Oxford Grove Primary School

Oxford Grove Primary School Shepherd Cross Street, Bolton, BL1 3EJ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils across all age groups are happy and looked after well at Oxford Grove and all agree, ‘this is a really good school.’  Parents and carers also agreed this is a good school and were highly positive about the support for individuals, particularly for pupils with special educational needs.  Standards in English, and in particular reading, are high by the end of Year 6.  Pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium and all other groups make good progress in English and mathematics and a majority progress better than expected.  Teachers’ frequent and effective monitoring of the class during lessons and high-quality marking and feedback have enabled pupils to make good progress.  Teaching is particularly strong in Years 4- 6.  Pupils’ behaviour around school is impeccable and the result of a carefully managed ethos which is modelled and delivered by all staff.  Morning break time was outstanding. It

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

was a pleasure to see so many games, activities and so many happy and active pupils.  The driving force behind the improvement from ‘satisfactory’ to a good school has been the leadership of the head- and deputy headteacher. As one very experienced member of staff said, ‘I have never known a more dedicated and driven leadership team.’  There is a relentless and successful focus by senior leaders and governors to improve pupils’ attendance and achievement and to improve the quality of teaching.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 The quality of teaching for the younger children is not as good as for the older pupils.  Standards and teaching in mathematics are are not as strong as they are in English.  Teaching in some subjects such as information and communication technology (ICT) are not as strong as in English.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with staff, members of the governing body, a representative from Bolton Local Authority and with pupils.  Inspectors heard three groups of pupils read and met with pupils informally to gather their views about the school. They also looked at pupils’ responses to the school’s own survey.  They took into account the 14 responses from parents and carers to the online questionnaire. They met some parents and carers informally at the start of the school day and took into account the responses to the school’s own survey.  Inspectors observed teaching in each class and made a judgement about the teaching in 17 lessons. In addition, they observed an assembly, observed lessons taught by teaching assistants, observed break and lunch times and conducted some shorter visits to lessons. The headteacher and deputy headteachers conducted three joint observations with an inspector.

p.2

Inspection team

Allan Torr, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Diane Buckle Additional inspector Sheila Loughlin Additional inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Oxford Grove is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs through school action is low.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The majority of pupils are white British but around a quarter have a Pakistani heritage and a small proportion have other minority ethnic backgrounds.  The school exceeds the government’s floor standards (these are the minimum standards and rate of progress expected of primary pupils).

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, take all opportunities to improve children’s spoken language, their knowledge and use of letters and the sounds they make, and their recognition of number and ability to count by:  making sure all activities have a clear learning focus, linked to the theme of the lesson  planning play activities that build on children’s knowledge, skills and understanding.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of mathematics by having a greater focus on using and applying mathematics and asking pupils to answer questions in different ways.  Implement the recommendations within Ofsted’s surveys into mathematics, in particular: ‘mathematics: made to measure’ http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/mathematics-made-measure

p.3

Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils is good  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills, knowledge and understanding that are below those typical for three- and four-year olds. They make steady progress and by the end of Reception standards have risen and are close to the national average. Children’s progress could be quickened if adults took every opportunity in lessons to practise saying and writing letters and the sounds they make and of recognising numbers and counting.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good gains in their confidence and all of the classes are exciting and interesting places to learn. Children learn class routines quickly and make good use of the equipment and the environment when they set off to explore and play.  Although the results of the Year 1 phonics test are low (a test to check pupils’ knowledge of letters and the sounds they make), by the end of Year 2 almost all pupils attain the

p.4

Inspection judgements

expected Level 2 in reading. Pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium use their phonic skills well to break down and read unfamiliar words. They use expression well and read frequently in school and at home.  Pupils with special educational needs in Key Stage 2 make good use of reading buddies from Year 6. They read to someone as an individual and as a group frequently, and change their books weekly. They make good progress.  By the end of Year 6 around 90% of pupils attain the expected Level 4 and over a third attain the higher Level 5. They read from a wide range of books whilst they are at Oxford Grove and change their reading books every Monday. The majority of pupils have a good knowledge of different authors and books but had difficulty naming the range of books by different authors  Since the previous inspection the quality of pupils’ writing has improved. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 almost every pupil has attained the expected level for their age and an above-

p.4

Inspection judgements

average proportion attain Level 5. This success, in part, is because the curriculum has been altered to ensure there are more opportunities for pupils to write in subjects other than in English.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics and quickly become confident in solving calculations. Standards by the end of Year 6 are around the national average. Pupils’ better progress is hampered because their understanding of mathematical concepts is not fully developed due to too much repetition of the same type of questions.  Overall, standards in Key Stage 1 are rising and standards by the end of Year 6 are above average. This means pupils achieve well at Oxford Grove. Pupils who are from a Pakistani heritage and those who are bilingual, for whom English is an additional language, make good progress throughout the school.  Pupils who are disabled make good progress because they have good-quality teaching and

p.4

Inspection judgements

are expected to make the same progress as their peers. This high level of expectation and a culture of not having any excuse for not making progress is one of the reasons why pupils with special educational needs achieve well.

