Wootton St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Wootton St Peter’s Church of England Primary School Wootton Village, Boars Hill, Oxford, OX1 5HP

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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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This is a good school

 Pupils achieve well throughout the school. All groups of pupils make good progress from their starting points.  Teaching is consistently good. Teachers and additional adults work closely together in planning and delivering learning that meets nearly all pupils’ needs.  In this small school, with mixed-age classes, each pupil’s individual needs are well catered for.  Pupils behave well and have highly positive attitudes to learning. The school works well to make sure that pupils understand how to stay safe.  The headteacher and governors provide strong and effective leadership and management. They have high expectations and are working well to make sure that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement improve further.  The school has a strong ethos and values that are shared and understood by all. The school buildings and grounds are attractive and well stocked with a range of equipment to help pupils learn.

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This is a good school

 Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities beyond the classroom and these ensure that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Too few pupils achieve at the highest levels because teaching is not always as challenging as possible.  Pupils have yet to benefit fully from the approaches that are being implemented to foster their creativity and imagination.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector and headteacher observed four lessons together. The inspector also made shorter visits to a number of other lessons.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers before the start of the school day and took account of the 66 responses to Parent View, the online questionnaire. Two separate letters written by parents were also considered along with the 14 returns made by staff in the staff questionnaire.  The inspector looked carefully at pupils’ work in different subjects, including English and mathematics, and talked with pupils about their work and their views about school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders, other staff and members of the governing body. She spoke to an officer from the local authority to explore aspects relating to leadership and management of the school and how these impact on pupils’ attainment and progress.  The inspector looked closely at a range of documentation including the school’s data relating to

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ attainment and progress; information about the checking of teaching and learning; and minutes of governing body meetings, along with documents relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

Marion Hobbs, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized primary school serving a village community to the south west of Oxford. There are 16 pupils in each year and the school is oversubscribed. Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked-after children, those eligible for free school meals and those with a parent in the armed forces) is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The school holds the Healthy School Award and has Silver Award status as an Eco School and in teaching Primary Languages. It holds the International School Award at Foundation level for its

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Information about this school

links with a school in mainland China.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so it is typically outstanding by:  developing teachers’ abilities to vary pace and challenge in activities through their sharing of the best practice that already exists in the school so that all pupils always make good or rapid progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop pupils’ creativity and imagination through a range of approaches that will help them to achieve at the highest levels.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The skills, knowledge and understanding pupils have when they join the school are broadly in line with those typical for their age. Good teaching means that every child is well understood as an individual and helped to make good progress in the Reception year, including in their understanding of letters and sounds as well as number.  This individual and tailored support continues throughout the school with pupils benefiting from care and guidance that help them to achieve their best. Year 6 pupils have a personal mentor to provide additional support as they prepare to move to their new school and the demands of Year 7.  Progress in lessons is good. Pupils are encouraged to think for themselves and to work with each other to solve problems, making good gains in their knowledge and understanding. The school’s information on pupils’ progress indicates that all pupils make good progress over time, and that

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The achievement of pupils is good

disabled pupils and those who have a statement of special educational needs make at least the progress that they should in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium attain at a similar level to other pupils and make the same rates of progress as their classmates.  Pupils at the end of Year 1 score at above the expected level in the national phonics screening check. Good teaching helps them to achieve well.  Attainment at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics in 2012 and 2013 was above the national level. Work in pupils’ books shows that they develop skills quickly and make good rates of progress in all subjects. More-able pupils benefit from activities that are more challenging and appropriate to their needs, so that they make good gains in their learning, and reach above average standards. However, too few pupils attain the

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The achievement of pupils is good

