Springmoor Grange School

Inspection Report Ox Close Primary School

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114091 Unique Reference Number Durham LEA 279309 Inspection number 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Christine Graham Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Ox Close Crescent School address Primary Type of school Spennymoor Community School category County Durham, DL16 6RU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01388 814860 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01388 810757 Fax number 236 Number on roll Mrs Pam Sneath Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Joy Frost Headteacher 1 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279309 10 January 2006 - 4 to 11 11 January 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

Ox Close Primary School is in Spennymoor County Durham. It is of average size and is very popular with parents. The school is oversubscribed and has a waiting list. Few pupils leave the school before the end of Key Stage 2. Most pupils are from white British backgrounds and the number of pupils eligible for free school meals is very low. The school does not have a nursery but works very closely with the nursery school on the same site. Children enter nursery with attainment in line with national averages. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is relatively high and has risen significantly since the last inspection. This is due to more effective identification of pupils who may need additional help and also because the school is seen as a place where pupils receive good support. The school has attained Artsmark Gold, Activemark Gold, The Healthy Schools Award, Basic Skills Awards, Investors in

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Description of the school

People and very recent awards which recognise the good quality of information and communication technology ICT.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006

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Grade: 2

Ox Close Primary School is a good school. All children make good progress and the support given to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is particularly good. Standards are above national averages by the end of Key Stage 2 and are continuing to rise. The progress made by more able pupils is sometimes not as good as it could be because there are too few opportunities to develop learning skills and the quality of marking does not always give sufficient advice on how to improve. The school knows it must involve learners more in target setting and assessment. The headteacher and senior leadership team provide effective leadership. The impact of their work can be seen in the much improved standards and progress of pupils during recent years and also in the good range of learning opportunities provided. This is a school that knows itself well. Self-evaluation processes are good and the school has a clear view of what

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Grade: 2

has been achieved and what needs to be improved. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress because of the very good links made with the neighbouring nursery and the good teaching they receive in school. Behaviour is good and pupils enjoy their education. Capacity for further improvement is good. The school provides good value for money. not applicable

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase pupil involvement in self-assessment and target setting.

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. Children start school with standards in line with national expectations. The school has good links with the neighbouring nursery school and builds well on the work done there. Pupils make good progress in the reception classes due to good teaching and very effective use of support staff. Learning is exciting and well matched to the needs of individual pupils. Most enter Year 1 having achieved the Early Learning Goals. The mixed Reception/Year 1 class makes good provision for those pupils who are not yet ready for more formal teaching and learning. Pupils who may need extra help are identified at an early stage and receive appropriate and effective support from school staff and outside agencies. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory and sometimes good progress. Teachers plan interesting and exciting activities and support staff are effectively deployed to provide

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Grade: 2

help where it is most needed. The support given to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is especially good and as a result many of these pupils attain high standards as they move through the school. Guidance on improving work is not quite as detailed for the more able. As a result, the number of pupils attaining higher levels in assessments at the age of 7 is relatively low in mathematics and writing. 2 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006 Attainment by the end of Key Stage 2 is good and has improved greatly in recent years. In 2005, pupils exceeded the targets set for them. Results in national tests at the age of 11 are very high in science and good in mathematics and English. There are significantly less Level 5s achieved in English than in other subjects. All pupils make good progress by the age of 11.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good with some strong features. Pupils are polite, well mannered and helpful. The school expects pupils to behave well. As a result, relationships between all members of the school community are good. Pupils have drawn up their own code of conduct for behaviour in the playground. This, coupled with the ‘Buddy’ system, means that bullying is rare and pupils show consideration for the needs of others. As they move through the school, pupils acquire strong moral and social values. Attendance is good. There is no unauthorised absence. Pupils take very good care of the building and appreciate the resources they are given. Pupils are encouraged to adopt healthy attitudes. Very good work has been done with parents to ensure that more children benefit from the meals that are offered. This has resulted in many more children staying for school lunch. There are a wide range of

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Grade: 2

sporting activities on offer. These are sometimes offered as part of the taught curriculum and sometimes as extra-curricular clubs. There are a number of planned opportunities throughout the day when pupils exercise. There are good links with the local community. Both churches in the area work with the school to deliver religious and spiritual teaching. The school fundraises for charities and raises funds to support school events. The school council has made some well considered decisions about improvements to the school grounds. There are currently too few opportunities for children to be involved in decision making in class and to develop independent learning skills. As yet, most children are not sufficiently involved in evaluating for themselves the progress they have made and the areas they need to improve.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good and has improved considerably in recent years. The impact of this good teaching can be seen in the much improved achievement of pupils. In the best lessons, teaching is exciting and pupils are given work and support which are accurately matched to their needs. In these lessons, pupils are given ample opportunities to develop new skills and extend their thinking. Well targeted questions challenge pupils and help teachers know what has been learnt. Teachers give pupils opportunities to extend their thinking and detailed marking tells them how to further improve. Pupils are given opportunities to evaluate and improve their work before it is marked. 3 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006 The school has rightly identified a need to improve the quality of learning. As a result of their efforts, good early work has resulted in a much more cohesive curriculum

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Grade: 2

which allows pupils to understand the links between subjects. Pupils enjoy this way of working and thus work hard.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good throughout the school. It meets the needs of all groups of learners. ICT is a particular strength; however, further resources are needed in other areas to support learning. The school website enhances the curriculum and offers opportunities for parents to learn with their children at home. The curriculum is considerably enriched by the many clubs and extra-curricular activities available and by the very good range of subjects offered in school. These include sporting activities, work in the arts and the very good opportunities for pupils to learn musical instruments. The curriculum is becoming more creative with good links between subjects. In some classes, work is based on a novel which extends language skills across many subjects and helps to make the work more interesting, especially for boys.

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Grade: 2

Communication is a strength of the school. Parents know what is expected of their children. They are expected to work in partnership with the school and are kept fully informed about all aspects of school life. The school provides good support for all pupils and additional support where it is needed. Pupils know that home and school are working together. Child Protection arrangements are good as are systems for ensuring pupils are safe and happy at lunchtimes and playtimes. These are frequently adjusted in response to pupils’ concerns. Pupils are given appropriate support and guidance which helps them to not only attain high standards in their work but also develop as thoughtful human beings. Pupils report that they would like to be more involved in target setting. A very high number of parental questionnaires were returned. These show that parents are very pleased with the quality of education their children receive and that they

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Grade: 2

acknowledge the hard work of the headteacher and staff.

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Grade: 2

Leadership is good with some outstanding features, notably the leadership of the headteacher. She provides outstanding leadership which has resulted in high standards and good provision. Clear policies and guidelines ensure that all members of the school community understand and maintain her standards. She is well supported by the effective deputy headteacher. Together with the senior teachers, they have established secure leadership at all levels. Expectations are communicated clearly and school 4 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006 self-evaluation is accurate and very thorough. The school knows its strengths and areas for development. Under the leadership of the headteacher, the school has built on existing good practice and has added considerable value to the development of each child. Opportunities for staff development are good. Many staff have leadership roles and

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Grade: 2

are given adequate opportunities to develop the skills needed to be effective in their work. Coordinators have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of their subjects and work well with all staff to bring about further improvement. The school has successfully developed the potential of all staff and is well placed to deal with periods of change. The governing body has recently undergone considerable change with the appointment of several new governors. Training for new governors is good and they are provided with a mentor to support them during their early time in post. Governors regularly visit school and are fully involved in the decision making processes. However, they do not as yet monitor the impact of their decisions on pupil attainment. Although they offer good support to staff, they do not yet have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Capacity for further improvement is good. The school provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

5 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Ox Close Primary School, 10 January 2006 to 11 January 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Mrs Joy Frost Ox Close Primary School Ox Close Crescent Spennymoor County Durham DL16 6RU 12 January 2006 Dear Children Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We really enjoyed our visit. Your parents told us that you attend a good school and we agree with them. Children at your school achieve very good results. Your teachers teach you very well and make you work hard. They also give you lots of opportunities to try new things in music and art which I know you enjoy. You know a great deal about how to stay healthy and safe and you get lots of exercise which helps to keep you fit. Your school looks after you very well and provides lots of support at times when you might need a little extra help. Your behaviour is very good and you show a lot of care and consideration for others. You look after your school very well and appreciate

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

all the things the teachers do for you. You told us you are very proud of your school and we agree with you. It is a school to be proud of. Mrs Frost is a very good headteacher. She works hard to make sure you learn as much as possible. Together with the other teachers, she tries to make your learning interesting and fun. Some of you told us that the lessons you enjoy most are those when you can decide how to organise your work. You enjoy lessons where work is practical and you can see how well you are learning. Mrs Frost is going to ask your teachers to give you more lessons like that. You also said you would like to be more involved in setting your own targets. We think that is a good idea and I’m sure that will happen soon. We did notice that some of you always waited for teachers to tell you what was wrong with your work and how to improve. We think you should be checking your work yourselves and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improving it before the teacher marks it. Some of you are also a little lazy and make careless mistakes in your work, for instance, forgetting to use capital letters. We know you can do better than this and would like you to try a little harder to get everything right. Thank you for talking to us and helping us to find out about your school. Best Wishes

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