Yattendon C.E. Primary School

Yattendon Church of England Primary School Yattendon, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 0UR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well throughout the school. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are high. By the time pupils leave school, an above-average proportion attain the higher levels in both English and mathematics.  Children get off to a very good start in Reception because adults are skilled in asking questions to develop children’s independent learning.  Teaching is typically good and some is of high quality. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to reflect on their learning and talk about how they solve problems.  Other adults in the classroom help pupils to think for themselves and develop independent learning strategies by using skilful questionning.  Marking is thorough and pupils understand what they need to do to improve their work.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils enjoy talking about their learning and they participate in all aspects of school life with enthusiasm. Pupils

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

report that they feel safe and happy in school.  The school provides pupils with many opportunities to extend their learning and to develop their cultural awareness.  The headteacher is a highly effective leader who works well with staff, parents and governors to maintain high standards and further improve the school.  The governors are supportive and knowledgeable. They know the school well and accurately prioritise what the school needs to do to become even more successful.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium are not making progress at a fast enough rate to close the gap with the other pupils.  Subject coordinators and middle leaders are not yet sufficiently developed in their roles to support colleagues and play a full role in helping to lead the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out by one inspector who was in school for two days. She observed eight lessons, four of which were joint observations with the headteacher. The inspector listened to pupils read and looked at work in their exercise books.  The inspector met with pupils and talked to them about their work, and behaviour and safety around the school. She observed playtimes and lunchtimes, and pupils’ movement around the school and between lessons. She undertook a learning walk with a group of pupils.  Meetings were also held with subject coordinators, governors and a representative from the local authority.  Documents covering safeguarding, the performance management of staff, records of behaviour and safety and checks on pupils’ attainment and progress were reviewed.  The inspector took account of 34 responses from parents and carers to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and 11 questionnaires from staff. She also talked to parents and carers informally

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Inspection team

Janet Maul, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Yattendon is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school with 82 pupils on roll.  Stability is lower than the national average, and a significant number of pupils leave at the end of Key Stage 1 to enter the private sector.  Pupils are taught in four mixed year-group classes.  Since the previous inspection the governing body has appointed a new headteacher, who has been in post for just over a year.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is lower than the national average, while those supported through school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils receiving support from the pupil premium funding (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for children in the care of the local authority and those from service families) is low. In this school this funding is provided for pupils

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Information about this school

entitled to free school meals.  The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage, and there are no pupils in school for whom English is not their first language.  The school meets the floor targets, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the few pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium make accelerated progress and close the attainment gap with their peers by carefully tracking their progress in reading, writing and mathematics and providing extra support quickly when it is needed.  Develop the role of middle and subject leaders to enable them to support their colleagues effectively by:  ensuring that all leaders understand data fully, and how they can be used to raise standards  providing opportunities for subject coordinators to check teaching and learning in their subjects to help improve teaching even more.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children arrive in the Reception Class with skills and knowledge broadly as expected for their age. They make strong progress, and by the time they leave a higher proportion of children have achieved a good level of development than is found nationally.  Pupils in all year groups make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Standards are above average at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. Pupils achieve well because of good teaching and the school’s commitment to ensuring that all pupils succeed.  For the past two years all pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 6 have achieved Level 4 in both mathematics and English, and an above-average number have achieved Level 5. This indicates that they are well prepared for their secondary education. All pupils made at least two levels of progress.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are successfully meeting the targets set

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The achievement of pupils is good

for them and most are making good progress. The staff know their pupils well and closely targeted interventions are quickly used to support pupils who are in danger of not achieving their potential.  The few pupils eligible for the pupil premium are generally making progress at a similar rate to other pupils nationally in English and mathematics, although their attainment remains slightly behind their peers in school. However, caution must be exercised as numbers are so small. In 2012 there were no pupils in Year 6 eligible for the pupil premium.  Each individual pupil’s progress is closely monitored and discussed at pupil progress meetings and appropriate support is given if any pupil is found to be falling behind.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good and sometimes high-quality teaching in most subjects, including English and mathematics, leads to most pupils making rapid progress and achieving well. Teachers have high expectations, plan interesting lessons and use questioning very skilfully to move learning forward. Explanations are clear and teachers ensure pupils’ understanding before moving the lesson on.  Teaching in Reception is outstanding. In one phonics (learning about the sounds letters make) lesson children were learning about groups of letters that make one sound using a variety of strategies. All children were fully engaged in this challenging lesson, while having great fun. Children who were ready to do so were writing words on mini whiteboards.  The teaching of reading is good; pupils could talk about the wide range of books they read, and they enjoy using the school library.  The quality of questioning is very strong at Yattendon School. Both teachers and teaching

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The quality of teaching is good

assistants frame questions to develop thinking skills, and they usually give pupils time to consider their replies. Pupils are clearly used to talking about their learning.  A very positive climate for learning is promoted within all classes as a result of the highly effective way in which staff manage behaviour. As a result pupils listen carefully and are keen to engage with the teacher. They are also used to getting on with their tasks independently and make good progress as a result.  Additional adults in classes work effectively with pupils who are vulnerable or who have special educational needs, and make highly effective interventions. However, some pupils with special educational needs reported that they were often given help too quickly when with a little more time they could find answers themselves.  For pupils requiring social support the school provides a range of enjoyable activities designed to

