Wingrave Church of England Combined School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Wingrave Church of England Combined School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to school. They are enthusiastic about their learning and are keen to do well.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They encourage pupils to be curious about their learning and resilient when faced with a challenge. Pupils respond to these challenges with determination.

They are interested in their learning. Owing to ongoing developments in the curriculum, pupils are beginning to ask more questions and think more deeply about their learning. Pupils explain their thinking with confidence.

Pupils know the school rules and routines ...well. They conduct themselves well throughout the school day. This means that the school is a very calm, safe place and no learning time is wasted.

Pupils are kind and friendly. They form caring relationships with one another. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils of all ages play together happily.

The dining hall has a pleasant atmosphere. Pupils chat happily with their friends while eating their lunch.

Pupils are well looked after and they feel safe in school.

Pupils say that bullying is very rare. They are respectful of one another and celebrate people's differences. If pupils do fall out with their friends, they say that adults help them to sort it out quickly.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that interests and challenges pupils. They have mapped out the key knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn in most subjects. Leaders have trained teachers so that they have strong subject knowledge in these subjects.

In some subjects, however, leaders have not yet fully planned the sequence of learning. Pupils develop skills and knowledge in art, design and technology, computing and geography through their class topics. The skills and knowledge in these subjects are not taught in sequence, however.

Learning does not build well enough on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects.Leaders have planned the mathematics curriculum well.

They have made sure that pupils' learning in this subject builds over time. In early years, teachers plan activities that help children to secure a strong understanding of number. Children engage well with these activities.

They practise their skills with enthusiasm. Teachers clearly show pupils how to solve calculations. Pupils develop a secure understanding of important mathematical knowledge.

Older pupils combine their previous learning with newly taught concepts to solve challenging problems. Pupils are confident when explaining their mathematical thinking.

Leaders were disappointed with the results in the phonics screening check in 2019.

As a result, they have reviewed and improved the teaching of phonics. Leaders have carefully planned the order in which they introduce pupils to new knowledge and skills in phonics. Teachers identify quickly where pupils might need extra help.

Adults support pupils well. They help pupils to apply their phonics knowledge when tackling unknown words. In key stage 2, pupils continue to develop important reading skills.

Adults question pupils skilfully. This deepens and extends pupils' understanding of the texts they read.

Pupils work with enthusiasm and they do well.

They concentrate on their tasks and work hard. Pupils listen attentively to adults and to one another. Pupils develop positive attitudes to reading.

Children settle quickly into the early years. They form positive relationships with the adults and other children in the setting. Children are caring towards one another, taking turns and helping their classmates.

Adults support children in their learning well. They ask effective questions that challenge children's thinking. Children show interest in their learning.

They engage fully in tasks. Children achieve well in the early years.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) knows the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well.

She works with teachers to plan the support these pupils need effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND fully engage in their learning and do well.

Pupils' personal development is promoted well, in particular through personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.

Learning in PSHE is carefully planned and sequenced. Pupils learn about and celebrate different beliefs and cultures. They respect the various beliefs that people hold.

Pupils are keen to learn about, and to discuss, these different beliefs and opinions. Leaders have enhanced the curriculum with a range of opportunities to learn outdoors. During outdoor learning, pupils learn to collaborate, developing key skills in teamwork.

They learn to listen to one another's ideas and to make joint decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a culture where pupils' safety and welfare are a priority.

Leaders have trained all staff so that they have good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff take appropriate action if they have any concerns about a child's welfare.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe.

They understand the potential dangers of using social media and the internet. They have a good understanding of how to protect themselves from these dangers. For example, they know how to respond to cyber bullying.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have planned a curriculum that ignites pupils' curiosity, challenges them to take risks and encourages them to think deeply about their learning. In addition, in a number of subjects, they have carefully planned sequences of learning that enable pupils to build their knowledge and skills cumulatively towards challenging goals. In some subjects, however, sequences of learning have not been planned coherently enough.

It is clear from the action leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders must now ensure that the skills and knowledge they want pupils to acquire in art, design and technology, computing and geography are carefully planned so that pupils' learning builds sequentially.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Wingrave Church of England Combined School to be good on 28–29 April 2016.

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