Stoke Row CofE Primary School

School report Stoke Row Church of England School Stoke Row, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 5QS

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The newly appointed headteacher has brought an increased rigour to the school and is ambitious for each pupil. She has stabilised the school after a period of change in senior leadership.  Achievement is good. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Achievement in writing has improved and is now in line with that seen in reading and mathematics.  The majority of children in the early years achieve a good level of development and make good progress. They are well equipped for their move to Year 1.  Pupils are taught well; teachers and teaching assistants match activities well to pupils’ individual needs.  The headteacher’s regular checks on teaching are helping new teachers and those who are new to their role to improve rapidly.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons. Pupils value their school highly and feel lucky to be part of such a close-knit

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

community, where all pupils look after and play with each other. Procedures to ensure they are kept safe are good.  The curriculum engages pupils and equips them with the skills and knowledge for life in modern Britain.  Governors know the school well and provide robust challenge to the headteacher. They hold her to account for the progress of each pupil.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Early Years Foundation Stage provision has yet to take full advantage of its new setting, and records of children’s learning are not easy enough to use.  Standards of presentation in pupils’ books are not consistently high.  Teachers do not always provide enough challenge for more able pupils.  Leaders who are new to their roles are not yet working alongside other teachers to improve their classroom practice.  Governors do not record their discussions well enough, or how well staff follow expected procedures, including in areas such as safeguarding.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons, two of which were joint observations with the headteacher. The inspector also made some shorter visits to classes, listened to pupils reading and scrutinised pupils’ work.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, members of staff, a representative from the local authority and a group of pupils from Years 3 to 6.  The inspector took account of parents’ comments, including informal discussions, a letter, a ‘phone call, and 39 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. She also analysed 12 staff questionnaire responses.  The inspector scrutinised a range of school documentation, including the school’s information on pupils’ progress, the school improvement plan, minutes of governors’ meeting and documents related to safeguarding.

p.2

Inspection team

Louise Adams, Lead inspector Seconded Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Stoke Row Church of England School is a much smaller than average primary school, with only four classes.  Most pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for additional funding is well below the national average. This funding is provided for children in the care of the local authority and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs is slightly below average.  All the children in the Early Years Foundation Stage attend full time.  The school meets the current government floor standards for pupils’ achievement.  There have been a number of changes of leadership since the previous inspection. Following three years with two different executive headteachers, the school is now run by a substantive headteacher, who took up the role in January this year.  This term the school completed a building project of two classrooms, which are now used by the

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the Early Years Foundation Stage provision by:  improving the learning environment, with a particular focus on the outside area  making sure there is clear evidence of each child’s development journey, which parents and children can see and to which they can contribute.  Improve pupils’ presentation of work in all subjects by making sure all teachers insist on an agreed set of standards.  Make sure the most able pupils are challenged in all lessons.  Further develop the skills of leaders at all levels so that the rigour seen in some aspects of leadership is evident in all areas, and that the records of governors’ discussions and monitoring are comprehensive.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s determination and passion mean the school is securely good. Staff, pupils and parents speak highly of the positive difference she has made to the culture of the school. Under her leadership, standards have improved, the school site is more secure and there is well-developed communication between the school and community it serves.  The headteacher regularly observes lessons and checks that the work teachers set meets the needs of all pupils. As a result of these checks and the guidance she gives teachers about how to adapt their teaching to meet all pupils’ needs, teaching is good across the school.  The school’s marking and feedback policy is used consistently. Pupils respond to the questions asked and attempt the challenges set for them by the teachers, thereby making more progress.  The headteacher has improved communication with staff and takes account of their ideas. As a result, all

p.4

The leadership and management are good

staff at the school, whatever their role, contribute to improving the school.  All members of staff promote positive relationships with pupils and parents. Consequently, the headteacher and staff enjoy the overwhelming support of parents. This was indicated by the many positive verbal comments and Parent View responses. Parents recently demonstrated their support when approximately half of the families worked over a weekend to help the staff to move all the furniture and equipment into the new building.  The curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to learn skills in a wide range of subjects. The school’s work to develop pupils’ understanding of global citizenship is extremely strong. A good example of this is their project on water, which enabled them to appreciate how and why water is precious and that some people do not have the same ease of access to fresh water as they do.  The school provides a wide range of sporting activities, including running and tennis, and pupils achieve

p.4

The leadership and management are good

very well in competitions. The government funding to promote sport is spent effectively on a range of coaches, such as a dance specialist and an early years physical education specialist, to develop pupils’ skills and teachers’ confidence in a range of activities, as well as improving equipment and resources. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the opportunities they have and how much they enjoy sport at school.  The pupil premium grant is used creatively to provide effective academic and personal support for pupils who are eligible for it. One-to-one tuition for individuals to support their reading and mathematics has resulted in accelerated progress for many pupils. Similarly, providing horse-riding lessons to build self- esteem has resulted in positive feedback from pupils and improved attendance.  Care and support provided for disabled pupils and those with specific educational needs is good. The

