Hughenden Primary School

School report Hughenden Primary School Spring Valley Drive, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP14 4LR

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Children enter Reception with skills as expected for their age. By the time they are in Year 6, most pupils have reached above average standards in English and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good and sometimes outstanding. As a result, almost all pupils are well motivated to learn and make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary.  Pupils feel safe and happy and their attendance is better than at most schools.  The school’s senior leaders and governors are highly focused on improving the school, especially pupils’ progress, and safeguarding the children. They have given emphasis to developing teachers’ professional skills and have taken additional measures to make the site more secure.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not yet high enough.  Teachers do not give sufficient emphasis to improving pupils’ spelling or make clear what pupils must do next to reach a higher level.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons; two of these were with the headteacher and two with the deputy headteacher.  The inspector talked with pupils, looked at samples of their work, and listened to two groups of pupils read.  Meetings were held with teachers, a group of governors, and the school’s senior leaders. The inspector met a representative of the local authority to discuss the extent and impact of the support provided to the school.  The inspector took account of the 39 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), views expressed by parents in three letters to the inspector, and the views of eight parents and carers who spoke to him during the inspection.  The views of school staff were gained by 14 questionnaires.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at many documents including the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s development plan, performance management

p.2

Information about this inspection

documentation, minutes of governing body meetings, planning documents, monitoring and assessment information, school policies and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safety.

p.2

Inspection team

John Collins, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-size primary school.  All classes have pupils of mixed ages, but in Key Stage 2 pupils are sometimes taught in separate year groups for mathematics and English.  The proportion of pupils from ethnic backgrounds other than White British is well below the national average.  Almost all pupils speak English as a first language.  A much smaller than average proportion of children is eligible for the pupil premium. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and children of service families.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is broadly average, but the proportion supported at school action plus is less than half the national average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is well below the national average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

p.3

Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school changed from an infant school to a primary school four years ago and its first Year 6 cohort was in 2011. There have been significant changes to the senior leadership team in the past year. A deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2012, and was acting headteacher for the summer term. A new headteacher was appointed in September 2012. The governing body has been restructured.  The school has an after-school club that is not managed by the governing body.  The school has achieved the National Healthy Schools Award and Level 3 in the School Travel Plan Award.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by: – providing more opportunities and strategies at Key Stage 2 for pupils to improve their spelling – ensuring that all pupils know and understand the levels they are working at and how to get to the next level.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 The great majority of pupils make good progress through the school and inspection evidence shows that the current Year 6 is achieving above average standards in English and mathematics.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children settle well into classroom routines and learn happily. By the time they leave Reception, they can read and write simple words and short sentences, count accurately to 20, and place numbers in the correct order.  Building on this good start, most pupils, including children with special educational needs, continue to make good progress through the school. In the 2012 national tests, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 was below average, although it was above average for all subjects in 2010 and 2011. This can be attributed to disruption for two terms as a result of teacher absence and some temporary teaching inadequacies that have since been rectified.  Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is tracked closely throughout the school,

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

and where pupils fall behind they are provided with additional support. As a result, most pupils make good progress in all three subjects.  Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are mostly above average. Some pupils’ reading is exceptionally good, these pupils are fluent and read with expression that would easily capture the interest of an audience. The small numbers of pupils whose first language is not English are making rapid progress in these skills.  Older pupils’ writing is thoughtful, well punctuated, and uses a wide range of vocabulary to maintain the reader’s interest. However, spelling is less strong and in some cases pupils’ handwriting is not well formed. One high attaining pupil’s story writing, mostly completed in school, was of such good quality that it has been published as a book.  Pupils are mostly numerate and from an early age they have a good sense of number, shape, measure and how to collect and use simple information.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 By the time they reach Years 5 and 6, pupils are able to make everyday calculations in money, measurement and shape and apply their skills well to real problems. They are confident with the use of decimals, fractions and percentages and can correctly interpret simple graphs and charts.  Funding is used effectively for the small numbers of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding. It provides extra support to help them develop their communication and literacy skills and this has led to improvements in their rate of progress, particularly in reading. As a result, their achievement in both English and mathematics is in line with that of other pupils.  The progress of disabled pupils, and those with special educational needs, is good. This is greatly helped by the additional support they receive.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons are typically motivating and challenging, giving each pupil good opportunities to think hard. For example, in an outstanding mathematics lesson for Year 2 pupils, the teacher used the projector to reveal only a small part of a well-known geometric shape and asked the pupils to think what the shape might be. By revealing more and more of the shape, pupils were able to draw on previous learning to correctly identify the shape. They justified their answers confidently and correctly.  Phonics and literacy are typically very well taught and, consequently, pupils’ speaking, listening, and reading skills are good. Pupils are encouraged to write for different purposes. In an outstanding Year 6 lesson, pupils were asked to write a 300-word article about Pip Davenport for a fictitious magazine. Giving pupils such opportunities provided suitable challenge for all, including those with special needs. Pupils worked well in small groups, sharing ideas and

