Baydon St Nicholas Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Baydon St Nicholas Church of England Primary School Ermin Street, Baydon, Marlborough, Wiltshire SN8 2JJ

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. Inspectors are recommending the next inspection to be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly school. They see their school as a family where everyone looks after one another. Pupils have a good grasp of how the school values of respect, kindness and perseverance prepare them for life. Their practise of these values means that bullying does not happen here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Where the curriculum is well matched to pupils’ needs, they demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. In some subjects, including phonics for the youngest children, the content is not well enough matched to pupils’ needs. In these cases, pupils often lack attention and engagement. In some learning, they do not always take pride in their work because teachers’ expectations of them are not high enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn that everyone is different. They respect this. Pupils know that some people are discriminated against because of their looks or characteristics. They feel that everyone is treated equally at their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is enriched by a range of trips and visitors. The experiences are carefully chosen to broaden pupils’ cultural capital and horizons beyond their locality. Pupils look forward to taking roles of responsibility, including the organisation of fundraising. These citizenship opportunities develop their sense of service to their community.

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

Leaders have successfully designed a curriculum that meets the organisational challenges of the school. The four-year design is ambitious and coherent. However, leaders have not yet clearly identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn in each year for all subject 17 November 2022

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curriculums. This hampers teachers’ clarity over what should be expected of pupils and by when.

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Reading has been prioritised by leaders. The recent introduction of a phonics programme means that the order in which pupils learn sounds is clear. The teaching of the phonics programme, however, is not ensuring all pupils make the progress they are capable of. This is because it is not always well matched to their needs, including for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Support for those pupils who fall behind is not always effective in helping them to catch up.

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Pupils love to read. Classrooms have inviting selections of texts to choose from which pupils say they like. They enjoy having stories read to them by teachers and talk enthusiastically about past and present texts they have listened to. Pupils are particularly excited about using their new school library. However, leaders have not secured a consistent approach to the teaching of reading for older pupils.

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In some subjects, leaders have identified and agreed the teaching strategies they want teachers to use. This is particularly successful in mathematics where pupils learn well. In other subjects, pupils experience a variability of approach. Subject leaders do not yet support teachers to develop their teaching strategies and subject knowledge well enough.

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Assessment is used well in mathematics to ensure pupils learn the right content at the right time. However, because the knowledge in other subjects has not yet been identified with enough detail, assessment is not always used well to match the content to pupils’ needs and abilities. This means that, sometimes, pupils are working on content that is too hard or too easy for them.

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Governors are committed to carrying out their strategic roles effectively. They have recently adapted the way they oversee the work of the school. This is enabling a renewed focus on the curriculum and quality of education. Governors make regular visits to the school to evaluate the information given to them by leaders. Staff are very positive about leaders’ work to support their workload and well-being. They feel involved in decision- making, which makes them feel like valued members of the team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise the safeguarding of pupils. They make sure that all staff have the knowledge they need to identify concerns. Information is shared effectively using agreed systems, which means that leaders are able to act swiftly. Pupils and families get the right help at the right time due to leaders’ effective work with outside agencies.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils are taught age-appropriate ways to keep themselves safe. They feel confident talking to any adult about their worries. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of online safety. 17 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The delivery of the phonics programme to younger pupils is not well matched to their needs. As a result, some pupils do not learn the knowledge they need to keep up with their peers. Leaders must ensure that the way the phonics programme is implemented meets the needs of all pupils.  Leaders have not identified key knowledge that pupils should know in all subject curriculums, including reading beyond phonics. This makes it difficult for teachers to know what to expect of pupils and by when. Leaders should identify the granular knowledge pupils should know and by when, so that teachers’ expectations of pupils are higher.  Subject leaders’ skills to improve their areas of responsibility are not fully developed. They are not yet supporting teachers to develop their subject knowledge and teaching strategies. Subject leaders need to ensure they improve teachers’ subject knowledge and agreed teaching strategies so that pupils experience a consistently well-delivered

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.

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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. 17 November 2022

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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. 17 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10240910 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 May 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary aided Church of England primary school within the diocese of Salisbury. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2018.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2021.  Recently there have been significant changes to the local governing body, including a new chair of governors.

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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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the 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. 17 November 2022

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and with a representative from the local authority.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss how they keep pupils safe in school. She considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concerns and their engagement with external agencies. Inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including free-text responses. They also took into consideration responses to the staff

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and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Ross Newman Ofsted Inspector 17 November 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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