Prestwood Infant School

Inspection of Prestwood Infant School Moat Lane, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire HP16 9DF

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Mike Smith. This school is part of the Great Learners Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sarah Baber, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Phillips.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Prestwood Infant School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Prestwood Infant School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 23 and 24 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Prestwood Infant School are well cared for. They enjoy attending school and are happy here. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and supportive. Pupils know who to go to if they have any concerns. This helps them to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and are respectful towards others. During lunchtimes, they sit and talk happily together as they eat their lunch. Pupils play together calmly during social times of the day, such as breaktimes. They know the importance of rules in the school that allow them and others to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations. They achieve well across a broad range of subjects. Staff ensure that pupils receive the support they need. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is well considered. It provides a variety of extra-curricular clubs including gymnastics, multi-sports and choir. Pupils benefit from a programme of visits including trips to the zoo, a farm and the local village. Pupils are proud of the school council, which helps to make decisions and changes in the school, such as the recent new names for classes.

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

The school is highly ambitious for pupils. It has put in place a well-sequenced curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge from the early years to Year 2. Teachers use well-designed activities to build pupils’ knowledge over time. As a result, overall, pupils achieve well. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of pupils’ writing. This is because, until recently, the school’s curriculum has not focused well enough on handwriting and punctuation. Leaders have recognised this and taken steps to strengthen this aspect of the curriculum. However, it is too soon to see the impact of this work.

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

Teachers regularly check how well pupils are learning. This means that they are able to put in place appropriate support and, when needed, adapt the curriculum to reflect pupils’ learning. However, sometimes, misconceptions are not identified or addressed in a timely manner. As a result, teaching does not consistently address gaps or errors in some pupils’ understanding. This means that errors sometimes become embedded and hamper some pupils’ achievement.

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

Reading is prioritised at the school. Children in the pre-school develop their knowledge of sounds of words through songs and rhymes. Formal phonics teaching gets underway at the beginning of the Reception Year. All staff are trained to deliver the programme, ensuring a consistent approach. Across the early years and key stage 1, staff regularly check pupils’ phonics knowledge. When needed, targeted support is put in place to ensure that pupils do not fall behind.

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

The school is inclusive and supports all pupils to achieve well. From the early years onwards, the school accurately identifies pupils’ needs and puts in place additional, well- 23 and 24 April 2025

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considered support for pupils with SEND. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND access a broad, ambitious curriculum, like their peers. When appropriate, the school consults and engages the support of external agencies.

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Children get off to a strong start in the early years. They benefit from a well-designed curriculum. This builds sequentially from the two-year-olds’ first days in pre-school through to the end of the Reception Year. During independent learning times, thoughtfully designed activities enable children to practise and apply their learning. Staff interact positively with children, building their knowledge, confidence and concentration.

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Most pupils behave well in lessons and during social times of the day. The school works in close partnership with families and other agencies to support any pupils who need help to manage their emotions and behaviour. The school has robust processes in place to improve individual pupils’ attendance. It builds strong relationships with parents and carers to identify and address any barriers to school attendance. As a result, attendance rates are high.

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Pupils appreciate the differences between people in the world. They learn the importance of respect. They are taught how to keep safe both online and in their community. Pupils know why it is important to eat well, exercise, drink water and get plenty of sleep. They understand that different activities can support their mental health. The school makes sure that pupils get the most out of school life through a wide range of enrichment activities.

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Governance is effective and statutory duties are fulfilled. It gives a high priority to teachers’ professional development. This enables staff to develop their expertise and contribute effectively to the drive for further improvement. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration for their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Until recently, the early writing curriculum has not given enough priority to handwriting and punctuation. This means that some pupils have not secured this important foundational knowledge well enough. Previously unaddressed weaknesses in these aspects of pupils’ writing hamper the quality of their writing, particularly pupils who have barriers to learning, including some pupils with SEND. The school should continue to implement its plans to strengthen this aspect of the English curriculum and ensure that this is having the impact leaders intend.  The school has not always ensured that teaching consistently identifies and addresses gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ understanding. This means that errors in some pupils’ 23 and 24 April 2025

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learning become embedded. As a result, some pupils are not securing their knowledge as well as they could. The school needs to strengthen this aspect of its work so that teaching consistently addresses gaps in pupils’ learning and understanding.

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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). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Headteacher Mike Smith (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Website www.prestwoodvillageschools.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Great Learners Trust in August 2023. The headteacher took up post in December 2023.  The board of trustees has delegated some responsibilities to the local governing body. This is set out in the trust’s scheme of delegation.  The school works in partnership with Prestwood Junior School. This partnership is known as the Prestwood Village Schools. The executive headteacher is responsible for both schools and the two schools share the same governing body.  The early years consists of two classes in Reception and pre-school provision. The pre- school caters for two- to four-year-old children. Most children attend the pre-school part-time.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and an after-school club for pupils who attend the school and pre-school. 23 and 24 April 2025

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, communication and language and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects and sampled pupils’ writing and their work in science.  The lead inspector met with members of the board of trustees and members of the local governing body. They held a telephone discussion with the CEO of the trust.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  Inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including school improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and attendance data.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through the classroom visits and group discussions as well as at playtime and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Paul Grundy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Trudi Sammons Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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