Eton Wick CofE First School

Eton Wick CofE First School Inspection report

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109996 Unique Reference Number Windsor and Maidenhead Local Authority 319436 Inspection number 5 °6 June 2008 Inspection dates Malcolm Johnstone 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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First Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 3 °9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 130 School The governing body Appropriate authority Reverend Lucy Holt Chair Mrs Maria Houston Headteacher 8 May 2007 Date of previous school inspection Sheepcote Road School address Eton Wick Windsor SL4 6JB 01753 860096 Telephone number 01753 868274 Fax number

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3-9 Age group 5 °6 June 2008 Inspection dates 319436 Inspection number .

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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 Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

In this smaller than average first school, the majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There are growing numbers of minority ethnic pupils on the school roll; the largest group are from Asian backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who have English as an additional language is greater than in most schools but only a few of these pupils are at the early stages of English language acquisition. There are below average numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties or behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Outward pupil mobility was high towards the beginning of 2008 but has now stabilised. The school experienced a period of staffing and leadership instability after the last inspection. When the school was inspected in May 2007, it was issued with a notice to improve. This was

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Description of the school

because it was judged to require significant improvement in important aspects of the leadership and management of the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The school is providing a satisfactory education. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. The now stable leadership team is responding effectively to the issues identified in the previous report. Very good support from the relatively new governing body, the Diocese and the local authority underpins the progress being made, particularly over the past two terms. There is now a satisfactory capacity for further improvement. 'The school has been through an anxious and unsettling time. Since January it has settled down, strengthened and taken steps to ensure a brighter future.' A number of parents echoed this comment. Improvement also stems from the appropriate priority given to raising the quality of teaching and learning and the tracking of pupils' standards and achievement. The emphasis on the use

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Grade: 3

of tracking data has resulted in more effective self-evaluation, which is now satisfactory. It is undertaken largely by the senior leadership team. It is only now beginning to extend to the new key subject co-ordinators, and until fully established, limits their capacity to meet their responsibilities effectively. Target setting is satisfactory and improving. It is realistic and supported much more effectively by a range of data on pupils' performance. However, whilst there has been some improvement to standards it is too early to see the full effect. There is now scope to ensure that the new initiatives that are bringing about improvements in standards and teaching are monitored and evaluated rigorously against clear and measurable success criteria. Standards in English,mathematics and science are satisfactory. Provisional data from the most recent National Curriculum assessments and pupils' work show evidence of improvement. It is

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Grade: 3

recognised, however, that despite improvements, standards are not yet high enough. Achievement is satisfactory for pupils of all abilities and backgrounds. Teaching is improving and is at least satisfactory; more is now good. This stems from more regular and effective monitoring by the leadership team. Nonetheless, there is still too much teaching that is satisfactory and at these times, work does not match the needs of the pupils effectively enough and their progress slows. There is a good range of enrichment activities in the satisfactory curriculum. There is a clear commitment to the 'Every Child Matters' agenda. This is reflected in the good provision for pupils' personal development and sound arrangements for their care, guidance and support. Pupils say that they enjoy school and feel safe. They have a good knowledge of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Most pupils behave well and make a good contribution to

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Grade: 3

the community. There is a good ethos and high degree of racial harmony that stems from pupils' good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Most parents who responded to the questionnaire have positive views of the school. Where negative views were expressed, these related largely to the impact of staff changes and instability in the leadership of the school.

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Grade: 2

Children settle happily in the Foundation Stage. Home visits prior to children starting in the Nursery cement good relationships with parents and ease children smoothly into school. Teaching 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008 is good and children achieve well from a broadly average starting point. Most children reach the goals expected for children entering Year 1. Excellent relationships between children and all staff engender confidence in the children and develop good attitudes and a love of learning. A stimulating curriculum and good assessment systems ensure that work is matched well to the needs of the children. Linking of work across subjects is a strong feature of the good curriculum planning. There is a good balance of adult led and free play activities. On occasions, there are missed opportunities to intervene in free play activities in order to maximise the

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Grade: 2

learning potential. The outdoor accommodation is good and provides a safe and attractive learning environment. It would benefit further from more large structural apparatus.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve teaching to ensure that all pupils make consistently good progress and attain higher standards in English, mathematics and science. ■ Develop the role of the key subject co-ordinators in the monitoring of their subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the initiatives that are leading to improvement are monitored and evaluated rigorously against clear and measurable success criteria. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Standards are broadly in line with the national average. They are beginning to improve, particularly in literacy where a more consistent and effective approach to the teaching of phonics is helping improve standards and pupils' progress in reading and writing. Standards in mathematics and science are not as high as in reading and writing since fewer pupils reach the higher level 3. In both mathematics and science, pupils are not adept at applying what they know to investigative learning. Achievement is satisfactory overall. Pupils who have learning difficulties receive effective help in lessons and this enables them to achieve as well as other pupils. Where they are regularly supported in small groups and individually, they achieve well. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English make rapid progress with their reading, writing and speaking.

