Tylers Green Middle School

Inspection of a good school: Tylers Green Middle School Cock Lane, Tylers Green, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP10 8DS

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Outcome

Tylers Green Middle School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite, courteous and kind to one another. They play and learn together well. Parents agree, with one parent commenting: ‘Behaviour is impeccable.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils trust adults to look after them. Poor behaviour and bullying are rare. This is because pupils follow the ‘TGMS way’ of showing ‘pride, respect, care and unity’ in all that they do. Leaders have updated their approach to tackling the rare incidents of bullying. Pupils are confident that adults listen to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour throughout the school is exemplary. The school bear sits proudly in the classroom of those who have shown they can follow the school rules, work together and help each other out. He has a new home each week.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In line with the school’s chosen policy, staff work alongside pupils to set challenging and ambitious personal goals. Pupils use their ‘compass’ to strive to achieve their best. They are resilient and challenge themselves to work towards these aims.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils arrive at school and start their learning straight away. Teachers design lessons to help pupils develop their understanding in most curriculum areas. Pupils enjoy learning; they say teachers make learning fun.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and teachers show excitement for learning. They plan regular opportunities to bring learning to life so that pupils share this excitement. Activities proceed without disruption. Staff make learning memorable, for example through themed learning days and making use of their extensive grounds. The oldest pupils attend a residential trip to build teamwork and cooperation skills. Pupils gain citizenship awards for helping in the classroom, at home and in the community. 26–27 November 2019

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Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take part in a range of activities outside the school day. All pupils can apply for positions of responsibility including science ambassadors and school councillors. They take pride in carrying out these roles.

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Pupils achieve well in national tests and assessments in English and mathematics. Pupils, including those with SEND, develop their knowledge and understanding in a range of subjects well. In science, mathematics and physical education (PE) teachers have well- developed subject knowledge. They benefit from the training leaders organise for them. They use this to check pupils’ understanding so that they know what pupils can and cannot do.

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Leaders have clear plans for developing pupils’ understanding in other subjects, for example design and technology, computing and music. Here, teaching helps pupils to build their learning coherently over time. In other subject areas, such as art, history and geography, pupils do not always remember the key things teachers want them to learn. Newly appointed curriculum leaders have not yet had the opportunity to work with teachers to review how pupils learn in these subject areas.

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Pupils read well. For those few pupils who fall behind, small group teaching helps them to catch up quickly. In some classes, there is regular story time. Pupils look forward to it. There is a well-resourced library. Pupils have a good understanding of their own reading ability based on regular class assessments. They use this to select books matched to their reading level. Pupils have a large vocabulary that they develop through the stories they hear and listen to. They all enjoy working towards being ‘vocabulary millionaires’.

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In mathematics, pupils can use the things they already know to help them when learning new things. Teachers use quizzes to check pupils’ understanding. Pupils are fluent in using their knowledge to solve problems. They give clear explanations for their answers. Pupils with SEND receive just the right amount of support so that they can take part in lessons but can also make independent choices.

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Staff display high levels of trust for each other and the school leaders. They feel well supported. Staff have high expectations of themselves and are aware this can add to their workload. They are appreciative that leaders have started to tackle this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are vigilant in keeping pupils safe. Procedures for reporting and recording concerns are known by all members of staff. Leaders act on these promptly and refer on when needed. They are tenacious in ensuring that pupils receive the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep staff well informed about vulnerable pupils through staff briefings. Staff know to ‘think the unthinkable’. They told me they are aware that they do not always have the ‘big picture’ and must report concerns, no matter how small. 26–27 November 2019

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The governing body checks the work of the school, including recruitment checks, to ensure that it meets statutory guidance.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have started to develop an ambitious wider curriculum. In a range of subjects, this is being implemented well. Curriculum leaders, new to role, have not yet had an opportunity to develop the subjects they lead. Leaders must continue to implement the curriculum within the timelines they have planned, strengthening the role of curriculum leaders in this process so that they are able to implement and then check on the changes to ensure that they fully meet their aims.  Some areas of the curriculum have been planned in a way that builds pupils’ knowledge and skills over time. In some subjects, for example history, geography and art, the learning has not yet been as carefully thought out. As a result, pupils’ developing understanding is not strong in these subjects. Leaders and teachers should ensure that lessons are planned so that new knowledge builds on what pupils have learned before.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Tylers Green Middle School to be good on 28–29 September 2010.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 26–27 November 2019

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111262 Type of school Middle deemed primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.tylersgreenmiddle.bucks.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 January 2016

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher was appointed to this role in April 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, teachers and other staff. I spoke with the deputy headteacher by telephone.  I met with the chair of governors and four other governors. I spoke with a representative of the local authority by telephone.  I met with groups of pupils to talk about their work. I also spoke to pupils during lunchtime and before school to gain their views of the school.  I checked the school’s safeguarding procedures. This was done through reviewing documentation, including behaviour and bullying records, speaking with leaders, staff and pupils.  I spoke to a number of parents during the inspection. In addition to this, 86 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 77 written comments were taken into account. Twenty-two comments from staff who completed Ofsted’s survey were considered. 26–27 November 2019

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 I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and science. I visited lessons in most classes including small group teaching, with one of the school’s leaders. I looked at the way pupils with SEND are supported, spoke to pupils and teachers about learning, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils reading with a familiar adult.

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Inspection team

Clare Haines, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 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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