Great Rollright Church of England (Aided) Primary School

Great Rollright Church of England (Aided) Primary School Church End, Great Rollright, Chipping Norton, OX7 5SA

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Their attainment is consistently above average by the end of Year 6.  The school welcomes and successfully meets the social and academic needs of pupils from many different backgrounds.  Pupils make good progress because teaching is never less than good and is sometimes outstanding. Teachers introduce new skills systematically and plan interesting work that ensures that pupils are fully engaged in lessons.  Pupils behave well and feel very safe. They have good manners and take good care of each other.  The rich and varied curriculum provides pupils with many memorable experiences and helps them to develop a love of learning.  This is a school that is not happy to rest on its laurels. The very strong leadership of the headteacher has been instrumental in the good improvements in teaching, learning and achievement since the previous inspection.  The headteacher is supported well by other

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

leaders and the governing body. Both play a good part in checking pupils’ learning so that they can provide the necessary challenge when needed.  Excellent partnerships with other schools and with a range of outside agencies and groups enrich learning, help staff to share good practice and contribute well to the high quality support given to pupils.  The vast majority of parents and carers are highly positive about the school and the way it cares for and supports their children.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils are not always challenged well enough in numeracy lessons.  Pupils are less knowledgeable about how to improve their work in mathematics than in English because the setting of targets is not strong enough in numeracy lessons.  There are a small number of families who do not send their children to school regularly enough. School initiatives to deal with this are too recent to have had a sustained effect on improving rates of attendance.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 13 lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector made a number of short visits to lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body, staff and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 38 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). He also talked to some parents and carers individually.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information about pupils’ learning and progress, planning documents, the school development plan, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding documents.  The inspector analysed nine questionnaires from staff.

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Inspection team

Mike Capper, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school. Although some pupils come from the local village, most come from further afield, with around 40% travelling from Chipping Norton.  The number on roll has risen since the previous inspection, and the school continues to admit more pupils than is usual during the school year.  Nearly all pupils are from White British backgrounds.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a mixed-age class with some Year 1 pupils.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are broadly average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for children known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families) is well below the national average. In this school,

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Information about this school

there are no pupils in the last two categories in the current year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the most-able pupils are always fully challenged in numeracy lessons.  Extend to mathematics the good practice already in place in the setting of targets in English so that pupils are equally clear about the next steps in their learning in both subjects.  Work with families to ensure that all understand the importance of sending their children to school regularly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well across the school. When they start school, the majority are working at the expected levels for their age. From these average starting points, pupils make good progress from year to year, and their attainment has risen to be consistently above average levels in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children learn new skills quickly. Early reading skills are taught systematically and children write enthusiastically after listening to a story or poem. There is a good focus on children’s personal and social development. Consequently, they rapidly become independent and confident, and they learn the importance of finishing something that they have started.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ literacy and numeracy develop well, enabling them to use these skills effectively to support their learning in other subjects. Pupils write and read confidently.

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The achievement of pupils is good

They show good mathematical understanding when solving problems, although just occasionally in numeracy lessons the most able are not expected to do hard enough work.  The school successfully promotes equality by ensuring that all groups make equally good progress. Pupils who arrive at school during the school year are immediately assessed so that time is not lost and they quickly catch up with the good progress made by their classmates. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are given high-quality support, both in and out of lessons, and make the same good progress as others.  In most years, the very small number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium attain as well as others in English and mathematics, as measured by the average points scores in national testing at the end of Year 6. Support for these pupils includes additional individual tuition or opportunities to work in small groups. These sessions are well matched to needs and are

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The achievement of pupils is good

effective in closing the gap between the attainment of eligible pupils and others.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In all classes, good learning is promoted well through enjoyable and engaging work. Teachers are very enthusiastic and they have extremely positive relationships with their pupils. They ensure that pupils are absorbed in their learning in most lessons.  Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations. They do not willingly accept second best. They expect pupils to try hard and to produce high-quality work. Where teaching is outstanding, teachers use questioning particularly effectively to help pupils to think for themselves and to explain their ideas. Pupils respond positively at these times because they know that the teachers will give them a chance to correct errors if they are wrong and will help them if they need it.  There is a good pace to learning in lessons and work usually provides the right level of challenge for all. Although all classes are mixed-age, teachers organise lessons to take good account of

