Keep Hatch Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 13 Mar 2014

Keep Hatch Primary School Ashridge Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1PG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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:

 Pupils in recent years have not achieved well enough overall. Progress for all groups across the school is not consistent and, in a few classes, progress so far this year for some pupils is limited.  In Key Stage 2, especially, the progress pupils make in their reading does not match that in writing or mathematics.  The rates of pupil progress are variable because not all teaching matches the best where learning is most rapid. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do and this hinders the progress pupils make.  At times pupils do not have the chance to improve further because they are not moved on to harder work quickly enough.  Many middle leaders are new to their roles and are not yet fully involved in checking and helping the work of other teachers.  Systems to check the progress of different groups of pupils are not manageable enough to allow leaders to see easily which groups are

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

doing best and where pupils or teachers may need additional support.  Leaders collect a lot of information about all aspects of the school but do not always use this effectively to identify areas for improvement, take actions promptly, and then check that these actions have been successful.

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The school has the following strengths

 Most parents are positive about the school. They say their children are safe and that they behave well.  Leaders have acted effectively to tackle the issues highlighted by the last inspection. Consequently, children now get off to a good start in the Reception classes and make good gains in all aspects of their learning.  In Key Stage 1, pupils achieve well. A larger than average proportion reached the higher levels in reading and mathematics in 2013.  Learning in many classes and year groups is good. Pupils typically behave well in lessons, try hard and take a pride in their work.  Leaders have raised standards at the end of Key Stage 2 and ensured an increasing number of pupils now make at least expected progress by the time they leave in Year 6.  Governors have a good grasp on how well the school is doing and are using this to challenge and support school leaders effectively.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in 19 lessons and part lessons. Most were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. Inspectors also looked at pupils’ work and discussed the school’s evaluation of the quality of teaching.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and middle leaders, to discuss the progress that groups of pupils make throughout the school. They analysed the school’s information on attainment and progress. An inspector also met with a group of five governors.  The team examined records of the local authority’s involvement with the school and met with a local authority representative.  Inspectors considered parents’ views of the school through informal discussions over the two days of the inspection, the 84 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and an email from one parent. The views of 32 staff, who completed the staff questionnaire, were also taken

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Information about this inspection

into account and the team also talked to staff during the inspection.  They listened to pupils read, as well as observing reading being taught in lessons and phonic (the sounds letters make) sessions across the school. Inspectors chatted to pupils informally throughout the inspection. Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons and at various times around the school, including lunchtime.  Inspectors looked at documentation such as policies, including those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, the school’s improvement planning. They looked at attendance figures and at the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Marshall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Julie Quarrell Additional Inspector Helen Bailey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 In this larger-than-average-sized primary school, the vast majority of pupils come from a White British background.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average and in some year groups only a very small number of pupils attract this additional funding. The pupil premium is extra money given to schools by the government to support pupils in the care of the local authority, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and receive support through school action is below average. The proportion being supported through school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor targets, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is constantly good or better in order to secure consistently good progress for pupils by:  ensuring all teachers consistently have high expectations of what pupils can achieve  quickly moving pupils on to more challenging work in lessons once they have demonstrated their understanding of what is being taught  encouraging pupils’ love of reading and deepening their understanding of the books the pupils are reading.  Improve the leadership and management of senior and middle leaders by:  making sure that the checks leaders make on the school’s effectiveness are rigorous and clearly identify when they will be carried out, and by whom  ensuring that middle leaders use assessment information more effectively to keep a sharp eye on pupils’ progress, review the quality of teaching and provide support to help teachers improve  developing a more easily accessible and effective system for checking pupils’ progress in order

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

to better identify those groups of pupils who are doing well and those at risk of falling behind.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because progress across classes is inconsistent. Fewer pupils in Key Stage 2 make good progress in reading than in writing or mathematics, and progress so far this year between classes is variable. In the past the gap has been widening, not closing, between those pupils being supported by additional money and their peers.  Children enter school with levels of skills and abilities which are broadly as expected for their age. They make good progress as a result of effective teaching in the Reception classes and enter Year 1 with attainment slightly above expected levels. These good gains in pupils’ learning continue through Key Stage 1. Consequently, significantly more reached the higher levels at the end of Year 2 in reading and mathematics than did nationally.  In the rest of the school, progress is stronger in some classes and subjects than others and, as a result, a small number of pupils are at risk of falling behind. Disabled pupils and those who have

