John Hampden Primary School

Inspection of John Hampden Primary School Park Street, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 3HU

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 29 and 30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils really enjoy attending this inclusive school. Pupils, parents and carers, and staff are proud of their school. ‘The Hampden Way’ clearly signposts leaders’ expectations and aspirations for all. Pupils strive to meet these expectations and this is clear in their actions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind, considerate and polite. From the early years onwards, children learn how to work and play with their peers. Pupils are keen to help each other and take on roles like wellbeing ambassador and being a buddy. In rare cases of bullying or unkindness, adults deal with issues in a sensitive way.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities in the school. Year 6 pupils apply to be sports ambassadors and house captains. Younger pupils aspire to and work towards being chosen for these roles. Leaders also provide pupils with lots of opportunities to develop their own interests, such as writing for the school newspaper or becoming a digital leader. Pupils enjoy participating in a wide range of clubs including netball, music lessons and choir. They relish opportunities to perform and compete in local events and competitions.

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better?

In nearly all subjects, leaders have identified the key information they want pupils to learn. They have carefully sequenced the essential knowledge so that pupils’ understanding builds over time. Teachers find out more about each child’s individual needs as soon as they start school. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, staff identify and provide highly effective adaptations, such as signing to support communication.

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better?

Subject leaders are knowledgeable. They ensure that all staff are well trained. In most subjects, teachers ensure that pupils’ understanding builds on what they have learned before. They precisely check pupils’ understanding. Where needed, teachers provide pupils with additional support to catch up. As a result, pupils mostly use and apply their learning confidently. For example, in music, Year 6 pupils use the skills and knowledge they have learned to perform their own high-quality pieces of suspense music.

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better?

However, in a small number of subjects, including art, the key knowledge pupils need to learn is not as clear. In these subjects, pupils’ understanding is not as secure. Teachers’ checks are not as accurate and the activities they plan do not always build on what pupils already know. As a result, pupils in these subjects do not learn as well as they could. Leaders are aware of this and have plans to improve these areas of the curriculum.

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better?

Pupils develop a love of reading. They are taught phonics from Nursery. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they are learning. In the early years, children 29 and 30 June 2022

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sit quietly, avidly listening to the stories their teachers read. Across the curriculum, leaders choose books that challenge and broaden pupils’ understanding. Pupils read widely and for pleasure. They describe how the ‘words paint pictures in their minds’.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. This is woven into all aspects of school life. Throughout the curriculum, leaders have identified opportunities to promote pupils’ broader development. Pupils learn to respect and appreciate difference. They debate ideas and understand that others may not share their opinions. Leaders encourage pupils to be healthy in mind and body. They plan the school day to provide opportunities for exercise and reflection, such as the daily mile or the popular lunchtime yoga club. Leaders encourage pupils to recognise that the community goes beyond the school gates. As well as welcoming local volunteers to enrich the curriculum, pupils, in turn, regularly engage in fundraising events to support local charities, such as the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

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Clear routines and expectations mean that children in the early years get off to a strong start in their learning. They share, take turns and play together well. In lessons, pupils listen intently and are respectful of adults and each other. Staff build warm, supportive relationships with pupils. This creates a calm and purposeful learning environment. Pupils have a clear sense of right and wrong.

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Leaders, including governors, are highly ambitious for all pupils. Governors know the school well. They have a clear understanding of its strengths and priorities for improvement. Leaders and staff work towards a clear vision to continually improve the outcomes for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a clear system in place to identify, support and manage safeguarding. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil. Records show that leaders act promptly when a pupil or their family need support.

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Safeguarding

Pupils take an active role in promoting online safety. Digital leaders produce a termly internet safety newsletter for the school community. This helps pupils understand and identify potential dangers, as well as what to do if they are worried about something they have seen or heard.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, staff do not always know the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means pupils do not build on what they already know well enough. 29 and 30 June 2022

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Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well thought through in all subjects from Nursery through to Year 6.  Where subject thinking is not clear about what pupils should learn and when, teachers do not know what checks are needed. Therefore, gaps in pupils’ learning go unnoticed. Leaders need to ensure that there is the same rigour in teachers’ checks across all subjects.

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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. 29 and 30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227486 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 2 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The John Hampden and Tetsworth Schools Federation.  There is a breakfast club and afterschool club onsite run by an external provider which were not included as part of this inspection.  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.  This was the first routine inspection the school 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also met with members of the governing body and had a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and art. 29 and 30 June 2022

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 For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  During the inspection, inspectors considered responses to the pupil survey. They met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to them informally during social times.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised a wide range of information, including a selection of the school’s records. Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep themselves safe. Inspectors spoke to the safeguarding leader about the recording and reporting of safeguarding incidents.  Inspectors met some parents to gain their views of the school. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also took account of staff

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and pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Laura James, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Victoria Matthews Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 June 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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