Curridge Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Curridge Primary School Curridge, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 9DZ

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Outcome

Curridge Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from attending this harmonious and ambitious school. Their ‘superhero values’ displayed in every classroom, help them meet the high expectations that adults have for them. Whether they aim for the values of 'Captain' challenge, confidence, collaboration, curiosity, cooperation or creativity, pupils consistently strive to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour across the school is positive. Playtimes are joyful environments, where pupils show kindness and care to each other and adults. They value and take care of the equipment that leaders have provided for them and share it well with each other. Pupils are considerate and polite in their conduct around the school. They know how to behave because adults show them what this should look like.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have secure knowledge of what bullying means and how to report any concerns. They are proud to say that bullying does not happen in their school. On the rare occasion that it does, leaders respond effectively to help pupils understand the impact of their actions on others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have warm relationships with adults in the school. They trust that staff will help them to become the best they can be. As a result, they are confident to try and show resilience when they learn.

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

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils in the school will achieve. They have focused on improving the core curriculum. As such, there is a coherent curriculum, which clearly sets out the sequence of learning for pupils. The impact of this is clear to see in how well pupils recall their learning. It is also evident in the school's positive published outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics. In Reception, pupils start to learn key mathematical concepts and knowledge of phonics, so they are ready for learning in Year 1. 18 July 2023

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However, in some foundation subjects, while there is an ambitious curriculum in place, leaders are still making refinements to this. They have not yet precisely thought about the order of knowledge that pupils will build over time. Some of these curriculum plans are also very new and they are yet to be fully in place in all year groups. Due to this, pupils do not learn as well as they could through the entire curriculum.

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Teachers’ subject knowledge and understanding of the pupils they teach is secure. They use information from assessment to know when a pupil has fallen behind. This is evident in the teaching of early reading, where ongoing assessment in phonics means that teachers know when a pupil has gaps in their knowledge. They use this information to put in place effective additional activities, so pupils catch up with their reading swiftly.

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Leaders are making further changes to the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have trained their emotional support team well to provide expert help to some pupils with SEND. However, they are yet to implement training to improve the broader SEND knowledge of staff within the school. As such, the support for pupils with SEND in classrooms is not yet as precise as it could be.

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Pupils show highly positive attitudes to their learning. This begins in Reception where children follow the routines and rules of the classroom well. Teachers apply the school's approach to managing behaviour effectively. They teach pupils about the importance of positive conduct through assemblies and tutor time activities. When low-level disruption does occur, staff do respond to this well and there is minimal impact on pupils’ learning.

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Personal development is at the heart of the school. Adults provide pupils with leadership opportunities which deepen their understanding about democracy. This is through the school parliament, where roles include prime minister, minister of well-being, art, and the environment. Through these leadership positions, pupils play a tangible role in contributing to their school community.

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Pupils are truly inclusive. They are respectful of diversity and have secure knowledge of a range of cultures and traditions. They celebrate diversity by recognising and participating in religious festivals, such as Diwali. The vast majority of pupils attend clubs and activities in school, which help them with their wider character development. Leaders collaborate well with all staff, parents and carers to ensure these opportunities match pupils’ talents and interests.

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Staff, pupils, and parents are overwhelmingly positive about their experience in the school. There has been some change for the school this year. Despite this, leaders have ensured stability and maintain their focus on supporting the well-being of staff. Staff value this immensely. The vision and values of leaders inspires them and makes them proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 18 July 2023

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Leaders and governors have secure knowledge of the risks that face pupils and families in the community. Subsequently, they teach pupils lessons which help them to be safe, both online and in the community.

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Leaders have trained staff well to identify when a pupil may be at risk. They know to prioritise sharing this information with leaders. As such, leaders take rapid and effective action to respond to all safeguarding concerns raised. The detailed records that leaders keep, show how well they work with external agencies to secure the right support at the right time for pupils and their families.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Provision for pupils with SEND is being refined by leaders. Currently, the support that some pupils receive is not as precise as it could be. Leaders should continue their work to enhance and embed practice across the entire school and ensure staff have secure knowledge of how to meet a wide range of needs in lessons.  In a small number of subjects, leaders have not embedded all their changes to the curriculum. This means that pupils are not learning consistently well across the entire curriculum. Leaders should ensure that staff have the knowledge they need in all curriculum areas to ensure that pupils build coherent knowledge effectively over time.

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Background

When we have judged 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 September 2013.

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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. 18 July 2023

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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. 18 July 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection This school was last inspected under section 8 of the education act 2005 in March 2018.

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 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 lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team. The lead inspector also met with the chair and five other members of the governing body.  The lead inspector also met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and modern foreign languages and history. They discussed the curriculum 18 July 2023

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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 observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils in lessons and during play and lunchtimes.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluations of the school, their school improvement plan, and minutes from governors’ meetings.  The inspector spoke to parents and took into account their responses to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to the online staff survey.  The inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of the safeguarding arrangements in the school by speaking with leaders, staff, and pupils. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the arrangements for safeguarding. During

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these meetings, the lead inspector scrutinised records and sampled case files to explore how the school identifies and supports pupils at risk of harm. The team inspector also examined the school’s work to recruit and check on the suitability of staff as well as checking the knowledge of staff about their responsibilities.

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Inspection team

Nina Marabese, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Toby Martlew His Majesty's Inspector 18 July 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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