Twyford C of E School

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

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Mrs Judith Foster Headteacher Twyford CofE School Church Street Twyford Buckingham Buckinghamshire MK18 4EU

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Following my visit to the school on 14 September 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 July 2013.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE 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 Twyford CofE School

You provide calm and insightful leadership and know your school, pupils and families exceptionally well. You are assisted ably by your acting assistant headteacher. Together, you use your accurate evaluation of the school’s effectiveness to prioritise development plans to improve outcomes for pupils. Teachers and other staff feel valued and respected, and they work determinedly to serve the school community to a high standard. Your diligence and hard work in leading Twyford Church of England School has ensured that a good standard of education has been sustained.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Pupils enjoy learning at Twyford. They talked enthusiastically about lessons and the wide range of sporting clubs and activities in which they participate. Pupils like the educational trips and visits that support teaching, and talked about how visiting Warwick Castle, and a nearby ‘rainforest’ centre had made their curriculum learning ‘exciting and fun’. Pupils were unanimous that the school is friendly and caring. For example, one pupil stated, ‘If anyone is ever lonely at breaktimes they can sit on the ‘buddy bench’ and someone will always come and play with you.’

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Twyford Church of England School is valued highly by parents. They appreciate the effective communication between home and school, and the commitment of staff in supporting their children. As one parent commented: ‘It is a lovely, gentle school, and the children are really happy. All the staff are so friendly and approachable. Nothing is ever too much trouble.’

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Leaders have addressed successfully the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Most-able pupils are challenged appropriately in English and mathematics. For example, teaching now incorporates several strategies to ensure that pupils complete additional, more difficult, tasks. The feedback pupils receive has also been improved. Teaching ensures that pupils know readily what they need to do next to improve their work.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

You have ensured that teaching is good throughout the school. However, currently, a few pupils are not making rapid and sustained improvement in their writing. Rightly, you have analysed carefully the teaching in this area and are adapting provision accordingly. This remains an important area for ongoing school improvement. Similarly, some pupils’ cultural understanding of different faiths and religions is not yet secure. For example, they were not able to speak confidently about the traditions of faiths other than Christianity. As a result, leaders have more work to do to ensure that pupils are robustly prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Current pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are making consistently good progress in a range of subjects including English and mathematics. Most pupils in the early years achieve a good level of development. The majority of pupils typically secure the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1. The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are making good progress across the curriculum.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

You have created a strong safeguarding culture throughout the school. For example, when employing staff you ensure that all appropriate recruitment checks are made, and recorded accurately on the school’s single central record. When necessary, you work effectively with other child-protection professionals from the local authority. Your diligence and determined actions help to keep children safe.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

Staff are well informed about safeguarding because timely, appropriate training is an integral part of staff development. For instance, staff have been trained recently in awareness of female genital mutilation and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff know their responsibilities to keep children safe and know what actions to take to keep children from harm.

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Short inspection of Twyford CofE School

You provide a range of successful opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. The local police visit often and teach pupils effectively about stranger danger. Pupils have a good knowledge of e-safety and, for example, know not to share personal information online. You have ensured that pupils are confident to talk to any member of staff should they have a worry or concern.

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Inspection findings

 During the inspection, we focused on how effectively leaders ensure that pupils’ writing skills are developed well. We also scrutinised leaders’ actions to ensure that pupils in key stage 1 make good progress in mathematics. Finally, we evaluated leaders’ work in ensuring that the most able pupils are challenged effectively.  You ensure that pupils develop good writing skills in key stage 1. For example, in Years 1 and 2, pupils were developing successfully a firm understanding of chronology by retelling the story of the ‘Three little pigs’. Pupils were able to order accurately the events of the story, and used this knowledge to plan their writing well.  The teaching of writing is typically good throughout the school. For instance, in Year 5 pupils were learning about abstract nouns and exploring ways to use and apply complex grammar in their written work. However, a few pupils are not yet making enough progress in writing. You are taking positive actions to address

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Inspection findings

this, but your work is still in its early stages.  In key stage 1 mathematics, teachers are successful in tackling pupils’ misconceptions. For instance, they use good questioning skills to assess what pupils do and do not know. Importantly, where pupils’ learning is not secure, teachers provide precise explanations that strengthen pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  The support from teaching assistants helps pupils to learn well. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson skilful guidance and questioning from the teaching assistant enabled pupils to gain a stronger understanding of place value than previously.  You ensure that the most able pupils receive additional challenge to make rapid progress. For instance, the ‘Writing Wizards’ club provides the most able writers with additional teaching that helps develop their writing skills. With extra teaching from the literacy coordinator, pupils produce a school newsletter that

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Inspection findings

successfully extends their skill in writing non-fiction reports.  The most able pupils are set routinely challenging mathematics tasks. In Year 6, pupils calculated the angles created by joining the internal vertices of a pentagon to make a star. Pupils grappled with the task and many were able to apply correctly their prior learning of geometry to solve the puzzle.  Some pupils did not have a secure cultural understanding of faiths other than Christianity. For example, a few did not know where people of different faiths worship, or why some ethnic groups wear traditional dress. Leaders are aware that more needs to be done to develop this important aspect of preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.

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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

 outcomes in writing continue to improve  pupils develop an excellent cultural knowledge and understanding of different faiths and religions that prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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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 Buckinghamshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

Together with you, I observed learning across key stage 1 and key stage 2. I spoke to pupils and examined work in their exercise books. Meetings were held with senior leaders, including the headteacher and the acting assistant headteacher. I met with two governors, including the vice-chair of the governing body. I took into account 34 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I also analysed 30 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, and 10 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. A range of documents was reviewed, including: the school’s development plan; leaders’ evaluation of the school’s effectiveness; the school’s single central record of recruitment checks made on staff; information about pupils’ achievement; records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance; and minutes of governing body meetings.

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