Cold Harbour Church of England School

Cold Harbour Church of England VC Primary School Highland Close, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 7PD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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.  Pupils’ achievement across the school has improved since the last inspection.  Teaching now is more effective and pupils make better progress as a result.  Children in the Reception classes make good progress.  Improvement in the teaching of the sounds letters make (phonics) has significantly increased the numbers of pupils reaching the expected level of understanding.  The progress pupils make between Year 2 and Year 6 has continued to rise and the rate of improvement has accelerated.  Pupils’ behaviour in school is good. They say acts of unkindness are rare. In lessons their positive attitudes help them make good progress with their work.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and that they are well cared for.  The senior leaders have provided the drive and determination to secure improvements in teaching and the progress pupils now make.  Middle leaders now play a crucial role within

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the school in monitoring the progress pupils make and in developing teachers’ skills through the coaching and mentoring of colleagues.  The governing body is rigorous in the way it holds the school to account for the progress pupils make.  The social, moral, spiritual and cultural awareness of the pupils is well developed through lesson activities and the ethos of the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Sometimes pupils’ work is too easy for more- able pupils and too hard for others.  Pupils do not always correct their work or make the improvements that their teachers suggest.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons, three of which were jointly observed with the deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, and senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors listened to pupils read and scrutinised samples of pupils’ workbooks.  A wide range of documents was examined, including the school’s information on pupils’ recent progress, as well as planning and documentation about checks on teaching, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  The inspectors also took account of the 19 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and two letters to the inspection team. The views of parents and carers who were dropping their children off at school were also noted. The views of staff were considered through the 15

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Information about this inspection

responses to the staff questionnaire.  During the inspection the children in the Reception classes had to work in the school hall as their classrooms had been flooded during the previous weekend.  On the first day of the inspection the school enjoyed its annual Sports Day.

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Inspection team

David Hogg, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Bill James Additional Inspector Kate Robertson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a slightly larger-than-average sized primary school.  Most pupils are from a White British background. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is a little below the national average. The proportion of pupils who do not speak English as their first language is lower than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is much higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is in line with that found in most schools. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  The proportion of pupils who join the school part-way through the year is higher than that

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Information about this school

typically seen in other schools.  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?

 Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that:  work for the more able pupils is not too easy and that work for other pupils is not too hard  pupils correct and improve their work in response to the written feedback teachers provide.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the school with skills that are typical for their age and make good progress in the Reception classes. In 2013 over half the pupils made a good level of development and this year over two thirds of pupils have reached this level.  The attainment of pupils at the end of Year 2 has risen over the last two years and is above the national average.  In 2013, the school saw a drop in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the national check of pupils’ understanding of the sounds letters make. The school quickly reviewed and refined its teaching of phonics. This had an immediate impact on how rapidly the pupils acquire their early reading skills. Work in pupils’ books and information from school checks show that over 85% of pupils will achieve the expected standard by the end of 2014. This is double that seen last year. The reading skills of older pupils are developed well. Pupils from Year 5 read

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The achievement of pupils is good

with increasing confidence and fluency. They read regularly in school and have opportunities to read to adults if they need additional support.  Pupils’ progress between Year 2 and Year 6 has improved over the last few years. School checks on reading, writing and mathematics show the rate of progress has accelerated rapidly this year. Although the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 has increased as a result of effective teaching there are some pupils who still find the work too easy on occasions.  A review of the work in pupils’ books showed that boys and girls had made similarly good progress over this year. In the lessons observed both boys and girls achieved well.  The pupil premium is used very well to support individuals, and those pupils who are eligible for additional support generally make good progress across the school. In 2013 any gaps in skills and understanding in Year 6 were quickly closed so that pupils were about a term ahead of

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The achievement of pupils is good

others in reading and mathematics and only a term behind in writing.  Most disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress from their individual starting points compared with others in their classes groups and achieve well. The school makes a great effort to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed. Discrimination is always challenged and never tolerated. Teachers and teaching assistants work closely together in class to enable pupils with additional needs to take an active part in lessons.  The achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who are from ethnic backgrounds different to the majority is broadly similar to other pupils’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved and has enabled pupils to make greater progress and to achieve more highly. Planning takes account of pupils’ understanding from previous lessons and subsequent activities are then built on this.  Pupils enjoy learning through discussion in groups and sharing ideas and as a result make good progress.  Teachers check pupils have a clear understanding of their learning through careful questioning.  Classroom tasks engage most pupils. However more-able pupils sometimes have to complete work that is too easy for them before moving on to more suitable work. Similarly pupils who find work more difficult rely too heavily on support from teaching assistants. Consequently the progress of both groups can be slowed.  Teachers mark pupils’ work carefully and provide pupils with good guidance on what they need to do to improve. Pupils do not always go back and complete tasks when they have been asked

