Wingrave Church of England Combined School

Wingrave Church of England Combined School Twelve Leys, Wingrave, Aylesbury, HP22 4QG

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make consistently good progress across all year groups.  Standards fell in 2013 at the end of Year 6 because of weak teaching and inaccurate setting of targets, especially in mathematics.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs varies too much. It is not consistently good.  Some teaching assistants have not had all the training and support they need to enable these pupils to achieve well.  Teaching requires improvement because it is not consistently good in Years 3 and 4 especially.  Work is not always set at the right levels for all pupils, so that at times it is too easy.  Teachers occasionally do not make the best use of time to get the most out of learning.  Pupils are sometimes unsure about what they are learning because it has not been explained clearly enough to them.  Pupils are not given enough time to respond to

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

teachers’ marking and to act upon it.  Pupils have too few opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills in real-life situations and across different subjects.  Pupils’ handwriting and spelling vary in quality.  Leaders, managers and governors have not always picked up weaknesses in teaching and pupils’ progress quickly enough.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Teaching is now good in Years 5 and 6 and there is some outstanding provision in the Reception class.  In most year groups pupils are making good progress and have good attitudes to their learning.  Behaviour is good in class and around the school and pupils say they feel safe in school.  The curriculum responds well to pupils’ interests and is enriched with a good range of visits and visitors.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons or parts of lessons, including some joint observations with the headteacher.  The inspector heard pupils read and, with the headteacher, looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector looked at a wide range of school documents, including development plans, policies, self-evaluation reports, monitoring files, safeguarding and curriculum materials, evidence of the school’s partnership work and information for families.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils chosen at random. Discussions were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and other staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors, and a representative from the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust.  The inspector considered 34 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with several parents and carers outside the school.  The inspector considered the 17 staff questionnaires that were completed.

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Inspection team

Nick Butt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller-than-average sized primary school.  There are six classes: five are taught as single-age year groups; the sixth combines Year 5 and Year 6 pupils in a mixed-age class.  Most pupils come from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families) is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is also below average.  The school shares its site with a privately run pre-school, which is inspected separately.  There have been recent changes in staffing following the absence of the senior teacher.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure all teaching is good or better, especially in Years 3 and 4, by:  setting work at the right level for all pupils  making clear to pupils exactly what they are learning and how they can be successful in each lesson  making the best use of time to promote pupils’ learning  giving pupils time to respond to teachers’ marking.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement to consistently good by:  giving pupils more opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills in real-life situations across different subjects  improving pupils’ spelling and handwriting to that of the best  making sure all disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive high- quality support precisely tailored to suit them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by securing the more rigorous approaches to checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress so that standards are restored to their former high levels.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In Key Stage 2 standards have been historically well above average but they fell in 2013 because of weaknesses in teaching and inaccurate setting of targets, which predicted pupils would do much better than they actually did, especially in mathematics. Standards were average in reading and writing, but below average in mathematics.  Changes in staffing mean there is now consistently good teaching in Years 5 and 6 and pupils in Year 6 are on course to reach well above average standards that are similar to those of previous years.  While pupils’ progress faltered in Years 5 and 6 last year it was good in other year groups.  Children join Reception with a wide range of skills and abilities, mostly typical of those expected, although a little below in their level of understanding of the world. They left Reception with an above average level of development.  Changes to Reception this year are having a positive impact with some outstanding practice.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

Teaching is very imaginative and builds on the interests of the children.  Reading is taught well, particularly in giving pupils the skills they need to tackle unfamiliar words. In the Year 1 national screening check, the proportion of pupils reaching the required standard was above average for both boys and girls.  Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1 and standards were above average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2013. More pupils reached the higher standards than in other schools.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs varies. While some made good progress in 2013, others did not make expected progress. The school has taken action to sharpen the targets for these pupils so that they more precisely reflect their needs. Teaching assistants have not had all the skills and support they need to help these pupils make good progress and the school is now making a concerted effort to address this. It is too

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

early to see the full impact of these initiatives.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium made good progress across the school in 2013. There were too few eligible pupils in Year 6 to comment on their attainment without identifying them. The additional funding is spent on extra teaching and resources and this is helping these pupils to make accelerated progress.  In most year groups pupils’ attainment is above that expected, although this was not the case in Years 5 and 6 last year. Mathematics is a particular focus for improvement following the disappointing Year 6 results and teachers are placing more emphasis on pupils using and applying their skills and knowledge to solve real-life problems. They are also finding ways for pupils to use their mathematical skills in other subjects such as science.  Writing is improving as teachers give pupils more opportunities to share their ideas before setting pen to paper. Pupils often write in other subjects for a purpose. For example pupils gave

