Bucklebury C.E. Primary School

Inspection of Bucklebury C.E. Primary School Blacklands Road, Upper Bucklebury, Reading, Berkshire RG7 6QP

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school consistently show the school values of love, hope and faith. They respect each other’s differences. During social times, pupils play together well. They are kind and supportive and take care of the school environment. Older pupils are proud to be play leaders. They help younger pupils to make friends and play safely. Through the school, pupils benefit from opportunities to develop leadership skills. As school, house and worship captains, pupils contribute positively to their community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have trusting and nurturing relationships with the adults who support them. They value the high expectations that staff have for how they will behave and learn. Pupils strive to meet these expectations and encourage each other to do the same. Subsequently, the school environment is calm, and pupils have highly positive attitudes towards their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are clear that this is a safe and happy school. They enjoy the range of clubs they attend, such as fencing, football, French and dance clubs. Pupils feel safe because they know that adults want the best for them. They are confident that if they were upset or needed help, adults in the school would take care of them.

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum that sets out what pupils need to learn and in what order. Knowledge is coherently sequenced in all subjects. As a result, all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), build knowledge well. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They are very clear about what pupils’ needs are. Most of the time, they make the right changes to activities so that all pupils achieve well.

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

The 2023 published outcomes for phonics were low. The school has since refined the process for teaching pupils how to read. Expertly trained staff now teach effective phonics lessons. Teachers regularly check how well pupils can read. When they spot that a pupil has fallen behind, they rapidly put in place extra activities that help the pupil to keep up with their reading. Consequently, pupils are fluent and confident readers.

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

Staff make effective checks on how well pupils learn through the rest of the curriculum. However, in some non-core subjects, these are not used as well as they could be. Subsequently, teachers do not always use the precise information they need to help pupils build knowledge over time.

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

The school has high expectations for how pupils with SEND will be helped. These expectations are still being embedded. On a small number of occasions, the support in place does not meet pupils’ needs as precisely as it could. However, in most instances, pupils with SEND achieve very well through the curriculum.

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

In Reception, children learn important knowledge in mathematics and English. Additionally, adults in Reception are adept in their verbal interactions with children. They 1 and 2 October 2024

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start discussions and ask questions that develop the vocabulary children have. This means children are well prepared for learning in Year 1 and beyond.

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Classrooms are purposeful learning environments. Pupils value their lessons and respect each other’s right to learn. Due to this, low-level disruption is rare. When it does occur, it is dealt with well by staff and does not impact pupils’ learning. Some pupils with SEND need personalised support with their behaviour. This support is expertly put in place and means that all pupils play a positive part in the school community.

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The personal development provision for pupils is exceptional. The school has carefully considered what pupils need in order to be ready for life beyond the school. During discussions and school events, pupils learn about various global communities. They develop an appreciation and respect for cultural diversity. As part of this, pupils learn that everyone has a right to express their own views and beliefs. Circle time activities give pupils the opportunity to listen to these views, as well as share their own in a positive way. Additionally, pupils are taught to recognise the impact of their actions. They learn what it means to be a responsible member of their community. Consequently, pupils are being very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Most parents are positive about the school. Many of them value the roundtable events, where they share their views with school leaders. Staff are motivated by the school’s vision. They are proud to be members of this community. They value how much the school considers their workload and well-being. All individuals involved with the school are driven to ensure that the provision is the best it can be for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not have in place clear guidance for teachers on the checks they ought to make on pupils’ learning. This means that teachers are not identifying the gaps that pupils have in their knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure that teachers know how to precisely identify pupils’ knowledge gaps in foundation subjects so that they can provide accurate support to close them.  The school has not embedded policies and practice regarding SEND. As a result, there are some minor inconsistencies in how well these are implemented. The school must continue to support staff in understanding and applying these shared expectations and approaches. 1 and 2 October 2024

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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). 1 and 2 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school, in the Diocese of Oxford. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in April 2023. The next inspection will be due five years from the date of the last inspection.  The school makes use of one unregistered 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher and other members of the leadership team.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors and two other members of the governing body. She also met with representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. The lead inspector also discussed the curriculum, and how checks are made on how well pupils are learning, in music and computing. 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 pupils’ work.

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils in lessons and during playtimes and lunchtimes.  The inspectors considered a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluations of the school, their school improvement plan, and minutes from governors’ meetings.  The inspectors considered parents’ and carers’ responses to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors took account of the views of staff through conversations and the responses to the online staff survey.  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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Inspection team

Nina Marabese, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Robb-Webb Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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