Mill Lane Community Primary School

Inspection of Mill Lane Community Primary School Mill Lane, Chinnor, Oxfordshire OX39 4RF

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending their vibrant, welcoming and happy school. They are proud to be part of the school’s caring and nurturing community. Pupils trust that adults will keep them safe. They know who to speak to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and courteous to each other, staff and visitors alike. The school’s values of ‘Growing, Thriving, Flying’ sit at the heart of everyday routines. They guide pupils who aspire to achieve the school’s high expectations for their behaviour and attitudes. Pupils embody the school’s values in all aspects of their learning and wider school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for all pupils to achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum and leave school well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils revel in looking after the school animals, which include goats, guinea pigs and fish. Through working with the different animals, pupils learn about resilience, responsibility and teamwork. They enjoy participating in sports events where they represent the school. Pupils also visit local places of interest, and take part in clubs both during the school day and after school.

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

The school has implemented a well-planned and sequenced curriculum in all subject areas. The knowledge which pupils need to know is organised in clear steps. Teachers know precisely what pupils should learn and when. They use their expert subject knowledge to design activities which match the curriculum and help pupils to make links in their learning. Assessment is used well to identify the knowledge pupils retain over time. However, in some subjects, teachers do not identify pupils’ misconceptions effectively enough. Where this happens, pupils do not secure the important knowledge they need and do not learn as well as they could.

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

Pupils with SEND are well supported by the school. Staff identify their needs quickly and effectively. The school works with parents and carers to ensure that any strategies and resources used are purposeful. The school reviews its strategies routinely and makes sure that pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

Learning to read is a high priority. Staff teach the school’s phonics programme effectively. They make sure that pupils read books which help them practise the sounds they know. Through well-considered reading interventions, staff support pupils who need to catch up. As a result, pupils are motivated to become confident and avid readers.

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

Pupils in the early years benefit from a well-planned environment which prioritises their early communication and language skills. Learning routines and behaviours are established in the early years. Strong, nurturing relationships help children feel safe and secure. Children learn well through a range of thoughtfully designed activities. Staff 7 and 8 May 2025

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contribute well to the growing knowledge of every child. This is effective in preparing children for the next stage in their learning in key stage 1.

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The school places great emphasis on promoting high levels of attendance. It works very well with pupils and their families to address barriers promptly and positively. This means that pupils’ attendance is high. Pupils follow the school’s behaviour expectations with thought and care. There is a purposeful atmosphere in lessons. Pupils discuss their ideas with care and consideration.

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Pupils benefit from a range of wider experiences which broaden their horizons. They look forward to taking part in the clubs which help them develop their interests and hobbies. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and understand clearly the meaning of consent. Pupils develop their leadership through roles such as being play leaders and school council and library ambassadors. They organise events and raise donations for causes they choose. Pupils bring joy to the community through visits, for example to a care home nearby. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britan.

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The school evaluates its strengths and priorities well. Governors fulfil their statutory duties effectively. They challenge the school to continue to improve through regular visits as well as formal meetings. Staff feel valued at the school and recognise that their workload and well-being are considered by leaders when decisions are made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the use of assessment and checks on learning are not consistent. Where this happens, teachers do not identify and address pupils’ misconceptions, which means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers know how to check pupils’ understanding consistently and use this information to help pupils build on and connect their knowledge securely across the curriculum.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery provision which caters for three-year-olds.  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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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 received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at a range of pupils’ books.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders within the school. The lead inspector also met with governors, including the chair, and a representative from the local authority.  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 reviewed a range of the school’s documentation, including school

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improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and attendance data.  The inspectors considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View.  The views of staff were gathered through interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection as well as the staff survey.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views throughout the inspection, including during classroom visits and group discussions, as well as at playtime and lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Paul Grundy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Trudi Sammons Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 2025

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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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