Speen CofE VA School

School report Speen Church of England Voluntary Aided School Flowers Bottom Lane, Speen, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, HP27 0SX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher conveys ambition and high expectations. She and the staff ensure that pupils receive good teaching and achieve well.  Good teaching and pupils’ good achievement have been maintained and built upon since the previous inspection.  Governors are supportive and hold leaders to account. They have a good understanding of the school’s performance.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and their behaviour has been outstanding over time.  Pupils are courteous, friendly, helpful, kind and show consideration and respect for others. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Procedures to ensure that pupils are safe are outstanding. Pupils feel very safe at school.  Pupils’ learning and their personal development are enriched by a wide range of clubs and additional activities.  Good teaching enables all groups of pupils to make good progress.  Children in the early years have a good start to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school life. They make good progress in all areas of learning.  Good progress continues in Years 1 and 2.  During the past few years, attainment by the end of Year 2 has been well above average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons, work is not set at the right level of difficulty for pupils.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to plan and organise their own work and to write extended pieces in subjects other than English.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in all classes. Some lessons were seen jointly with the headteacher. The inspector joined the pupils briefly at a local field study centre on day two of the inspection.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised and the information about their attainment and progress was analysed.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, other staff, a representative from the local authority, the governors and pupils.  The inspector took account of the 28 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View.  Nine questionnaire returns from staff were taken into account.  The inspector examined a range of documents, including school policies, safeguarding procedures and the school’s self-evaluation and improvement planning.

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Inspection team

Derek Watts, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most of the pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The school currently has no pupils eligible for the pupil premium. The pupil premium is additional funding for looked after children and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The very few children in Nursery attend mornings only. The children in Reception attend full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the good teaching in order to raise achievement further, particularly in writing, by:  ensuring that work set is always at the right level of difficulty for different groups of pupils  providing more opportunities for pupils to plan and organise their own work and to write extended pieces in other subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 An experienced and established headteacher conveys ambition and high expectations for the school. The headteacher and staff work well together to ensure that pupils are well taught and that interesting activities are provided so that they can achieve well.  Good teaching and pupils’ good achievement have been maintained and built upon since the previous inspection.  Considerable attention is given to the care and safety of pupils. Safeguarding in the school is highly effective and meets requirements. Pupils are safe at school and well looked after. Leaders and staff establish strong relationships with pupils and ensure that they are very well behaved.  A productive partnership with parents has been established. Parents are supportive and contribute well to their pupils’ learning, particularly in reading. Parents are pleased with the care and education provided for their children especially the sense of enjoyment, safety, homework arrangements and the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strong feature of the school. The headteacher and staff successfully promote values such as compassion, courage, fairness, honesty, respect and responsibility. Pupils develop a good understanding of their own and different faiths. What they are taught prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  The headteacher and staff have a clear view of the school’s strengths and areas in need of improvement. Decisive action is taken to bring about improvements. Pupils’ learning needs are identified and effective guidance and support are provided for those who need it. The development of a new assessment system without National Curriculum levels is at an early stage.  In small schools of this type, a few teachers hold many subject responsibilities. These responsibilities are appropriately distributed. The leadership of English, mathematics, special educational needs and the early

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The leadership and management are good

years is effective. Leaders check performance and improve their areas of responsibility.  The quality of teaching is effectively monitored by the local authority and the headteacher. There are appropriate arrangements for teachers’ performance management. These contribute to the improvement of teaching because targets to improve teachers’ practice are closely linked to pupils’ progress. The headteacher has accurately identified some elements of teaching to be strengthened.  The school provides a broad and interesting range of subjects which promote good achievement for pupils and contribute to their outstanding personal development. The successful implementation of a reading and writing programme has had a positive impact on pupils’ progress in these areas. A wide range of additional clubs and educational visits enriches pupils’ learning experiences. There are good musical opportunities. For example, all pupils in Year 2 learn to play the violin.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary sports grant is used well to develop pupils’ physical and sports skills. An effective sports partnership has been forged with a local secondary school. Visiting coaches and specialist teachers are used well to improve sporting opportunities for the pupils. Good training has increased teachers’ physical education skills. Pupils’ participation in clubs and competitions has increased. They enjoy the activities provided such as: athletics, cricket, karate, street dance and tennis.  All pupils have full access to the learning opportunities provided and the school effectively tackles all forms of discrimination.  The local authority’s school improvement adviser provides good advice, support and challenge. Through regular visits and a recent review, the local authority has a clear overview of how well the school is doing.  The governance of the school:  Governance is effective.  Members of the governing body are supportive and bring a good range of experience and skills to the

