East Claydon Church of England School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: East Claydon Church of England School St Mary’s Road, East Claydon, Buckinghamshire MK18 2LS

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Outcome

East Claydon Church of England School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive due to the high expectations that are set for them. This is evident in the positive way pupils treat each other and in their high levels of effort when learning. They have positive relationships with the adults in the school. They trust that these adults want the best for them. Staff know pupils well and provide accurate support. Therefore, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the help they need to achieve well. All pupils take pride in their work and constantly strive to achieve their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embody the school values of ‘love, commitment and respect’. This is clear to see in the positive and respectful conduct they show throughout the school. Social times are joyful points in the school day. During these times, pupils enjoy the activities they are provided with. They play together happily and show kindness to each other and to the adults who help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are inclusive in their behaviour towards others. They understand and respect diversity, including different types of families. They are clear that everyone should be treated the same. Pupils are happy here. They know that adults will take care of them and keep them safe.

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

The school has an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. It progresses from the early years foundation stage and sets out the knowledge pupils will learn all the way through to 17 December 2024

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Year 6. In the early years, children successfully develop early mathematics and English knowledge, including phonics. This ensures they are well prepared for learning in Year 1 and beyond.

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The school has made sure that the implementation of the curriculum is consistent. In some subjects, teachers are expert and make precise checks on what pupils know so they can help them build knowledge over time. Consequently, all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well. This is evident in the provision for early reading. Teachers rapidly spot when a pupil is falling behind with their reading. They provide effective extra activities to make sure that all pupils can keep up. Pupils learn to read well at this school.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge of the wider curriculum and provide engaging activities that support pupils in learning effectively. However, this curriculum is relatively new to the school and is still being refined. As a result, checks on pupils’ learning are not yet used effectively in order to determine what pupils know and remember. Consequently, pupils may retain gaps in their understanding or struggle to build on prior knowledge effectively.

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Staff are well trained to support the increasingly complex needs of pupils with SEND in the school. Teachers make careful changes to lessons so that all pupils can learn well. Pupils with SEND have their needs identified early and are well supported by all staff. As a result, they achieve very well.

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From the early years foundation stage onwards, pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Pupils learn the routines and rules of the school and follow them well. A sense of calm and purpose permeates the school. Pupils have highly positive attitudes to their learning and respect the right of others to learn. As a result, low-level disruption is extremely rare. Pupils’ attendance is also exemplary. The school shares its high expectations for attendance with parents. They provide impactful support to families where attendance is decreasing. Subsequently, the number of pupils who are persistently absent is low.

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The mental health and well-being support for pupils is well considered. Activities are provided to pupils which help them to build confidence and positive self-esteem. There are a number of sports clubs which pupils enjoy. However, the offer of enrichment activities and clubs does not fully match the talents and interests of all pupils. Therefore, some pupils do not have opportunities to be as well prepared as possible for their next stage. Nevertheless, through the school’s personal, social and health education curriculum, as well as assemblies, pupils are learning to be positive members of their community. They learn to recognise their own beliefs and opinions and to value and respect those of others.

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School leaders make the right decisions to ensure school improvement, while prioritising the well-being of their staff. Staff are extremely proud to be part of this school community. They are motivated by the vision of the school. Staff value how the school and governors consider their workload and well-being when making changes to the school. Governors have secure oversight of their statutory duties. They collaborate with the school well to ensure the best possible provision for pupils. 17 December 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school needs to improve the approach to providing wider opportunities. Currently, some pupils do not have as many opportunities to develop the social and personal skills they need to be ready for their next stage. The school should ensure that there is a well-considered approach to this so pupils are able to build these vital skills over time and be as ready as possible for life beyond school.  The school has not yet refined the assessment process for some foundation subjects. This means that, currently, pupils are not progressing as well as they could through the entire curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers know how to precisely identify pupils’ knowledge gaps in foundation subjects so they can provide accurate support to close them.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in June 2019. 17 December 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 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). 17 December 2024

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 June 2019, under section 5 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 July 2019. The next inspection will be due five years from the date of the last inspection.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher and other members of staff. 17 December 2024

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 The lead inspector met with the chair and other members of the governing body.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils in lessons and during play 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

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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

Martin Dyer Ofsted Inspector 17 December 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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