Wildridings Primary School

Inspection of Wildridings Primary School Netherton, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 7DX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 8 and 9 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly enthusiastic about their school. They are happy to come to school and they feel safe. Leaders have created an inclusive and nurturing school. There are high levels of care and pastoral support in place for all pupils. As one pupil said, ‘Staff really care and when you need help, they are there for you.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ ambition is for all pupils to be the best that they can be. Leaders keep the development of the whole child at the centre of their work. They know pupils and the community well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around the school. At breaktimes, pupils play well together, keeping active by using outdoor equipment and playing games that adults organise for them. Pupils show consideration towards each other. They are polite, well- mannered and welcoming to visitors. On the rare occasions that bullying happens, pupils are confident that it will be dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience opportunities to nurture their talents. They attend a wide range of clubs, including sewing club, performance troupe and sign language club. Pupils learn about healthy eating and keeping fit. For example, children in Reception learn that fruit and vegetables are good for them, and pupils in Year 6 know how exercise keeps the heart healthy.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn, right from the start of Nursery. In some subjects, for example in mathematics and history, pupils develop knowledge in a clear sequence that builds over time. This means pupils make connections between topics that help them remember their learning. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects. However, some subjects are not as well developed, for example science and geography. In these subjects, the sequence of learning does not always enable pupils to connect ideas and remember what they have learned as effectively.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading. Children in Reception learn phonics right from the start, using an effective programme. In the early stages of learning to read, pupils read books containing the phonic sounds they know. This means that pupils quickly become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and talk confidently about books. They love story time and are clearly engrossed when teachers read aloud to them.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is not consistently strong in all subjects. Where teachers’ subject knowledge is strong, the tasks teachers set help pupils to achieve well. In mathematics, for example, teachers’ strong subject knowledge means they can routinely check pupils’ understanding and plan activities to strengthen and deepen this understanding during lessons. However, teachers’ subject knowledge is less well developed in some other subjects. This means that teachers do not always identify and address pupils’ gaps in knowledge consistently well. 8 and 9 February 2022

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to achieve their very best. Leaders have invested in high-quality training and resources to ensure that staff have the necessary expertise to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers plan bespoke activities to support pupils with more complex needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Attendance is high because leaders are relentless in ensuring that pupils attend school. Leaders use effective systems to monitor absence and make sure that pupils attend school regularly. This includes employing staff to work alongside families where necessary.

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Behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils are calm and engaged in their learning. Right from the start of Nursery, children follow well-established rules and routines. Relationships between pupils and adults are positive throughout the school.

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Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities to support pupils’ personal development. Work to develop pupils’ character is strong. Pupils develop confidence and resilience through opportunities to speak in public. For example, they prepare speeches for presentations and take part in debates. Pupils are confident and articulate communicators. They listen and respond well to each other in conversations. Leaders have introduced a range of therapeutic approaches to support pupils’ mental health, including canine therapy, play therapy and outdoor learning. Children in early years cooperate well with each other. They help one another and take turns. Children show empathy to their peers if they are upset.

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Leaders and governors have a clear, shared vision for the school. They know the strengths and areas for improvement in the curriculum. Governors check the information leaders give them by talking to pupils and staff. Staff are proud and happy to work at this school. Staff say that leaders and governors help them to manage their workload and well-being effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of vigilance. Leaders have clear systems to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities well. They know what to do if they are worried about a pupil. Leaders make sure that families in need of additional support access this quickly when they need it.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school and know where to go for help if they need to. Pupils have a clear, age-appropriate knowledge of how to stay safe online. Leaders also use the school nurse and local police officer to teach pupils about keeping themselves safe. 8 and 9 February 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge that builds systematically. Pupils do not always make connections between concepts which help them to remember their learning over the long term. Leaders need to continue to develop a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum. It is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is less developed in some foundation subjects compared with others. This means teachers do not always identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge in a way that enables pupils to achieve consistently well. Leaders should continue to deepen teachers’ subject knowledge across the curriculum.

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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. 8 and 9 February 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school, with an attached nursery for children from the age of three.  At the time of the inspection, one of the deputy headteachers was acting headteacher. This was due to the substantive headteacher being absent with a long-term illness.  There have been no relevant changes since the previous inspection.  This school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  In the absence of the headteacher, inspectors met with the acting headteacher, the deputy headteacher and four members of the governing body, including the 8 and 9 February 2022

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chair of governors. The lead inspector also met with an officer from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum 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.  The inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records, interviewing staff, and through discussions with pupils.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self-

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evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.

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Inspection team

Sue Keeling, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hanna Miller Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 February 2022

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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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