Enstone Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Enstone Primary School Oxford Road, Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 4LP

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Outcome

Enstone Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love Enstone because everyone knows each other. They like that it is a small school. They are encouraged to be thoughtful and considerate. Pupils do this showing impeccable manners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders offer pupils many chances to shine. Eagerly, pupils relish the spotlight. Music is the beating heart of Enstone. The school choir is an invitation to all, no matter what pupils’ singing ability might be. Staff encourage pupils to play an instrument. The ‘musical extravaganza’ is a favourite annual event.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their sporting achievements. They do not shy away from the opportunities on offer. A growing number of trophies reflects their success and determination to achieve their very best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Across the school, pupils are knowledgeable about global issues. They are staunch defenders of our world. The active ‘eco warriors’ pupil council promotes ecology, explaining to inspectors their view that ‘there is no planet B’. Pupils enjoy being outdoors, exploring the adventure playground, tyre park and playing with their friends in the green areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers expect pupils to work hard and most pupils meet these high expectations. Leaders act quickly if there is any report of bullying. Pupils feel safe because adults care and look after them.

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

Leaders promote a broad and varied curriculum. Pupils are excited for their learning. They appreciate what leaders have designed. Because of the mixed-aged classes, leaders have carefully mapped out the content over time. This takes shape through a two-year or three-year rolling planning cycle. This ensures that pupils are not repeating the same 19 July 2022

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topics. Additionally, teachers plan to revisit key concepts at different times to help pupils firmly embed these in their memory.

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Within a subject, leaders have carefully organised the knowledge pupils need to learn. They are clear about what pupils must master by the time they leave Year 6. This thinking starts in Reception. However, because the school has only had its first Nursery class this year, not all the planned knowledge is set out clearly from when a child starts. Leaders are aware of this and are already reworking the curriculum in Nursery so that children are well prepared for starting Reception.

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Reading is given prominence by leaders. Both pupils and adults are avid bookworms. Pupils read an ambitious range of books. Staff are always on the lookout for the next up and coming novels to share with pupils. The oldest pupils read widely and with confidence.

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Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme to teach children to read. This starts right away in Reception. Teachers know to follow the programme as it is intended. Although staff have been trained, leaders recognise that they need to continue supporting staff’s knowledge to teach the programme effectively. Nevertheless, most pupils learn to read quickly. Leaders identify those pupils who need extra daily practice. Adults know to focus on sounds knowledge and reading fluency to help these pupils to catch up.

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Teachers have a good understanding of each subject’s curriculum. When teaching, they quickly correct any misconceptions that pupils may have. Adults check on all pupils in a lesson to determine if somebody may need extra help. Despite this, teachers sometimes select activities which do not help pupils learn all the intended knowledge. This also limits the opportunities for pupils to practise using the knowledge and applying this to new learning.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well. Staff have high aspirations for pupils with SEND. Leaders are skilled in picking up rapidly an underlying need. They screen promptly and put in the right resources to ensure that all pupils learn the same curriculum. Any additional interventions for pupils are well matched to what pupils learn in class.

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In lessons, pupils are conscientious and they enjoy contributing to class discussions. Most teachers embody leaders’ high expectations. Older pupils model the school’s values well to younger pupils. Pupils rise to the leadership opportunities on offer. Whether that be house captain, prefect or peer mediator, pupils take these roles seriously.

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Pupils are incredibly tolerant. They embrace difference and do not judge others. Pupils are clear that their school welcomes everyone. They look out for all.

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Governors are champions of this school. They work closely and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They promote equality and task leaders to embed this in all areas of school life. Governors challenge well and ask the right questions to maintain high educational standards for all pupils. Staff are happy. They greatly appreciate how leaders support their workload and well-being. 19 July 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff make sure that they take time to get to know pupils and their families. This knowledge helps leaders act swiftly if there are any concerns about a child’s safety. The detailed records kept by leaders help to build a clear picture of when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Therefore, referrals to other agencies are made quickly.

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Safeguarding

Adults know the signs of abuse to look out for. Their awareness is finely tuned because of the ongoing training they receive. Governors are proactive in checking the processes to keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe online. They can explain the potential dangers of mobile technology.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ curriculum thinking does not identify all the component knowledge in Nursery. Therefore, children are not necessarily learning content always in the best order. Leaders need to ensure that the school’s curriculum fully sequences the planned knowledge from the start of Nursery to ensure that children are ready to join Reception.  Teachers do not have consistently strong pedagogical knowledge across all subjects. This can sometimes lead to teachers setting activities that do not help pupils practise the right knowledge. Leaders need to strengthen staff’s expertise in delivering the curriculum highly effectively so that pupils know and remember more across the full curriculum.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as 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 in June 2013. 19 July 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 19 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211509 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 28 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 In September 2021, the school expanded to take on a Nursery class. Previously, the pre-school on site was under a separate Ofsted registration.  The school currently uses one alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with three governors. He also spoke with a school improvement officer from the local authority. In addition, he spoke with a regional SEND coordinator from an alternative provider.  The inspection team carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and design and technology. To do this, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. 19 July 2022

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 Pupils across the school were observed reading to a familiar adult by the lead inspector.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to examine records and actions. This included sampling a range of safeguarding documentation. The team inspector reviewed checks on the safer recruitment of adults. Inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and governors.  Inspectors talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff, pupils, parents and carers were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documentation provided by the school. This included leaders’ self-evaluation and school development priorities, policies, curriculum documents, published information about pupils’ performance, minutes of governors’ meetings and an external monitoring report from the local authority.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Fripp Her Majesty’s Inspector 19 July 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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