Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Karen Waller Eton Wick C of E First School Sheepcote Road Eton Wick Windsor Berkshire SL4 6JB

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First School

Following my visit to your school on 15 June 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection 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 improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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First School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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First School

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. I discussed the impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

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First School

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

in order for the school to become a good school.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

The school should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 ensure that the teaching of modern foreign languages to pupils in Years 3 and 4 is resumed as soon as possible  build on and hasten the pace of leaders’ work to strengthen the curriculum, ensuring that content is carefully selected, coherently planned and sequenced  sharpen the school development plan to make more explicit the actions leaders are taking to improve the curriculum and set out more precise success criteria.

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Context

Since the last full inspection, the previous headteacher has left the school. You and the deputy headteacher were appointed in an acting capacity in January 2019. Both posts were made permanent in April 2019. A new leader for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has been appointed. The chair of the governing body has until very recently been on sabbatical leave. During this period a co-chair was appointed. Two other governors have joined the governing body.

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Main findings

You have continued to focus on improving the school throughout the challenges of the pandemic. You have sought to keep your plans on track and minimise any disruption to pupils’ education. Parents welcome the changes and improvements that you are making. They are full of praise for the school.

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Main findings

With the support of other leaders, you have secured further improvements to English and mathematics. There is now a consistent approach to the curriculum and teaching in these subjects. Pupils now have plentiful opportunities to write at length and in a range of genres. Teachers encourage pupils to use a wider range of vocabulary to enrich their writing. Improvements are evident in the quality of pupils’ writing.

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Main findings

Strong support and training from the mathematics hub has strengthened leaders’ expertise. This has enabled the subject leader to drive the marked improvement in mathematics. The mathematics leader brings considerable knowledge, enthusiasm and energy to this subject. Curriculum plans are well thought out and provide a clear sequence of learning. Leaders have ensured that pupils now have much longer to focus on each unit of learning. Teachers revisit key content to ensure that pupils’ learning is secure. They design tasks that enable pupils to use and apply reasoning skills. Teachers also use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding.

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Main findings

Reading has remained a priority and you make sure that children get off to a good start to learning to read. Teachers align daily phonics to the school’s structured programme. They are adept at noticing and addressing any errors in pupils’ understanding. Books are well matched to pupils’ reading skills. When reading, pupils apply their knowledge well. They enjoy reading and are enthusiastic about books they like to read. You are ensuring that pupils, including those with SEND, learn a broad curriculum. However, you acknowledge that there are shortcomings in the school’s planned curriculum. Current plans do not yet secure pupils’ progression through the curriculum in each subject. Plans have sometimes led to lengthy gaps in pupils’ experiences of different subjects. You have recognised this and have made improving the curriculum a key priority.

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Main findings

You have adjusted responsibilities and appointed subject leaders to increase leadership capacity. New leaders are receiving training and support to develop their expertise. You are currently overhauling the content and sequence of learning in history, geography and science. So far, these plans do not yet include the detailed content that pupils will learn. Modern foreign languages teaching has not yet resumed for pupils in lower key stage 2 since the school reopened fully to all pupils. As a result, these pupils are not currently receiving their full curriculum entitlement.

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Main findings

Governance has strengthened and governors have a good understanding of their roles. They have put in place stronger systems to enable them to keep aspects of the school under review. Governors recognise the need to now focus their attention on the curriculum and refine and strengthen the school development plan. You have been very mindful of balancing school improvement and staff workload in this small village school. Staff feel well supported and value the improvements you are making to the school.

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Additional support

The local authority has brokered support and collaborative work with other schools. This is helping to strengthen teachers’ knowledge and develop their roles as subject leaders. The local authority is providing enhanced support to the school. This has supported leaders to improve teaching and learning. Local authority support has also helped to strengthen governance. Following a recent review of the school, the local authority advisers are now shifting the focus of their support to the wider curriculum.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you, the deputy headteacher, the mathematics leader, two local authority representatives and three governors, including the chair of governors, to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection.

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Evidence

I made short visits to lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with a group of pupils from key stage 2. I reviewed a range of school documents, including the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation and curriculum plans. I checked the school’s single central record and held discussions about the school’s safeguarding arrangements. I took into account the 46 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, the 30 written comments from parents and the 33 responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff. 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 Windsor and Maidenhead. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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