Setting

James Vernon Headteacher Quainton Church of England School Lower Street Quainton Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP22 4BJ

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School

Following my remote inspection with Alice Roberts, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 16 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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School

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on-site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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School

The inspection took place because the school received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in November 2019.

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School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure all staff are trained to teach phonics and make sure that books are consistently well matched to pupils’ reading ability

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 continue to implement improved curriculum planning effectively, so that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well in all subjects.

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Context

 Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes to staffing. Five new teachers, including the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and an assistant headteacher, joined the school in September 2020. A new governor has also been appointed.

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Context

 At the start of the spring term, when schools were closed to most pupils, 82% of pupils were educated at home. 63% of vulnerable pupils and 71% of pupils who have educational health care (EHC) plans were attending on site during this period.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, all pupils were attending on site.

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Main findings

 Leaders and governors have worked relentlessly to continue the school’s journey of improvement since the previous inspection. They have ensured that pupils continue to receive a broad education, despite the many changes to staffing and the challenging restrictions posed by COVID-19. At the start of the spring term, leaders adapted the remote education offer efficiently to provide live and pre-recoded lessons in all subjects. Leaders made sure that all pupils working at home had the technology to help them access their learning.

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Main findings

 In March 2020, leaders were securely underway with implementing the school’s new curriculum. This work restarted in the autumn term and leaders worked effectively with teachers to review and adapt planning in all subjects. Teachers focused on helping pupils revise the basic skills in English and mathematics and catch up on missed learning in other subjects. This term, teachers have continued to ensure that pupils receive additional teaching to help them consolidate their knowledge of calculation facts, reading comprehension and writing skills.

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Main findings

 Leaders have identified effectively the essential knowledge pupils need to learn in subjects such as music, art and design and geography. They have introduced well-considered curriculum plans to support teachers. However, the teachers’ use of these revised plans is still in the early stages.  Leaders have ensured that supporting pupils’ reading remains central to the school’s work. Leaders have put in place a well-sequenced phonics programme. However, they recognise that some staff, particularly those in key stage 2, need further training in this area of the school’s work. While staff make sure that pupils have the opportunity to read on a regular basis, at times the books that some pupils read do not help them practise the sounds they are learning.

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Main findings

 Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND and ensure that they have the same access to the curriculum as their peers. The SENCo has worked hard to make sure that pupils with SEND receive timely support to help them to achieve their individual targets. Leaders have successfully enhanced the provision for these pupils. They have ensured that this group of pupils continues to receive specialist support despite the current challenges.

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Main findings

 Since the previous inspection, governors are holding school leaders to account for their work more rigorously. Governors have made shrewd decisions to check and assure themselves that leaders’ actions are having the right impact on improving all pupils’ education. They have high expectations of the progress they expect to see in this improving school.

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Main findings

 Leaders value the level of challenge and expertise they receive from the local authority and the diocese. For example, leaders have benefitted from support to improve the quality of teaching, develop the roles of subject leaders, make improvements to the curriculum and strengthen provision for pupils with SEND.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the chair of the governing body, two other governors, a representative of the diocese of Oxford and two officers from Buckinghamshire local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

Inspectors also listened to pupils read to a member of staff and looked at curriculum plans. Inspectors also took account of 110 responses by parents to Ofsted’s Parent View, including 43 free-text responses, and 19 staff responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Buckinghamshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely

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