najoud Ensaff Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Chiseldon Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school with a higher proportion of girls than is found nationally.  One in seven pupils are eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding which in this school supports pupils known to be eligible for free school meals), which is below average.  The proportions of pupils supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are lower than found nationally.  There are very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds or at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Since the previous inspection in May 2011 all the teachers have changed. The headteacher has remained in post but is retiring in March 2013. In September 2011, the school appointed two

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Information about this school

newly qualified teachers who are still at the school. A new Chair of the Governing Body was appointed in September 2012.  The school is currently in a period of consultation with a view to becoming federated with two local schools which are already providing leadership and management support to the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to be at least good by:  planning work that is at the right level to support and challenge all pupils  checking on pupils’ progress in lessons and adapting the teaching where necessary  providing written feedback to pupils that shows what they need to do to improve  planning the use of additional adults so that they have a clear role in all parts of the lesson  making sure that all pupils are listening attentively when the teacher or another pupil is talking.  Raise achievement in English and mathematics by:  giving pupils more opportunities to practise calculation skills and apply them to problems  hearing children read more often so that teachers can choose appropriate books for them that will support and extend their reading  giving pupils regular opportunities to practise their writing for longer periods of time for a range of different purposes.  Improve leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 identifying precisely what individual teachers need to improve their teaching, providing appropriate training and following up to check if it has been successful  making sure that parents and carers are regularly kept informed about their children’s progress and about what is happening in school  recording and analysing incidents of bad behaviour  providing the governing body with the knowledge and the skills to challenge the school more effectively and contribute more to making plans for the future. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 From starting points on entry to Reception which are typical of those expected for their age, pupils attain broadly in line with what is expected nationally at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 but not enough do better than this. Too many pupils fail to achieve what they are capable of because the skills they acquire are not built on sufficiently in lessons and targets for improvement are not challenging enough. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls.  Progress in reading is not fast enough because teaching programmes have only recently been in place to help pupils acquire an understanding of letters and the sounds they make (phonics). Now that there is a phonics programme in place, children are making faster progress. One reception parent or carer commented that ‘it is magic how my child is learning to read’. There are still however, too many pupils who are not given books that support and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

challenge their reading because their teachers do not hear them read often enough.  Pupils’ basic calculation skills are average but they are not quick enough because they do not practise regularly and they do not get enough chances to solve problems. Although progress in writing is faster, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to extend their writing in different contexts and across other subjects.  Historically, pupils who have special educational needs have made slower progress because systems to check on how they are doing have not been good enough. These have now improved and as a result pupils who have special educational needs and those who need extra help are making faster progress because their needs are being addressed through timely intervention programmes.  Pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding do not always receive support and tuition when needed to quicken their progress in English and mathematics. As a result,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

although they keep pace with other children in the school and all pupils nationally in reading and mathematics as measured by average points scores, they are not closing the gaps in writing.  Progress is Reception is good because children have a lot of interesting things to do, especially inside the classroom. Children work well with adults and each other. They have well-developed social skills enabling them to learn and play well with each other.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is inconsistency in planning in some lessons that takes account of what pupils already know and understand. Consequently, some pupils do not make as much progress as they could because the work is too easy and others because it is too hard. Teachers do not check often enough in lessons as to how well pupils are learning. As a result, they are not able to diagnose pupils’ errors and reshape the lesson if needed.  Occasionally, pupils have to listen for too long and do not spend long enough on an independent or group activity which results in work not being finished. Teachers’ questioning is good and they explain things well.  Marking does not give enough guidance to pupils as to what they have to do to improve their work. Work is well corrected and pupils know if they have achieved the learning that was intended in lessons. There are few opportunities for pupils to make a response to the marking.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 When pupils are working on their own or in groups, extra adults provide good support, especially for pupils who have special educational needs, enabling them to take part fully in the lesson. There are periods in some lessons where the role of additional adults is not well defined and they make little contribution to the pupils’ learning.  Relationships between adults and pupils are good. Pupils work well independently, help each other and do not give up when faced with a problem, especially when it is challenging. This was seen in a Year 2 science lesson on electricity where pupils were enthusiastically connecting an electric circuit to light up bulbs. This enabled them to develop a good understanding of the polarity of batteries, electrical circuits and electrical resistance when testing what happened when more than one light bulb was put in the circuit.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Behaviour requires improvement because in some lessons, pupils do not listen well enough to the teacher or each other because there are not enough strategies used to ensure that pupils are all listening. Some pupils lose concentration when the there is not enough challenge in the activity or they are not given clear guidelines as to when a piece of work is to be completed. However, in most lessons pupils behave well and remain focused.  There is a small number of pupils that disrupt learning and there are occasional incidents of bad behaviour but these are managed well. Sometimes pupils can be a bit noisy and boisterous. Pupils’ behaviour with supply teachers during the inspection was good.  The school’s records of pupils’ behaviour are not detailed enough and therefore it is not able to analyse trends in behaviour. Systems for rewards and sanctions are understood by pupils but not always consistently applied by teachers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Most parents and carers believe that their children are happy in school, are well behaved and that any bullying that occurs is effectively dealt with. All parents and carers who responded on Parent View or spoke to inspectors believed that the school kept their children safe and looked after them well and the inspectors agree with this.  The pupils expressed similar views. They are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying and how to stay safe on the internet.  Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and of each other’s differences indicating that the school promotes equal opportunities satisfactorily. The older pupils are sensitive to the needs of the younger ones and help them if they are lonely or unhappy. Pupils are courteous, well mannered and welcoming and keen to talk to inspectors about their work and how well they were doing.  Pupils enjoy coming to school, their attendance is above average and they are typically

