Bushey and Oxhey Infant School

Inspection of Bushey and Oxhey Infant School Aldenham Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire WD23 2QH

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Inspection dates: 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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 31 January and 1 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. From the start of Reception, pupils learn how to be kind and care for each other. They understand the importance of valuing each other’s differences. In classrooms and on the playground, all pupils are fully included in the opportunities to learn and play at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value learning. They delight in acquiring new ideas and skills. Pupils proudly share their achievements with others. They live up to the school’s high expectations of what pupils can learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the school’s positive, ‘can-do’ culture. They work diligently together and support each other well when faced with something tricky to learn. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to learn and play alongside their peers as equal parts of this welcoming school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education and for life in the wider world. Pupils learn how to be responsible members of a community through acts of service, such as singing at a local care home. The school provides a wide array of clubs and enrichment opportunities alongside the curriculum. Pupils, including all disadvantaged pupils, enjoy participating in these clubs.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school’s efforts to improve the curriculum have made positive differences to pupils’ learning. Curriculum plans, including in Reception, are well organised and clearly outline the specific knowledge teachers must ensure pupils learn. Teachers, supported by well-trained additional adults, deliver the curriculum consistently well. They follow the school’s curriculum plans and ensure that pupils learn knowledge in a sensible order to avoid confusion. Teachers also provide pupils with lots of opportunities to review what has been taught. Teachers check what pupils know and can do and provide effective support when pupils forget or misunderstand something.

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better?

On occasion, in some subjects, staff unknowingly teach misconceptions because they are not as secure with their subject knowledge. This results in pupils having a less well-developed understanding of certain areas of the curriculum. Leaders’ improvement plans have started to address the issues.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved the school’s approach to teaching reading. When reading stories, staff precisely model how to read aloud with expression. Staff also help pupils to develop sophisticated vocabulary. In Reception, staff deliver the school’s reading scheme effectively, so children learn the basics of early reading. In key stage 1, pupils become confident and capable readers. Staff have effective measures in place to support pupils who find reading 31 January and 1 February 2024

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hard so that they do not fall behind. Pupils enjoy reading the high-quality books available at the school and share book recommendations with their peers.

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Staff swiftly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Leaders work well with external specialists to devise support for these pupils. Leaders give staff effective guidance and training to enable them to provide what these pupils need. Staff work with determination and expertise to remove potential barriers and include these pupils within all aspects of the curriculum. These pupils learn well and enjoy being at school.

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Staff routines in lessons and the ethos of the school ensure that pupils work hard, free from disruptive behaviour. At times, however, some pupils, and children in Reception, lose concentration without staff noticing. This means that parts of lessons for these pupils are less productive than they could be.

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The school has effective measures in place to support pupils to maintain regular attendance at school. This academic year, the school has improved attendance markedly. Although the rate of persistent absence remains high, the school’s actions are improving the situation.

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The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils speak confidently about the different faiths they have studied. They also know the importance of respecting others’ beliefs and lifestyles. The school has ensured that pupils know how to maintain healthy lifestyles, physically and mentally. Pupils have an age- appropriate understanding of relationships.

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Leaders have won the confidence of parents, staff and pupils. Parents share effusive praise about the work of leaders and staff. Staff are proud to work at the school. Staff also agreed that leaders support staff well-being and help staff to maintain reasonable workload.

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Since the previous inspection, governors have improved their work. They have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Using precise information about the school’s quality, governors hold leaders to account for their work effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, staff teach misconceptions. Consequently, pupils have less well- developed understanding of parts of the curriculum. The school must ensure that staff have the subject knowledge they need to plan and deliver the entire 31 January and 1 February 2024

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curriculum free from misconceptions and with an appropriate level of sophistication.  Occasionally, some pupils, and children in Reception, lose concentration when they should be learning. As a result, they are not as productive as they could be. Staff must ensure that they keep pupils, and children in Reception, focused on learning as much as possible.

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 31 January and 1 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 December 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Bushey Primary Education Federation. Mary Ann Cooper is the executive headteacher of the two schools in the federation.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art, mathematics, physical education and reading. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects. 31 January and 1 February 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils in lessons and during social time.  Inspectors looked at relevant documents and held discussions with leaders, staff and pupils about the provision for pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors considered the responses of 23 staff and 85 parents to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Georgina Nutton Ofsted Inspector 31 January and 1 February 2024

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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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