Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School

Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School Springwell Hill, Bletchingdon, Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 3ES

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The school has greatly improved from the previous inspection due to the effective leadership of the headteacher and other senior leaders.  All groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school.  Children in the early years get off to a good start and achieve well. They are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers and learning support assistants work closely together to ensure that pupils’ needs are met. Staff are proud to be part of the school.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they enjoy coming to school. Their work is well presented and their attitudes to learning are good.  The vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school. They say that their children are safe, happy and make good progress.

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This is a good school

 Governors are effective in holding the school to account for the progress of pupils. They closely monitor the quality of teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 School leaders, including governors, do not provide clear enough information to parents because the website is out of date and policies are not regularly reviewed.  Those children in the early years who are most able do not have tasks that stretch and challenge them to ensure that they make strong progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that school leaders, including governors, provide clearer information to parents by: – swiftly reviewing the information on the schools’ website to ensure that it is up to date and relevant – setting up a clear programme of regularly reviewing and ratifying policies.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Give those children who are already well on the way to achieving their early learning goals additional tasks that stretch and challenge them so they make better progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school has improved markedly since the previous inspection and the areas requiring improvement have been successfully addressed. Pupils now achieve well as a result of the strong leadership of the headteacher and other senior staff. One parent summed up the views of many when they said, ‘This headteacher goes above and beyond what is needed for the pupils.’  The school has an accurate understanding of how well it is performing. This is helped by all staff working together as a cohesive team and readily supporting each other. The English and mathematics leaders make an effective contribution to improving standards in their subjects. As a result the school demonstrates a good capacity to secure further improvements.  Regular checks are made on both the quality of teaching and the work in pupils’ books. This ensures that strengths and areas that need improving are quickly identified and acted upon. Senior leaders, working in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

partnership with local schools, have introduced a thorough approach to assessing progress within the new national curriculum. As a result any pupil who is at risk of falling behind is quickly identified and supported.  The curriculum is interesting, and pupils enjoy finding out about a broad range of subjects through whole-school themed days and topics. Pupils’ cultural awareness is well developed. For example, the topic on India provided pupils with an opportunity to learn about the famous buildings, art and people who have shaped the country. Pupils are encouraged to explore subjects through ‘hands on’ activities such as in science where they learnt how to make vacuums. Teachers skilfully present pupils with topics that develop their social understanding. Extra-curricular provision is plentiful.  Pupils have a good spiritual and moral understanding. Parents value the strong Christian ethos which

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

underpins the school’s values of love, honesty, courage and respect. During ‘the big question days’, pupils carefully researched sacred books and teachings from other world religions. Tolerance to other cultures and faiths is central to the school’s ethos. Fundamental British values are promoted effectively. Concepts such as democracy are carefully planned into teaching. In one lesson pupils were considering what proportion of the vote certain candidates had obtained in an election.  Additional funding is well used. Senior leaders and governors make careful decisions about how best to spend the pupil premium funding. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make good progress and access all the activities that the school offers. Funding for primary sports and physical education is used effectively to enhance the school’s commitment to healthy lifestyles. Pupils have the opportunity to participate in a range of team games and tournaments through the Woodstock School Partnership. Many pupils said their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

cricket coaching has led to stronger links with the village cricket club.  The local authority and diocese recognise the strengths of the headteacher and senior leadership team. They have provided effective support since the previous inspection. They have helped regarding curriculum initiatives and in resolving staffing issues.  The school website is not very useful to parents. This is because there is quite a lot of outdated, contradictory and irrelevant information that is not applicable to the current school.  The governance of the school – Governors have been heavily involved in the move to a new school building. Minutes of meetings show that much time has been taken in negotiating with different external agencies to ensure that the process ran smoothly. However, this has resulted in some other aspects of governance that have not been so rigorously followed. Some school policies such as the charging and remissions policy are still

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

in draft form. Other policies, such as the special educational needs policy, are dated 2014 but are also still in draft form. Governors are aware of these issues and are determined to rectify them rapidly. – Governors have helped to set the strategic direction of the school. They have effectively supported staff in ensuring that the school made the required improvements to be good. Minutes show that there is regular challenge to senior leaders regarding pupil outcomes. Some governors visit classrooms on a regular basis. As a result governors are very knowledgeable about the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils are making in each class.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The new buildings and grounds are a safe environment and have been thoroughly risk assessed. Staff safeguarding and child protection training is up to date and records are meticulous. Leaders engage effectively with parents to ensure that all pupils are safe and well

