Carterton Primary School

Carterton Primary School Burford Road, Carterton, Oxfordshire, OX18 3AD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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

 The head of school, supported by the executive headteacher and other leaders, has worked with determination to tackle successfully the areas identified in the last inspection report.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress in lessons and over time.  Teaching is good. Senior leaders have taken rigorous action to bring this about.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to make sure that pupils make good progress. Teachers provide detailed feedback to help pupils improve their work.  Middle leaders have developed their skills rapidly and they are driving forward improvements in their subjects effectively.  Governors know the school well. They provide robust challenge and support to leaders to improve teaching and achievement.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other and adults.  The systems to keep pupils safe are robust. Pupils

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

say they feel safe and well looked after.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. As a result, pupils show respect for adults, support each other and appreciate the value of diversity.  The early years is good. Children get off to a good start because staff use assessment information to plan activities targeted to pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils are well prepared for Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils achieve the highest levels at the end of Key Stage 2, especially in writing.  Occasionally, pupils lose concentration when work is not challenging enough for them.  At times, a minority of pupils do not make as much progress as they could in lessons because the work they are set does not challenge them quickly enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited all classes and observed nine lessons, five of which were joint observations with the head of school.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, members of the governing body, a group of pupils and a representative of the local authority.  A range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised, including safeguarding procedures, information about pupils’ achievement and checks by the school on how well it is doing.  Informal discussions were held with parents at the start of school. The inspectors took account of 49 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.  Pupils’ work was analysed in order to gather evidence about their achievement and the quality of teachers’ feedback. Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons and around the school at break and lunchtimes. An inspector observed a Key Stage 1 assembly.  Evidence from Ofsted’s previous monitoring visits was also taken into consideration.

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Inspection team

Lisa Moore, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this school

 The school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school. The school is situated close to RAF Brize Norton and approximately two fifths of its pupils are from families of service personnel. The school has a higher than average turnover of pupils due to the redeployment of parents into the base and on to other postings. Since September 2014, 54 pupils have joined the school and 24 have left.  The Nursery is full time but some children attend on a part-time basis.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the pupil premium provides support is well below the national average. This funding is used to support pupils in the care of the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  The executive headteacher and interim head of school were appointed on 1 September 2014. The interim head of school was appointed as the substantive head of school in January 2015.  On 1 September 2014, a federated governing body was formed with Gateway Primary School and Carterton Community College.  The school was awarded ‘The Excellence for Forces Children Award’ in December 2014 and again in June 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching further by:  always providing work that offers pupils a high level of challenge so that they are fully focused on their learning and make rapid progress  increasing the proportion of outstanding teaching so that more pupils achieve the highest levels at Key Stage 2, especially in writing.

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The leadership and management are good

 The head of school has set high expectations for staff and pupils. She is determined to raise standards and has provided effective support and training for staff to bring about rapid improvement. Pupils and staff say she has had a positive impact on the ethos of the school. As one member of staff said, ‘There is a passion now to do the best for the children.’ The executive headteacher has provided valuable challenge and support for the head of school.  Senior leaders have set challenging targets and implemented a sharply focused school improvement plan. They have successfully tackled the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Leaders carefully check the progress being made to ensure improvements are sustained. The head of school is ambitious for the future of the school and the progress pupils will make.  Since the last inspection, middle leaders have been effectively developed. They use assessment

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The leadership and management are good

information well to check pupils’ progress and to give valuable support to pupils and colleagues. They use information from the checks on teaching to identify ways in which they can improve their subjects further.  Senior leaders check teaching frequently and accurately identify ways in which teachers can improve their practice. Teachers respond positively to this feedback and are keen to act on advice to improve further.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding are supported well through a range of carefully targeted support, for example the provision of a breakfast club and one-to-one help. Senior leaders rigorously check the effectiveness of this support to decide which methods have had the best impact on pupils’ progress.  Leaders and teachers are developing a new and creative curriculum to teach the new National Curriculum. The curriculum provides good cross-curricular opportunities and much of the work is linked to interesting

