Woodley CofE Primary School

School report Woodley Church of England Primary School Hurricane Way, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, RG5 4UX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching is good. All groups of pupils make good progress, often from low starting points. This includes those supported by the pupil premium.  Pupils’ attainment has risen over recent years and continues to improve.  Leaders have taken effective action to improve the quality of teaching.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They value learning highly and show respect to one another and to adults.  The curriculum is creative and engaging.  The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.  The headteacher leads the school with an unequivocal commitment to provide the best care and learning for all. Her vision is shared and pursued vigorously by governors and the whole staff team.  Governors fulfil their duties conscientiously, including holding the headteacher to account. The Chair of the Governing Body leads with determination.  The school is a very safe place. Overwhelmingly,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

parents and carers are delighted with the school.  Pupils in Reception class make good progress because of the good care and teaching provided.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teaching is not consistently effective in ensuring pupils start work quickly in lessons, that marking is routinely excellent and that teaching assistants make an outstanding impact on learning.  In Reception class, teachers do not always make full use of information about children’s progress when they plan activities and individual next steps.  Senior leaders’ evaluations of how good the school is do not always look closely enough at the achievement of different groups of pupils, and subject leadership is not consistently effective.  The school’s special educational needs policy is not clear enough in how pupils’ needs are identified.  Minutes of meetings do not record well enough the way governors hold the headteacher to account.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in every class, including through joint observations with senior leaders.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at pupils’ work in their books and on display.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and the vice chair together with two other governors, and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors talked with parents and carers in the playground and met with staff.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, observed playtime and lunchtime, and talked with pupils around the school.  Account was taken of 26 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and two letters from parents or carers and one from a volunteer were considered. Responses to the staff questionnaire were also analysed.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including plans for what pupils will learn, plans for the school’s

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Information about this inspection

future development, and the school’s use of government sports funding and the pupil premium (additional government funding to support pupils receiving free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority).  Checks were made of arrangements for keeping pupils safe, pupils’ attendance records, behaviour and incident logs, and minutes of governing body meetings. Inspectors scrutinised records of how pupils’ learning is tracked and analysed, and records of the quality of teaching.

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Inspection team

Siân Thornton, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 Woodley CofE (Controlled) Primary School is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for which the school receives additional funding (pupil premium), is below average.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Pupils attend the early years provision full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and achievement further by ensuring that: – early years staff make full use of information about children’s progress when planning learning – teachers consistently apply the school’s marking policy, especially for mathematics, and adapt work that follows to ensure suitable challenge for the most able – teaching assistants always make effective use of questions to check pupils’ understanding and take learning forward when working with groups and individuals in the classroom – all pupils settle promptly to the work they are given in class.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership by ensuring that: – the criteria for identifying pupils with special educational needs are consistent and clear, so that their progress compared with other pupils’ can be rigorously checked – the impact of the new leaders for mathematics and English develops rapidly – governors’ minutes record clearly the way in which they hold the headteacher to account, for example for the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders and the whole staff team pursue a shared vision for excellence. Aspirational targets are set for pupils’ progress in each phase. Leaders have been notably successful in developing the ethos for learning.  Senior leaders regularly check teaching and pupils’ progress, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. This links well to the management of teachers’ performance. It also leads to precise training and coaching for staff, and prompts swift intervention for pupils who may be falling behind.  Key stage leaders meet regularly with teachers to discuss pupils’ progress and to plan future learning for classes, groups and individuals. Sensibly, these senior leaders then discuss their findings together to ensure consistency.  Recent, careful recruitment has further strengthened teaching.  Senior leaders have an accurate overview of how good the school is. However, they do not always look

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The leadership and management are good

closely enough at the relative progress of different groups, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, when deciding what to improve.  New leaders for mathematics and English are in place. These staff are in the early stages of development and are not yet impacting fully on pupils’ achievement.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) works closely with teachers to ensure appropriate intervention for individual pupils and to monitor progress. Recently, the school has improved the accuracy of its register of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. While the criteria for identifying these pupils have improved, they are still not clear enough for the school to easily check their progress as a precise group and compare this accurately with other pupils’.  The school has a rich and creative curriculum while also focusing on reading, writing and mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

