East Oxford Primary School

East Oxford Primary School Union Street, Oxford, OX4 1JP

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the last inspection, the relentless focus of the previous and current headteachers on improving the quality of teaching has been key to the school’s rapid improvement.  Pupils achieve well and, from low starting points, they now reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Most pupils make good progress because teaching is predominately good. Teachers’ expectations are much higher and they now plan interesting lessons so pupils quickly make up for the lost ground of previous years.  Pupils are polite and behave well. Their positive attitudes make a strong contribution to their learning. They enjoy school, feel safe and are keen to learn.  Children in the early years make good progress in their communication and personal skills so they are well prepared for Year 1.  A caring and nurturing atmosphere contributes effectively to pupils’ strong spiritual, moral, social

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and cultural development. They show respect and tolerance for those of other faiths, cultures and communities.  The exciting range of subjects is enriched considerably by a wide range of clubs, trips and activities that develop pupils’ sporting, musical and creative skills.  Governors are skilled, knowledgeable and dedicated to making the school the best it can possibly be. They frequently make their own checks on the school’s performance through regular visits to classes to see pupils at work.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is currently no dedicated leader to make sure that the pupils who speak English as an additional language continue to make good progress.  Pupils have too few opportunities to use information and communication technology to support their learning in lessons.  Some teaching assistants require training so they can support pupils’ language and learning more effectively.  Although improving each year, not enough pupils in Year 1 are reaching the expected standard in phonics (the sounds that letters make).  Levels of attendance are below average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 lessons or parts of lessons, many of which were seen jointly with the headteacher or other senior leaders. Observations were also made of the teaching of phonics.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading and looked carefully at their work in lessons. They also scrutinised pupils’ English and mathematics books to establish the quality of their work.  Inspectors spoke to pupils during lessons, lunchtimes and playtimes. Several groups of pupils discussed their views about the school with inspectors.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, the early years leader, senior and subject leaders, the inclusion leader, five members of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation. This included the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans, the minutes of governing body meetings, records of lesson observations and the

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Information about this inspection

management of staff performance, information on pupils’ progress, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Account was taken of the 32 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and the school’s recent parental survey. Inspectors also spoke to parents in the playground. Questionnaires were returned by 19 members of staff, whose views were also considered.

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Inspection team

Joyce Cox, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school serves a diverse community. Eighty per cent of the pupils come from a very wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Around 70% of pupils speak English as an additional language and 30 different languages are spoken. The largest group of pupils in the school comes from a Pakistani heritage. (26%)  In the early years, children are taught in a Nursery and two Reception classes. Most of the Nursery children attend part-time, with just five children attending full-time. All the Reception children attend full- time.  The number of pupils who join the school part-way through their primary education is higher than the national figure. Some of these have not had prior experience of schooling and many arrive with little or no English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above average.  An above-average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium. The pupil premium funding is

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Information about this school

additional government funding which supports pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  There have been many significant staff changes since the last inspection. In July 2013, the headteacher retired. An experienced interim headteacher was employed for the 2013 to 2014 school year. A new headteacher joined the school in September 2014.  The senior leadership team has been restructured and five new teachers have joined the school, including a newly qualified teacher. The school has been supported by the headteacher of an outstanding school within the OPEN Academy Chain, who is a National Leader of Education (NLE).  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club. There is a children’s centre on the same site which