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The quality of teaching is good

develop social skills.  Teachers’ planning is thorough. They annotate and evaluate their own plans, and discuss them with the headteacher. As a result, planning is benefitting pupils and is also being used as a developmental tool for teachers.  Information and communication technology is used for research and special needs support, and teachers make good use of their interactive whiteboards. However, currently pupils have too few opportunities to use computers because of technical reasons. The school is currently addressing this as a priority.  The standard of marking is consistently very high throughout the school. Teachers celebrate effort and achievement and give detailed advice on how to improve further. Pupils are used to reviewing their own and each other’s work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding, and this has an extremely positive impact on the progress pupils make and the standards they achieve. This starts in the Reception class where children learn and play purposefully together and behave well because the routines are clear and staff expectations are high.  All adults model polite and friendly behaviour with the result that pupils are polite and respectful to each other and the atmosphere in school is calm and positive.  Lunchtimes are safe, enjoyable times for pupils, with lots of activities available and a high level of supervision.  Pupils respond well to support and guidance given by adults. They are keen to talk about their work and show pride in their learning.  Pupils know how to keep safe, including on the internet. They know what cyber-bullying is and who to go to for help if they are worried. Pupils told the inspector that they would talk to their

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

teacher if they were concerned and that any adult in school would help them.  Pupils spoke positively about behaviour in the school. They said that there are no incidents of bullying, but ‘sometimes a joke could go too far and people’s feelings could get hurt’.  The views of the staff and most parents were very positive. Parents feel that staff know their children as individuals, that they are safe and well looked after. One parent expressed the views of many when she wrote, ‘They are happy and engaged and I feel extremely confident that they are in a very positive environment.’  The school has suitable systems in place for recording behavioural or bullying incidents or concerns, and there is close liaison with home in the case of unexplained or persistent absence.  Attendance is good because pupils enjoy school and want to attend, and parents and carers value the work of the school.  There have been no exclusions in recent years.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong and determined leadership, and gives a clear message to all that ‘only the best is good enough for our pupils’. This view is shared by the teaching staff and governors, who are determined to provide high-quality education for all pupils.  Paired observations with the headteacher found that her judgement of teaching is accurate, and the clear feedback she gives to teachers contributes to the continuing improvement in teaching.  Pupils’ progress is monitored and tracked regularly. Pupils are discussed at regular pupil progress meetings, and steps taken if progress is found to be unsatisfactory.  Performance management is conducted rigorously and linked to the Teaching Standards. The results from performance management are used to inform teachers’ professional development training. Pay and performance are closely linked.  The headteacher has a good understanding of school data, which she shares with governors and

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The leadership and management are good

staff. Data are discussed freely and used to plan school improvements.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium are making similar progress compared to pupils nationally, but are falling behind their high-achieving classmates. The school has already recognised this and is planning to take steps to accelerate performance.  Schools have recently been awarded additional funding from the government to fund sports provision. Yattendon Primary School uses this effectively by, for example, employing a games leader at lunchtime to lead team games, increasing access to inter-school competitions, providing tennis coaching for Key Stage 2 pupils and paying for staff training. Pupils spoke highly of the provision and the quality of sport and PE in school, and there is a high level of engagement. In addition, pupils could talk about what makes a healthy lifestyle and the part played by exercise.  Recent staff changes have resulted in some teachers taking on new roles as leaders or

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The leadership and management are good

coordinators. Staffing has now entered a more settled phase and the school is starting to address the devolution of responsibility, supporting subject coordinators and middle leaders as they gain experience and develop expertise; for example, by providing opportunities for subject coordinators to monitor teaching and learning so they can help colleagues to improve teaching further and fulfil their new roles more effectively.  Financial management of the school is good.  The school has received support from the local authority in the last year as the headteacher was new to the post. In addition, the school requested a supported self-review from the local authority and found this both rigorous and informative in helping them with strategic planning.  The school is held in high esteem by the local community and has the confidence of most parents.  Pupils’ social, moral, cultural and spiritual development is a strength of the school, and all

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The leadership and management are good

aspects are specifically planned for. For example, the school’s current rainforest topic provided opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures, to develop respect for the environment, and to acquire a sense of wonder about an environment so different from their own.  The governance of the school:  The school’s governors are enthusiastic about the school and committed to its success. The headteacher keeps the governing body well informed about pupils’ progress, they understand the school’s data and know what needs to be done to improve standards further. Governors know about the quality of teaching and are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding staff pay and the school’s systems for setting performance management targets. They manage the headteacher’s performance management effectively. The governors work closely with the headteacher and school business manager to prioritise the allocation of funds to improve

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The leadership and management are good

outcomes for pupils. They monitor the progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium and ascertain that money is spent wisely. All governors attend training regularly, and designated governors have had training in special educational needs and safer recruitment.

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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 110026 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 429501

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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 Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 83 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Ann Wheeler Headteacher Mrs Katie Dickens Date of previous school inspection 12–13 March 2009 Telephone number 01635 201397 Fax number 01635 201397 Email address office@yattendon.w-berks.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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