Sandy Lane Primary School

Sandy Lane Primary School

Address: Sandy Lane, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 2JG Unique reference number (URN): 149386

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders analyse attendance information closely. They use this information to identify pupils and families who may need support. Leaders work with families through supportive discussions and appropriate action when concerns arise. Typically, leaders' work supports pupils to attend more regularly. Leaders recognise the importance of positive working relationships with families to improve attendance. Pupils who are persistently absent receive extra help to overcome barriers. This includes support from the school's family support worker.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Staff model positive and respectful relationships with pupils. Leaders have an informed and accurate understanding of behaviour. Any discrimination or aggressive behaviour is not tolerated. Effective behaviour systems are used consistently to address any misbehaviour quickly. Pupils understand the routines and expectations. These ensure that they have positive attitudes towards learning. A small minority of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities needs personalised approaches to support their behaviour. These approaches support improving behaviours over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching practice across the school. They refine provision alongside support from the trust so that teaching aligns with clear curricular intentions. Subjects are coherently planned. leaders set out what pupils should learn and in what order. Assessment is generally used effectively to check pupils’ understanding. Staff increasingly use this information to adapt teaching and adjust sequencing where needed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Curriculum delivery is mostly effective. This means that most pupils learn the content well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other potential barriers to learning. Leaders' actions to improve the consistency of curriculum delivery are having a positive impact, although some variability in teaching approaches still exists.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised strengthening pupils' essential knowledge and skills, particularly in communication and language, reading, spelling, handwriting and mathematics. Leaders remain alert to pupils who have not secured these foundations. They take timely action to reduce barriers, including targeted teaching and additional support. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read receive effective phonics teaching. Staff teach the programme with fidelity and consistency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders invest in professional development to build staff expertise. This enables teachers to understand curriculum changes and deliver them with increasing confidence.

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Early years Expected standard

Children settle quickly in the early years. This is because staff have established consistent routines. Staff work closely with parents and carers to ensure that each child’s start at school is happy and successful. The Nursery Year curriculum prepares children well for the Reception Year. Children learn important skills, such as how to use the indoor and outdoor environment sensibly, take turns and retain concentration.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the early years curriculum orders the key knowledge and skills that children need to learn across all areas of the early years foundation stage. There is a sharp focus on securing the important foundations of learning, including early reading. Teaching is purposeful and effective. Children typically learn well.

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Early years Expected standard

Teachers deliver well-considered learning through high-quality stories and extended learning opportunities. Staff use assessment information from children’s starting points effectively. They build children’s learning appropriately on what they already know and can do. Leaders identify children who need additional help with their learning. Staff provide appropriate support within the classroom to help children to make progress.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff focus on developing children’s communication and language. Typically, staff use language well to support children’s communication and understanding. Occasionally, opportunities to model high-quality interactions are not used to deepen and extend children's learning. Leaders provide ongoing support and guidance to strengthen practice further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for pupils, including those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing. Leaders identify pupils’ needs early and accurately. They use assessment information to put in place a cycle of planning, action and review to reduce barriers. Leaders track pupils’ progress carefully over time. As a result, pupils generally receive timely and appropriate support. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make positive progress from their individual starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened staff expertise through professional development. Staff understand pupils’ needs. They check the impact of support rigorously. Leaders use additional funding well to provide pupils who are disadvantaged with targeted support. This support meets their needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders involve external specialists appropriately to advise on and support pupils’ development. Extra support for pupils with the highest levels of need is carefully crafted. Leaders provide this support both in lessons and beyond the classroom. The school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND provides effective personalised curriculum pathways. Pupils gain from support to develop important skills and greater independence, including in regulating their emotions and managing their learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s context, strengths and areas for development. They use this understanding to prioritise improvement actions that are rooted in the best interests of pupils. Leaders promote a culture where everyone is welcome. They take appropriate action to benefit pupils who face barriers to learning and wellbeing, including pupils who are disadvantaged.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders model professionalism and high expectations. Staff understand the school's priorities and contribute to delivering them. Leaders and staff understand the importance of raising standards for pupils. Staff appreciate leaders' clear focus on actioning priorities and remain committed to the changes being made. Leaders take account of staff wellbeing and ensure that appropriate support is available should it be needed.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established an extensive programme of professional development to build staff expertise. This helps teachers to better understand the curriculum changes and how to deliver them effectively. Staff show commitment to these expectations. They recognise the positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance, including members of the trust, provide effective support and challenge. Trustees oversee the school’s work and hold leaders to account appropriately. They successfully meet their statutory duties. Leaders are focused on improving relationships with parents and carers. Opportunities for dialogue between families and school have increased. Leaders acknowledge that these relationships are still variable, however.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have established a coherent programme for personal development and wellbeing. It reflects the school’s values and is woven through the curriculum and wider school life. The personal, social, health and economic education programme, including relationships, sex and health education, is suitably planned and supports pupils’ personal development. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, develop an appropriate understanding of respectful relationships, responsibility and safety. They learn to make healthy choices. Pupils show this through their behaviour and attitudes in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Safeguarding and online safety education are effective and reinforced through different subjects. This helps pupils to embed knowledge. Pupils understand risks related to technology and know how to seek support when they need it. They show awareness of boundaries and consent for their age. Pupils develop an appropriate understanding of fundamental British values. They demonstrate this through their behaviour, the respect that they show for others and their participation in school life. Pupils across the school routinely receive 'PRIDE' awards for demonstrating the school's values. Assemblies honour pupils, and pupils strive to earn this recognition through their positive attitudes.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a range of opportunities for enrichment. Pupils can learn musical instruments, join sports teams and perform in front of others. They can also take on elected

