Braywood CofE First School

Inspection of Braywood C of E First School Oakley Green Road, Oakley Green, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 4QF

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since February 2011. 5 and 6 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and caring school. Pupils are friendly and show kindness towards each other. Friendships extend across year groups, and older pupils are impressive role models. They seek to help other pupils whenever they can. At playtime, they enthusiastically run games for younger pupils and include everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values are at the heart of the school and are based around developing strength of character. Pupils learn about two school values each year and they connect to the previous years. This means by the time pupils leave the school they have an exceptional understanding of the values of courage and resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and positive. Parents and carers value how the school builds pupils’ confidence through its caring approach. Pupils feel safe and staff swiftly address any concerns they might have. There is a focus on developing resilience. One parent captured this, saying, ‘The school cares for my child and teaches them how to keep going in their learning.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils, and these are realised in most subjects. However, in a few subjects, pupils cannot recall the key knowledge that they have been taught.

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better?

The school has an ambitious and broad curriculum. Across subjects, leaders have identified the most important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. They have sequenced knowledge sensibly to build pupils’ understanding over time. However, in a few subjects, pupils cannot recall previously taught knowledge. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects.

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better?

Children in Reception make a strong start to their school life. They develop their fluency in speaking and listening, reading and mathematical knowledge well. This focus continues in subsequent years and is a strength of the school. There is an ambition that all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. Teachers accurately assess pupils’ needs and make precise adaptations. However, in a small number of subjects, activities are not always carefully matched to pupils’ individual needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve less well in these subjects.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They value training opportunities to deepen their teaching skills further in a range of subjects. However, in some subjects the knowledge has been identified but there are not enough opportunities for pupils to retrieve and use that knowledge.

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better?

The school has prioritised reading. Children in Reception get off to a swift start in learning to read. All staff are trained in the school’s phonics programme, and they teach phonics consistently well. Books and resources match the sounds that pupils 5 and 6 December 2023

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know. Staff support helps pupils who begin to fall behind to catch up quickly. Teachers build on pupils’ reading fluency by carefully developing their comprehension skills. Books feature prominently in all classrooms. Daily story time nurtures a love of reading and pupils speak positively about their favourite books.

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The school’s approach to personal development is exceptional. The school’s values focus particularly on developing every pupil’s character. All pupils in the school have a responsibility within the classroom. This builds their confidence to take on leadership roles as they move through the school. For example, younger children elect Year 4 pupils to lead regular pupil parliaments. They meet to discuss school issues. As a result, changes have been made in the school. This means that pupils understand the potential impact of democracy.

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Pupils behave well in the school. Clear expectations help pupils to follow the school’s rules and routines. Staff build warm and positive relationships with the children. Consequently, when pupils struggle with the way that they are feeling, staff help them to feel calmer. Most pupils show resilience when faced with difficulties, both in lessons and on the playground. For example, when pupils were struggling to complete a science experiment, they were able to use additional resources to successfully complete it.

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Leaders at all levels are highly committed and strive for continuous improvement. Staff appreciate leaders’ flexibility and consideration of workload. The school informs parents about how their children are progressing through the curriculum. This helps parents to support their child’s learning at home. Governors diligently meet their statutory responsibilities. However, they do not robustly challenge leaders on the quality of the whole curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, pupils are unable to recall and build on previously taught knowledge. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects. In these subjects the school needs to ensure that there are more planned opportunities to recall and connect prior knowledge with what they already know.  Governors do not hold leaders to account rigorously enough. Consequently, leaders are not challenged robustly on the impact of their actions. Governors should hold leaders to account more robustly.

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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 5 and 6 December 2023

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Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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 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). 5 and 6 December 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 February 2011, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This Church of England primary school is part of the Diocese of Oxford. The last section 48 inspection took place in March 2016.  The school does not make use of alterative 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.

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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.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector also met with the representatives of the local governing board and the chair of trustees. 5 and 6 December 2023

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Inspectors also met with various leaders of the trust, including the deputy chief executive officer.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and history. They discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation,

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including leaders’ plans for improving the school, minutes of local governing board meetings and records of attendance and behaviour incidents.

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Inspection team

Neil Pilsworth, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christine Bulmer Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 December 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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