Kings Wood School and Nursery

133756 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire LEA LEA 282368 Inspection number 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 Inspection dates Linda McGill HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Hollis Road School address Primary Type of school High Wycombe Community School category HP13 7UN 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01494 521401 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01494 443265 Fax number 341 Number on roll Mr David Sparks Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Enda Gormley Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282368 5 July 2006 - 4 to 11 6 July 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

King's Wood School opened in September 2002 following the amalgamation of an infant and a junior school. The move to a single site took place in autumn 2005. There are 341 pupils on roll, including 18 pupils who have a statement of special educational need, 14 of whom have language and communication difficulties and attend the language department. The school operates in an area of disadvantage and the proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and those who have learning difficulties or disabilities are greater than average. About half of the pupils are learning English as an additional language. Attainment on entry is generally lower than that of a typical four-year-old.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Grade: 2

King's Wood has faced significant challenges since it opened four years ago, including operating on a split site and managing major building works and a high turnover of staff. It has risen to these challenges well and has brought about substantial improvements in the quality of education offered to its pupils. The inspection team does not agree with the school's assessment that its effectiveness is satisfactory but finds that it is good. This is because, as a result of strong leadership and good teaching, the pupils are making good progress. Standards are rising and achievement is good. The pupils get off to a fine start in the Foundation Stage. Good progress continues in the infant classes and provisional results of this year's national assessments show substantial improvements in the number of pupils who reached the standard expected by the age of seven. The pupils make significant progress in the junior classes. Although the proportion of pupils who reached

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Grade: 2

the expected standard at the end of Year 6 is likely to be lower than the national average, the gap is closing. The value added by the school is good, especially in English. Progress in mathematics is not as swift as in English and science, however, because the curriculum does not give enough emphasis to solving problems expressed in words. The school has been successful in its work to improve behaviour, which is good. This, together with an ethos that values each pupil and expects the best of them, means that the pupils are confident and have high self-esteem. In turn, this contributes to the rising standards. The school's efforts have brought about a small improvement in attendance, but there is room for further improvement. Strong leadership and effective management have been the driving forces behind the improvements. The headteacher, senior staff and governors are united in their commitment to raise standards further. The school works well with other agencies,

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Grade: 2

including the local authority and schools, to promote academic achievement and to ensure the pupils' welfare and well-being. There is a good capacity to make further improvements and the school gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Review the curriculum for mathematics in order to improve the pupils' progress • Strive to improve attendance further.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' achievements are good. In the Foundation Stage, the pupils make good progress in all areas of learning, but because of their low starting points not many reach the expected goals at the end of the Reception year. Good progress continues across the infant classes and this year has seen substantial improvements in the number 2 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 of pupils reaching the standards expected for their age. Many pupils made good gains in their learning. Provisional results from this year's tests show that the challenging targets set for Year 6 were exceeded in English and science, where the pupils made good progress; satisfactory progress was made in mathematics, but a few pupils did not reach their target. There is an upward trend in the school's results and the gap between the school's results and the national average is closing. There are no significant differences in the performance of pupils from different ethnic

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Grade: 2

groups. Those who have learning difficulties or disabilities make progress which is equally as good as their classmates. Interestingly, boys outperform the girls at the age of eleven in contrast to the national picture. The school attributes this to a successful initiative to enthuse boys about reading, which had a positive impact on their attainment.

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Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development and well-being are good. From the Foundation classes onwards, pupils are taught the importance of understanding the feelings of others and are helped to resolve minor conflicts when they arise. Pupils seek the support of friends and adults and are confident that issues are dealt with swiftly. This makes them feel safe at school. Relationships are good, and pupils behave very well. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are polite and considerate and value the cultures within their community. Teachers build on this rich background in lessons and assemblies, promoting tolerance, respect and racial harmony. Pupils are proud to represent their school, for example in sports and social events and through the school council. Attitudes to learning are good, evident in pupils' eagerness to please and support one another. They clearly enjoy their time at school, which has

