East Oxford Primary School

EAST OXFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd – 4 th February 2004

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EAST OXFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 East Oxford Primary - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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EAST OXFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. East Oxford Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 245

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Union Street Oxford Postcode: OX4 1JP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01865 240219 Fax number: 01865 727845

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Ms Val Johnson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 11 January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

East Oxford Primary is an average sized primary school for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. The school has changed considerably since it was last inspected in January 1999. Until recently it was a First School catering for pupils only until the end of Year 4, and this is the first year in which pupils have been admitted into Year 6. In addition, the school now caters for a very high proportion of pupils who come from socially very disadvantaged homes, as is reflected in the high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. Around four out of five pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and three quarters come from homes where English is not their first language. Pupils come from a very wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. The largest ethnic group is of Pakistani origin. Many pupils come from refugee families and families seeking asylum. Mobility is very high, with many pupils joining the school other than at the start of their primary education and similarly large numbers moving to other

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

schools as families are rehoused. An above average number of pupils have special educational needs including a range of learning difficulties. Pupils have a wide range of abilities but, taken overall, their attainment is very low when they join the school. East Oxford Primary - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

9271 Selwyn Ward Lead inspector 9756 Ken Parsons Lay inspector 20712 James Elliott Team inspector Mathematics, Geography, History, Religious education 23288 Marianne Harris Team inspector Foundation Stage , Science, Information and communication technology (ICT), English as an additional language 27523 Graham Jones Team inspector English, Art and design, Design and technology, Music, Physical education, Personal, social and health education, Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). East Oxford Primary - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

East Oxford Primary is a good school, working in very challenging circumstances that provides a good education for its pupils. It is well led and managed and the teaching is good. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Children get a very good start in the nursery and reception classes. • Teaching and learning are good in Years 1 to 6 and pupils with special educational needs and the many learning English as an additional language do well because they are well supported. • The headteacher provides very good leadership in the development of the school and has built a strong partnership with parents and the local community. • Opportunities are missed for pupils to use their literacy, numeracy and computer skills to support their learning in other subjects and some lessons are too long. • The school provides well for pupils’ welfare and very well for their personal development and, as a result, pupils behave well, get on very well with one another and are keen to learn. • Too many pupils have their progress interrupted by absence or through moving schools partway through their education. • The classrooms are very cramped for pupils in Years 5 and 6.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has changed considerably since it was last inspected as East Oxford First School in January 1999. There are now many more pupils attending from disadvantaged backgrounds and many more refugees and others who are dependent on extra support in learning English. In addition, the school has been part of a local reorganisation of education which has resulted in its change from being a first school (where children left at the end of Year 4) to a full primary school. In these circumstances, comparisons with the previous inspection would be misleading and unreliable, and so inspectors have not made judgements about improvement since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 reading E E E C writing E E* E C mathematics E E* E C Key: A* - top 5 per cent of schools; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - bottom 5 per cent of schools. Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall because, from a very low starting point, pupils attain below average standards in English and mathematics in Year 2 and Year 6. This is an improvement on the test results for Year 2 last year, when they achieved as well as pupils in similar schools. However, standards are well below average in science and information and communication technology (ICT). More able pupils achieve satisfactorily but children in the nursery and reception classes achieve very well, although few are likely to attain all the goals that children are expected to reach by the start of Year 1. Three quarters of the pupils are learning English as an additional language and they do well because they are well supported in lessons. This is also the case for those pupils who have special educational needs. Pupils do not all make as much progress over time, however, because many have their education interrupted by absence or by moving schools. Girls have not done as well as

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are good , with pupils encouraged to appreciate and respect the rich cultural diversity found within the school. Relationships are very good, pupils behave well and they have a positive attitude to learning. Although pupils enjoy school, attendance is poor. Many miss school because of extended holidays and religious festivals. On the first day of the inspection, which followed the weekend of a religious festival, more than half the pupils were absent.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided is good . Arrangements for pupils’ welfare are good. The school works hard to keep parents informed about how their children are doing and has built strong links with the local community that enrich pupils’ experience. Because so many pupils need support learning English and because there is such high mobility – with a steady intake of new arrivals, including many refugees – the school has correctly given priority to work in literacy and numeracy. Art and music give pupils good opportunities for creative expression but, although National Curriculum requirements are met, there has been less work done in some subjects, such as geography and design technology, than is usually seen and opportunities are missed for using literacy, numeracy and computer skills in other subjects. The organisation of the timetable means that some lessons are too long, and this does not make the best use of teaching time. The number

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

of classrooms is adequate but they do not provide enough space for the older pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are good . Lessons are well planned and pupils work at a good pace. Relationships are very good and this means that pupils co-operate and work very effectively in pairs and small groups. Support teachers and other staff work closely with pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs so that these pupils achieve well. Teachers are effective at helping pupils to build on what they have learnt before, although this is impeded significantly by the high rates of absence and the number of pupils who join the school partway through their education. Work is usually well matched to the very wide range of ability in the, mostly, mixed-age classes, but sometimes the most able pupils are given less challenging work than they are capable of. Teachers are generally effective in assessing how well pupils are learning and adjusting their lessons where pupils have not understood. Marking is good because it generally

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

helps pupils to understand what they need to do to do better.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . Although, with recent staff changes, many of those with responsibility for co-ordinating subjects are new to their role, they are doing an effective job. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She has a very clear vision for the school and, with the staff team, has been successful in managing the transition from a first to a primary school. Governors do a good job. Although several are new, they are supportive of the school and have a good appreciation both of the strengths of the school and of those areas that need to be improved. Statutory requirements are fully met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils and parents express very favourable views on almost all aspects of the school. There is a strong, shared confidence in the school as a multi-cultural community where all are valued.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards by providing more opportunities for pupils to develop and use their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to support learning in other subjects. • Review the timetabling of lessons to ensure the best use of teaching time. • Examine ways of improving the buildings to provide more space for older pupils. East Oxford Primary - 8 • Ensure that all parents fully understand the effect of absences on their children’s progress. East Oxford Primary - 9

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Standards achieved in subjects and areas of learning

Standards are below average. Given children’s very low starting point when they join the school, however, this represents good achievement. The many pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs make good progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children get off to a very good start in the nursery and reception years. • Pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs achieve well in lessons because they are well supported in class. • Some able pupils are capable of doing better. • Pupils who do not have their education interrupted by high rates of absence or by moving schools do better than those who do. • Girls do less well than boys.

