Lambourn C.E. Primary School

Lambourn CofE Primary School Greenways, Lambourn, Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 7LJ

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Successive changes in leadership have prevented the school from maintaining a good standard of education since the previous inspection. Standards have declined and are now too low.  Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not make enough progress in reading, writing or mathematics. Most do not reach the expected standard for their age.  Pupils have weak basic skills. They do not write, spell or punctuate their work as well as they should.  The quality of teaching is inadequate. Teachers do not use assessment information sharply enough to plan pupils’ work. Work is too easy for some pupils and too hard for others.  Leaders have not provided sufficient guidance to teachers on how to improve their skills. Leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching is not rigorous enough.  Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do.  The curriculum is too narrow and does not provide pupils with enough opportunities to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

study subjects in any great depth.  Safeguarding arrangements are not effective. Staff have not received statutory up-to-date training.  The school’s website does not meet statutory requirements.  Some children in the early years do not make the progress they are capable of.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The school has the following strengths  The new headteacher has a clear understanding of what needs to improve. She has brought about stability and has quickly gained the confidence of staff and parents.  Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. Sports funding is used effectively to further enhance pupils’ experiences.  The school grounds provide a stimulating resource for learning and playing.  Governors provide effective support to the relatively new headteacher.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management, by: – making sure that the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe meet requirements – developing the skills and effectiveness of senior and middle leaders – ensuring that the curriculum covers the full range of subjects – ensuring that the school’s website is fully compliant.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and raise achievement, by: – ensuring that teachers make accurate use of assessment information to plan tasks that are well matched to pupils’ starting points, including those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and the most able pupils – raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly in reading and writing – developing teachers’ questioning skills so that they can probe more deeply and extend pupils’ understanding – ensuring that pupils develop basic writing and mathematical skills and apply these

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

confidently when learning other subjects – ensuring that pupils know how to improve their work in accordance with the school’s policy. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The school has been through a period of significant disruption at senior leadership level over the past three years. Despite their best efforts, governors were unable to appoint a suitable candidate for the post of headteacher until February 2017. In the interim period, the school was led by a succession of headteachers, some of whom stayed at the school for a short period of time. Consequently, leaders have not halted the significant decline in standards.  Systems to evaluate school effectiveness are underdeveloped. Some policies are not regularly updated and the new national curriculum is not implemented effectively. Governors do not have the information they need to hold school leaders sufficiently to account.  Leaders have not ensured that the school’s website meets statutory requirements. Key information is missing, including that relating to pupil premium funding and the curriculum.  Since the previous inspection, standards have declined and the quality of teaching has

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

deteriorated. Until very recently, staff were not clear about what was expected. Teachers have not been held sufficiently to account for the progress their pupils make. Staff have not received appropriate training and as a result, their skills are underdeveloped.  The new headteacher has brought about stability and there is a renewed sense of purpose. Staff report that she has provided direction so that they know what they are expected to do. However, some senior leaders have too many responsibilities. In the event of the headteacher’s absence, there is no one who has the capacity to lead the school.  The curriculum is too narrow and there is insufficient coverage of all subjects. For example, pupils in different year groups cover the same ground in history and geography and have too few opportunities to develop their scientific understanding. The curriculum for English and mathematics is not implemented effectively. Pupils do

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

not cover all that is required for their age group. As a result, pupils fail to reach the expected standard by the end of key stage 2.  Leadership of English, mathematics and special educational needs is not effective enough to halt the decline in standards since the previous inspection. Middle leaders do not monitor standards in their subjects rigorously enough. Consequently, pupils are not catching up quickly enough.  The current headteacher has quickly recognised that funding to support disadvantaged pupils is not always targeted at those most in need. Consequently, these pupils were falling behind other pupils nationally with little sign of improvement. Although there has been too little time to demonstrate any improvement, the headteacher has directed funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils receive appropriate support. For example, some of the funding is used to subsidise breakfast club and this has led to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

improved rates of attendance for these pupils.  Sports funding is used to good effect. Pupils have access to a wide variety of sporting activities. They enjoy physical exercise and they take part enthusiastically in lessons. At breaktime and lunchtime they make good use of the extensive grounds to play football or to plan and organise games.  Pupils benefit from the increasing variety of extra-curricular activities. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn to play the steel drums. Some activities help to broaden pupils’ views of the world, gaining insight into others’ faiths and beliefs. Pupils in Year 4 learn about Chinese New Year while in other classes pupils learn about life in Brazil. Such opportunities help to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. However, although British values are promoted through the school’s ethos, these are not promoted well enough in other aspects of the curriculum.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Since joining the school, the headteacher has provided training for staff to help them to improve their work. She has introduced a new marking and assessment policy and makes regular checks of pupils’ books to ensure consistency. The headteacher visits classrooms regularly and provides feedback to staff on the quality of their planning and their work. However, this work is at an early stage and it is too soon to see its impact.  Teachers say that the headteacher has introduced welcome changes. They speak very highly of her work and say that staff morale has improved significantly. Staff feel involved in bringing about changes and have a clear understanding of what the school is aiming to achieve. Teachers have full confidence in the headteacher and appreciate her clarity of purpose and leadership.  Parents have mixed views about the school. While the majority of parents would recommend the school to others, some expressed concerns about the school’s

