Buckland Church of England Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Buckland Church of England Primary School Summerside, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 8RB

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Outcome

Buckland Church of England Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Starting in the early years, pupils learn to take responsibility for their behaviour and actions really effectively. They have high expectations of themselves and each other that are reinforced consistently well by staff. Pupils know how to stay safe, looking after and caring for one another. They learn to be kind, considerate people. On the very rare occasions when there are any problems, pupils know who to talk to and staff respond swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an impressive work ethic. They focus extremely well in lessons and often tackle extra challenges that teachers provide. Pupils dress smartly, are polite and are rightly very proud of their school. These characteristics develop because staff establish and maintain high standards for pupils’ achievement and conduct successfully.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop wisdom and curiosity by probing different ideas and beliefs regularly. They learn about global and local issues. Pupils have a strong understanding of diversity, equality and human rights, preparing them well for future life. One parent justifiably commented: ‘This is an excellent school. We feel very lucky that our child attends this school. They are focused not only on their academic achievements but also on pupils’ social and emotional well-being.’

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

Children get off to an incredibly strong start in the early years. They start learning to read quickly and also develop a secure understanding of numbers. Staff get to know children swiftly and check their progress in all areas of their learning. This means staff accurately identify any additional needs children have and put the right adjustments in place to make sure all children keep up. These features, rightly recognised by parents, continue as pupils move into Year 1 and beyond. Teachers and teaching assistants have high levels of expertise because of the training leaders provide. Teachers maintain in-depth knowledge 1 July 2022

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of each pupil’s learning which helps teachers make sure the curriculum is fully meeting all pupils’ needs.

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Pupils achieve highly across the curriculum. All pupils learn to read confidently and accurately, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are immersed in the school’s reading culture, developing a real enthusiasm for all kinds of reading material. Leaders ensure pupils engage with a wide range of texts within a rich reading diet. Pupils enjoy discussing their favourite authors and books. While leaders and staff prioritise reading as the foundation of learning, they are just as successful at designing and teaching the curriculum in mathematics and the full range of other subjects. Leaders have adjusted the curriculum carefully to make sure any issues in pupils’ learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are addressed. When leaders and teachers identify that pupils are not achieving quite as well as they could be, they take the right action. This means that pupils are able to make the best possible progress.

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Pupils’ wider development is a significant strength of the school. Parents recognise that this is the case, as do pupils. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including in sport, music and drama, which help them cultivate new interests and develop their talents. Pupils’ participation rates in these activities are high. Leaders have worked successfully to return the range of activities available to the same levels as before the pandemic. There are a wide range of activities within the curriculum which enrich and deepen pupils’ learning, including trips and visits to carefully chosen places which link to pupils’ current learning. Pupils’ work in curriculum subjects is underpinned by termly themes which develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Pupils are knowledgeable and form well-founded, balanced and considered opinions.

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Trustees, local governors and school leaders prioritise managing staff workload effectively. They plan approaches carefully and monitor the impact of these on staff well-being. Leaders empower staff to take responsibility for achieving a good work-life balance. Leaders set expectations about reasonable work hours. They also make sure that staff have enough dedicated time to carry out additional responsibilities and leadership roles fully. Leaders invest in training and development for staff, again making sure that staff have time for this. Leaders have also revised approaches to planning and assessment to make sure that these are proportionate and efficient, while remaining effective.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Processes to manage safeguarding are highly robust. Leaders identify and deal with any issues quickly and effectively, making sure pupils get the support they need. Staff receive regular training that means they are appropriately knowledgeable and vigilant. Leaders liaise with social care and other external agencies well. Safeguarding leaders have a comprehensive knowledge of each individual pupil. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to keep safe in lessons and assemblies. The trust and local governors monitor this aspect of the school’s work throughout the year. They make sure that the right checks are in place for staff and volunteers. 1 July 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in October 2016.

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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.

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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. 1 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227126 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.bucklandprimaryschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 October 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Faringdon Learning Trust multi-academy trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  Early years provision consists of a Nursery class, which some children attend part time and some attend full time, and a Reception class.  The proportions of pupils with SEND or who are eligible for pupil premium funding are below average.  The school has a religious character and is part of the Diocese of Oxford. The last statutory inspection of Anglian and Methodist schools was in January 2016 when the school was judged to be outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors 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 samples of pupils’ work. 1 July 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders including the special education needs coordinator.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation provided by the school.  An inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees and the local governing body. This included the chair of trustees, the chair of the local governing body, the chief executive officer and a representative of the Diocese of Oxford who is also a trustee.  Inspectors met with a range of pupils, parents and staff, also taking into consideration their responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires about their views of the school.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss safeguarding, look at records, policies and processes relating to safeguarding and talked to pupils, staff and governors about this aspect of the school’s work. An inspector also reviewed the school’s checks on the suitability of staff to work at the school.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, when moving around the school and at breaktimes.

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Inspection team

Matthew Haynes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Derry Her Majesty’s Inspector 1 July 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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