Caversham Primary School

Inspection of Caversham Primary School Hemdean Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire RG4 7RA

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

p.1

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

This school was last inspected 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 15 and 16 November 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and vibrant school. They respect and celebrate differences between themselves and others. Pupils can discuss what a healthy and unhealthy relationship looks like and how to be a good friend. They know how to stay safe, including online.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave sensibly and rise to the staff’s high expectations. Pupils are kind to each other, listen and respond appropriately to each other. Pupils know who to turn to if they have a worry or a problem, feeling confident that they will get the help they need. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and supportive. Incidents of bullying are rare.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wider opportunities and experiences they have that enhance their learning. These include a range of visits, visitors and clubs that build upon pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils are enthusiastic about the many positions of leadership they hold because they know they make a positive difference to others. Pupils are doing well overall and are well prepared for their next stage of education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

However, leaders do not have the required knowledge to keep pupils safe from harm. They have not taken prompt and proper actions when pupils are at risk. They have not ensured that safeguarding is effective throughout the school.

p.2

better?

Governors have an ambitious vision for pupils and staff. However, they have not ensured that they fulfil their statutory safeguarding responsibilities. Until the inspection, they were unaware of significant weaknesses in the school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe.

p.2

better?

Leaders have worked with determination to strengthen the quality of education. They have given priority to early reading, English and wider subjects such as history and physical education. Their hard work and sound thinking have paid off. This has led to greater consistency and pupils are achieving well. Changes to the mathematics curriculum demonstrate leaders’ high expectations. However, some teachers require further training and support to ensure they are implementing the mathematics curriculum consistently and effectively.

p.2

better?

Reading is a high priority. Staff in Reception and key stage 1 closely follow the school’s phonic programme. This helps pupils get off to a flying start with their reading. Any pupils who are finding reading tricky get the right help to catch up quickly. Staff promote a love of reading. Pupils thoroughly enjoy hearing their teachers read well-chosen books that extend their vocabulary and enhance their understanding.

p.2

better?

Clear routines and expectations mean that children in Reception get off to a strong start with their learning. They share, take turns and play together well. Interactions 15 and 16 November 2022

p.2

3

between adults and children support learning and rightly focus on developing communication and language.

p.3

3

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is exemplary. They love to learn and they relish the challenges that teachers provide. Pupils who struggle with their behaviour benefit from the pastoral care they receive from leaders and staff. During unsupervised times, including during wet playtimes, some older pupils make poor behaviour choices which go unnoticed and can put others at risk of harm. Overall, pupils’ attendance is very high, but there is a small group of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, who are persistently absent. School leaders do not have robust processes in place to help these pupils attend school regularly.

p.3

3

Staff start every lesson with a recap to help pupils reconnect with previous learning. Leaders identify any additional needs pupils have as soon as they join the school. Teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the expectations that staff have for some pupils, including some pupils with SEND, are not always as high as those set out by leaders. In these cases, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

p.3

3

Leaders provide pupils with extensive opportunities for personal development. They are passionate about making sure that every pupil has access to the wide range of visits, visitors, clubs and events that are available. Personal, social, health and economic education is well sequenced and ensures that pupils are ready for their move to secondary school. Pupils have a strong understanding of democracy and show respect for other people’s points of view. They learn how to stay healthy both physically and mentally.

p.3

3

Staff are supportive of senior leaders. They feel respected and appreciate the consideration leaders place on well-being and workload. Those who replied to the staff survey were unanimous in their view that they enjoy working at this school. Equally, parents spoken to and those who completed the survey were very positive. One parent, who echoed the sentiment of many, said, ‘I am impressed with how happy my child is at the school. The staff are brilliant and caring, inspiring them to be the very best they can be.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders have a weak understanding of safeguarding requirements and procedures. They have not exercised sufficient leadership or oversight of this important work. As a result, records of safeguarding concerns and the tracking of subsequent actions are poor. Leaders have not ensured that all required employment checks are complete for some staff employed at the school. These weaknesses pose potential risks to pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

Some staff have not had the necessary training to be able to record concerns accurately using the school’s online system. However, staff know how to identify 15 and 16 November 2022

p.3

4

concerns about pupils and to report these to the appropriate leader. The pastoral support provided for pupils is a strength and they appreciate this level of care.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities effectively. They have not exercised sufficient oversight and rigorous monitoring of safeguarding processes. Leaders need to improve their own safeguarding expertise and ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and understood by all staff at the school.  Leaders, including governors, have not maintained effective oversight of safeguarding. They do not have strong systems in place to ensure that record- keeping and subsequent follow-up work are effective. Leaders and governors must ensure that robust systems are implemented so that they are assured actions taken are prompt and proper.  Leaders have not ensured that there is always appropriate supervision during breaktimes. This means that pupils are potentially at risk of harm. Leaders need to urgently address these significant weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements.  Leaders and governors’ oversight of attendance is not as strong as it needs to be.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

They do not have an appropriate policy or systems in place to identify patterns and trends quickly enough or connect these with vulnerable groups of pupils. Leaders must address this swiftly.  Staff expectations of pupils with SEND are not always as high as they could be. As a result, some pupils with SEND are not achieving as well as they could. School leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented and that expectations of pupils with SEND are consistently high.

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. 15 and 16 November 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2009 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Many staff have joined the school since the last inspection. Many members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body, are also new to the school since the previous inspection.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school care club for pupils who attend the school.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform. 15 and 16 November 2022

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 held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with two governors, including the chair of governors. He also held a separate meeting with a representative from Reading local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also heard pupils read.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors reviewed a wide range of safeguarding

p.6

6

documentation, including the school’s record of recruitment checks. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. Inspectors also spoke with pupils and staff.  Inspectors took account of parents’ responses to Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ written comments. An inspector also spoke to groups of parents on the morning of the first day of inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the day, including during lesson visits and at breaktimes. They also took into account responses to the pupils’ survey.  Inspectors met with a range of staff to gather their views about the school and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s confidential staff questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Alan Derry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Clare Wilkins Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 November 2022

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