Cumnor Church of England School (Voluntary Controlled)

Cumnor C of E Primary School Oxford Road, Cumnor, Oxford, OX2 9PQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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.  The new headteacher has developed a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.  Since the last inspection, there has been a seamless transition between the acting headteachers and the new headteacher. The momentum for improvement has been maintained.  Teaching has improved and is mostly good. Some is outstanding. Pupils make good progress from the moment they start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Pupils enjoy their lessons. They make good progress in their key skills and reach high levels of attainment. Pupils write confidently from an early age.  Pupils’ progress is carefully checked. If pupils do not make the progress expected of them, it is quickly spotted and steps are taken to remedy any problems.  Behaviour is consistently good. Pupils get on well with each other and they feel safe in school. The school has a purposeful atmosphere. Learning in lessons is rarely

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

interrupted.  Governors are well informed about the performance of the school and know how to go about asking rigorous questions of school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet consistently high across all the classes and learning groups.  Teaching is not always precise and clear enough to ensure that all parts of lessons are highly effective.  Subject and team leaders are at an early stage in their role of monitoring and developing teaching across the school.  While pupils make good progress, the presentation and accuracy of written work is not yet consistently good.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 11 lessons or parts of lessons. Most of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with a group of pupils from Years 5 and 6, a small group of randomly chosen parents from each year group, middle and senior leaders, governors and a representative from the local authority. There were no responses on the on-line Parent View survey. The lead inspector received a letter from one parent.  Pupils’ workbooks were looked at and school policies and action plans were reviewed.

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Inspection team

Daniel Towl, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is lower than average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for additional support through the pupil premium (those eligible for free school meals or who are looked after) is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and for whom English is an additional language is below average.  Since the last inspection, two acting headteachers led the school until the appointment of a new headteacher, who took up post in January 2013.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum amount of progress and standards of attainment expected of pupils between Year 2 and Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Rapidly raise the quality of teaching so that more is consistently outstanding and none less than good by: – ensuring that all teaching is precise and clear in what pupils should be learning in all parts of lessons – ensuring that in all lessons, pupils’ tasks are expertly managed to enable pupils to make the most of the planned activities – ensuring that all pupils are learning effectively when working independently or in groups away from the main class.  Develop the skills of middle leaders in key subjects so that they can contribute more effectively to monitoring and improving teaching.  Improve the accuracy and neatness of pupils’ on-going written work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The youngest children start with skills that are similar to or better than those expected nationally. They get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make consistently good progress in both their personal and academic development. They become confident learners and teachers ensure that they are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.  Pupils’ confidence in reading, writing, speaking and listening and mathematics continues to develop well so by the time they reach the end of Year 2, they achieve levels that are well above expected national levels.  In the most recent 2012 national tests, pupils in Year 6 did well. They reached levels that were well above average in English and mathematics. A greater than average proportion of pupils made better than expected progress in reading and writing. Progress in mathematics, although good, was not as strong. The school is fully aware of this and is addressing the matter by

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The achievement of pupils is good

improving the mathematics curriculum.  The school’s own data show that pupils are making good progress overall, though progress on a day-to-day basis is sometimes inconsistent because not all lessons are as good as they could be.  Pupils read confidently in all age groups and this successfully supports learning in different subjects. The school has given additional focus to teaching letters and sounds (phonics) because achievement was lower than average in the national screening for pupils in Year 1. Pupils successfully learn letter sounds and their combinations and this helps younger pupils to tackle unfamiliar words with confidence.  Pupils develop a good vocabulary which they use very effectively in their writing. They write successfully for a wide range of purposes across the curriculum. From an early age, pupils show a willingness to write and to express their ideas.  Pupils with special educational needs and those identified by the school as falling behind are

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The achievement of pupils is good

carefully monitored and effective specific additional support is provided, enabling them to make at least the progress expected and often better than expected progress. Pupils from ethnic minorities and those who speak English as an additional language also make expected or better than expected progress. No group is underperforming.  Pupil premium money is spent in consultation with parents. Those pupils eligible for the extra funding have a range of additional support which is giving them the confidence to learn effectively. This is helping to ensure that, based on average point scores, there is minimal or no difference between their progress and attainment and that of their peers and similar groups nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. Teaching is consistently strong in the Early Years Foundation Stage, Years 5 and Year 6 and where there is specialist teaching in science. Here, teaching is either good or outstanding. Elsewhere, teaching is mostly good, though a small amount requires improvement.  Excellent relationships between staff and pupils are evident across the school. Pupils confidently take part in lessons, shown in the way they are willing to ask and answer questions, give their views and listen to each other. This helps pupils to develop their self-esteem and moral and social awareness.  Teachers are consistent about making sure that that pupils are more aware of what lessons are about, including what they are expected to learn and achieve. This helps pupils to know and check how well they doing. In the very best lessons, pupils get on and concentrate because they

