Kingsclere Church of England Primary School

School report Kingsclere Church of England Primary School Ash Grove, Newbury, RG20 5RE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Good teaching promotes effective learning. Well- planned lessons, clear expectations for learning, and effective use of resources ensure that pupils enjoy their learning and achieve well.  Thorough checks on pupils’ progress and help for those falling behind are successfully closing the gaps in the performance of different groups.  The school provides a very caring, supportive and safe place where pupils thrive both academically and personally.  High quality feedback in English and mathematics, and clear expectations that pupils will respond and improve their work as a result, moves their learning on quickly.  Pupils’ excellent behaviour is testament to the high quality care and positive relationships promoted by all staff in the school.  Strong, compassionate leadership by the headteacher has ensured the school has made rapid

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improvement.  Effective attention is paid to pupils’ physical well- being through good use of the government sports funding. This has increased the opportunities for competitive sports and enabled a broad range of after-school clubs to be provided.  Senior leaders have successfully brought about significant improvement in teaching, pupils’ achievement and the effectiveness of the school as a cohesive community. They have been well supported by middle leaders, governors and all staff.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The early years provision requires improvement. Planning and staff involvement with the children are not ensuring that work matches children’s abilities or challenges them to do their very best. The leadership of the early years is not ensuring good provision.   Teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to write in different subjects.  There are too few opportunities for problem solving and investigations in mathematics. 

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons or part lessons, of which two were jointly observed with senior staff.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and five other governors, the headteacher and other senior staff and a local authority officer.  The inspectors took account of the 70 responses to the online Parent View survey. They also spoke to several parents when they brought their children to school. The inspectors considered responses to the 20 staff questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress; planning and checks on the quality of teaching; assessment; the new curriculum; the school’s self-evaluation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; the sports premium action plan; and documents relating to safeguarding.  The inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Kingsclere Primary is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. This is additional government funding for pupils who are looked after or known to be eligible for free school meals.  Children attend the early years classes full time. There is one early years class and one mixed class of early years and Year 1 pupils.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  There have been several changes to staffing since the previous inspection. A new headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and pupils’ achievement further by ensuring that:  activities in the early years are sufficiently well planned to meet children’s needs, and staff discussions with children extend and challenge them  leadership of the early years provision monitors the effectiveness and impact of staff planning on children’s learning.  there are more opportunities for investigations and problem solving in mathematics throughout the school  staff provide more opportunities for writing across the curriculum.

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The leadership and management are good

 Strong leadership by the headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy headteacher, has enabled the school to improve rapidly. Pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching have improved significantly. Leaders ensure pupils have many opportunities to learn and develop both academically and personally.  Middle leaders mainly provide effective leadership. They take their roles very seriously and have worked effectively with senior leaders to move the school forward rapidly, while challenging and supporting all staff. However, the early years leader is new and has not checked staff planning well enough, to ensure that children’s activities lead to effective learning.  Accurate self-evaluation and detailed school strategic planning support the school’s drive for improvement very well. The documents state priorities clearly and expected improvements are accurately measured.  Senior leaders thoroughly check on the quality of teaching and learning through lesson observations,

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The leadership and management are good

coaching, checking pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. This ensures a high level of consistency in good teaching across the school.  The process for setting targets for all staff is well tailored to their individual responsibilities and the school’s improvement needs. This ensures staff know what is expected and they appreciate the excellent professional development they receive and the improvements they have helped make across the school.  Very thorough staff checks on pupils’ progress, coupled with effective actions to support those falling behind, ensure that gaps in the learning of different groups of pupils are closing rapidly. This fosters good relationships, ensures equality of opportunity and successfully tackles any discrimination.  The school uses the pupil premium funding well to support and challenge eligible pupils, enabling them to achieve well.  There are good links with other schools. For example, a local school provides support for the Key Stage 2

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The leadership and management are good

choir and specialist music teachers to teach the trumpet.  The school uses the government’s primary sports funding extremely well. Engagement in a sports partnership provides coaching, training and opportunities to try new sports such as archery and tenpin bowling as well as sporting competitions. Staff have had training so they can supervise swimming lessons in the school’s swimming pool. There is good attention to encouraging pupils to have a healthy lifestyle by, for example, tackling any obesity, encouraging healthy eating and the appointment of sports ambassadors. All of this signals the school’s determination to provide high quality sports provision and secure long term benefits.  The curriculum is adapted well to meet pupils’ needs. For example, there is now discrete teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar, which were identified as relative weaknesses. A good range of visits, visitors and musical activities enrich the provision. A strength is the range of after-school clubs which

