Stockham Primary School

Stockham Primary School

Address: Stockham Way, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9HL Unique reference number (URN): 123072

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils attend school regularly and enjoy being part of the school community. Positive relationships underpin the school’s culture, and staff consistently reinforce clear expectations and routines. Leaders place a high priority on attendance and analyse information carefully to identify patterns, barriers and emerging concerns for individuals and groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Early intervention and targeted support help pupils overcome difficulties that may affect their attendance. Leaders work effectively with families and external agencies to secure improvements where needed. Communication with parents is clear, monitoring systems are well established and, as a result, attendance is in line with national figures and continues to improve for identified pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established a positive behaviour culture with high expectations and clear routines that are understood across the school. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, demonstrating positive attitudes to learning and respectful relationships with staff and their peers. Staff apply behaviour systems consistently and provide effective support for pupils who need help to manage their emotions and behaviour. Leaders monitor behaviour closely and respond swiftly to concerns. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in incidents of challenging behaviour. Pupils are confident that bullying and discrimination are not tolerated and trust staff to address concerns effectively. Behaviour continues to improve across the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have designed a well-planned and inclusive personal development programme that runs through the curriculum and a wide range of enrichment opportunities. Pupils take part in educational visits, residential trips, Forest School, assemblies, workshops with visitors and a variety of clubs. These experiences broaden pupils’ horizons and raise their aspirations for what they can achieve in the future. Pupils develop secure social skills and show a clear understanding of right and wrong.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have carefully shaped the programme to reflect the needs and context of the school community. Through lessons, assemblies and wider opportunities, pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and make informed decisions. They build their understanding of healthy relationships, online safety, physical health and mental wellbeing. Pupils talk confidently about how to stay safe online and understand the importance of treating others with kindness and respect. They learn about democracy, inclusion and cultural diversity, and appreciate that people may have different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

A broad range of clubs and activities, including sport, music and the arts, helps pupils develop confidence, resilience and independence. Leaders work hard to ensure that every pupil can take part. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and disadvantaged pupils. Careful monitoring, targeted support and appropriate adaptations remove barriers to participation and help all pupils benefit from the opportunities available.

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Needs attention

Pupils feel valued and cared for. They know that adults listen to them and will provide support when needed. Pastoral care is effective and helps pupils feel safe and secure. Thoughtful provision, including soft starts to the day through the Bungalow, ensures that pupils are ready to learn and have the support they need to succeed. As a result, pupils quickly settle, feel that they belong and engage positively with school life.

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Needs attention

Pupils benefit from a rich personal-development programme that prepares them well for the next stage of their education and life beyond school. They leave as confident, responsible and well-rounded young people who are ready to contribute positively to their communities.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, pupils’ achievement has been too low, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Outcomes in national assessments have declined, most notably in the combined reading, writing and mathematics measure at the end of key stage 2. As a result, too many pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils are positive about their learning and take pride in their work. Improvements can be seen in areas such as handwriting. However, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are not consistently secure, especially in the wider curriculum. While many pupils engage well in lessons, a significant minority have gaps in their learning that limits their progress. Inconsistencies in reading fluency, spelling and handwriting continue to affect too many pupils.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have begun taking appropriate action to improve outcomes. Published results in the Year 1 phonics screening check and the Year 4 multiplication tables check are more encouraging and broadly in line with national averages. However, leaders' improvements are still at an early stage, and the full impact is yet to be seen.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders' improvements to curriculum implementation and teaching are at an early stage. Recent changes in mathematics and assessment provide leaders with better information about pupils’ learning, but these systems are not yet fully embedded. As a result, teachers often do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge or address these gaps consistently enough.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have taken appropriate steps to strengthen the quality of education, including refining the curriculum, improving teaching and introducing assessment approaches designed to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge more effectively. Leaders continue to develop a more coherent wider curriculum by clarifying the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and retain over time, including in the early years. Although there are encouraging signs of improvement, it is too soon to see the full effect of leaders’ actions.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Phonics is taught effectively, and pupils read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they know. This helps pupils develop confidence, fluency and accuracy in their reading. Leaders have considered the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and other vulnerable groups. Adaptations are not always precisely matched to pupils’ learning needs, resulting in variable impact.

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Early years Needs attention

Leaders have a clear vision for the early years. They understand the provision’s strengths and areas that need improvement. They have started to strengthen the curriculum, improve teaching and develop the learning environment. They also work with external partners to support this improvement. These changes are new, however, and it is too soon to see a consistent impact across the provision.

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Early years Needs attention

The quality of learning is not yet consistently effective. Activities do not always help children build knowledge and skills in a planned way. Opportunities to develop language and vocabulary are missed. The quality of adult interaction varies and does not always extend children’s thinking. Children are supported well in adult-led sessions, but staff do not consistently challenge learning during child-initiated activities. Routines, particularly at transition times, are not fully established, and the outdoor area does not yet support the intended curriculum effectively.

