Buckden CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

School leaders and governors have the highest aspirations for, and expectations of, pupils. These have resulted in exceptionally rapid improvements in their achievements since the last inspection. Ably supported by the deputy headteacher, the headteacher has established a culture of high expectations for staff and pupils alike.

Pupils' achieve highly, not only in English, mathematics and science but also in all subjects taught across the school. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well through the excellent curriculum. The school's aim 'to develop the whole child academically and spirit...ually' is successfully linked to promoting British values of tolerance, democracy and respect.

Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. They love to learn; this contributes considerably to the school's harmonious environment and pupils' achievement. They are very considerate of others and readily help each other to learn.

Teaching is outstanding. Pupils enjoy the wide range of interesting tasks which make them think deeply about their learning and help them to reach high standards by the end of Year 6. All pupils, including the disabled, those who have special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged, make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

All staff are well trained to implement the school's comprehensive safeguarding procedures. Pupils say they feel very safe and parents and staff agree. The school has developed a very effective partnership with parents.

The school's website provides a wealth of information about how learning is organised. This enables all parents to keep abreast of the interesting activities undertaken in each class. Governors monitor pupils' achievements rigorously to ensure that resources are used efficiently to achieve high academic standards.

Children achieve good levels of development by the end of their Reception Year but their rate of progress is not as rapid as in the rest of the school. Parents do not always receive informative and well-presented evidence of all of their children's achievements.

Information about this school

Buckden is an average-sized primary school.

Children begin school full-time in the Reception classes in the year they become five years old. The school became an academy in 2010 and operates independently of the local authority. Almost all pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.

The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is well below the national average. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children in local authority care. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.

The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The BOSS before- and after-school club operates on the school site and is managed by the governing body. The headteacher is a consultant to church schools and a lead practitioner with the local authority and county schools on the latest assessment arrangements.