St Andrew's CofE Infant School

Inspection of a good school: St Andrew’s CofE Infant School High Street, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK14 5AX

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a happy and vibrant place for pupils to learn. Staff know families very well and there is a strong sense of community. Caring staff build highly respectful relationships with pupils and parents. Pupils know that they can talk to adults in the school if they need help. This helps pupils to profoundly enjoy school and feel very safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have exceedingly high aspirations for what pupils can and should achieve. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those in the early years, learn an extremely engaging curriculum. This is delivered expertly so that pupils learn exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Staff uphold these aspirations consistently and support pupils very well to manage their own behaviour. This ensures that the school is calm, purposeful and pupils are always ready to learn. Pupils are very polite and courteous. They are caring and respectful towards others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is very strong. The school provides a rich set of experiences. This includes visits to theatres and museums. Parents are extremely positive about the school. One parent reflected the views of many, saying, ‘The school provides great after school clubs and trips.’

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

The school’s curriculum is highly ambitious for all pupils. It sets out the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn with extreme precision. The curriculum is structured very systematically so that learning builds on what pupils have learned before. This means that pupils learn new knowledge in a logical order and use what they already know. The curriculum in the early years makes very clear the subject content to be 26 March 2024

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learned. It also reflects the school’s high aspiration for pupils from the moment that they start in the Reception class. Staff across the school adapt learning and the way that they teach pupils exceptionally well, including for pupils with SEND. This ensures that pupils achieve highly, reflected in end of key stage outcomes.

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The school plans staff training extremely well. The school considers staff workload carefully alongside the development opportunities that staff receive. The training enables staff to teach different subjects very effectively. This means that pupils’ knowledge is deepened continuously. Staff check pupils’ understanding and provide valuable help. This ensures that pupils who struggle with new learning keep up. Teachers explain key vocabulary and how to use these words very clearly. Consequently, pupils articulate their ideas in much depth. For example, in art pupils explain how and why artists have used ‘tone’ and ‘light’ in their work.

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The school places great importance on ensuring that all pupils learn to read. Therefore, children begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. Staff teach phonics exceptionally well, supporting pupils who find reading more difficult skilfully. This ensures that pupils gain an excellent knowledge of phonics. Pupils practise reading using books that are matched well to their understanding. They develop a strong love of reading. Pupils enjoy being read to and are spurred on to read for themselves by staff and the ‘mystery reader’. Pupils are also motivated by the wide choice of books that the school provides.

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Adults quickly and accurately identify pupils who require extra support. This includes pupils with SEND. The school puts the right help into place when pupils need it. Staff work together as a strong team to deliver this additional support very effectively. They excel at breaking down knowledge into manageable steps. When needed, staff use resources to illustrate learning exceptionally well.

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Pupils behave in an exemplary manner and commit wholly to their learning. They know and follow the school’s expectations very closely. Pupils do so unprompted. There are well-established systems to support staff to manage behaviour if it falls short of what the school expects. Pupils maintain their concentration during lessons and enjoy the opportunity to work together. This adds to their very positive and highly successful learning experience.

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Pupils have high-calibre opportunities to develop and hone their wider skills. The school makes sure that pupils have a broad range of clubs to attend, for example yoga and poetry. Many pupils take part in these extra-curricular activities. Pupils learn to be responsible and active young people. They take on important leadership roles. For example, they act as sports leaders, helping to organise the school’s sports equipment and its use. Pupils understand the dangers when online and learn how to use technology safely. Pupils know how to sustain healthy relationships. This helps to prepare pupils exceptionally well for when they leave the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 March 2024

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good October 2018.

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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.

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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). 26 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Acting chair of governing body Dr Victoria Morgan

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a very small number of pupils. It is part of a federation with five other small schools.  This is a Church of England primary school. The school’s next section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools is due in the next year. The last inspection of this type took place in March 2017.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 March 2024

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 Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, lead teacher, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. An inspector met with governors, including the acting chair of the governing body.  The inspectors conducted telephone calls with the diocesan representative and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also looked at curriculum information and pupils’ work in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with staff to discuss the curriculum, safeguarding and their workload. Inspectors met with pupils and spoke with them about their learning and their views on safety and behaviour.

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 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.  The inspectors took account of the 13 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also took account of the views of staff through the seven responses to the staff survey and the five responses to the pupils’ survey.

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Robb-Webb Ofsted Inspector 26 March 2024

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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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