Bucklebury C.E. Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 - 4 December 2001

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SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Blacklands Road Upper Bucklebury Reading

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Brian Norris

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19/05/1997 Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 4

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Team members

22822 Miss Cheryl Thompson Registered inspector 12289 Mrs Susan Burgess Lay inspector 22778 Mrs Anne Shannon Team inspector

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Team members

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 15 - 17

Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bucklebury Church of England Primary is a popular and oversubscribed small rural primary school. The school serves the village of Upper Bucklebury and its immediate surroundings, but many pupils attend who live out of the catchment area. Currently there are 117 boys and girls on roll, including 12 Reception age children. More children will join the school in January and April 2002, making a total of 126 which is 10 more than at the time of the last inspection. Attainment on entry is around average but a significant minority achieve above this level. Nearly all pupils are white and have their origins in the United Kingdom. There are no pupils who have English as an additional language. Three per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals which is well below the average of 20 per cent. Seventeen per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs which is below average. There

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

are no statemented pupils. The majority of pupils with a high level of need have specific learning difficulties. In the past two years there has been a change of half the teaching staff.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Bucklebury is a very good school which serves its pupils and their parents very well. It caters effectively for the diverse range of social and intellectual needs of its pupils, although more needs to be done to prepare pupils for living in a diverse society. Very good teaching ensures pupils achieve well, regardless of their starting point. Strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development helps them develop positive attitudes and very good behaviour. For the past four years, Year 6 pupils have achieved very high standards in English, mathematics and science. Leadership and management are strong and provide a very clear sense of purpose for the school. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in their work. • Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of the school and high standards are sustained. • Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps them become responsible and thoughtful young people. • Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make rapid progress.

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What could be improved

• Teachers need more guidance and expertise in writing individual education plans (IEPs) for pupils with special educational needs. • The school should do more to strengthen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of how other faiths influence the way people choose to lead their lives. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May, 1997; since then improvement has been good. High standards have been sustained and the issues raised by the last inspection have generally been dealt with well, although there is need for further improvement in the school’s provision for pupils’ multi-cultural development. The quality of teaching has improved as have the systems for checking on and tracking pupils’ progress. There is no complacency, the school is always seeking to do better, therefore the capacity to improve further is good. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high A* English A* A* A C well above average above average A B Mathematics A A* B C average below average C D Science A* A* C D well below average E

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Key

The school’s standards are usually very high. In 1999 and 2000, results in all subjects were outstanding and in the highest five per cent of schools nationally. In 2000, compared to similar schools (those with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals), standards for all subjects were also in the highest five per cent nationally. In 2001 standards dropped, although the percentage of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 in English, mathematics and science was around national averages and pupils had made good progress since the end of Year 2. The reason that standards are not higher is because fewer pupils than usual reached the higher Levels 5 or 6. In 2001, there were several changes of teacher for Year 6, also two pupils with special educational needs joined the group and though they made good progress, did not reach the expected standards. Inspection evidence indicates that, given

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Key

their generally below average starting point in Year 3, the present Year 6 are achieving well in English, mathematics and science and standards are likely to be around the same as 2001. In Year 2, there is a wide range of ability but all pupils are achieving well and by the end of the school year are likely to reach standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Examination of pupils’ books and work on display demonstrates that throughout the school, pupils’ good literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT) skills are used to advantage in other subjects such as history, geography and design and technology. Great care is taken with the presentation of work. Children in the Reception group make rapid progress in response to high quality teaching and carefully structured activities; they are likely to attain above the expected standards by the time they start Year

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Key

1. The school sets, and usually meets, challenging targets for National Curriculum tests based on the school’s very good systems for tracking and checking on pupils’ progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen and enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard and produce good work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Politeness, consideration and toleration are strengths. Pupils play extremely well together in the school grounds.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school is a very orderly community where all are treated with respect; pupils are kind and considerate.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The level of attendance is above that usually found. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 8

