The Gerrards Cross CofE School

Inspection of The Gerrards Cross CofE School Moreland Drive, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire SL9 8BD

p.1

Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Nicola Flower. This school is a single academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Leanne Tilley.

p.1

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 June 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision, ‘every child flourishing’, comes to life when you meet the pupils. The school emphasises both learning and personal growth. It ensures that all pupils become confident and articulate young people with high aspirations for their future. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement, which are consistently realised.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and teachers share strong, supportive relationships, creating a friendly and respectful environment. From the start of the Reception Year, children follow clear routines. They organise themselves well, and rarely waste time. Pupils are exceptionally well behaved and get along well, making the school calm and orderly. Teachers have high expectations, and pupils work hard to meet them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school values diversity and nurtures a sense of community. This helps pupils to feel included and respected. Through the ‘Ripples Venture’, pupils learn how small acts of kindness, such as visiting a local care home or picking up litter, can make a big difference.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the many opportunities to be involved in school life, such as joining the school council, becoming house captains and participating in 15 annual ‘GXperiences’ including local visits and trips. They can also shine in the orchestra, choir and school productions, which build confidence and showcase their talents.

p.2

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, detailing what pupils should learn in each subject and the order of learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn and remember the curriculum well, preparing them for the next stage of education. Although pupils reach high standards, the school is not complacent and continually looks for ways to improve pupils’ experiences in school. The governing body is well informed. It supports school leaders well with decision- making.

p.2

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

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified quickly. Staff use strategies to support these pupils’ learning and development well. Diversity is celebrated, and pupils believe that practising the school’s values will help them succeed in life beyond school.

p.2

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

The school is dedicated to ensuring that pupils thrive both within and beyond its community. Safety education is a top priority, encompassing road safety, online safety, consent and personal boundaries. Pupils are well informed about maintaining their physical and mental health. They value the support from trusted adults and pupil well- being mentors. They feel safe and well cared for. As a result, pupils demonstrate excellent behaviour and tolerance towards one another.

p.2

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

Staff also feel respected and fairly treated. The school’s positive culture supports and includes everyone, helping both pupils and staff to flourish. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.2

3

Adults in the early years help children to develop communication skills through high- quality interactions. This early vocabulary development is crucial, as it supports pupils’ ability to express their opinions and engage in debates as they progress through the school, such as during the weekly ‘One Big Question’.

p.3

3

Pupils enjoy reading. They have access to a wide range of books that capture their interest and reflect the school’s diversity. Pupils’ love of reading starts early, with familiar stories, such as ‘The Three Little Pigs’, read by adults. Reception-age children love to creatively reenact these stories. Early readers benefit from expert phonics teaching and books that are well matched to their reading knowledge. Targeted support is put in place for those who fall behind the pace of the phonics programme. This means most pupils can read confidently and fluently at an age-appropriate level.

p.3

3

Teachers have strong knowledge in most subjects, especially when they receive appropriate training. For example, in mathematics, teachers use specific materials to check what pupils are learning over time. This is also true for reading, where it helps the school to see where curriculum changes are needed. However, in some other subjects, the school has not developed teachers’ expertise as effectively. This means that the activities teachers use to check what pupils understand do not always match the important skills and knowledge the school wants them to learn. This makes it hard to spot gaps in understanding. The school’s actions to improve this are at an early stage. It is too soon to see their impact.

p.3

3

In lessons, teachers provide clear explanations and check pupils’ understanding before moving learning on. In mathematics, pupils connect new knowledge to what they already know. Right from the Reception Year, children begin learning about mathematics through activities such as counting objects and recognising numbers. As pupils move through the school, these foundational skills help them to tackle more complex mathematical problems with fluency and confidence. However, opportunities to practise and develop writing skills are not as consistent. Some pupils struggle to transfer the knowledge they learn in English to other subjects. Teachers do not routinely address errors in spelling and grammar. This leads to mistakes in pupils’ writing.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not routinely provide pupils with high-quality opportunities to practise their foundational writing skills. As a result, some pupils are not able to write with age- appropriate fluency and accuracy. The school should ensure that it implements and embeds a consistent approach to developing writing skills, including spelling, so pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in writing. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.3

4

 In some foundation subjects, the tasks that teachers design to check pupils’ understanding do not focus on the essential subject-specific skills and knowledge the school has identified. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not known. The school should ensure that staff are confident in checking how well pupils have learned key knowledge over time and that gaps are identified and addressed.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 11 and 12 February 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 June 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a religious character. Its most recent section 48 Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools took place in March 2019. The school’s next section 48 inspection will take place within eight school years from that date.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 February 2025

p.5

6

 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 inspection team met with the headteacher, as well as with other leaders and staff. The lead inspector met with governors. She also held a telephone conversation with a representative from the diocese.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and geography. 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. The inspection team also sampled pupils’ work in English, history and science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central

p.6

6

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 inspection team considered the views of parents through their responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors spoke to staff and pupils during the inspection and took account of staff’s responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Clare Haines, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Matthew Rixson Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7