Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School Whitemarsh Way, Bletchingdon, Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 3FD

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Outcome

Bletchingdon Parochial Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At this school, pupils are encouraged to ‘shine like stars’. They understand and champion the school’s values to love, have courage and become an integral part of the community. This enables them to become enthusiastic and happy learners. They are well mannered towards others, for example holding doors open for people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations of pupils are reflected in the quality of pupils’ work around the school. Pupils typically achieve well. Pupils typically take pride in their work and presentation. They behave well and work hard. They are keen to try their best and make the most of their school experiences. All pupils, regardless of their needs or circumstances, access an ambitious curriculum. The school provides a range of additional opportunities for enrichment. These help to build pupils’ confidence and resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships are strong between adults and pupils. Pupils feel safe. They know that adults will always try to help them. Pupils develop a strong sense of what is appropriate in modern British society. The school prepares them to become active and responsible citizens, who show mutual respect to others. Pupils celebrate difference and oppose any form of discrimination. Pupils say, ‘You can be yourself here.’

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

The school has designed a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils build on their knowledge as they move through the school. The school’s curriculum meets the needs of pupils well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). 17 December 2024

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Staff receive useful training to enable them to improve the identification of pupils’ needs. They are clear how to support these pupils and what they need to learn next.

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Early reading is a high priority in the school. The new phonics scheme is embedding well. Teachers deliver lessons with fidelity to the scheme. Reading books are usually well matched to pupils’ phonic ability. Pupils read accurately using the sounds that they know. However, some pupils struggle with learning early reading skills. These pupils do not always receive the high-quality support they need to catch up quickly. As a result, they are not becoming the confident, fluent readers they could be.

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In all subjects, the school has ensured a clearly sequenced curriculum is being implemented. This is well delivered. Generally, the school manages the range of needs in each class well. It adapts the curriculum for mixed-age classes with care. Pupils engage well in their lessons. They learn new knowledge and skills across the curriculum. Teachers identify any misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ learning and address these. However, sometimes the choices of learning activities do not meet the needs of all pupils. The work can be too challenging, or, for others, too simple. This means that not all pupils make the progress they could.

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Children in the early years make a strong start. The care that staff provide for pupils is evident. Parents appreciate this. There is a language-rich environment in the early years. Staff nurture children’s confidence and curiosity. Children quickly learn to make their needs known to adults and each other. Early mathematics is taught well. Children practise the skills of counting and number recognition through well-selected games and activities.

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Behaviour across school is of a high standard. Well-trained staff create a purposeful learning atmosphere. On the playground, pupils play very well with each other. Occasionally, some pupils find it hard to follow the rules. Staff help to meet the individual needs of these pupils.

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The school has addressed very high pupil absence rates since the last inspection. These rates are now much closer to national averages. The school ensures that any barriers to pupils attending school are tackled. They work closely with families and external agencies where necessary.

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The school develops pupils’ wider experiences well. Staff encourage pupils to participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities. This includes clubs, trips and events within the community. Pupils understand about healthy relationships and know what it means to be a good friend. Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They learn useful and age-appropriate ways to keep themselves safe online and in the wider community.

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Governors have a clear overview of what the school does well. They ask probing questions and hold leaders to account. They fulfil their roles with diligence and understanding. Governors support staff well-being and ensure workload does not become over burdensome. Staff are proud to work at the school. They are committed to improving opportunities for pupils across all aspects of the school’s work. 17 December 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils who are not confident readers do not always receive the high-quality support that they need. This limits their ability to decode texts accurately and fluently. The school should ensure that the pupils identified as needing additional reading support receive regular, high-quality provision, so that all pupils become confident and fluent readers as quickly as possible.  The implementation of the curriculum in a few subjects is not fully effective as the activities chosen do not always deepen pupils’ knowledge effectively. As a result, some pupils, including those who need more challenging work, are not progressing as well as they could through the school’s curriculum. The school should ensure that learning activities provided in all subjects develop and deepen what pupils already know and can do.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2016. 17 December 2024

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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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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). 17 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a voluntary-aided Church of England school in the diocese of Oxford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in March 2017. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place by the end of this academic year.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 17 December 2024

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders within the school. The lead inspector also met with the chair of governors and one other member of the governing board, as well as educational representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  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.  The inspectors reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including self- evaluation reports, minutes of governing body meetings and behaviour incident logs.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View. An inspector also spoke with some parents on the day of the inspection.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted

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throughout the inspection, as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including through the classroom visits, group discussions as well as at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Chris Parker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Robb-Webb Ofsted Inspector 17 December 2024

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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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