Gorse Ride Infants' School

Inspection of Gorse Ride Infants’ School Gorse Ride South, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 4EH

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Gorse Ride Infants’ School is a nurturing place where pupils thrive. Pupils are happy, confident and enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and well supported. This helps them to flourish both academically and emotionally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders hold high expectations of how well pupils should achieve. The school’s rigorous approach to reading ensures that all pupils learn to read fluently and confidently. This helps pupils to successfully access all other aspects of the school’s well-planned curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities to enrich its curriculum. Most pupils take part in a club, such as dance or ‘mini-Olympics’. The school makes sure that there are no barriers to pupils attending these. Pupils value their school trips and even know which visits they can look forward to in future years at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values are at the heart of everything it does. Pupils feel proud when they demonstrate these values, such as determination and responsibility. Above all, pupils believe that their school teaches them to be kind. Parents and carers show overwhelming support for the school and its staff. They describe the school as somewhere that their children are safe, supported and celebrated.

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

The school has developed an engaging and ambitious curriculum, beginning in the early years. In all subjects, the school identifies the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. Teachers receive regular training and support so that they deliver the curriculum well. In lessons, teachers explain new information clearly. They make sure that pupils have time to practise using new knowledge and skills they have learned. The school’s checks of what pupils know and can do are generally secure across the curriculum. On occasion, mistakes in pupils’ writing are not effectively addressed, particularly errors in letter and number formation. This means that some pupils keep making the same mistakes, which slows their writing development.

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

Children in the early years have many opportunities to develop the skills that they will need as they move through the school. They play and learn through well-planned activities in a stimulating learning environment. Children show curiosity and care as they closely observe minibeasts in the outdoor area. Staff help pupils to build their vocabulary and wider speaking skills through purposeful talk and effective questioning. This supports the early years’ strong focus on language development.

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

The school prioritises reading. Phonics teaching and catch-up support are exemplary and delivered with precision and accuracy by highly trained staff. As a result, pupils consistently achieve excellent outcomes in phonics screening checks. This focus on reading continues throughout the school. Older pupils feel proud that they are now 20 and 21 May 2025

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‘expert’ readers. They continue to develop their reading skills in daily ‘master reader’ lessons.

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The school is committed to removing barriers to progress for all pupils. It swiftly identifies pupils who may have special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make careful adaptations for pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils learn the same curriculum as their peers and make good progress.

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Pupils respond very well to the school’s high expectations of behaviour. Consistent classroom routines keep pupils focused on learning. Pupils are motivated when working independently and collaborate respectfully when working with others. Pupils develop strong skills in managing their own emotions. They learn a variety of calming strategies, such as breathing techniques. Positive behaviour extends to social times. Pupils in Year 2 are excellent role models for their younger peers in the early years, for example, while they eat lunch together in the school hall.

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Pupils’ wider development is carefully considered in the school. Well-planned opportunities enrich pupils’ knowledge of keeping themselves safe and happy. They take part in road safety workshops and learn about looking after their mental health. Pupils are confident about how to keep safe online. They know that they should never share their passwords or personal information. Pupils also learn about different cultures and religions. They enjoy listening to their friends talking about their religious beliefs and traditions. Pupils develop a secure understanding of treating others with respect.

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Leaders seek the best outcomes for all children. They are outward looking and want to make the school even better. Staff enjoy working at the school and say they feel supported. They feel that leaders want them to thrive at the school too. Parents and carers are extremely positive about the school’s provision. They value the school’s efforts to involve them in their children’s learning. The strong link between home and school is demonstrated in the high number of parents who attend the early years stay-and-play sessions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, pupils do not get the guidance they need to address weaknesses in their transcription skills. This affects how well they develop their skills of writing letters and numbers. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to spot pupils’ weaknesses in transcription and guide them more effectively. 20 and 21 May 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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is federated with Gorse Ride Junior School under the leadership of one governing body and headteacher.  The school has nursery provision for three- and four-year-olds.  There is a before- and after-school club on the school site, managed by the 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. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 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 met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and subject leaders.  The lead inspector met with four members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics 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.  Inspectors looked at curriculum information for a range of other subjects, including

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pupils’ work. They reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s own evaluation of its effectiveness and priorities for improvement. They also looked at information relating to behaviour, attendance and SEND.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lunchtimes.  The views of staff and pupils were gathered through formal and informal discussions. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff.  The views of parents were gathered through the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. The lead inspector also spoke to parents during the 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.

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Inspection team

Katie Hancock, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nic Browne Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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