All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Susannah Daniel Headteacher All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School Brownlow Road Reading Berkshire RG1 6NP

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 7 February 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2012.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

Since your appointment as headteacher two years ago, you have set about making the school a vibrant, welcoming place, where pupils enjoy learning and play a full part in school life. Your school motto of ‘learning with love and laughter’ certainly underpins all that happens within the school. Pupils’ behaviour is commendable; they are friendly, polite, and keen to share their thoughts and feelings about the school. One pupil reported that, ‘The school gives me lots of challenges and these help me to get better at my work.’ Both parents and staff talk positively about how the school has changed under your leadership. I received many positive comments during the inspection. For example, one parent said, ‘The head has been a wonderful influence on school life. She has introduced a number of changes to the school, which have enhanced the children’s educational experience.’

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

You have worked creatively to improve the facilities at the school despite the constraints of being housed in a listed building. Pupils and parents speak enthusiastically about the new library that has recently been created. A complete overhaul of the early years outdoor area now means it can be used all year round. The purchase of climbing equipment has enhanced the provision and is contributing effectively to children’s physical development. Leaders have improved the lunchtime arrangements so that children eat freshly cooked meals at the junior school, eliminating the need to eat in their classroom.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

Governors provide you with effective challenge and support and share your high expectations of both staff and pupils. Leaders know that further work is needed to improve the progress of some groups of pupils, including the most able and most able disadvantaged, particularly in mathematics and writing. Governors are rightly seeking local authority support to ensure that they can help you. Advisers are working with the school and this is already having an impact on the quality of pupils’ writing.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

At the time of the last inspection, leaders were asked to improve the consistency of teaching across the school, communication with parents and checks on pupils’ progress. Improvement in teaching across the school is being sustained as a result of regular training, monitoring and support. Communication is now a strength of the school. Parents commented on how much this has improved and how much they value the weekly newsletter and texts. You have introduced a new assessment system that is updated regularly to track pupils’ progress. Teachers successfully identify pupils who are not making sufficient progress or need to catch up and provide them with extra support.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

You have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. You ensure that staff receive good-quality training, both internally and by external providers such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). Your staff are kept up to date with the latest guidance on keeping children safe. This has helped to increase their understanding of, for example, radicalisation, extremism, and female genital mutilation. Your staff are vigilant and use systems set up within the school effectively to make sure that children and families can access the support they need. Checks on the suitability of staff and all other adults who work in the school part time or as volunteers are carried out diligently. Records of child protection and safeguarding matters are detailed, carefully maintained and stored securely.

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Short inspection of All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School

All staff and parents report that children feel safe and well looked after. Pupils know who to speak to if they have any concerns or worries and know that a member of staff will deal with them quickly.

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Inspection findings

 During the inspection, I focused on whether leaders ensure that the most able pupils, disadvantaged pupils, and the most able disadvantaged make good progress. You have taken some appropriate steps to improve the progress of these groups of pupils including a programme of staff training. You have ensured that in lessons teachers challenge the most able by providing activities that require deeper thinking. Evidence in workbooks shows that pupils are now being challenged at a greater depth, particularly in writing. However, some pupils who find mathematics work too easy are still being held back while they wait for the teacher to explain methods to their classmates before they can start.  The school uses information wisely to set targets for each pupil. Current forecasts are that Year 2 pupils will make good progress from their starting points with at least 45% working at a greater level of depth in reading, and

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Inspection findings

25% in both writing and mathematics. This represents an improvement on previous years.  Another area of focus during the inspection was pupils’ attendance. In 2015 and 2016 the attendance of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities was in the bottom 10% nationally for this group. You showed me compelling evidence of all that leaders have done to reduce absence. For example, you have insisted that pupils attend school whenever possible. You have changed school policy and procedures to support this firm stance. Leaders now insist that if children have medical appointments after 10am, they are brought to school first. Another strategy that is having a positive effect is the awarding of the attendance cup each week to the class with the highest attendance . As a result, attendance for all pupils is improving. Latest figures show that you are now achieving an average daily attendance of 98%.

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Inspection findings

 During the inspection, I also focused on the provision for mathematics, especially for boys, in the early years. This is an area that you had already identified and begun to improve. Changes made to the outdoor space now ensure that the curriculum can be delivered all year round; during my visit I saw boys and girls using mathematical equipment well to improve their learning. Effective provision for mathematics is evident for boys and girls alike through strong adult support, carefully structured questioning and activities which develop, scaffold and extend learning through play.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are routinely given work that challenges them to enable them to progress and achieve their full potential in writing and mathematics.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Oxford, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Reading. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you and three governors, including the chair of the governing body. I held telephone conversations with representatives from the local authority and the Diocese of Oxford. We observed the teaching of phonics and visited all classes and groups in the school. I heard six children read and talked to them about their work and the school. I observed playtime and held conversations with eight pupils. I scrutinised the school’s safeguarding procedures, the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, attendance records and governing body minutes. I took into account nine responses to the staff survey, 22 responses to the pupil survey and 44 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 42 text responses. I also spoke to a number of parents at the beginning of the day.

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