Radnage Church of England Primary School

School report Radnage Church of England Primary School City Road, Radnage, High Wycombe, HP14 4DW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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, staff and governors have worked hard to form a school where pupils are happy and feel special.  School leaders have ensured that teaching continues to improve despite some turbulence during the school’s expansion since the last inspection. All groups of pupils make good progress.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above average and improving.  Pupils show lots of care for each other. The school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is reflected well in pupils’ good behaviour.  Pupils feel safe in the school.  Children get a good start in the early years provision and make good progress.  Teaching is consistently good. Teaching assistants support pupils’ learning well. Teachers keep close checks on learning, addressing pupils’ errors quickly.  The curriculum is rich and caters for the needs and interests of pupils. It strongly motivates them. This

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

is reflected in above average attendance, as they enjoy coming to school.  Governors carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively and hold leaders to account well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Sometimes the work given to the most-able pupils is too easy.  Marking in mathematics does not always give pupils clear next steps in their learning.  A few staff do not have the relevant skills to support pupils who are just learning to read.  The school development plan does not have specific enough information for governors to evaluate the effectiveness of improvements.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in all classes. Most of these were jointly observed with the headteacher.  The inspector looked at a variety of work in pupils’ books with the headteacher. A whole-school assembly was also seen.  The inspector listened to pupils reading in Years 1, 2 and 4.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, groups of pupils, staff with leadership responsibilities, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the Diocese.  The inspector looked at a number of documents, including leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching, minutes of the governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and documents relating to behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and child protection.  The inspector took account of 60 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. The inspector also considered the 13 questionnaires responded to by staff.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. It became a primary school at the beginning of September 2013 and at that point expanded its intake. A number of its pupils joined the school in older year groups.  The early years provision is made up of a part-time morning Nursery mixed with a full-time Reception class.  There is a mixed class in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 and 4. There are currently no classes in Years 5 and 6.  The headteacher has a teaching commitment of two-and-a-half days per week.  There have been significant changes to the membership of the governing body.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority)

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Information about this school

is well below average. The numbers are too small to allow for valid comparisons with other pupils both in the school and nationally.  The school works closely with Ibstone Church of England Infants School and Mary Towerton Infants School.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more is outstanding by ensuring that: – activities sufficiently challenge the most-able pupils – teachers’ marking in mathematics gives pupils clear next steps as to how they can improve their learning and that pupils’ responses are always checked and followed up – all staff have the relevant skills needed to teach those pupils who are at the early stages of reading.  Ensure that the school development plan identifies when certain targets should be achieved so that governors can use these to monitor the school’s progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, staff and governors have high expectations for all the pupils. This is demonstrated as part of the school’s core values that encourage pupils to ‘reach for the stars.’ The headteacher and governors are fully backed by a team of dedicated and committed staff. Together they have successfully established a welcoming, caring and inclusive school that is at the heart of its small community. They have created a school where pupils are happy and behaviour and teaching are good. Pupils say that being in a small school like this makes them feel special because all of the staff know them well. As a result attendance is very good, cooperative behaviour flourishes and pupils achieve well.  The quality of teaching is monitored rigorously by the headteacher and subject leaders. They use a wide range of methods that include scrutinising pupils’ work, making short visits to lessons and talking to pupils

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The leadership and management are good

about their learning. All teachers have challenging targets that are part of their performance evaluation. They visit other schools to see best practice and have attended courses that are relevant to their roles. All of this contributes to the improvements in teaching.  Subject leaders are effective in their roles. They contribute well in keeping staff updated in their particular subjects. Through informal and formal discussions with staff, they have a good overview on the strengths and areas for development for their areas of responsibility.  The school’s evaluation of its own performance is thorough and accurate. The school development plan includes the right priorities. However, it does not show what the expectations of pupils’ progress will be as a result of any action taken. There are no timescales by which certain aims will be achieved for governors to use so that they can check how well the school is doing. Governors are aware of this and have

