Glory Farm Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Glory Farm Primary School Hendon Place, Sunderland Drive, Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 4YJ

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Outcome

Glory Farm Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are determined that every child is at the heart of everything they do. This is seen around the school through the warm and positive relationships between children and staff. Pupils say they feel safe and happy in school and that teachers make them laugh. Pupils know that their teachers want the very best from them, and they rise to the challenge. This is evident through the well-presented work pupils produce.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave extremely well. They work hard in their lessons and are motivated and engaged in their learning. They exhibit a high degree of concentration and apply themselves well. Pupils say that learning is fun, and teachers make their lessons interesting. Bullying is rare, and pupils know that if it did occur, it would be dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils are able to get on with their work without interruptions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know their school expectations of ‘ready, respectful, safe’. They demonstrate this in their conduct around the school. This is a happy school, which is strongly recommended by parents, who highly value the school’s caring ethos. Leaders ensure they are visible and know the families well.

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

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school. Books are everywhere. From the moment you walk into the school you are greeted by an enormous book tree. Leaders have implemented their phonics programme well, with a high degree of consistency across classes. This starts as soon as children arrive in Nursery and continues throughout the school. All staff in the school receive phonics training, and this is evident through the uniform approaches staff take in the lessons. The books pupils read are appropriately matched to the phonic sounds they know. Staff regularly check how pupils are learning to read. Leaders ensure that support is readily available, if needed, to help pupils catch up. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have considered carefully what pupils need to learn and remember in each subject, from early years to Year 6.

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Leaders are knowledgeable about the subjects they lead and provide support and training for staff. In mathematics, there is a well-sequenced curriculum. Pupils revisit prior learning through recall activities, which helps them to build their mathematical fluency. In early years, mathematical activities are part of the provision. Leaders and staff ensure that children develop a rich mathematical vocabulary from the start.

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The art curriculum is well sequenced, and pupils retain a high level of knowledge about artists and art skills. Leaders are passionate about art and want pupils to have a broad and rich experience. Some of the curriculum work in English, however, is in development. For example, leaders have introduced new approaches to the teaching of writing. This is work leaders are looking to enhance further to see a greater impact on how pupils achieve at the end of key stage 2.

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Pupils’ wider development is a priority for leaders. The life skills lessons and assemblies develop pupil knowledge and awareness of the world around them. The school takes part in an international school exchange programme, and pupils are excited about the opportunity this brings. The school is involved in many community events and projects, often in the arts. Pupils demonstrate respect in their conduct around the school but also through their understanding of differences and equality.

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The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) knows the pupils with additional needs well. Staff are given a range of strategies to identify and support effectively pupils with SEND in the classroom. A wide range of adaptations are made within the classes to ensure that pupils are fully included in learning. Staff offer pre-teaching and post-teaching to support learners within the classroom. The school is fully inclusive and uses a range of internal and external support to ensure that all pupils are successful.

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Governors are proud of the staff and pupils. They assure themselves of their statutory duties and challenge leaders appropriately. Staff know that their workload and well-being are considered by governors and school leaders. They appreciate the ‘little things’ leaders do to support them. Staff are proud of the school and feel the team is supportive and that they work together to develop the curriculum. Governors and leaders are aware that persistent absenteeism remains high, and they are working together to reduce this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture across the school. Staff are very much aware that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Staff have received regular training and know the signs that suggest a child may need help or support. Leaders regularly brief staff and governors on key information around safeguarding. 21 and 22 March 2023

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Staff know the pupils well and pass on concerns quickly. They know how to escalate concerns if needed. Leaders keep detailed records and act quickly on information received. Governors and the trust monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding through commissioned audits and visits.

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Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe. This includes risks to them in daily life and when online. Safeguarding messages appear in weekly newsletters to parents.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent changes to the curriculum development for some subjects are still new, and therefore the full impact on attainment is not yet realised. Leaders should continue with their ambitious curriculum plans in their entirety and monitor the impact developments have on improving pupils’ knowledge over time.  Persistent absence remains high. The pupils who are persistently absent are not fully benefitting from all that the school has to offer. Leaders should now carefully consider what additional strategies and support families need to further improve attendance, both within and external to the school.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on 6 and 7 June 2017.

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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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. 21 and 22 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241684 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Bernwode Trust, which consists of Glory Farm Primary School and The Cooper School.  The school is a two-form entry primary school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, SENCo, subject leaders, teachers and governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art. During the deep dives, the inspector spoke with leaders, visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, and spoke with pupils. 21 and 22 March 2023

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 The inspector looked at a range of documents, including school improvement plans and minutes of governor meetings.  The inspector considered the responses from parents, pupils and staff to surveys issued at the time of inspection.

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Inspection team

Simon Woodbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 21 and 22 March 2023

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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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