Robert Piggott CofE Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Robert Piggott CofE Junior School School Hill, Wargrave, Reading, Berkshire RG10 8DY

p.1

Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2023

p.1

Outcome

Robert Piggott CofE Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils learn the school values of ‘grace, courage and friendship’. They demonstrate these in their interactions with others and their approaches to learning. It matters to pupils that they are kind and considerate to each other. At playtimes, pupils from all year groups play different sports together, assembling teams and sharing the equipment.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a close community where school staff know pupils and their families well. Staff model warm, nurturing conduct, which means pupils are confident to share any worries they have. They know teachers will listen and act to help them. This includes when friendships falter and teachers support pupils to discuss and resolve any problems.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Participation is at the heart of the school. Pupils speak with pride about the work of the school council to raise funds for local charities. They seek to take part in a broad range of extra-curricular activities and thrive on representing the school in competitions. A parent captures the school’s ethos by saying, ‘My child is getting a great well-rounded and varied education, and the teachers and school community go above and beyond.’

p.1

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum, which identifies and carefully builds the important knowledge pupils need to learn. Across the curriculum, key knowledge is re- visited, which supports pupils to develop stronger understanding over time. Regular reviews of the curriculum ensure the learning journey for pupils is continuously improved. 27 and 28 September 2023

p.1

2

There is a rigorous approach to developing teachers’ subject knowledge. Teachers explain new knowledge clearly and support this with carefully considered demonstrations. This approach means all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), develop strong understanding of new ideas.

p.2

2

There is variation in the use of assessment. The school makes strong use of end-of-topic assessments across subjects to decide which knowledge needs to be re-visited. However, assessment as pupils learn in lessons varies. Where it is strong, teachers carefully check pupils understand the knowledge being taught. They know when to re-teach ideas or deepen learning for pupils with secure understanding. However, in some subjects teachers do not always identify how well pupils have understood new knowledge. Where this happens, teaching moves on before all pupils have secure understanding.

p.2

2

Provision for pupils with SEND is strong in this inclusive school. Teachers and teaching assistants understand how to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They make appropriate adaptations, which mean pupils with SEND progress well through the planned curriculum and work with increasing independence.

p.2

2

Reading is a high priority. Across the curriculum, carefully selected, diverse texts are woven into the topics. Across year groups, pupils talk joyfully about their ‘class reads’ and library books. Pupils who struggle at the early stages of reading receive daily phonics lessons taught by knowledgeable staff. This means they become fluent and confident readers.

p.2

2

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school is calm and courteous. They know the schools’ high expectations well. They understand how achieving these helps everyone to learn well. Low-level disruption is infrequent and, in most cases, addressed swiftly by the teacher. However, in a few cases, when pupils lose focus, this is not addressed swiftly enough.

p.2

2

Spiritual and social development is strong. Pupils learn about a range of different faiths, cultures and world events. They share viewpoints and have meaningful discussions, which develop their own perspectives. There is a strong focus on citizenship, which means pupils have strong knowledge of fundamental British values. They actively vote for changes being considered by the school council and seek leadership roles, such as house captains. A broad program of extra-curricular activities provides opportunities for all pupils to try new skills.

p.2

2

Leaders are rigorous about school improvement. They work tirelessly for all pupils to become confident and resilient learners. They carefully consider ways to reduce workload, which allow teachers to focus their time on teaching.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 27 and 28 September 2023

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment of learning in lessons varies across subjects. Where assessment is less sharp, pupils understanding of new learning is not always checked and some pupils continue to have gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to ensure assessment used in lessons identifies pupils with knowledge gaps, so these can be addressed by the teacher.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2018.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

Further information

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, 27 and 28 September 2023

p.3

4

looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 27 and 28 September 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.robertpiggott.wokingham.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 17 April 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Oxford. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2018.  There has been change in leadership at the school since the previous inspection. The new executive headteacher was appointed in September 2023.  The current leadership team are acting as interim members.  The school is federated with Robert Piggott Church of England Infant School, under one governing body with one leadership team and executive headteacher.  The school currently uses two alternative provisions.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 27 and 28 September 2023

p.5

6

 The lead inspector met with four governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector also met with the executive headteacher, the interim assistant headteachers and the local authority school improvement officer.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ works.  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 lead inspector considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range

p.6

6

of staff about their views of the school.  The lead inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and the additional free-text responses. This included speaking to parents at the gate.

p.6

Inspection team

Phillip Blagg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 28 September 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7