Buckingham Park Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Buckingham Park Church of England Primary School Jubilee Square, Buckingham Park, Aylesbury HP19 9DZ

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 September 2023

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Outcome

Buckingham Park Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wonderful family exists at Buckingham Park. There is strong collaboration between everyone to strive for the very best for pupils. The school’s thoughtfully created environment supports pupils to learn and play, particularly in the early years. Pupils are buoyant and happy. They love the fact there is so much outdoor space for them to roam in.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour expectations are clear to all and the school adopts consistent routines. These teach pupils how to behave sensibly and be kind to each other. Pupils are tolerant and respectful, underpinned by the school’s Christian values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ambitious leaders set a curriculum where pupils experience a broad offer of academic subjects and enrichment. Pupils work hard and try their best. Caring adults support any pupil who may struggle. Across year groups, the school sets out clear learning expectations to help all pupils achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Physical activity is prioritised daily. Pupils keenly participate in a wide range of sporting activities and competitions. Pupils are rightly proud of how they compete and have achieved notable success in different events. Different extra-curricular clubs are available to develop pupils’ talents and interests. Additional responsibilities motivate pupils to serve their school and their community.

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

The school’s vision is ambitious. New leaders and governors have utilised training opportunities well to strengthen their knowledge of how to improve the education provision. This professional development includes supporting leaders at all levels to develop their expertise in helping pupils to achieve.

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

There is a carefully designed school curriculum in place. Within a subject, knowledge is identified and precisely sequenced. This enables pupils to be well prepared to move onto 13 and 14 September 2023

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secondary school. Staff know that the curriculum starts with children in Nursery. The school is alert to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s early language acquisition. Therefore, the three prime areas of learning are rightly prioritised. There is a relentless focus on developing children’s communication and language. The school does this particularly well for disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Promoting reading is actively encouraged every day. Pupils benefit from listening to high- quality stories throughout the school. Staff see themselves as reading ‘influencers’ in encouraging pupils to read for pleasure. The library is a centrepiece of the school. Last year, the school adopted a new phonics programme. They have recognised the need to start this even earlier in Reception Year. Staff know which pupils require additional support with reading and they assess accurately any knowledge gaps. However, the school recognises the need for pupils to get as much reading practice as possible, particularly older pupils impacted by the pandemic.

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When teaching the curriculum, staff use their secure subject knowledge. Concepts are explained clearly to pupils and images and other resources are provided to help pupils make sense of what they are learning. There are plentiful opportunities for pupils to show their developing knowledge and skills. Furthermore, teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding and revisit learning where needed. In early years, adult-led activities are delivered skilfully, for example in mathematics where children develop their number sense practically.

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However, while the knowledge pupils will learn over time has been identified, some of the tasks undertaken in lessons do not always help pupils learn as much as they could. Furthermore, there are not currently clear processes in place for subject leaders to make checks on how the curriculum is being taught and to assure themselves that pupils are remembering more over time.

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The school has effective systems to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Parents are closely involved and staff reach out and support parents where needed. Ambition is high for pupils with SEND in accessing the same curriculum as their peers. Any additional resources are in place to help pupils’ learning.

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Classrooms are calm and pupils treat each other respectfully. In early years, children have made a super start in following the school’s behaviour policy. Across the school, staff work intelligently to support some pupils to manage their emotions.

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The personal development of pupils lies at the core of the school’s values. Equality and diversity are strongly promoted throughout the curriculum. Pupils show maturity and develop as tolerant ambassadors who celebrate differences in people.

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Governors hold the school to account in how well the quality of education is serving pupils. Committees dig deep into strengths and weaknesses and these are fed into full governing body meetings so all members hear key information and help ensure school improvement priorities are embedded. 13 and 14 September 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers are not always clear about how best to implement the school’s curriculum. This can lead to some activities that are not ambitious enough and do not help every pupil to practise the knowledge they need. The school needs to refocus its staff professional development programme on adults’ pedagogical knowledge so that work set enables pupils to securely learn the planned content.  Processes are not yet in place to ensure subject leaders know how well pupils have learned the school’s curriculum successfully. This includes not being clear on the most effective classroom practice to help pupils learn effectively. The school should further help leaders to focus even more on pupils achieving well.

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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 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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 13 and 14 September 2023

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 13 and 14 September 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Carla Martin and Nikki Norman (co-chairs)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started his post in September 2019. Further changes to the leadership team have taken place over recent years. Two co-chairs of governors were newly elected in July 2023.  Buckingham Park is part of the Diocese of Oxford. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in March 2023.  The school is currently using one unregistered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with senior leaders, staff and pupils. He also met with three governors, including the co-chairs. He held telephone conversations with a school improvement adviser from the local authority and a school adviser from the diocese. 13 and 14 September 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. To do this, he met with subject teachers, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Some pupils were observed reading to a familiar adult by the inspector.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff, pupils and parents were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation provided by the school. This

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included leaders’ self-evaluation and school improvement priorities, policies, curriculum documents, published information about pupils’ performance, behaviour records, information about pupils with SEND and minutes of governors’ meetings.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 September 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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