Croughton All Saints CofE Primary School

Croughton All Saints CofE Primary School High Street, Croughton, Brackley, NN13 5LT

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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 make good progress from their different starting points. Pupils reach above average standards by the end of Year 6, including more-able pupils.  Attainment is rising in all subjects, most particularly in writing. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar progress to their classmates.  Teaching is mostly good and some is outstanding. Teachers use their knowledge about individual pupils to plan lessons that help them improve. They also question pupils well to help them with their learning.  Behaviour is good and managed well. Pupils say they feel safe. Bullying incidents are rare. There are good relationships between teachers and pupils and the school is a happy place to be in.  Pupils take particular pride in completing their home-learning tasks.  Leaders and managers, including governors, have had a positive impact on improving teaching and raising achievement. This is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

because changes to the organisation of learning have helped improve teaching and higher expectations have been set for pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough opportunity for pupils to use new technology in lessons.  The presentation of pupils’ work, including their handwriting, is not good enough.  Pupils do not have enough chance to solve problems and carry out independent real-life investigations using the skills they have gained in mathematics lessons.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all three classes. A total of six lessons were observed, all jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector had discussions with the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative from the local authority, the headteacher, another leader, the school bursar, teachers, and a group of pupils.  The inspector looked at a range of documents and information including the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress, documents relating to safeguarding, data on special educational needs, a pupil case study, the school’s self-evaluation document including its improvement priorities.  A range of pupils’ work was scrutinised across different subjects and the inspector heard pupils of different ages read.  There were 22 results recorded on the online questionnaire Parent View and the inspector met informally with a number of parents and carers at the end of the school day.

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Inspection team

Kathryn Skan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British. There are no other significant groups.  There are very few pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school is receiving the pupil premium is below average. In this school this additional funding applies to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and other groups.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  There are three classes this year all with combined year groups: Reception and Year 1; Years 2 and 3; and Years 4, 5 and 6. The arrangement varies according to the numbers of pupils in the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Move good teaching to outstanding by making sure that:-  teachers consistently plan for pupils’ use of new technology in lessons  pupils’ presentation in books including handwriting is improved  regular opportunities are provided for pupils to work on mathematics activities that involve independent investigations and problem solving, including real-life examples.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The small number of pupils that join Reception each year have varying starting points. This year most children entered Reception with levels of skill that were broadly typical for their age; last year most children entered with levels of skill that were below that. Pupils’ skills in communication and language are invariably the lowest.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make expected or better progress in Reception. Last year the majority of pupils did not reach the early learning goals in literacy and mathematics by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This was due to their lower starting points. Year groups vary considerably and the fact that children join and leave the school at the end of the Reception year means their attainment also varies when they enter Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils this year remain in the same mixed-age class throughout Reception and Year 1. In previous years this has not been the case. For the last two years, the proportion of Year 1 pupils reaching the required standard in the word-based reading check has been above average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Year 2 pupils typically reach average levels in reading and writing. Sometimes standards are below average in mathematics but this varies annually.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress. Standards have been noticeably increasing over the last three years. Last year, high standards were reached at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. Every pupil exceeded expected progress from their Key Stage 1 results in writing and mathematics and most also exceeded in reading. No one achieved less than expected progress, including the more-able pupils who mostly reached very high levels in writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils read widely and often and they communicate very well by the time they leave Year 6. Pupils are well prepared for secondary education and have excellent attitudes to their own learning. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar progress to their peers in each of the key stages because they are always provided for in lessons through teachers’ lesson planning and often receive extra support from teaching assistants.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There are not enough pupils eligible for the pupil premium to comment on their attainment without identifying them, but they all make good progress according to their circumstances. The funding has been used to purchase individual resources and one-to-one support for pupils’ personal and specific needs. New reading books have been purchased at the right levels for some pupils to provide more choice, and particular mathematics resources have also been purchased when needed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Year groups are very small and vary in size. Individuals vary in need, so care must be taken when comparing data with other schools as each individual represents a high proportion of the total.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is mostly good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers know individual pupils very well so they are able to plan lessons carefully to help individual pupils make good progress according to their performance in previous lessons. They are also good at questioning pupils to improve their learning and help them with their work.  Teachers have high expectations. This is followed through in their marking, which is consistent in promoting pupils’ progress. Pupils say they find the ‘tickled pink’ and ‘green for growth’ marking that is the schools’ policy helpful. They know how this helps them to improve and they respond to their teachers’ marking by answering questions or signing to show they have read their comments. Individual targets also help them to improve.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Home learning is a strength of the school. Homework consists of a menu of set tasks at different levels of difficulty, each attracting a number of points which add up to an expected total. Home learning is effectively based around improving pupils’ skills in different areas and is linked to learning in school. Teachers, teaching assistants and other pupils mark the homework and three- dimensional displays are often created around the school from these projects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Targeted lessons are organised for phonics (the sounds that letters make) which are well matched to pupils’ needs. Teaching assistants contribute to these lessons so that the groups are small. Learning is well matched to pupils’ abilities, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and more-able pupils. However, pupils are not specifically encouraged to use neat handwriting or to take pride in the presentation of their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are good at supporting learners at all levels in lessons, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those who receive pupil-premium funding. They support teachers well and often take on extra areas of responsibility for the pupils’ benefit.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers track pupils’ progress regularly in reading, writing and mathematics to form accurate judgements about their attainment. They attend termly meetings with leaders to discuss how pupils are getting on. Teachers then plan lessons appropriately to improve pupils’ skills. However, there is little opportunity for pupils to practise using their skills in mathematical investigations and problem-solving activities, including through real-life examples.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a positive environment for learning in all classrooms. Lessons are centred on ‘children learning’ rather than ‘teachers teaching’, so pupils are provided with activities that promote their interest, engagement and involvement in learning tasks. However, pupils do not often use new technology regularly in lessons in their classrooms to practise and improve their skills, except for planned lessons in the ‘multi-media area’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe and there are good relationships between pupils and teachers so the school feels a pleasant place to be. Attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils are well mannered, polite and friendly and want to do well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour in the playground and in corridors is good. Behaviour in the lunch hall is also good to match that in classrooms. Appropriate moral and social teaching nurtures the right attitudes in pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Bullying is exceedingly rare. Pupils know about different types of bullying and what to do should it occur. Pupils play very well together in the outdoor areas. They feel safe and enjoy playtimes. Any isolated behaviour incidents that do occur are recorded and followed up with appropriate action.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents spoken to raised no concerns about behaviour or safety and unanimously felt their children were happy and safe at school. Parent View results show the vast majority of parents agree. Most parents would recommend the school to another parent.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s behaviour management system is a strength of the school and many parents use the same system at home following a school workshop demonstrating how it works. Various individual rewards and team points are followed up in special weekly assemblies and are highly valued by pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour and safety are not yet outstanding because, although pupils’ attitudes to learning are consistently positive, including in independent work, their thirst for knowledge is not yet strong enough to create a buzz of excitement about learning, particularly in younger age groups.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance over three years is average. Until last year it was above average, but some extended holidays abroad for some pupils affected results. No pupil groups are significantly different in attendance, except those that travel abroad. There have been no exclusions.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, other leaders, the school bursar and the governing body consistently communicate high expectations in all areas of the school’s work. They are very ambitious for the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school evaluates itself well and checks on its work are reflective and accurate. Changes to the organisation of learning have helped improve teaching further this year and higher expectations have been set and often met for pupils’ achievement. Policies are regularly reviewed and the headteacher is instrumental in making sure they are rigorously followed by staff.

