Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery School Lane, Offley, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3AT

p.1

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 13 and 14 June 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery is a small village school where pupils are happy and friendly. They love their learning and are proud of their school. Pupils understand the Christian values they live by, such as respect and honesty. They believe that the values help them become better people. Pupils support their peers and celebrate each other’s achievements. Pupils follow the school’s motto, ‘be all you can be,’ and they are keen to do their best. Pupils are confident learners and achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the high expectations leaders have set for their learning and behaviour. Consequently, pupils behave well. This includes the setting for the early years, where children settle quickly and develop positive relationships. Teachers encourage children to become independent learners right from the start.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that adults listen to them and that they will help them when needed. Adults act promptly to help pupils resolve any worries or concerns they may have. Pupils are not worried about bullying.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy many different activities and clubs. They benefit from trips, visitors, theme days and focus weeks, such as a cultural and language week. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their resilience and confidence through participating in musical performances.

p.2

better?

The ‘Offley curriculum’ is unique to the school. Leaders have carefully considered the knowledge pupils need while linking it to pupils’ own interests. Staff prioritise teaching the key vocabulary that pupils need to learn as they progress through the curriculum in all subject areas. Overall, the curriculum is ambitious and well planned. However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum plans have recently been reviewed, developed and implemented. Teachers are focused on ensuring that pupils learn as well in these subjects as they do in those subjects within the well- established curriculum.

p.2

better?

Pupils enjoy their learning. In most subjects, pupils build an impressive body of knowledge. Outcomes for pupils at the end of key stage 2 are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.2

better?

Leaders have prioritised the development of the reading curriculum. They have adopted a systematic approach to teaching phonics. Children start learning to read as soon as they join the school. Daily practice helps pupils to secure their phonics knowledge. Pupils who are at the early stages of reading read books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. This helps them to quickly become fluent readers. Teachers give pupils who are less confident readers the help they need to 13 and 14 June 2023

p.2

3

catch up. Staff model their love of reading. Pupils talk enthusiastically about books. They read widely at school and at home.

p.3

3

Leaders quickly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff are well informed about the needs of individual pupils. Staff adapt activities, when needed, to ensure that pupils with SEND successfully access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

There is a close working relationship among staff. Generally, leaders check the effectiveness of the curriculum through, for example, staff discussions. However, the systems for checking the quality of education are not rigorous enough for all leaders to be confident in how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum.

p.3

3

Leaders have restructured the early years provision. The early years curriculum is well planned. There is an inviting and stimulating environment, with effective adult interaction between adults and children. Staff have a secure understanding of how younger children learn. Consequently, children are prepared well for Year 1.

p.3

3

The school’s Christian values form an important part of life at school. The values weave throughout the whole curriculum. Pupils develop resilience through the curriculum content and a range of other activities. They learn tolerance and respect and celebrate each other’s differences. Leaders have emphasised music in this school. There is an extensive range of musical activities in which every pupil takes part. Leaders have ensured that every pupil in this school has had broad and meaningful experiences by the end of key stage 2. This is known as ‘things you do before you leave Offley.’

p.3

3

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour right from the start. Staff cater for pupils’ well-being. Pupils understand staff’s expectations, and they rise to the challenge of meeting them. This contributes to a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school.

p.3

3

Leaders care for the well-being of staff. Staff feel well supported, and leaders consider their workload and their well-being. Decisions are taken collaboratively. Staff are proud to be members of this school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff receive regular training. Clear safeguarding procedures are in place. They are well understood and followed by staff. Governors fulfil their statutory duties. The safeguarding link governor monitors the single central record regularly. Safer recruitment procedures are also effective. 13 and 14 June 2023

p.3

4

Pupils are taught how to keep safe, including online. Pupils know what bullying is, and they know what good relationships look like. Pupils know how to get support if they have any concerns or worries. They trust adults in this school.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The system for checking the quality of education is not rigorous enough for all leaders to be confident in how well pupils are achieving in all subject areas. As a result, leaders do not always have a full knowledge and understanding of how effective the curriculum is in all subjects. Leaders need to review the current arrangements and develop a more robust and rigorous system, which provides the assurance they need.  Leaders have ensured that, in most subjects, the curriculum is developed and implemented effectively. In some subjects, the curriculum is new and is in the process of being implemented. As a result, teachers are still establishing what pupils need to learn and when. Leaders should ensure that, where the curriculum is more recently introduced, teachers implement the curriculum plans well so that pupils continue to achieve equally well across the whole curriculum.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 13 and 14 June 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10268661 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Co -Chairs of governing body Ruth Ryden and Geoff Phillips

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 28 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery is a Church of England school, located in the Diocese of St Albans. Its last section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in July 2022.  The school established a new nursery class in 2019.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club.  Leaders do not use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act. 13 and 14 June 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, governors and a local authority representative.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, music and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans, a sample of books and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the leaders responsible for personal development and looked at curriculum plans.  Inspectors checked safeguarding records, including the single central record. They talked to staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors met staff and pupils across the school, both formally and informally.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent

p.6

6

View, as well as responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Ania Vaughan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nichola Pickford Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 June 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7