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Pupils have very good learning opportunities because the quality of teaching is a strength of the school. Key features of teaching are the very good relationships teachers establish with their pupils and the high expectations they set for effort and conduct. The school’s strong focus on environmental issues and the chance to work in the ‘Green Team’ alongside experts enrich pupils’ learning considerably. Teachers structure topics in detail to provide motivating and relevant work which captures pupils’ enthusiasm and interest. As a result, pupils work at a purposeful rate and take pride in their work. Teachers expect older pupils to take responsibility for organising aspects of their own work which prepares them very well for their secondary education. Teaching for the Reception/Year 1 class is very good; the difficult task of balancing the needs of the youngest pupils with moving older ones on at a

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

good rate is managed exceptionally well. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and set high expectations for quantity and quality of work. Basic skills of English and mathematics are taught very well. Good opportunities are provided for using ICT skills within other subjects such as history and science. More able pupils are rarely short of suitable work to challenge them. Pupils with special educational needs generally make good progress but it is in this area that teachers need advice to help them develop further their understanding of the particular needs of pupils with specific learning difficulties. Pupils with identified behavioural difficulties are managed very well, ensuring they make very good progress in meeting targets set for them.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. Whilst strong emphasis is placed on literacy and numeracy, the school strives to ensure that very good attention is given to other subjects such as art and design, history, geography and science. Within the topic approach, many subjects are brought together, making learning interesting, fun and relevant.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good overall and very good for pupils with identified behavioural difficulties. Teachers need more guidance to develop expertise in formulating individual education plans, especially for pupils with specific learning difficulties.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. A strong sense of right and wrong and respect for others underpins the aims and ethos of the school. Pupils are encouraged to think about the effect of their actions on others and the ‘right’ way to behave. They are helped and encouraged to develop strong values. Good attention is paid to developing pupils’ knowledge of British culture and of the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians but more needs to be done to develop pupils’ understanding of the diverse cultures in our modern society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school provides good care for its pupils. There are very good systems in place for checking on and tracking pupils’ progress as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works Parents contribute well to their child’s learning, especially with reading. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 9 in partnership with parents Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher wants the school to ‘ … offer the best’. She provides strong leadership for a talented team of teachers and a clear sense of purpose for the work of the school and its place in the community.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors have developed their roles and responsibilities well since the last inspection. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school and from this are able to question what goes on and hold the school to account for the standards it reaches.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school makes good analyses of National Curriculum test results, spelling and reading tests and baseline testing. The outcomes of these analyses are used to set targets for individual pupils and year groups. Results may also be used to change the way subjects are taught. The headteacher has an effective system for checking on the quality of teaching in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of all the funding it receives and takes advantage of any educational initiative funding. The principles of best value are applied effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The accommodation for staff and headteacher is unsatisfactory. The governors have correctly identified the underspend in the school’s budget to undertake building works to improve this accommodation and create more teaching space.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The high standards achieved in the school. • Very good behaviour • Children love coming to school. • Staff are approachable and helpful. • Provision for homework is somewhat sporadic. • Information about the work to be covered in class is not as good as it has been. • Parents would like more opportunities to discuss the progress their child is making in school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive comments. Examination of older pupils’ homework diaries and books indicates that setting of homework is inconsistent as is the information provided about the work to be covered in class. However, it is noticeable that parents of younger children give consistent and great help with reading homework. It should be noted that not all homework is expected to have a formal written outcome when pupils read to gather information or learn spellings. The school is considering offering another ‘formal’ parents interview evening, making this three per year. However, the school will always respond if parents request an appointment to discuss progress. It would appear that some parents are not aware of this, therefore the school should make it clearer to parents and do so more frequently. It may be that governors should consider including questions about the above issues in their

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

next parents’ questionnaire. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 11

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

1. The school has had a change of half of its teaching staff in the past two years which is significant in a small school. However, the present team of teachers is becoming firmly established, even the teacher who has only been in the school for a few weeks. They work very well together as a team and all provide very good role models for their pupils. A key feature of the teaching in the school is the high expectations all teachers have of their pupils within a framework of very good relationships. Teachers know their pupils very well and though expectations are high, due account is taken of each individual’s aptitude and ability. Pupils are happy in school, clear about what is expected of them and interested in what they learn. They are confident that they can ask for help and make suggestions and know that advice will be forthcoming and their contributions will be valued.