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The leadership and management are good

pupils attend and enjoy. British values are fostered well through promoting knowledge of democracy, the rule of law, and respect and tolerance for others. However, activities other than in literacy, numeracy and science lessons are not always exploited to include opportunities for writing.  The school works extremely well with parents, who are very happy with the leadership, the huge improvements that have been made and their children’s successful learning.  The school has received effective on-going support and challenge from the local authority on its journey to becoming a good school. A significant feature has been the opportunities for the headteacher to visit outstanding schools, which he has used very effectively to improve provision.  The school meets statutory government requirements for safeguarding pupils. Policies and procedures are secure and keep all pupils and staff safe. Safe practices have been developed and improved significantly

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The leadership and management are good

under the current leadership and are now excellent.  The governance of the school:  Governors ensure all their statutory duties are met through the committees they have in place and the regular checks they make on policies and procedures. Through their clear knowledge and effective processes, they support and challenge the school in equal measure. They know how effective teaching is because they ensure that they are well informed by the headteacher, they commission external checks and visit the school to see for themselves. Governors have a clear knowledge and understanding of pupils' performance because they are well informed by the headteacher and check the data carefully themselves. They are involved in the pay review for the headteacher and all teaching staff. They know the thoroughness of the process involved in rewarding good teaching and dealing with less effective teaching.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Behaviour is consistently good and often outstanding. Pupils’ conduct in lessons and around the school is excellent.  Pupils frequently display outstanding attitudes to learning. This is often coupled with high levels of mature discussions of their learning, for example, in Year 6. Pupils are all clear about the school’s learning values such as resilience and perseverance, and incorporate these well into their learning.  Pupils listen carefully in lessons and apply themselves well to their tasks. They work well together and are keen to share their ideas, as well as challenging each other to try more difficult tasks.  The school checks pupils’ behaviour carefully to ensure it does not slip. Pupils are very sure that they all behave well. Sanctions and rewards, as well as the school’s golden rules, have had a significant impact on improving behaviour over time.

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Behaviour

 Pupils willingly take on responsibilities such as being school councillors and have enjoyed raising money for their link school in Uganda. There are house captains, class monitors and reading buddies who carry out their roles successfully.  Pupils are clear about what constitutes bullying, due to activities such as anti-bullying week, anti-bullying training and talks in assemblies. They are also confident that there is no bullying in the school.  Attendance is above average and pupils enjoy coming to school. They particularly enjoy the early morning activities such as time to check their work, and booster groups offering extra support.  Lunch times are calm, well-organised occasions and school meals are healthy. There is also a lunch-time ‘fun club’ for pupils who feel less confident in whole-playground situations.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development extremely well. The school

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Behaviour

values and respects its pupils and provides them with high quality guidance. Assemblies are a significant strength, which provide excellent opportunities for reflection and discussion. There is also a clear focus on valuing learning as well as whole-school values such as respect, courtesy and integrity. There is a strong emphasis on teamwork and on preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  The school provides a safe environment for its pupils. Pupils say that they feel very safe in school, very well cared for and confident of adult support should they have any concerns.  They are clear about how to stay safe when using the internet and are aware of the dangers of all forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying.  Pupils are very knowledgeable about how to stay safe through, for example, cycling proficiency and their roles as junior road safety officers, as well as road safety and stranger danger talks.  Disadvantaged pupils receive excellent care and support. There are effective links with outside agencies and strong support for parents, which they appreciate. This ensures high quality care. Support groups for pupils form an important part of this.  Parents are very happy with the school and are fully confident that behaviour is at least good and their

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching enables pupils to learn well and sometimes very well. Senior leaders have placed a huge focus on improving teaching, particularly at Key Stage 1, which has been successful both in terms of quality and consistency.  Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour that ensure pupils apply themselves effectively in lessons.  Pupils are told exactly what they are expected to learn and how they can extend their learning in all classes. Teachers plan work at the right level, assess the learning taking place within the lesson and accurately plan pupils’ future learning.  Teachers expect pupils to challenge themselves and each other. This was clearly seen in a mathematics lesson in Year 6 where pupils asked each other for more difficult addition sums to see if they could complete them successfully.  Teachers focus well on teaching specific vocabulary and grammar, especially in literacy and numeracy

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The quality of teaching is good

lessons, for example ‘similes’ and ‘embedded clauses’ in literacy lessons.  Teachers make good use of resources and provide interesting and engaging activities that help pupils to learn effectively.  Teachers provide consistently excellent feedback in English and mathematics, which ensures pupils know how well they have done. They also get time to respond fully to the feedback and this helps to move their learning on quickly.  Effective questioning with good follow-up, as well as discussion time for pupils, enables them to wrestle with new ideas and helps to develop their knowledge and understanding.  Teaching assistants make an effective contribution to the learning of pupils, particularly disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. They provide good support that is well tailored to their needs.  Teachers make sure that the most able pupils are challenged in lessons through work that meets their

