Ibstone CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ibstone CofE Primary School Ibstone, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 3XZ

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Outcome

Ibstone CofE Primary 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 are proud of their school. They say that, ’At Ibstone, it does not matter where you come from or what you look like, you are part of this community.’ These comments show how pupils successfully exemplify the school’s values of ‘Love, Courage, Respect, Community and Perseverance’. New pupils settle quickly as staff and pupils treat each other with kindness. Parents comment on the school’s caring ethos and ‘friendly, family feel’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils to achieve well. Pupils work hard in lessons and take pride in what they do. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), work hard and are successful in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe. They behave very well. Pupils relish opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, for example those in Year 6 enjoy being buddies to children in the early years. Pupils appreciate the unique opportunities that the school provides. For instance, pupils perform at a local operatic venue. A highlight that pupils enjoy each year is a visit to the traditional Swan Upping event on the River Thames.

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

The school has high ambitions for what pupils will achieve. The carefully considered curriculum identifies what pupils are to learn. The curriculum takes careful account of the mixed-age classes. Across all subjects, the core knowledge is well sequenced. For instance, in subjects such as mathematics, pupils build their knowledge cumulatively over time. 25 February 2025

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Teachers deliver the curriculum well. Staff have strong subject knowledge. They emphasise the key vocabulary that pupils need to learn. In most subjects, the school has effective approaches to check what pupils know and remember. However, in a few subjects, this is still developing. In these subjects, pupils sometimes do not learn as well as they could.

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The curriculum for children in the early years clearly sets out what pupils will learn. Staff arrange resources so pupils can independently explore the world around them. Children benefit from a range of well-planned activities that enable them to build their skills across all areas of learning. They delight in listening to and acting out exciting stories. Staff help children to communicate their ideas with increasing fluency.

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The school quickly identifies pupils with SEND. Staff take the time to understand their needs. Where necessary, staff adapt tasks so pupils can join in learning with their peers. For example, staff break tasks down into more manageable steps for pupils who need this. Staff revisit previous learning to ensure that they address any misconceptions and that pupils are confident in their understanding before moving on.

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The school prioritises reading. The phonics programme clearly sets out the sounds that pupils need to learn next. In the early years, children begin to learn the sounds that letters make. Pupils develop and extend their knowledge in Year 1. They confidently use their phonics knowledge to sound out, spell and write simple sentences. Any pupil who falls behind, or has newly arrived, quickly becomes a confident reader due to the support of well-trained staff.

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Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities and experiences that contribute to their personal development. They learn about staying safe, including around roads and water. The school gives pupils a secure understanding about healthy relationships. Pupils learn about the different faiths, cultures and families in modern day Britain. They know about the importance of diversity and that everyone should be treated equally and fairly. Pupils learn about the environment and how to become responsible custodians of the local natural environment, through activities such as forest school.

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Attendance has been a high priority for the school, and pupils attend regularly. Pupils behave well. They understand the school rules and work hard to uphold them. Staff prepare pupils well for secondary school, both academically and socially. Pupils develop happy memories of their time here, commenting, ‘A pebble is given to each of us when we leave this school so we will always have a piece of Ibstone with us.’

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Leaders and governors share a common vision for the school. Governors check how well the school operates at all levels. They are effective in working with leaders to plan out a strategy to achieve the school’s vision. Staff are positive about what the school does to support their workload and well-being. They say that it helps them to carry out their roles effectively. 25 February 2025

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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 school is still embedding its approach to checks of pupils’ learning. This means that sometimes, pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should check pupils’ understanding accurately and use this information to inform teaching to ensure that pupils learn the key content across the curriculum.

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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 29–30 January 2019.

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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. 25 February 2025

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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). 25 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs its own pre-school provision for pupils aged three years.  There are breakfast and after-school clubs, which are run by the school.  The school does not currently use any alternative providers.  The school is part of the Diocese of Oxford. The last section 48 inspection for schools with a religious character took place in July 2024.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and other staff. Discussions were held with pupils. Inspectors met with members of the governing body. There were also phone 25 February 2025

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conversations with a local authority representative and a representative of the Diocese of Oxford.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, 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 gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by informal discussions with parents and carers at the end of the school day. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Elkington Ofsted Inspector 25 February 2025

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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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