p.4

Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching is good  A strength of the teaching is teachers’ use of marking and feedback to speed up pupils’ progress. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils spent the first few minutes reviewing the teacher’s marking and writing a comment about the work or answering a question posed by the teacher. She then used the previous day’s work to set new work which either consolidated learning for the less confident pupils or took the confident pupils onto the next stage.  Teachers monitor their classes very well, which is an improvement since the previous inspection. They rotate around each group of pupils to ensure they understand the work and that they are making progress. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson the teacher identified pupils who through their work were confident at adding three-digit numbers together to move onto four-digit addition.  Most teachers use resources well, including the interactive whiteboard, to motivate pupils

p.4

Inspection judgements

and to help pupils’ learning. However, there were missed opportunities for pupils to make frequent use of ICT to help with their learning.  Teaching assistants are usually deployed well and help to have a positive impact on pupils’ learning, but there are some differences in their practice. Most asked questions skilfully to make pupils think, explain and to make progress themselves. A few did too much of the work for pupils or sat inactively observing the class, or missed opportunities to extend pupils’ knowledge.  Teaching is strong with examples of outstanding practice in Years 4, 5 and 6. In these classes there is relentless focus on improvement, on pupils’ learning actively and on making progress.  In some classes, particularly for younger pupils, adults miss opportunities to extend pupils’ knowledge and their thinking and for all children to be active and join in. In these lessons pupils’ spoken sentences are not developed enough by the adults and chances are lost to

p.5

Inspection judgements

consolidate counting skills and knowledge about letters and sounds. In play-based activities a few children were involved in low-level, aimless tasks which did not extend their knowledge or link well enough to the lesson objective.  In most lessons time was used well to ensure pupils were continually developing their learning. In a few lessons, however, there was wasted time, for example writing down the date and the learning objective.  In lessons across the school, pupils were motivated, interested and responded well to the activities. They tried hard to succeed and had opportunities to research, ask their own questions and to challenge themselves.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good  Around school, pupils’ conduct is excellent. They are polite, friendly and well-mannered. They respond very well to adults and mix well with each other regardless of age, gender, disability, racial or social background.  In an outstanding morning break pupils’ behaviour was impeccable. They played happily and actively together using a wide range of equipment in a wide range of games. A group of pupils were whirling a hoop around their feet whilst skipping over its edge in a highly skilful and dextrous way. Another group bounced energetically on hoppers and other groups played tennis, football, skipping, hoopla, lacrosse, catch or chatted politely in the seating area.  Pupils’ behaviour at break times is outstanding, partially because there is a skilful and talented play leader to teach pupils games and, practically, because the ethos of the school modelled by staff engenders respect for others and responsible behaviour. As one member

p.5

Inspection judgements

of staff said, ‘The support the senior leadership team provide with regards to behaviour is the main reason our children behave so well.’  They have a good awareness of how to keep safe. In the Early Years Foundation Stage there could have been greater use of hygiene to wash hands but generally pupils knew how to stay healthy. Pupils had a good awareness of safety when using the internet and moved around the school safely.  Pupils, parents and carers and staff all said bullying was rare. There have been no recorded racist incidents, the proportion of exclusions is below average and there is little name- calling or prejudice-based bullying. A few pupils mentioned that homophobic words were occasionally heard but that the school had cracked down on this. Pupils were confident there was no name-calling because of someone’s disability or their race or religion.  Attendance is average but improving. The proportion of days missed because of persistent

p.5

Inspection judgements

absence is falling and is being tackled very effectively by senior leaders. There is a gap, however, between the attendance of pupils who receive the pupil premium and their peers, and between girls and boys, which the school is trying hard to close.

p.5

Inspection judgements

The leadership and management are good  Staff at Oxford Grove feel valued, supported, well trained and challenged. They are able to access a large variety of training such as coaching, mentoring and attending courses to improve their teaching. In addition, the senior leaders make very good use of the already existing skills and expertise.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher are lauded by the staff. One member of staff said, ‘This school is led by two of the most inspiring people I have ever had the privilege to work with.’ Another wrote, ‘The passion and drive of our school make me want to come to work everyday… they strive for excellence and, while staff are informed and monitored rigorously if they fall short, the support, advice and guidance provided are second to none.’  The tracking systems are used well to identify gaps in achievement, attendance and behaviour between groups of pupils; expectations are high for everyone regardless of

p.6

Inspection judgements

background and need. As a result of well-targeted teaching, the gaps between groups, for example those eligible to receive the pupil premium and their peers, have narrowed.  The quality of middle leadership has improved since the previous inspection. There is still some way to go, however, to ensure all subjects leaders are knowledgeable about, and are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement in, their subjects and areas.  The curriculum is good but it is not yet outstanding. ICT, for example, needs to be embedded further into all lessons and subjects. Some of the creative curriculum topics are not always producing the highest level of work in history, geography or design and technology.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is good. The trips, visitors to school and high-quality musical experiences add greatly to pupils’ achievement and development. All staff promote equality of opportunity well.

p.6

Inspection judgements

 There has been a low level of support needed from the local authority in the last two years but the support has been effective.  The governance of the school.  Governance has improved since the previous inspection. There is a good level of scrutiny of the school’s work and a greater level of challenge.  The governing body has taken difficult decisions to secure and improve the quality of teaching. Its systems for monitoring teaching but also the performance of management are robust. A new standards committee is used well to identify strengths and areas of development in pupils’ achievement. These are then used as a basis for discussion between the subject leaders and the assigned governor.  Statutory duties are met, such as the need to ensure all staff employed at the school have been vetted correctly and to ensure staff, pupils and parents are safe and can access the buildings. Systems to safeguard and protect pupils are good and are

p.6

Inspection judgements

revised regularly.  The governing body still needs to do further work to ensure all of the strands of the Equality Act are embedded within school policies and the curriculum and to ensure all prejudice-based language is eliminated. Despite this, equality of opportunity is good within the school.  The governing body surveys the community and parents and carers well. They altered the time of the school day in response to some parents’ concerns. They also respond well to presentations made by pupils, such as through the school council.

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupil’s needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupil’s needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 105160 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 400761

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Type of school All-through School category Community Age range of pupils 3-11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 241 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs L Thomas Headteacher Mr P Kelly Date of previous school inspection 13-14 January 2010 Telephone number 01204 333380 Fax number 01204 333381 Email address paulkelly@oxford-grove.bolton.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

p.9

School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9