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Commentary

1. Inspectors judge pupils’ achievement by looking at the progress they make over their time in school as well as how well they do in lessons. Although standards in the school are below average in comparison with those seen nationally, this still represents good achievement in relation to pupils’ very low starting point. The school caters for pupils with a very broad range of abilities, but, taken overall, their attainment is very low when they join the school. This is because there is an exceptionally high proportion of pupils who need extra support either because of their learning difficulties or because English is not the language that all their family speak at home. Three quarters of the pupils in the school are learning English as an additional language rather than as their mother tongue.

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Commentary

2. Children get off to a very good start in the nursery and reception classes. They benefit from much very good teaching and support. They achieve very well in all of the areas of learning expected for children of this age, although standards are still well below average in most of these areas of learning when they start in Year 1.

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Commentary

3. The school is located in an area where the population is unusually mobile. An exceptionally high proportion of pupils join and leave the school other than at the start of their primary education. A number move to other schools as a result of families being rehoused in other localities. The school frequently takes new pupils in to each of the year groups with new arrivals to the area, including, increasingly in recent years, children of refugee families. Inspectors tracked the progress of pupils who had spent longest at the school and compared that with the progress of those who had joined the school more recently. Achievement was generally best among those who had spent longest in the school. Although new arrivals are well supported to boost their progress, given good support, for example, in learning English, scores in the national tests taken at the end of Year 2 have been depressed by the inclusion of pupils who have spent little

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Commentary

4. The table that follows shows the average point scores attained in the Year 2 tests in 2003 (with the 2002 scores in brackets). There is no similar table available for the Year 6 tests because this is the first year in which there has been a Year 6 in East Oxford Primary (which was previously East Oxford First School, where pupils left at the end of Year 4). In the table, one point represents roughly one term’s progress, so the table shows, for example, that in writing, pupils in Year 2 last year were on average almost two terms behind pupils nationally. East Oxford Primary - 10 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.4 (13.8) 15.7 (15.8) writing 12.6 (11.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.3 (13.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 39 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

5. In judging standards in Years 3 to 6, as well as those in Years 1 and 2, inspectors looked at pupils’ work over the past year and at their work in lessons. The standard of work seen was well below average in science and information and communication technology (ICT). In English and mathematics, it was below average – and notably better, therefore, than in last year’s tests. Given the high mobility of pupils, however, this might very well not be reflected in this year’s test results because, based on the experience of recent years, some Year 2 and Year 6 pupils could well have left and other children joined these year groups in the few months between the inspection and May when the tests are taken. Standards in art and design are in line with those expected nationally.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with poor attendance do less well than those whose attendance is good. Significantly, girls do less well than boys. The school’s analysis suggests that this is due to cultural factors, in that girls from some cultures are more reluctant to take part and some are inhibited from contributing in class by the more dominant boys. Having identified this concern, teachers are careful in lessons to try to tackle it, and inspectors saw good examples of lessons where teachers worked hard through the choice of activities and their use of questioning to fully include and build up the confidence of the shyest girls.

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Commentary

7. The many pupils learning English as an additional language achieve well in lessons because they are well supported by specialist teachers and support staff. Many, however, are among those whose attendance is poor and these pupils therefore achieve less well over time. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because they too are well supported in lessons by teaching assistants. Although their achievement is satisfactory, the most able pupils are sometimes given insufficiently challenging work in lessons. The school has itself identified this as a concern and has taken some initial steps to extend opportunities for these pupils, for example through taking part in a national mathematics challenge.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal development is good. They behave well and are keen to learn. The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this contributes to the very positive ethos of the school as a harmonious community where pupils from many different ethnic backgrounds get on very well with each other. Attendance is poor and too many pupils arrive late for school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and this contributes to the school ethos where pupils respect one another’s different beliefs. • Attendance is poor and this adversely affects pupils’ progress. • Behaviour is good and pupils develop a positive attitude to learning. • The enthusiasm of some boys inhibits some girls from contributing in lessons.

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Commentary

East Oxford Primary - 11 8. From the moment they join the school, whether that is at the start of the year in the nursery or, in the case of the many who join the school partway through their education, in other classes, pupils experience consistently applied rules and teachers and support staff who regularly reinforce the importance of following orderly routines, such as putting up hands to answer questions rather than calling out answers. As a result, behaviour, both in lessons and around the school, is good. The table below shows the number of exclusions from school over the past year. It is particularly low considering that quite a number of pupils join the school with little prior experience of schooling in the United Kingdom, and several of those who come to the school as refugees have been traumatised by what they have seen in their home countries.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 46 4 0 White – any other White background 15 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 7 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 16 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 86 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 36 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 8 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 7 0 0 Black or Black British – African 14 1 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0 Chinese 4 0 0 Any other ethnic group 9 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

9. Pupils develop a positive attitude to learning. They work in lessons with concentration – although this is sometimes tested to the limit by the length of some of the lessons. Pupils learning English as an additional language are keen to join in with the lesson and volunteer answers to the class teachers’ questions, and they are encouraged well in this by their support teachers. Pupils all co-operate well together for paired and group activities and, though they almost invariably choose to work with a partner of the same sex, they readily mix with pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. Occasionally, however, the enthusiasm of some boys to answer teachers’ questions inhibits some shyer girls, usually from ethnic Asian backgrounds, from contributing in lessons. Teachers are aware of this and are careful to try to counter it by ensuring that all are included in their question and answer sessions.

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Commentary

10. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language are quickly incorporated into school life. Sometimes girls are less confident than boys, and the school works hard to raise their self- esteem and encourage them to try new experiences. For example, in Year 6, some girls were very reluctant to use the computers and, with careful, sensitive encouragement made very good progress and became confident when trying out a new program. The school provides very East Oxford Primary - 12 well for pupils’ personal development and encourages them to talk about their experiences. Pupils who are new to the country and who have been traumatised by their experiences are supported very well and given counselling to help them come to terms with what they have been through.

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Commentary

11. East Oxford Primary provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Social development is given a high priority within the nursery and reception classes and children’s achievement in this area of learning is very good. Most of the children attain the expected standard in this early learning goal. Throughout the school, pupils are given good opportunities to take on responsibility and they have developed an effective school council, run by the pupils themselves, that has real influence over school policies. The school council contributes well to pupils’ developing understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, with pupil councillors clearly conscious of their accountability to their constituents. The pride that pupils have in their school is strongly evident in the school council’s rewriting of the school’s aims in child-friendly language. For example, the official school aim that “We

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Commentary

believe that every individual is entitled to equal access to all opportunities available within our school and to all areas of the National Curriculum” is summed up succinctly as “We think that everyone in our school should be able to join in with everything” .

