Cippenham Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Increase the challenge for all pupils in lessons to enable them to reach the standards they are capable of achieving, particularly for the most able and the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• Increase attendance rates and reduce persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Ensure that the newly formed academy council is provided with detailed information about the performance of all groups of pupils to enable it to challenge school leaders more effectively.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Senior leaders have established a strong and effective staff team whose members work very well together to provide a good quality of education for pupils. The executive principal has successfully steered the school through a period of transition to become part of a newly reformed multi-academy trust.
• Senior leaders are ambitious for the school. The school motto, ‘Proud of yesterday, inspired by today, excited by tomorrow’, aims to encourage and inspire staff and pupils to be the very best they can be.
• The core leadership team members know the school well and recognise that outcomes for some groups of pupils over the past three years have not been good enough. They have taken decisive action to make sure that all teachers know pupils’ starting points. Teachers plan learning opportunities to make sure that pupils engage well in their learning and know what they need to do to improve their work. As a result, current pupils are making good progress.
• The school’s curriculum has been carefully planned to meet the learning needs of all groups of pupils. The wide range of themes explored in different year groups enthuses and excites pupils in their learning. For example, ‘The big smoke’ in Year 6 linked to significant events in British history, ‘Classified’ in Year 4 linked to science and environmental protection and ‘Where in the world’ in Year 2 linked to geographical features such as mountains, rivers and the coast. These interesting themes are used well to provide good opportunities for pupils to transfer the skills they learn in English and mathematics to other subjects in the curriculum.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development threads its way through the entire curriculum. Motivational words and phrases of the week, such as ‘aiming high’ and ‘encouragement’, are used effectively to inspire pupils to achieve the very best they can. Pupils’ achievements are regularly celebrated in the ‘star of the week’ assemblies. Pupils understand British values and recognise the importance of values such as tolerance and respect for one another. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of additional after-school activities such as cookery, arts and crafts, self-defence and Bollywood dance. The school is very well resourced and effective use is made of the art, dance and music facilities. Themes such as ‘sounds interesting’ and ‘Indian classical music’ expose pupils to a wide variety of musical genres. Dance is an integral part of the curriculum. The ‘great British dance-off’ enabled pupils to ‘get active’ and dance.
• The physical education and sport premium is used effectively to employ sports coaches, provide professional development for teaching staff to increase their skills, and to provide more opportunities for pupils to take part in sporting competitions. This has served to increase pupils’ participation in a range of sporting activities.
• Additional funding is used well to support disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Pupils benefit from the well-planned additional provision. As a result, outcomes for these pupils have improved this academic year.

