Easton Royal Primary School

Easton Royal Academy The Street, Easton Royal, Pewsey, Wiltshire, SN9 5LZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well throughout the academy. Their reading skills progress exceptionally well, the result of the very good teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) and a very well-planned reading programme.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils and plan work that is stimulating and interesting. Their marking of pupils’ work is very good, providing clear guidance of how pupils might improve.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour, their above average attendance and motivation to work hard contribute significantly to their success.  The academy has a wonderful, caring ethos that encourages all pupils to do well. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs progress in line with their classmates because they are so well supported and guided.  Rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning and exceptionally detailed feedback by senior leaders ensure that teachers know what they

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

do well and what needs to improve.  The governing body has a detailed understanding of the quality of teaching and how well pupils are achieving and it provides excellent support and challenge to the academy.  The well-developed and established partnership with its secondary academy has enabled the academy to provide a rich and vibrant curriculum through the efficient sharing of staff expertise and knowledge.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Pupils do not make the same rapid progress in their writing as they do in reading, because they are not given sufficient opportunity to practise writing longer pieces of work.  Pupils’ spelling and punctuation are not as strong as they should be.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited nine lessons. All of these were observed jointly with the principal.  The inspector met with a group of pupils, three members of the governing body, members of staff, a representative from the local authority and the principal of the partner secondary academy who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Excalibur Academies Trust.  The inspector looked at pupils’ work and heard pupils in Year 1 read.  Nine questionnaire responses from staff were analysed together with 26 responses to the online Parent View survey.  The inspector observed the academy’s work, and looked at academy documentation, including data on pupils’ progress, evidence of self-evaluation, monitoring records and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Paul Edwards, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school. It converted to an academy on 1 September 2012. When its predecessor school was inspected by Ofsted under its previous name of Easton Royal Primary School in October 2006, it was judged to be outstanding.  All pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils for whom the academy receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, the children of service families and those looked after by the local authority) is well below that seen nationally. There are no pupils at the academy in the latter two categories and none in the current Year 6.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action is above average as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The principal is also the executive principal of Burbage Primary which became an academy in April 2013. A formal, well-established partnership had already been in place between Easton Royal Primary School and St John’s, Marlborough prior to both schools opening as academies in September 2012. All three academies are part of the Excalibur Academies Trust.  Children in the Reception class are taught alongside Years 1 and 2 pupils in the infant class, There is a Junior class for years 3, 4, 5 and 6. This class is split into 2 smaller classes for most morning sessions.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in writing further by:  ensuring they have more opportunities to write longer pieces of work  requiring pupils to check their spelling and punctuation more carefully.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the academy with skills and abilities that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their personal, social and emotional skills develop well. For example, they thoroughly enjoyed working with their classmates in preparing the sandwiches and baking the cakes, ready for the end of term picnic. Opportunities to develop language skills through working with their older classmates ensure they become confident speakers and that they are well prepared for entry into Year 1 in all areas of learning.  Pupils’ work, lessons observed, comments from parents and carers and the academy’s tracking information demonstrate that pupils make at least good progress through the academy. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 is above average. The number of pupils in each cohort is very small so the analysis of assessments and tests has to be treated with caution. However, the

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The achievement of pupils is good

unvalidated test results and the academy’s very detailed tracking information show that pupils’ attainment is well above average in reading and above in mathematics. While only a little above average in writing, the academy rightly recognises that pupils could do better in this aspect with more opportunities to write at length.  Pupils’ speaking skills develop particularly well; they speak fluently and explain their answers lucidly, justifying their responses clearly. Reading skills are very good. Pupils read widely and regularly, enjoying the fiction material and using their high-level reading skills for undertaking research. Good opportunities for pupils to carry out real-life problem solving helps to develop their mathematical skills.  Pupils write for a wide range of purposes, including stories, reports and accounts. However, spelling and punctuation skills do not always match the content of the writing and the academy