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

effectiveness. However, parents who spoke to inspectors said that they have noticed a big difference since the arrival of the headteacher. They say that incidents are dealt with quickly and they feel that their concerns are taken seriously.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are experienced and have an accurate view of the school. They have been frustrated at being unable to recruit a substantive headteacher until recently, despite several attempts to do so. They were aware that standards were slipping and had challenged previous leaders.  Governors have quickly established a good working partnership with the new headteacher. Individual governors are attached to classes and they visit the school regularly. They receive regular and up-to-date reports from the headteacher so they have a clear understanding of what the school is aiming to achieve. Governors work with the headteacher to establish the development plan. Actions are tightly focused with clear timescales. Governors are aware that the current leadership structure lacks the capacity to secure rapid school improvement. They are looking for ways to strengthen leadership further.  Governors acknowledge the weaknesses in safeguarding pupils effectively. They take

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Governance of the school

their responsibilities seriously and are planning to rectify the current failings as a matter of urgency.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective. There are gaps in the school’s procedures. Staff have not yet had the most up-to-date training for child protection. Consequently, not all staff are vigilant about checking the identity of visitors to the school. Furthermore, the gates at the entrance to the school are left open for extended periods at lunchtime, providing easy access to the school grounds. Governors and the headteacher are taking rapid and urgent action to remedy this.  Leaders and governors carry out all the required checks on staff, governors and volunteers. Two governors and the headteacher have completed safer recruitment training and ensure that the correct procedures are followed when they recruit new staff.  The headteacher is the designated lead for safeguarding. She is supported by two other members of staff who have been trained, so that there is always at least one

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Safeguarding

safeguarding designated lead in school. All three have received recent and relevant training. There are good relationships with external agencies and this supports the work of the school effectively.  Most staff are clear about what to do should they have concerns about a child. They know the signs to look out for and they know the steps to take to ensure that children get the help that they need in a timely way. However, many have not undertaken statutory training including reading ‘Keeping children safe in education’, 2016, as is required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 The quality of teaching is inadequate. This is because teachers do not use information about what pupils already know when they plan activities. Often, pupils repeat work that they have already completed. Consequently, pupils’ progress is too slow.  Teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils, particularly the most able. They do not assess pupils’ work accurately because, until recently, they have not been held to account for pupils’ progress. Furthermore, teachers do not address pupils’ misconceptions or correct their mistakes consistently.  Teachers do not have a secure understanding of the requirements of the new national curriculum and so work for pupils is not always pitched at the right level. This means that the most able pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities fail to make the progress that they should.  Work does not always build on previous learning and so pupils do not develop skills,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

knowledge and understanding systematically. Pupils do not apply their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects sufficiently well.  Disadvantaged pupils do not always receive the support necessary to develop their confidence and improve their skills. As a result, progress for this group is too slow.  Teachers do not question pupils effectively to deepen their understanding or provide opportunities for them to explain their reasoning in detail. Often, teachers’ questions are too limited. Questions do not explore misconceptions fully. As a result, pupils are not challenged to improve.  Although phonics is taught daily there are too few opportunities for pupils to apply their phonics skills to reading. Pupils’ comprehension skills are underdeveloped. Pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they are capable of.  Writing is not taught sufficiently well to enable pupils to achieve well. Many pupils lack

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

basic skills in spelling, punctuation and handwriting. Teachers do not try to develop pupils’ vocabulary well enough to provide them with the tools needed to write fluently and confidently.  At the beginning of the academic year, leaders introduced a new scheme to teach mathematics. However, teachers do not understand it well enough to be able to adapt it to meet the different learning needs of pupils. Consequently, the most able pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make the progress that they should.  Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to discuss their work and share their ideas. This helps pupils, particularly those who are less confident, to answer questions. In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, a group of pupils used trundle wheels to measure the perimeter of the netball court in preparation for calculating its area. This generated some lively discussion about the need for accuracy when measuring.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Work in pupils’ books shows that they are beginning to take greater care with their work. While presentation overall remains variable, there are encouraging signs of improvement.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. Some pupils feel that some staff do not always listen to them or take their concerns seriously. They do not feel that all staff treat pupils equally.  Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. They know about the dangers associated with modern technology and that it is unwise to give out personal information when using the internet. Pupils have a clear understanding of online bullying but are less clear about other forms of bullying. However, they are confident that bullying is rare. School records support this view.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They say teachers are kind and helpful and will sort out any problems. They say that the headteacher is approachable and will listen to their concerns and help them to resolve issues.  Most pupils treat each other and adults with respect. They listen to one another and