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

2. Whilst the school recognises the crucial importance of National Curriculum test results, it is determined to provide a rich and broad curriculum through which pupils can develop and practise essential skills such as reading, writing, using ICT and also develop a wide understanding of environmental issues. The school has a topic approach to much of its work, although the key skills of English and mathematics are taught as discrete subjects. The result of the school’s determination to provide this rich and interesting curriculum is that pupils of all ages find work meaningful and, therefore, have very positive attitudes and work purposefully at their tasks.

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

3. Planning for topics is extremely thorough to make sure National Curriculum requirements are covered and that pupils have appropriate opportunities to build up skills progressively. For example mapping skills in geography, interpreting evidence in history and word processing and presentation skills in ICT. Very good examples of pupils developing their knowledge and understanding in many subject areas were noted at all levels in the topic of ‘mini-beasts’. Younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 had used reference books and experiments to find out what snails like to eat and had written up their findings very well. They had also carefully constructed spirals of different types of materials and mixed colours well to paint pictures of snails. They had used word processing and publishing software to design and complete invitations to the ‘Ugly Bug Ball’. This work demonstrated standards above those expected. Older pupils in Years 5/6

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

had researched and produced very detailed food chains with a software program and had thrived on the challenge to give presentations on the subject using a software presentation program. In their topic about Ancient Egypt, Year 3/4 pupils developed a very good understanding of the role of women in Ancient Egypt through an excellent lesson which included watching a relevant video, drama and a writing session. Pupils were totally involved and their thinking focussed well by their teacher’s skilful questioning. In the drama session, pupils responded very well to their teacher’s high expectations to discuss and work together to portray the roles of women they had noted in the video. It was clear from pupils’ writing that they had learned and retained a great deal of information from this meaningful and highly motivating lesson.

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

4. Very good teaching and the current topic of ‘Underground’ were inspiring pupils in the Reception/Year 1 class. They were young archaeologists digging for artefacts in their sand tray. Year 1 pupils had developed a good understanding of specific vocabulary such as artefacts and archaeologist . They demonstrated high standards of speaking when explaining how they had to take great care with the artefacts and must use a brush to take off the sand in order to avoid damage. Similarly in their cave (the role play area), Reception children could explain that they needed to use a torch and that there may be bats hanging upside down in the cave but there was ‘ … no need to worry because they won’t eat you’. They know that bats cannot see and rely on ‘beeping’ and that they are nocturnal. In their ‘cave paintings’ pupils had learned that ready-made paints had not been available for cave dwellers and that to produce colours they needed to squash

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

real berries to get juice to paint with. Displays are outstanding and promote high interest; pupils Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 12 thoroughly enjoy talking about and finding out more about the old pieces of metal and pots on display or the jaw bones that had been dug up in a pupil’s garden. In the Year 1/2 class, pupils made good efforts in using clay to replicate some of the Victorian pots and jars that had been dug up.

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

5. Teachers take care to ensure pupils in the same year group, but in different classes, cover similar work. They identify what they expect pupils to learn in the lesson and, in most classes, this is shared with pupils so they are clear about what they are doing. All teachers have at least good subject knowledge and teach English and mathematics well and make their lessons interesting, as when Year 2 pupils were estimating how long their friend was or learning about instructional language by considering instructions for decorating a Christmas tree.