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The achievement of pupils is good

has already begun to pay greater attention to this aspect of pupils’ work.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good, and often outstanding, progress. This is due to the tailored support that enables them to stay focused on their work and the personalised plans that are matched very closely to the individual’s previous learning. There are no significant differences in the achievement of girls and boys.  The pupils supported by the pupil premium make progress that is at least in line with their classmates because funding is used to target support very effectively. As yet, the academy has no validated results from national tests to make comparisons using average points scores. However, academy data show that in English and mathematics, there is no gap between these and other pupils’, and that they are likely to attain better than similar pupils nationally by the end of Year 6.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good and outstanding teaching is seen throughout the academy and there are outstanding features in many lessons. For example, teachers’ questioning effectively encourages pupils to explain and justify their responses; in a good Year 5/6 literacy lesson considering how the rainforests were being destroyed, pupils’ responses to the teacher’s questioning resulted in them being asked to ‘Explain that a little bit more’ or to ‘Say why you think that’, encouraging them to respond at length.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, the teacher plans a good range of activities, some of which run parallel to work being covered by pupils in Years 1 and 2. This provides good opportunities for the children’s social development and for the older children to help their younger classmates. Good use is made of the outside area for children’s learning.  Teachers ensure pupils have a clear understanding of what it is they are expected to learn and

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The quality of teaching is good

know by the end of the lesson. They question their understanding and check throughout the lesson that they are on track. Very occasionally, they provide them with a little too much information rather than allowing them to find more things out for themselves.  Teachers know the pupils well and plan work that is closely matched to their prior understanding. Pupils of all abilities, including the more able, are challenged to do well because teachers have high expectations of what they are capable of achieving. Almost without exception, pupils work hard and do their best.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and provide them with a clear understanding of how to improve. The high-quality written dialogue that takes place between teachers and pupils ensures pupils are aware of their targets and how close they are to meeting or exceeding them. Pupils state clearly how they appreciate the teachers’ comments on their work and in helping them to

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The quality of teaching is good

improve.  The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is very effective. Pupils work in groups with other pupils of similar ability and the teaching provides pupils with a very secure foundation in developing early reading skills. These skills are built on systematically and quickly so that pupils become avid readers. Additional support for those pupils who find reading more difficult encourages them to have a go, and these pupils too, develop the skills needed to enjoy reading.  Teaching assistants have an important role in supporting disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. They work very closely with teachers and are very skilled in developing work for individual pupils and small groups. Relationships with colleagues and pupils are outstanding, and the work that is carried out during intervention sessions makes a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. Those supported by the pupil premium are provided with a good level of

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The quality of teaching is good

well-targeted support and this, together with consistently good teaching, ensures they make progress at least in line with their classmates.  The leadership has rightly identified that teachers have not focused sufficiently closely on ensuring pupils’ spelling and punctuation skills are as good as they should be.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are extremely polite and courteous to one another and to adults. They have very positive attitudes towards learning. They enjoy working on projects with their classmates and are extremely mature when engaging in discussions. They are keen to share ideas, listen attentively to what others have to say and know how to challenge the views of others in a sensitive manner. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their role in producing the ‘Easton Eagle’, the village newspaper.  Relationships are excellent. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the academy is outstanding. There is no fuss as pupils move between activities and when teachers ask for their attention it is given quickly. Scrutiny of behaviour logs and the responses to Parent View show the behaviour observed during the inspection is typical.  Pupils are exceptionally well motivated to learn and they thoroughly enjoy being in the academy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