Lively topics provide many valuable opportunities for pupils to learn about their local community and the wider United Kingdom, including through effective links with the local church. A wide range of extra opportunities for music, sport and art enriches pupils’ experience. As a result, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding and they are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  The school makes intelligent use of pupil premium funding to meet the wide range of needs which affect the supported pupils’ progress. Strenuous efforts are made to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged and that equality is championed at school, including working well with partner organisations that offer families support.  Government sports funding has been used well to develop teachers’ skills and confidence when teaching physical education, so the resulting improvement in the sports curriculum can be sustained. Pupils and

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The leadership and management are good

parents and carers are delighted that the range of sports and opportunities to compete has been increased.  Clear improvement has resulted from the local authority’s challenge and support, for example when they reviewed the school in 2013, identifying areas which required improvement at that time, and then visited the school later to check that effective action had been taken.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed about the school’s performance, including the quality of teaching and how this relates to teachers’ pay. They are closely involved in the recruitment of teachers. Governors wisely look to the local authority to check the reports about teaching they receive from the headteacher.  Governors require regular reports from leaders about pupils’ achievement and the impact of additional teaching or provision. However, minutes of meetings do always not record well enough the discussion

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The leadership and management are good

which takes place.  Governors fulfill their statutory duties well, including financially and to ensure that all safeguarding requirements are met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils attend well and are punctual. They are keen to get the day started, and many attend early morning clubs.  Pupils behave very well throughout the day. They are proud of their school, the new school badge and their uniform. Pupils are polite and courteous, they are helpful to one another and to adults, and they enjoy the responsibilities which teachers give them.  Pupils engage enthusiastically in the activities teachers provide and work well together with ‘buddies’ or in small groups. Most respond very readily to teachers’ high expectations for classroom behaviour, but in a few instances, some are too slow to settle to their work.  Pupils take a pride in their work. They are delighted with the new exercise books and work hard in lessons to produce a suitable amount, presented well.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  The whole staff team unite to ensure that every pupil is happy and safe. Clear systems ensure that any concerns about bullying or a pupils’ well-being are swiftly referred and dealt with well by senior leaders. The school records all incidents and accidents and reports promptly to parents and carers when necessary. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy school. They are confident that they can trust all the adults to help them.  Pupils are alert to different forms of bullying, including online intimidation. The school has provided specific assemblies and teaching about this recently. Pupils are clear about the right things to do if any kind of bullying occurs.  Staff and governor training about safeguarding and child protection is kept up to date.  The responses to the Parent View survey were overwhelmingly positive, reflecting the school’s findings in

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Safety

its own recent survey that parents and carers are confident about the school. When parents and carers do share a concern, the school acts promptly to record, investigate and resolve it.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching throughout the school is good, and sometimes outstanding. It makes a good impact on key areas such as literacy, reading and mathematics.  Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations and to teaching which always makes clear what pupils are learning today. The positive and secure climate in classrooms gives pupils confidence. This means that pupils throughout the school make good progress during lessons and over time. Nevertheless, some teachers do not always ensure that every pupil gets to work as quickly as they should when tasks are set.  At the start of Year 1, special arrangements help pupils who have not yet acquired all the knowledge and skills they need to make rapid progress.  In Years 1 and 2, pupils are taught well the fundamental skills they need for reading, writing and mathematics. This allows teachers in Years 3 and 4 to move pupils’ learning on rapidly, as they apply

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The quality of teaching is good

these secure skills to longer writing or solving problems in mathematics.  Lively and determined teaching in Years 5 and 6 engages pupils and ensures that they make rapid progress, especially in mathematics.  Teachers assess pupils accurately and are therefore well informed about their different needs. Teachers make good use of this information when they plan. The SENCO supports teachers’ planning well, so that individuals receive the right support.  Teaching assistants are deployed flexibly to work with different groups of pupils, including the most able. Often, timely intervention and careful use of questions by teaching assistants help pupils to achieve success. However, the quality of teaching assistants’ support for pupils’ learning is variable because they do not always use questions well enough to check pupils’ understanding and take their learning forward.  The school has a clear marking policy. Teachers mark work regularly, writing clearly to model good