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The leadership and management are good

requested that these changes are included in the school development plan.  The pupil premium is used well to close the attainment gap between the few disadvantaged pupils and other pupils. Staff are deployed well to address this. School leaders and governors continually keep close checks on the difference that the pupil premium is making. This shows the school’s commitment to promoting equality of opportunity for all its pupils and to eliminating any discrimination.  The curriculum is rich, broad and balanced and excites pupils. It strongly promotes British values and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 had to vote on which charity they were going to support. This helped to develop their understanding of democracy. The curriculum helps pupils to gain a wider understanding of the local and wider environment. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 use the local woods to develop their map skills. They visit a nearby farm to gain a

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The leadership and management are good

better understanding of where food comes from. However, the curriculum does not always provide enough challenge for the most-able pupils.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strongly promoted throughout all of the school’s work. It is reflected well through the way all pupils show high levels of respect for each other. The school focuses on a core value every month and during the inspection it was ‘caring’. This was seen where pupils in Years 3 and 4 organised a successful sponsored run and raised money for their charity. Younger pupils were highly engaged in looking at how to care for their environment.  The primary physical education and sport premium is being used to train teachers so that they are more confident in teaching physical education. Pupils have access to a variety of sport such as tag rugby, cheerleading and street dancing. The funding has enabled more pupils to take part in a wide range of

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The leadership and management are good

competitions with other schools.  The school fosters strong relationships with parents. School leaders provide workshops that show how parents can support their children with mathematics and reading. Governors provide regular updates for parents on the website. The high response from the online questionnaire shows that almost all parents would recommend the school to another parent.  The local authority and the Diocese both give effective support. For example, they provide challenge and help for the school with a variety of issues, particularly in relation to its expansion. They have helped the school to make links with three other local schools so they can work collaboratively to keep improving.  Safeguarding arrangements are rigorous, effective and meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  The governors are highly involved in the strategic direction of the school, especially with planning for

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The leadership and management are good

expansion. All new governors have had a thorough induction. As a result, all governors have a clear understanding about their roles and responsibilities and conduct. Each governor is linked to an aspect of school development so they are clear as to what to look for when they visit the school to monitor its work. Governors have had lots of training and are very confident in using the different types of data to measure the school’s performance. They use this information well to ask challenging questions and hold all leaders to account. They have a good understanding of the quality of teaching throughout the school.  Governors ensure that any rewards to teachers’ salary are linked to pupils’ outcomes and that their targets are challenging. They have systems in place to tackle any underperformance but have not had to use them.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They conduct themselves well as they move around the school. At breaks and lunchtimes they enjoy playing sensibly with each other. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in the dining hall while they eat their lunch.  All pupils take pride in wearing their uniform and in helping to keep the building clean.  Pupils say that being in a small school is a big advantage because they know everyone.  There is very little recorded documentation about misbehaviour. This is because pupils mostly behave well at school and all staff manage any challenging behaviour well.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning. In lessons pupils share their ideas in a mature way.  Pupils take their responsibilities seriously. This includes helping out at lunchtimes, gently reminding others of the school rules, and giving out letters at the end of the day. Pupils perform and sing to the elderly in

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Behaviour

the community and deliver boxes of food to them.  Pupils, staff and parents agree that pupils behave well. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because where most-able pupils are given work that is too easy for them they do not concentrate as well as they might.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils spoken to say they feel safe in all areas of the school.  The fire drill procedures and risk assessments are up to date which helps to ensure pupils are safe in school. All visitors that come into the school are checked and monitored well.  Any safeguarding concerns about a child are shared immediately with the relevant authority and followed up properly. This ensures the school does its best to protect its pupils from further harm. All staff have had the relevant child protection training and this is all up to date.  Pupils understand the different types of bullying. They say that it rarely happens and if it did they would be confident that all of the adults would sort it out. There is no use of any form of derogatory language. All pupils regardless of their background, ethnicity and religion say that the school makes them feel special.