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Commentary

12. A notable strength of the school is its success in celebrating the rich cultural diversity of the school community. Pupils learn about and show appreciation for their own and other cultures. As a result, relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils work in harmony together and show respect for one another’s different backgrounds and beliefs. This extends beyond the cultural traditions found within each class. In a music lesson, for example, pupils were enthusiastic about learning a new song that happened to originate from Israel and where the words, in Hebrew, were a new language to all of the pupils in the class.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.4 School data 1.3 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

13. The school works hard to promote attendance and has established very good systems to improve attendance, including use of a worker to follow up on the first day of any unexplained absence and rewards for good attendance. Despite this, and in spite of the fact that the children enjoy school, absence rates remain high and pupils’ poor attendance contributes to their low attainment. Pupils who learn and achieve well in lessons fall back and make less progress over time because their education is interrupted. The school’s attendance figures are particularly depressed by pupils being taken out of school for extended family holidays and by pupils missing school for religious festivals. These factors mean that the school has virtually no chance of reaching the target it has set itself of raising attendance to 95 per cent. More than half the pupils were absent from school on the first day of the inspection because this was the

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Commentary

day following the weekend of a religious festival.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching and learning are good. There are good arrangements for the care and welfare of the pupils, and pupils are made to feel valued. The school works hard to involve parents and keep them informed and it works well with the community. The curriculum is satisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

East Oxford Primary - 13 Teaching and learning are good and teachers make good use of assessment to plan their lessons and to give feedback to pupils on how well they are doing.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned and pupils usually have a clear idea of what they are expected to learn. • Support teachers and other teaching assistants boost the achievement of pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. • There is not always enough challenge for the most able pupils. • Lessons build well on what pupils have learnt before. • Teachers assess how well their pupils are learning and adapt their teaching when pupils do not understand an important point. • Most marking is good, but there is some inconsistency.

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Commentary

14. In their questionnaire responses before the inspection, parents and pupils expressed particularly positive views about the teaching in the school. Inspection findings confirm these. Teaching and learning are good. There was a higher proportion, however, of good and very good teaching in the nursery, reception and infant (Year 1 and 2) classes than in the older classes.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 54 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

15. Lessons are well planned. In almost all lessons, teachers set out clear, simple learning objectives so that pupils all understand what it is that they are expected to learn from the lesson. In some but not all lessons, teachers return to these objectives at the end of the lesson to involve pupils in assessing for themselves whether they have made progress. Lessons often include a mix of activities which helps to retain pupils’ interest and concentration. Teachers often set, and keep to, strict time limits for activities, and this helps to ensure that pupils work at a good pace and get a reasonable amount done.

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Commentary

16. With so many pupils in the school learning English as an additional language and many with special educational needs, the support given to pupils in lessons by specialist language teachers and teaching assistants makes a significant contribution to their learning and achievement. Pupils are consistently well supported and they achieve well as a result. For pupils receiving support in learning English, there is constant reinforcement of language skills while still enabling pupils to take part fully in the lesson. In a literacy session comparing Norse and Greek creation myths, for example, a language support teacher drew her pupils’ attention to the spelling and root links between the word creation and the word creature that they were attempting to write and this contributed to their understanding. For newly arrived pupils, an intensive language programme is especially effective in enabling pupils who have very little

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Commentary

spoken English to quickly settle into school and begin to make friends with the rest of their class. This programme concentrates on key words and phrases that the pupils will need in order to successfully get through their first weeks in school. However, although teaching is good, learning is interrupted by high rates of absence, including, in some cases, long holidays abroad, that limit the progress pupils make. East Oxford Primary - 14 17. Pupils get on very well with the teachers and other adults in the school and with each other. This enables teachers to make particularly effective use of learning techniques that depend on pupils working together. For example, in many lessons, teachers encourage pupils to discuss their ideas with their talk partner . This discussion in pairs contributes both to learning in the subject being taught as well as boosting pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Teachers were

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Commentary

similarly effective in asking pupils to repeat for the class what another had said. This ensured that pupils were listening carefully while confirming that all had understood.

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Commentary

18. The most effective teaching builds well on what pupils have learnt before. Questioning is used well to recap on prior learning and to check periodically through the lesson that all pupils understand. Teachers take care to ensure that all are included by directing questions at those who are reluctant to put up their hands to volunteer answers, including some girls who are shy about contributing in lessons. This good, incremental approach to learning is impeded, however, by the high rates of absence and the timetabling of long, weekly lessons. The interest and application of some pupils wane when the lessons are very long, and it is clear from the work in their books that pupils’ progress is set back when they miss school, particularly for extended periods.

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Commentary

19. Most classes include two year groups and all cover a very wide range of ability. Work is usually well matched to the different needs of the pupils in the class but, sometimes, the most able pupils are not set challenging enough work. As a result, though the most able pupils achieve satisfactorily, they do not make as much as progress as other pupils.

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Commentary

20. Assesssment is good. In most cases, teachers check on how well pupils are learning both to plan the next day’s work and, during lessons to adjust what and how they are teaching to ensure that all are making progress. Most marking is good, giving pupils good guidance on what they need to do to improve their work, although this is not entirely consistent throughout the school.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory. There is a good range of out-of-school activities that enrich the curriculum. Resources are adequate but the classrooms do not provide enough space for the older pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for the many pupils learning English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs. • The curriculum in the nursery and reception classes is very well matched to children’s needs. • Opportunities are missed for pupils to develop and use their literacy, numeracy and computer skills in other subjects. • Some lessons are too long. • Older pupils do not have enough space. • There is a good range of out-of-school activities.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum is appropriate for the needs of the pupils served by the school. It is particularly well matched to children’s needs in the nursery and reception classes. Across the school as a whole, three quarters of the pupils are learning English as an additional language and, with a high proportion of pupils joining the school partway through their primary education, there are many in each year group who are at an early stage of learning English. In addition, the school caters for an above average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Although National Curriculum requirements are met, in that all subjects are taught, the school’s focus on literacy and numeracy has meant that some subjects, such as geography and design and East Oxford Primary - 15 technology, have been studied in less depth. The leadership and management of the school are aware of this and have plans to use ideas from the Government’s Excellence & Enjoyment

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Commentary

Strategy to increasingly study topics that develop skills and learning across a range of subjects, including literacy and numeracy.

