Aldryngton Primary School

Inspection of Aldryngton Primary School Off Silverdale Road, Earley, Reading, Berkshire RG6 7HR

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2011. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 10 and 11 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish their part in a diverse school community. The school draws pupils from a wide range of communities and cultures. Pupils and staff are unified in their commitment to the school’s values and an expectation that everyone is kind and trying their best. Pupils embrace these objectives across the school and hold them close to their heart. As a result, they feel welcomed, heard and happy. The school ensures an inclusive atmosphere and a commitment to the success of all pupils. This means that those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) feel as safe and welcome as any of their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations for excellent behaviour and achievement are evident throughout the day. Pupils take immense pride in their own achievements. However, they celebrate their peers just as proudly. This is clear in their academic, creative and sporting pursuits. Playtimes are joyful, and pupils interact with respect. Pupils demonstrate the school’s emphasis on managing your own actions and emotions incredibly well. At the end of playtime, and across the school, pupils listen to adults intently. Pupils follow routines and expectations with positivity and care.

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

The school has an exceptionally effective English and mathematics curriculum. All pupils achieve outcomes in national tests significantly better than the nationally published averages. The school has achieved this with a meticulous approach to identifying what they want pupils to know. Pupils learn this knowledge thoroughly. Their books show they deeply understand and apply their knowledge in a variety of ways. They practise and refine their learning with high-quality feedback from staff. The school’s systems for securing this knowledge over time are thorough and effective. Adults teach the content with accuracy and with an expert approach to identifying and supporting pupils with SEND. The school focuses on teaching effective vocabulary. This supports the substantial proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Consequently, pupils build their literacy and speaking skills rapidly. Pupils are exceptionally strong

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

mathematicians from the Reception classes onwards. Pupils pair their strong mental arithmetic fluency with fantastic reading skills to solve longer problems methodically.

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

The school places the highest possible priority on early reading skills. There is a rich offer of different stories and books. Pupils are enthusiastic about reading these and other books at home. Children in the Reception class love rhymes, songs and stories. They have learned these by heart and independently perform them. All pupils learn letter sounds meticulously, and the school precisely checks what pupils know. Any pupils needing help are swiftly and successfully supported. Consequently, pupils achieve remarkably strong outcomes. Pupils achieve significantly above the nationally published average phonics screening results.

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

Pupils have impeccable manners and consistently act with thoughtfulness. The school explicitly teaches how to behave in a kind and inclusive way. Children in the Reception class have high-quality language and personal skills. They use these to resolve 10 and 11 December 2024

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disagreements and successfully negotiate the use of equipment. Pupils continue to apply these skills fruitfully as they progress through the school. In lessons, pupils have the highest possible expectations of peers and themselves. The school has absolute clarity about their approach to attendance. As a result, pupils attend regularly. Those who do not attend regularly have all reasonable support to return them as quickly as possible to school.

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Pupils are well-informed modern British citizens with a powerful sense of purpose. The school has recognised its changing intake and has proactively amended the personal development programme to reflect this. The school’s changes have been highly effective. Pupils are expert in their understanding of diversity and inclusion. The school provides ample opportunities for pupils to learn about diverse cultures, perspectives and lifestyles. Pupils receive an exceptionally varied extra-curricular offer. This is deeply impactful for pupils, especially the most disadvantaged.

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Leaders are reflective in their approaches to develop the best offer possible. They have supported a great curriculum with superb professional development. The school’s lofty expectations have not come at the cost of staff’s welfare. Staff feel well looked after, including those new to teaching. Governors are well informed, and they offer a rigorous level of challenge to the school. They meet all their statutory duties and are reflective around good practice. The school works extremely well with most parents and carers. They go above and beyond expectations at every opportunity.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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). 10 and 11 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 December 2011, under section 5 of the education act

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any 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.  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. 10 and 11 December 2024

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 The inspection team met with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with the members of the governing body, including the chair of governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed pupils’ work from a range of other subjects.  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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 The inspection team observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They considered the views expressed in Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Toby Martlew, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Robb-Webb Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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