Wexham Court Primary School

Inspection Report Wexham Court Primary School

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109943 Unique Reference Number Slough Local Authority 288543 Inspection number 7 °8 March 2007 Inspection dates Jeffrey White Reporting inspector

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

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Church Lane School address Primary Type of school Wexham Community School category Slough SL3 6LU 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01753 524989 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01753 512029 Fax number 486 Number on roll (school) Mrs S Belcher Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss A S Hermon Headteacher 29 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288543 7 °8 March 2007 3°11 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is much larger than average. A large minority of pupils are of White British origin. The remainder are from a range of different ethnic groups but largely of Indian or Pakistani background. Attainment on entry to the school is below average. Although very few pupils are at a very early stage of learning English, literacy and linguistic skills are often poor. An above average number of pupils take a free school meal.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some considerable strengths. The headteacher, governors and staff work in partnership to ensure that the school is a harmonious community. They value very highly the range of pupils' ethnic and cultural diversity. Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding. Pupils are very keen learners, behave excellently, and have highly positive attitudes. They particularly enjoy the wide range of activities that enhance the curriculum, especially the sporting and creative opportunities. Pupils talk extremely knowledgeably about how to stay healthy and safe. They develop an excellent sense of community through a range of fund-raising activities or being buddies to the youngest children. The school's strong focus on teaching basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) equips pupils well for their future education. Pupils enjoy having a

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Grade: 2

say and are strongly encouraged to give their opinions. The quality of teaching and learning is good and helps pupils to achieve well. They make good progress from their relatively low starting points and in 2006 Year 6 pupils reached above average standards. In a few lessons the teaching lacks challenge and consequently, on these occasions, the pace of progress is too slow. Teaching in literacy is very effective for the oldest pupils and contributed significantly to the good results in the 2006 national tests. Teachers make good use of the results of their assessments to help meet the range of pupils' needs but don't always mark pupils' spelling and handwriting rigorously enough. Provision in the Foundation Stage is good overall and the Nursery provides a good start to the children's education. Throughout the Foundation Stage the children achieve especially well in their personal, social and emotional development. Some of the teaching in the Reception classes is too directed

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Grade: 2

and on these occasions the children lose interest and don't achieve as well as they should. Care, guidance and support for the pupils are outstanding. Members of staff know the circumstances of the pupils well. This is much valued by the pupils who talk warmly about the support they receive from teachers and teaching assistants. Parents express their satisfaction too as one parent commented, 'My child was lagging behind, but got extra support and now he is on an equal level to other children.' The headteacher, staff and governors are committed to improving the school and parents are happy with what the school provides. Leadership and management are good. The capacity to improve is good because the school has improved well since its last inspection. Leadership of pupils' personal development and their care, guidance and support is excellent. Much of the school's evaluation of its performance is thorough

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Grade: 2

and effective action is taken to improve standards and achievement. Monitoring of the curriculum in the Reception Year is not as thorough and therefore the children's learning is not always as challenging as it should be. 2 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teaching consistently challenges all pupils to achieve as well as they can. • Ensure that children in the Reception have more opportunities to make choices in their learning. • Make better use of marking to improve pupils' spelling and handwriting.

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Grade: 2

Standards improved markedly at the end of Year 6 in 2006 and are now above average in English, mathematics and science . Good teaching of literacy is helping improve standards in writing in the infants after a period of below average performance. Pupils enjoy talking about their work and by the time they leave the school many, whose first language is other than English, are fluent speakers in English. By the end of the Reception year standards in the areas of learning are generally average, although language skills remain lower.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. They enjoy coming to school immensely, and attendance has improved to be broadly average. Pupils develop a high level of self-confidence through the school's good provision for personal, social and health education programme (PSHE). They have very positive attitudes to learning and want to achieve as well as they possibly can. Behaviour is excellent. The pupils have a sharp understanding of right and wrong. They are mature, confident and sensible in their actions. Relationships are very good and pupils work and play together harmoniously. Pupils develop healthy lifestyles through regular exercise and healthy diets. They are extremely well informed on topics such as road safety, drug and alcohol abuse, and follow safe practices when working in school. The school council allows pupils to take on responsibility for improving the

