Datchet St Mary's CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the impact of leadership and management by:
  • developing middle leadership so that they can help teachers to further refine their skills
  • redoubling efforts to eradicate rates of persistent absence for some disadvantaged pupils
  • ensuring that members of the local governing body receive more training so that they can monitor pupils’ progress more effectively.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have worked hard to make sure that the school now offers a good quality of education. They have had a positive impact on improving pupils’ outcomes. Staff share the headteacher’s passion and determination to keep improving the school.
• Leaders have worked with both the trust and diocese to put in place the necessary improvements. School leaders have an accurate view of the school. Plans for improvement are clear and focused on the right priorities.
• Parents are pleased with the school. Nearly all would recommend it to another parent. They praise how approachable and caring staff are to their children. As one parent said: ‘My son skips to school and runs ahead to get to his classroom. This is a great sign that he enjoys learning and feels safe and secure.’
• Leaders have thought carefully about the purpose of the curriculum. They aim to prepare pupils for their futures by providing real-life experiences. Pupils say that they really enjoy learning in this way. Visitors to the school talk about subjects that expand pupils’ horizons and sense of what is possible. For example, pupils found it fascinating when a female polar explorer spoke to pupils about her experiences.
• Rich experiences give pupils lots of opportunities to widen their skills in many subjects. Creative and drama skills are enhanced through producing and performing in plays with professional actors and directors. Artistic skills are developed through working with graphic designers. Theme days help pupils to immerse themselves in different periods in history.
• Leaders are keen to ensure that pupils develop a good commercial awareness. For example, those in Year 6 take part in a mini-enterprise project where they develop and sell a product.
• The provision for physical education (PE) and school sport, such as swimming, is strong. There are a range of well attended extra-curricular clubs. The PE and sports premium grant is well used to raise pupils’ participation rates. Most pupils say how much they enjoy the ‘running a mile’ session that takes place after breaktime.
• School improvement planning has identified next steps for the school. One of these steps is to improve the role of middle leaders. This is because they do not play a full enough role in helping teachers to refine their skills.
• Pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils is well used. Leaders and staff ensure that disadvantaged pupils have the right support so that they can make good progress in a range of subjects.
• All pupils and staff feel a valued part of the school community. British values are well promoted. Respect for cultural heritage is a key feature of the school. For example, during ‘dads in school day’, members from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community helped pupils to make model traveller caravans. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Governance of the school

• The trustees are very knowledgeable about the school. They have a clear understanding about the school’s strengths and areas to develop.
• The local governing body is very supportive. It is rightly proud of the school’s inclusive nature. Many members of the local governing body visit the school regularly. They are beginning to ask challenging questions. They understand the school’s priorities and check these against the improvement plan. However, they have not had enough training to effectively monitor the school’s progress data.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Pupils say that they feel safe. They know who to go to if they have any worries or concerns. The majority of parents who answered Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agree that their children feel safe and secure.
• Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities. They know the correct reporting procedures. There are good links with a range of external agencies, including social services.
• Pre-employment checks on staff are thorough.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders have effectively addressed weak teaching. Across the school, teaching is now good. High-quality professional development has ensured that staff have a clear understanding of how to help pupils make good progress. Teachers carefully plan learning to build progressively on pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding.
• Teachers’ strong subject knowledge enables them to explain things clearly to pupils. Questioning is well used. Teachers provide clear guidance to pupils on how they can improve their work.
• Leaders make sure that assessment information is accurate. They make regular checks on pupils’ attainment and progress. Representatives from the trust and diocese also check work in pupils’ books to ensure that assessments are valid and reliable.
• Skills in writing develop quickly. Pupils write extensively across a range of subjects. There is a strong focus on pupils considering the right vocabulary for different styles of writing, such as in poetry or when writing the script of a play.
• In mathematics, teachers help pupils to learn about the different strategies to solve problems. Teachers ensure that pupils develop strong calculation skills.
• Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to ensure that those who need additional support have the right help.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident and self-assured. They say that they know how to keep themselves safe, such as when crossing the road. Pupils learn how to stay safe when online. Pupils called ‘digital leaders’ help others on aspects related to information technology.
• Relationships between pupils and teachers are good. Pupils often refer to the school’s Christian values, such as friendship and honesty. They take pride in helping new pupils who have just joined the school.
• Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as school councillors and house captains. They express their views and opinions in a respectful and mature way.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different types of bullying. They say that there is very little bullying in the school.
• The breakfast and after-school clubs provide a social and relaxing beginning and end to the day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is harmonious and happy. Pupils behave well in lessons, they listen carefully to the teacher and enjoy completing tasks. Books are well presented.
• School records show that there are few incidents of poor behaviour. Those who do find it harder to manage their behaviour respond well to the school’s positive behaviour management strategies.
• Attendance is below average. It is slowly improving, due to the hard work of leaders and other agencies. But the persistent absence for some disadvantaged pupils remains too high.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes have improved since the previous inspection. Pupils now make strong progress across a range of subjects.
• High-quality phonics teaching enables pupils to develop a bedrock of early reading and writing skills. Pupils in Year 2 are able to apply their skills well to tackle new words.
• School data and work in books shows that pupils make strong progress in key stage 1. There has been a trend of improvements since 2017, when attainment was similar to the national average. Current pupils produce work that is often of a high quality.
• In key stage 2, pupils make good progress and attain similar to the national average. Pupils make good use of the school library. They talk with confidence about their favourite authors. Pupils use their wide vocabulary to write vivid descriptions of historical events. In mathematics, pupils are able to carefully explain the reason why an answer is right.
• In 2017, the percentage of pupils who reached the higher standard was above the national average in reading. It was similar to average in writing and mathematics. Current pupils continue to do well because they receive work that is of the right level of difficulty.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make steady gains in their learning. Their progress is good because of the effective support that they receive from learning support assistants.
• Disadvantaged pupils often achieve well. However, those whose attendance is low do not make strong progress.
• Pupils in the current Year 5 had lower starting points into key Stage 2 in mathematics and writing than other pupils nationally. Over the last couple of years, these pupils have made strong progress. Most pupils in Year 5 have now caught up.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school has developed some useful links with local secondary schools. This has enabled pupils to use a larger range of resources than those available in the school to develop their skills.

