King's Court First School

King's Court First School Ashbrook Road, Old Windsor, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 2NE

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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

 The headteacher provides strong leadership and her influence in sustaining high standards is recognised by staff and governors. They share her determination that pupils will achieve well and enjoy their experience of school.  Consistently good or outstanding teaching ensures that pupils make good progress, achieving well in reading, writing and mathematics.  From starting points that are typical for their age, pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics exceeds national averages by the time pupils leave to move on to middle school.  Parents are complimentary about the school and its leadership. The welcome they receive when their children start school helps them to support their children's learning well.  Governors are committed and support the school very effectively. They carry out their statutory duties efficiently and are actively involved in the day-to-day running of the school.  Children in the early years make good progress

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

from their different starting points.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Adults set excellent examples of conduct and pupils respond by showing considerable respect and consideration for each other. Attendance has improved and now matches the national average.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although children’s learning experience in the early years is good, the outside area is not welcoming or stimulating. Consequently, it does not support learning as well as it might.  Teachers’ marking and feedback do not always help pupils to take the next steps which they need in order to improve their progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 16 lessons or parts of lessons. They also saw individuals and small groups working with teaching assistants.  During the inspection, inspectors saw an assembly linked to World Book Day, various sports activities and a dance session with a French theme.  Discussions took place with the headteacher and her deputy, a group of governors, subject leaders, other members of staff and pupils.  Inspectors took account of 69 responses to the Parent View on-line questionnaire. They also talked informally to parents and took account of 16 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors gathered information from the school’s website. They reviewed a range of policies, together with other documents. They examined the school’s improvement plan, safeguarding policies, and information about pupils’ progress and attendance.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and books, as well as discussing it with a group of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

Pupils in Years 2 and 4 read to inspectors, talked about their reading and showed their reading records.

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Inspection team

John Worgan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 King’s Court is an average-sized first school.  Most pupils are White British and the rest are from a variety of ethnic groups.  Fewer pupils than average speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. This is additional government funding to support those pupils eligible for school meals and those in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The early years provision consists of two part-time Nursery classes and two full-time Reception classes.  Pupils transfer to middle school at the end of Year 4.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In the early years, improve children’s learning experience and achievement by creating a welcoming and stimulating outdoor environment with a range of opportunities to extend their learning.  Accelerate pupils' achievement by improving the quality of marking and feedback by:  giving pupils specific tasks in mathematics and English which will enable them to take the next step in improving their work  correcting errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar so that pupils can avoid repeating them.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents, staff, governors and the local authority recognise the leadership of the headteacher as a key influence in sustaining high standards and inspiring improvements in the quality of teaching. The staff share her ambition and there is a strong ethos of teamwork. She has managed difficult staffing situations sensitively so as not to adversely affect pupils.  Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds are valued and achieve well. Additional funding is used effectively to ensure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils are addressed. The gap between their progress and that of their classmates is closing.  Leaders make sure assessment is thorough and check that teachers review and record pupils’ progress frequently. The recently introduced computer-based assessment system enables teachers to record progress regularly and accurately against the new national curriculum criteria, allowing them to analyse

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The leadership and management are good

the progress of different groups.  All staff have clear targets which include pupil progress and priorities for raising achievement. Professional development relates to these targets and staff say that they find the management of their performance supportive and helpful.  Subject leadership is strong. Subject leaders are experienced and share their expertise willingly and effectively, which improves the quality of teaching. The subject leader for mathematics is a leading teacher for the local authority and also plays a key role in moderating assessments across schools. The literacy leader has led a number of effective initiatives, including raising the standard of boys’ writing.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. The school has planned effectively for the introduction of the new national curriculum. Subject leaders are monitoring teaching effectively to ensure that it is delivered well.  The school liaises well with outside agencies. Children are very well prepared when they join the school

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The leadership and management are good

and parents speak highly of the pack of materials which they receive which helps them take the first steps in their learning.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They experience a range of cultural activities. During the inspection an assembly focused on World Book Day and older pupils greatly enjoyed reading to younger ones. Country dancing was accompanied by chanting in French. Spiritual needs are well catered for through assemblies, visits and themes in the curriculum. Moral values are strong; the school does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.  All safeguarding requirements are met. Policies are clear and are followed carefully. Pupils are safe and know how to keep themselves safe. The school site is secure and effective safety arrangements are checked regularly by staff and governors.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has recently been reorganised and has a full complement of governors with an

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The leadership and management are good

appropriate range of skills.  Governors share the headteacher’s ambition. They support her drive to raise achievement and to improve the quality of teaching. They are aware of information on how well the school and pupils are performing and of the way in which it is used to set targets based on pupils’ achievement.  Governors monitor the process whereby leaders review teachers’ performance and ensure that pay increases link to performance.  Governors take a close interest in the programmes for which additional funding is allocated and ensure that funds are used effectively.  Parents are consulted regularly and governors conduct surveys of their views, feeding back results to staff and parents. For example, parents’ views on homework support the school’s policy of fortnightly project work. The website provides a valuable communication channel.  Safeguarding procedures are monitored regularly. Governors ensure that policies are comprehensive,

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are courteous to adults and they respect each other. Most parents who responded to Parent View feel that pupils are well behaved.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good and at times better when pupils support each other’s learning in pairs or groups. Occasionally, standards of behaviour slip because teaching does not fully engage pupils’ interests. In discussion, pupils said poor behaviour rarely disrupts lessons. When pupils misbehave, the problem is dealt with swiftly so that learning can resume.  At breaks and lunchtimes, pupils behave well and supervisors ensure that they are safe and can play together harmoniously. In the dining hall they display good table manners. Pupils spoke confidently to inspectors about their experiences of school and the way in which they had been prepared for moving to their next school.  Behaviour is well managed and policies observed consistently. Expectations are clear and pupils are

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Behaviour

corrected quickly and sympathetically if they fall below expected standards of behaviour. When pupils enter the school, they are successfully encouraged to manage their own behaviour and to work and play together so that they achieve well.  Older pupils take on responsibility readily. They were particularly proud of helping younger pupils with their reading.  Attendance is improving and matches national averages. Due to effective action by the school, few pupils are regularly absent, other than for significant medical problems.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and behave safely. The school ensures that safety is a key element in the curriculum.  There is very little bullying and incidents which occur are dealt with swiftly. Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying and know how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. The vast majority of parents say that any bullying which occurs, the school deals with effectively.  Pupils say that they feel safe and happy in school. They are confident that someone will listen to them and help them when they have problems or worries. Parents who responded to Parent View confirmed this and those who spoke informally to inspectors were highly complimentary about the school’s standards of care.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good quality teaching helps pupils to make good progress and to achieve well. Expectations are high and tasks and activities well matched to pupils’ needs and abilities.  Literacy skills are taught effectively throughout the school. Pupils make good progress in reading and writing skills are of a high standard, although boys’ writing has yet to match the quality of girls’. The school is aware of this and a range of initiatives is encouraging boys to write more extensively and with greater confidence.  Pupils enjoy reading and read well. Parents are involved in encouraging and supporting reading. All parents receive an induction pack before their children start school. This is effective in enabling parents to help to prepare children for the first steps in reading and writing well. Reading records are thorough and, as they get older, pupils are encouraged to keep their own journal, developing their independence and

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The quality of teaching is good

ability to evaluate the books they read.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds which letters make) is of a high standard. Pupils are able to decode unfamiliar words using phonics confidently as a result.  Mathematics is well taught and older pupils are able to use a variety of strategies to solve problems, demonstrating mastery of mathematical skills and concepts, as required by the new national curriculum. Younger pupils are encouraged to develop mathematical language from an early age. For example, children in the early years successfully produce number sentences and practise estimation.  Homework is set regularly and pupils say that they enjoy completing the fortnightly extended homework tasks. These often produce examples of imaginative and well-presented work as a result of the initiative.  Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together. They undertake planning jointly so that teaching assistants work effectively with pupils of all abilities. Subject leaders provide good support and

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The quality of teaching is good

guidance where teaching is less strong, ensuring that the quality of teaching is improving.  As a result of good teaching, careful assessment of their needs and appropriate support, disabled pupils and those who have special needs make good progress.  Work is marked thoroughly, but comments are mainly confined to praise or encouragement. Few books provide examples of where pupils were given practical guidance on how to take the next step in their learning. Staff do not always correct repeated errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar, hindering pupils' progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils enter the school with skills and abilities expected for their age. They make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, exceeding national average figures by the end of Year 2. When pupils leave the school at the end of Year 4, although there are no national figures for comparison, school assessments show they have made good progress. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Standards of writing are good. Progress is impressive in the early years and this is sustained throughout the school. Results at the end of Year 2 are well above national averages. By the end of Year 4, most pupils are writing confidently and accurately, with imagination and good style.  Achievement in reading is strong. Good teaching of phonics ensures that all pupils receive the skills to make good progress in reading. Weaker readers get help and support individually and in small groups, so

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The achievement of pupils is good

that they gain in confidence and catch up with others. The results in the national phonic check are well above the national average and confirm that pupils make a good start in learning to read. Results at the end of Year 2 confirm that this good progress is sustained.  Pupils achieve well in mathematics. The use of practical equipment and the introduction of sound calculation practice ensure that pupils have a good foundation on which to build their mathematics skills. Careful planning ensures that the needs of different groups of pupils are met and the most-able pupils are encouraged to take on challenging tasks.  At the end of Key Stage 1 in 2014, disadvantaged pupils’ achievement was one term behind similar pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Their needs are well catered for. By the end of Year 4, school information shows that they have matched national figures in terms of progress, but are still behind

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The achievement of pupils is good

others in the school. The school is aware of this and is using resources effectively to support these pupils, so that the gap between them and other pupils in the school is closing.  Careful assessment ensures that pupils with special needs and disabilities are identified early. They receive targeted support from an early stage, ensuring that obstacles to learning, such as speech and language difficulties, are addressed. Needs are reviewed regularly, enabling pupils to make good progress as they move up through the school.  The most-able pupils are making good progress in mathematics and reading, and especially in writing. This is because they are given stimulating and challenging tasks, and have a number of opportunities to extend their skills. For example, as reporters they produced a section of the school newsletter which is circulated to parents through the school website.  Although good overall, there are still some slight variations in the progress made by different groups. The

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The achievement of pupils is good

school is aware of these and working hard to close these gaps. Actions taken by the school in these areas are beginning to have an impact on raising achievement further.

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The early years provision is good

 Children’s knowledge and skills when the children enter the school are typical for their age. They make good progress from their different starting points. Good teaching enables them to develop the skills which they need in order to learn and to work together.  Children in the Nursery make good progress. They spend part of the day working with older children. This helps them to develop the skills and confidence to cope well with the greater demands as they move up through the school.  By the end of the Reception Year, children are well equipped to sustain their progress in Year 1.  Leadership is good and the early years provision is well managed. The team of teachers and teaching assistants works effectively together. Assessment is accurate and has been checked by the local authority.  Links with parents are particularly strong. In the summer term, before the children arrive, parents visit the

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The early years provision is good

school and receive an induction pack with a range of materials designed to prepare their child for starting school. Parents receive guidance in using this pack. They speak enthusiastically about the way in which it had helped them ease the transition as their children joined the school and the positive impact which it has made on their learning.  Children have a wide range of opportunities to practise reading and writing, with the most-able children capable of composing sentences, including adjectives. Reading is above average by the end of the Reception Year.  Children enjoy activities which plan to engage their interests. In a session themed on the Chinese New Year, children were producing images of dragons, listening to Chinese music and then attempting to emulate the sounds.  Children enjoy working and playing together with friends. One group, playing the role of fire fighters, worked together successfully as a team to extinguish an imaginary fire.

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The early years provision is good

 The classes are organised so that children can work in different groups at different times, depending on their needs and abilities. This is carefully planned and older children benefit from more formal teaching at times, while mixing with younger ones for other activities. Although there are occasions when children can choose activities, the outdoor area is less stimulating than the interior of the early years centre; consequently, few choose to use it when they have a choice.

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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 109827 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 448406

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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 3–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 254 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Neil Dodds Headteacher Karen Littlewood Date of previous school inspection 20–21 January 2010 Telephone number 01753 866272 Fax number 01753 832385 Email address kingscourt@rbwm.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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