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection and is now consistently good. This is because pupils make good, although not outstanding, progress.  Senior leaders have ensured that staff are well trained to perform their roles. Several staff have committed to further their professional development through academic study.  Pupils say that they enjoy their learning and that teachers help them to achieve their best in lessons. Teachers have good subject knowledge and inject an enthusiasm that ignites pupils’ interest. Many pupils said how much they enjoy writing poetry and examples around the walls demonstrate their skills.  In reading pupils said that teachers allow time for them to become ‘absorbed’ in books. Pupils show a mature understanding of how a plot is slowly developed in a story. They are able to use similar techniques in their own stories to drop hints as to what is about to happen next.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 In mathematics, pupils enjoy using practical apparatus to develop their understanding of concepts. Those in Year 1 and 2 were keen to check their estimates of the length of the corridor by using a trundle wheel.  Work in books is usually well presented and this shows the pride and growing confidence that pupils have in the quality of work that they produce.  Teaching assistants make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning. They provide careful support to those who have special educational needs or disability. As a result these pupils have a good idea of what they need to do next in order to improve their work.  Teachers set homework that stimulates pupils’ interest. This is shown by the models of Tudor houses that some pupils had made, which demonstrated a clear understanding of wooden frame building methods.  Parents are very supportive of teachers. They said that all staff are dedicated and had enabled their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

children to settle quickly into their new school and start learning straight away.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are proud of their new school and relish the opportunities that the new grounds provide. They are excited about the new areas set aside for them to grow things and relish the prospect of eating apples from the newly planted orchard.  The school provides a range of opportunities for pupils to take on responsibility. Those who have been elected to the school council help raise money for charity. Pupils’ ideas are taken seriously and are acted upon by senior leaders. Pupils have been instrumental in selecting the type of play equipment for their new playground.  The school’s work to safeguard pupils is effective. Due to its small size, staff know each pupil very well and act quickly should they have any concerns about welfare. Pupils say that they feel very safe in school. They are taught how to keep themselves safe through a range of experiences and have received

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Personal development and welfare

effective training on keeping safe when using the internet. Pupils also show a good awareness of other dangers they encounter out of school such as when using the roads. Many pupils enjoyed the visit from a parent who showed them the basics of first aid and how to put a person in the recovery position.  Pupils’ self-confidence is well developed by activities such as the residential trips, which are thoroughly enjoyed by staff and pupils alike. Trips help develop pupils’ social as well as organisational skills.  Pupils are well aware of the need to come to school every day so that their learning is not interrupted. Attendance at the school has consistently been above the national average.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Behaviour has improved because leaders have successfully created a culture where good behaviour for all pupils is the expectation. However, a few pupils did say that the behaviour of others can still sometimes affect their learning in lessons. This is why behaviour is not outstanding.  Pupils are motivated to behave well due to a clear system of sanctions and rewards. Swift and appropriate action is taken to address any behaviour that is less than good.  Around the school pupils behave well. During playtimes and at lunchtimes pupils were seen to be playing very amicably with each other. Records show that this is typically the case.  Pupils treat each other with respect. They know about the different types of bullying. Many pupils made comments like, ‘We used to have anti-bullying ambassadors but realised we didn’t need them as there is no bullying.’

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Since the previous inspection there have been clear improvements in the progress pupils are making from their starting points. This is because leaders have raised aspirations and expectations regarding what each pupil can achieve. The school’s assessment information shows that current pupils in school continue to make good progress.  Pupils make good progress throughout Key Stage 1. In 2015 overall standards were significantly above national expectations. In the latest Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) screening check, all pupils reached the expected standard. This is because teachers encourage pupils to develop a love of reading at an early stage. Pupils who were heard to read were confident in their use of letters and sounds to read unfamiliar words.  In Key Stage 2 in 2014 all pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. However, in 2015 standards fell and were below national standards. Senior leaders rapidly addressed the

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Outcomes for pupils are good

issues. School information shows that pupils currently in Year 6 are making good progress and are now on track to attain the age-related expectations.  In 2015 pupils made significantly better progress in writing when compared to the national picture. Evidence seen in the books of current pupils shows that they are continuing to make strong progress. This is because pupils develop their writing skills across a range of subjects, including science, history and geography.  Current pupils make good progress in mathematics because planned activities often capture their imagination. Evidence in books shows that pupils are increasingly able to apply their mathematical understanding to solve problems. Pupils in Key Stage 2, for instance, could convert times from an analogue clock to a digital clock and then solve problems relating to timetables.  In science lessons pupils are given the support to help them think scientifically. In some lessons they