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Grade: 1

school, as one pupil commented, 'We sort out the issues in school.' For instance, they have helped to improve school lunches and the school toilets.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and consequently pupils achieve well. The very strong promotion of pupils' personal development enables them to be keen learners with highly positive attitudes. Pupils' excellent behaviour helps them to concentrate 3 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007 extremely well. Lessons are usually well planned to meet the range of pupils' needs. Teachers make good use of assessment findings to meet the needs of individual pupils but marking is not always thorough enough to help improve their spelling and handwriting. In some lessons the teaching lacks challenge and consequently the pace of learning is too slow for all pupils. Children make a good start to their learning in the Nursery where the teaching and care provided by all the adults are good and the curriculum is stimulating. The children are becoming aware of the needs of others. For example one Nursery child commented,

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Grade: 2

'when it's your turn you can have it' during a musical instrument session. Teaching in the Reception year is satisfactory because it is sometimes too directed and consequently many children become restless and easily distracted.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are provided for well as is pupils' physical and emotional well-being. Literacy and numeracy skills are developed well in other subjects and ICT skills are used very effectively, especially to support literacy. The school's new literacy programme is proving to be effective in raising standards in English. Music and physical education are taught effectively by specialists to develop progression in skills throughout the school. In Year 6 the curriculum is modified well to support the pupils on their transfer to secondary school. The range of enrichment activities is excellent. For example, visits to places of worship help pupils to understand the practices of different faiths. The activities funded by the Arts Council have provided a wide range of art and design opportunities that pupils enjoy greatly. The curriculum in the Reception year doesn't always enable the children to make

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. Excellent support is provided for vulnerable pupils, including those who have been excluded from other schools. Pupils are helped to settle quickly when they enter the school by being paired with an older pupil. 'There is no bullying here', said a member of the school council. The involvement of pupils and their parents in the target setting is adding to the effectiveness of guidance. Pupils are set clear targets and know when they have achieved them. Gifted and talented pupils are extended through initiatives such as the 'Maths Mania' website currently under construction. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are identified carefully and action taken, including bringing in outside help. 4 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, staff and governors are highly committed to promoting pupils' personal and academic development and succeed with some considerable success. They work very hard to counter the potential barriers to pupils' learning and excellent use is made of partnership with others to promote pupils' well-being. Much of the work of the school is monitored and evaluated thoroughly and effective action is taken to raise standards and improve achievement, for example, the introduction of the more systematic teaching of sounds is improving pupils' writing more quickly. The link between the outcomes of monitoring and teachers' professional development is strong. In the Reception year there is insufficient monitoring of the children's learning in the free choice activities to ensure they are consistently challenged. The headteacher is developing a new leadership team whose enthusiasm and commitment augurs well for

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Grade: 2

the school's future. Governors are very active and have good awareness of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They discharge their responsibilities well. 5 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for your help on our visit to your school. We all enjoyed talking to you. Your personal development is outstanding and you told us how much you enjoy your selves. Your behaviour is excellent and your attitudes to your learning are extremely positive. Your school is good and your headteacher and staff look after you extremely well. They help you to make good progress in your work. We were very pleased to see you learning how to be healthy and to keep safe. We know you especially enjoy your wide range of sporting activities and your work in creative arts, such as music and art and design. You have improved your writing and are enjoying your work in literacy. We think that with your teachers' help you could now improve your spelling and handwriting even more. Your teachers teach you well but sometimes you could be given harder work to do. We also think that some of the activities for the youngest children could be improved. Your headteacher, staff and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

governors will continue to work with you to make these improvements. With best wishes Jeff White Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Wexham Court Primary School, 7 °8 March 2007

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