King William Street Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: King William Street Church of England Primary School King William Street, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3LB

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Outcome

King William Street Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Helen Tucker. This school is a stand alone academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The academy is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Greg Evans.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend their welcoming and inclusive school. They form strong relationships with staff and know who to talk to if they have a worry. Pupils trust staff to act on any concerns they might have. They are happy and feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and harmonious place. Pupils appreciate the richness of diversity within their school and the wider world. They are polite and well mannered. Pupils follow the school rules of ‘ready, respectful, safe’. They understand how these help everyone to feel valued and treated respectfully.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils rise to these expectations. They achieve well across many subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of opportunities that the school provides, such as netball, art and singing clubs, trips to a local mosque and residential visits. They show pride in taking on leadership roles, which include being environmental ambassadors, play leaders and members of the church council who help to lead school assemblies. Pupils develop as active citizens. For example, they help at a nearby luncheon club for local older residents. 18 and 19 March 2025

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

The school has designed the curriculum to build pupils’ knowledge sequentially. It is tailored to meet the needs of pupils at King William Street Primary. The curriculum sets out the knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in which they learn it so pupils can achieve well. Teachers revisit and make links with important knowledge to help pupils remember more. For example, teachers help pupils remember knowledge they learned previously in geography, at the start of a science lesson. Teachers’ checks on how well pupils remember what they learn in the wider curriculum are at an early stage. The school is not always clear what pupils know in some subjects or where they have gaps in their learning. As a result, teaching is not consistently well matched to what pupils need to learn and some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.

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

The Reception class is a nurturing and language-rich environment. In the early years, there is a sharp focus on teaching children key vocabulary. Children love learning in the Reception classroom and in their outside space. Throughout the school, teachers have strong subject knowledge and present lessons and new vocabulary clearly. Where teaching is most effective, lesson activities are carefully designed to meet the needs of pupils. For example, in mathematics, teachers use precise mathematical language, practical resources and models to support all learners to develop key mathematical concepts. The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND well. It uses appropriate resources and adaptations to enable pupils with SEND to make good progress through the curriculum alongside their peers.

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

Reading is a top priority. Phonics teaching is structured well, and most pupils keep up with the pace of the programme. Staff provide the right help for the few pupils who fall behind with their reading to catch up. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them develop their fluency and accuracy. Older pupils say that reading ignites their imagination. They enjoy reading the high-quality books that the school provides in its attractive and well-stocked reading areas.

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

In classrooms, pupils’ behaviour is calm and purposeful. When low-level disruption does occur, teachers follow the school’s policies to address it promptly. Strong relationships between adults and pupils underpin this work. Where pupils need extra help to manage their behaviour, staff act swiftly to provide the support they need. There are many sporting opportunities on offer to make playtimes safe and fun. Older pupils act as playtime leaders and enjoy helping younger children to be active.

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

Most pupils attend school regularly. Where this is not the case, the school has recently put effective support in place for pupils and their families to improve attendance.

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

Pupils are well equipped for life in modern Britain. They learn about different faiths and beliefs. They visit different places of worship. Pupils are tolerant of beliefs other than their own. Pupils recognise the dangers of using the internet and understand how to stay safe online. Pastoral care is strong. Pupils learn to name and manage their emotions, keeping mentally as well as physically healthy. 18 and 19 March 2025

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Staff are proud to work at the school and want the very best for pupils. Staff appreciate leaders’ careful consideration of their well-being. The members of the board of trustees are a committed and knowledgeable group that successfully holds school leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. They are outward facing and invite external challenge to enable them to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school is not using checks effectively to identify what pupils already know and to adjust the curriculum to address any gaps. As a result, pupils persist with some misconceptions and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise to use assessment information effectively so that pupils learn these subjects with greater success.

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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 October 2019. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started in post in September 2024.  The school has a religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Bristol. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in March 2022. The school should receive its next section 48 within five years.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  There is a breakfast and after-school club run by the school on site.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other leaders in the school. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 The inspector met with members of the board of trustees, including the chair of the board of trustees.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. He also listened to pupils from Reception, Year 1 and Year 3 reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector spoke with parents as they dropped their children off at school. He also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. He also took into consideration Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Richard Lucas, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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