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Commentary

22. At present, however, the curriculum, which has only just been revised to cater for pupils in Years 5 and 6, is based around discrete subject lessons. Although pupils do make satisfactory use of their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects, opportunities are missed for taking this further, for example by providing opportunities for extended writing in history and religious education. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in other subjects is poor. Computers in classrooms were rarely in use during the inspection and there was little evidence in pupils’ work of ICT being used as a tool for learning.

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Commentary

23. Most classes are taught in mixed-age groups, combining, for example, pupils in Years 3 and 4. The timetable is organised so that pupils are regrouped into single years for some teaching, particularly in science, but in order to facilitate this and avoid time being wasted in pupils moving between classes, the timetable provides for some very long lessons. Most pupils are taught science once a week in a lesson running for two hours. Although this provides opportunities for practical investigations, it is too long for many of the pupils to maintain their full concentration. As a result, the pace of these lessons flags. Because the lessons are only weekly, and with some pupils going two weeks or more between lessons because of absence, there is a lack of continuity which means that pupils are not so readily able to build on what they have learnt before. The timetabling of science in this way contributes to achievement in

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Commentary

science, though satisfactory, being lower than that in English and mathematics. Some of the daily English lessons were also too long, however, running in some cases for 75 or 85 minutes. In most of these lessons, pupils achieved at a better rate in the first 50 or 60 minutes than they did in the remainder of the lesson.

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Commentary

24. Pupils benefit from a good range of clubs and other out-of-school activities that enrich their education. Good use is made of visitors to the school and of visits out to the locality, for example to places of worship of different faiths in religious education. In addition, the school makes very good use of local projects and outside agencies to enhance opportunities for pupils. An Art Room project, for example, gives a small number of pupils the chance to work with materials and resources to which they would not otherwise have access and enables them to develop their skills and talents and to produce some stunning three-dimensional artwork.

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Commentary

25. Resources for all of the National Curriculum subjects are adequate. Priority has been given to ensuring that the school is equipped to cover the needs of pupils in Years 5 and 6 who, in previous years, would have gone on to middle schools but the headteacher and governors have been successful in ensuring that the school’s large budget deficit has not been allowed to leave the school without the resources it needs. The accommodation, however, is unsatisfactory. Although there are sufficient classrooms and teaching areas, they provide insufficient space for the older pupils which restricts, for example, opportunities for pupils to move around the class when working in small groups and which limits practical and creative activities.

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Care, guidance and support

The school cares for its pupils well. There is very good support and guidance for pupils and their views are sought and acted upon very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has effective child protection procedures in place. • The school’s provision to guide and support pupils is very effective. • Staff work hard to develop good supportive relationships with their pupils. East Oxford Primary - 16 • There are very good arrangements to act on pupils’ views through the school council and to give them a sense of responsibility for their school. • Induction arrangements for new pupils are effective.

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Commentary

26. Most parents believe that the school cares for their children well. One of the school aims is “to maintain a caring environment…where children…feel they are supported and secure” and it is successful in meeting it. The school ethos promotes a high level of care and positive relationships between staff and pupils. All staff are well briefed on their child protection responsibilities and are vigilant in carrying them out. In addition to supporting children “at risk”, there are a number of children in the school as refugees who have been traumatised by their experiences. The school supports such children well, involving for example a local mental health project, Action For Children In Conflict , within which doctors work with such children to help them to come to terms with their experiences.

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Commentary

27. Teachers and support staff know their pupils well and help them develop as individuals. Virtually all parents believe that the staff encourage their children to become mature and independent. Class teachers genuinely care about their pupils and there is very effective support from the headteacher. A very positive ethos permeates the school. Staff work well together as a team to share information and responsibilities, including the language support team, teaching assistants and lunchtime supervisors. Pupils’ personal development is monitored by class teachers and appropriate records are kept as necessary. Support is very much on a personal basis. Staff know the stage at which individual pupils are in their personal and academic development. The school uses formal procedures to monitor pupils’ overall standard of work, which are used effectively to help pupils improve.

p.16

Commentary

28. Staff respond appropriately if a pupil is having problems. Pupils in turn know that there is a sympathetic adult they can approach if they are having difficulties. Pupils appreciate this whole school ethos, and the emotional security that results helps them to flourish. Pupils’ views are regularly sought through the very effective school council, which gives pupils a real say in the running of the school. They are confident that their views are taken seriously and acted upon. Induction arrangements for new pupils are good. In particular, there are good systems in place to help pupils joining part way through the year to settle into school routines and make friends. Induction procedures when children join the nursery help parents to ensure that their child has settled well.

p.16

Commentary

29. Pupils learning English as an additional language receive very good care and guidance. All have their progress tracked very well so that staff know how well they are achieving. Targets are set, based on careful assessments, and analysis of these show that most pupils reach the challenging targets set for them.

p.16

Commentary

30. The special needs co-ordinator, teachers and support staff work together as a team. There are good procedures for assessing and keeping tracking of pupils' achievements in the targets set for them and the requirements of their statements of need. This information is used in devising individual education plans that are regularly reviewed. Support staff are fully involved in the pupils' academic and personal development and provide good support.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with its parents and the local community. There are satisfactory links with other schools in the area.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are supportive of the school, although some could do more to avoid taking their children out of school during term time. East Oxford Primary - 17 • Parents find the school approachable and welcoming. • The school makes good use of its local environment. • The language used in some reports on children’s progress is more complicated than it needs to be.

p.16

Commentary

31. The school treats its links with its parents as a high priority. Parents believe that the school keeps them well informed, seeks their views and they feel comfortable approaching the school with any issues that arise. They appreciate the efforts the headteacher and her staff make to work with them for the benefit of their children. The vast majority of parents rate the school highly on all counts and believe that it is helping their children to learn and to develop as individuals. Although parents are supportive, a number could do more to avoid taking their children out of school during term time.

p.17

Commentary

32. Provision of information to parents is good, with considerable efforts made to provide translators where necessary to communicate in the parents’ own languages. The prospectus and annual governors’ report are both useful documents, whilst the school keeps parents in touch with what is going on through a regular newsletter. Parents have three opportunities per year to meet their child’s teacher formally. The written reports on pupils’ progress are personal to the individual and contain their targets; pupils themselves contribute their own idea of how well they are doing to this record. The language used is sometimes too complicated to be easily understood by a parent whose first language is not English. The school organises meetings to tell parents about the curriculum but these are not well attended by parents. The school has a parent-school partnership group that arranges social and fundraising events.

