Claytons Primary School

Inspection of Claytons Primary School Wendover Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire SL8 5NS

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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 Good 3 and 4 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are cared for and well supported at this nurturing village school. They talk confidently about values such as resilience, ambition and perseverance. When asked to describe what ambition means, one pupil shared: ‘It is when you reach for the stars and don’t let anything stop you’. This positive approach starts from the beginning of school in Nursery and Reception. It is particularly strong in the school’s specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In the early years, pupils settle quickly into school life and develop strong relationships with the staff team. Staff recognise and encourage pupils’ positive attitudes to learning. Staff are proud to highlight pupils’ successes inside and outside of the classroom.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Older pupils say that the curriculum helps them feel prepared for when they move on to their next school in Year 7. For example, pupils are taught how to manage peer pressure and are prepared for their time at secondary school. Pupils are kind and considerate towards each other. They play happily on the playground and are respectful in the school hall at lunchtimes and when moving around the school. Pupils help to create a highly inclusive and respectful school culture.

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better?

Leaders are passionate about success for all pupils. Governors are focused and committed to help all pupils to thrive. Leaders, including governors, know the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are considerate of staff workload and well-being, taking a proactive approach through surveys and visits that are recognised and appreciated across the staff team. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum which is planned and adapted to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Where subjects have been a focus of staff training, such as for mathematics and early reading, staff are clear about what needs to be taught and how lessons connect. Teachers have high expectations. In subjects such as mathematics, lessons help to build concepts that are matched to leaders’ curriculum plans. However, in some subjects, leaders have not yet identified the precise knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. This means

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better?

that pupils are not always achieving as well as they could.

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better?

Pupils with SEND achieve well. The special educational needs coordinator works closely with parents, staff and pupils. Where needed, staff co-ordinate support with specialist services such as speech and language therapy. Pupils with SEND are identified and supported quickly. There is an increasing number of pupils with SEND who join the school. This means there needs to be a range of precise adaptations to the curriculum. When plans are developed for these pupils, they are not always implemented consistently effectively. There are a small number of pupils with SEND who could do even better, therefore. 3 and 4 July 2023

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Pupils learn to read well, particularly in the early years. Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme and are already seeing a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Reading books are matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. Staff check how well pupils are learning phonics. They make sure that there is support in place if any pupils fall behind and need to catch up. Reading for pleasure is promoted well across the school. Staff read a range of books to pupils daily to inspire a love of reading. Pupils talk confidently about their learning. They are excited to share what they know and remember. Older pupils can link subjects to professions outside of school such as in mathematics when one pupil shared, 'if you want to be an architect you need to know how to do measurements'.

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Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They enjoy learning musical instruments and taking part in sports clubs and activities such as football, netball and athletics. Pupils learn about how to stay physically and mentally healthy, including learning about healthy eating. Pupils also enjoy the many trips and celebration days such as a visit to Woolley Firs Environmental Education Centre and ‘Harry Potter day’. Pupils behave well. Low-level disruption is rare. If any pupils do find learning difficult, staff act quickly, and pupils respond appropriately. A small number of pupils need extra support for their behaviour at times. However, support from adults is not always consistent and in line with leaders’ expectations. This is something that leaders have identified and are already beginning to address.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including governors, are highly knowledgeable about safeguarding and maintain an ‘it could happen here’ approach. They make appropriate checks and complete training which helps them to ensure safeguarding is a priority for all staff at the school. Any concerns are reported and responded to quickly so that leaders get support for pupils, including involving other agencies where needed. Staff access appropriate training. They use the curriculum effectively to teach pupils about how to stay safe and manage risks outside of school such as the potential harm of social media and cyberbullying. Record keeping is detailed and gives leaders the information they need to act quickly and effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the precise knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils need to learn. This means that some pupils could achieve even better if they build knowledge and link their learning to the lessons that they have done already. Leaders should ensure that these subjects include precise cumulative knowledge and vocabulary and that this is taught consistently well so that all pupils know and remember more. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 Leaders accurately identify pupils with SEND and ensure that plans are in place that match to pupils’ needs. However, the provision some pupils receive in class does not always match what is set out in their plans. Leaders need to ensure that staff get the support and training they need so they can implement plans for pupils with SEND in the classroom successfully and consistently.  Although behaviour incidents are uncommon, a very small minority of pupils do not always behave well towards adults in the school. Leaders need to continue to review and embed strong, shared behaviour management systems that are applied consistently well across the staff team so that all staff feel supported and are able to respond to incidents in consistent ways, following leaders' expectations.

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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.

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Claytons Primary School has a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. All pupils have an education, health and care plan with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. There are 14 pupils across the age ranges accessing this provision.  The school has provision for children in the Nursery.  The school uses one alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and assistant headteachers. The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, 3 and 4 July 2023

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including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, physical education, science and geography. 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. The inspectors also examined curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents and parents’ free-text comments were considered. The inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  To evaluate the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements in the school, the inspectors spoke to members of staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the school’s policies and procedures.

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During these meetings, records were scrutinised, including those relating to the safer recruitment of staff.

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Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Ally Aldridge-Gibbons His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jon Hills Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 2023

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