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Needs attention

leadership roles. Pupils are proud to represent the school. Activities such as the ‘Fiver Challenge’ strengthen pupils’ understanding of teamwork, enterprise and financial responsibility. Money raised contributes to the school community to further enhance provision.

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Needs attention

Support for pupils' wellbeing is effective. It provides appropriate support, particularly for pupils who face additional barriers. Pupils further develop positive character traits. They are well prepared for the next stage of education and for life in modern Britain.

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Achievement Needs attention

Some pupils do not achieve as well as their peers nationally. A significant minority have gaps in key areas of basic knowledge. For these pupils, the gaps in learning hinder their ability to achieve consistently well across the curriculum. As a result, this limits how well prepared some pupils are for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have taken appropriate and effective action. They have prioritised strengthening the consistency of teaching and improving the curriculum, particularly in phonics and mathematics. While these changes are positive, the impact of this work is not consistently evident for all pupils. Additionally, leaders’ work has not had enough time to improve published outcomes. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make appropriate progress from their starting points. This reflects leaders’ focus on strengthening important learning.

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

Positive relationships are a priority at this school. Staff know pupils well. This contributes to a calm atmosphere in which pupils are helped to feel safe and cared for. Behaviour is typically positive. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any incidents of bullying appropriately. Pupils understand behaviour expectations and endeavour to follow them. As a result, lessons are orderly, and pupils can focus on their learning.

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

Pupils enjoy taking part in school life. They talk with pride about representing the school, particularly through sport and leadership roles such as house captain, librarian and German ambassadors. These responsibilities help pupils to develop confidence and a sense of community. Pupils appreciate further opportunities to work together, for example through enterprise and fundraising activities. These experiences help them to learn about teamwork and diligence. In the early years, children play collaboratively. They learn to share and take turns. Pupils throughout the school develop an understanding of respect, fairness and accountability.

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

Overall, pupils learn the curriculum well, although their experiences in lessons can vary at times. Where teaching is mostly effective, pupils engage well. They understand what they are learning and are able to build new knowledge on what they already know. Occasionally, some pupils have not had sufficient opportunity to develop the important, fundamental aspects of learning. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should because they are still learning the basics. Nonetheless, pupils show positive attitudes and are keen to do well.

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

Most pupils attend school regularly. Families receive support when attendance becomes a concern. Pupils benefit from leaders' prompt action to reduce barriers to wellbeing. This helps to prepare them for the next stage of learning and for life beyond school.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen curriculum delivery so that pupils achieve well and produce high-quality work, particularly in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and mathematics. Leaders should continue to strengthen constructive relationships with parents and the wider community to build trust and improve pupils’ sense of belonging.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Greenshaw Learning 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), William Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Karen Roche.

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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, members of the trust and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection. They also met with staff and pupils. The lead inspector also met the CEO and the chair of trustees.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school includes provision for 10 pupils with autism and/or speech, language and communication needs in their specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this inspection

The school currently does not use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school also, under the same registration, runs a nursery provision at the same address.

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About this inspection

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The school has joined the Greenshaw Learning Trust.

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Team inspectors:

Clare Vallence, Ofsted Inspector Katherine Russell, Ofsted Inspector Matthew Rixson, Ofsted Inspector

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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?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England. Headteacher: Katie Parkhouse National average: 300

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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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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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national average

2024/25 (revised) 81% 75% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 73% 74% Close to average

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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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average

2024/25 (revised) 74% 72% Close to average

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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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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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average

2023/24 (final) 42% 46% Close to average

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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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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 62% Close to average

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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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national average

2024/25 (revised) 67% 59% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 58% 58% Close to average

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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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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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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) 5.5% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.0% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.1% 5.9% 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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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 13.5% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 11.8% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 15.5% 16.2% Close to average

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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. 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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