p.17

Commentary

33. East Oxford is a rapidly changing area and the school is determined to remain an important part of the community it serves. There are good links with local religious groups and members of the community come into school to contribute to pupils’ education. For example, a local charity, Full Circle , organises older community members to work on craft activities with individual pupils at a friendly and productive lunchtime session. Reading Quest tutors, and other local volunteers, have supported pupils’ reading well. The After School Club provides a useful facility on the school premises, including holiday play schemes. A number of local organisations make use of the school facilities. The school performs at various local events and uses the rich local Oxford environment for visits to support learning, including, for example, trips to the Botanical Gardens, Shotover Country Park and the Playhouse. East Oxford Primary

p.17

Commentary

also works with other local schools to the benefit of both staff and children. Projects of direct benefit to pupils include students from Magdelen College School coming to read with pupils, an art project undertaken at Oxford School and joining all the other schools in the ISIS partnership to perform together at the East Oxford Carnival.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the development of the school and has successfully managed the change in the school to cater for pupils in Years 5 and 6. There is an effective leadership team. Governors do a good job.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very well led by the headteacher. • The transition from a first to a primary school has been successfully managed. • Management of the provision for pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs is good. • The governing body is well informed and supports the school effectively.

p.17

Commentary

East Oxford Primary - 18 34. The headteacher demonstrates a clear vision for the development of the school and how it can best serve its pupils. The school is working in very challenging circumstances, catering for many pupils with a high degree of need and in an area where mobility is very high and so many pupils join and leave the school partway through their education. Although these factors affect standards, the headteacher does not allow them to excuse low achievement. This view is shared by the senior management team who have provided good support during the transition from a first to a primary school, and subject co-ordinators who have worked hard to raise standards of achievement throughout this period. For example, having identified underachievement among some ethnic minority girls as being an issue, teachers have been supported in developing their questioning so that these girls, shy about volunteering, are

p.18

Commentary

encouraged to take part fully in lessons.

p.18

Commentary

35. Governors do an effective job and have been successful in ensuring that all statutory requirements are fully met. Governors are supportive of the school and have a good awareness of its strengths and of those areas that need to be improved. They provide good links with the community served by the school and are involved in all aspects of the school’s work. They take a particularly active interest in financial matters, and, in particular, in ensuring that the school’s budget deficit does not impact significantly on provision for the current pupils. Governors have identified that a significant element in the deficit arises from charges for electricity and other services that ought to have been apportioned between the other site users. For this reason, the deficit is the object of continuing negotiations with the local education authority, and no recovery plan has been imposed which would necessitate reducing spending on existing pupils in order

p.18

Commentary

to reduce the debt. The presence of the deficit does, however, act as an impediment on spending decisions, for example over buying in of more artifacts for religious education.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 643,696 Brought forward from previous year -17,543 Total expenditure 680,913 Carried forward to next year -51,760 Expenditure per pupil 2,849

p.18

Commentary

36. Teaching and learning are evaluated by senior managers as part of performance management and subject co-ordinators are involved in regular monitoring of planning and assessment. The monitoring of teaching and learning has contributed to the good teaching seen during the inspection. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language is managed well and, as result, support teachers and teaching assistants are effective in working alongside class teachers providing support that is well matched to pupils’ needs. Many of the staff with responsibility for co-ordinating subjects are new to the role, but the leadership of each of the subject areas is good – not least because the staff work so effectively together as a team and so support each other well. East Oxford Primary - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

When children join the school they have had a variety of pre-school experiences but, overall, the skills and knowledge they have are very low. Many children are new to the country and have very little spoken English, many are shy and reluctant to leave their parents. During their time in the nursery and reception classes they make very good progress, especially in their personal development. By the time they enter Year 1, although the majority will not reach all of the expected goals for children’s learning, all children achieve very well overall. Teaching and learning throughout the Foundation Stage are very good and staff are very knowledgeable about how young children learn. They form very good relationships with the children and have very high expectations of all children achieving well. Very good support is given to all children, especially those who are learning English as an additional language, so that all are fully included in activities and tasks. Teachers carry out very good

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

assessments on all children and work is very well planned to match their needs. Staff in both the nursery and reception classes work well with parents to ensure that children settle in as quickly as possible. The Foundation Stage is very well led and managed with all staff working very well together to ensure that provision for all pupils is very good.

p.19

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good induction procedures ensure that children settle happily into school. • Staff have very high expectation of children behaving well. • All children are very well supported in school.

p.19

Commentary

37. Children make very good progress in their personal development so that most attain the expected standard. Before they come into school they have several opportunities to visit and become familiar with the surroundings, and when they start parents are encouraged to stay and help their children settle. This results in children being happy to come to school. They feel welcomed and quickly settle into school routines. When it come to the time when they have to move from the nursery to the reception class, the children have the opportunity to meet their new teacher and visit their new classroom. Staff work closely together to make this transition as smooth as possible and children feel ready to move into more structured sessions. All of the staff expect the children to behave well, they set clear boundaries and children learn how to get along together and work productively with each other. When they join the nursery many children

p.19

Commentary

are shy and reluctant. Staff deal sensitively with this, gently encouraging them to try new activities and experiences. By the time they leave the nursery they are much more confident. Children in the reception class have many opportunities to work together and share their ideas, confidently tackling new tasks and enjoying learning. Children who are learning English as an additional language are very well supported so that they can join in all of the activities available.

p.19

Communication, Language and Literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are encouraged to speak clearly and listen attentively. • Very good role-play areas encourage children to make up stories. • Children make very good progress during their time in the nursery and reception classes. East Oxford Primary - 20

p.19

Commentary

38. Much emphasis is put on children being able to speak confidently and listen attentively to adults and other children. Many of the children are at an early stage of learning English and very good support is given to these children. This results in them becoming increasingly confident when speaking and learning English. The very good role-play areas fuel the children’s imagination and they soon become engrossed in role-play activities. In the nursery, children learn about space and have a “space rocket” with all the words that excite young children. Support for children learning English as an additional language is very focussed on children speaking and becoming fully involved in the activities. In the reception class, the theme of exploration is very well developed so that children learn about rain forests. Children become very engrossed in their play and enjoy using all of the very good resources to act out their stories. Very good provision is

p.20

Commentary

made for children to begin to write for themselves and the early attempts they make in the nursery are developed well in the reception class and children begin to write their names confidently. Early reading skills are encouraged well and children in the reception class enjoy listening to stories and retelling them. The very good planning and teamwork of all of the staff results in children making very good progress in all aspects of communication, language and literacy, although, because of their low starting point, few are likely to reach the nationally expected standard by the start of Year 1.

