Loddon Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Loddon Primary School Silverdale Road, Earley, Reading, Berkshire RG6 7LR

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Outcome

Loddon Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Loddon Primary is a friendly school where pupils are keen to live out the school values. These run throughout the life of the school and the high expectations of all adults. Pupils are keen to be recognised for showing the school’s values in their positive behaviour and conduct. Pupils learn how to recognise bullying. They are confident that it happens rarely in school and, when it does, adults deal with it well. As one pupil said, ‘if we follow the Loddon values, we can always be a good friend, and good friends aren’t bullies.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Right from the start of Nursery, pupils are curious and have positive attitudes toward learning. Leaders provide pupils with a wide range of clubs and activities to build their character and broaden their experiences. Pupils show respect for others and celebrate difference. New pupils are warmly welcomed into the inclusive school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Breaktimes are lively and sociable. Pupils look forward to playing on the trim trail, doing craft activities, or just catching up with their friends. Pupils feel safe because they know that adults listen to them and care about them. Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy in body and mind and, as a result, they thrive.

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

Reading is a high priority throughout the school. Leaders have made sure that staff are well trained to teach children how to read. Children learn phonics as soon as they start in the early years. They quickly begin to develop their fluency in reading. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. Pupils use their phonic knowledge when reading unfamiliar words. Staff quickly identify when pupils are falling behind. Adults provide extra support to help these pupils to catch up in their reading. Adults read to children every day. Books are carefully chosen to reflect the community the school serves, 28 February and 1 March 2023

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as well as life in modern Britain. This means that pupils hear a wide range of interesting words and phrases and develop their own vocabulary.

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Leaders have identified the knowledge they want all pupils to learn, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is broad and balanced. Leaders have thought carefully about the order in which pupils learn. During lessons, teachers regularly check that pupils learn more and remember more. They use these checks to identify where pupils are less secure in their understanding. Teachers identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. As a result, pupils, including those in early years, develop their skills and understanding well in each subject area.

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Leaders have designed a curriculum that goes beyond the core expectations of learning about different subjects. They have ensured that there is a wide range of clubs and activities for all pupils, including those with SEND. These opportunities include a wide range of sports and a newspaper that pupils write and run themselves. Pupils are proud to hold positions of responsibility in the school. Leaders have carefully considered the mental health and personal qualities needed for pupils to take an active role in modern Britain. Brief times for reflection are woven through the school day. Pupils benefit from these opportunities to think about the present and then move on to the next activity.

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In most subject areas, teachers use careful curriculum thinking to present information in an interesting way. They design learning activities so that pupils can build on their prior learning. However, in a small number of subjects, this does not always happen. This means that some pupils find the work too easy and do not learn as much as they could. In these subjects, leaders have not checked that teachers are delivering the curriculum in the way that it was intended.

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Leaders have established clear routines for the school, which helps pupils to manage their emotions and focus on work. The youngest children are supported through well-thought- out activities and opportunities for cooperative play. Leaders have implemented a new behaviour policy as part of the borough-wide approach. Staff are well trained and are starting to adopt this policy in a consistent way. Pupils try hard in lessons. Pupils know there will be a consequence and resolution if behaviour falls short of what is expected.

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Governors check that leaders’ work to improve the school is making a positive difference for all pupils. Staff, including those at the start of their careers, enjoy working at the school. They recognise that leaders have thought carefully about how to manage workload. The ‘every adult matters’ group ensures that the values of the school are applied to staff and pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of a ‘telling school’. This means that pupils and adults are encouraged to share worries and concerns. As one child said, ‘we all have to tell so 28 February and 1 March 2023

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that we can all be safe.’ Staff are well trained and vigilant for signs of abuse. They know how to report their concerns, and leaders take swift action to get pupils the help they need. Pupils learn how to stay safe in their personal, social and health education lessons. They are confident to identify and manage risks, both online and in the physical environment.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers do not always design activities that build on what pupils already know. As a result, some pupils complete activities swiftly because they already have a secure understanding. Leaders need to ensure that they are providing effective checks that the curriculum is being delivered as intended so that pupils are challenged.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256536 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 23 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school hosts a privately run breakfast and after-school provision. This is inspected separately.  Leaders do not currently use any alternative provision for pupils.

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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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with curriculum 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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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 Inspectors held meetings with members of the local governing body and leaders of the provision for SEND, behaviour and personal development. The inspectors also observed lunch and breaktimes.  The inspectors explored the school’s safeguarding culture through considering safeguarding records and procedures, meeting with a range of pupils and staff and talking to safeguarding leaders.  The inspectors considered the 98 responses and 54 free-text responses made by parents to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the 45 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and the 168 responses to the online pupil survey. Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through meetings with them, during visits to lessons and during other times of the school day.

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Inspection team

Lizzie Jeanes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Martin Ofsted Inspector 28 February and 1 March 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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