Kennet Valley Church of England Aided Primary School

Kennet Valley C of E Aided Primary School Lockeridge, Marlborough, Wiltshire, SN8 4EL

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching is consistently good across the school and helps all pupils to make good rates of progress including in English and mathematics.  Pupils are happy and safe. Every child is known individually and well cared for.  Parents and carers feel this is a good school and praise all that the school does for their children.  Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together to plan learning that meets the needs of each pupil.  The headteacher and governors work well together to drive further improvements.  Pupils are well behaved and very keen to learn. They enjoy their work in class as well as the wide range of events they take part in after school.  Older pupils readily look after younger ones as a matter of course. ‘We’re a big family’ is a typical comment from pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There are too few opportunities in lessons for pupils to find out things for themselves and so take responsibility for their learning.  Pupils are not yet as fully involved as they could be in assessing their work and talking with their teacher about how to improve it further.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons. Four of these were joint observations with the headteacher.  The inspector talked to parents and carers at the start of the school day and took account of the 16 staff questionnaires returned during the inspection. She also considered the 41 returns to the online Parent View survey and two letters submitted by parents and carers as part of the inspection evidence.  The inspector looked at pupils’ work across a range of subjects and talked to pupils about their work and attitudes to school. She listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6 and heard their views about reading.  The inspector met with the headteacher, all staff and members of the governing body. She spoke to a representative of the local authority about their work with the school.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating

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Information about this inspection

to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Marion Hobbs, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school serving a rural community to the west of Marlborough. Since the previous inspection the school has relocated to a single site.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. This is additional government funding to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals, looked after children and those from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below the national average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, 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, across the school, teachers plan more opportunities for pupils to find out things for themselves and so take responsibility for managing their own learning.  Develop pupils’ involvement in assessing their own work and discussing this with their teachers in order to move forward more quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils join the Reception Year with skills that are generally in line with those expected for their age. They are eager to learn, make good rates of progress and leave ready to access Key Stage 1.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. At Key Stage 2 pupils achieve well in reading, writing and the new English grammar, punctuation and spelling measure. The school is robustly addressing the slight dip in mathematics achievement in 2013 by ensuring that there is a range of whole-school strategies - in place that are helping all pupils to succeed. Overall, standards are above average by the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils make good progress in lessons because of the consistently good teaching they receive. Each pupil is known as an individual and their particular needs are addressed promptly and effectively.  The school has accurate tracking data that show pupils throughout the school to be making at

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The achievement of pupils is good

least the progress expected of them in a range of subjects including English and mathematics. Pupils in receipt of the pupil premium make the same good progress in English and mathematics, and attain at the same levels, as their classmates.  Evidence in pupils’ books shows that they achieve well over time and are proud of their work. Standards of presentation are good for all year groups.  Reading is valued by all. Reading skills are taught effectively so that pupils become confident, independent readers. Year 6 boys talked animatedly about the wide range of fiction types they enjoy, including manga texts, and the whole school enjoys the reading challenge introduced last summer.  Pupils use their skills confidently across a range of subjects. Teachers plan learning skilfully so that links are transparent; for example, Year 2 pupils used their mathematical skills in relation to the wider topic of ‘Vikings’.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Teaching assistants and other adults provide support sessions that are tailored to meet the needs of each individual. This helps to support pupils’ social and emotional needs as well as their learning.  The wide range of experiences that pupils encounter at school means that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across the school is consistently good. It is not outstanding because teachers do not yet provide enough opportunities for pupils to be take responsibility for their own learning.  Teachers have high expectations of their pupils. They have good knowledge of the subjects they teach. The range of activities and subjects offered and the mixed-age classes provide learning experiences that are meaningful and stimulate pupils’ curiosity. This was seen in Reception/Year 1 where pupils were exploring the festival of Hannukah together through a range of different activities.  All teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in using questioning to check understanding and extend learning. All adults ensure that pupils are challenged appropriately to think, speculate and deepen their understanding and skills in a range of situations.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught effectively. When extra support is necessary for