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Since the previous inspection, school leaders have been slow to put in place measures to improve teaching that would enable pupils to make good and better progress. This is partly due to significant turbulence in both leadership and staffing. However, leaders have also had too low expectations of staff and pupils, and systems to check on progress by leaders at all levels are ineffective. Some of these issues have been addressed and plans seen during the inspection indicate that the school knows what it still needs to do.  Many parents and carers expressed concerns to inspectors regarding leadership in the school. However, they have noticed the changes since September and are happy with recent developments, especially regarding the proposed federation with a neighbouring school. Parents and carers in Reception are very happy about what is happening in that area of the school.  Leaders have not historically used data well to check on the progress of pupils and report on

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The leadership and management require improvement

progress to parents and carers. A significant number of parents and carers do not feel that communication about how well their children are doing and what is happening in the school is good enough; inspectors agree. There are still inconsistencies in the use of data by teachers in planning lessons and using it to increase pupils’ rates of progress. Systems are now in place and teachers are aware of which pupils are falling behind and how much progress they need to make and by when.  Plans for improving the school correctly identify what the school needs to do and are based on an accurate analysis of how well the school is doing. However, there are not regular enough checks on progress built into the plans to check if they are working.  Teachers have targets as how to how they can improve and systems are in place to check on the quality of teaching. However, the targets are not precise enough, not supported by

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The leadership and management require improvement

sufficient training and are not revisited often enough by leaders to see if improvements have been made.  The local authority has given good support to the school with leadership and management, and local headteachers attached to the school have helped ensure that standards did not drop when the school had considerable staffing turbulence.  The school’s curriculum meets statutory requirements but fails to inspire and challenge the pupils often enough or allow them to apply their skills in literacy and numeracy. The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development satisfactorily. Discrimination is not tolerated in the school.  The governance of the school:  The governors are not challenging the school enough because they do not have the necessary skills. They are highly supportive and totally committed and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses but as yet have little say in its strategic direction although

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The leadership and management require improvement

they have been fully involved in the proposed move to a federation. They have an accurate view that the school requires improvement but believe that the quality of teaching is better than it currently is. They do not have enough understanding of the school’s data and how its performance compares with that of all schools nationally. They have had some training from a national leader in governance and the local authority. The governing body understands the purpose of the pupil premium and the impact it has had on the eligible pupils in the school. They have also ensured that there is a close link between teacher appraisal and teachers’ pay. The governing body gives good support to the school in meeting safeguarding responsibilities, particularly regarding the safety of pupils and the appointment of staff.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 126183 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 406346

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school All-through School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 168 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michelle Collins Headteacher John Dickens Date of previous school inspection 11–12 May 2011 Telephone number 01793 740349 Fax number 01793 740349 Email address admin@chiseldon.swindon.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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