Shefford C.E. Primary School

Shefford C.E. Primary School

Address: Wantage Road, Great Shefford, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 7DB Unique reference number (URN): 109975

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

By the end of key stage 2, pupils are generally prepared well for their next stage of education. Published test data is broadly in line with national averages, apart from in the Year 4 multiplication tables check. Across reading, writing and mathematics, pupils acquire knowledge and skills appropriately. Most pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, make appropriate progress within the curriculum from their starting points and are ready for their next stage of education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Work in pupils’ books is typically well presented and shows pride in the work they have produced. Writing has been a clear focus area for the school. Handwriting is neat, legible and has accurate letter formation and generally accurate spelling. Pupils develop their vocabulary well, including pupils with SEND. For example, pupils talk confidently about the Romans in Britain or how to draw objects from different viewpoints.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is designed and sequenced well to help pupils build the essential knowledge they need. Teachers understand the curriculum well. They teach important knowledge and skills clearly, such as handwriting. They demonstrate high expectations for pupils' learning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, such as in science when learning about parts of the plant.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils secure the curriculum's essential knowledge. For example, in helping pupils learn to read, younger pupils read books matched to their phonics knowledge. Teacher checks are used effectively to identify any gaps in pupils' sound recognition. Children in the early years learn the correct pencil grip and develop an accurate and confident approach to their independent writing. This then develops across the school through extended writing opportunities. The mathematics curriculum is logically sequenced and structured to help pupils build on their knowledge successfully. However, some activity choices do not consistently help pupils to successfully secure important mathematical knowledge, for example when learning their multiplication facts.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, teaching resources and materials allow pupils to build their knowledge successfully. However, a small proportion of pupils could benefit from more precise support to help them access and build their knowledge and skills even more securely.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise the early years and work closely with specialists and advisors to ensure that this provision helps children to make a positive start to their school lives. The curriculum is designed effectively to support children's progress across all areas of learning. Strategies to develop children's vocabulary, emotional development and wellbeing are effective. By the end of Reception Year, children achieve well and are prepared for their next stage of education. The curriculum sequence and key knowledge are set out clearly, and links across areas of learning are thoughtfully made. The curriculum builds children's knowledge and helps them develop the skills they need for future learning. For example, activities to support children's physical development through cutting skills link well to other activities in exploring expressive art and design. Children learn to read with fluency and comprehension. They

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Early years Expected standard

learn phonics securely and have opportunities to practise reading and writing regularly. Leaders ensure that high-quality interactions strengthen children's language and understanding across the curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff know children’s starting points well. They frequently check what children know and can do. Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities quickly and ensure that they receive appropriate support. Staff build positive working relationships with families that help all children to feel safe and included.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established an inclusive approach throughout the school. Staff identify pupils' needs quickly and involve specialist support appropriately. Staff know pupils well and prioritise meeting the needs of the most vulnerable. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is cohesive and underpinned by high expectations. A wide range of thoughtful resources is used to help most vulnerable pupils, and pupils with SEND access their learning effectively. Staff training is well targeted, enabling staff to provide appropriate support and develop their knowledge and understanding of SEND effectively. Staff check the effectiveness of their provision and adjust their support successfully. Partnerships with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, help the school to target support that helps remove pupils' barriers to learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders review vulnerable pupils' progress, including reviewing the impact of the school's additional funding action plan. For disadvantaged pupils, leaders understand their barriers to learning well. They plan targeted support for pupils and families who need extra help. This helps to ensure that pupils access the curriculum and participate in all aspects of school life equally. Pupils who are known to social care are supported effectively. Where necessary, the school makes effective use of alternative provision. This contributes to supporting pupils' academic progress as well as their wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the school’s strengths and areas for development thoroughly. The newly developed leadership team has acted quickly and decisively with children’s best interests at the centre of decision-making. Leaders have accurately prioritised improving pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning. Leaders demonstrate high expectations and professionalism in their work. They have a clear and ambitious vision to provide high-quality education to all pupils. Leaders promote positive and respectful relationships across the school community.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff professional learning is appropriate and effective, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, staff are supported to teach consistently high-quality approaches to writing, phonics and behaviour management. Governors know the strengths of the school and the current improvement priorities. They are proud of the partnerships that exist in the community. Statutory duties are understood clearly, and governors carry these out effectively. Governors address any concerns about leaders’ and staff's workload and wellbeing through regular checks and adjustments. Leaders take account of staff wellbeing and make sure that staff feel valued, as demonstrated by the overwhelmingly positive response to the staff survey and in conversations with members of the staff team.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established very positive relationships with the parent and carer community. School and home work in partnership effectively, such as through 'meet the teacher' events and regular communication through newsletters, class blogs and in-person communication. Parents appreciate the hard work across the staff team.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have developed a clear programme of personal development and wellbeing. It equips pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of education. Pupils know about the school’s values and know why values are important. For example, they describe compassion as caring for others when they need help. Leaders have ensured that age-appropriate content that meets statutory expectations is taught. Sex education in Years 5 and 6 is handled sensitively, with pupils taught in appropriate groupings by trained staff, creating a respectful and safe learning environment. Pupils demonstrate secure understanding of key themes such as online safety, relationships, drugs and anti- social behaviour. They are able to articulate how these issues relate to their own lives. The involvement of external visitors and specialist visitors, such as the police and fire service, strengthens provision for more sensitive topics. Leaders regularly check the personal

