Winkfield St Mary's CofE Primary School

Winkfield St Mary’s CofE Primary School Winkfield Row, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 6NH

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have worked relentlessly to successfully improve standards since the previous inspection. They have established a culture of high expectations. Their actions are ensuring that children make good progress in English and mathematics.  Governors challenge and support leaders effectively. They know the school well and check that leaders’ actions are improving the quality of teaching and learning.  Teachers are extremely proud to work at the school. They are positive about the support that they have received to improve their skills in the teaching of English and mathematics.  Teachers ask probing questions to check pupils’ understanding and develop pupils’ reasoning skills.  Teachers use their subject knowledge to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, sometimes teachers do not provide tasks that challenge the most able pupils sufficiently.  Leaders and governors recognise the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is less well developed. This means that pupils cannot develop a range of subject- specific knowledge and skills. Leaders acknowledge that more work is needed to improve the wider curriculum.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Through lessons and assemblies, pupils talk about how they can show respect for one another.  Pupils behave extremely well in lessons and around the school. Their behaviour reflects the school’s values of respect, excellence, awareness, courage and honesty (REACH).  Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are making better progress than their peers. This is because leaders ensure that these pupils receive the quality of teaching and support that meets their needs.  Leaders provide a range of learning experiences for children in the early years that

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

ensure that children make good progress from their starting points. However, activities in the outdoor area do not always extend children’s learning well enough.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the curriculum provides pupils with sufficient opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in all subjects.  Set work which consistently challenges the most able pupils and stretches them to achieve well so that and increased proportion achieve at the higher standard.  Develop provision in the early years outdoor area so that activities maximise children’s opportunities for learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher has a clear vision for the school. Since the last inspection, she has worked tirelessly with governors, school staff and wider partners to make improvements to the quality of teaching and learning. There is a strong culture of high expectations to provide the best for pupils. One parent commented: ‘Miss Evans has a clear vision and has used this to move the school from strength to strength.’  Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement are accurate. Leaders have worked strategically to make improvements across the school. For example, leaders have taken action to develop consistency in the teaching of mathematics and English. This is having a positive impact on the progress that pupils make.  Leaders adopt a rigorous approach to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics and English. This is closely linked to the performance management of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

staff. Bespoke staff training enables teachers to progress and improve the effectiveness of their teaching. Leaders use a range of evidence to assess the impact of planned strategies, and identify future support.  Staff are proud to be part of the school. There is a strong sense of collaboration. Through working together with leaders, staff know the strengths and next steps for the school. Responses made by staff to Ofsted’s survey show they are overwhelmingly positive about working in the school and appreciate the additional support they receive.  Leaders are successfully developing a curriculum that provides pupils with opportunities to develop their writing across the curriculum. For example, the Year 4 work on chocolate has explored wider issues such as fair trade, as well as providing opportunities for pupils to write persuasively. Educational trips and visitors also enhance the curriculum. However, leaders are aware there is much work to be done to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

improve the opportunities for pupils to develop subject-specific knowledge across all subjects.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) provides very strong leadership. She has a clear awareness of pupils’ barriers to learning. Staff receive appropriate training so that they can make adaptations to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Following regular reviews with teachers, pupils and their parents, the SENCo carefully plans pupils’ next steps in learning so that they continue to progress. As a consequence, pupils with SEND are making better progress than their peers.  Leaders make effective use of pupil premium funding. They precisely identify disadvantaged pupils’ learning and support needs. They develop personalised plans to meet pupils’ academic and social, emotional health needs. These plans are frequently reviewed, considering the views of parents and pupils. As a result, disadvantaged

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

pupils are making strong progress.  Leaders’ use of the PE and sport premium has led to greater pupil engagement in a range of sports. Pupils participate in competitive events. The funding has also been used to purchase gymnastics equipment for the playground. This helps to promote healthy lifestyles.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is a strength of the school. The school’s values of REACH are shown by all. Leaders provide many opportunities to deepen pupils’ understanding of other cultures. Pupils have participated in dance classes and drumming lessons to learn about aspects of African culture. Through religious studies pupils have learned about different celebrations. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of British values and are accepting and welcoming of people’s differences, which prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  Leaders have a good relationship with the local authority. A local authority adviser makes

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

regular visits to the school providing additional support, training and challenge to check the impact of leaders’ work in raising standards. This positive collaboration is successful.

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Governance of the school

 Since the previous inspection, governors have worked well with the local authority to further develop their understanding of their strategic role. They know the school well and are aware of the school’s strengths and areas to develop. They have high expectations for continued improvement. Governors provide support for leaders while offering rigorous challenge.  Governors make regular visits to the school. They speak to staff and pupils to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning and assess the impact of planned improvements.  Governors carefully monitor the use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils, ensuring that strategies lead to improved outcomes for pupils. They also ensure that the sport premium is used well to promote healthy lifestyles.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  There is a culture of vigilance in the school. Staff understand what they must do to keep children safe. They know how to report concerns.  Clear and detailed safeguarding records show that leaders respond quickly and take timely actions to address concerns raised. Leaders do not hesitate to work with the school’s family support adviser or external agencies to protect pupils.  Leaders ensure that the appropriate checks are made on all staff, governors and visitors. They make sure that records of these checks are maintained.  At the time of the inspection, it was noted that a few staff had not received some aspects of safeguarding training. This was rectified during the inspection. Leaders seek to improve safeguarding arrangements continuously, acting swiftly on lessons learned.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The positive relationships between adults and pupils help develop strong attitudes to learning. Pupils are keen to learn. As a consequence, they focus well in lessons and respond quickly to teachers’ instructions. This ensures that learning time is used well.  Pupils collaborate well and show positive attitudes to learning from their mistakes. They make use of feedback from teachers and from their peers to improve their work. One pupil confidently explained that: ‘I use feedback from teachers to get better. I learn from my mistakes.’  Teachers have strong subject knowledge in English and mathematics. They use this to question pupils and check pupils’ understanding. Pupils respond thoughtfully to questions and are keen to explain their reasoning. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, children were able to justify their preference for visual representations of an equation.  The teaching of writing is good. Pupils are given opportunities to write at length for a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

variety of purposes, often considering the reader. Teachers make use of cross- curricular links to deepen writing experiences. For example, children in Year 2 were able to apply their knowledge of ‘The Great Fire of London’ and a recent visit of the fire service to create information leaflets about fire safety.  Teachers have high expectations for pupils and set activities which build on pupils’ prior knowledge. However, at times activities are not precise enough to help the most able pupils reach the highest standards they are capable of.  Pupils with SEND are very well supported within lessons. Adults know the needs of these pupils and set tasks that meet their academic and social needs well. Teaching assistants make positive contributions to pupils’ learning and progress.  Teaching in subjects other than English and mathematics is variable. Teachers’ expectations are not routinely high enough. Tasks often lack challenge and purpose. As

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

a result, pupils do not consistently develop their knowledge, skills and understanding to make good progress across all subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school’s values of REACH are reflected in the pupils’ attitudes towards one another. They speak to each other respectfully and support each other to try their best. Pupils are proud of their school.  Older pupils have additional responsibilities to support younger pupils. For example, Year 5 buddies support children in Reception when they start school, providing the younger children with a friend to guide them. Year 6 children hold the posts of house captain and vice-captain. Pupils from all year groups come together in the school council to consider ideas to improve the school further.  The school has a caring atmosphere. Leaders consider pupils’ social and emotional needs a priority. Staff know pupils well and act quickly to provide additional support where needed. The family support adviser provides effective support in this area.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils feel safe in school. They know who to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. They talk confidently about different ways of keeping safe, including fire safety, road safety, safety in the local park and online safety.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are friendly, polite and welcoming. They readily hold doors open for one another or adults, engaging in friendly conversation as they do so. Pupils behave well in lessons, assemblies and during break and lunchtimes. They are well supervised and play sensibly together, making use of the additional playground resources provided.  Pupils say that school is caring and friendly and ‘everyone is respectful’. They report that poor behaviour and bullying is rare. They are confident that if there was a serious issue, they would tell an adult who would help them.  School behaviour logs show incidents of poor behaviour are rare. The overwhelming majority of parents that responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, agreed that pupils are well behaved. Staff who completed Ofsted’s staff questionnaire also agreed.  Pupils’ attendance is the same as the national average and they are punctual to school.