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by appointing a permanent leader to oversee the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language so that their good progress is maintained and new staff can be supported effectively in the best ways to teach spoken English.  Increase attendance levels to at least the national average by developing further incentives to deter parents from taking extended holidays abroad.  Strengthen the good teaching so that pupils make even more rapid progress by making sure that:  staff assess pupils’ phonic knowledge rigorously and by raising expectations in lessons so that a greater proportion of Year 1 pupils acquire the expected standard in the phonic check  all teaching assistants provide maximum support in lessons  pupils can use computer technology more in lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has swiftly and effectively built on the rapid improvements in pupils’ attainment and achievement seen during the interim headteacher’s leadership. He has established a new senior team with the correct skills and attitudes to lead and manage further improvement. He has introduced effective ways to measure pupils’ progress and raised staff’s expectations.  All staff and governors now share a common sense of purpose and leaders have made sure that teaching, achievement and pupils’ behaviour are all good. Subject leaders are much more involved in school improvement as English and mathematics leaders regularly visit classes and influence improvements. Senior leaders have successfully improved pupils’ attainment and progress so that, from low entry points, pupils’ attainment is now much closer to national expectations.  Many staff are highly skilled in devising ways to make sure pupils who speak English as an additional

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The leadership and management are good

language achieve well. However, with recent staff changes, there is currently no permanent coordinator to provide verbal and written guidance to new staff on the most effective ways to support pupils whose first language is not English. This is why leadership and management are not outstanding.  There is a robust system for managing teachers’ performance. Teachers are set targets which clearly show how much progress their pupils are expected to make. Frequent checks on teaching, including observations and looking at work in pupils’ books, show leaders where improvements are needed.  There is now a shared understanding among staff that all pupils can achieve well and that only good or better teaching is acceptable. The headteacher and governors ensure that teachers’ pay rises are dependent on pupils’ good progress. Training and individual support ensure that all teachers, including those at the early stages of their career, improve their practice and meet their targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 The extra funds available to support disadvantaged pupils are used effectively to narrow gaps in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and others in school and nationally.  Most parents and carers are happy with what the school provides. One, summing up the views of many, said, ‘We love the way the school embraces its diversity and takes time and effort to meet the needs of all the children.’  The new headteacher, staff and pupils have developed an ‘expert’ curriculum which enables pupils to study and research topics in depth, which has generated considerable interest and motivation. Pupils enjoy and benefit from specialist teaching in art and physical education, nature study and Forest School experiences. The curriculum is further enhanced through partnerships with local universities and a theatre.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. Pupils enjoy a range of

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The leadership and management are good

educational visits, visitors and clubs. They visit many local places of worship, including churches, mosques and synagogues. Pupils are helped to understand the democratic process through school council elections and through experiences such as Year 6 pupils attending a mock trial with local magistrates.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They celebrate the diverse community in which they live and are interested in, and very respectful towards, each other’s faiths and nationalities. This is because the school promotes equality of opportunity well, does not tolerate discrimination and successfully creates an ethos where positive relationships can flourish.  The primary school physical education and sport funding is used effectively to provide specialist coaching to raise attainment in physical education across the school. As a result, 94% of pupils achieved expected levels at the end of Year 6 last year.

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The leadership and management are good

 Arrangements to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils are good. All statutory requirements are met and senior staff make sure policies and procedures are rigorous and robust.  The local authority provides effective support. Regular visits to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning, together with detailed reports and staff training, have helped improvement planning and pupils’ accelerated progress. The local authority judges that the school has made good progress since the last inspection.  The governance of the school:  Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development because they carefully analyse a range of information, such as figures relating to pupils’ academic performance.  The governing body has a strong core of experienced governors who have successfully supported the school in making considerable improvements over the last two years. Governors are very involved in all

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The leadership and management are good

aspects of the school, visit regularly and rigorously challenge the school on many issues, including the use of pupil premium funding. They know that the school is improving rapidly and are ambitious for continued improvement. They visit lessons regularly to find out about the quality of teaching for themselves. Governors know that teachers have to reach challenging targets in order to receive a pay rise and are keen to reward exceptional performance while understanding the systems that are in place to tackle any poor performance. They ensure safeguarding arrangements meet current requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils, staff and most parents agree. Pupils have good attitudes in lessons. They enjoy learning very much and are keen and eager to succeed, which ensures that they make good progress in most lessons. Just occasionally, a small number of pupils misbehave when the teaching does not fully engage and challenge them.  Pupils readily cooperate and share ideas with each other and maintain good concentration. They show a good deal of respect for, and listen carefully to, each other’s opinions. The way pupils present their work in books has improved since the last inspection and is now good throughout the school.  All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and manage pupils with challenging behaviour very well. Most pupils are polite, courteous and friendly, and there is total respect shown for all pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.  Pupils are well supervised at playtimes and lunchtimes and play together cooperatively. They are proud of

