Haddenham St Mary's Church of England School

Inspection of Haddenham St Mary’s Church of England School Aston Road, Haddenham, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP17 8AF

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2021

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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 Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 14 and 15 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for every pupil. They want pupils to grow up loving learning, with the confidence and determination to achieve their very best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Strong values and a Christian ethos are at the heart of this school. Pupils and staff reflect these values in their day-to-day school life. Leaders ensure that every child is cherished and valued. Warm, nurturing relationships and kindness are the norm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are thriving at this happy school. They behave well and enjoy school. Pupils are keen to learn and achieve well. They love the way their teachers make learning interesting and fun. Pupils relish the chance to get outside and explore the forest school area, whatever the weather. Toasting marshmallows is a recent special highlight.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and say that bullying or unkind behaviour are rare. They know that staff quickly sort out any concerns. Pupils get on very well together and enjoy playing with their friends at playtime. They respect and value that they are all different.

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better?

Leaders, staff and governors are rightly proud of the school. They are united in their vision to provide a curriculum that inspires pupils and prepares them well for the future. Leaders have given careful thought to what pupils need to learn and in what order this should be taught. They have ambitions to strengthen their plans further. For example, they plan to refine the geography curriculum to include a sharper focus on the knowledge pupils will acquire.

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better?

The curriculum in early years is exceptionally well planned and taught. Leadership of this aspect of the school’s work is inspirational. Children get off to a brilliant start in their education. Staff are highly skilled. This is evident in the expert way they support children’s communication and language skills. Staff use every opportunity to engage children in conversation and foster learning. Children sustain attention and engage fully in all that there is on offer.

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better?

Leaders are determined that no pupil will leave the school unable to read. Phonics teaching gets under way promptly, and story times and ‘read, write and sparkle’ sessions feature daily. Books are well matched to pupils’ reading skills. Pupils encounter a wide variety of well-chosen texts. These help to enrich their vocabulary and understanding and promote a love of reading.

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better?

Staff are quick to increase reading support if pupils are at risk of not keeping up with the phonics programme. Some pupils lost a bit of ground following the pandemic disruption. Leaders have made it a priority to get these pupils back on track as quickly as possible. Staff usually model phonics accurately and follow the 14 and 15 September 2021

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school’s planned learning sequence. However, there are a few inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics in key stage 1.

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The mathematics curriculum is very well thought out. There is a consistent approach to teaching new knowledge and concepts. Teachers regularly revisit learning to help pupils remember what they have been taught. This approach is also typical of teaching in the wider curriculum.

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The vast majority of pupils behave sensibly and courteously and settle quickly to their tasks. They work with positive attitudes and are enthusiastic learners. Pupils enjoy the incentive of the school’s ‘diamond’ rewards and are eager to earn their ‘glitter time’.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Pupils with complex needs benefit from a precisely tailored curriculum built around their needs. Leaders and governors have committed extra funds for speech and language therapy. This ensures that pupils with language difficulties get specialist early help and support.

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Leaders provide exceptionally well for pupils’ all-round development. They provide a rich tapestry of extra activities for pupils to enjoy. Leaders do all that they can to make these accessible for all pupils. The personal, social and health education curriculum is well crafted. This supports pupils very well in learning how to keep healthy and safe.

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Staff are proud to belong to the school. They value the many opportunities they have to develop their knowledge and skills. Staff have nothing but admiration and appreciation for the way leaders have supported them during the pandemic. Parents and carers are also full of praise for the school and for leaders’ work. Throughout this very challenging period, staff, leaders and governors have worked together in close partnership.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

High standards of care and strong relationships are central to the school’s work to safeguard pupils. Staff know pupils and families very well. They are sensitive to pupils’ needs and alert to any concerns. Staff help pupils to have the confidence to share any worries.

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Safeguarding

Effective training means that staff know the procedure to follow if they have concerns. Leaders are swift and tenacious in following these up. They leave no stone unturned so that families and pupils get the help that they need. Leaders and governors keep careful oversight of all safeguarding arrangements. 14 and 15 September 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some staff who teach phonics have not had up-to-date training specific to the school’s approach. As a result, there are a few inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics. This risks slowing pupils’ learning and progress. Leaders should ensure that all staff who teach phonics have the necessary training so that the school’s phonics curriculum is implemented consistently well in all classes.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 14 and 15 September 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.haddenham-st-marys.bucks.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 January 2007

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England infant school. The last section 48 inspection took place in October 2017. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due to take place by the end of the next school year.  Since the previous inspection, the school has undergone a period of expansion and the school building has been extended. The school has grown from one to two classes in each year group. The number of pupils on roll has more than doubled. The school now has pre-school provision, Little Forest Friends. This caters for three-year-old children. Provision at the pre-school was inspected as part of this section 5 inspection.  Since the previous inspection, the school has established breakfast and after- school clubs. In addition, the school now has a hub kitchen where meals are prepared for other schools in the local authority.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 14 and 15 September 2021

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This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the leader for SEND.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and computing. Inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects. Inspectors heard some pupils read.  The lead inspector met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector held telephone discussions with a representative of the local

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authority and with a representative of the diocese.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. They also reviewed school policies, procedures and records. Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils informally.  Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their views about the school. They talked to pupils during lessons and during break- and lunchtimes.  Inspectors took into account the 62 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and parents’ written comments. An inspector spoke with parents at the start of the first day of the inspection.  Inspectors took account of the views of staff during meetings with them. They also considered the 24 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Sue Cox, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 2021

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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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