Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School

Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School Green Lane, Charlton, Banbury, OX17 3DN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The children make a strong start in the Reception class and are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils make good progress. Over the last few years, standards at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics have been much higher than the national averages.  The quality of teaching is generally good, and some is outstanding. Marking is particularly effective in helping pupils to improve their work.  Behaviour and safety are excellent. The pupils are keen to learn, concentrate fully, and respond very positively to their teachers.  Through the new leadership arrangement, leaders and governors are sharply focused on making sure that all pupils make even better progress in every year group.  Their improvements to the way that some subjects are taught, particularly English, are helping pupils to enjoy school even more. Attendance is above average.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In Key Stage 1, the more-able pupils are not always set hard enough work to make sure that they make rapid progress. Sometimes these pupils have to work through tasks that are too easy before they are given work that makes them think hard.  Pupils’ progress in science is not as fast as in English and mathematics because they are not taught the skills they need to carry out investigations, or given enough opportunities to do so. Inspection report: Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School, 24–25 October 2012 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector visited nine lessons taught by five teachers.  The inspector held discussions with pupils, teachers, the executive headteacher, the head of teaching and learning, representatives of the governing body, and a local authority officer.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including policies about keeping pupils safe. He also examined the work in pupils’ books.  The views of 33 parents were analysed through the Parent View website.  He also considered the views expressed in nine questionnaires returned by school staff.

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Inspection team

Christopher Parker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Inspection report: Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School, 24–25 October 2012 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than most primary schools.  Almost all of the pupils speak English as their first language.  Proportionally fewer pupils than in most schools are supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children from families who are known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and those from families with parents in the armed forces.  There are fewer pupils from minority ethnic groups than in most schools of this size.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs is much lower than the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The executive headteacher took over the leadership of the school in September 2012 through a

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Information about this school

collaborative arrangement with Brackley Junior School. At the same time a head of teaching and learning was appointed to lead the day-to-day education of the pupils and a new teacher joined the staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the rate of pupils’ progress in science by:  making sure they are taught the skills they need for planning, carrying out, recording and evaluating investigations  providing more opportunities for pupils to practise and refine these skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of more-able pupils in Key Stage 1 by:  always planning tasks that build on what these pupils already know and are able to do  moving them quickly on to more demanding tasks much earlier in lessons. Inspection report: Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School, 24–25 October 2012 4 of 9

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Many children start school speaking confidently and ready to learn. Last year the children made rapid progress in the Reception class and were well prepared for Year 1. This year the children are already making good progress in their knowledge of the sounds that letters make.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress throughout Key Stages 1 and 2. Some opportunities are missed to move more-able pupils on quickly in Key Stage 1. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ results in national tests are very high in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop good writing skills because they have many good opportunities to practise them. Their teachers encourage them to write at length, for example in their recent topic on Australia. Similarly, they practise their mathematical skills in other subjects, and so make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in science is not as rapid as in English and mathematics. Pupils are not taught well enough how to carry out and draw conclusions from investigations. Although they gain a good knowledge of a range of science topics, these skills are not sufficiently well developed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Many older pupils read widely. They can talk confidently about the authors they like, and the stories they have enjoyed. In guided reading lessons, the teacher questions the pupils so that they deepen their understanding and learn to read between the lines and make deductions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their progress in reading is particularly good, because of the emphasis placed on developing their knowledge of the sounds that letters make.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils supported by the pupil premium also make good progress. Some of them did particularly well last year. All in Year 6 reached the expected National Curriculum level in their English and mathematics tests, and many reached the higher level.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ learning is enhanced by many interesting opportunities. Throughout the school the pupils use laptops and tablet computers to find information, create comic strips and make animations. All of the pupils in Years 3 and 4 are learning to play the guitar.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is usually good, and some is outstanding. Sometimes, in Key Stage 1, the more-able pupils have to work through tasks they can already do before they are given more demanding work. In most lessons, tasks are set at the right level for the pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan most, although not all, lessons to build on what pupils already know and are able to do. The teachers make lessons interesting, and the pupils say that they find them motivating. The older pupils have enjoyed designing and testing the bridges they have constructed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and those who work alongside them explain what they want the pupils to do very clearly. This is particularly helpful to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. The teachers also provide well-chosen prompts to help these pupils make good progress.  Reading and writing are skilfully taught. In the Reception class the teacher develops the children’s early reading very well. The teachers promote a love of reading, and continually ask questions in order to deepen pupils’ understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Mathematics is well taught, often through interesting investigations such as the ‘mini metric Olympics’. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 estimated and accurately measured their efforts in the ‘paper plate discus’ and the ‘cotton wool shot put’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers often link their teaching of science with other subjects. This ensures that investigations are relevant to what the pupils are learning; however, their skills in making predictions, testing ideas, evaluating the methods they use and explaining results are not being taught well enough.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work in English and mathematics is very well marked, with the addition of useful comments and clear suggestions about how they can improve their work. The pupils say they find their teachers’ comments very helpful, and that it helps them to do better next time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are very eager to learn and exceptionally keen to do well. They say that lessons are never interrupted by pupils misbehaving. The youngest children listen carefully to their teacher, and older pupils listen too – and respond thoughtfully to their teacher’s questions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have no concerns about behaviour on the playground. They are very considerate to one another. They cite rare instances of pupils falling out, but are very confident that their teachers will act quickly to resolve such incidents.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 A very few pupils join the school with behaviour and learning difficulties. Carefully planned support and good work in partnership with parents helps to make sure that their behaviour improves markedly, paving the way for much improved progress in reading and writing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils know that bullying can take different forms. They say that unkind name-calling is also very rare. The pupils are very respectful of each and get on very well. This is clear as they move around the school and also on the playground.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are proud of their school and appreciate the opportunities it provides. They like being part of a small year group because it is ‘so friendly’. The pupils say they would have no hesitation in speaking to their teacher if they were worried about anything.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils enjoy school, and this is reflected in above-average attendance. Over the last few years, rates of attendance have been very high. They dipped to average last year but have returned to the previously high level this year.

