Whaddon CofE School

Whaddon Church of England First School Stock Lane, Whaddon, Buckinghamshire, MK17 0LS

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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.  Whatever their starting points, pupils make at least good progress and by the time they leave the school many reach levels of attainment which are above average.  Attendance is high. Pupils of all ages enjoy coming to school and like the topics they study.  Pupils’ behaviour is of a very high standard owing to the very positive relationships they have with staff who they know will look after them.  The school’s curriculum is rich, vibrant and exciting. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of the pupils is a strength of the school and underpins everything it does.  Teaching is good overall and some is outstanding. All members of staff form an effective team where every pupil is known as an individual and all of them thrive in the school’s nurturing environment.  Pupils say, and their parents and carers agree, that they feel safe in the school. The school is well regarded in the community.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and management at all levels, including governance, have a direct impact on the quality of teaching together with pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Marking in literacy books shows pupils clearly how to move on in their work, but it is not as clear and helpful in other subjects such as mathematics.  Pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to respond to teachers’ marking.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed six lessons. The majority were joint observations with the headteacher.  In addition the inspector made other visits to classes, looked at pupils’ work in books and listened to them read.  Discussions were held with pupils, the headteacher, other staff and governors. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector met informally with parents and carers at the beginning of the school day, met formally with parents and carers on request and took account of the 23 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). The responses to five staff questionnaires were also considered.  A number of documents were viewed, including the school’s own information about pupils’ progress, the school’s own checks on its effectiveness, records of how pupil premium funding is spent and its impact, records relating to behaviour and attendance and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Gay Whent, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This first school is much smaller than most primary schools.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a Reception class. The rest of the pupils are taught in two classes, one for Year 1 pupils and a second mixed-age class of pupils from Year 2 to Year 3.  About half of the pupils come from outside the school’s catchment area, and some of these join the school part-way through their primary education.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups varies from year to year but is below average overall. Of these, the proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language is below average.  A very small number of pupils are supported through the pupil premium (extra government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children looked after by local authority and children of service families), which is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school

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Information about this school

action is below average. There are no pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to ensure all pupils make the progress of which they are capable by making sure that:  all marking in books shows pupils clearly how to improve their work  pupils are routinely given opportunities to absorb and act upon their teacher’s comments.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills and knowledge that are broadly typical for their age. Children make good or better progress over time so that when pupils leave the school at the end of either Year 2 or Year 3 their attainment is often above that expected for their age. Achievement is not outstanding as not all pupils make rapid and sustained progress.  Over the last few years, pupils in Years 1 and 2 have made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics so that they reach above average standards in all three by the end of Year 2.  The results of the national screening check on phonics (learning about the sounds that letters make) for Year 1 have been consistently above the national average for two consecutive years.  There are too few pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding to comment on their attainment without identifying them. The school identifies their needs accurately and quickly

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The achievement of pupils is good

puts in place effective support for their particular learning needs so that they achieve as well as other pupils.  The very small number of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs attain well and make good progress. This is because teachers set their work at exactly the right level of difficulty. Teaching teams work together effectively and provide highly effective support and guidance whenever it is needed. Tasks are broken down into smaller steps and pupils are given the right balance between support and challenge. This is seen when pupils learn to add or subtract 10 with increasing confidence.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups make good progress in the school as a result of their high engagement and interest in their learning. The school ensures that it promotes equality of opportunity for all pupils. More-able pupils do well as they are given tasks at the right level; their

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The achievement of pupils is good

needs are accurately identified in teachers’ plans.  Reading is a high priority in the school. The recently refurbished library is bright, attractive and welcoming. All pupils have positive attitudes to reading and reading skills are reinforced by regular reading at home.  The primary school sports funding has been carefully allocated and used to train those staff who supervise the lunchtime break to provide games and to enable teachers to learn new skills from specialists. Opportunities for all pupils are being extended so that they know how to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Governors carefully monitor the impact of the school’s action plan.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children start their school life in the Early Years Foundation Stage with a positive learning experience. A broad range of opportunities is planned with activities such as the dinosaur topic which inspires pupils’ interests and ensures good learning.  All groups of pupils make good or better progress because teaching in most subjects, including reading, writing and mathematics, is usually good and some is outstanding.  Where teaching is outstanding all pupils are absorbed and interested in their learning. Pupils’ outstanding attitudes to learning mean that they very effectively develop their understanding and knowledge. They all make visible progress throughout the lesson. Challenging activities immerse and involve all pupils in their learning whatever their ability. Lessons have a sense of pace and a real purpose.  Teachers and other adults create a positive climate for learning with bright displays. Every week,

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The quality of teaching is good

the school celebrates the achievement of those who excel in writing.  Adults and pupils work well together. The school successfully fosters good relationships. All members of teaching teams know all pupils well as individuals.  Carefully planned lessons ensure that most activities are set at the right level of difficulty for all ability groups. Teachers critically review the impact of their teaching and adapt their planning for the next lesson if necessary so that pupils’ progress continues to be good.  Parents and carers agree that the school sets appropriate home learning activities, a view shared by inspectors.  The quality of feedback to pupils in marking varies. Clear targets and teachers’ comments in writing books help pupils understand the next steps they need to make. However pupils’ understanding of what they have mastered and what they need to do to move their learning on in mathematics is not clear. Pupils’ comments on their own work are relatively rare and brief.