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Very good teaching promotes pupils’ very good attitudes and high interest in

6. The school caters well for more able pupils. They are rarely short of challenging work and there are extension activities available if work is finished before the majority of the class. In whole-class sessions, teachers set the level of questioning to match pupils’ abilities so that more able pupils have to think hard about their answers. Less able pupils are supported well and do particularly well in the additional literacy sessions with the proficient classroom assistant. Pupils with specific learning difficulties in reading and writing are generally supported well but it is in this area that teachers do not have enough specialist knowledge to write and operate well targeted individual education plans. As a result, the progress of a few pupils may not be as good as it should be. The headteacher has done her best to secure specialist help for pupils but there is a very long wait for guidance from outside agencies.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

the school and high standards are sustained.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

7. At the heart of the success of the school is the very good leadership of the headteacher. She has a very clear vision and sense of purpose for the school which encapsulates and fulfils the school aim - To help pupils acquire lively, enquiring minds and an enthusiasm for learning.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

8. The headteacher provides very good leadership for a team of talented teachers and learning support assistants. All staff work together well for the benefit of pupils. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and all staff take on subject responsibilities enthusiastically; they support their colleagues very well. Classroom assistants are deployed very effectively. The classroom assistant leading the additional literacy strategy sessions demonstrates a high level of expertise and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, attitudes and self-esteem.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

9. Even though the school mostly reaches very high standards, there is no complacency. However, with small groups of pupils taking National Curriculum tests, there can be great differences in results from year to year because one pupil counts for a significant percentage. The performance of one or two pupils can have a significant effect on results. Differences in results do not come as a surprise to the school because the school has very good systems in place to check on and evaluate the effectiveness of its work. It is well placed to sustain the high standards it generally reaches and the good added value it provides. National Curriculum test results, school performance data supplied by the government and other standardised test results are analysed by the headteacher. Governors too are beginning to be involved in this process. Good use is made of the outcomes of these analyses to alter the way subjects are taught if necessary or set targets

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

for further improvement. The school is very careful to monitor the progress of boys and girls to ensure that they achieve their best and that there is no stereotyping, especially in physical education and games.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

10. The headteacher has a good system for monitoring the quality of teaching in the school on a formal basis which is supplemented by working alongside teachers in their classes or teaching groups of pupils, for example Year 5 are taken as a group for English three times per week by the headteacher . In addition, the headteacher is the assessment co-ordinator and, as such, is aware of each pupil’s National Curriculum level and the targets set and if these are being met. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 13 11. Governors fulfil their responsibilities effectively. Since the last inspection, governors have developed their role as a critical friend further and put good systems in place for ensuring they achieve best value. Governors are assigned to a particular class and visit regularly so they have a good understanding of what goes on in classes. There is a strong commitment to further training;

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

governors have organised ‘in-house’ training from the local education authority. Parents and pupils are consulted about school issues, as when pupils were asked what type of out-door equipment/facilities they would like to see. Governors consult parents on the school development plan by way of a questionnaire and their views are incorporated if appropriate.

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Very good leadership and management ensure a clear direction for the work of

12. The school’s budget is managed very efficiently. The current under-spend has been planned thoughtfully and is for building work to provide better facilities for staff and pupils. Currently, the headteacher’s room and staff room are windowless which is claustrophobic and not conducive to a pleasant working atmosphere. It is planned to extend the ‘half-classroom’ to make it suitable for a whole class. The headteacher and governors are very conscious of large class numbers and make very effective use of funds to employ a part-time teacher. This organisation means that Years 3 and 4 are taught separately for literacy and numeracy and the very good teaching noted in both classes ensures good progress in the smaller groups.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

them become responsible and thoughtful young people.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

13. The ethos of the school is very positive and has a very beneficial effect on the high standards pupils reach. All adults set good examples for pupils. High and realistic expectations are held for all pupils both in their work and in their personal development. These high expectations are reflected consistently in all aspects of the school’s work – in the teaching; in the very good relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults; in the very good behaviour and in the rich and stimulating displays of pupils’ work around the school.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

