Heddington Church of England Primary School

Heddington Church of England Primary School Church Lane, Heddington, Calne, SN11 0PJ

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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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This is a good school

 Pupils are achieving well. Attainment is rising in both key stages and is above average by the time pupils leave the school in Year 6.  Progress has accelerated over the last year so that it is now good in all year groups and all subjects.  Pupils benefit from teaching that is consistently good. Teachers are particularly effective at questioning pupils to develop their understanding and extend their thinking.  Very positive relationships help to create a productive learning environment.  Pupils enjoy school and behave well. Typically they are friendly, well mannered and enthusiastic about their learning. They say that they feel very safe in school.  The leadership and management of the school, including governance, have been effective in securing improvements in both the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. The ambitious headteacher has motivated staff to aspire to improve their practice even further.

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This is a good school

 Rigorous checks on teaching by the headteacher, followed by well-targeted training and support, have helped teachers to improve the quality of their work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not yet high enough. Sometimes insufficient time is given for pupils to make use of what they have learned.  Subject leaders have not had sufficient opportunities to check on the teaching and learning in their subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed six lessons, all of which were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, she made a number of short visits to lessons, the dining hall and the playground.  Meetings were held with pupils, a group of governors including the Chair of Governors, and the school’s leaders. Also, the lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 22 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as consulting informally with parents and carers before the school day.  She observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans, information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring files, minutes of the governing body meetings and records relating to special educational needs, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The inspector heard pupils read, talked to them in lessons and evaluated samples of their work.

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Inspection team

Sandra Woodman, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is much smaller than the average-size primary school. Pupils are organised in three classes in the mornings and two in the afternoons.  Almost all pupils come from a White British background.  Only a very small number of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which is the government’s additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children in local authority care and children with a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The headteacher took up his post in January 2013 and two new teachers have joined the school in the past year.  There were less than 11 pupils in the Year 6 group which left in the summer, so their attainment

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Information about this school

in relation to national floor standards is not reported.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching, ensuring that pupils are provided with sufficient opportunities to make use of what they have learnt and try out new skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the role of subject leaders by ensuring that they have more opportunities to check on teaching and thereby make a fuller contribution to the development of teaching and learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The large majority of children join the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are typical for their age. They get off to a positive start in a bright and welcoming environment. They make good progress, especially in their communication skills, and most children begin Year 1 as confident learners.  Since the previous inspection, attainment has risen and is above average in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2013 all made good progress and attained well, especially in writing.  Progress has accelerated over the past year across the school . Currently there are no differences between the rates of progress of different groups, reflecting the school’s strong commitment to equality.  High expectations mean that the most able pupils are making good progress, and an increasing number reach the higher levels of attainment.  In lessons, pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking in order to deepen their

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The achievement of pupils is good

understanding and this helps to sustain their good progress. However, there are not always sufficient opportunities for learning to be consolidated and misconceptions addressed, and this limits the extent of their progress overall.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress on the whole as a result of the effective support and well-planned help they receive.  The pupil premium fund is used well to support individual pupils. They make good progress from their starting points and any gaps in attainment are closing quickly in all subjects. This is due to the effective targeted support they receive.  The school performed above the national average in the Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) screening check in both 2012 and 2013, which reflects the effective teaching of phonics. Pupils enjoy reading a range of literature and speak knowledgeably about different

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The achievement of pupils is good

authors, demonstrating a thorough understanding of what they have read.  More pupils are taking part in a wider range of physical activities through the opportunities provided by the new fund for physical education. Activities such as ‘Street Dance’ and extra- curricular sports clubs are very popular, helping pupils to extend their skills and improve physical fitness.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good, with some that is particularly effective. Teachers plan well for the different groups in their classes and ensure that the work is both challenging and interesting.  Along with other groups, the most able pupils are challenged well. For example, teachers provide frequent opportunities for problem solving in mathematics, where pupils’ thinking is stretched to the full.  Teachers question pupils extremely well to develop their understanding and extend their thinking. They provide pupils with good opportunities to talk about their learning which helps to clarify their ideas. In one very effective lesson, Year 5 and 6 pupils were successful in calculating percentages as the skilful questioning of the teacher clarified thinking and promoted high-level discussion between groups.  In all lessons, relationships are very positive, creating a productive learning environment. Usually

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The quality of teaching is good

teachers have high expectations of all groups of pupils so that learning moves on quickly for the most part. Pupils’ learning slows when teachers do not enable pupils to try out new skills, make use of what they have learned or pick up misconceptions quickly enough in lessons.  Training and support to help teachers and teaching assistants to improve their skills, especially in the use of assessment and the teaching of phonics, have had a good impact. This has ensured that good practice is the norm.  A robust system of assessment enables teachers to know how well pupils are progressing so that they can plan precisely to close any gaps in attainment. Marking and feedback are helpful so that pupils know what they have to do next to improve their work.  The provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is well organised and thoughtfully planned. The pupil premium fund has been used to provide additional teaching in