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The quality of teaching is good

needs. There is a clear expectation that pupils will challenge and extend themselves. Additionally, those pupils expected to achieve Level 6 (a level much higher than that expected for their age) attend local secondary schools for additional tuition.  Effective daily reading sessions develop key skills and promote a love of reading. They are sometimes used very well to as a link between reading and writing sessions, for example in a Year 3/4 session when disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs used their reading activity to prepare them for writing. Most pupils also read regularly at home as well as participating in the reading buddies system at the start of the school day.  There has been an effective focus on improving writing, particularly spelling, punctuation and grammar, without losing pupils’ creativity. Pupils write copiously and with obvious enjoyment, due to the interesting

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The quality of teaching is good

work that is provided for them. However, there are not enough opportunities for them to write in other subjects in the curriculum and this limits the extent of their writing.  Effective teaching of calculations and shape, space and measure as well as clear planning and interesting activities help pupils to learn well in these areas. For example, pupils in Year 1 used the game ‘What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?’ to help them tell the time. It was highly successful because pupils enjoyed the game and therefore concentrated very well. The school has increased its use of practical resources, but is still not providing enough occasions for pupils to apply the mathematical skills they have been taught.. Effective regular teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) ensures all groups receive the appropriate challenge, helping them to learn well. Consequently, it also supports pupils’ reading and writing skills

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The quality of teaching is good

effectively.  Homework provides appropriate consolidation of pupils’ learning through additional reading, spelling, number and topic work.

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is good

 Pupils make good progress from their starting points in their reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 and 2. Senior leaders have worked extremely hard to ensure pupils now achieve well. A huge focus on improving teaching, as well as thorough checks on pupils’ progress, has secured this improvement.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good as a result of very careful checks on their progress and more effective teaching and support within the classroom. Additionally, specific programmes in reading, writing and mathematics meet their needs well and have helped to speed up progress.  Pupils achieved well above the national level in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2014. This was due to effective use of staff, good teaching and a well-planned programme of activities.  The most able pupils achieve well due to regular checks on their progress, extension activities that meet

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is good

their needs and work that challenges them in lessons.  The school has worked very hard to improve mathematics, following a slight dip in performance. The mathematics leader and leaders of year groups have made sure that there is a clear focus on improvement through class lessons, booster groups and early morning mathematics activities. This has ensured that pupils across the school achieve well. However, although improving, there is not yet enough focus on practical problem-solving, and this hinders overall progress.  The attainment of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014 was one term behind that of other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they left. Their attainment was over one term behind that of other pupils in the school, but their progress was similar from lower starting points. The school provides well for these pupils and checks their achievement carefully. It is successfully closing the

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is good

gaps between them and other pupils in the school.  An effective focus on reading and writing ensures all pupils achieve well and enjoy their lessons. The school fosters a love of reading through early morning reading sessions where older pupils read with younger pupils, regular reading at home, competitions and effective use of the school library.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 The early years leader is also the Key Stage 1 leader and is fairly new to the role. She has provided sound advice but has not visited the early years classes regularly enough to monitor provision and ensure that children consistently make good progress.  Within lessons, staff set up an appropriate place for the children to learn both inside and out, and children mainly enjoy the activities that are on offer. However, sometimes a lack of challenge in the activities, an unclear focus on what children are expected to learn and limited planning mean that children are not enabled to do their best.  Children start school with skills and abilities that are typically at or above those expected for their age. Most make at least expected progress so they achieve a good level of development or better by the end of the year. This ensures almost all are ready for entry to Year 1.  Teaching of letters and sounds ensures that children are able to use these skills when reading and writing.

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The early years provision requires improvement

For example, when a group of children were waiting to read with the teacher, they spontaneously started to try to sound out the individual words in the title and were pleased with their success.  Staff make sound checks on how well children are doing. They make notes on the progress that takes place in different areas of learning and keep learning journals that show children’s response to specific tasks. They use this information to ensure that any children falling behind are given the support they need to help them catch up. Additionally, the children have writing books. These show that their writing has improved well over the term.  Children know the routines and mainly respond well to them. They are kind and helpful towards each other and behave well. Staff are vigilant and keep children safe. All policies and procedures are fully in place to ensure a safe place for the children to learn.  Good links with parents are forged from the outset through home visits, visits with their children and their

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The early years provision requires improvement

ongoing contribution to their children’s learning.

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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 116295 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 453664

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tracey Stratton Headteacher Steve Wells Date of previous school inspection 13–14 February 2014 Telephone number 01635 298583 Fax number 01635 298983 Email address s.wells@kingsclere.hants.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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