14. Very good behaviour and consideration for others are clearly evident when pupils come into school first thing in the morning. They come in purposefully, chat easily and help each other hang coats up or sort out bags. Older pupils help younger ones if necessary and carry out their ‘monitor’ jobs diligently. Very responsible attitudes continue in classrooms where pupils settle quickly to start-of-the-day activities such as learning and practising spellings, doing corrections or changing reading books. Inspectors were impressed to see even the youngest children organise themselves very sensibly and quickly settle to their chosen activity.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

15. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to discuss or work together in lessons so that they develop a very good understanding of taking turns, listening and responding to questions. A very good example was noted with a group of Year 1 pupils who were set the task to design their own route for a ‘bear hunt’ in the outside classroom. They found it very difficult to agree and made little progress with their route. However, they showed mature attitudes when they agreed that they had to work together or they ‘.. would never find the bear’. The school organises a residential visit for older pupils so that they have experiences of living and working together with different groups of similar aged pupils; this prepares them well for their secondary education. Dinnertimes are good, social occasions; pupils know what is expected of them and behave accordingly so that there is a good level of conversation. The ‘class council’ in Year 5/6 is a very good example of

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

how pupils show great respect for the opinions and ideas of others. Pupils listen to each other and make sensible suggestions as to how to solve ‘problems’ that have arisen in class. Pupils state that they ‘ …… only ask the teacher for help when we get really stuck’. It is planned to start a school council and pupils think this is a great idea and are keen to get it underway. Pupils’ social development is also fostered well through close links with the community and in fund raising for various charities.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

16. Pupils know how to behave because they are very clear about what is expected of them. In nearly all lessons observed behaviour was at least very good and in three lessons it was excellent. In the playground and school grounds, pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They treat the Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 14 school grounds with great respect because they have contributed to the design and planting. School grounds are spacious and full of interesting things to play on or around.

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

17. The school is very successful in encouraging pupils to think beyond themselves. In assemblies pupils are encouraged to think deeply about qualities. For example, in one assembly, pupils were asked what they really hope for at Christmas time and the responses were peace, harmony, being kind, no more wars. Pupils of all ages are interested in their environment, particularly within the school grounds and for older pupils, this interest and involvement helps them to develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues. The school is very fortunate to have a ‘Green Team’, a group of talented, enthusiastic horticulturists who give generously of their time to involve pupils in detailed projects in the school grounds. For example, pupils have started off a millennium wood from seed, watched as the seedlings grew and have now transplanted them to a corner of the school field. Each pupil planted a tree. Older pupils have been responsible for

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Very good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development helps

researching plants that grow in different climates and the soil conditions required for these plants to thrive. Armed with this information, pupils have designed, costed, purchased and created mini- gardens for cold and hot climates. The school also has raised beds for growing vegetables and managed to grow enough vegetables to provide Harvest parcels for local people. Close involvement in such projects develops pupils’ awareness of their responsibilities to nature and the uniqueness of all living things.

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

18. There are three intakes into the Reception/Year 1 class per school year. During inspection there were 12 Reception children in a class of 26.

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

19. When Reception children start school they join an established group of pupils who know and respond to their teacher’s high expectations, class routines and how they must behave. This well-established ethos gives ‘new’ children an excellent start. Coupled with the kindness and friendliness of other pupils, children settle very quickly.

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

20. Teaching for this class is always very good which leads to confident and enthusiastic learning. Attainment on entry to the Reception class is overall around average, but wide ranging. There is a significant minority attaining above the levels for their age; similarly, there are a few who are just below. The teacher has a very good understanding of the needs of young children and how they learn, therefore, children of all abilities are presented with work that stretches them but is not daunting. Early literacy and numeracy skills are taught very effectively and efficiently so that children’s self-confidence is high and they are happy to have a go at writing and reading unknown words using the sounds of letters they have learned. Examination of children’s books shows that they make good progress in developing their writing skills. In September, children were carefully copying under their teacher’s writing. By November, they were making very good, independent

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

attempts at writing their own captions to their pictures, demonstrating a growing awareness of letter sounds and how these can be used to help them spell the words they want to write.