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Personal development and welfare

show maturity when considering alternative points of view. Pupils say that there are few incidents of name-calling and that most adults challenge such behaviour.  Teachers and other adults take the welfare of pupils seriously. They know there are a number of pupils whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable. The family link worker is instrumental in signposting families to the right support before situations escalate.  The breakfast club is very well managed and provides a selection of activities on different days. Pupils particularly enjoy ‘telly Tuesday’. The breakfast club provides pupils with a calm start to the school day.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. A small minority of pupils struggle to manage their behaviour when they are not supervised directly by adults.  When teaching fails to engage pupils, some of them spend time chatting to each other and display low-level disruptive behaviour. This sometimes affects the learning of other pupils. There are times when pupils talk over the teacher and do not listen to what is said.  The headteacher has used assembly time to establish ground rules for pupils’ behaviour. This has led to a new approach that is followed by all staff. As a result, all pupils are aware of the school’s expectations.  Pupils are friendly, helpful and polite. They play well together and mostly move around the school safely and sensibly. Many pupils do respond to teachers’ instructions and need few reminders to settle to work.  The family link worker knows pupils and their families well. Work to improve

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Behaviour

attendance and reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent is having a marked impact. Pupils’ attendance is improving and is broadly average.  The large majority of parents who responded to the online survey or who spoke to inspectors are confident that their children are safe, happy and well cared for in school.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Pupils are not well prepared for their next steps in education because they do not make enough progress in reading, writing or mathematics. In 2016, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 was below average in reading, writing and mathematics and the school did not meet the government’s floor standards.  In 2016, disadvantaged pupils did not achieve as well as their classmates or other pupils nationally. No disadvantaged pupils reached a greater depth in reading, writing or mathematics.  Current pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make the progress they are capable of. This is because tasks are not matched well enough to their individual learning needs.  Very few pupils are working at greater depth in any subject. Tasks often lack sufficient challenge and this slows progress, particularly for the most able pupils.  The proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in phonics is increasing and

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

is now broadly average. However, some pupils do not make sufficiently rapid progress in the development of their early reading skills. Pupils do not use punctuation to help them to read for meaning and with expression.  By the end of key stage 2, pupils have mixed attitudes towards reading. Some read fluently and confidently while others have weak basic skills that prevent them from reading accurately and with good expression.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Children in the Reception class do not all make as much progress as they should. There is a larger than usual number of children in this class and they do not always get the attention they need at the right time. There are times when adults fail to notice when some children are not engaged and this slows children’s progress.  Leaders know the strengths and weaknesses of the early years provision. For example, they are aware that adults’ observations of children vary in quality and consistency. Some adults do not pick up on children’s responses sharply enough. When this is the case, children’s progress slows.  In 2016, the percentage of children reaching a good level of development improved and was above average. Disadvantaged children achieved as well as others, despite having weak communication skills. Many children currently in the Reception class are on track to reach the expectations for their age.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Most children behave well and settle quickly to their activities. Just occasionally, there is some noisy and boisterous behaviour, particularly from boys. Some children become inattentive when they have to wait too long for an adult to help. There are times when some pupils use equipment inappropriately and this can make those children who are less confident feel vulnerable.  Throughout the early years there is a strong emphasis on developing children’s language skills. Adults intervene by asking children questions that make them think. Children develop independence and resilience in completing tasks. Children are adequately prepared for Year 1.  Most children settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception classes. They are welcomed into a bright and stimulating environment in which they feel safe and secure. Adults provide good care to help children to build their confidence. Children get on well

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Early years provision Requires improvement

together and enjoy learning and playing alongside each other. They share and take turns and are developing a sound consideration of the thoughts and feelings of other children.  There is an appropriate balance of activities indoors and outside. Both areas are well equipped with good-quality resources in a spacious environment. Both the Nursery and Reception staff are vigilant about safety. They ensure that all doors are locked promptly and that only named adults collect children from school. Three members of staff have up-to-date paediatric first aid certificates.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address headteacher@lambourn.w-berks.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 January 2013

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection there have been five different headteachers. The last headteacher acted in an executive capacity with responsibility for two separate schools. The current headteacher joined the school in January 2017 and was appointed as substantive headteacher in February this year.  A head of school was appointed in September 2016 but left after a short time. There are two acting deputy headteachers. One is currently absent.  Since the previous inspection, governors and school leaders managed a substantial building project to provide accommodation for children in the early years and key stage 1.  The school is an average-sized primary school. The early years comprise Nursery and Reception classes. There are breakfast and after-school clubs for pupils.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ learning and progress.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the content of the curriculum in each year group and there is no information about the impact of pupil premium funding. There is no information on the website regarding pupils’ progress and attainment in 2016 or a link to the Department for Education website for comparative performance information.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 11 lessons or parts of lessons. In some classroom visits, inspectors were accompanied by the headteacher. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms and throughout the school day. They looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils reading in Year 2 and Year 6.  Meetings were held with three governors, school leaders, teachers and groups of pupils. Inspectors also spoke informally with pupils during the inspection. A telephone discussion took place with a representative from the local authority.  Among the documents scrutinised were school improvement plans, pupils’ assessment information and records relating to staff performance. Inspectors also looked at attendance information as well as information regarding pupils’ behaviour and safety.  The views of parents were taken into account by analysing 34 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and by speaking to parents during the inspection. There were no

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Information about this inspection

responses to the staff survey or the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Ashcroft Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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