Micklands Primary School

Inspection of Micklands Primary School Micklands Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire RG4 6LU

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good 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 are happy and safe at this nurturing school. The school’s ‘respect rainbow’ helps pupils to develop kindness and consideration towards each other from the beginning of their time in the early years. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including how to stay safe online. Pupils know what bullying and cyber-bullying are, and how to get help if issues arise. Behaviour around school and in lessons is positive. Pupils are very thoughtful, polite and well-mannered. Older pupils take on roles and responsibilities, such as reading buddies, to help the younger children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school’s values of ‘taking pride, aiming high’ well. Pupils say they are always encouraged to try their best. They enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular activities the school provides. These include sports clubs, such as football, tennis and basketball. Pupils learn about their physical and mental health effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for the achievement of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve strongly. Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and adapt the curriculum successfully. By the end of key stage 2, most pupils achieve well and are ready for their next stage of education.

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

Children make a strong start in the early years. Children settle into school routines smoothly. They listen well, share and take turns, for example when making bread as part of an activity linked to the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’ and when playing with hand puppets in the outdoor area. Children in Reception are focused and engaged in their learning. Staff work closely with parents and carers to get to know the children well. Staff and children form very positive relationships quickly. The early years curriculum prepares children securely for their next stage of education.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Staff have identified the knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn in the subjects they teach. The school sequences lessons thoughtfully. There are strengths in some subject areas, such as mathematics and early reading. In these subjects, staff check pupils’ learning precisely and adjust their teaching in response to pupils’ needs. However, in some subjects, staff do not support pupils’ learning as effectively. This is most evident in the writing curriculum, where some pupils are not achieving as well as they could by the end of key stage 2.

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

Reading is prioritised. Staff have completed in-depth training that equips them with the expertise they need to teach it skilfully. Books that pupils read are matched closely to the sounds that they have learned. If any pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to catch up with their peers quickly. Beyond phonics lessons, staff use ambitious texts to help build pupils’ confidence and vocabulary. Staff aim for all pupils to see themselves as readers. Pupils talk about their reading with joy and enthusiasm.

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

Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. The school’s policies are clear and understood well. Pupils are calm and orderly and move around the school considerately. 1 and 2 October 2024

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There is no low-level disruption in lessons. Pupils develop confidence and resilience through wider curriculum activities, such as a residential trip to Rhos-y-gwaliau.

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Pupils know that democracy is important. They thrive in roles such as house captains and members of the ‘Ministry of Micklands’. Pupils feel that they are listened to and that their views are taken seriously. Pupils develop their talents and interests through a range of activities, including the school’s rock music, art and gardening clubs. Learning is made memorable for pupils through the themed days the school provides.

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Pupils attend school regularly. The school checks attendance information and acts quickly to work with pupils and families appropriately. Where necessary, the school works closely with external agencies to provide additional help. Attendance has improved steadily since the previous inspection and the school is clear and deliberate in its focus to maintain this.

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Governors support the school effectively. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development accurately. Governors work closely with the school and ensure that staff training and development is robust and effective. Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate how their workload and well-being are managed considerately. Parents are extremely supportive. They say how much they appreciate the school community. One summarised the thoughts of many others, saying, ‘This school is a hidden gem in Caversham… I am so grateful for everything the staff do for my child.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the school does not check what pupils know and can do effectively. This means that some pupils, in some subjects, do not learn as well as they could. The school must ensure that staff address pupils’ errors and misconceptions precisely, so that pupils build on their learning securely over time, including in the early years.  The curriculum for writing does not build on pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding consistently and effectively across school. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as securely as they could by the end of key stage 2. The school should ensure that strategies to support pupils with their writing are in place to build pupils’ knowledge and understanding in this subject. 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 25 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative provision providers.

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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.  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. 1 and 2 October 2024

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, wider staff and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority, and other leaders within the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, where possible, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 considered the views of parents shared through the online Ofsted

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survey, Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through the online pupil and staff surveys, as well as through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings, local authority visit reports and behaviour incident logs.

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Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Deirdre Crutchley 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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