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The quality of teaching is good

differing needs. However, just occasionally at the start and end of numeracy lessons, the most- able pupils are not fully stretched because they do the same work as others.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, children get many opportunities to work outside and to try out new ideas for themselves. Pupils are especially positive about ‘Welly Wednesday’ when they work in the school or around the village on creative activities that cover all aspects of the curriculum.  Skilled teaching assistants make an excellent contribution to pupils’ learning, especially when working with disabled pupils or those with special educational needs. They are very well informed, supporting pupils sensitively so that they do not become over reliant on adult help.  Pupils are given good opportunities to work together and to reflect on the progress they have made in each lesson. In English, pupils have clear targets, and they like these because, as one

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The quality of teaching is good

pupil said, ‘It means that we know what we need to put into our writing to make it better.’ Target setting is not as well embedded in mathematics and pupils are less clear about the next steps in their learning in this subject.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils thoroughly enjoy their work and feel very safe, with one pupil summing up their views when she wrote, ‘School feels like my second home.’ Pupils are very keen to learn and willingly try out new ideas without fear of failure because teachers encourage them ‘to have a go’.  In lessons, pupils’ behaviour is sometimes exemplary and is rarely less than good, although just occasionally a small number do not concentrate well enough when the teacher is talking to the whole class at the start and end of lessons.  The school promotes equality and tackles discrimination very effectively. Pupils from different backgrounds play together happily and show good sensitivity to the needs of others in lessons.  Pupils say that there is no bullying and occasional ‘falling out’ is tackled well by staff. Newly arrived pupils settle very quickly because their classmates are welcoming and friendly, and ‘the teachers are kind’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very keen to take responsibility, and do so exceptionally well. School Councillors play a good part in decision making. For example, the new tyre park is a testament to their good efforts.  Rates of attendance are broadly average. While most pupils attend school regularly, a small number miss school too frequently and this sometimes hinders their progress. The school is working closely with parents and carers to ensure that all understand the importance of regular attendance and, in most cases, there are already early signs of improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders at all levels have ensured good improvement in the school since the previous inspection. Areas which were weak then, such as provision in information and communication technology, are now good. There is no complacency. The push for improvement is being maintained and is well targeted.  Leaders are very clear about what they would like to do next, although this is not always reflected clearly enough in written development planning, which contains too many targets and is not sufficiently explicit about the most important priorities in each year.  Leaders make extremely good use of data to identify pupils who are in danger of falling behind, including those who have been absent from school or are eligible for the pupil premium. They give them timely support to help them catch up. Good use is made of the pupil premium to employ additional staff to support eligible pupils in small groups or individually. This has been an

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The leadership and management are good

important factor in closing the gap between the attainment of these pupils and others.  Leaders have a good track record for improving teaching. The headteacher and teachers in charge of subjects regularly visit lessons, and share ideas for development. There is a good match between the needs of individual teachers, the pupils and the school when setting the next steps for teachers to improve. There are firmly established links between good performance and financial reward. Good training opportunities are used to enhance provision.  The local authority provides light-touch support for this good school, with recent help in drawing up a plan to improve attendance already beginning to reap benefits.  Most parents and carers are very positive about the school. Their views are summed up by one who wrote, ‘The school is one big family.’  The rich and varied curriculum greatly enriches pupils’ learning and contributes extremely

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The leadership and management are good

effectively to their personal development. For example, there is a successful focus on teaching pupils how to resolve problems for themselves. Pupils develop a good understanding of cultural diversity through their visit to Finland. This is an annual visit to a Finnish school that all pupils are able to take part in at least once during their time at Great Rollright. This year’s visit is already being greatly anticipated by pupils as they prepare for, as they called it, ‘The Big Adventure’.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body provide good challenge and support to other school leaders. They make good use of training to keep abreast of national initiatives and they are constantly reviewing their practice to ensure that it meets the needs of the school. There are thorough systems for finding out how well the school is doing, including looking in detail at the school’s information about pupils’ progress. This means that governors are knowledgeable about both

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The leadership and management are good

the quality of teaching and how well the school is performing in comparison to others. The governing body keeps a close watch on spending to ensure that best value is achieved. It ensures that the pupil premium is being used to good effect to improve the attainment of eligible pupils and it checks that systems for improving teaching only reward good performance. Governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 123183 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 403515

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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 92 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Stillwell Headteacher Anne Hewett Date of previous school inspection 11–12 June 2008 Telephone number 01608 737202 Fax number 01608 737916 Email address office.3408@great-rollright.oxon.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 .

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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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