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The quality of teaching is good

handwriting. Helpful comments in English books consistently identify success and support pupils to close gaps in their learning or take the next step. However, in mathematics, some teachers’ marking is often limited to ticks without any comment, and opportunities are missed to increase the level of challenge in the work which follows, when marking shows that a pupil is ready to move on.  Homework, homework club and the many extra activities provided before and after the school day all extend pupils’ learning valuably. Parents and carers appreciate the wealth of information provided to help them support their children’s progress. Pupils enjoy accessing websites for learning at home, made available through the school.

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is good

 Throughout the school, pupils are making good progress. Overall, each year group is on track to achieve expectations for their age at the end of this school year.  Achievement during Key Stage 2 is good. Pupils’ attainment at age 11 in reading, writing and mathematics has improved steadily over the last three years and by more than the national rate of improvement. In 2014, the improvement in the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected level in all of reading, writing and mathematics was three times the national improvement.  In 2014, every pupil in Year 6 made at least the expected progress in both reading and writing. As a result, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected levels in reading and writing increased, as did the proportion who achieved the higher than expected level in writing.  In mathematics, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who made expected progress and who achieved the

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is good

expected level in the test declined. The proportions making and exceeding the expected progress were lower compared with the most recently available national figures. However, some pupils missed the expected level by a single mark and the proportion who achieved the highest level in the test doubled. Pupils’ current achievement in mathematics in Year 6 matches age-related expectations, due to better teaching.  Older pupils’ good achievement is built on secure foundations established in Key Stage 1. Year 2 pupils moving into Year 3 in 2014 had made very good progress during the key stage, many from low starting points. As a result, the proportions who achieved the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics, and the proportions achieving the higher than expected levels matched the national figure.  In Year 1 in 2014, the proportion of pupils who were successful in the national screening activity about

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is good

letters and the sounds they make (phonics) rose dramatically. The proportion that was successful when repeating this activity in Year 2 also increased.  At the end of Reception Year in 2014, the proportion of pupils who reached a good level of development rose to be above the national figure. Many successful pupils had low starting points.  In all of these assessments, pupils supported by the pupil premium who did not also have special educational needs, achieved at levels close to or matching their peers. At the end of Year 6 in 2014, the gap between the achievement of pupils supported by the pupil premium and other pupils nationally was less than one term in English but between two and three terms in mathematics. However, over time the gap is closing rapidly in all subjects.  The attainment of the most able pupils has improved consistently. The proportion of pupils who attain the higher than expected level in reading, writing and mathematics now at least equals the national

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is good

proportion at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the good support provided. However, the school does not routinely check the progress of these pupils compared with their peers to ensure gaps close as quickly as possible.

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is good

 Due to the school’s good communication with parents and carers and previous settings, children settle quickly into Reception class and engage well with the good range of activities which teachers provide. An above average proportion of children are ready for Year 1, having made more than the typical rate of progress during their time in the provision.  Good leadership of the provision ensures its effectiveness is reviewed regularly and action taken to improve any areas requiring attention.  Disabled children and those with special educational needs are well supported from the start and quickly make good progress.  Children feel safe and secure because adults look after them well. Children behave well, follow routines and respect one another and the environment. Safeguarding procedures are firm and some staff have specialist training.  Teachers and other adults work together well to plan suitable activities to develop children’s skills and

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is good

knowledge. However, they do not always make full use of all the information about children’s progress to plan precise next steps for groups and individuals. This is why early years provision is not outstanding.  Parents and carers are invited into the classroom freely and many take advantage of a home visit before their child starts. Parents and carers are confident about the care and early education their children receive and pleased with their progress.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 109988 Local authority Wokingham Inspection number 443940

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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 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tim Pitfield Headteacher Ann Dee Date of previous school inspection 2–3 December 2010 Telephone number 0118 969 3246 Fax number 0118 969 6375 Email address admin@woodley-pri.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 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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