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

special educational needs are provided with additional help and make similar progress to their classmates.  Where progress is strongest, for example in Year 6, pupils have a really clear understanding of how well they are doing and what they need to do next to improve. Teachers consistently set high expectations for the pupils and they respond enthusiastically. Even when the work pupils are doing may not be challenging enough, the work on classroom walls and in their books demonstrates that pupils in all classes take a pride in their work and work hard.  By the end of Year 6, although pupils typically reach average levels in the national tests, standards have been rising for the last three years. In 2013 a greater than average proportion made good progress in writing and mathematics. This was not matched in reading. Leaders have identified that progress in reading is not as strong, both over time and in some classes. They

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

have begun to take actions to strengthen the teaching of reading. However, it is too soon to see a difference as a result of these actions.  More able pupils do well in most classes because teachers are aware that they need to stretch and challenge these pupils further. Consequently, a significantly high proportion of Year 6 pupils achieved well in mathematics in 2013.  For several years the gap between the achievement of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium and their peers has grown. In response, leaders are now part of a local authority pilot programme working with a range of external agencies to raise achievement. More rigorous checks are being carried out on the progress of this group compared to others. As a result, attendance and achievement levels are rising for some and others are currently making similar rates of progress as their peers. In 2013 only a very small

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

number of Year 6 pupils were supported through the pupil premium and it was not possible to make a valid comparison with their classmates.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching across the school is variable and not all matches the strong teaching seen in some classes. Not all teachers have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve in order to ensure they make at least good progress. Teaching is less strong in reading than in writing and mathematics.  Where pupils make the greatest gains in their learning, pupils are encouraged to think carefully and extend their learning because teachers use questions skilfully. Teachers keep a close eye on pupils’ learning and change their plans as lessons progress to match pupils’ understanding, ability and progress.  Where the rates of learning are less strong, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are not consistently high enough. For example, in one class, while the most able were expected to rewrite the sentences they had written in order to improve them, the first attempt of other pupils was accepted. Although, when asked, they could edit and improve their work, instead

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

they were expected to spend the rest of their time drawing a picture. Occasionally, work is pitched at too low a level and is too easy. Sometimes pupils are not moved on to harder work promptly enough when they have demonstrated their understanding.  In some classes, pupils make good progress because additional adults are used well to support different groups of learners. In others, pupils’ progress is not as strong because the support provided is less well planned. Some teaching assistants lack the skills and training to move pupils’ learning forward.  The school uses a range of approaches to teaching reading. Leaders have provided additional training to improve the skills of teachers and additional adults, and in most classes they use this effectively to question and probe pupils’ understanding of the texts. However, many pupils are unclear how some tasks they are asked to do help them to get better at reading. Pupils’ efforts,

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

which for some often involve drawing or practising handwriting, are infrequently checked by adults, so pupils are not clear how to improve.  Pupils increasingly use the comments teachers make in their work to improve their work. They say that they like the ‘tickled pink’ and ‘green for growth’ highlighting and written comments, because it helps them know what they have done well and what they need to work on next. They behave maturely when they have chances to use the same system when they assess each other’s work. While the quality of teachers’ comments is improving, there remain some inconsistencies. Leaders are aware that the same diligence is not always shown when responding to pupils’ work in subjects other than English and mathematics in order to raise achievement further.  Pupils across the school, including those in the Reception classes, take a pride in their work and are keen to show visitors examples of their work. They are thoughtful in how they help each

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

other as they learn in lessons and take responsibility for this very seriously. For example, during a Year 1 session when learning about the sounds letters make, one pupil said to their partner, ‘Can you try that again? Think about the sounds we’re doing.’ As a result of this gentle prompting his partner reread the sentence correcting ‘chief’ for ‘thief’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Most parents, staff and governors agree that pupils behave well in school, and this was also agreed by the local authority in a recent visit. Pupils are polite and friendly towards each other and to adults. They respond well to instructions, take a pride in their work and the school surroundings. Low level disruption in lessons unusual.  Pupils agree that, between lessons and at break times, some rush to get out onto the playground and inadvertently knock coats to the ground in their haste. The school council has already started to gather the views of pupils to try and sort this out. The members are confident they will help make improvements, as they already have with the successful ‘friendship squad’ during playtimes.  Pupils typically get on well together, regardless of background. They show care and sensitivity towards those pupils who have additional difficulties or find behaving well difficult. They show