p.20

Mathematical Development

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children learn to count accurately. • Staff provide a very wide range of mathematical activities that interest the children. • Children enjoy learning.

p.20

Commentary

39. Staff plan very well together so that children can make very good progress during their time in the Foundation Stage, although standards, overall, remain low because of children’s very low starting point. Throughout their time in the nursery and reception classes the children learn to use numbers confidently and in a fun way. They use numbers when singing songs that encourage them to count forwards and backwards. Lessons and activities are well planned so that children experience making patterns, and learn about mathematical ideas such as pairs of socks. When playing with the sand and water, children begin to understand about more and less , and know about ideas such as full and empty . They enjoy the activities and are keen to learn. During their reception year, children begin to write numbers and more able children are beginning to add up two numbers confidently.

p.20

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children experience a wide variety of activities that help them understand the world around them. • Children are confident using computers.

p.20

Commentary

40. Activities for this area of learning are very well planned so that children can have a rich experience. Topics are carefully planned so that skills and knowledge are developed very well. East Oxford Primary - 21 Children learn about space in the nursery and remember difficult words like astronaut with excitement. In the reception class, children learn about what happens in a rain forest and use a variety of resources, such as lenses and magnifiers, to look at animals and objects. There are many opportunities for children to practise their building skills and make models from recycled resources, as well as from construction equipment. Children use computers with confidence and access a wide variety of relevant programs. They learn about the local area and can identify some features, such as the shops and traffic lights. Although the more able children attain the nationally expected standard, most do not, although all nonetheless make very good progress.

p.20

Physical Development

Provision in physical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children use a wide variety of tools safely and with increasing skill. • Children in the reception class do not have access to the same high quality outside play area that is available for nursery children.

p.21

Commentary

41. Overall, children join the school a little below average in this area of learning. They make good progress and most attain the nationally expected standard by the end of their reception year. All children are encouraged to use a wide variety of tools in many well-planned activities. This results in children being able to use scissors carefully to cut out drawings and pictures and in children becoming confident when using large and small paintbrushes, pencils and pens. Children are encouraged to use a variety of wheeled toys so that they become well co-ordinated and can move safely around large spaces, taking care not to bump into others. The children in the nursery have a large, very well resourced outside play area that supports all areas of learning, especially knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. This is used very well. However, the children in the reception class have a much smaller area to use

p.21

Commentary

and this is not so well resourced. This means that the opportunities they have for large physical play are too limited.

p.21

Creative Development

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children experience a wide range of activities that support their creative development. • Resources are very good and used very well to encourage children to use their imagination.

p.21

Commentary

42. The very good progress that children make in their creative development means that most reach the nationally expected level by the start of Year 1. Staff plan very good opportunities for the children to experience all aspects of their creative development. Very good role-play areas encourage children to make up their own stories and act out their experiences. These areas are very well resourced and this results in the children becoming very interested in the activities and concentrating well. Children sing a variety of songs enthusiastically and enjoy joining in with whole group sessions. Creative activities involving paint, glue and sticking are very well planned and support other areas of learning well. For example, children in the nursery made objects for the rocket and learnt new words such as flight deck and nose cone . In the reception class, the children made their own books with very good illustrations to support their reading skills.

p.21

Commentary

Children who are learning English as an additional language become very confident when using a variety of new materials and they enjoy fully participating in all activities. East Oxford Primary - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good and, as a result, pupils achieve well. • There are good arrangements for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. • Leadership and management are good. • Opportunities are missed for using ICT as a tool for learning and for using and developing literacy in other subjects. • Some lessons are too long.

p.22

Commentary

43. The most recent national test results in Year 2 were well below average. Work seen in the inspection, although still below average, was better than this both in Year 2 and in Year 6 (for which there are, as yet, no national test results). Pupils enter the school with very low attainment. A large number are learning English as an additional language, with many at a very early stage. Nevertheless, pupils who join the school in the nursery or reception classes, including those with special educational needs, make good progress as they move through the school and they achieve well. This shows up clearly in the comprehensive records that the school keeps to keep track of pupils' progress and is a result of good teaching. Those who join the school at an older age, coming to East Oxford Primary partway through their primary education do not do as well. Weaknesses in pupils' speaking and listening skills hold them back

p.22

Commentary

in the other areas of their English work. The school has rightly identified this as a priority and has taken action to improve pupils' skills, for example through the use of talk partners for paired discussion. Pupils’ vocabularies are often very poor. These improve steadily, however, because teachers take time to check that pupils understand the new words that they meet in lessons and they provide lots of repetition so that pupils begin to use them too. Appropriate priority is given to teaching reading.

p.22

Commentary

44. The good quality of teaching and learning promotes the good achievement of pupils as those with good attendance do well over time in comparison to their ability on entry to the school. Lessons are well planned with suitable work provided for pupils at their own level. In a Year 6 lesson about how to construct persuasive arguments, for example, more able pupils were asked to produce the framework for an argument about the rights and wrongs of animal experimentation to present to the rest of the class on an overhead projector, while a less able group concentrated on identifying with highlighter pens the main points in a piece of persuasive writing about whether children should be set homework. Both groups found their tasks difficult but stimulating. Day-to-day assessment of pupils' performance is used well to assist teachers in planning such suitable work. Some marking of pupils' writing also gives them useful guidance

p.22

Commentary

and suggestions to help them improve. Marking is inconsistent in quality, however, and is not always of this standard. Teachers also place emphasis on basic skills and techniques, taking time to ensure that pupils understand clearly what they have just learned or the instructions that they have been given before moving on to the next step. As a result, pupils are encouraged to build systematically on their knowledge and skills.

p.22

Commentary

45. Skilful use of probing yet sensitive questioning helps teachers to check that pupils understand the new words and ideas that they meet in lessons and enables them to provide lots of repetition as reinforcement, as well as building confidence and challenging pupils to become more articulate and detailed in their speaking. Especially in some longer lessons, however, the pace of teaching and learning can become slow and pupils lose concentration and impetus. ICT is used in English, for example to print out the wording to go into speech bubbles for telling East Oxford Primary - 23 a story in Year 1, although there is still much scope for further extension of its use to support and develop pupils' work. In many lessons, opportunities are missed for using ICT as a learning tool.

