Chestnut Lane School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this happy school. There are caring relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils feel safe and secure.

They say that they can tell staff about anything that worries them. They know it will get sorted out quickly. Pupils say that they like the school because 'everyone is really kind, they respect each other and it's fun to play with friends'.

The school has high aspirations. Children's learning gets off to a great start in the Nursery. They quickly settle into the school's routines.

The well-planned curriculum helps to capture pupils' imaginations. Pupils try their best in lessons. They listen carefully to their teachers and have excel...lent learning behaviours.

This helps pupils to be successful in their learning throughout the school.

The school provides an impressive offering of clubs to develop pupils' talents and interests. These include yoga, judo, French, gardening, environment and art.

Those in the school's chess club recently attended a national championship. Pupils know how to keep safe in a range of situations. For example, they learn about staying safe when online.

Pupils have a deep understanding of the school's values. They show kindness and respect towards each other.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious for all pupils.

It identifies the essential knowledge that pupils should learn in each subject. Often, the curriculum links in with the local area. For example, in history, pupils learn about past events in Amersham.

The curriculum builds carefully from the early years and helps children to be well prepared for their learning in Year 1 and beyond.

In lessons, staff use the curriculum to ensure that new learning builds on what has been learned before. They check pupils' understanding carefully and use this information to make sure pupils develop their learning in a step-by-step way.

However, in a few subjects where the curriculum is new, the way it is implemented does not consistently support pupils to know more and remember more.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. This is because staff identify with accuracy any additional needs a pupil may have.

The school works closely with parents and external professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need. When needed, staff make well-considered adaptations to the curriculum.

Right from the start of Nursery there is a strong focus on developing children's communication and language skills.

Staff model the words that they want children to learn. This helps children to broaden their vocabulary. When they are able to, children are encouraged to answer questions in full sentences.

This helps them to communicate their ideas with increasing accuracy.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The school has an effective programme for teaching phonics and early reading.

Staff are well trained so they know how to teach pupils to read well. In the Nursery, children learn to identify letters and the sounds they make. As they progress through the school, pupils quickly become secure in their phonics knowledge.

They become confident and fluent readers. Any pupils who fall behind are given the right support to help them catch up. Inviting reading areas around the school foster pupils' love of books.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They carefully follow the teachers' instructions. At playtimes, pupils show kindness and consideration towards each other.

Pupils' attendance is very strong. They arrive at school on time, keen and ready to learn.

The school provides excellent experiences for pupils' personal development.

Pupils have many opportunities to learn through the expansive personal, social and health education curriculum. For instance, they learn about the importance of keeping both physically and mentally healthy. Trips and visitors, such as an animal workshop, enrich the curriculum.

The large garden areas which surround each classroom are well used to support pupils to understand about planting seeds and growing vegetables. These sessions help pupils to understand where food comes from. Pupils learn about different cultures and religions within the curriculum.

They are encouraged to value and celebrate their individual differences.

The school is led well and staff are proud to work here. They appreciate that leaders consider the well-being of both pupils and staff and that their workload is carefully considered.

Governors provide a clear, strategic vision. They offer challenge and support in equal measure.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects where the curriculum is new, the way it is implemented is not yet effectively supporting pupils to know more and remember more. On occasion, this slows pupils' learning. The school should continue to develop teachers' pedagogical understanding so they deliver the curriculum as intended to build pupils' learning and deepen their understanding.

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