Basildon C.E. Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Basildon C.E. Primary School School Lane, Upper Basildon, Reading, Berkshire RG8 8PD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

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Outcome

Basildon C.E. Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school, where they enjoy learning new things and playing with their friends. There is a strong sense of community here. Pupils are happy and feel safe because they know that there are lots of adults they can trust if they have a problem. The school’s values of respect, resilience and excellence are clear to see in the way pupils approach their learning and treat each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to be kind and polite at this school. They understand their teachers’ high expectations of them and work hard to meet these. Pupils demonstrate exemplary manners, for example by holding doors open for each other as well as adults. It is rare for pupils to be unkind to each other here, but when this does happen, it is dealt with quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are very positive about the school and particularly appreciate the caring culture that leaders have developed. Reflecting the views of many, one parent said, ‘It’s a very inclusive and nurturing school. My child is thriving and always enjoys attending.’

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

Leaders have made sure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, study a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have planned out what they expect pupils to know in each subject from the early years right up to Year 6. There are some subjects where pupils learn particularly well, such as mathematics, reading and religious education. However, there are a few foundation subjects, including geography and history, where the curriculum has been developed very recently and is not fully embedded. Pupils do not remember as much in these subjects and sometimes get confused about important facts.

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

Pupils learn to read well at this school right from the early years. If pupils fall behind with their reading, they are helped to catch up quickly. Leaders have ensured that all teachers 21 and 22 February 2023

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and teaching assistants are well trained to help pupils with their reading, which means that lessons and support are consistently effective. Pupils learn to enjoy books and this begins right from the nursery, where they are introduced to a wide range of stories, songs and poems. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and borrowing books from the school library.

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There are extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests at this school. Clubs are well attended, and leaders make sure that they remove any barriers to pupils getting involved so that nobody misses out. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in sports such as football and netball, as well as non-sporting activities such as craft and choir. They particularly enjoy the chance to take part in residential trips once they reach key stage 2. These are opportunities for team building and developing important life skills. Some pupils in older year groups take on buddy roles where they help to support children who are new to the school in Reception. Younger pupils benefit from this, and their buddies enjoy the responsibility that comes with caring for others.

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This is an inclusive school where any additional needs are identified quickly so that extra help can be put in place where required. Teachers are well trained to know each pupil and understand how to support them. Pupils recognise this too and they are proud that their school is a place where everyone is enabled to achieve. Pupils behave well in lessons and it very rare for them to lose focus or be distracted by others.

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Staff feel incredibly well supported by school leaders. Teachers and support staff feel highly valued here because the headteacher prioritises their professional development. Teachers at the start of their careers receive excellent support and mentoring. Staff workload is considered carefully. There is an open and positive culture here where staff know they can ask for support or flexibility if they need it. Staff talk often about the importance of modelling the school’s values in the way they treat each other, and this underpins a highly professional and collaborative culture.

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Governors know the school well and have a sharp understanding of the priorities for development. They support the headteacher, but also ask challenging questions to ensure that standards remain high. Governors understand the importance of staff well-being and rightly make this a priority in their work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have made sure that there is a strong safeguarding culture in this school. Staff have a detailed understanding of their responsibilities and what safeguarding practice looks like in their school context. They use their knowledge to identify any concerns, no matter how small, and pass these on when appropriate. Leaders respond effectively, working well with external agencies where necessary. There are strong procedures for recruitment and managing concerns about adults. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including a particular emphasis on online safety. Governors check regularly that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 21 and 22 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Improvements to the curriculum are not fully embedded in the foundation subjects. Pupils sometimes feel confused about their learning in these subjects, or struggle to remember what they’ve learned in the past. Leaders should continue to develop their curriculum plans and resources to better support all teachers in delivering foundation subjects, including those earlier in their careers.

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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 December 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.

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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256479 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 20 October 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the school’s last inspection, leaders have opened a nursery as part of the school, accepting children from the age of two.  The school does not currently use any alternative providers.  The school has a religious denomination: Church of England. Its last section 48 inspection took place in June 2018.  Since the school’s last inspection, there have been many changes to the makeup of the school’s governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior staff, including the school’s headteacher.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 21 and 22 February 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also talked to pupils about their work in history and religious education.  The inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese. He spoke with representatives of the local governing body about their roles.  The inspector met with pupils, parents and staff about their views of the school, as well as taking into account their responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires.  The inspector checked that the arrangements for safeguarding are effective. He met with the designated safeguarding lead, scrutinised records of concerns, checked the single central record and had conversations with pupils, staff and governors about this aspect of the school.

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Inspection team

Chris Ellison, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023

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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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