Clifton Hampden Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Clifton Hampden Church of England Primary School High Street, Clifton Hampden, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3EE

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Outcome

Clifton Hampden Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers told us that this is a kind and caring school where teachers strive to make learning fun. We agree. The school has a family ethos which helps everyone involved to feel safe, happy and included.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has experienced much change recently. Pupils and staff have joined from a nearby school. The headteacher has worked with dedication and determination to ensure that this process has been as seamless as possible. She ensures that staff share her vision for all pupils to achieve as much as possible. Staff told us that being all together at one school has helped them to work as a team. Pupils said that their initial worries quickly disappeared as they were welcomed by new friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get along together well. They work together happily in lessons. They listen carefully to their teachers and to each other. This helps them to build on each other’s ideas and to learn successfully. Outside, they enjoy social time in their spacious play area. Pupils trust adults to help them sort out their very occasional difficulties. They do not worry about bullying. Parents told us how much their children enjoy school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The headteacher and her team make sure that pupils have a wide range of experiences and develop the right knowledge and skills to achieve well. As a result, pupils are confident and successful learners. By the time they leave the school, they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The new curriculum policy focuses on ensuring that pupils build on their learning, term by term. In some subjects, such as history, this approach is supporting pupils very well to build on their knowledge. For instance, older pupils in key stage 2 were able to use what they had learned about the Mayans to help learn about the Romans. Leaders aim for such 15 October 2019

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sequences of learning to be as well developed in all subjects.

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Teachers adapt the curriculum plans well as they teach so that pupils gain good knowledge and understanding across a range of subjects. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from these adaptations so that learning is broken down into manageable steps. This means that they access all aspects of study alongside their peers. This helps them to enjoy learning and experience success.

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In reading, pupils get off to a good start right from Reception Year because phonics is taught very well. All adults have had the training they need to deliver the phonics programme successfully and confidently. Leaders check learning carefully so that any pupils who start to struggle are quickly identified and given the help they need to catch up.

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Pupils like reading. They are inspired by events such as the summer reading challenge and by the exciting stories read to them by their teachers. As pupils move up the school, they learn to evaluate books, understand characters and consider the impact of writing on the reader. Occasionally, the reading book system impedes the older pupils from reading the more challenging books they are capable of accessing. However, for younger pupils, books are well matched to help them build their skills.

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Teaching in mathematics helps pupils to acquire the fundamental mathematical knowledge they need. Right from the start in Reception Year, teachers ensure that pupils build a secure understanding of numbers and what they represent. Sometimes, teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils. They do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to extend their learning by using it to investigate or solve problems. When this happens, pupils say that mathematics can sometimes be a bit too easy. This limited challenge is apparent at times in other subjects too.

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Leaders have ensured that pupils have plenty of opportunities outside of lessons. Governors said that they want the school to give every pupil ‘a chance to shine’. There are plenty of clubs available and regular opportunities to take part in performances to help them to do this. Pupils learn about the importance of being part of a community, for example through participating in the upcoming harvest festival held at the church. Pupils learn about a range of beliefs and values. They are polite and respectful.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Keeping pupils safe is at the forefront of the school’s work. Everyone is well trained in spotting signs that pupils may be at risk. Staff are confident in the steps they take to record and report any concerns. Records are meticulous. Referrals for extra help are timely and appropriate.

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Safeguarding

Adults know pupils well. They take time to build good relationships and to listen to pupils. This helps them to spot if pupils have worries or if all is not as it should be. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Sometimes, they lead this work. For example, 15 October 2019

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the school council teaches others about firework safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, pupils are not given enough opportunities to show what they can do and extend their understanding. Leaders should ensure that expectations of pupils are always high across the curriculum, and particularly in mathematics, so that pupils can apply their skills and extend their learning.  Leaders have ensured that sequences of learning are well developed across a wide range of subjects. Leaders should ensure that the successful models that are in place, for example in history, are replicated so that pupils build successfully on their knowledge in all subjects.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 19 November 2010.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and 15 October 2019

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pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 15 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111307 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 March 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Thames Bridge Church of England Federation with one other school. The two schools share a single governing body.  Fifteen pupils and staff from the other school in the federation joined Clifton Hampden in September 2019. There are no staff and pupils currently at the federated school. The federation’s executive headteacher is currently based full-time at Clifton Hampden.  Because of the expansion in pupil numbers, the class structure has been adapted to include a Reception Year class, a Year 1 class, a Year 2 class, a Year 3/4 class and a Year 5/6 class.

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Information about his inspection

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, leaders, staff and representatives from the governing body. The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority on the telephone. An inspector spoke to parents at the school gate and considered their responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey, including free-text responses.  The inspectors looked closely at the provision for reading, mathematics and history across the school. They visited a range lessons and looked at learning plans. The 15 October 2019

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inspectors spoke to pupils and staff about pupils’ learning and looked at pupils’ work.  The inspectors spoke to pupils, parents and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. A range of safeguarding documentation was considered.

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Inspection team

Deborah Gordon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Dunmall Ofsted Inspector 15 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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