Compton C.E. Primary School

Inspection of Compton C.E. Primary School School Road, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 6QU

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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 Outstanding 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The values of ‘kindness, courage and respect’ are threaded through daily life at this inclusive school. Pupils make good friends and value their caring teachers. They trust adults to help them if they have any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has settled after a period of staff changes. School leaders work with determination to keep pupils’ best interests at the heart of the decisions they take. The changes that are made impact positively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has strong expectations of what pupils will learn. Teachers plan interesting lessons that help all pupils to achieve well. Pupils enjoy school. They relish the challenge that some subjects, such as history, offer. For example, older pupils thoughtfully discuss dynastic rule in some ancient civilisations and compare this to life in Britain today.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Almost all pupils behave well. The school is calm and purposeful. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The school acts sensitively and swiftly if a pupil struggles to conduct themselves appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy trips and visitors. These help bring classroom learning to life. Pupils are clear that everyone is welcome. They show a deep respect for different faiths, cultures and ethnicities. As one pupil said, ‘That’s how life works.’

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

Staff embrace the school’s vision for a high-quality education for all pupils and work hard to implement it. Staff benefit from regular training, including through the federation, which makes them more effective in their roles.

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

The curriculum is well developed across most subjects. The school sequences the key knowledge pupils should acquire progressively and logically. Teachers carefully consider how pupils should remember and apply their learning. For example, teachers regularly revisit previous subject content and use strategies to help pupils remember important knowledge. Teachers check pupils’ understanding and resolve any misconceptions they may have. This means that most pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are confident about their learning. In mathematics, for example, pupils articulate their reasoning well, using accurate mathematical language.

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

The school knows that in a few subjects, pupils’ achievement is less strong. This is because the important knowledge pupils need to know has not been as precisely identified. The school has the right actions in place to address this.

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

Pupils develop a love of reading and talk excitedly about their favourite books. The school prioritises reading right from the start of early years. Staff are well trained. They teach the phonics programme effectively. As a result, pupils’ early reading skills have improved significantly. Staff carefully watch for any pupils who struggle and give them extra support to catch up. Pupils benefit from a broad range of diverse books. 5 and 6 November 2024

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In early years, children make a strong start to their education. They follow clear routines and engage happily in creative play. Children are well supported by adults to develop their personal and communication skills. While the indoor environment supports children’s learning well, resources and activities in the outdoor environment are less well developed and do not support learning as effectively.

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The school provides effective and sensitive support for pupils with SEND so they achieve well. It identifies the needs of these pupils accurately and ensures that learning is adapted to support them. Pupils with SEND say they feel settled and happy in school.

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Pupils behave with high levels of respect for each other. Occasionally, some pupils struggle to manage their emotions. When this happens, staff support them firmly and kindly to help them keep calm. Clear routines and systems help pupils to behave well. During lessons, pupils are keen learners. They are attentive and work hard. The school ensures that pupils’ attendance is a high priority.

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The school’s personal development provision teaches pupils about British values very well. Pupils demonstrate a keen understanding of equality and diversity. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual and moral education effectively. Regular transition work with a local secondary school thoroughly prepares older pupils for their next steps. There are increased opportunities for pupils to develop their character, for example through leadership roles such as school councillors. These roles are starting to make a positive difference to school life. However, extra-curricular activities such as clubs are relatively limited. Pupils’ attendance at extra-curricular clubs is somewhat low. This means some pupils do not regularly take part in activities that develop and stretch their talents and interests.

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The school is ably supported by a very effective governing body. Working collaboratively with school leaders and the wider federation, governors show focused determination to continually improve the education pupils receive. Staff appreciate that school leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being. Many parents and carers note the positive changes in the school. Most feel that their child flourishes here.

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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 knowledge pupils should learn and remember has not been precisely identified. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not learn as effectively as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies the important knowledge pupils need to learn across all subjects. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 The outside learning environment in early years is not developed as effectively as it could be. As a result, some children do not learn as well as they could beyond the classroom. The school should improve its use of the outside environment to ensure it supports children’s learning and play well.  The school provides a relatively limited range of extra-curricular opportunities. Low numbers of pupils attend these. This means that some pupils do not develop their talents and interests well enough. The school should broaden the clubs and activities it offers and encourage pupils to make better use of them.

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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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school has a Christian religious character. It is in the Diocese of Oxford.  The school’s last section 48 inspection under the Education Act 2005 for schools with a religious character was conducted on 3 March 2020.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school is part of The Downs Federation. It works in close partnership with three other local primary and secondary schools.  The headteacher took up post in September 2023.

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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. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including the federation chief executive officer, the headteacher, the head of school and the special educational needs coordinator. They also spoke to five members of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke to representatives from the Diocese of Oxford and West Berkshire local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and

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looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed pupils’ work in some other subjects.  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 took note of the responses received on Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kimberley Kemp Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 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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