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The leadership and management are good

 The quality of teaching has improved as a result of the robust measures which have taken place in relating performance to pay. Teachers are supported to improve their teaching according to their individual needs. Teachers have been coached well to improve their classroom practice to at least good. The school is keen to continue its improvement and responds to any areas of possible underachievement with vigour.

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The leadership and management are good

 Learning, including pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, is well organised and creative. Pupils learn mainly through topics except for specific key areas. Pupils say learning is interesting and enjoyable. Each term’s topic starts off with a ‘wow’ day and various enrichment activities are provided, including visitors and visits. There is effective use of the outdoor areas including a tipi (a traditional Native American home) and a gardening area.

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The leadership and management are good

 There are a number of sporting activities provided by the school. A specific sports coordinator has been employed by the local cluster of schools, towards which the school has made a financial contribution from its primary school sports funding. Regular inter-school competitions and after-school clubs are held in a variety of activities including football, rugby, cross-country, athletics and cricket. It will measure its effectiveness by the pupils’ interest in sport and the sporting performance of its pupils as well as benefits to their health and well being.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers who spoke with inspectors were very enthusiastic about their children’s experiences. They identified the school as approachable and support the headteacher in her leadership. They praised the teaching in Key Stage 2.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes sure all pupils have equal opportunities regardless of their background and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, so that all pupils are fully included.  The local authority has provided specific support to the school when required and cites examples of support given to leaders last year. It has also made regular visits to evaluate the school through data analysis and discussions with the headteacher.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is a strength of the school and provides knowledgeable and effective support and challenge to the school’s leadership. Governors have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and of pupils’ achievement compared with all pupils nationally. They know what the school has done to improve its performance and governors make sure finances are used in a way that supports pupils’ learning effectively. They know how the pupil premium is being spent and how eligible pupils are doing. The governing body uses its knowledge to make decisions about staffing and to make sure pay is linked to teachers’ performance and they know what is done to tackle any underperformance if it should arise. They use the strengths of individual members of the governing body well, with link governors reporting back to the governing body regularly, for example on health and safety. Governors ensure statutory

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The leadership and management are good

duties are met and that arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet current 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 121967 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 425087

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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 controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 74 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Toman Headteacher Helen Goulder Date of previous school inspection 11 November 2008 Telephone number 01869 810727 Fax number 01869 810727 Email address bursar@croughton.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

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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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