Early years provision Good

• Children usually start in early years with skills and abilities that are around those typical nationally for the age group. They make strong progress because teachers provide the right level of work for children’s differing abilities. A higher-than-average percentage of children reach a good level of development. This has ensured that children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.
• There are strong links with parents. Those who gave their views to inspectors were very complimentary. They say that staff are very approachable and seem to ‘really care about my child’.
• This year, some children have started Nursery with strong social skills. During the inspection, children encouraged each other to ‘have a go’ at various mathematics activities.
• Many children have entered Reception this year with well-developed communication skills. They initiate conversations with both the teacher and each other. Many are keen to explain their own thinking, such as why stick insects move in a particular way.
• The environment in early years is rich. Teachers provide children with a range of interesting experiences that capture their imaginations. Staff have planned the outside area to give children lots of opportunities to play together and explore. Many children enjoy visiting the resident guinea pigs.
• Children behave well. They share resources happily. Staff make sure that children feel safe and secure.
• Leadership in early years is strong. There is a clear action plan to ensure continued improvements. Funding for disadvantaged children is well used to improve their progress and attainment.

School details

Unique reference number 137788 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 10053282 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 270 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Board of trustees Kathryn Winrow Nicola Green 01753 542 982 www.datchetstmarysacademy.co.uk office@datchetstmarysacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection 5ꟷ6 July 2016

Information about this school

• Datchet St Mary’s C of E Primary is an average-sized primary school. At the time of the last inspection, the school was a stand-alone academy. In January 2017, the school joined the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, a multi-academy trust. The management of the trust consists of a chief executive and a board of directors. Their role is to oversee the strategic direction of the school. The school also has a local governing body. It is responsible for aspects related to the day-to-day running of the school. These include monitoring the quality of teaching and learning.
• There have been many staff changes since the previous inspection. The substantive headteacher was appointed in December 2016. Around half of the teaching staff have been appointed in the last eighteen months.
• The school has a Nursery with 26 places available in the morning and afternoon. The minimum age of admission is three years.
• The majority of pupils are White British. Around 20% of the pupils are from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. The proportion that speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is similar to the national average.
• The school runs a breakfast- and after-school club for pupils from Reception to Year 6.
• The school was judged to be good at its last section 48 inspection in March 2018. This inspection reports on the religious character of the school.
• The school meets the government’s floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed a range of lessons and conducted learning walks in all year groups. Many observations were carried out jointly with the senior leaders.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6. They also asked them about what it was like to be a pupil at this school.
• Inspectors reviewed 103 parent responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. There were also informal meetings with parents at the end of the school day. Inspectors reviewed the 30 responses to the staff inspection questionnaire.
• Discussions were held with the headteacher and other leaders. There was a meeting with the chief executive officer of the trust. There was also a meeting with another member of the trust board and a representative of the Diocese of Oxford. Discussions were held with members of the local governing body. There was also a telephone conversation with the local authority education welfare officer.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. These included development plans, information about pupils’ progress, the school’s checks on the quality of teaching and reviews of its own performance. Records of pupils’ attendance, behaviour and safeguarding documentation were also checked.

Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Alison Ashcroft Catherine Davies

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector