St Paul's Church of England Combined School, Wooburn

Inspection of St Paul’s Church of England Combined School, Wooburn Stratford Drive, Wooburn Green, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP10 0QH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding 22–23 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ enthusiasm for each day is plain to see. The morning’s ‘wake and shake’ session typifies the strong relationships between staff and pupils. From the very youngest children to the oldest pupils, all enjoy school life immensely. Pupils work hard, play harmoniously and make the most of their opportunities. Pupils’ enjoyment extends beyond the classroom door. The school’s menu of additional activities is vast and very carefully considered. There is most definitely something for everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend school regularly. None is put off by bullying as this hardly ever happens. Pupils wisely told inspectors that occasional disagreements are part of life. These don’t cause undue worry. Pupils know that they have the skills to solve minor fall outs. They say that friendship-stop monitors always help others to make friends. Pupils are safe and secure. Parents and carers say that the staff take care of their children’s needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and staff work exceptionally well together. Pupils simply blossom because everyone associated with St Paul’s expects the best from them. Pupils achieve well in a range of subjects. They are well prepared for success beyond the school gates.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious. They want pupils to succeed through an inclusive education that provides a breadth of opportunity. The school has undergone significant changes since the last inspection. Last year, despite staffing difficulties, pupils’ education was not compromised as the headteacher took on a teaching responsibility. This meant that Year 6 pupils were well prepared for secondary school, despite a change to their teaching arrangements. The headteacher leads by example, determined that pupils’ best interests are put first.

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better?

Pupils study and achieve well in a full range of subjects. Subject leaders have recently reviewed the school’s curriculum planning. In most subjects, pupils’ learning outcomes are defined in a suitably detailed and sequenced way. Pupils are able to recall a wealth of knowledge in some detail. For instance, in history, Year 6 pupils could explain what life was like as a working Victorian.

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better?

Pupils at this school love to be challenged. Aligned to the school’s curricular aims, pupils try hard and demonstrate resilience. For instance, in mathematics, one pupil commented on their choice of task saying: ‘I chose super hard, because I want to stretch myself. If I find it hard then I will try again. That is what we do here.’

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better?

Leaders have the expectation that every child will become a confident reader. All pupils achieve well in this aspect. For instance, in 2019 and by the end of Year 2, all pupils met the standard required in the phonics screening check. Parents offer tremendous support, hearing their children read regularly. All pupils enjoy a suitable range of reading materials, including making good use of a well-resourced library. 22–23 October 2019

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However, despite these efforts, pupils in key stage 2 do not demonstrate a real passion for the world of literature. This is because their reading choices are not channelled closely enough by teaching staff.

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Parents are very supportive and fully involve themselves in their child’s schooling. Most parents rate the school highly and would recommend it to other parents. However, some parents of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) believe their child’s experience could be improved. Inspectors agree. Pupils with SEND benefit from a wide range of additional support. However, teachers’ planning is not always adapted appropriately for pupils with SEND.

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Children at this school benefit from a fabulous start. The nursery class is welcoming, and children quickly settle in. In the early years, adults interact purposefully at every turn. For instance, adults play alongside children, prompting focused interactions through their skilled questioning. Adults are adept at getting the best from children. Consequently, children quickly develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for learning in Year 1.

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Leaders’ emphasis on developing pupils individually is first rate. Pupils behave well and are respectful to adults. The school’s extra-curricular offer is kept under regular review and regularly refreshed. All staff are committed to pupils’ wider development.

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The well-being of staff is central to the school’s work. The headteacher ensures that she keeps a close eye on this aspect. Following up on a recent staff survey, leaders made useful adaptations to the school’s approach to homework. Pupils’ independence is now promoted more strongly, and staff workload has reduced. Changes to pupils’ homework have been welcomed by all stakeholders and are working well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff, including the school’s designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), have received appropriate training. Staff regularly reflect on their approach, such as discussing potential safeguarding scenarios regularly. Staff pass on any concerns about pupils’ welfare diligently. However, leaders’ follow-up actions are not recorded in as much detail as they should be.

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Safeguarding

The school’s curriculum is well designed with appropriate emphasis on how to stay safe. Pupils of different ages learn the importance of personal safety through a range of topics. Pupils know how to stay safe online. 22–23 October 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff pass on any concerns about pupils’ safety in a timely and thorough manner. Such concerns are always acted upon and logged. However, some records do not contain the level of detail required. This means that pupils’ individual case chronologies are not as comprehensive as they should be. Leaders need to ensure that the school’s record-keeping is sufficiently detailed and captures all actions taken.  In all phases, pupils achieve extremely well in reading. Pupils are taught the skills that they need systematically. Parents, too, offer tremendous support, hearing their children read regularly. However, pupils’ love of reading is less secure. Leaders should ensure that they oversee pupils’ reading choices more closely.  Pupils with SEND are supported well by teaching assistants, particularly in small- group intervention work. However, their needs are catered for less well in whole- class sessions. Teachers should ensure that planned activities cater well for all

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils’ starting points, including those pupils with SEND.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 22–23 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111434 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Nicola Nicholson

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29–30 November 2012

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection there have been significant changes to leadership and staffing arrangements. The previous headteacher retired. The headteacher (who was promoted from the role of deputy headteacher) took up post in January 2017.  The deputy headteacher joined the school in September 2019. The school had been without a deputy headteacher since January 2019. During this time, the headteacher also took on additional responsibilities, such as becoming the substantive Year 6 teacher for two terms.  Staffing arrangements have changed significantly since the last inspection. Many teaching staff were not in post at the last inspection.  The school’s early years department includes a Nursery Year, where children attend on a full- or part-time basis, and a Reception Year, which children attend on a full-time basis.  This school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in November 2017.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other staff who were present during the inspection.  The lead inspector also met with the chair and vice-chair of the governing body.  Telephone conversations were held with representatives of the Diocese of Oxford and also of Buckinghamshire County Council.  To check on the quality of education, inspectors focused mainly on reading, mathematics, history, and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons in all classes, talked to pupils about their work and discussed the school’s approach to curriculum delivery with teaching staff. Some pupils in Year 2 and Year 3 read to the lead inspector.  The school’s safeguarding arrangements were reviewed. Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead, scrutinised the school’s single central record and talked to pupils about safety. Inspectors also considered how well

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Information about this inspection

adults in the school act on emerging concerns about pupils’ welfare.  Inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and parents to gather their views about the school. Ofsted Parent View survey responses from 93 parents were also considered.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Farr, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Shaughnessy Ofsted Inspector 22–23 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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