Longcot and Fernham Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Longcot and Fernham Church of England Primary School Kings Lane, Longcot, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7SY

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Sally Robins. This school is part of the Cambrian Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Richard Evans, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Cook. 1 and 2 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this welcoming and caring school. Positive relationships and kindness are evident in all interactions. There is a strong sense of belonging in the school, where pupils feel safe and know they will be listened to. Pupils are routinely considerate of others while also understanding how to look after their own well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a significant contribution to the life of the school. They value the leadership opportunities that allow them to be active citizens. By the time they leave the school, all pupils experience at least one whole-school responsibility. ‘Digital leaders’ are proud of the charter they devised to help keep their peers safe online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations and pupils achieve well in their learning. Alongside secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, pupils develop broad knowledge that helps them to understand the world and to be well prepared for the future. Pupils learn about influential figures who have defended people’s human rights and those who have changed the way we look after our environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are extremely positive about the many improvements they recognise to have been made in the school. In particular, parents welcome the high-quality pastoral care and the expertise of staff in meeting their children’s needs.

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

The school has constructed an ambitious curriculum that thoroughly considers the needs of its pupils and the context of the school. From the early years upwards, pupils build strong foundations in their knowledge and skills. Pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their learning and achieve well.

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

Teachers are mostly knowledgeable about their subjects. They explain new concepts clearly and encourage pupils to explore their own perspectives and ideas. As a result, pupils are confident and have strong communication skills. In the early years, some interactions staff have with children are less consistent. At times, staff do not ask questions that might help children to deepen their learning.

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

The learning environment is well organised and purposeful. This is so pupils can easily access the resources they need to learn effectively. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are swiftly and accurately identified. As a result, pupils get the support they need to help them be successful. While staff make regular checks on pupils’ understanding, sometimes they do not use these checks as effectively as they could. Occasionally, they miss where pupils have misconceptions. Sometimes, they do not help pupils to build on the learning they are already confident with.

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

Reading is highly prioritised in the school. Children benefit from an early introduction to phonics as soon as they join the school. This helps them to make a strong start. Staff have an accurate understanding of where pupils are in their reading development. They ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to practise the sounds they have learned 1 and 2 July 2025

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and to improve their reading fluency. Those who are behind are helped to catch up quickly. Across the school, pupils are enthusiastic and confident readers.

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Pupils are highly respectful and demonstrate extremely positive attitudes to their learning. In lessons and around the school, pupils behave in an exemplary manner. They readily meet the high expectations that staff have for them. Pupils consistently model the school’s values of love, honesty and respect. They make positive choices in their behaviour because they understand why it is important to do so. Pupils attend school regularly and are routinely ready to learn. The school takes highly effective action to improve the attendance of the very small number of pupils who do not attend as often as they should.

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The manner in which the school develops pupils’ character is exemplary. Every opportunity is taken to ensure that pupils understand different cultures, characteristics and perspectives. As a result, pupils consistently demonstrate high levels of empathy and kindness. They have a strong sense of justice and equality that contributes towards a harmonious school community. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to stay safe in the community and online. Well-considered opportunities for reflection and contemplation support pupils’ spiritual development.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance strongly believe that every pupil has the capacity to make a difference in the world. They are relentlessly ambitious to ensure that all pupils in the school fulfil their potential. Leaders at all levels fulfil their roles and responsibilities diligently. Leaders have ensured that staff are well supported. They consider staff’s well-being when making important improvements to the work of the school. Staff are proud to work in the school. They welcome the professional development opportunities that help them to improve their expertise.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Systems to check pupils’ understanding are not used consistently. Sometimes, staff do not realise when pupils have gaps in their knowledge, or they do not help pupils build upon the knowledge they already have. The school should ensure that systems to check understanding are used effectively and consistently to inform and adapt teaching choices.  Sometimes, in the early years, staff’s interactions do not support children to explore their ideas. As a result, children may not deepen their learning as effectively as they could. The school should ensure that staff in the early years have the expertise to maximise learning opportunities through their interactions with children. 1 and 2 July 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). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

Website www.longcotandfernhamschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Cambrian Learning Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in November 2019.

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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). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 July 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 met with senior leaders, trust leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector also met with representatives from the governing body, the board of trustees and the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. 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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential online staff and pupil surveys and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the

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inspection.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including minutes of governing body and trust board meetings and records of attendance and behaviour incidents.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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Inspection team

Tash Hurtado, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Dyer Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 July 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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