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

21. Planning for the wide age and ability range in the class is very well thought out. Planning for Reception children pays due regard to the national guidance for the nationally prescribed early learning goals and suitable activities are woven into the class planning. Activities are planned explicitly, stating what it is children are expected to learn through taking part in the activity. Good liaison is established between the teacher and any classroom helpers, with outcomes of activities recorded by the helper for the teacher. This liaison ensures helpers know what children are expected to learn and the teacher can find out if they have been successful, or not.

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Children in the Reception group have a very good start to school and make

22. As already mentioned, learning is topic based which engenders high interest and involvement. Children quickly develop very good attitudes to their tasks, as when making caves out of shoe boxes. They were very definite about their choices of colour for background and what they were going to put in their caves. Sensitive and knowledgeable support from class helpers ensured children had very good opportunities to choose from a range of materials, learned how to use Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 15 cutting tools safely and how to use glue sparingly. In the session observed, children’s excellent behaviour and hard work contributed significantly to the very good progress they made; indeed, they were very reluctant to stop at the end of the session. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 16

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Teachers need more guidance and expertise in writing individual education

plans (IEPs) for pupils with special educational needs.

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Teachers need more guidance and expertise in writing individual education

23. There are a few pupils in the school with identified specific learning difficulties. The school’s good procedures for noting pupils with special educational needs soon pick up pupils with difficulties and recognise that these pupils need special help and teachers need advice. Help and advice have been sought persistently. In some cases, outside agencies have visited the school to conduct an assessment of a pupil’s strengths and areas of weakness. Following this assessment a report is sent to the school. Unfortunately, these reports do not always offer detailed advice to teachers as to the best teaching strategies to use to help an individual pupil; more explicit advice and practical examples are needed.

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Teachers need more guidance and expertise in writing individual education

24. In order to avoid long waits for outside agency involvement, the school should consider enabling its teachers to undertake accredited training in the area of specific learning difficulties. Such training would be of great benefit to staff and pupils because teachers would then have the knowledge to be able to devise special programmes of work they could put in place quickly.

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Teachers need more guidance and expertise in writing individual education

25. In general, individual education plans need to be more explicit in defining the targets set for pupils. Clearer definition will make it easier for teachers to check if the targets have been achieved or not and ensure that pupils make the best possible progress.

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The school should do more to strengthen pupils’ knowledge and understanding

of how other faiths influence the way people choose to lead their lives.

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The school should do more to strengthen pupils’ knowledge and understanding

26. Through religious education, pupils learn about other faiths and the traditions associated with these faiths. However, in many ways the school is disadvantaged by not having pupils from a variety of ethnic backgrounds to share their culture, religion and traditions with others. The school recognises that more needs to be done to develop pupils’ multi-cultural awareness but is also aware that the opportunities it presents to pupils must be meaningful.

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very effective school even better, the school should:

27. Provide quality training for staff in how to address the particular needs of pupils with specific learning difficulties. Ensure that targets in all individual education plans are clear and measurable.

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very effective school even better, the school should:

28. Provide meaningful experiences for pupils to help them develop an understanding of how particular faiths influence culture and traditions and the way people choose to live their lives so that pupils are prepared positively for living in a diverse society. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than eight percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 117

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 20

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

School data 4.1 School data 0.0 Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 18 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

Tables showing attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) and attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) are not included because there are less than ten boys or girls in the group of pupils taking the tests.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.6 Financial year 00/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 286992

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 272473

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 80 Expenditure per pupil 2547

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 25638

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 19 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Bucklebury C of E (VC) Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 51 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 45 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 62 11 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 42 24 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 46 38 14 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 54 46 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 28 45 21 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 38 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 42 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 49 46 3 0 1

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