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Safety

 The school helps pupils to understand how to keep safe, particularly when crossing the road. Older pupils have a better understanding on how to keep themselves safe when using the internet.  Pupils love coming to school. This is reflected in the above average attendance. There are no pupils that are persistently absent.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is consistently good across the school and continues to improve. As a result pupils make good progress in all subjects.  Teaching assistants provide effective support to pupils in lessons, in small groups and when they are supporting them on an individual basis.  Teachers and teaching assistants constantly check pupils’ learning in lessons and are able to pick up any misconceptions quickly. However, some of the activities given to the most-able pupils are sometimes too easy and they finish them quickly. Teachers are starting to address this by introducing pupils to different types of challenges but this is not yet fully secure.  Mathematics is taught well. Teachers’ good subject knowledge fosters pupils’ understanding of new concepts in mathematics. Teachers’ effective use of questioning enables pupils to explain reasons for their thinking. Relevant and useful resources are readily available for pupils to use whenever they need it,

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The quality of teaching is good

particularly when they are trying to solve problems. Good use is made of the displays around the classrooms to support pupils’ understanding.  The teaching of writing is effective as pupils have developed a good stamina for writing at length. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to write for a real purpose in all subjects. The older pupils have produced some of their own interesting books that use a range of adventurous and ambitious vocabulary.  The quality of the teaching of reading varies throughout the school. This is because some staff do not say the sounds linked to letters accurately and so are not able to correct pupils’ mistakes in phonics. Consequently, those pupils who are at the early stages of reading do not always have the skills needed to help them to work out unfamiliar words. However, the majority of staff encourage pupils to read well confidently. Teachers help them to develop more advanced reading skills including understanding the

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The quality of teaching is good

meanings inferred in the texts.  Work in pupils’ books shows that marking is up to date and regular. Marking is stronger in the pupils’ literacy books when compared to their numeracy books. This is because the marking in the mathematics books does not always give pupils clear next steps on how they can improve their work. Sometimes, pupils’ responses are not always checked and followed up sufficiently.

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is good

 Pupils make good progess in all subjects and in all year groups in the school. Their overall attainment is above average and has improved over the last three years.  In 2014, at the end of Year 2, attainment in writing and mathematics was above average. This has improved over the past three years because of good teaching and because teachers help pupils to discuss and clearly sort out their ideas before they write them down.  The attainment of reading was above average in 2014 and had improved on 2013. The results from the phonics screening check for pupils in Year 1 were well above average in 2013 and fell to being broadly average in 2014. This is because some staff did not have the relevant skills to teach phonics, particularly for those who are at the early stages of reading. School leaders are aware of this and have already put plans in place to address it. However, pupils who are more confident enjoy reading regularly for pleasure.

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is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. Their needs are quickly identified at an early stage. The school provides good quality support, particularly from teaching assistants. School leaders keep close checks on the impact of the support to ensure it meets these pupils’ needs. They work closely with parents and external agencies when needed.  The proportion of most-able pupils reaching the highest available levels at the end of Year 2 in 2014 was above average in all subjects. However, some of the most-able pupils are not always given appropriate levels of challenge and this slows progress.  The very few disadvantaged pupils, some of whom have special educational needs, make good rates of progress, similar to other pupils in their year groups. The gaps in the different year groups between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school are very narrow or have closed. There are too few

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is good

disadvantaged pupils to make valid comparisons with the attainment and progress of other pupils in the school or other pupils nationally.

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is good

 Children currently in the early years are making better and faster progress than children last year. A greater proportion are on track to achieve a good level of development this year. The numbers in the cohort are small and their starting points vary from year to year. The large majority of children currently in Reception are on track to be well prepared for Year 1.  Leadership and management of the early years are good. Leaders have a good overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. Parents are made to feel welcome. Leaders ensure that parents are kept informed of their children’s progress. There is good communication between the home and school.  Teaching is good over time. Planning takes into account children’s interests. For example, the topic at the moment is ‘growing’. This is because they are all fascinated by the different plants that they are growing. Children love role playing in their own garden centre outside. They are intrigued with the growth of their

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is good

plants and constantly water and measure them. However, some of the activities for the most-able pupils are not always challenging enough to extend their thinking skills.  Children have strong, positive relationships with each other and all adults. They play well together for lengthy peiods of time. Behaviour is consistently good. For example, children line up sensibly to go to lunch.  Children show that they feel safe as they are confident and relaxed in exploring the different parts of the early years provision.

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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 110467 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 453778

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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 aided Age range of pupils 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 69 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Keith Mathews Headteacher Elizabeth Ramm Date of previous school inspection 13–14 September 2010 Telephone number 01494 482167 Fax number 01494 482167 Email address office@radnage.bucks.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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