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The leadership and management are good

topics through which pupils develop good skills in a range of subjects.  Sports funding is used effectively. Specialist training has developed pupils’ skills and confidence in a wider range of physical activities. There is an increased variety of sports available within the school day, which has stimulated pupils’ interest and promotes their well-being.  Leaders make sure all pupils have equal opportunities. They track effectively how well pupils are doing, use this information to predict what they can achieve, and ensure they do so. This ensures there is no discrimination.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is a strength of the school. It underpins and informs the development of the curriculum. The theme of the term, for example ‘determination’, is threaded throughout lessons and assemblies. Pupils play an active part in helping others through fundraising events, for example cake sales for charity. Pupils learn about religions and beliefs that

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The leadership and management are good

might be different from their own. For example, they recently celebrated Diwali with Nepalese pupils.  Leaders work hard to involve parents, for example through reading workshops to help them support their child at home. Parents value the increased accessibility of leaders and teachers to discuss any concerns they might have.  Leaders work closely with the service families support worker to ensure pupils who leave or join the school are prepared well to deal with this change in their lives.  The local authority has provided sustained and effective support to the school and this has helped to develop teaching in mathematics and English and the skills of middle leaders. In recent weeks, the authority has rightly reduced its level of support as leaders have demonstrated the capacity to make the necessary improvements.  Pupils articulate maturely what it means to be part of the school community. The values of care and

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The leadership and management are good

respect underpin the work of the school. As one pupil explained to an inspector, ‘If we weren’t all different, we wouldn’t be as special as we are.’ Pupils put what they learn about democracy into practice, for example by presenting arguments and then voting for their choice for the annual school trip and by being involved in the selection of new staff. These activities prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.  The school ensures that all statutory safeguarding arrangements are met. Staff have had recent training in child protection and there are clear policies and procedures in place for when staff have concerns.  The governance of the school: – Governors are passionate about the school’s role in serving the surrounding community. The federated nature of the governing body gives governors a secure understanding of education provision in the local area. Governors use the detailed information they receive about pupils’ progress to ask

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The leadership and management are good

challenging questions of school leaders. Governors visit the school frequently to see for themselves what progress is being made; they do not rely on what leaders tell them. – Governors check that sports funding and the pupil premium funding are being used effectively to make a positive difference to pupils’ well-being and progress. – Governors ensure teachers’ performance is rigorously checked and they have a good understanding about the link between teachers’ pay and pupils’ progress.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good because they are eager to learn and get along together well. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently. As a result, pupils understand the consequences for poor behaviour and how they can earn rewards – something they are keen to do.  Pupils play well together at break and lunchtimes, sharing equipment and including each other in their games. They appreciate the various activities provided for them and engage enthusiastically with play leaders.  Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other and adults. As a result, there is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school.  Teachers have well-established routines and high expectations of behaviour in lessons. This helps pupils to focus on their work. However, occasionally, pupils lose concentration when the work is too easy and they are not challenged enough.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for by staff. They are taught effectively about how to stay safe in different situations, for example when using the internet or on the road. The majority of parents who responded to Parent View felt their child was safe at school.  Pupils understand about the different forms of bullying. Pupils who spoke to the inspector said bullying occurs very rarely but, when it does happen, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff.  Senior leaders ensure that the necessary policies to keep pupils safe are implemented effectively, including carrying out appropriate checks on members of staff. Child protection arrangements are particularly effective because leaders work closely with external agencies and professionals.  Attendance is in line with the national average. Parents who spoke to the inspector at the start of school

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Safety

all said their children were keen to come to school. Senior leaders check attendance carefully and follow this up robustly with parents, while taking into account the particular difficulties families face when parents are posted abroad.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved and is now good. Some teaching is outstanding. Work in pupils’ books shows they make good progress over time because teachers know what pupils can do and use assessment information effectively to meet their needs.  Teachers give pupils specific and useful feedback about how to improve their work. Pupils value these comments and use them to improve their future work. Pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar errors are frequently identified and corrected by teachers. This helps to support improvements in pupils’ literacy and writing skills.  Teachers explain learning well. They are clear about what pupils need to know. They use questioning effectively to check and develop pupils’ understanding and adapt their approaches to address pupils’ misconceptions. However, occasionally, teachers do not provide enough challenge to pupils soon enough and pupils spend time on work they find too easy.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants provide useful support. They work closely with teachers so they are able to help pupils to make good progress without doing the work for them.  The teaching of reading has improved and is good. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they are reading and enjoy having increased access to the library. The English leader has raised the profile and importance of reading effectively in a relatively short time. The recently organised ‘book at bedtime’ session for Year 1 and 2 pupils and their parents was well attended and helped to show parents how they can support their child’s reading at home.  Writing is taught effectively throughout the school. Pupils are given frequent opportunities to write at length, for different purposes and about different subjects. In a Year 4 writing lesson, pupils were excited to use different describing words in their Mr Fox stories to prompt different reactions from readers. The