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The quality of teaching is good

know clearly what is expected and what they have to do.  A consistent approach to developing pupils’ skills in writing is effective across the school. Pupils of all ages write confidently. Teachers very successfully ensure that writing has a purpose and context.  There is clarity in most lesson plans about how higher attaining pupils will be stretched. The school is very aware that some older pupils should be reaching the highest Level 6 in national tests and is ensuring that these pupils have the right experiences to help them achieve this.  Where lessons are less effective, teaching lacks ‘crispness’ and clarity and activities are not managed with the precision necessary to ensure that pupils learn in the very best way. Teachers do not always check sufficiently that when pupils undertake different tasks in a lesson they are all ‘getting on’ as well as they should be.  A group of older pupils said they were confident that they knew how well they were doing and

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The quality of teaching is good

what they needed to do to improve. They found teachers’ comments in their books helpful. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work but they do not always ensure that repeated mistakes, for example spelling, and some untidy work, are quickly put right.  Teachers have very good information about how well their pupils are doing because on-going and longer-term assessment is thorough. Teachers work closely with senior leaders and any pupils falling behind are quickly spotted and additional help provided. Parents and pupils could cite specific examples of where additional support had led to better achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 A small group of parents and older pupils said that behaviour was good. Inspection evidence supports this view. Any incidents of bullying and racism are extremely rare. Both parents and pupils said that when issues arise, they are dealt with effectively and quickly.  Pupils have consistently good attitudes to learning and in the very best lessons have an outstanding approach to their work. Pupils’ good behaviour contributes strongly to effective learning because they listen to what they have to do and get on with their work.  Older pupils have a good understanding about different types of bullying. They could explain clearly what they needed to do if they were subjected to cyber-bullying.  Pupils’ attendance is high. They enjoy coming to school. Absence is followed up rigorously. Pupils’ good behaviour and considerate approach to others help to make the school a safe place.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher has quickly gained the confidence of staff, parents and pupils. The good work of the acting headteachers and effective strategic support from the local authority ensured that the school made good progress in putting right the weaknesses identified at the last inspection.  The headteacher has wasted no time in getting to know the school well and has a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses, including what needs to be done to improve. Parents are aware of the aspirations of the headteacher. They welcome the newsletters that come from the school, including the governors’ updates on the progress of the school’s improvement plans.  All leaders have a clear role to carry out. This is focussed on raising pupils’ achievements and ensuring that key subjects of English, mathematics and science have high priority. Team and curriculum leaders have a good understanding of what they have to do. There has been success,

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The leadership and management are good

for example in raising achievements in writing, ensuring that problem solving in mathematics receives more attention and that learning in science has a meaningful context.  Not all senior and middle leaders have enough direct involvement in observing lessons across the school. However, they and all teachers are fully aware of the progress of individual and different groups of pupils and are held to account through the robust monitoring and performance management procedures. All teachers have targets that relate specifically to pupils’ performance, key areas of school improvement and reference to the National Teachers’ Standards.  A range of helpful support, including coaching, for teachers has helped to improve the quality of lessons.  Pupils enjoy the subjects they learn about. They find the curriculum interesting and say that there is something to interest everyone. Teachers make very effective efforts to give learning a

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The leadership and management are good

context and, where possible, link subjects together to make them meaningful. Older pupils are confident that they are being very well prepared for their next steps in education. The curriculum successfully supports pupils’ broader cultural awareness.  Despite pupils’ good progress in reading, school leaders correctly identified that pupils’ phonic knowledge was not as strong as it should be. This is now an area of improvement to ensure that phonics and spelling are taught consistently well across the school.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding fully meet requirements.  The governance of the school:  Since the last inspection, governors have successfully increased their understanding of, and involvement in, school improvement matters. They managed the transition between the changing leadership teams effectively. They have quickly developed good relationships with the new headteacher. They have good practices in place to keep an on-going check on how

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The leadership and management are good

well the headteacher and senior leaders are doing. Because they have an improved understanding of pupils’ performance data, governors are now in a position to question more thoroughly the progress of groups of pupils, and do so. They are fully aware of how pupil premium money is spent and are aware that they need to check thoroughly to make sure that this group of pupils continue to make good progress. Governors have been fully involved in setting targets for the headteacher’s performance and know about the performance management of staff and how their targets have been set and matched to pay scales.

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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 123146 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 408604

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 199 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Shannon Stephen Headteacher Ed Read Date of previous school inspection 22–23 February 2012 Telephone number 01865 862337 Fax number 01865 865591 Email address office.3223@cumnor.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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