p.4

The leadership and management are good

special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a thorough understanding of the needs of each pupil on the register. She carefully considers the progress they make and how best to support them. She has trained the teaching assistants effectively. As a result of the training on open-ended questioning, teaching assistants now ask questions which encourage pupils to think carefully and explain their reasoning.  The school promotes equality of opportunity strongly through its work on being part of a global community, sport and personal, social, health and moral education. Pupils value each other and recognise each member of the school community as being special and different.  The school’s work on spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is strong. The assemblies and prayers encourage time for reflection and give a strong moral message which supports the pupils’ learning in personal, social and health education lessons.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Due to the smaller than average size of the school, all of the experienced teachers have a leadership role. While subject leaders have a strong understanding of their role, they are not consistently effective in monitoring the quality of provision in their subjects and involved in improving it where necessary.  The school ensures that all statutory safeguarding arrangements are met. However, the robust actions of staff to keep pupils safe are not always recorded as rigorously as they should be.  The local authority school intervention leader knows the school well and provides the headteacher with relevant and useful advice and support. He has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and makes helpful recommendations to the headteacher regarding priorities. The training, support and feedback provided for leaders and teachers are helping them to become even more effective.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors provide effective support and challenge for the school and headteacher. They are fully involved in the school’s self-evaluation process and have a good understanding of the priorities for further improvement and of pupils’ achievement, as demonstrated by the performance management targets set for the headteacher. They provide relevant support to the headteacher, but rightly hold her to account for the progress of all pupils, asking for evidence of support and explanations for the progress made.  The governing body is appropriately involved in decisions about teachers’ pay and the performance management process.  The effectiveness of governance is not always made as clear as it should be in the meeting minutes because questions asked by governors are not recorded.  Governors implement safer recruitment processes well and oversee the school’s systems for keeping

p.4

The leadership and management are good

pupils safe; however, they do not always record clearly enough that expected procedures are followed.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  In lessons and around the school, pupils demonstrate good behaviour. They are attentive in lessons and incidents of inappropriate behaviour are rare. This means that pupils are able to concentrate on what is being taught.  The school manages behaviour well and everyone follows the behaviour policy. The few incidents that result in a sanction are recorded, summarised in the headteacher’s report to governors and monitored to ensure they do not link to a particular cohort or teacher.  Pupils are very supportive of each other and adapt their behaviour to meet the needs of other pupils. For example, to help a pupil who used sign language, all staff and pupils learned some basic signing. This form of communication has now been adopted as a whole-school method of asking the teacher for permission to go to the toilet without interrupting lessons.  School records and discussion with pupils shows that incidents of bullying are extremely rare and dealt

p.5

Behaviour

with quickly to ensure there is no repeat. No incidents of racism have been recorded and pupils are confident it could not happen at their school.  Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils are confident that they could speak to their teachers or another member of staff if they had a concern.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good because all staff understand their roles and responsibilities for safety and safeguarding.  The school provides a safe environment for its pupils. Pupils learn how to stay safe through a range of lessons and experiences, including the Injury Minimisation Programme undertaken by Year 6 pupils, internet safety taught to all year groups and anti-bullying week.  Attendance at the school is broadly in line with the national average. It is checked each half term by the school, and the headteacher contacts parents of pupils with low attendance, and action is taken to address it.  Pupils feel safe and cared for. They commented that staff keep them safe all the time, even when they see them out of school hours.  All parents’ comments and survey responses indicate they are confident in the school’s work to keep pupils safe. They talk positively about the improved security of the site.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Observations of learning in lessons and evidence in pupils’ books show that the quality of teaching is good and results in almost all pupils making good or better progress.  Pupils appreciate their teachers’ efforts to make lessons fun and they look forward to learning. The writing week, during which all pupils worked from a whole-school text on different activities, was particularly motivating and resulted in high quality work in all year groups.  Pupils are taught to read well. They learn phonics (how letters link to sounds) from when they join the school until Year 3, and read in groups with other pupils of a similar ability, supported by a teacher. Weaker readers are helped in a variety of ways, including regular one-to-one reading, or reading to a dog, as part of a ‘pet therapy’ scheme, which develops their confidence. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading through the stories they hear in school and the daily reading of their own choice of books.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Writing has been a significant focus for the school, due to attainment being lower than in reading and mathematics. Teachers model different types of writing and are clear about what features pupils should include to be successful in a particular type of writing. As a result, much of the creative writing seen in books includes the specific features and is of a high standard.  Teachers, with support from the SENCo, plan lessons and teaching carefully to make sure these help all pupils to learn well, including those with special educational needs who need extra help. An example of this is in the Year 1 and 2 classes, where the teacher routinely puts reminders on each table to help pupils to know what to do next. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make good progress.  Mathematics teaching is strong. Teachers ensure pupils consolidate their learning well before they move on. This was demonstrated in a Years 5 and 6 lesson on equivalent fractions. The pupils who needed most

