Oxley Primary School Shepshed

Oxley Primary School Shepshed Thorpe Road, Shepshed, Loughborough, LE12 9LU

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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 school successfully builds on the flying start children make in the Reception class. As a result, attainment at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics is above average.  By the end of Year 5, when pupils leave the school, most of them reach standards which are above those expected for their age. They are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.  Teaching is usually good and it has some outstanding features. As a result, pupils continue to make good progress as they move through the school from their relatively lower than typical levels of attainment on entry.  Pupils’ behaviour is excellent and their attitudes to learning are impressive. Their relationships with each other and with adults are very positive.  Leadership and management are good. The headteacher and subject leaders are focused on improving pupils’ achievement and personal development, including their physical well-

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

being.  The range of subjects and other activities contribute well to pupils’ basic skills as well as enriching their overall learning.  The school has strong links with parents and has their full confidence.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to speed up pupils’ progress further, particularly among the most-able pupils.  Teachers instruct pupils for far too long to allow them time to work independently. Their comments on pupils’ work are not precise enough to help improve it.  The checks that senior and subject leaders make on teaching do not always focus on the progress different groups of pupils make in lessons.  Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is slightly lower than in English. In some lessons, pupils are not able to explain what they are doing or what they have learnt from their mistakes.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching 15 lessons, one of which was jointly observed with the headteacher. They also reviewed a sample of pupils’ written work.  Meetings were held with a randomly selected group of pupils, the Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and another of its members, as well as senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector talked to a representative of the local authority by telephone.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documents, including the school’s collation and analysis of pupils’ current and recent assessment data, planning and monitoring documentation, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  Inspectors took into account the views of 31 parents and carers through their responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, together with the school’s own survey of parental opinions undertaken in the summer term 2013.  Inspectors also considered responses to a questionnaire returned by 20 staff.

