Cookham Rise Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Cookham Rise Primary School High Road, Cookham Rise, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 9JF

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Outcome

Cookham Rise Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone understands that at Cookham Rise, you have to be ‘ready, respectful and safe’. Pupils behave very well, feel safe and work hard in lessons. Low-level disruption is rare and teachers refocus pupils seamlessly. Bullying hardly ever happens. Pupils say that teachers are ‘on it’ when any issue arises. Leaders investigate any potential incidents thoroughly. They liaise well with parents and carers, and communication between staff is strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ expectations that every pupil will shine permeate every decision they make. Cookham Rise Primary School is highly valued by pupils, parents, staff and the local authority, which uses the school as a beacon of excellence. As one parent wrote, summing up the views of many, ‘This is a great school, with a positive and nurturing atmosphere.’ All parents who responded to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, would recommend the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School life is returning to normal for pupils following the disruptions of the pandemic. They relish taking on roles of responsibility, such as those of eco-warriors and digital leaders. Pupils love many aspects of school life, such as the new trim trail in the playground, art lessons and their ‘fun teachers’. One, for example, described the joy he feels every day that he comes to school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is engaging and ambitious. They have organised subject content in a logical order. Curriculum leaders have secure subject knowledge. They support their colleagues well. Teachers present lessons clearly, and regularly check how well pupils are learning. Through their questions and visits to the school, governors make sure that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The way in which teachers encourage children from Reception Year upwards sets them up well to love learning at Cookham Rise. Pupils buzz about what they have learned. For 26 and 27 April 2022

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example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 5 were brimming with enthusiasm for their recent history topic about Ancient Egypt. They confidently spoke about what a civilisation is and the organisation of society at that time.

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Pupils’ work is of a high quality. For example, in art, pupils produce pencil sketches of polar bears, using shapes, short strokes and smudging skills. Teachers regularly review teaching to help pupils remember. However, in a few subjects, it is not always precisely clear what it is that teachers need to teach and what pupils need to remember over time. This includes in Reception Year.

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Leaders have placed a high priority on teaching pupils to read. Staff are experts in teaching phonics, yet still strive to be even better. Pupils learn to read quickly. Regular assessments tell staff which pupils need extra help to keep up. Pupils and staff love reading and listening to stories. As one teacher said, ‘Teachers here are bookworms too.’ Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books. They make good use of the library next door for new reading material.

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Mathematics is equally well taught. In Reception Year, there is a sharp focus on understanding number. For example, during the inspection, children were practising their number bonds to five by quickly working out how many teddies were hiding in a bag. The children could also relate this to subtraction well, showing a secure understanding of zero. Leaders ensure that the mathematics curriculum sequences learning clearly. Teachers break learning down well into small chunks. This helps pupils to build a deep understanding of concepts and methods. They grasp new ideas quickly.

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Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same full curriculum offer as their peers. They quickly identify any pupils who may benefit from additional support or different strategies. Staff know their pupils well and tailor effective support in lessons. Leaders work well with external specialists for those pupils who need it. Pupils with SEND learn well at Cookham Rise.

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Leaders support pupils’ personal development effectively through the life skills curriculum. This teaches pupils about themselves and the world around them. For example, pupils learn about neurodiversity. This helps them understand and support their friends well. Recent mental health workshops have supported pupils to appreciate the importance of sleep and exercise, as well as limiting screen time. Pupils take part in a ‘daily mile’ on the running track. They know how to keep themselves healthy. The school has strong links with a school in Uganda. Pupils are proud to collect items, such as football boots, to help the pupils in this school.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ consideration of their workload and well- being. All staff are proud and happy to work at Cookham Rise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 April 2022

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Leaders have established clear procedures for staff to report safeguarding concerns. Staff are alert to worries pupils may have or any signs of abuse. Leaders act swiftly on these concerns. When necessary, they refer to external agencies to ensure that pupils and families get the support they need. As one governor said, ‘Leaders think about families, not just children.’ However, sometimes, the level of detail on leaders’ records could be improved.

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In their life skills lessons, pupils learn about keeping safe, such as around water and when online. Pupils tell trusted adults if something is concerning them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, and in early years, the precise content that leaders want pupils to remember is not clear enough. Sometimes, teachers do not know exactly what pupils have learned in the past, so they cannot build on what pupils know and can do. This means that pupils do not always learn as well as they could. Leaders should specify, with absolute clarity, the knowledge that is most important in all subjects, so that teachers know exactly what pupils must remember.  Some safeguarding records lack sufficient detail. This means that it is not always clear what conversations or actions have taken place and when. Leaders must ensure that all relevant safeguarding details are recorded in a systematic and robust manner.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

19 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders currently use one 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector met with senior leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders and pupils about some other subjects.  The inspector met with five governors, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative from the local authority. 26 and 27 April 2022

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 Safeguarding arrangements were reviewed. This included safer recruitment checks and record-keeping of concerns. The inspector also spoke to staff, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  Responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, including free-text comments, were considered, as well as the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  There were no responses to the Ofsted online survey for pupils. The inspector met with a wide range of pupils to discuss their views of the school and talked to pupils informally during playtimes and in lessons.  The inspector held a conversation with a member of staff from the alternative provision that the school is currently using.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 April 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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