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

development provision to ensure that it has a positive impact.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to broaden their experiences and develop their talents and interests. Community sports events include all pupils and give opportunities for pupils to take part in events such as rugby, football and golf. Pupils enjoy whole-school educational visits to places such as the beach and wildlife park. Activities are inclusive. Leaders ensure that pupils with barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are fully included in all aspects of school life. Leaders track participation to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate appropriately. The school's personal development programme contributes to pupils' social and cultural development well. Pupils learn about British values and have some understanding of concepts such as democracy and why this is important, such as when they vote for house captains. However, this aspect of the personal development programme could be developed

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

further, which would help all pupils develop their understanding of respect and responsibilities for each other, both in school and beyond.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have an effective approach to supporting pupils to attend school regularly and punctually. If pupils are at risk of lower attendance, staff work closely with pupils and families to address this positively. Staff have thoughtful and caring approaches to families, which aim to remove barriers to attendance in partnership. Attendance for all pupils shows an improving trend over time, including for pupils who are persistently absent and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils are happy and confident. They play happily on the playground and are generally respectful towards each other. Leaders deal with bullying and discrimination, whether online or offline, quickly and effectively. The school is a generally calm and orderly environment that begins with a positive start to each day. Generally, there are clear expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Staff establish routines appropriately, and most pupils understand them well, helping to establish a kind, positive school culture. Pupils with SEND are supported with their behaviour effectively and sensitively. However, the school's recently developed behaviour for learning policy is not yet as fully embedded as leaders intend, meaning that, sometimes, pupils' poor behaviour is not addressed consistently well. Leaders have acted robustly to address the behaviour of pupils who do not routinely reach the standard of positive behaviour that is expected from them, but there is still further work to do.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are happy at this nurturing school. They know the school’s Christian values of community, compassion, courage, trust and thankfulness. Pupils participate in a range of curriculum enrichment opportunities, including football, drama productions and musical instrument tuition. They enjoy their leadership responsibilities, such as being house captains, sports leaders and worship leaders. From the beginning of the early years, pupils are included in all aspects of school life and develop a strong sense of belonging.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils enjoy their lessons and learn the curriculum well. By the end of key stage 2, most pupils develop secure knowledge and use increasingly sophisticated vocabulary confidently. For example, when studying how volcanoes are formed, pupils can readily describe the movement of tectonic plates and why they occur where they do. In reading, writing and mathematics, pupils' secure learning is reflected in positive published test results, although pupils' times tables knowledge is not yet in line with national averages in the Year 4 multiplication check.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care are supported thoughtfully. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs identified quickly. Staff generally adapt teaching and resources effectively. Pupils access learning successfully and develop increasing independence. Most pupils with known barriers to their learning are given learning activities that are adapted specifically for their needs. As a result, they successfully progress through the curriculum. Pupils feel safe. They attend school regularly and know that if bullying happens at the school, it is resolved by staff supportively. Pupils' behaviour is generally positive, but there is further work to do to ensure that the recently revised behaviour policy is implemented fully across all classrooms.

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Next steps

Governors should further develop their knowledge and expertise to provide robust support and challenge to leaders that results in improved achievement, behaviour and attendance for pupils consistently and effectively across the federation. Leaders should ensure that the recently developed behaviour policy is consistently and effectively implemented across the staff team so that all pupils develop positive attitudes to their learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is adapted precisely for pupils who need additional support to enable all pupils to build on what they know more securely across all curriculum subjects. Leaders should ensure that mathematics lessons strengthen pupils' learning of mathematics, including times tables knowledge, resulting in improved published outcomes for all pupils over time. Leaders should further develop the programme of personal development and wellbeing so that the school's teaching of British values is understood clearly by all pupils.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty's Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other school leaders. Inspectors also spoke with the chair of governors, Jim Hazlewood, and other governors, a representative of the local authority and the diocese.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

Shefford C.E. Primary School and Chaddleworth St Andrew’s C.E. Primary School are federated. Both schools are overseen by a single governing body. The Shefford C.E. Primary School site is used as the main place of education for pupils from both schools. The pupils from both schools learn side by side in school and wear the same uniforms.

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About this inspection

Shefford C.E. Primary School and Chaddleworth St Andrew’s C.E. Primary School were inspected at the same time. Although the 2 inspections were distinct, some elements of the inspection were combined and evidence shared.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

Since the last inspection, the overall leadership structure has changed. The school appointed a new headteacher in September 2025.

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What does this mean?

The school runs breakfast clubs and after-school clubs.

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What does this mean?

The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Deborah Munday The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.4% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 6.1% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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