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Inspection team

Krishan Sharma, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Carol Worthington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Pupils transfer to secondary education at the end of Year 5.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion of those who are supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding is below average. This is extra funding provided by the government to support certain groups of pupils. In this school, it applies only to pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The headteacher is due to retire at the end of the autumn term 2013. The deputy headteacher is set to take over in an interim capacity from January 2014 pending the appointment of a permanent headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching from good to outstanding so that pupils make rapid and sustained progress in all lessons by:  setting tasks that provide the right levels of challenge to move pupils’ learning on, particularly for the most-able pupils  giving precise feedback on pupils’ work during lessons and on how to improve it  shortening teachers’ instructions and explanations to enable pupils to work on their own for longer periods of time  focusing strongly on the learning and the progress of different groups during observations of teaching by senior and subject leaders.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that pupils’ skills in mathematics are consistently strengthened across the school by:  increasing opportunities for pupils to practise their calculation skills in working out practical and real-life problems  routinely expecting pupils to explain what they have been doing and how they learn from their mistakes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children usually enter the Reception year at levels below those typical for their age, particularly in their early literacy and numeracy skills. They do well in most areas of their learning and their attainment is rising. In 2013, the proportion of children achieving or exceeding the expected level of development was close to the figure published in the national pilot study.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has successfully tackled the dip in its Key Stage 1 results in the reading, writing and mathematics tests in 2012. The rise in all three subjects in the 2013 national results and the work seen during the inspection show that standards are currently above average. This represents good progress from pupils’ starting points on entry to Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress continues during Key Stage 2. The school’s most recent data and pupils’ current work show that, by the end of Year 5, most pupils reach levels of performance that are above those expected for their age in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ reading and writing skills are improving throughout the school. Pupils’ knowledge of phonics (linking letters and the sounds they make) is getting stronger. The provisional figures for 2013 show that the proportion of Year 1 pupils achieving and exceeding the expected level of development in the national phonic check is above the national figures for the second consecutive year. Pupils use their writing skills well in other subjects and they can effectively organise their ideas.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in mathematics is increasing and pupils’ achievement is good overall. Pupils are confident in handling numbers and most can calculate accurately. However, in some lessons, pupils are not able to explain how they work out their calculations and how mistakes improve their understanding. The subject leader has already identified the need for pupils to apply their calculation skills in solving mathematical problems more often.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of the most-able pupils working at and achieving higher-than-expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics fluctuates. An increasing proportion of pupils are now reaching the higher levels but, in some lessons, their progress is slower because the work set does not demand enough of them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set for them, which are carefully planned to meet their needs accurately.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The gap in attainment in English and mathematics between pupils supported through the pupil premium and others in the school is smaller than that found nationally. These pupils achieve almost as well as other pupils in the school. Senior leaders are working effectively at closing the gap further by tracking the progress of the few pupils supported and targeting extra help for them in one-to-one or small group situations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is usually good and it has some outstanding features. The quality of teaching has fully contributed to pupils’ consistently good progress over recent years and to their achievement. As well as improving pupils’ basic skills, teaching has promoted their social skills, attitudes to learning and relationships well.  In the Reception class, adults are extremely effective in encouraging pupils to think for themselves and to try all the activities planned for them. Adults are very skilled in observing and assessing children at work and in using this information to plan the next steps in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Typically, teachers build on pupils’ prior learning. Teachers and other adults have high expectations. Teachers use skilful questioning to test out pupils’ understanding. Routinely, teachers and other adults check pupils’ progress during lessons and give them feedback on how well they are doing. This feedback is not always precise enough to help pupils to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In general, teachers manage time in lessons well. In some lessons, they spend too much time on their introductions and explanations. As a result, pupils do not have enough time to work on the activities on their own or with others.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the most effective lessons, teachers gain high levels of commitment from pupils because they set tasks that are engaging and manage to instil a love of learning. The reason for learning makes perfect sense to pupils. The most-able pupils rise to the challenge in these lessons and achieve their best.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics is well established and fully contributes to pupils’ achievement in reading, which is consistently good. The teaching of writing is systematic. Teachers help pupils’ understand strengths and weaknesses in their writings. The teaching of mathematics is strong in improving pupils’ calculation skills; it is not as strong in equipping them to discuss their mathematical work or apply their mathematical knowledge to unfamiliar situations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and of the pupils supported through pupil premium funding, is thoughtful and enables them to make good progress. It takes into account an accurate assessment of these pupils’ specific needs. Extra support is targeted to help these groups to catch up with other groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of the most able pupils is uneven across the school. In the most effective examples, the work given is challenging them and they make the best possible progress. In some lessons, however, they are not challenged sufficiently to enable them to make the good or exceptional progress of which they are capable.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. Parents, staff and pupils fully recognise and appreciate the high standards of behaviour at the school. Teachers and adults manage behaviour consistently and exceptionally well, which contributes to the safe and secure environment in which pupils love learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attitudes to learning are extremely positive in all lessons and in all years. These very purposeful attitudes have contributed to pupils’ consistently good progress and achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Children’s behaviour in the Reception year is excellent and they relate extremely well to each other and adults. Inspectors noticed their great enthusiasm for learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say they feel very safe at school and their parents agree with them. Parents think very highly of the level of care shown by staff towards their children. Pupils say that bullying is rare, and it is dealt with promptly. They are aware of the different forms bullying can take, such as name calling or the misuse of the internet, or that which is prejudice-based.  Attendance is average and is improving. Senior leaders and the governing body continue with their efforts in actively promoting good attendance and punctuality.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders have been successful in securing pupils’ good achievement, their personal development and the good quality of teaching. The school’s continuing success indicates that the school has good capacity to improve further. The headteacher’s commitment to promoting a love of learning is reflected in pupils’ ‘I can’ attitude to all their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The current priorities for improvement are the right ones for its future direction, although the proposed actions are not always precisely stated. Subject leaders in English and mathematics keep developments under review to ensure that pupils benefit from them.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has an effective system to check pupils’ progress. This enables senior leaders to review the performance of different groups of pupils to ensure that all groups enjoy equality of opportunity. Extra help is allocated for pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support and for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. This support is making a difference as the school’s current assessment data show that these pupils are catching up with their peers.

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The leadership and management are good

 Checks on the quality of teaching are regular. Observations made by the headteacher and other senior leaders pick out many effective features of pupils’ learning. However, they do not always focus on the progress different groups of pupils make in lessons or how some of them, for example more-able pupils, could be supported better.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has made clear plans to use the new primary school sports funding. Participation in physical activities is on the increase and the school has already planned to assess their impact on pupils’ physical well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The recently adopted arrangements for performance management fully take into account the links between pay increases and teachers’ effectiveness in the classroom. Staff training is rightly linked to the school’s key priorities for development and the individual needs of staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 The range of subjects taught and other activities contribute well to the development of pupils’ basic skills and promote their personal development. Enrichment activities, such as educational visits, visitors to school, sport, music, art and celebration of diverse festivals, all promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works well with parents and welcomes their engagement with their children’s learning. Parents have confidence in the school and would willingly recommend it to others.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides a ‘light-touch’ support for the school. It maintains an overview of the school’s performance in the national test results, which have not caused it any recent concern.  The governance of the school:  Governors know the school well, including its strengths and relative weaknesses. They also have a good understanding of the quality of teaching in the school. The detailed knowledge that governors gather through reports and visits enables them to support the school’s leaders as well as holding them to account for the school’s performance. The governing body looks at pupils’ performance data and it has a good grasp how well the school is doing against the national picture. The performance management of teachers has established clear links between their performance and pay increases. The governing body ensures the 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 119961 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 429397

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4-10 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 217 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Scott Heath Headteacher Lawrence Richards Date of previous school inspection 2 February 2009 Telephone number 01509 502483 Fax number 01509 505536 Email address office@oxley-shepshed.leics.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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