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The leadership and management are good

school.  They have an accurate overview of the school’s performance, particularly pupils’ attainment and progress. Governors are fully aware of variation in attainment of different year groups and challenge the leaders to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can.  Discussions with governors reveal that they have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress. They understand requirements relating to the management of staff performance and ensure that promotion and pay increases are based on the progress that pupils make.  Governors make sure that the pupil premium is used effectively and check the impact of the spending on the achievement of pupils for whom it is intended.  They ensure that the school’s safeguarding procedures are robust and fully meet requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  The very positive behaviour of pupils reported in the previous inspection has been maintained.  Pupils come to school eager to learn. They participate very well in the wide range of activities provided. Pupils told the inspector, ‘I love mathematics’, ‘learning the violin is fun’ and ‘there are lots of clubs’.  Behaviour is very positive in lessons, in assembly, around the school and on educational visits. The school’s clear records of incidents indicate that behaviour has been of a high standard over time.  Pupils are courteous, friendly, helpful and show consideration and respect for others. Through assemblies and their studies, they show a good understanding of their own faith. They are developing an appreciation and understanding of other cultures and faiths.  Pupils willingly take on additional responsibilities such as serving on the school council and supporting

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Behaviour

younger ones. They raise funds for a range of local, national and global charities. Pupils understand the importance of helping others who are less well off than themselves.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and they are very well supported by their parents. Attendance levels are above average.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Rigorous and robust attention is paid to safeguarding matters. The headteacher and staff take every possible measure to ensure that all pupils are well cared for, safe and protected.  All the parents who completed the online survey, Parent View, stated that their children are happy at school and feel safe. The pupils themselves told the inspector that they felt safe at school and very well looked after by the staff. These positive views confirm the findings of the inspection.  Pupils demonstrate how to keep themselves safe at school and at home. They show a good understanding of internet and e-safety.  All staff have had recent training in safeguarding and child protection. Appropriate first aid qualifications are held by staff. Regular audits and risk assessments are undertaken by staff and governors to ensure that pupils are safe at school and when on educational visits. The school’s accommodation is safe and

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Safety

secure. The attractive grounds are well maintained. The headteacher and staff ensure that the school is safe and a stimulating place where pupils can learn and flourish.  Records of incidents, discussions with pupils and parents’ responses indicate that there is no bullying in the school. Pupils demonstrate a very clear understanding of bullying and the different forms it can take, including persistent name-calling and cyber bullying. They told the inspector that there was no bullying at the school. They were equally confident that should any bullying occur, it would be quickly sorted out.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is effective and enables all groups of pupils to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils receive good guidance from their teachers. Clear explanations and instructions help pupils to learn well. Questioning is used effectively to explore pupils’ ideas and to check their understanding of new learning.  In most lessons, teachers’ planning is effective in helping to ensure that learning activities are suitably challenging for different groups of pupils. As a result, pupils are engaged in their learning and their interest is sustained. They make good progress in acquiring new knowledge, deepening their understanding of new ideas and applying skills.  In some lessons, work is not set at the right level of difficulty for pupils. When this happens, work can be too easy for some pupils and too difficult for others and learning is not as good as it should be.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well taught and are provided with

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The quality of teaching is good

additional support when required. Learning activities are well suited to pupils’ specific needs so they can make good progress.  The teaching of reading is effective, including the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). Teachers are good role models when reading to pupils. Pupils are given good opportunities to apply their reading skills to find useful information. There are established routines for reading at home. Pupils’ reading habits and progress are carefully checked. The successful home reading approach contributes to the pupils’ often high achievement in reading.  Pupils receive effective demonstration and guidance from teachers in writing. This helps them to improve their writing skills, including punctuation and spelling. However, opportunities are sometimes missed for pupils to write extended pieces in subjects other than English.  In mathematics, teachers effectively promote pupils’ knowledge and understanding of calculation and

