Dr Radcliffe's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Dr Radcliffe’s Church of England Primary School Fir Lane, Steeple Aston, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX25 4SF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Dr Radcliffe’s Church of England Primary School as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 22 and 23 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rightly value how everyone is included in their school community. They learn about a wide range of aspects of equality and diversity. Pupils understand how harmful discrimination of any kind can be and make sure, along with their teachers, that it does not happen. This serves pupils extremely well. One pupil’s view is shared by many others: ‘I am getting the tools I need for life.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show high levels of respect for each other and for adults. Pupils care for and help one other, which builds on the very strong support that staff give pupils. Pupils behave extremely well and bullying is incredibly rare. This makes for industrious, inquisitive classrooms where pupils rise to teachers’ expectations. Pupils play together harmoniously and they justifiably feel safe at school. Pupils attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious both for pupils’ academic and personal achievements. They communicate this vision successfully to parents and carers, who are hugely supportive of the school. All of the parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, would recommend this school to other parents. One parent summed up: ‘We cannot speak highly enough of the school… I believe this is down to strong, compassionate leaders and the community they foster.’

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better?

Provision for pupils’ personal development is superb. Parents understandably prize this aspect of the school’s work. Pupils’ moral, spiritual and cultural understanding is at the core of the curriculum. Pupils experience a wide range of visits, speakers, special events and activities in and out of school, including fundraising for charity. Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, leaders have resumed this important aspect of the school’s work very swiftly.

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better?

Pupils have high-quality opportunities to develop and stretch their talents. The vast majority of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, participate in extra-curricular activities. As well as a number of sports teams and other groups, there is a strong emphasis on the performing and creative arts. For example, Year 6 pupils performed two of Shakespeare’s plays outdoors last year in accomplished productions. Pupils hold valuable leadership roles. For example, the school’s eco leaders are exploring ways in which pupils can make the school and their community more environmentally sustainable. Also, the school council is establishing a ‘mindfulness bench’ in the playground to support other pupils’ well-being.

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better?

Pupils learn a broad range of subjects through an engaging curriculum. Children get off to a great start in Reception, underpinned by effective teaching of early reading. Leaders make sure that this strong focus on reading continues throughout the school. Pupils become avid readers who enjoy discussing the wide range of stimulating texts and literature that they encounter. Teachers constantly seek to make learning interesting and relevant for pupils. Teachers gauge pupils’ learning in 22 and 23 March 2022

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a range of ways, which they then use to plan subsequent learning. This makes sure that pupils’ learning builds securely on what they already know, from early years through to Year 6. Pupils achieve well overall from early years onwards. This includes, importantly, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify these pupils’ individual needs accurately and teachers and teaching assistants know what to do to support them effectively.

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Although some pupils achieve exceptionally well, including some pupils with SEND, this is not consistently the case for the majority of pupils. This is because the curriculum is not as deep or challenging as it could be across subjects. For example, in art and design, pupils learn a great deal about practical skills and knowledge. Pupils therefore produce some excellent artwork. Their learning about art, artists and what constitutes high-quality artwork, while secure, is not as strong. Equally, the curriculum that leaders are developing in early years makes sure that children are ready for their learning in Year 1. There is scope, however, for leaders to focus even more on making sure that the curriculum helps children achieve highly by the end of Reception. Crucially, while weaker readers in key stage 2 catch up in their reading, some of whom are pupils with SEND, this could be even faster if the support they receive were even more precise.

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Leadership is strong. Leaders, trustees and local governors know the school well. They have steered the school through the challenges of COVID-19 effectively and together are highly ambitious for all pupils. They rightly recognise that this ambition could have even more impact in practice, for example by prioritising improving the achievement of pupils with SEND more prominently. The trust commissions excellent support for the school, and leaders and local governors could sharpen further the way in which they use this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make safeguarding a top priority. Staff are trained effectively and local governors and trustees understand and discharge their responsibilities well. Leaders make the necessary checks on staff before anyone starts working at the school. Staff know the signs to look out for if pupils are at risk and report any concerns promptly. Records of any issues and leaders’ subsequent actions are organised and clear. Leaders involve external agencies when appropriate. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including learning about how to approach potentially risky situations as they get older.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While some pupils already achieve exceptionally well, this is not consistently the case for pupils across the school. Leaders need to improve the depth and 22 and 23 March 2022

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challenge of the curriculum further, so that pupils, including those with SEND, make excellent progress in the subjects they study.  The early years curriculum is not yet fully developed to enable children to achieve highly ambitious end-points across all seven areas of learning. Once this is complete, leaders should make sure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well.  Weaker readers in key stage 2 are supported to catch up, but this is not as effective as it could be. Leaders should ensure that the help pupils receive is more precise, so that these pupils make even more rapid progress in reading.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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 pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 22 and 23 March 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Dr Radcliffe’s Church of England Primary School converted to become an academy school in June 2017. When its predecessor school, also called Dr Radcliffe’s Church of England Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2007, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school is part of Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust (ODST), a multi-academy trust.  The school is a Church of England faith school with a Christian character. Its most recent section 48 statutory inspection of Anglican and Methodist schools took place in 2018.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 22 and 23 March 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with the subject leader, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons. Inspectors met with groups of pupils and spoke to a range of pupils in and out of lessons. Inspectors also took into account pupils’ responses to the Ofsted pupil survey.  Inspectors considered a range of the school’s documentation, including leaders’ evaluations of the effectiveness of the school, information about pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and the school’s improvement plan.  Inspectors had meetings with members of staff to discuss the school’s work and

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considered responses to the confidential Ofsted staff survey.  The lead inspector met a number of parents at the beginning of the first day of the inspection and inspectors looked at parents’ responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks, talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding and looked at the school’s safeguarding records and documents. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors met with representatives of the local governing body, including the chair, and scrutinised minutes of local governors’ and trustees’ meetings. The lead inspector met with chief executive officer and chair of the board of trustees of ODST, and spoke to a representative of Oxford Diocese on the telephone.

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Inspection team

Matthew Haynes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Derry Her Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 March 2022

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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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