North Leigh Church of England School

Inspection of North Leigh Church of England School Park Road, North Leigh, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 6SS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 2 and 3 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of this happy, nurturing school. One pupil said, ‘It is a school that makes you feel unique, but you also know that you belong to a special community.’ Pupils grow in confidence as they progress from Reception to Year 6. They understand the school’s values of respect, perseverance, creativity, honesty and community and enjoy how these are celebrated through school experiences and thoughtful events, such as weekly ‘café assemblies’. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their lessons and say that they feel safe. They are kind and respectful to each other, and to adults around the school. Pupils know and understand the school rules. They value the many trips and school visitors that help them to learn about the curriculum. For example, a visit from an Antarctic explorer helped to bring a ‘Shackleton’ study to life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are a strength of the school. Pupils talk about equality in mature ways. One pupil described it as ‘everyone getting what they need to be happy and thrive’. The acting headteacher’s care and attention to detail ensures that behaviour is a strength and bullying is almost unheard of. If any incidents happen, pupils are confident that staff would always sort things out.

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better?

Leaders work together to design an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Where subjects are well developed, such as mathematics and music, staff are clear about the precise knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Staff check pupils’ understanding confidently and ensure that pupils make progress against the curriculum that has been set out. Where the curriculum is not as well developed, the precise knowledge is not as clear. This means that not all pupils are achieving as well as they could in all subjects.

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better?

Almost all pupils learn to read well. Leaders have introduced a new phonics scheme and make sure that all staff in the school receive appropriate training to deliver the programme. Staff check how well pupils are learning phonics, and they make sure that if pupils start to fall behind they receive extra teaching to help them catch up. For a small number of disadvantaged pupils, this has not been as effective as it has for other pupils. Leaders know this and are determined to make a difference, for example by offering additional tutoring after school. Leaders make stimulating texts the focus of learning across the curriculum. This begins from the start of children’s time at school in Reception. Through this focus and regular opportunities to celebrate reading and writing, older pupils act as role models for younger ones. Leaders promote books and real-life experiences to try and bring the curriculum to

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. The special educational needs coordinator works tirelessly to support parents, staff and pupils effectively. Staff work closely with specialist support from the academy trust 2 and 3 February 2023

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and local authority, where needed. This helps staff to adjust the curriculum for pupils with SEND effectively and ensure that pupils make progress, regardless of their barriers to learning. Pupils’ attendance is high. For a small number of pupils whose attendance is not as high as it could be, leaders are working hard to engage with parents to address this.

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Parents, pupils and staff are extremely positive about the school. Many say that the acting headteacher has built on previous successes and helped all to feel welcome and valued. One parent said, ‘My children love coming to school, talk passionately about their learning within the school day and look forward to the ‘what next’!’ Governors and trustees are committed to the school. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development and are rightly proud of its staff and pupils. They are considerate of staff workload and well-being and have put clear support systems in place to ensure that staff receive the help they need.

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Leaders plan an effective programme to enhance pupils’ wider development. Pupils are proud to have positions of responsibility, such as being a house captain, pupil parliament leader or member of the eco council. They vote for school councillors and can talk about different ways that the school council has helped to improve aspects of their school. British values are closely linked to the school’s values, and pupils enthusiastically take part in events such as shoebox appeals and food bank donations. Pupils say they are welcoming of all and everyone is seen as equal.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders maintain a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. They keep detailed, accurate records and make sure that staff get the appropriate training that they need. Staff know what to do if they have a concern. They also know what actions they would take if they had safeguarding concerns about a colleague or a school leader. If any safeguarding issues arise, staff act quickly and work with external agencies when needed. Governors have a good understanding of their statutory duties relating to safeguarding and ensure that regular checks are carried out, including checks to ensure that new members of staff are recruited safely.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subject areas, leaders have not yet developed the curriculum so that knowledge is being taught precisely enough. This means that some pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge that they could. Leaders should continue to refine the curriculum and develop staff subject knowledge so that all pupils can achieve in line with leaders’ high expectations.  The new reading curriculum is still in the process of being fully implemented. As a result, a small number of disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as they 2 and 3 February 2023

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could. Leaders should continue to develop phonics and early reading with a focus on disadvantaged pupils so that all pupils at the school achieve well.

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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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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10242214 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.northleighprimaryschool.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 North Leigh Church of England School is a smaller-than-average former voluntary- controlled school.  The last Section 48 inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools took place in October 2016. This was an inspection of the school’s religious character.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 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 spoke with the acting headteacher, subject leaders, a range of school staff, the chief executive officer and a representative from the trust, a 2 and 3 February 2023

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representative from the diocese, parents, pupils and members of the governing body.  Inspectors discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with leaders.  During the inspection, inspectors spoke to pupils about their work and school life.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at playtime, lunchtime and during lessons.  Inspectors spoke to parents and considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered responses to the online staff survey and responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, music and computing.  Inspectors talked to leaders of these subjects, visited lessons, listened to pupils read, reviewed pupils’ work, spoke to teachers and talked with pupils.  Inspectors considered a range of information and documentation provided by the school, including curriculum planning for a wide range of subjects, the school self-

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evaluation documents, plans for improvement, minutes of governors’ meetings and trustees’ reports. Inspectors also looked at information available on the school’s website.  Inspectors held a meeting with the leader responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors looked at a range of documents. Pupils’ safeguarding information was discussed and evaluated.

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Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector Jill Digweed Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 February 2023

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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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