highest levels because activities and pace of learning do not stretch pupils’ thinking fully.  Parents and carers are confident that their children are happy and make good progress at school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good across the school and this supports pupils’ good rates of progress.  Children develop their communication skills well. For example, Reception and Year 1 pupils took great pride in practising letter formation while in Years 5 and 6 pupils showed maturity and reflection in turning their oral debate into extended writing.  Teachers and additional adults have high expectations and strong subject knowledge. Their questioning and the positive relationships between adults and pupils promote good behaviour for learning which in turn supports pupils’ good rates of progress.  Both teaching and the progress of all pupils are monitored closely by the headteacher and senior leaders. Appropriate interventions are put in place swiftly to support any pupil identified as being at risk of underachieving. Pupil premium funding is deployed effectively to provide additional support for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is marked regularly and accurately. Pupils benefit from comments in marking that help them to understand what they need to do in order to improve their work further.  Homework is set at an appropriate level on a regular basis for all classes. Pupils say this helps them to improve the overall quality of their learning.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because occasionally the pace of learning in lessons is too fast or too slow. As a result pupils either do not develop a thorough understanding of their work or are not moved on to more difficult work soon enough. Sometimes activities do not fully develop pupils’ creative talents to boost their learning even further.  Pupils read confidently and enthusiastically. All pupils have a reading counsellor to work with them individually and a wide range of texts are available for pupils to choose from in order to help them develop their tastes as readers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school ensures that there are many opportunities for pupils to develop their wider skills. For example, ‘Origami club’ is led by Year 5 pupils and ‘Crystal club’ by pupils in Years 3 and 4. The mixed-age classes naturally help pupils to build social skills and as a result, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  They are routinely well behaved both in and out of lessons. They are unfailingly cooperative, friendly and welcoming.  Behaviour and safety are not outstanding because pupils have yet to learn how to take control of their learning in lessons for themselves.  Pupils say how much they enjoy all aspects of their learning and they talk with confidence about their work.  The school buildings and grounds are attractive and well maintained, and there is a full range of equipment that supports pupils’ development and skills.  The atmosphere in and around school is calm and positive, underpinned by the religious ethos that supports its work. Daily assemblies and the system of values that are well understood by all pupils help them to develop their moral and spiritual understanding.  Any disruption to learning in lessons is very rare and should it occur it is dealt with quickly and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

appropriately by adults.  Staff, parents and carers are all highly positive about the school and all it does for its pupils. Pupils and families are known individually and the school works with sensitivity to meet particular circumstances.  There are very few incidents over time related to any form of bullying or inappropriate, racist language. Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes different forms of bullying but are confident that these are not an issue for them at school. The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including those related to e-safety.  Attendance is above average and there have been no exclusions over time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and governing body communicate high expectations to all staff. There is a strong drive to see the school improve further.  All leaders and managers, including governors, examine attainment and progress data regularly to support improvement in pupils’ outcomes. Each pupil is known as an individual and support is targeted effectively.  Strong systems are well embedded for senior leaders to check on the quality of teaching across the school. The management of teachers’ performance is robust and aligned to pupils’ outcomes and school priorities. Teachers’ progression in terms of pay is linked to the Teachers’ Standards and used to reward good practice.  The school has an accurate view of its own performance. The local authority is confident that the school provides a good standard of education for its pupils. It supports the school effectively by brokering an external consultant to work with the headteacher on aspects of leadership and

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The leadership and management are good

management on an annual basis.  The school uses its pupil premium funding effectively to provide additional teaching for reading, writing and mathematics to those pupils identified as needing extra support, as well as providing for their wider needs, through pupils’ full participation in educational visits as well as the purchase of school uniform. Pupils supported through the pupil premium achieve at the same rates as their peers, attaining similar standards to their peers in English and mathematics.  The range of subjects and activities provided by the school is varied and is constantly reviewed by all staff, although some activities do not always fully capitalise upon some pupils’ creative talents. Literacy and numeracy skills are provided for well and are always linked to the range of experiences pupils encounter along with additional spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning.  The extensive outdoor facilities that the school has developed over time include an allotment, a

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The leadership and management are good

pond area and a spiritual garden where pupils have dedicated space to be able to be quiet and still.  Strong links with external partners mean that any potentially vulnerable pupil is supported swiftly and sensitively. Families are known individually and support is readily available for any kind of need.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.  The school is making effective use of the government’s additional primary sports funding. A professional sports coach is working with pupils to develop team games and is also training teachers and teaching assistants to develop their physical education skills. Regular participation in local and regional competitions and tournaments include rugby, football, gymnastics and swimming.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is completely committed to ensuring the best education possible for all

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The leadership and management are good

pupils. It has a clear, strategic vision for the school’s future and an accurate understanding of its performance in relation to others. It monitors the school’s work closely with the headteacher, providing robust support and asking searching questions. Governors have a good understanding of how the teaching staff contribute to the overall performance of the school and are closely involved in the recruiting of high-calibre candidates to join the school. They ensure that there is a secure link between salary progression and teachers’ performance. Governors manage the school’s finances effectively, including the deployment of pupil premium funding and sports funding. Governors involve themselves as much as possible in the daily life of the school and are readily available to listen to the views of parents and carers.

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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 123223 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 429598

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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 108 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Sue Srawley Headteacher Mrs Shona Howie Date of previous school inspection 9 March 2009 Telephone number 01865 735643 Fax number 01865 735643 Email address school.3854@wootton-abingdon.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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