Longwick Church of England Combined School

Inspection of Longwick Church of England Combined School Walnut Tree Lane, Longwick, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire HP27 9SJ

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Jade Wakefield. This school is part of the Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust (ODBST), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sulina Piesse, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michael Mill. 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school feel well supported and nurtured by a team of dedicated staff. Pupils feel safe, because they know there is someone to go to if something is worrying them. They know the school values of respect, perseverance, responsibility and kindness. Pupils demonstrate these in their attitudes to work and each other. They say that everyone is welcome at their school. Pupils develop a strong understanding of respect for differences between people and cultures.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy their learning and want to do well. They know and demonstrate the value of perseverance daily and keep going when work becomes challenging. As a result, pupils work hard and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils relish the many roles they hold around the school, such as peace ambassadors or ‘Wandle Wizards’. They enjoy these opportunities as they enable pupils to help and support others. Pupils love to sing with the choir and enjoy performing for the local care home. They relish participating in a range of clubs. Some pupils establish and lead clubs to share their interests with others.

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better?

The school, supported by the trust, has created a well-ordered curriculum that begins in the early years. The curriculum is well planned with precise knowledge, skills and vocabulary. As a result, pupils engage well in class and enjoy learning. Children in Reception gain the essential understanding required for future learning. This well-designed learning continues through the rest of the school. Mathematics and early reading are particularly well taught. Opportunities to explore number are found across the early years provision. Pupils’ mathematical knowledge develops well in key stages 1 and 2.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious for all learners, including pupils with SEND. Pupils who struggle are quickly identified and supported well. The school ensures that staff are well trained to support pupils to learn the curriculum. Teachers model important learning. For example, in design technology, teachers break down learning in small steps. In other subjects, staff encourage pupils to use precise sentence starters to help them recall important knowledge over time. Staff appreciate the high-quality training. The school has introduced new curriculums for some wider subjects and, consequently, pupils have some gaps in their understanding. Leaders are refining the ways that teachers check and identify these gaps, to help pupils achieve consistently well across the curriculum.

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better?

Pupils learn to read well. The school has introduced a new phonics scheme, and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Reading routines are well established and teachers are quick to identify the sounds that pupils do not know. Rapid support is available to ensure all pupils keep up with their peers. Books match the sounds that pupils are learning. Staff read daily to pupils and reading for pleasure is 28 and 29 November 2023

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promoted well across the school. Pupils talk confidently about a range of authors and the books they enjoy reading. They know reading is important throughout life, not just for study, but also for well-being and imagination.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. The newly introduced behaviour policy is simple for staff and pupils to understand. The school maintains a calm and purposeful learning environment. Low-level disruption rarely interrupts learning. If pupils do struggle to manage their emotions, then appropriate support is put into place to help them. Leaders are sharply focused on ensuring that pupils attend school. If issues arise with individual pupil attendance, staff work to identify the reasons behind this, offering support to enable improvement.

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Pupils benefit from an exceptional personal development offer. The school prioritises this in the curriculum through a rich range of additional experiences. Pupils develop an exemplary understanding of respect, both regarding other people, and also the wider world. They greatly value the work of the eco-council, who constantly explore ways to look after the more immediate environment. Peace Ambassadors receive training from a local mental health charity to support the well-being of other pupils. Pupils know there is always someone they can talk to on the playground to support them if they are upset. The school offers superb pastoral support for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, to help them thrive.

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The school has recently been through a period of staffing turbulence. The trust and local governors have worked hard to support the school during this period. The school are working to improve the quality of information for parents about what pupils are learning at school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the curriculum is new and pupils have gaps in their understanding. As a result, pupils are not able to connect new learning to what they have studied previously. The school should ensure that staff accurately check pupils' understanding and use this information to inform their future teaching, so that pupils achieve consistently highly across the curriculum. 28 and 29 November 2023

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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' 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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 September 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Longwick Church of England School is part of the Oxford Diocesan Bucks Schools Trust (ODBST).  The school is a Church of England school and is part of the diocese of Oxford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in November 2019  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 This was the second 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 early reading, mathematics, design technology and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.

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 The inspectors looked at a wide range of documents provided by the school and observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons.  The inspectors met with members of the local governing board and representatives from the trust.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View and an inspector also talked with parents.  The views of staff were gathered through surveys and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including during classroom visits and at playtimes and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Mo Galway Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 November 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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