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Behaviour

their school and help look after the building and the garden areas well. They relish opportunities to be school councillors, junior leaders and Eco-warriors, and carry out these duties conscientiously.  The school has worked hard to improve attendance over the last few years; it is improving steadily year- on-year and is currently just below the national average. A small number of families take extended holidays, which has a detrimental impact on attendance levels.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school. All parents spoken to during the inspection agreed that their children are kept safe in school. School records show that there are very few racist or bullying incidents; these are well recorded and follow-up has been rigorous.  In pupil interviews with the new headteacher (June 2014), when asked about the strengths of the school, one pupil said, ‘We don’t bully each other here like in some other schools.’ Pupils told inspectors that any minor incidents, such as name-calling, are dealt with swiftly. They said they knew about different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, through assemblies and class lessons.  Keeping pupils safe and ensuring pupils know how to keep themselves safe has a high priority. Year 6 pupils take part in the Injury Minimisation Programme. All pupils learn about personal safety through visits

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Safety

by firefighters and through road safety lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good over time. Consequently, pupils learn well and make good progress. Work in pupils’ books, as well as checks carried out by leaders and evidence gathered during the inspection, demonstrates that the quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. The new curriculum provides staff with very clear guidance on what pupils are expected to learn and greatly assists their planning to meet pupils’ various abilities.  Most teachers plan lessons carefully to immediately engage and interest pupils of all abilities. A group of Year 3 and 4 pupils said, ‘Teachers are lovely, they teach you properly, lessons are interesting and we learn a lot.’ Clear explanations and skilful questioning ensure that most pupils build on previous learning and achieve well.  Teachers regularly check on pupils’ progress in lessons so they can swiftly extend the most-able learners

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The quality of teaching is good

and give extra help when pupils find tasks difficult. No time is wasted as teachers have high expectations for all groups of pupils. As a result, the way pupils present their work in books has improved significantly.  Many teaching assistants make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning but there are some occasions, particularly in Key Stage 1, when they do not engage sufficiently well with the pupils to extend their learning.  The teaching of reading, including phonics, has improved and had a positive impact on pupils’ progress throughout the school. A new phonic reading scheme is also helping younger, weaker readers to improve their reading skills. However, when these pupils read to an inspector, several said they had lost their reading diaries, making it very difficult for adults to chart their progress.  Teachers are provided with very clear guidance on how to develop pupils’ writing skills throughout the

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The quality of teaching is good

school. Writing is increasingly linked to other subjects so pupils can build on their existing knowledge and vocabulary in subjects such as history.  Mathematics is taught well and work is skilfully matched to pupils’ varying abilities. Older pupils are very clear about how to improve their work and how to move to a higher level. A strong focus on pupils learning their times tables is in place to plug any gaps from previously weaker teaching two years ago.  Homework is set and marked regularly and linked to classroom learning. Teachers’ marking is good in English and mathematics and clearly tells pupils what they do well and how they can improve. However, there are insufficient chances for pupils to use computers in lessons.

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is good

 Achievement data and pupils’ current work confirm that most pupils are now making good progress across the school. Rapid improvements in teaching and increased expectations of the progress pupils should make are leading to more pupils reaching the standards expected for their age. For example, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels in mathematics, English grammar, punctuation and spelling by the end of Year 6 is now broadly average.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 has risen significantly since the last inspection; there have been year-on-year improvements, especially in writing and mathematics. Nevertheless, leaders are aware that the progress of pupils in Year 1, while accelerating, is not yet as strong as in the rest of the school. This is because there have been more prolonged periods of staffing disruption. For example, Year 1 pupils (and boys in particular) have scored much lower than other pupils nationally in the phonics check for the past