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Behaviour

Leaders have a robust approach to monitoring attendance and work closely with families to address attendance issues as they arise.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have taken decisive action to improve the outcomes for all pupils. As a result, there has been an improvement in pupils’ attainment.  In 2017 and 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected and higher standard at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2 was above the national average in reading and mathematics. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning.  In 2017 at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2, pupils’ attainment in writing at the expected and higher standards was below the national average. Leaders responded appropriately and standards increased in 2018. However, the proportion of pupils attaining at the higher standard remains below the national average.  Leaders’ assessment records, supported by work seen in books, demonstrate that increasing numbers of pupils in Year 6 are now attaining at a higher standard. However, leaders acknowledge that there is more to do to ensure that the most able

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Outcomes for pupils Good

pupils across the school work at the higher standard.  The teaching of phonics is a strength. Consequently, the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check is above the national average.  Pupils enjoy reading and make good progress. Younger pupils are able to use their phonics to read unfamiliar words and can explain what will happen next. Pupils in Year 6 can confidently and fluently read challenging texts, explaining their understanding of what has been read. They are able to discuss their reading habits, eloquently explaining their preferences for authors and genres.  Pupils with SEND are very well supported and make strong progress from their starting points.  Disadvantaged pupils receive personalised focused interventions. As a result, they make good progress from their varying starting points.  The work in current pupils’ books shows clear evidence of teachers building on

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Outcomes for pupils Good

previous learning to ensure that pupils progress in English and mathematics. Individual feedback helps pupils know what to do to improve. However, pupils make slow progress across a range of other subjects, such as science, humanities and art. This is because the school does not have a clear strategy to ensure that the curriculum is well matched to pupils’ needs in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Pupils make strong progress in music as a result of the wider opportunities provided to them. The school band perform a range of songs in a variety of settings, including at school and in the local church.

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Early years provision Good

 Leaders have a clear vision for early years and set ambitious targets for children. From their starting points, children make good progress. The proportion of children reaching a good level of development at the end of Reception has been consistently above the national average. As a result, children are well equipped for key stage 1.  Children are well cared for. They develop strong relationships with staff which begins with the effective transition arrangements from pre-school settings. Teachers take additional care to plan more frequent transition visits for pupils with additional needs. This enables them to be well prepared for their start in school.  Children are friendly and confident. They behave very well both in the classroom and outside. They successfully cooperate with each other. For example, one child helped another build an island to support their imaginative play.  Leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development. They

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Early years provision Good

make effective use of data, research and external guidance to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the children.  The teaching of phonics is good. Adults model sounds consistently and encourage children to use their phonic skills in their reading and writing.  Leaders’ focus on the development of writing has led to children making good progress. Work shows strong progress from basic mark-making to children writing phrases and sentences. However, limited opportunities exist in the outdoor area for children to develop their independent writing skills.  The early years curriculum provides children with a wide range of opportunities to develop their academic, social and emotional skills. Children enjoyed talking about the chicks, describing how they hatched from eggs. Children benefit from individual, small- group and whole-class support.  Children’s learning opportunities are enhanced by the bright, stimulating and well-

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Early years provision Good

resourced environment. A range of well-planned activities often engage children and enable them to develop their skills across the different areas of learning. However, in the outdoor area these activities do not always ignite children’s curiosity to help them learn effectively.  Parents are pleased with the early years provision and told inspectors that their children settle quickly and are achieving well. One parent explained: ‘Staff couldn’t do more, I couldn’t be happier with the support.’

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 December 2016

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Information about this school

 Winkfield St Mary’s is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with education, health and care plan is below the national average.  An inspection of the school’s distinctive Christian character was carried out under section 48 of the 2005 Education Act in November 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in all classes. Some of these were joint observations with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and English leader.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of pupils’ work from across the school with leaders.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, English leaders, early years teachers and a selection of staff.  A meeting was held with members of the governing body.  An inspector held a telephone call with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including: the school’s own information about pupils’ learning and progress; monitoring documents; minutes of governing body meetings; the school improvement plan; information on pupils’ attendance and behaviour; and safeguarding information.  The views of parents were taken into account by considering the 76 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 63 comments. Inspectors also met

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Information about this inspection

informally with parents.  Inspectors considered the 14 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.  Inspectors met with pupils to gather their views about the school and took account of the 42 responses to the pupils’ questionnaire. Inspectors also listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Tracey Bowen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jon Hills 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

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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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