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The quality of teaching is good

to finish work. As a result the necessary corrections and improvements to their work are not always made.  Teaching in the Reception classes is good. Activities led by adults are challenging and balanced with a range of activities where the children make their own choices. Different groups of children work well together and make good progress. For example, in mathematics the children were able to use blocks to measure the heights of toy animals and develop their number skills.  Pupils’ work on display in the classrooms and corridors is of a good standard. Classrooms are welcoming and teachers create a purposeful working environment.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This makes a positive contribution to their learning in the classroom. The school plans to make behaviour outstanding. To do this it is developing pupils’ skills in discussion so that they can participate actively in classroom activities and take risks with learning new ideas.  In lessons pupils are generally very enthusiastic about their work and keen to do well. The relationships between the pupils and the adults who work with them are good. Pupils said that they could ‘trust’ the staff and that ‘they are never too busy to help’.  Pupils say that incidents of bullying are rare. If fall outs happen the school uses a restorative approach to build friendships and minimise chances of unkindness happening in the future. At break times pupils are sociable and play well together. They are well supervised by staff.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is good. Pupils have a good understanding of personal

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

safety and they are especially aware of using the internet and social media games carefully and sensibly. Pupils say they feel safe in school and well cared for. Parents and carers echo this view.  Pupils are given opportunities make a positive contribution in school and help others. For example, Year 6 pupils acted as buddies to younger pupils during the lower school sports day. This helped them to take part in a wide range of games and physical challenges.  The school has recently increased the number of sports clubs open to the pupils. These are very popular and the school has enjoyed some success in inter-school competitions. The school recently took part in a regional gymnastics event and won gold and bronze medals in the floor event and a bronze medal in the vaulting competition.  Attendance is high and above the national average.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers are very effective in their roles. They have secured improvements to the quality of teaching across the school and as a result pupils’ achievement has increased since the last inspection. They have checked the impact of their work closely against the school development plan which has provided a clear framework for their drive to secure improvements.  The local authority has provided good support to the school and has assisted the senior leadership team in its efforts to move the school forwards. Pupils’ work has been moderated by middle and senior leaders working with improvement partners and the assessments teachers made have been validated and judged to be fair and accurate.  Middle leaders have taken on greater responsibility within the school. They work directly with teachers checking the progress pupils are making and providing training through mentoring to develop the skills and expertise of the staff. The impact of their work is seen in the rise in

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The leadership and management are good

standards that has come about through the improvements in teaching across the school.  The school has rigorous systems to check the quality of teaching by carefully reviewing pupils’ work as well as observing teaching in the classroom. Teachers’ opportunities for promotion or salary progression are then linked back to how well pupils are achieving.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. It provides opportunities for pupils to explore their own interests with the framework of a topic or theme. The school looks to provide memorable moments for the pupils such as the Years 3 and 4 sleepover at school. Classroom activities are supplemented with trips to places of interest such as the Years 5 and 6 visit to a nearby outdoor centre to carry out a river study. The ideals behind the school’s motto of ‘Growing, Learning and Achieving Together’ run in parallel with the school’s Christian ethos and support the social,

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The leadership and management are good

moral, spiritual and cultural development of the pupils very effectively.  The school has well-thought-out plans to use the primary sports funding to improve the quality of teaching of physical education and to increase pupils’ participation in sports. This money has been used effectively to employ qualified coaches to work alongside teachers in delivering high- quality lessons, for example cricket lessons. The school has been able to restart after-school sports clubs which have proved very popular with both boys and girls.  Most pupils come from outside the local area. The school is popular with parents and carers and welcomes them in to share pupils’ work and to celebrate pupils’ successes. For example, the school held a family picnic on Sports Day which was very well attended by parents and carers.  Safeguarding, child protection procedures and policies meet statutory requirements and ensure

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The leadership and management are good

pupils are well cared for in school and are kept safe.  The governance of the school:  The governing body works closely with the school and has monitored closely the recent improvements that have occurred. Governors know how the school has tackled underachievement. They have a good awareness of how the school’s performance information compares against the national picture. From that starting point the headteacher and other school leaders are held to account for the progress that pupils make, for example those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding and others with additional needs. The governors visit the school regularly and discuss with staff specific issues linked to their subject responsibility. They have a good awareness of the quality of teaching from reports from the school and local authority and understand how this fits with improvements in teachers’ salaries. The financial position of the school is well managed and the impact of additional funds, such as the primary

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The leadership and management are good

sports funding, is also reviewed. The governors audit the safeguarding procedures and policies carefully to ensure they meet statuary requirements and check they are effective in keeping the pupils safe.

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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 110404 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 442475

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 284 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Nicholas Headteacher Louise Aird Date of previous school inspection 28–29 November 2012 Telephone number 01908 270 377 Fax number 01908 375 562 Email address general@coldharbour.org.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 and 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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