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Grade: 2

Most pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are polite, courteous to visitors and eager to talk about their school. Pupils' improved behaviour is contributing well to recent improvements in learning. Their positive attitudes to learning, willingness to work together and respect for the values and beliefs of others give a firm grounding for the next stage of education. On the few occasions when bullying occurs pupils say it is dealt with successfully. The school council is well involved in bringing to the attention of the leadership team areas which they feel can be improved. The election process involved in selecting class representatives gives them an early understanding of how democracy works. Pupils take on responsibilities eagerly and support a variety of local and national charities. They are keen to take part in all school activities. Determined efforts by the school have led to improvement in attendance which is now

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Grade: 2

satisfactory. The standard of pupils' basic skills prepares them satisfactorily for the next stage of their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Teachers work well together as a team. Classroom management, relationships and expectations of behaviour are good. This ensures that learning takes place in a calm and orderly atmosphere. The few pupils who have behavioural needs are supported well. Classroom assistants offer valuable and good quality support for teachers across the school. Teachers are now better equipped to draw on the good individual pupil data to assess progress. They are beginning to use this to help match teaching to pupils' needs more effectively. However, senior leaders recognise that the use of this assessment information is not yet consistent in supporting and challenging all levels of ability. In the satisfactory lessons, this leads to work that is sometimes too easy or too difficult for the different abilities in the class. Teachers are using information and communication technology (ICT) increasingly well to support learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and balanced with an appropriately strong emphasis on developing pupils' skills in language and literacy. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities, including sport, swimming, the arts and gardening. There is good provision for ICT in the well-equipped computer suite. This is used weekly by the pupils to develop basic skills and to follow up classroom work. The school is developing a more cross-curricular approach to learning, although this is not a firmly established feature of the curriculum. There is room for more investigative work in the mathematics and science curriculum. There is good provision for pupils with learning difficulties. This is also true for pupils who have English as an additional language.

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Grade: 3

Child protection, safe-guarding and health and safety procedures are clearly understood by staff and any pupils at risk are quickly identified and supported effectively. Pupils say they feel safe and would readily seek help from adults in the school if they had any concerns. Pupils and parents benefit from the good links with other agencies. Academic support and guidance is satisfactory. It has improved since the previous inspection because through the tracking system, senior leaders are more aware of where additional help is needed. There are inconsistencies in the marking of pupils' work. Where the marking is good, it informs pupils how they might improve. The setting of academic targets for pupils is a relatively new initiative, and as a consequence, is not yet having a strong enough impact on learning.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has built a cohesive leadership team and staff who work together effectively. Regular monitoring by senior leaders enables them to have a good understanding of what needs to be done to improve. The school realises the need to extend the role of subject leaders. There is a well-focused school development plan that provides a much more effective and systematic strategic direction. Good tracking data on pupils' progress is providing a more accurate picture 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008 of pupils' standards and achievement. This is enabling support to be targeted where it is most needed and helping identify gaps in pupils' learning resulting from previous staffing instability. It also helps new staff deliver a better continuity of learning. Senior leaders have developed a more regular and systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and

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Grade: 3

this is bringing improvement in standards and teaching. Governance is good. It has improved significantly since the previous inspection. A highly committed and perceptive chairperson leads the governors very well. Regular meetings between governors and senior leaders are providing the challenge and accountability that has been missing in the past. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 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?

3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Eton Wick CofE First School,Windsor,SL4 6JB Thank you for the warm welcome you gave me when I visited your school recently. I came to find out how well you and your school are doing. In the last inspection, your school was judged to require significant improvement and was issued with what is called a Notice to Improve. I am pleased to say that your school is now providing a satisfactory and improving education. This means that there are many good things happening but some important things that still should be better. It was good to talk with you about school and to see you working in lessons. Most of you behave well and always try to do your best. You were very polite and friendly and told me what you enjoy most about school. It was good to see how well you get on together and how much you know about healthy eating and keeping safe. I enjoyed the Year 2 assembly about Australia and it was good to see so many of your parents

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

there. I am sure that they were very proud of you. I know that all the teachers and other adults who work in school care very much about you and want to do the best for you. In order to help all of you to do as well as you possibly can, I have asked the school to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ ensure that all of the teaching in school is good so that you make the best possible progress and reach higher standards in English, mathematics and science ■ ensure that all the new things that are helping the school improve are checked regularly to make sure they are working properly ■ help the new teachers who are responsible for English, mathematics and science keep a close check on how well you are doing in these subjects. With your help, I am sure the school will become even better. Yours sincerely Mr M Johnstone Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Eton Wick CofE First School, 5 °6 June 2008

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