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

maturity when helping one another in lessons and listen respectfully whilst others share their views. Records show staff are successful when supporting a very small number of pupils with particular behavioural needs and their families. This reflects the school’s focus on ensuring everyone has the same chances and helps to foster good relationships.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The site is safe and secure, and care is taken to ensure the swimming pool is suitably staffed during swimming sessions. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They understand different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, and how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. They say that bullying does not happen often, and that adults and the ‘friendship squad’ are on hand to sort out any disagreements that occasionally arise.  Attendance is above average. The school’s recent involvement with the local authority pilot

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

scheme is helping raise attendance and punctuality for some pupils.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because systems to check the work of the school and ensure all aspects are effective are not regular or rigorous enough. Leaders gather a wealth of information about many aspects of the school’s work from pupils’ progress to the frequency of accidents on the playground. What is less effective is how and when they then use this information to bring about improvements promptly and establish who is responsible for checking they have been successful.  The recently appointed leaders for reading, writing, mathematics and team leaders are keen to develop and take responsibility for bringing about improvements in their areas. However, whilst they have already begun to take some actions, these have not yet had time to take effect and it is too early for leaders to check whether the changes made have been successful in raising achievement.  Leaders have begun to simplify how they collate and analyse the information they gather on

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The leadership and management require improvement

pupils’ progress and attainment. Whilst they are able to check how any individual is doing, they find it less easy to evaluate the progress of specific groups, such as those receiving additional funding or those with additional educational needs. This hampers how well and how promptly they can react to any trends in pupils’ achievement and quickly take actions to address them.  Systems to check the work of teachers are well established. Leaders visit classrooms and check pupils’ work to see how well teachers are doing and set targets for improvement. Teachers know that their progression on the pay scale is linked to their performance in the classroom and that only the best teaching is rewarded. While a very small minority of staff feels that senior leaders are not always helpful or supportive, the majority are clear how their teaching is being improved and feel they are valued.  The government’s primary sports funding is currently used to employ a sports coach and provide

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The leadership and management require improvement

additional sporting experiences. Plans to increase pupils’ access to the playing fields by changing the surface are being discussed. Pupils’ physical well-being is also promoted through swimming lessons. Pupils know the importance of exercise and eating healthily.  The school has worked well with the local authority through initiatives such as the pilot programme supporting pupils receiving additional funding, and staff have benefited from training courses in how to improve the school’s effectiveness.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is a key factor in pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes. It is promoted well through a range of interesting topics, subjects and events such as the yearly Shakespeare production staged by the Year 6 pupils. It is a key factor in pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes.  The governance of the school: − Governors are supportive of the school and keen for pupils to do well. Governor ‘away days’

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The leadership and management require improvement

ensure that they have a good grasp of the school’s improvement plans and priorities for the future. They have evaluated their own effectiveness and attended training to improve their skills. As a result, they are effective at challenging school leaders about how well the school is doing. For example, they now request more detailed information about pupils’ progress in order to better check on how monies, such as the pupil premium, are raising achievement. They know how well pupils achieve compared to others nationally and, following training last year, use this to ask increasingly probing questions to check the school’s effectiveness themselves. They are aware of how pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching are linked. The increased level of information they are now beginning to receive is enabling them to make more informed decisions, for example when awarding additional money for teachers’ performance. Governors know that they have responsibility for ensuring safeguarding

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The leadership and management require improvement

requirements are met. They are working with leaders to ensure that the information gathered as part of this is regularly checked and actions taken to make improvements when necessary.

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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 109840 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 440986

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 399 Appropriate authority The Governing Body Chair Andrew Boseley Headteacher Angela Young Date of previous school inspection June 2011 Telephone number 01189 784859 Fax number 01189 795686 Email address head@keephatch.wokingham.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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