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is good

two years.  Staff have received training and support in teaching phonics and current Year 1 pupils are on track to achieve well and attain results closer to the expected levels.  From low starting points on entry to the Nursery, the proportions of pupils making expected progress and the proportions exceeding expected progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 are close to, or above, national figures. Such significant gains in attainment and achievement are due to pupils’ improved skills in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupil premium funding has been used well to appoint additional staff, work with families, train teachers in support programmes, enable pupils to attend breakfast and after-school clubs and generally enrich the wider experiences of disadvantaged pupils. The impact of this spending can be seen in the good progress disadvantaged pupils make across the school.  The school is effectively closing the gap for disadvantaged pupils over time. Test results show that they

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is good

achieved as well as other pupils in the school in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014. Compared to other pupils nationally, they were two terms behind in reading, writing and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same good progress as their peers. Staff are quick to identify pupils’ specific needs, and work closely with outside agencies to address gaps in understanding and remove any barriers to learning.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language also make good progress. School tracking shows that the progress of the largest group of these pupils, of Pakistani origin, dipped at the end of 2014 in Year 2 and Year 6. However, school records show that these pupils are currently making good progress in all year groups.  The performance of the most-able pupils has risen sharply since the previous inspection. Very few pupils historically achieved the higher levels in national tests. In 2014, because there is a rising trend of pupils

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is good

exceeding expectations in all classes, more pupils than ever before attained the higher Level 5 in writing and mathematics.

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is good

 Good leadership and management ensure that teaching in the early years is consistently good. Children’s progress is assessed and tracked meticulously in high quality ‘learning journals’. They experience a wide variety of exciting activities that instantly capture their interest and help them to make good progress in developing a range of skills.  Children start the Nursery and Reception classes with skills that are significantly below those that are typical for their age, particularly in language and communication. Many children have had very little experience of mixing with others so their social skills are not very well developed.  Since the last inspection, the early years team has worked very closely with the on-site children’s centre to tackle these issues. Parents whose children are due to join the Nursery are encouraged to attend activities such as ‘stay and play’ and successful courses to develop their English and parenting skills.

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is good

 This means that the most recent cohorts of Nursery and Reception children are better prepared to make the most of what the early years provision has to offer. Consequently, an increasing number of children are reaching a good level of development at the end of their Reception year and are well prepared for Year 1. However, because of their low starting points, some children enter Year 1 with reading and writing skills below those typically found among five-year-olds and this is why the provision is not yet outstanding.  Staff skilfully provide children with a vibrant and interesting learning environment both indoors and outdoors. Role play areas are of a high quality, such as a stunning Chinese restaurant complete with floating red dragons and lanterns. Children really enjoy being chefs, cooking noodles and learning new vocabulary such as ‘wok’ and ‘waiter’, and writing good luck messages on red card to each other.

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is good

 There is a good balance between adult-led and child-selected learning activities. Children can easily collect their own resources, and bilingual staff slip skilfully between English and Urdu or Punjabi so that every child is included in all learning and play activities. The early years team excels at encouraging children to communicate so that they make rapid progress in speaking English.  Staff work well with small groups of children and individuals, and model good behaviour and play effectively. Consequently, children learn to behave well, have good attitudes and share resources sensibly. Adults are enthusiastic play partners and share children’s delight in activities such as dragon dancing and assisting children to use puppets to retell the story of the Chinese Zodiac animals crossing the river.  Children are kept very safe, both indoors and outdoors, and staff ensure resources are safe, clean and

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is good

well maintained. Staff skilfully adapt learning to match children’s abilities. The most-able children can write sentences with capital letters and full stops and all children make good progress in learning the names and sounds of letters.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 123046 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 453547

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 295 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ruth Loseby Headteacher Russell Kaye Date of previous school inspection 28 February–1 March 2013 Telephone number 01865 240210 Fax number 01865 727845 Email address admin@eastoxfordprimary.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 .

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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 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

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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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