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematical operations. Pupils acquire new knowledge and deepen their understanding of mathematical ideas. They are provided with relevant opportunities to apply their numeracy skills to solve problems.  Sometimes in lessons such as science and mathematics, pupils’ learning and their presentation of their work are over directed by the teacher and they do not have the opportunity to plan and organise their own work. For example, pupils are required to complete tables and charts produced by the teacher rather than designing their own.  Homework is used successfully to reinforce and extend what is learned in school. Parents are pleased with the school’s homework arrangements and think it contributes well to their children’s learning at home. In Year 2, pupils applied their reading and writing skills at home well to find interesting facts about nocturnal animals. They produced well-written accounts of badgers, barn owls or bats.

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is good

 Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Attainment can fluctuate by the end of Year 2 because of the relatively small numbers in the year group and variation in attainment on entry of different year groups.  By the end of Year 2, in 2013 and 2014, pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in the current Year 2 are not as high but these pupils have made good progress from their starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress and achieve well. In 2014, the proportion of Year 2 pupils who attained the higher levels was above average, particularly in reading. The most able are usually challenged and extended well in lessons.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they receive effective guidance and support from teachers and teaching assistants.  Most pupils show enthusiasm for reading and make good progress. They demonstrate a clear

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is good

understanding of phonics and the proportion of Year 1 pupils attaining the expected standard in the phonics check in 2013 and 2014 was above average. Pupils show a good understanding of pieces of text and apply their reading skills well to find useful information.  Pupils achieve well in writing. They write for different purposes and their grammar, punctuation and spelling are developing well. Most pupils write with a joined and fluent handwriting by Year 2. Pupils’ writing in English is better than in other subjects. They are not always applying their writing skills to write detailed pieces in areas such as geography and history.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. They acquire essential calculation skills and by the end of Year 2 show a good understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Pupils apply numeracy skills well in solving mathematical problems. For example, in Years 1 and 2, pupils made good progress in

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is good

applying numeracy skills at a local field study centre. They estimated and measured the circumference of different tree trunks and applied a simple formula to calculate the age of the trees.

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is good

 The early years provision is well led and managed by an enthusiastic leader. The setting provides an attractive and stimulating environment where children can learn and thrive. A wide range of exciting indoor and outdoor learning activities is planned and provided.  Positive partnerships have been established with parents who play an active role in their children’s learning. Learning journals provide a clear photographic and annotated record of each child’s achievement and learning experiences.  Children settle quickly into the setting because of good induction arrangements and the strong relationships that adults form with the children. Children are extremely well cared for and feel safe. They make rapid progress in their personal and social development. Children learn and play well with their peers and their behaviour is outstanding.  Children’s attainment on entry to the school varies because numbers in each year are small. The

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is good

proportion of children reaching a good level of development has been below average in recent years, particularly in 2013. Children are now making faster progress in all areas of learning. They are well prepared for Year 1.  High quality teaching contributes to children’s good progress. Strong emphasis is placed on developing early reading and writing skills. Children make good progress in phonics. They articulate the sounds correctly after good modelling from their teacher. Children know that phonics helps their reading and spelling. In writing, children are forming letters correctly. The most able are beginning to write interesting sentences about their friends and events.  In mathematics, children make good gains in working with number and solving basic problems. They recognise and name two-dimensional shapes.  Children are acquiring a good knowledge and understanding of plant life. They carefully examined a range

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is good

of different seeds. They investigated what is needed for broad bean and cress seeds to grow. At the field study centre, they produced clear leaf rubbings. In the classroom, they explored with colours in creating vivid and imaginative flower paintings.

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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 110468 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 448738

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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 Infant School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 42 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Eamonn Barrett Headteacher Denise Nayna Date of previous school inspection 15–16 September 2009 Telephone number 01494 488321 Fax number 01494 488321 Email address office@speen-cofe.bucks.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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