Governance of the school

• Careful transition arrangements have been put in place to ensure that those responsible for governance fulfil their roles and responsibilities effectively. Until the end of December 2017, the governing body, in the main, ensured that school leaders were effectively held to account. The success of the transition arrangements is evident as the new academy council continues to question school leaders and ensure that pupils’ entitlement to a good-quality education is secured.
• Since January 2018, new arrangements for the governance of the school have been in place. Membership of the academy council is growing, although some vacancies exist. The chair of the academy council is seeking to secure a full complement of academy council members over the next few months. Some members of the previous governing body are now members of the academy council. They are very supportive of the school’s leadership teams.
• School self-evaluation is broadly accurate, although analysis of the performance of different groups of pupils across the school has not been given sufficient emphasis. Governors have not been fully aware of the performance of different groups of pupils compared with the performance of these groups nationally. As a result, governors have not always had a clear understanding of the issues facing the school. This has limited the ability of those responsible for governance to challenge school leaders about the progress of different groups of pupils.
• The school development plan is a useful document that sets out the most important areas for the school to focus on for improvement. For example, it has identified that improvements in outcomes for disadvantaged pupils is a priority. The plan also sets out ways to improve standards in phonics and spelling. It enables those responsible for governance to monitor the work of the school effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The welfare team members are knowledgeable, working effectively together to ensure that pupils are kept safe. They are acutely aware of the signs of abuse and stringently undertake their responsibilities. They ensure that any cases of suspected abuse are reported to the relevant agency. This team works tirelessly to ensure that, when issues arise, they are dealt with quickly and effectively, despite the shortcomings of the local authority in providing suitable support at times.
• Staff are appropriately trained at the correct level and the welfare lead ensures that all staff are regularly updated regarding safeguarding and child protection issues.
• The extensive school grounds and premises are suitably secured. Systems are in place to ensure that the identity of visitors to the school is checked and verified.
• The very strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development promotes their positive attitudes and respectful behaviour. Pupils said they feel safe. All staff who completed the online questionnaire agreed that pupils are safe. A very large majority of parents and carers also agreed their child is safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers plan pupils’ learning activities effectively. Interesting and stimulating units of work enthuse pupils. For example, in Year 6, the English unit of work ‘The great Cippenham bake-off’ links to instruction writing, and ‘Meerkat Mail’ links to letter-writing in Year 2. Pupils understand that the initial piece of work at the start of a unit is designed to identify what they already know and can do, but also to find out what are the most important areas for them to focus on in their learning.
• Currently, pupils of differing abilities, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, make good progress over time because teachers set tasks that meet the needs of individuals and groups. However, there is still room for pupils of all abilities, particularly the most able and the most able disadvantaged, to be challenged even further to gain a greater depth of understanding and reach high standards.
• Teachers use their strong subject knowledge in mathematics to enthuse and engage pupils and to develop their mathematical skills effectively. Problem-solving and reasoning activities enable pupils to use their mathematical skills to consider the right solution to a problem. Pupils are able to explain the reason for the method they have used and the results they have found. Many pupils say that they enjoy learning mathematics, because teachers make learning fun.
• Phonics teaching supports most pupils to develop effective skills to blend and segment words to enable them to tackle new and unfamiliar texts. However, the subject knowledge of some support staff responsible for teaching groups of pupils is not as secure as it should be.
• Pupils develop a love of reading over time. The well-stocked, inviting library area is used well by pupils to widen their reading experiences. This encourages their independence in reading.
• Displays in classrooms and around the school are of a high quality. Pupils’ learning is celebrated and useful ‘working walls’ within classrooms provide pupils with ideas, prompts and information to support their learning. Teachers use this information effectively to develop pupils’ understanding and encourage them to be independent in their learning.
• Teachers encourage pupils to take responsibility for their learning. The school ethos also plays a part in this. Pupils’ well-developed social skills and confidence in their learning abilities support their preparation for the next stage of their learning well.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The highly committed welfare team provides a breadth of valuable support for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Well-documented records show the positive impact this level of support has provided, which ensures that these pupils access external support when required.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They know what they need to do to improve their work, because the visual prompts provided by teachers guide them carefully to try to achieve their targets.
• Most pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They learn about keeping safe when using the internet and mobile technologies. Although they learn about keeping their personal information safe, some pupils’ understanding of the risks could be stronger.
• Pupils have a good understanding of British values. The diverse and inclusive nature of the school provides pupils with opportunities to consider the thoughts and views of others, demonstrating tolerance and respect for one another.
• This very inclusive school ensures that stereotypical views are challenged. Pupils are confident to raise any issues that worry them.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils demonstrate strong learning behaviour. They are attentive, motivated and eager to engage in learning activities.
• Routines and expectations are well established. Most pupils come into school promptly. The ‘soft’ start enables pupils to settle quickly at the beginning of the school day, so that no learning time is lost. Transition times between lessons and breaktimes are smooth. The school is a calm and purposeful environment.
• High expectations of behaviour and good relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils are evident. Courtesy and respect shown by adults and pupils are the norm. As a result, pupils are keen to settle to their work and have positive attitudes to learning.
• Pupils understand about different types of bullying and say that bullying is rare in school. When instances of inappropriate behaviour do occur, pupils say that there is an adult they can talk to and are confident that issues that arise are dealt with promptly.
• The vast majority of pupils enjoy coming to school, but overall attendance is just below the national average and some pupils’ attendance is not as good as it should be. School leaders work tirelessly to support pupils who do not attend school as often as they should. They seek advice and support from external professionals and use innovative strategies to support families to improve their child’s attendance. However, for some groups of pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, their below-average attendance is having a negative impact on their learning and progress.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2017, pupils in key stage 1 achieved well overall. Attainment at the expected standard and at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average. However, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment was well below the national average in all three subjects.
• Attainment at the expected standard, for Year 6 pupils in 2017, was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics combined. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard was below the national average.
• In recent years, pupils’ progress was not good enough. School leaders have taken decisive action to address this issue this academic year. Inspectors carried out a thorough scrutiny of current pupils’ work. This revealed that the progress of pupils, including pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, is good overall. This is because teachers plan work that is well matched to the learning needs of each pupil.
• Pupils have a good understanding of their starting points in each unit of work in writing, mathematics and in their thematic work. At the start of each unit of work, assessments provide pupils with a clear understanding of the targets they are working to achieve. At the end of the unit of work, teachers and pupils assess pupils’ learning. Helpful visual charts plot pupils’ achievements, which demonstrate good progress over time.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive effective support linked to their particular needs. Activities are adapted appropriately. Pupils are encouraged to develop independence. These pupils make similar progress to their peers.
• In the last few years, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been above the national average. However, outcomes for disadvantaged pupils have been just below the national average. School leaders are aware that some current pupils are not achieving as well as they could. They are taking effective steps to address this issue.
• Older pupils use their phonic knowledge well to decipher unfamiliar words, reading with interest, expression and a good awareness of punctuation. However, school leaders are aware that some pupils’ interest and engagement in reading could be improved. Currently the ‘Reading is thinking’ project provides more opportunities for teachers to teach pupils of all ages the skills of reading and comprehension, which is supporting their wider understanding and love of reading.
• Inspectors found that, in writing, errors in pupils’ spelling is a concern. In discussion with the subject leader for English, pupils’ accuracy in spelling has already been identified as an area for improvement. Clear strategies are in place to improve their spelling skills and increase their accuracy in spelling.

