West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire OX5 1EA

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Outcome

West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Simon Isherwood. This school is part of White Horse Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Dan Nicholls, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ninna Gibson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School. The golden thread of ‘be kind and do your best’ is evident throughout the school. The school has high expectations for pupils to achieve well. Pupils work hard to meet these expectations. All pupils have adults in the school they can talk to if they have any concerns. They feel cared for. This makes them feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are calm and play well together. Pupils are all included at playtimes. Older pupils support younger pupils with different games. In lessons, pupils are keen to learn. Staff reward positive behaviour using the effective school systems. This creates a happy and focused environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a wide range of opportunities in the school. They compete in sports events in the local area. Pupils enjoy attending a range of school trips, for example visits to places of interest, including museums. Older pupils go on a residential activity trip. These activities enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils take on leadership roles, for example, as well-being leaders. This helps pupils to learn about responsibility. 3 and 4 June 2025

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

The school has planned a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum is well sequenced in all subjects. It identifies the important knowledge that pupils need to learn from Nursery to Year 6. Pupils revisit knowledge on a regular basis. This helps them to remember more.

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

Reading is a priority in the school. Pupils begin learning phonics as soon as they start school. Staff have the training they need to deliver phonics lessons well. Where pupils fall behind, interventions are well planned and support pupils to catch up. Books are at the heart of the curriculum. This encourages pupils to develop a love of reading.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. The school’s professional development enables teachers to develop their knowledge across the curriculum. Clear presentation of information in most lessons enables pupils to secure new knowledge. However, in some subjects, the activities that teachers design do not help some pupils to learn new content and important knowledge. When this happens, pupils do not develop a secure understanding of the intended learning.

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

Children in the early years get off to a strong start. Activities are well organised and engage children in their learning. Children focus on activities for long periods. They interact well together, taking turns and following well-established routines.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. The school then makes suitable adaptations for these pupils. Effective interventions support pupils to achieve well. These interventions focus on both academic and pastoral needs. The support that the school provides for the most vulnerable pupils helps them to achieve well.

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

The school has clear systems in place to manage attendance and punctuality. The school works closely with families to remove any barriers that might prevent pupils from attending school. This means attendance is high.

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

The school has high expectations about how pupils conduct themselves in and around the school. There is no disruption to learning. Behaviour systems in the school are well established. Routines are consistent across the school, creating an environment where pupils can learn.

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

Pupils learn how to keep safe online and in the local community. They know how to keep themselves healthy both physically and mentally. Pupils learn about and experience the religious festivals of other cultures. The school ensures that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand what makes people different and celebrate these differences. In Year 6, pupils take on responsibilities in the school. This creates an environment where they are excellent citizens in their community. The school’s ‘character award’ supports pupils to continue to develop skills outside of school such as working with the local community. Pupils appreciate these opportunities and make the most of them. 3 and 4 June 2025

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Trust leaders work alongside the school to support its continued improvement. School leaders accurately identify the areas to improve in the school. They focus on these areas, ensuring the improvements are sustained and effective. Trustees and the local governors challenge the school effectively and complete their statutory duties.

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Staff feel well supported by the school. They appreciate that their workload is taken into account when decisions are made. Staff feel able to approach the school leadership and believe they will get the support they need.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, learning activities do not match the curriculum ambition. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are supported in designing activities that help all pupils to learn the intended curriculum.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School is a sponsored academy. It is part of The White Horse Federation, which is a multi-academy trust consisting of 30 academies located in the south east and south west of England.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, education leaders from the trust, senior leaders, staff and pupils. The inspector met with a trustee, the CEO and the chair of the local governing body. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 and open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector took account of a range of information, including the school’s development plans, school policies, and trust and local academy board minutes.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their experience of the school. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses, and took account of staff views through conversations and their responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Grundy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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