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The leadership and management are good

 The executive headteacher and the head of teaching and learning are aiming high. They want all pupils to make rapid progress throughout the school, regardless of their ability or background, and have set a demanding target for eight out of every 10 pupils to make faster-than-expected progress in English and mathematics.  With this in mind, they have quickly assessed the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning, and have begun a programme of checks to ascertain the training that will be needed to meet their demanding targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 The executive headteacher has raised the profile of performance management. Along with governors, she will consider requests for increases in salary only where a teacher’s classroom performance and contribution to whole-school improvement warrant it.

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The leadership and management are good

 The importance of the role of the teachers who lead subjects has increased since the last inspection. The teacher who leads literacy has been particularly effective in raising attainment. Over the last three years, more and more pupils have reached the higher levels in English.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides the school with ‘light touch’ support because it has achieved very good results in national tests. A local authority officer visits the school twice each year to discuss and evaluate how well it is doing.

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The leadership and management are good

 One in five parents who responded to the online questionnaire disagreed that their child receives appropriate homework. As a result of meetings with parents and carers, the school has already made plans to introduce a different approach to homework next term.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers are provided with useful information through the school website and regular newsletters. ‘PATH’ times provide frequent opportunities for parents and carers to meet informally with teachers to talk about their child’s work and progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s values are strongly promoted through assemblies, lessons, visits and after-school clubs. It has a history of involving all pupils in musical events. This broad range of activities strongly promotes the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The head of teaching and learning has introduced a more creative approach to teaching many subjects. For example, a recent topic drawing together art, geography and history began with pupils ‘flying’ to Australia. Aspects of science are not given a sufficiently high priority.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body increasingly holds leaders to account for the school’s performance. Governors receive detailed analyses of pupils’ progress, which allow them to gain a deeper insight into the school’s strengths and weaknesses and how it compares to other schools nationally. The governors work along the staff to evaluate the school’s performance and set priorities for improvement. They also provide strong guidance for the school, to make sure that its values are maintained and remain prominent. The appointment of the executive headteacher and prudent financial management have made it possible to plan a return to a balanced budget next year. This follows a period where the financial situation has offered limited opportunities, for example, for staff and governor training. Governors have checked that pupil premium funding has resulted in those pupils it supports making good progress. The

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The leadership and management are good

school’s safeguarding arrangements are comprehensively checked each year by the governor who has responsibility for pupils’ safety. As a result, safeguarding arrangements meet current national requirements. Inspection report: Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School, 24–25 October 2012 7 of 9

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ 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 pupils’ 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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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. Inspection report: Newbottle and Charlton Church of England Primary School, 24–25 October 2012 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 122027 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 403483

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 100 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Canon R Bellamy Headteacher Loretta Boreham Date of previous school inspection 5 March 2008 Telephone number 01295 811480 Fax number 01295 811480 Email address head@newbottle.northants-ecl.gov.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 .

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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.

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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

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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, please

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School details

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’.

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School details

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

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