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Grade: 2

a positive impact on their achievement. The pupils' good achievement and their eagerness to learn mean that they are well prepared for the next steps in their education. The pupils benefit from the high quality lunches that are provided and make healthy choices. They also take part enthusiastically in many opportunities for games and sport. The school works hard with parents to stress the impact absence has on their children's progress and to discourage them from taking extended holidays during term time. Although there has been some improvement in attendance, there is room for further improvement. 3 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good and meets the needs of pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Lessons are interesting and practical tasks motivate pupils and engage them in learning. Good use is made of the outdoor environment, local resources and pupils' backgrounds to make learning relevant. For example, the youngest pupils took part enthusiastically in a 'bug hunt' and an outstanding religious education lesson enabled pupils to celebrate their cultures and learning beyond the school. Lessons are planned well and teachers' subject knowledge is good. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and set challenging targets which are mainly met in full. Behaviour is managed very effectively and teaching and support staff work well together to raise pupils' self esteem, value individual contributions and enable pupils to feel safe and secure. The pupils are helped to develop their thinking skills when they are asked challenging questions and given time to respond. The teachers make

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Grade: 2

sure that pupils work together in pairs and small groups, fostering co-operation and teamwork. The pupils told inspectors that they liked the 'hard lessons which make you think'. In some lessons, however, there is scope to increase the challenge for the higher attaining pupils. The teaching for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and those who have learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Teaching assistants provide valuable and effective support. Teachers make good and creative use of information technology in lessons. The teachers have a good understanding of pupils' needs, because they assess regularly what they have learned. Progress is tracked systematically and the information is used effectively to identify what the pupils need to learn next and to set targets for them.

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Grade: 2

The school's curriculum is developing well and is good. Initiatives to include a wider range of practical activities and greater use of local resources have been effective. The school is reviewing the curriculum for mathematics to make sure that the pupils' progress increases. The curriculum for the youngest pupils prepares them well for later learning. Teachers plan together to make sure that transition from one stage of learning to the next is smooth, ensuring continuity and promoting progression. The healthy eating programme and personal and social education are well established and help pupils know how to stay healthy and safe. The school has made good progress in linking learning between subjects which enables pupils to apply their skills and knowledge in different situations, for example in English and religious education. There is a good range of clubs and activities before and after school which are well

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 attended and enhance the curriculum. There are good links with the community and local people visit the school regularly, for example, to talk to the pupils in assembly.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The school's supportive ethos and clear policies and procedures make sure that pupils are valued, safe, secure and cared for. Arrangements for child protection are strong. Responsibilities are well understood and carried out effectively. The school has good links with other agencies and works well with them and parents to promote the pupils' welfare. Parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that their children were safe and well cared for at school. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils of all ages say they like school and show a high level of trust and respect for the adults who work with them. Procedures to support the pupils' academic progress are good and they strive to achieve the high expectations made of them.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is a determined leader who successfully managed the opening of the new school and the many challenges this brought. She has built a strong staff team who have worked well with her to bring about the sustained improvements in teaching, learning and standards. This augurs well for the future; the school has a good capacity for further improvement. The school's ethos is supportive, achievement is valued and the best is expected from everyone, both staff and pupils. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well because there is a good emphasis on evaluating all aspects of its work; however, it has made a modest judgement about how far it has travelled over the past few years. There are realistic plans for further improvement, targeted at the most important areas. Initiatives, such as the national 'Intensifying Support Programme' are readily embraced and have had a positive impact

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Grade: 2

both on the quality of teaching and the standards the pupils attain. The pupils' ideas for improving the school are acted upon where appropriate, for example, the provision of gazebos for additional shade during summer. Parents are increasingly involved in the school's life, raising funds, attending class assemblies and regular meetings to talk about their children's progress. Their views are also sought formally by questionnaire. Governors are very supportive of the school and worked tirelessly during the building works to ensure the best possible outcomes for the school. They also provide challenge and keep a good eye on how the school is doing. Governance is good. 5 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: King's Wood School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pupils Thank you very much for welcoming me and my colleagues to your school when we came to inspect recently. We really enjoyed spending time talking to you, looking at your work and watching you in lessons and at play. We also thoroughly enjoyed the lovely lunches! We think that King's Wood is a good school. Your teachers are helping you to make good progress in your learning and to get good results in your tests. Your headteacher, the rest of the staff and the governors are working well together to make sure that each of you does your best. They take good care of you and keep you safe. You also help to make King's Wood a good school. We were impressed by how well you behaved and how polite you were. We saw that you are keen to work hard in lessons and you work well with one another. Well done. You can help to make things even better by making sure that you come to school as often as you can. We have asked your teachers to make sure that you make as good progress in maths

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

as you do in English and science. We wish you every success in the future, Yours sincerely, Linda McGill Her Majesty's Inspector

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