The Pines School

Inspection of The Pines School Hanworth Road, Hanworth, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 7WX

p.1

Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

p.1

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 Requires improvement 17 and 18 January 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

An atmosphere of partnership and purpose can be felt throughout this school. There is a shared high ambition to ensure every pupil is an eager learner who achieves well. Staff prioritise developing caring relationships will pupils, providing thoughtful nurture and care. Classrooms and communal areas are therefore kind and calm places. Pupils feel safe and say that bullying is rare. Children of all ages are proud of their good behaviour. One pupil said, ‘I love it here and never want to leave.’

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils develop a strong sense of responsibility and care. They willingly provide support for younger ones to help them with their reading. Pupils also value the opportunities provided to be a librarian or to contribute their ideas to the school council.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment they start school, children in Nursery and Reception get off to a flying start. They settle quickly into the life of the school, forming positive relationships with one another and staff. Teachers quickly get to know the children well to make sure that learning is suited to each child. Children take great interest in their learning and consequently quickly develop the knowledge they need to read and write confidently.

p.2

better?

Since joining in September 2019, leaders have made significant changes to the school. Parents and staff value both these improvements as well as leaders’ compassion, kindness and dedication to support all pupils in achieving well. Leaders know that previous changes in leadership had been unsettling and that the curriculum and learning needed to be more ambitious. This work has begun in earnest and despite the disruption cause by COVID-19, the impact can be seen across the school’s curriculum and provision. Recent improvements are also evident in the swift and decisive action leaders took in response to last year’s low key stage 2 outcomes. This work reflects leaders’ ambition to ensure all pupils achieve well.

p.2

better?

Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps pupils make links across different subjects. Pupils are eager to discuss and explore their new knowledge and to look for opportunities to apply this to new topics. In subjects where the curriculum is more developed, such as mathematics, pupils can confidently recall their learning and make links with other subjects. However, in some of the foundation subjects, leaders have not precisely identified exactly what knowledge pupils need to learn and in what order. Consequently, pupils have some gaps in their knowledge so they do not learn as much as they could. In addition, in these subjects, teachers do not regularly check what knowledge pupils know and remember. This results in some pupils having a weaker understanding. 17 and 18 January 2023

p.2

3

Reading is a strength throughout the school. The youngest children learn the first steps of reading when they are in Nursery. Teachers in early years skilfully include letters and numbers in the wide variety of activities available for children in Reception. A carefully sequenced phonics programme is delivered to all pupils to help them build their reading fluency and confidence. Leaders ensure that all teachers and teaching assistants are well trained and that any pupils who find reading more difficult do not fall too far behind their classmates.

p.3

3

Leaders diligently provide high-quality support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils attending the ‘Orchard’ and the ‘Grove’, the school’s two specially resourced provisions, enjoy learning a rich curriculum. They receive the bespoke support they need to meet their needs from well-trained staff. They benefit from learning both in the specially resourced provision as well as with their friends in their year group classes. This support is carefully considered and well planned to help all pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

Teachers make sure that all pupils understand why good behaviour is important, resulting in a calm atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils state bullying is rare as the adults quickly resolve pupils’ worries. In lessons, pupils are attentive and considerate of each other. Leaders know that some pupils do not attend school as well as they should. Clear plans to improve attendance provide effective support for pupils and their families. This work is ongoing but is showing positive impact.

p.3

3

Pupils talk with pride about the clubs they attend and the responsibilities they take on. The school organises a variety of sporting and other activities after school. Pupils value the school council and they appreciate the democratic election of its members. A wide range of assemblies, visitors and lessons help pupils make sense of the world. Pupils value diversity and talk with pride about equality.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a central focus for all staff. Leaders have made sure that adults are vigilant and know how to record and report if they are worried about a pupil. Records are used to identify patterns and where pupils may be at risk from harm. Leaders review the school’s safeguarding processes regularly and seek professional advice routinely. Staff training includes governors, who understand their safeguarding responsibility clearly.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in school and beyond, including when online. Leaders also provide helpful guidance to parents to help them develop their knowledge of online safety. 17 and 18 January 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified with enough precision what teachers need to teach and when they need to teach it. Pupils therefore do not always build knowledge consistently well across all subjects and can find it difficult to recall prior learning securely. Leaders must strengthen and refine the curriculum further so that all pupils achieve well across the whole curriculum.  Assessment in the foundation subjects is not used consistently well. As a result, teachers and subject leaders do not know how secure pupils’ learning is or what they can remember. Leaders need to establish a clear approach to checking and closing gaps in learning so that pupils can use apply their developing subject knowledge and skills.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 and 18 January 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10257072 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 New senior leaders have joined the school since the last inspection. This has included the headteacher, who joined in September 2019.  The school includes an onsite nursery provision for pre-school age children.  The school has a before- and after-school provision for pupils. This is led and managed by school staff.  The school includes two specially resourced provisions for pupils with SEND. The Orchard and the Grove provide support for pupils who have autism spectrum disorder and/or speech, communication and language needs and related learning needs.  The school currently does not use any alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 17 and 18 January 2023

p.5

6

 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 senior leaders, staff, pupils and representatives of the governing body, including the chair. An inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed other subjects with leaders and look at curriculum planning and resources. The lead inspector also heard pupils read.  Inspectors considered the 106 responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including 52 free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the

p.6

6

confidential staff survey as well as the views of pupils that were gathered throughout the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors viewed the school’s website and policies, met with the designated safeguarding leader, spoke with pupils and staff, checked school records of safeguarding checks carried out on adults working at the school and spoke with governors.

p.6

Inspection team

Ed Mather, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Toby Martlew Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7