Early years provision Good

• Children start in Reception Year with skills and abilities that are below those found typically for their age. They settle quickly because early years staff take time to find out about their interests and particular needs, through home visits, prior to children starting school. These visits provide an opportunity for parents to share the uniqueness of their child with the early years team.
• Leadership and management of the early years are good. Members of the early years team plan learning opportunities based on their knowledge of children’s needs and interests. The very well-resourced classrooms and outdoor learning area provide a wealth of opportunities for children to acquire new skills and knowledge across all areas of learning.
• Children behave well, and they take turns and share, playing well together with interest and enthusiasm. One group of children were enjoying the opportunity to use home-made shakers to accompany the songs they sang as they danced around the outdoor performing stage.
• Songs, rhymes and poems are used well to include children in a range of learning activities. During one whole-class session, children used masks of animals and excitedly picked the correct ‘delicious’ fruit from a basket as the story of ‘Handa’s Surprise’, by Eileen Browne, was read by the class teacher. She skilfully included opportunities for children to consolidate their number skills as they counted and subtracted the fruit in the basket. Children enjoyed taking part in this interesting and engaging learning activity.
• Parents are provided with good opportunities to share experiences their children engage in at home. This is because each child has a home-learning diary, which includes quotes, photographs, captions and pictures of their child’s learning. This enables parents to make a strong contribution to the assessments of their child’s skills and abilities during Reception Year.
• Children make good progress from their different starting points. As a result, they are prepared well for learning when they start in Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 138013 Slough 10039722 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 820 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Sonny Sidhu Nina Greenstone 01628 604665 www.cstrust.org.uk office@cippenham-pri.slough.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 March 2014

Information about this school

• Cippenham Primary School has been an academy since April 2012. In September 2017, the role of executive principal was established. The previous headteacher of Cippenham Primary School is the executive principal. The previous deputy headteacher of Cippenham Primary School is the principal.
• Until the end of December 2017, Cippenham Primary School was part of the Cippenham School’s Trust. In January 2018, a new trust was established, the Gold Rose Multi-Academy Trust. There are two schools in the trust, Cippenham Infant School and Cippenham Primary School. The trust is led by three members. A new trust board has been established. The board of trustees delegates the responsibility for the performance of the trust and the schools to the executive principal. The academy council has responsibility for the governance of the school.
• Cippenham Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• Pupils who attend the school come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Just under a third are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and supported by the pupil premium is broadly in line with the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school met the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school based on key stage 2 academic performance results in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all year groups. Almost all observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors held meetings with: the executive principal (who is the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust) and two members of the trust board; the principal; the deputy principal (who is also the curriculum leader); the subject leaders for English and mathematics; the early years leader; the inclusion leader; the welfare leader; members of the inclusion and welfare team; a group of senior leaders; and the physical education subject leader. Meetings were held with four members of the academy council; the clerk to the academy council and two members of the previous governing body, including the chair of the academy council; the human resources manager; and staff and pupils.
• Inspectors listened to pupils talk about their work and listened to pupils read in Years 1, 2, 4 and 6.
• Informal discussions were held with pupils during the lunchtime and breaktime. Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including pupils’ work in books, achievement and progress information, documents relating to safeguarding and the school’s policies and procedures.
• Inspectors scrutinised the school’s own self-evaluation, the school improvement plan and external reports on the school.
• Inspectors also considered 56 responses, including 32 free-text responses, to the online questionnaire Parent View. There were no responses to the pupil online questionnaire. Inspectors also considered the 55 responses from staff gathered through the online staff survey.

Inspection team

Ann Henderson, lead inspector Damian Booth Chris Donovan Robert Howell

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector