Shaw-cum-Donnington C.E. Primary School

Inspection of Shaw-cum-Donnington C.E. Primary School Love Lane, Donnington, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcoming, accepting and proud. They want everyone to feel like they belong. Pupils, including those in Reception, play alongside each other well. There are so few occurrences of bullying that most pupils have never seen any. They are sure that, if it did happen, adults or the pupil peer mediators would help them to sort it out. Despite minor weaknesses in safeguarding procedures, pupils are safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils meet these expectations. They show the school’s value of respect as they move around school. Sometimes, when learning activities have not been well thought out, pupils get distracted and this can impact on the learning of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school. Leaders work with other agencies to get the right support when it is needed. Pupils have high levels of tolerance for one another and understand that everyone is different.

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What is it like to attend this school?

While pupils experience a well-designed curriculum, pupils in key stages 1 and 2 do not achieve well enough. This is because they have important gaps in their knowledge that have not yet been remedied.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for the pupils at this school. Leaders and teachers, including those in Reception, have mapped out the skills and knowledge they want pupils to learn in all subjects.

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better?

At the start of each lesson, teachers remind pupils of the things they have learned before. This is especially helpful for pupils with SEND. However, in key stage 1 and key stage 2, in some lessons, teachers do not check well enough what pupils can and cannot do. This means lessons move too slowly or too quickly. This causes gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. One pupil commented that this is because ‘reading takes you to different worlds’. The well-stocked library is the hub of the school. Classes enjoy daily story time. Teachers select the books and poems they read in class to link to the topics pupils are learning.

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better?

Leaders have reviewed the way pupils learn to read. A new phonics programme is in place. Teachers are well trained to deliver this programme. As a result, children in the Reception Year get off to a good start in learning to read. However, some older pupils do not get the support they need to build upon this positive start. The books pupils read can be too difficult. They are not well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. Pupils who fall behind get some support to catch up but this is not always linked to their phonics lessons. This slows their progress, meaning they do not have the skills and knowledge needed to become confident, fluent readers. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Effective training has led to improvements in the teaching of mathematics. In Reception, children can count, order numbers and sequence patterns. They help each other out if they get stuck. Older pupils are becoming more confident and fluent in their use of number. Most are beginning to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve problems.

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Leaders weave many opportunities and experiences into the curriculum. They aim to widen pupils’ aspirations beyond this school and community. For example, pupils have worked with an author and illustrator and some have been involved in a play at the local theatre. Teachers use the local area well to enhance the curriculum. Pupils in Reception enjoy visits to the local woods and farm. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, are able to take part in a range of clubs. They are looking forward to even more of these starting again soon.

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Pupils are elected for leadership roles such as school councillor, sports captain and worship leader. These roles are held in high esteem by all pupils. They cast their votes for the pupils they think are just right for the job. During playtimes, Reception pupils enjoy the support of their Year 6 buddies. Pupils enjoy learning about different cultures and backgrounds. For them, ‘different’ means ‘interesting’.

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Governors understand their role. They visit the school to find out first hand what the school does well and what needs to be improved. Teachers and other staff feel well supported by the governing body and school leaders. Leaders look for realistic opportunities to help manage staff’s workload, and staff appreciate this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

While all adults have received safeguarding training, there are minor weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements that need to be addressed. Some staff have gaps in their knowledge and do not always follow the procedures set out by school leaders. However, staff know pupils and their families very well at this small school. The lack of consistent procedures, therefore, does not leave pupils at risk of harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with other agencies to put behaviour plans and risk assessments in place to keep everyone safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep their bodies safe and healthy. They are alert to some of the risks when online. 11 and 12 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Safeguarding record-keeping is not rigorous enough, and not all staff follow the school’s procedures when recording concerns. Leaders need to ensure that all staff know, understand and use the procedures for reporting concerns to keep pupils safe from harm.  Some staff have gaps in their safeguarding knowledge. There is a risk some concerns about pupils could be overlooked. Leaders need to make sure all staff are well trained and that their knowledge is checked.  Teachers’ use of assessment in lessons is variable. Learning is not always checked well enough to ensure pupils have learned the intended knowledge. Teachers need to carefully use assessment to find out what pupils do and do not know, so that lessons can be adapted when needed.  For some pupils who have fallen behind in reading, books are not matched to sounds they are currently learning. This means they do not catch up quickly enough. Leaders need to ensure that books are carefully matched and that all

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

adults have the training and expertise they need to give pupils the required support.

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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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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 September 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England school. Its most recent section 48 inspection took place in November 2018.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, members of staff and four representatives from the governing body. An inspector also held a telephone discussion with a representative from the diocese and the local authority. 11 and 12 October 2022

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 Inspectors spoke with parents at the school gate and considered the 36 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written responses.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design 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.  Inspectors also looked at pupils’ books, reviewed curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors looked at the school’s own evaluation and development plans.  Inspectors spoke to pupils, parents and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. They considered a range of safeguarding documentation.

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Inspection team

Clare Haines, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Judith O’Hare Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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