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

exchanging views before producing draft articles of good quality. Such teaching inspires pupils to write for pleasure, as shown by the pupil whose book was published.  Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is regular, accurate and often provides comments that help pupils to improve. However, there are missed opportunities to help them improve their spelling and to ensure that all pupils know and understand how to get to the next level.  Teaching assistants are used very effectively to support pupils who are falling behind or who are finding the work difficult. As a result, these pupils are able to make good progress from their starting points.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Almost all pupils have very positive attitudes to learning; this is a consequence of their strong relationship with teachers. They take part in learning activities enthusiastically, ask and answer questions confidently and competently, and they work well independently and with others.  Pupils’ high levels of motivation are coupled with good ability to concentrate and it is clear that pupils strive to do well. This is evident in the way they present their written work, which is mostly systematic and with care.  A consequence of pupils’ eagerness to learn is that their attendance is good, and is well above the national average.  Behaviour in lessons, around the school and in the playground is exemplary. During lunchtime, pupils chatted quietly and politely in the dining hall whilst a talented Year 6 pianist played a popular tune beautifully. Almost all pupils are well mannered and courteous to each other, and

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

to adults. They show respect for each other’s feelings, views, beliefs and property.  There are clear indications of the good impact of the school’s values and caring ethos. For example, pupils regularly organise charity events and raise money to help others.  Pupils have a good awareness of unsafe situations, including internet safety and road safety, and they know how to keep safe. Pupils know the importance of exercise and are knowledgeable about healthy eating.  Pupils say they feel very safe and happy, both in school and when travelling to and from school. They understand what bullying means and say that it very seldom happens but, if it does and the teacher is told, it is dealt with swiftly. They are very tolerant of the differences in others and know that if they are worried they can talk with an adult in the school.  The very positive views of the majority of parents, carers and staff support the inspection

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher and her deputy are passionate about the education of children and are committed to ensure high standards of pupil achievement, behaviour, and safety.  This has led to a review of teaching methods resulting in consistently good teaching, for example in the improvement in pupils’ understanding of how to sound out words in order to read them (phonics).  The school’s own evaluation of how well it is doing is accurate and makes clear its strengths and weaknesses. The governing body takes an active role in this and is strongly supportive of measures taken for improvement, for example the upgrading of new technology to enhance pupils’ learning. The effectiveness of this investment is evident through regular checks on how well pupils are being taught and through the progress they make.  The learning opportunities planned for all pupils ensure they make progress without gaps in their

p.5

The leadership and management are good

learning. Well-planned and good quality additional support is given to pupils who find the work too hard, who have missed schooling, or have fallen behind for any reason.  A particular strength of the school is in its ambitious programme of clubs and award winning programme of visits and residential experiences. These enrich pupils’ opportunities for personal development and learning.  The school has formed strong links with universities, colleges and training institutions. It shares its expertise by providing student apprentices with practical training for national qualifications in childcare and administration.  The school benefited from effective support and guidance from the local authority during the period of acting headship and extended staff absence.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well trained and restructuring has enabled them to become more effective. They have become very active in the life and work of the school, for example through a

p.5

The leadership and management are good

subject or as volunteers in classrooms. They participate in planning for improvements, policy making, and decision making about improvements in pupils’ achievements. They know how the school compares with similar schools and use national information to hold the school to account. They have been much involved in improving the quality of teaching through participating in checks on how well pupils are improving in their learning and approving the use of funds for new reading schemes and the training of teachers in new methods. They use safe recruiting procedures and ensure that teachers deserve any increases in salary before releasing funds. They use funds wisely to support the learning of those pupils eligible for pupil premium and question the impact of this on improving their achievement. They give emphasis to the safeguarding of pupils and meet all their statutory requirements.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 110328 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 412548

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 105 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr David Sparks Headteacher Mrs Sarah Leighton Date of previous school inspection 18–19 May 2010 Telephone number 01494 562501 Fax number 01494 562501 Email address office@hughenden.bucks.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9