p.22

Commentary

46. There is good support for pupils with special educational needs and those new to the English language, and they achieve well because careful account is taken of their needs. The school has a very good team of support staff who are clear about their roles and whose work is well focused on what their pupils are to learn. High quality support is provided through close co- operation between the special needs coordinator, the teachers and the teaching assistants and the ethnic minority and language support team. As a result, they are able to give very effective, knowledgeable and targeted support.

p.23

Commentary

47. Leadership and management of English are good. The co-ordinator works closely with staff in promoting clearer knowledge and understanding about how to teach literacy and has drawn up a detailed action plan that clearly states activities to be undertaken in order to bring about improvements and raise standards. Good training, with valuable support from the local authority literacy consultant, has had a significant impact on teachers' confidence and the literacy strategy is being successfully and flexibly implemented and extended. Procedures for checking on pupils’ progress are good. Half-termly pieces of writing are completed and assessed, and areas for improvement noted. Pupils are then given targets that can be monitored in class.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. Pupils use their language and literacy skills satisfactorily across the curriculum. There is a good focus on learning and using appropriate vocabulary in different subjects but opportunities are missed for pupils to use and develop their literacy skills in other subjects, for example, through extended pieces of writing.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and pupils achieve well. • Pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are well supported and achieve well. • The subject is well led and managed. • Opportunities are missed for using numeracy skills in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

49. Although test results in mathematics last year were well below average, work seen in the inspection, both in Year 2 and in Year 6 (for which there were no test results last year) were better than this. They were below average. Pupils come into school with very low attainment. Those that join the school from the start of their primary education and who attend regularly make good, steady progress, although test results are depressed by the poorer performance of more recent arrivals to the school who have not had the benefit of this good teaching and those whose attendance is poor. More able pupils in Year 6 are involved in a national mathematics challenge that offers them opportunities to extend their talents.

p.23

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established in the school and all teachers make effective use of the structure it provides to ensure well-balanced and well-paced lessons. Good teaching in the school is characterised by good pace. Lessons are brisk but children are given sufficient time to think, consolidate and reflect. Throughout the school mental and oral activities engage and challenge pupils in their development and understanding of number. Teachers’ secure subject knowledge leads to clear East Oxford Primary - 24 explanations and expectations and good questioning that enable pupils of all abilities and backgrounds to contribute and succeed. Teachers plan work thoroughly and set clear objectives and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Teachers throughout the school group the children carefully to help ensure that work is pitched at the right level. Pupils with

p.23

Commentary

special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are very well supported and achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

51. The leadership and management of mathematics are good and this is helping to improve achievement and standards. The subject co-ordinator regularly analyses the results of national assessment tests question by question, identifying weaknesses and looking at areas for development. Assessment procedures are good and used to keep track of the progress of all pupils and set appropriate targets. This evidence clearly shows that where children move through the school systematically and attend regularly they are making good progress.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

52. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to reinforce and extend their numeracy skills in other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 6 record results from scientific investigations graphically and gather evidence from surveys in geography. However, these are not systematically planned throughout the school and opportunities to use and apply pupils’ mathematical skills are therefore missed.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are well below average, pupils make satisfactory progress. • There is very good support for pupils learning English as an additional language. • Lessons are too long and pupils lose concentration.

p.24

Commentary

53. Standards in science are well below average for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. This, nevertheless, represents satisfactory achievement as pupils make steady progress throughout their time in school. Pupils experience all aspects of science and, by the end of Year 6, have carried out a wide variety of investigations. However, most pupils lack the necessary scientific vocabulary and English skills to record their findings systematically and in a scientific way. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language make good progress as they learn basic scientific language and receive very good support. However, progress is limited for some pupils because they miss much work through absence.

p.24

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Lessons are well planned and the learning intention is clearly worded so all pupils can understand. This means that pupils know what they are supposed to be learning. Marking is good and gives pupils encouragement and ideas on how to improve their work. Teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory, although they do not always expect pupils to carry out tasks systematically. This results in pupils not always predicting what they think will happen in an investigation, or drawing appropriate conclusions from their work. This lowers standards as pupils find it difficult to explain some ideas in science. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language are very well supported so that they can work systematically through an investigation using a writing frame to make sure that they include all the necessary elements when carrying out an experiment. At two hours or more, most of the

p.24

Commentary

science lessons are too long and pupils lose interest. Many have difficulty concentrating for such long periods of time and they become restless. East Oxford Primary - 25 55. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. The school is aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and effective steps have been taken to ensure that pupils learning English as an additional language are well supported so that they can begin to use scientific language and record their work systematically. Where numeracy is used is science, for example in plotting the results of an investigation on a graph, pupils are not always encouraged to draw conclusions from their graphs and so work is often incomplete. Much work has been carried out recently to take account of the extended age range now in the school. Planning has been carefully analysed to make sure that pupils in Years 5 and 6 experience sufficiently challenging activities and that National Curriculum requirements are met.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in ICT are well below average by the end of Year 6, although achievement is satisfactory. • Pupils do not have enough experience of using ICT in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

56. By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards in ICT that are below average. Pupils use computers confidently and explore drawing and writing programs. Older pupils, however, are not confident enough when using a wide range of programs, and their experiences are too limited. Standards in Year 6 are well below average, overall. Nevertheless, achievement is satisfactory, as many of the pupils in the school do not have access to computers at home and the only experience they have is in school.

p.25

Commentary

57. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan lessons well, with activities that are matched to the abilities of pupils in their class. Pupils are keen to use the machines and, even if they lack confidence, are encouraged to have a go and try various programs. They work together well and help each other. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to use the internet for research, and to use the wide range of programs that would allow them to create multi-media presentations. Behaviour is well managed generally, and teachers have high expectations of pupils getting on well in lessons. Pupils generally respond positively to this and are keen to learn.

p.25

Commentary

58. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. Good plans have been drawn up to take into account of the extended age range now in the school. Resources are well managed, although too little use is made of the ICT suite as classes are only timetabled to visit the room once a week. Computers in classrooms were rarely seen in use during the inspection.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

59. There are too few opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills in other subjects. They have used a drawing program to design a death mask, linked to their history work on Tutankhamun, and have experienced modelling a coastline in geography. However, the extent of the use of ICT in subjects is much less than is normally seen in schools.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Religious education and history were inspected in full and are reported below. Geography was sampled.