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The quality of teaching is good

the basic skills as well as strategies to increase pupils’ confidence as learners. Teachers and their assistants support these pupils successfully so that on the whole they are making good progress in line with that of their classmates.  Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is typified by a lively, ‘playful’ approach from the adults that encourages children to explore their ideas and develop their own learning activities. The animated levels of discussion between children and adults are promoting good progress in children’s language skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Typically pupils are polite, friendly and very respectful of each other. They are well motivated, settle to their lessons quickly and enjoy their learning. ‘There’s a good balance of work and fun here,’ was one typical comment by a pupil, and others agree. Relationships in the school are good.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because pupils’ attitudes to learning are not of a consistently high standard in all lessons.  Pupils, their parents and the staff are positive about standards of behaviour. Pupils are clear that bullying is rare, although they are knowledgeable about the forms this can take such as cyber- bullying or racist name-calling. Pupils are confident that any minor ‘fallings-out’ are sorted out quickly and effectively by the adults.  School records show that instances of misbehaviour are rare. However, the school manages well the behaviour of a few pupils who are emotionally more fragile. Tailored support programmes

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

help such pupils to become more resilient and confident as learners.  Pupils are enjoying taking on a wider range of roles and responsibilities such as house captains and assembly monitors. They respond well to the new behaviour management systems that they have helped to create. The rewards for good behaviour and effort, such as the ‘Golden Stickers’, are much cherished so that there is a good level of cooperation throughout the school.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Discussions with pupils show that they feel very safe in school, and parents who completed the online questionnaire or spoke to the inspector agree. Programmes such as Bikeability and e-safety training help to prepare pupils in maintaining their personal safety outside of school.  The school gives a high priority to encouraging pupils to attend regularly and has introduced measures to reduce any unnecessary absences. As a consequence, current attendance rates are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

well above average and punctuality is generally good.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection the school has experienced significant changes in the leadership and in staffing. Following his appointment, the headteacher has renewed the sense of high ambition, brought greater clarity to self-evaluation and increased the pace of improvement. Rigorous checks, followed by well-targeted training, have improved the quality of teaching and accelerated pupils’ progress.  Effective training for staff in the teaching of phonics and safeguarding procedures has been accessed from the local authority.  The frequent checking and reviewing of pupils’ attainment and progress has enabled the headteacher to judge clearly the impact of new teaching strategies and hold teachers to account more readily for pupils’ progress.  Teachers’ targets for improving their performance focus sharply on accelerating progress and are linked explicitly to the new Teachers’ Standards. Teachers understand clearly what constitutes

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The leadership and management are good

good performance and how it is rewarded.  Subject leaders contribute to the development of new teaching strategies by working alongside colleagues; however, they do not have enough opportunities to work in this way, and this limits their overall effectiveness.  The curriculum has good breadth and balance across subjects and provides an interesting range of experiences that promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Monitoring of the plans for the use of the new physical education fund shows that there is an increase in pupils’ participation in a variety of activities, helping to improve pupils’ physical skills and fitness. In addition, training is being provided for staff in order to sustain these developments.  The school works hard to involve parents in the life of the school and has improved greatly the systems of communication between home and school. Parents appreciate the openness of staff

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The leadership and management are good

and the way they listen to their views and involve them in their children’s learning.  Equality of opportunity is promoted at all times and any discrimination is tackled well. There are no recorded incidents of harassment in recent years. The pupil premium funding is managed effectively to support individual pupils.  All statutory requirements for safeguarding are met and health and safety are managed well. Training for staff and governors in areas such as child protection and safer working practices is up to date.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very well organised and knowledgeable about the school. They have a clear understanding of the school’s performance data in the national context because they check the school’s work extremely rigorously for themselves. This means that they are able to give good levels of challenge to the school’s leaders about pupils’ progress. They have been very

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The leadership and management are good

supportive of the school during the period of considerable staffing changes. They keep their knowledge and skills up to date through good quality training from the local authority. They have a good understanding of the quality of teaching in the school, of how the performance of teachers is managed, and how this is aligned to their pay progression. Governors manage the budget effectively, including the pupil premium fund and the physical education fund. They know how the funds are being used and the impact they are having on pupils’ achievement and physical health.

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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 126327 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 431863

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 57 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Adrian Foster Headteacher Ashley Martin Date of previous school inspection 8–9 March 2011 Telephone number 01380 850489 Fax number 01380 859869 Email address head@heddington.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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