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The quality of teaching is good

They have not enough opportunity to reflect on teachers’ comments and guidance. As a result, they are not developing the skills they need to improve their work rapidly. This is why the quality of teaching is not yet outstanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. This is seen both in lessons and around the school. Pupils are very polite and well mannered at all times.  A high standard of behaviour is expected of all pupils. Whether during a whole-school assembly, in the dining hall or in an after-school club, behaviour is exemplary.  In an assembly where pupils consider the gifts of their friends in the school, pupils quickly respond and willingly share compliments about others ranging from ‘They make sure that everyone joins in games’ to ‘They are good at using their imagination.’ They all join in with the school song with great pride and a high degree of enjoyment.  Parents and carers who completed the online survey are unanimous in their view that the school makes sure its pupils are well behaved. This opinion is reinforced by the parents and carers spoken to during the inspection.  Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils have a very good understanding of what bullying is and what to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

do if it should occur. They say they would go to the ‘nearest adult available’ if they needed help. Incidents of poor behaviour are unusual and have been carefully logged and discussed with pupils and their parents and carers.  All parents and carers, together with their children, sign an e-learning code of conduct when their child starts school. The code highlights what pupils should do and what they should not so that they always keep safe and are also polite and kind at all times when sending messages.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils feel safe at the school and their parents and carers agree. The school is a secure site where pupils are able to get on with their learning at all times. Poor behaviour is not tolerated. There have been no exclusions for many years.  Attendance is consistently above average. Pupils’ enjoyment of school is clearly evident from the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

time they arrive at school, happy to see their friends and teachers. Pupils do not want to miss the exciting range of topics and regular visits that the school offers and they are eager to take part.

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The leadership and management are good

 The drive and the vision of the headteacher are key to the school’s success in creating a culture and ethos in which teaching and good behaviour flourish. Leadership and management are not outstanding as the quality of teaching over time is not yet consistently of a sufficiently high quality.  The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and honest. The school’s leaders are clear about what makes the school successful, but also know what still needs to be improved. Development planning focuses on the current priorities for improvement, which are shared with and understood by all staff and governors.  A key aspect of leadership and management that has been effective in ensuring that pupils make good or better progress has been the thorough process of improving teaching over time. Teachers know that their work is monitored closely. Opportunities for training are well matched to teachers’ needs.  Accurate information also informs the system for managing teachers’ performance. This process

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The leadership and management are good

holds teachers to account for their work. It ensures that rewards are appropriately linked to the progress made by pupils and is tied to the meeting of agreed targets. The school expects good value from its staff.  The headteacher and her middle managers focus resolutely on ensuring that all pupils achieve their potential, that they have equal opportunities to prosper and that there is no discrimination. This vision is shared throughout the whole-school community.  The school’s curriculum is exciting, rich and vibrant. Pupils have opportunities each term to make trips and visits and in January all enjoyed visits to one of three Oxfordshire museums.  The school enjoys very good relationships with parents and carers who are very supportive. All parents and carers who completed the online survey would recommend the school to others.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. Pupils have strong links with the

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The leadership and management are good

local church and their community. They welcome opportunities, such as the celebration of Chinese New Year, to extend their horizons and complete imaginative work.  Safeguarding procedures are thorough and fully in place.  The local authority provides support for the school which is well planned and appropriate to their further improvement.  The governance of the school:  Governance is good. Governors are supportive and determined that the school will continue to improve. They know the school well and have a clear programme for carrying out regular visits so that pupils, as well as their parents and carers, know who the governors are. Governors understand what the teaching is like and know how well pupils are doing by comparison with all pupils nationally. Governors know how the pupil premium and primary school sports funding is spent and regularly review its effectiveness. Governors monitor performance

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The leadership and management are good

management well and ensure that it is used to recognise and reward good teaching. The governing body ensures that the school maintains good links with parents and carers. Governors take full advantage of available professional training in order to be as effective as possible.

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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 110415 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 432079

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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 First School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–8 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 43 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Hazel Hedges Headteacher Diana Travis Date of previous school inspection 16 March 2009 Telephone number 01908 501719

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Fax number

Email address office@whaddon.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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

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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Fax number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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