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Outcomes for pupils are good

conduct experiments and then have to evaluate how the experiment could have been improved. Pupils concluded that their findings into an investigation about friction were probably accurate as most pupils in the class had obtained similar results.  There are so few pupils identified in the school as disadvantaged that comparisons with national averages are not meaningful. However, the school ensures that any additional needs are well met and as a result these pupils make good progress from their starting points. When compared against their classmates, disadvantaged pupils make better progress in reading and writing. This reflects the school’s effective use of the pupil premium.  The most-able make good progress. This is because class teachers carefully check that the activities planned in lessons effectively meet their needs. Further tuition is provided by the local secondary school for those who have exceptional skills in mathematics.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The vast majority of pupils with special educational needs or disability make good rates of progress from their starting points. This is because support is carefully tailored to meet their needs. Those who need to catch up are given work of just the right level of difficulty to ensure that any gaps in attainment quickly close.  Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and parents agree that the school encourages a love of learning. As a result pupils are well prepared for next stage of their education.

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Early years provision is good

 Pupils typically enter the Nursery and Reception classes with skills and abilities that are similar to those expected for their age in most areas of learning. They make good progress and in 2015 the proportions of children who achieved a good level of development at the end of Reception were above the national average. As a result children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.  Leaders are effective; they demonstrate a determination to continuously improve. Adults get to know children well before they start school because of the information they receive from the local pre-school settings. Once children enter the school they settle quickly and make a good start to their learning. There are detailed checks on what children already know, so leaders are able to rapidly build on their existing knowledge.  The meticulous tracking system that the leader has developed helps to monitor that the good progress of

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Early years provision is good

children continues throughout. Progress is checked every two weeks and effective plans are put in place for any child who is falling behind.  All staff work well as a cohesive team. Learning support assistants carefully develop children’s speaking and listening skills so as to make sure that pupils can communicate confidently. Teaching is good because staff ensure that activities are closely linked to children’s needs. Exciting opportunities such as learning to play keyboards on tablets ensure that children are always interested in their learning.  At the time of the inspection there was over a term left before the end of the academic year. However, several pupils were already well on the way to achieving their early learning goals. Leaders had not provided sufficient tasks to stretch and challenge these children further so as to enable them to continue to make strong progress. This is why the early years is not outstanding.

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Early years provision is good

 All staff in the early years are caring and provide a safe, nurturing environment for children. Parents are very appreciative of the support that the school provides. There are effective links with a range of external agencies.  Children in the early years have positive attitudes to their learning and behave well. They follow well- established routines and work and play well together. Children are aware of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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School details

Unique reference number 123115 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10002332

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School details

This inspection 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 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 87 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kate Pick Headteacher Louise Hatton Telephone number 01869 350393 Website www.bletchingdon.oxon.sch.uk Email address Office.3141@bletchingdon.oxon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 10−11 October 2013

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Information about this school

 Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Since the previous inspection the school has moved to a new building. It shares the hall with the local community.  A new Nursery class was opened in September 2015, which has places for places for 15 children who attend on a part-time basis.  The majority of the pupils are White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is much lower than that found in most schools. Pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those who have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is higher than the national average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school works in collaboration with a number of other schools under the name of the Woodstock Partnership.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in all classes. There were seven lessons visited, all of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. The quality of work in pupils’ books was scrutinised.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and other staff to discuss how well the school is doing. The views expressed by members of staff in three paper and seven online questionnaires were considered.  The inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body and five other governors. There was also a discussion with a representative from the local authority and the diocese advisor.  Discussions were held with pupils to listen to their views. The inspector also looked at work in books and listened to some pupils read. The inspector considered the 63 responses to the online pupil questionnaire. There were also informal discussions with pupils at breaktime regarding what it was like to be a pupil at this school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors took account of 39 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire and also spoke to parents at the end of the school day.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation and policies including the school improvement plan. Information about the performance of the school in comparison with other schools nationally was considered, along with documents about pupils’ current attainment and progress. Documents checking the quality of teaching and learning and records relating to behaviour, attendance, child protection and safeguarding were also examined.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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