Chiseldon Primary & Nursery School

Inspection of Chiseldon Primary and Nursery School Castle View Road, Chiseldon, Swindon, Wiltshire SN4 0NS

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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 Good 8 and 9 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident and resilient learners. Leaders are ambitious for pupils to develop academically and personally. Pupils take on the challenges set for them and are proud of their achievements. All pupils learn a musical instrument. They learn to ice skate with the local ice-hockey team. Pupils across the school learn to speak German.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set the highest expectations of behaviour from the time children enter the school. Staff notice and reward good behaviour and politeness. Children in Nursery and the Reception classes listen attentively to their teachers. They take turns when playing with their friends. Older pupils work well together in lessons and listen to each other’s ideas. Pupils are proud of their work in books and on displays around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are realistic about falling out and making friends again. They know how to report serious problems such as bullying. They believe that all staff will help them if they have a problem.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that sets out the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. This year, they are strengthening the curriculum for science and some other subjects. Teachers and leaders have worked together to do this. New topics enrich the curriculum. They help pupils to make links between what they learn as they move through the school. The curriculum for early years is equally ambitious. Leaders know what children need in order to prepare them for future learning. For example, from a story about finding treasure, children know that a map is a picture that helps you find things.

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better?

Across the school, pupils learn in ways that help them to remember important knowledge. In history, for example, pupils build up their understanding of chronology from year to year. In art, pupils learn the techniques of drawing particularly well. Pupils can then understand how important artists have produced their work. In a small number of subjects, older pupils currently do not remember some of the key knowledge they learned previously. This means that they find it difficult to acquire new knowledge.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge and explain learning clearly. They check that pupils know what to do before they begin their tasks. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well.

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better?

Children in the Nursery class already know sounds that help them read simple words. In the Reception class and key stage 1, teachers have made sure that pupils, including those with SEND, are back on track with their reading if they had fallen behind during the pandemic. Teachers develop pupils’ reading with books 8 and 9 March 2022

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based on the sounds that pupils know. Currently, there is not enough opportunity for teachers to use these books for practice in school. This limits pupils’ fluency. Pupils of all ages love to read. The curriculum has many opportunities for them to enjoy stories and read a range of literature. Pupils value reading and choose to read outside the classroom.

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Teachers are enthusiastic about how the new approach to teaching mathematics is building pupils’ knowledge of number and ability to solve problems. Despite interruptions to learning caused by the pandemic, pupils have remembered their learning. For example, older pupils’ deep knowledge of fractions supports their new learning of decimals. Children in early years apply their knowledge of mathematics well in their play.

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Leaders’ aim is to ‘open pupils’ eyes to the world around them’. Pupils have pen friends through the school’s links with Germany. Older pupils have the chance to visit Berlin. Pupils learn about fundamental British values. They talk of respect, kindness and courage. The school teaches pupils to act responsibly, stay healthy and make good choices. Inclusion is a high priority for the school. Leaders have developed teachers’ knowledge of the needs of pupils with SEND. Extra help is available for pupils when needed.

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Governors work with leaders to set and check the school’s priorities. Together with senior leaders, they are mindful of the well-being of all staff. Staff welcome the opportunities they have to develop professionally. Parents and carers appreciate how the school supported children’s learning during the pandemic.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors take safeguarding seriously. They ensure that staff have training that equips them to keep pupils safe. Staff are vigilant for signs that a pupil may be at risk. They refer concerns following the school’s procedures. Leaders work promptly and efficiently with agencies that can offer support to pupils and families. Governors check that the school’s safeguarding policies are followed.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out all necessary checks to ensure that those working at the school are safe to do so. Pupils believe that the school is a safe place to learn. They know how to keep safe, including when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, older pupils have not retained some of the key knowledge they have been taught. This affects their ability to gain further knowledge. Leaders should continue to ensure that key knowledge is precisely 8 and 9 March 2022

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planned and taught in all elements of the curriculum, so that pupils retain what they learn.  The reading curriculum for early years and key stage 1 does not consistently prioritise practice with phonically regular books. Opportunities to gain fluency and stamina when reading are then reduced. Leaders should ensure that children in early years and those pupils in key stage 1 who are still working through the phonics programme have the practice they need to be fully successful.

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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 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Michelle Horobin

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Date of previous inspection

9 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the school has reduced its Nursery class to one.  The deputy headteacher has very recently taken on the role of special educational needs coordinator.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. The lead inspector met with a group of governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to 8 and 9 March 2022

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teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read. Inspectors also spoke to pupils and considered their work in some other subjects. They discussed other curriculum plans with leaders.  Inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school and held discussions with leaders, staff and groups of pupils in order to consider the school’s work to safeguard pupils.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also took into consideration the responses to the survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Wendy Marriott, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Fox Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 March 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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