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The quality of teaching is good

any individual pupil, it is put in place swiftly and tailored to meet their particular need.  All classrooms and open spaces around the school are highly attractive, stimulating environments to support learning. Years 5 and 6 pupils were proud of both the ‘emotional learning wall’ along with the ‘maths wizard’ and reading challenge areas on display.  Assessment is regular and accurate throughout the school and informs planning and interventions. Work is marked regularly and teachers give good quality guidance on pupils’ next steps in learning. As yet however, pupils are not as fully engaged as they could be in assessing their own work and that of their peers and talking to their teachers about exactly what they need to do to improve.  Homework is well matched to need and extends pupils’ understanding across a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 All pupils are unfailingly polite, positive and friendly to each other and all the adults who help them to learn. ‘We’re a big family, everyone gets on, everyone helps each other’, was a typical comment.  Pupils listen well to each other in lessons showing respect for different views and lessons are not interrupted in any way by low-level disruption.  Parents and carers are highly positive about the school and all it does for their children. One parent or carer wrote, ‘Staff are approachable and care deeply about the children in their charge.’ Staff questionnaire returns were equally positive, reflecting the real community ethos of the school.  Pupils talk with maturity about their understanding of different forms of bullying, including that related to misuse of the internet or mobile phone technology. Bullying of any kind is not an issue for the school as nil returns over time demonstrate in behaviour and incidents logs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe and understand how to keep themselves safe, including e-safety.  The school’s strong community ethos provides a strong, safe environment where every pupil is valued as an individual.  Attendance is above average and any absence is followed up immediately by school staff.  Overall, behaviour is good. It is not outstanding because pupils’ independence as learners has yet to become embedded throughout the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, other school leaders and the governing body share high expectations and ambition to see the school improve further.  Teaching is good and is checked accurately and effectively by the headteacher with increasing input from governors. A robust system of performance management linked both to the professional development of staff and school priorities is part of this.  Self-evaluation is accurate, reflective and shared by all. The ‘school development plan working wall’ in the staff room brings this to life and demonstrates the school’s ambition to become outstanding in the future.  The local authority provides effective support to the school in different ways, for example, setting the headteacher’s performance management targets with governors and through the local cluster of primary schools, enabling the sharing of best practice.  Pupils’ learning is designed so that the whole school shares an over-arching topic, for example,

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The leadership and management are good

‘Location, Location, Location’, enabling all age groups to develop their knowledge and understanding together. Reception and Year 1 pupils’ work on ‘my house’ links to Years 2, 3 and 4’s exploration of ‘Vikings’ and Years 5 and 6 pupils’ study of ‘early Britons’.  The school’s close links with local churches and the church year of festivals help to develop all pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding.  The school makes effective use of additional monies such as the pupil premium and government primary sports funding. The sports funding is used to encourage participation in a range of activities that promote physical well-being, such as competitive hockey and football.  The school is at the centre of its community and close links provide strong support to any potentially vulnerable family.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 The governing body is an experienced, knowledgeable and committed group whose members provide robust challenge and support to the headteacher and her team. They understand school progress data and interrogate these regularly to monitor all pupils’ achievement and outcomes. Governors build on this through their programme of short visits to lessons, work scrutiny and observation of teaching and learning. They manage the school budget efficiently and deploy resources effectively to support pupils’ good achievement, including the pupil premium and additional primary sports funding. Governors have a good knowledge of the quality of teaching and how good teaching is rewarded. Members of the governing body involve themselves as fully as possible in the daily life of the school and are always on hand to speak to parents and carers and address any concern.

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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 126446 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 426826

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 80 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Maria Shepherdson Headteacher Mrs Karen Venner Date of previous school inspection 15 October 2008 Telephone number 01672 861643 Fax number 01672 861643 Email address admin@kennetvalley.wilts.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

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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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