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

an account about how to become an Aztec warrior in history. However, spelling and handwriting vary.  While many more-able pupils reach the higher levels of attainment, at times the work they are set is not challenging enough and their progress slows.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because it is not consistently good in all year groups, especially in Years 3 and 4. Work is not always set at the right level for pupils, so that sometimes it is too easy. Teachers are not always clear about exactly what they want pupils to learn so pupils are not sure how well they are doing and progress slows.  Where teaching is good or better pupils are actively involved in their learning and lessons run at a brisk pace. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils devised experiments to test the hypothesis that taller people have a greater lung capacity. They cooperated well and were careful in making sure they conducted a fair test.  Learning slows when teachers do not make the most of lesson time, for example in taking too long to distribute resources, or in talking for too long so that pupils do not have enough time to do their independent work.  In Reception, children thrive in a vibrant work space that gives them opportunities to explore

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

both inside and outside. Highly creative planning takes full account of children’s interests. For example, during the inspection a full-scale search was underway for ‘kidnapped’ teddy bears, and children were using a variety of tapes and twine to lay traps for the ‘baddies’. They designed ‘missing’ posters to display around the school. When the teddies were safely recovered they made party invitations and jam sandwiches to celebrate their return, all amid a feverish atmosphere of heightened excitement.  Pupils’ books show that there is some good quality work and marking, but that this is not consistent across all classes or subjects. In particular, the extent to which teachers focus on correct spelling and neat handwriting varies. Marking is regular and often helpful in showing pupils how to improve their work, but they are not always given the time to respond to their teachers’ comments.  Teaching assistants play a valuable role in supporting individuals and groups of pupils, for

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

example those eligible for the pupil premium, and work well with teachers. They value the increased support and training they are receiving this year to help them support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have good attitudes to learning in most year groups and this reflects the good progress many of them are making. They like to be actively involved in lessons and work hard.  Behaviour is good in class and around the school. The school is a friendly and welcoming place. Pupils reflect its strongly held Christian values. School records show that incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are very rare.  Pupils say that bullying is not a concern to them. They understand about different types of bullying including cyber bullying. Most parents and carers say that pupils behave well and are safe at school. Discrimination is not tolerated.  Staff manage behaviour consistently well. Pupils are polite and eager to help. The older pupils support the younger ones. Pupils have a good understanding of keeping safe, for example on the internet. They know what to do in the event of a fire.  The school council meets with governors to present their ideas for improving the school and is

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

busy organising a school newspaper. Pupils enjoy taking an active part in the life of the school.  Attendance has been above average for several years, reflecting pupils’ enjoyment of school.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because occasionally pupils lose interest when teaching does not sufficiently challenge them.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because standards fell in 2013 and teaching is not yet consistently good. The headteacher and governors did not pick up the deterioration in standards and progress quickly enough in Year 6 last year.  They responded swiftly once they realised what was happening and moved to eliminate inadequate teaching. They set up rigorous procedures to check on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  Teaching is now good in Years 5 and 6, but requires improvement in Years 3 and 4. The school uses the management of teachers’ performance to set targets for improvement linked to whole- school priorities and pupils’ progress.  Subject leaders are growing into their roles and given the opportunity to take part in checking the work of the school. Teachers share good ideas and reflect on their practice.  The headteacher’s calm and measured approach inspires confidence in staff and governors and

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The leadership and management require improvement

has seen the school through a difficult period of staffing change. In most year groups pupils are making good progress and attainment is above expectations. The school has shown it has the capacity to improve further as it strives to make sure all pupils have an equal chance to succeed.  The Reception class has improved this year and aspects of provision are now outstanding. Children have plenty of opportunities to select purposeful activities both inside and outside which help to develop their basic skills.  The curriculum builds on pupils’ interests and includes a good variety of visits and visitors. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils visited Cadbury World to find out about how chocolate is made. Pupils have the chance to practise their literacy skills in different subjects and the school is focusing on helping them also to use their numeracy skills in subjects other than mathematics.  Links with a school in France and a wide range of experiences in music, the arts and sport

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The leadership and management require improvement

contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The primary school sports’ funding is being spent on a sports coach to train staff and work with pupils, investing in local tournaments with other schools and developing links with the receiving secondary school. The school has plans to measure the impact of this work on pupils’ health and well-being.  Parents and carers were taken aback by the disappointing performance of some pupils last year in national tests, and for some this has shaken their confidence in the school. Most parents and carers, however, are happy with the education their children are receiving.  The school has received good support from the Buckinghamshire Learning Trust on behalf of the local authority, particularly in developing the Reception class, provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and in improving pupils’ achievement in mathematics.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors have developed a good understanding of pupils’ performance and the quality of teaching after being caught out by last year’s test results at Key Stage 2. They have made it their business to receive regular reports on how the school is doing so that any potential difficulties can be identified and tackled straight away. They know about the targets that are set for teachers to improve their performance, how salaries are linked to pupils’ progress and what the school is doing to deal with underperformance. They are increasingly asking searching questions about the school’s work. Governors make sure that all safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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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 110423 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 426430

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 157 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karen Smethurst Headteacher Valerie Britnell Date of previous school inspection 18–19 October 2011 Telephone number 01296 681436 Fax number 01296 681764 Email address office@wingrave.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 .

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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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