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The quality of teaching is good

school is part of the ‘Every Child Writes’ project organised by Edge Hill University. The extra help provided by this programme is providing effective support to pupils who are in danger of falling behind in writing.  The teaching of mathematics is good. The mathematics leader has provided valuable support and training for staff. As a result, teachers’ good subject knowledge enables them to explain ideas and tackle pupils’ misconceptions effectively.  Classrooms are vibrant and interesting places. Displays support and celebrate pupils’ learning and achievements well.

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is good

 The school was placed in special measures in December 2013 because standards were too low. Published achievement information for 2014 shows a variable picture because teaching was still not consistently good.  During this inspection, judgements about achievement were reached by looking at progress in pupils’ books since September 2014 and the school’s assessment information. Progress in reading, writing and mathematics is now good overall.  Children in the early years make good progress from their different starting points. A higher proportion than average is on track to achieve a good level of development.  In Key Stage 1, pupils did not make enough progress in the past because teaching was poor. Standards were too low, particularly in writing. Current assessment information and work in pupils’ books show they now make good progress in Years 1 and 2. The proportion of pupils in Year 2 who are on track to reach

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is good

the expected level for their age in reading, writing and mathematics has significantly improved and is now above national figures for 2014.  In Key Stage 2, the proportion of pupils making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics is above average. The proportion of pupils working at the level expected for their age is above average in reading and in line with the averages in writing and mathematics. While there has been significant improvement in pupils’ achievement, not enough pupils achieve the highest levels at the end of Key Stage 2, especially in writing, because poor teaching in the past means they have too much ground to make up.  The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is monitored carefully. A range of targeted support helps them to make good progress and sometimes they make better progress than their classmates.  In 2014, the number of disadvantaged pupils eligible for free school meals was too small to make

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is good

comparisons between their progress and other pupils in the school and other pupils nationally. Leaders track the progress of this group of pupils effectively and current assessment information shows they are making good progress, and sometimes they make better progress than their peers.  Children from service families make good progress as a result of a range of effective help and support. Often, these pupils make better progress than other pupils.  Phonics (the sounds letters and words make) is taught effectively. As a result, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level in the Year 1 phonics screening check has significantly improved and is now in line with average figures. Staff have benefited from valuable training to ensure there is a consistent approach to teaching phonics across the school. Teachers frequently use phonics to help pupils improve their writing.  More-able pupils make good progress. Pupils have benefited from specific and targeted support, for

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is good

example specific sessions taught by a teacher from Carterton Community College to develop their writing skills.

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is good

 Children make good progress from their different starting points. The proportion of children on track to reach a good level of development is above national figures.  Teaching is good because adults question children thoughtfully. This helps children think hard and develops their vocabulary and speaking skills effectively. Children have access to a wide range of activities indoors and outdoors that help them develop a good understanding of key concepts such as numbers, shapes and letters. This means children are well prepared to start Year 1.  Staff observe children carefully to check how well they are doing. They have a good understanding of the starting points of children who join the Nursery and where gaps exist in children’s skills, for example in speaking and language development. They use this information effectively to plan children’s next steps in learning and to provide interesting activities. As a result, children make good progress across the

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is good

different areas of the curriculum.  Leaders have provided valuable training and support for staff to raise standards, for example in teaching phonics. Consequently, adults’ skills and confidence have increased and children are making good progress.  Relationships are positive and children’s behaviour is good. As a result, children enjoy their learning. Staff ensure that appropriate practices are in place to keep children safe.  Parents are well informed about their child’s development and are encouraged to support their child’s learning at home, for example by helping them learn letters and sounds.  The leader for the early years has a secure understanding of the strengths and areas for development. She uses assessment information about children’s progress effectively to decide on priorities for improvement. As a result, there is a clear sense of direction and purpose in the early years.

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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 123015 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 461471

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 235 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nadine Hill Headteacher Elaine Day Date of previous school inspection 4–5 December 2013 Telephone number 01993 842502 Fax number 01993 840964 Email address Office.2252@carterton-pri.oxon.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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