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

support worked with the teacher using a fractions wall, while the most able pupils worked very effectively with a teaching assistant to multiply and divide fractions. Pupils who understood equivalent fractions but needed to develop their confidence had an opportunity to practise and consolidate their learning.  The most able pupils are often challenged well in lessons. However, sometimes the challenges are not sufficiently open-ended so pupils can only learn as much as the activity allows.  Standards of presentation are inconsistent. There is a lack of clarity about when pen or pencil should be used, and untidy work is rarely commented on by teachers.  Teaching assistants are a strength of the school. They are keen to develop their skills, and the training they have had has developed their confidence and effectiveness. They now work with pupils of different abilities and give accurate and detailed feedback on the learning the pupils have made.

p.6

The achievement of pupils

 From their varied starting points, almost all pupils make the expected progress, and many make more progress than is expected.  At the end of Key Stage 2, almost all pupils reach the expected level for their age in reading, writing and mathematics and achieve above the national average.  More able pupils make good progress but could achieve even more if staff expected more of them.  Achievement in reading is consistently above the national average at both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Teachers check pupils’ reading carefully and provide extra support where necessary. The strong outcomes reflect the effective teaching and emphasis on regular reading for enjoyment.  In mathematics, pupils’ achievement is also consistently strong. The mathematics subject leader has a thorough knowledge of pupils’ progress across the school and has put in place relevant additional support and resources where pupils are falling behind. This means that all pupils make expected progress and

p.6

The achievement of pupils

many exceed expectations. The most able pupils achieve well in mathematics, with almost a quarter achieving significantly above the expected level for the end of primary school.  As a result of the focused teaching, achievement in writing has risen this year and is now in line with the strong achievement in reading and mathematics. The school recognises that boys do not achieve as well as girls in writing and their work to tackle this is proving to be effective. This is shown through the writing in boys’ books, which indicates, for example, that vocabulary is now chosen more carefully for effect.  Pupils who are supported by the pupil premium grant achieve in line with other pupils, and above the national average, so there is no gap in their attainment compared to that of other pupils of their age.  The progress of pupils with a special educational need is checked carefully and effective support is put in

p.6

The achievement of pupils

place to accelerate learning. These pupils make good progress from their starting points and often catch up with other pupils, despite some pupils being off school for extended periods due to medical issues.

p.6

The early years provision

 The Early Years Foundation Stage provides good quality care and education for the children. Parents confirm how quickly the children settled in and how much they enjoy school.  Alongside the teacher, the headteacher provides good leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage. She has utilised support from the local authority to give advice to the Reception class teacher and ensure all areas of learning are provided for. This means that pupils make good progress in all areas of learning.  The children are safe and well cared for. Since the beginning of term, the children have learned how to play well. They take turns and use good manners to ask for toys; consequently, their behaviour is good.  The teacher and teaching assistants know the children very well and use every opportunity to develop the children’s knowledge of letters and numbers. For example, when a die hit a child’s foot by accident, the

p.6

The early years provision

teacher asked him what the number was and asked him to tell her one more than that number.  Teaching in almost all subjects is strong and staff provide purposeful activities to support the pupils’ learning in specific subjects and during free-flow, when the children choose what they want to do.  The new foundation classroom provides an attractive and good-sized space for learning. The teacher has worked very hard to make it purposeful in the few weeks since the move. She recognises there is more to do, particularly with the outside area. She has exciting plans for the space, such as a mud kitchen and a writing tent, but needs the resources and time to make it happen quickly.  Most children in early years achieve a good level of development and make good progress. The electronic system for recording what the pupils can do, works well for showing a snapshot in time. It does not, however, demonstrate the journey of development that the children make. This means that opportunities

p.7

The early years provision

for children and parents to celebrate learning are limited. It also means it is difficult for the teacher and headteacher to evidence how much progress the children have made since they started in September, and to make sure all opportunities are taken to build on what pupils already know.

p.7

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 failing

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 123136 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 448849

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary Aided School Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 78 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dr David Lowe Headteacher Miss Charlotte Harris Date of previous school inspection 26–27 April 2010 Telephone number 01491 680720 Email address office@stoke-row-school.co.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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 and 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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10