When asked why, one pupil responded, ‘Because we know everyone and they are all our friends.’ Older pupils talk of the ‘buddy system’ and how they look after younger children. Playtimes are enjoyable sessions that enable pupils of all ages to mix with one another. Pupils’ above average attendance and punctuality are testament to their enthusiasm and enjoyment for work.  Pupils feel extremely safe and secure in the academy. They told the inspector that bullying is extremely rare and had total confidence in staff dealing with issues should they occur. Parents and carers agree with their children that any issues would be dealt with swiftly.  There are no racist name calling incidents. Pupils have a very good understanding of different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying and prejudiced-based bullying. Pupils are fully aware of stranger danger and the dangers of traffic on narrow roads.  The academy has very clear expectations of pupils to ensure their outstanding behaviour. Pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

are provided with excellent opportunities to reflect on behaviour and moral issues during personal and social education sessions. The academy keeps detailed records of pupils’ behaviour which highlight rapid improvements, particularly for those new to the academy, as they become accustomed to the academy’s high expectations.  Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the behaviour and safety of pupils.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Outstanding leadership from the principal, who is very well supported by senior staff, has ensured significant improvement in all areas since becoming an academy. The academy knows itself exceptionally well and focuses very closely on ensuring all pupils progress well.  Links with its partner secondary academy have strengthened leadership at all levels by enabling staff to share expertise and to make the most effective use of resources. For example, the principal and senior teacher both teach at the secondary academy, providing them with clear expectations of what older pupils are capable of achieving. This enables them to ensure pupils from Easton Royal are well equipped for a seamless transition to secondary academy.  Excellent use is made of the teaching skills of secondary staff and pupils enjoy for example, the science work undertaken both at Easton Royal and at St John’s by senior school teachers as well

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The leadership and management are outstanding

as the learning of both Spanish and French. This innovative collaboration has contributed to the academy’s rich and vibrant curriculum. The addition of a further partner academy to the Trust is enabling the academy to further extend the opportunity for teachers’ skills to be utilised in all of the academies.  The quality of teaching and learning is monitored regularly by the principal and detailed feedback is provided to staff who appreciate the continuing professional development opportunities. Staff skills have been enhanced through the opportunity to train with colleagues from its partner academies and the two-way process has been beneficial to these academies.  The principal undertakes regular and detailed analysis of pupils’ achievements, which is shared with staff to enable timely interventions and to ensure pupils do not underachieve.  There is an excellent range of out of school activities, visits and visitors and pupils say, ’There is

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The leadership and management are outstanding

always something interesting for us to do.’ Good links with schools in London and abroad and the study of people from different cultures and religions contribute very effectively to pupils’ awareness of people from different backgrounds. Personal, social and health education lessons make a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of right and wrong. Social issues, such as deforestation, form a significant part of the academy’s curriculum, enabling pupils to gain a deep understanding of the moral issues facing the current generation.  Safeguarding and child protection policies and practice fully meet requirements. All pupils have the opportunity to take part in all areas of the curriculum and enrichment activities. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Relationships with parents and carers are excellent and they are actively involved in their children’s education.  The local authority has provided light touch support for this good academy. The recent

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The leadership and management are outstanding

appointment of the principal as executive principal to the partner primary academy is enabling her to share the good practice seen at Easton Royal.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide excellent support and challenge to the academy. Their skills however, continue to develop further through their work with partner governing bodies. They have skilfully overseen the establishment of the academy with strong and valued support from the principal of the secondary academy. This has seen significant improvements in administrative and financial support, the sharing of teaching skills and the widening of curriculum opportunities.  Governors are regular visitors to the academy which provides them with a good insight. The principal provides data for them which enable them to track the progress of different groups of pupils such as those in receipt of additional support from the pupil premium funding. The

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The leadership and management are outstanding

close tracking of how well groups are progressing is excellent. The governors are aware of the performance management systems within the academy. They know how good the quality of teaching is, how good teachers are rewarded and how past underperformance has been effectively tackled.  They review the safeguarding arrangements and ensure all health and safety procedures are fully in place. They make excellent use of the partner secondary academy to support these aspects. Governors have benefited from governor training run by the local authority and also by that organised through the academy Trust.

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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 126192 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 411943

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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 52 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Parry Headteacher Nicola Coupe Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01672 810477 Fax number 01672 810477 Email address head@eroyal.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

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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