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Early years Needs attention

Children are happy, safe and enjoy positive relationships with staff. Staff know children well and support their personal, social and emotional development effectively. Children settle quickly, take part in activities with confidence and develop independence. The teaching of phonics is a strength. Staff deliver the programme consistently and help children build secure early reading skills.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The identification of pupils’ specific learning needs is not always precise enough. Although adaptations are evident, they are not consistently matched to pupils’ individual barriers to learning. Consequently, academic support across the school varies in its effectiveness. While leaders have successfully improved attendance, engagement and readiness to learn, gaps in knowledge remain.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have taken appropriate and necessary action to strengthen provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and other vulnerable groups. Following a period of instability, leaders have rightly prioritised pupils’ emotional well-being, engagement and sense of belonging. Provision, such as the Bungalow and Red Kites class, demonstrates leaders’ commitment to removing barriers and helping pupils access school successfully. Staff share this commitment and increasingly use strategies that support pupils’ confidence, participation and self-regulation.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have established effective systems to work with families and external agencies and to secure additional support where needed. Alternative provision is used appropriately, with suitable checks in place to ensure that pupils are safe and able to continue accessing education. Staff know pupils well, provide sensitive pastoral care and help pupils feel valued within the school community. Pupils who have previously been known to social care receive effective support, and leaders use additional funding thoughtfully to provide wider opportunities and targeted interventions for disadvantaged pupils.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Although leaders are focused on the correct priorities, the changes made have not yet led to significant improvements in pupils’ learning, and published outcomes remain well below average. Following a period of significant turbulence, including changes in leadership and governance, leaders have worked hard to bring stability. Leaders understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have identified the right priorities for improvement. For example, they have focused on strengthening systems and establishing higher expectations. Since leadership became more settled, leaders have taken decisive action to improve safeguarding, attendance, behaviour and support for vulnerable pupils. These actions are having a positive impact on school life, and pupils are safe and well cared for.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The headteacher has built a committed team with a shared vision for improvement. Staff value the support and professional development they receive and appreciate leaders’ consideration of workload and wellbeing. Leaders have also begun rebuilding relationships with parents and the wider community. Although some parents remain frustrated by the disruption of previous years, many recognise the efforts made to stabilise the school and support pupils. Leaders are role models of high expectation, professionalism and optimism.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Governors do not yet have a sufficiently detailed understanding of pupils’ achievement, including the performance of different groups. As a result, they do not always provide robust enough challenge or hold leaders fully to account for the impact of their actions. Despite these challenges, there are clear signs that governance is improving. Governors are passionate about the school and are increasingly involved in monitoring its work, particularly safeguarding. They have restructured their approach and now work more effectively with leaders to support improvement.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy being part of this welcoming and inclusive school. They feel safe, cared for and valued. Positive relationships sit at the heart of school life. Staff know pupils well and provide the care and support they need to thrive. Pupils trust adults and know who to speak to if they have a concern. They are confident that adults will listen and help.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Behaviour is calm and respectful. Pupils understand the expectations to be ready, respectful and safe. They say behaviour has improved and appreciate the support available for pupils who need additional help. Bullying is uncommon. Pupils understand what bullying is and trust staff to deal with concerns quickly. This helps create a safe and orderly environment where pupils can learn.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders place inclusion and wellbeing at the centre of their work. Provision, such as the Bungalow and Red Kites class, helps pupils overcome barriers and engage successfully with school. Staff work closely with families and external agencies to provide personalised support. Pupils with additional needs feel included and take part in school life alongside their peers.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. They enjoy clubs, trips, visitors and residential experiences. Activities, such as football, choir, art, karate, golf and Forest School, help pupils discover new interests and develop confidence. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils can access these opportunities through tailored support where needed.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics remain too low, particularly by the end of key stage 2. Disadvantaged pupils do not achieve well enough, and gaps are not closing quickly enough. While leaders have begun to improve teaching and support, these changes are not yet fully embedded. The school has undergone rapid improvement, but this is not yet reflected in published outcomes. As a result, too many pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they should be.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and disadvantaged pupils are identified precisely to inform teaching and enables them to achieve well. Leaders should continue their work strengthening the curriculum, so it is of a consistently high quality, especially in the wider curriculum subjects and early years, so that pupils develop the detailed knowledge and skills they need to succeed for the next stage of learning. Leaders should ensure that staff identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills with greater precision and take effective action to address them, so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum as intended. Governors should sharpen their understanding of the effectiveness of leaders’ actions in improving outcomes, particularly for the most disadvantaged pupils, so that they can hold leaders to account more effectively.

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About this inspection

The chair of the governing body is Sue Hunter.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following Ofsted’s renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, assistant headteachers, special educational needs coordinator, staff and pupils. The lead inspector spoke with governors, including the chair of

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Lead inspector:

Gareth Flemington, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Andrew Foster, Ofsted Inspector Lindsay McCarthy, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 272 the governing body. He also spoke with a representative of local authority. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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What does this mean?

Inspectors confirmed the following about the school:

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What does this mean?

Since the previous inspection, the school has undergone a significant period of change in leadership, staffing and governance. A new headteacher, other leaders and the chair of governors have been appointed since the previous inspection.

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What does this mean?

The school uses 1 unregistered alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

There is a before- and after-school club, which the school manages.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school. National average: 15%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 61% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 77% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.7% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 14.6% 13.0% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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