p.25

HUMANITIES

60. No teaching of geography was seen during the inspection and therefore it is not possible to make a judgment on provision. However in talking with pupils, observing display and looking at East Oxford Primary - 26 children’s work, standards are well below average overall. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were unable to discuss with any clarity the work they have covered and have only a limited knowledge and understanding of geographical vocabulary. Pupils despite having undertaken work on coastlines were very unsure of how to describe a coast. Pupils have less recorded work in their books than inspectors would normally expect to see.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because teachers make good use of practical activities. • Teaching and learning are good. • Some use is made of literacy and ICT skills but opportunities are missed for extended writing and use of ICT for research.

p.26

Commentary

61. Although standards in both Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 to 6 are below average, this represents good achievement. Children in Year 2 compare Victorian artifacts with those of today. They look at old photographs, study artifacts first-hand and are given the opportunity to think about what life was like in the past and compare it to what it is like today. Pupils in Year 6 have written about the changes in lifestyle during and since Victorian times. They have noted and discussed improvements in education following a Victorian school theme day. These activities help to bring history to life and stimulate pupils’ interest in the subject.

p.26

Commentary

62. The quality of teaching and learning is good. A particular strength lies in teachers’ planning, which meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language. Some use is made of ICT in history, for example, by pupils in Years 3 and 4 making a poster on Ancient Egypt, and some use is made of literacy skills, with, for example, pupils writing “diaries” of Egyptologist Howard Carter. However, other opportunities are missed for use of the internet for research and for using history to extend pupils’ writing.

p.26

Commentary

63. The subject is well led. The co-ordinator has carried out a thorough audit of resources and established an action plan for further developing the subject.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good and pupils achieve well. • The subject contributes significantly to pupils’ spiritual development and to their very good relationships.

p.26

Commentary

64. Although many do not attain the standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus, pupils achieve well throughout the school. They have opportunities to study a number of comparative world religions including, Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and, by the end of Year 6, they develop an appreciation not just of facts about different religious festivals but also of some of the key tenets of belief of the faiths studied. In this way, the subject makes a significant East Oxford Primary - 27 contribution to pupils’ spiritual development and to the harmonious relationships between pupils from different backgrounds.

p.26

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers plan effectively to include all pupils and make effective use of teaching assistants and ethnic minority support teachers to help pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language. Pupils enjoy the subject and develop very positive attitudes to different beliefs and cultures. In a Year 3/4 lesson, for example, pupils listened with keen interest to the Biblical story of Esther and joined in with enthusiasm as they learnt why the story was celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim. In Years 4/5 children brainstormed ideas about the Muslim Hajj and a journey to Mecca. After hearing an account they undertook a written exercise, describing this journey and using appropriate religious vocabulary. In a lesson on Jesus helping people, pupils in Year 2 contributed to a productive discussion leading to a written and drawn response to the story.

p.27

Commentary

66. The subject is well co-ordinated. Resources are satisfactory but very good use is made of visits and of visitors to the school to enrich pupils’ experience and understanding of the subject. Pupils have visited local mosques and churches, and a local rabbi has come in to school to talk about Judaism.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design and music were inspected in full and are reported below. Physical education was sampled. No report is made on design and technology.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. Only two lessons were seen in physical education and it is not possible to make an overall judgement about standards or provision in this subject. The lessons that were seen, together with teachers’ planning, indicate that pupils participate in a good range of sports and physical education activities. In a good lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, it was clear that routines had been established well and, after a brisk warm-up session, the class worked efficiently and enthusiastically in teams practising fielding and striking tactics. Another good lesson, in Year 6, saw pupils using a range of apparatus to modify and improve lively sequences of movement in co-operation with others. Teaching in the lessons observed was good because it generated a purposeful approach, a high work rate and included clear expectations of high quality performance.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and promotes pupils' knowledge and understanding. • Pupils achieve well and learn to appreciate art from many different cultures. • Leadership and management are good.

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Commentary

68. By the end of Year 2 and in Year 6, pupils attain average standards and achieve well. This is a result of the good, stimulating teaching that they receive. Lessons are well planned and pupils enjoy art, although the size of rooms sometimes inhibits creative activity. Displays of pupils’ work around the school celebrate the work that pupils produce and help to create a stimulating environment. Participation in local projects enables the school to offer exciting opportunities to a small number of pupils to develop their skills and talents. During the inspection, they produced some high quality three-dimensional artwork based on the story of The Hungry Caterpillar .

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Commentary

69. Leadership and management are good. The subject co-ordinator has a clear view for the development of the subject and shares good practice with other teachers. The subject makes a East Oxford Primary - 28 strong contribution to pupils' cultural development as pupils learn to appreciate art from many different cultures.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and motivates pupils well. • Pupils sing well in all age groups, although the standard of attainment in other areas is below average. • The subject makes a good contribution to pupils' personal development.

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Commentary

70. Teaching is good. A vibrant, enthusiastic and interactive approach results in very positive attitudes to the subject. Explanations are very clear and lessons are well paced, varied and fun. Subject-specific language is consistently used and, as a result, pupils develop good understanding. The focused teaching of singing skills in class lessons leads to good standards of performance by all pupils, for example in assemblies. Although the standard of singing is good, standards, overall, in other aspects of the subject, such as composition, are below average. Nevertheless, this represents good achievement for all pupils, including the many learning English as an additional language.

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Commentary

71. Leadership of the subject is good and music makes a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. In music lessons, they learn and appreciate the importance of listening well, reflection, perseverance and working together as part of a team.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned and delivered sensitively. • The provision makes a good contribution to pupils’ moral development.

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Commentary

72. The personal, social and health education and citizenship programme is timetabled within the teaching week and covers a comprehensive range of issues. It supports the ethos of the school, enabling pupils to develop their confidence, self-esteem and the skills of living within the wider community. The moral dimension of topics is suitably emphasised and there are opportunities for pupils to reflect on their feelings and aspirations, although these opportunities can sometimes be rather hurried and lacking in depth. For example, Year 1 pupils were asked to “think about somebody who was helpful to you last week” but so little time was allowed for this that few had much opportunity to give it proper thought.

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Commentary

73. The teaching is satisfactory, overall, but some good teaching was also seen during the inspection and pupils responded well. In a lesson on making good and bad choices in life, the teacher's questioning encouraged all pupils to become involved in a thoughtful discussion which contributed well both to their moral development and to their speaking and listening skills. The provision is led and managed effectively, and visitors are used to good effect to enhance pupils' learning. East Oxford Primary - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 0 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 6 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and Colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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