Fox Hill Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • learning for lower-ability pupils is matched more closely to their needs
  • the support provided by teaching assistants is consistently strong.
• Improve outcomes by ensuring that:
  • in key stage 2, more pupils than in the past achieve the expected standard in reading and develop a love of books
  • disadvantaged pupils attend more regularly than previously.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has been relentless in driving strong improvements at Fox Hill. She has worked collaboratively with other leaders and staff to address all areas for improvement identified during past inspections. Collaboratively, the team‟s diligence and determination to improve standards of education ensure that this is a good school.
• The headteacher, supported to a high standard by her deputy, evaluates the school‟s effectiveness accurately. Together, they use this insightful knowledge to inform careful plans for ongoing school development. Strong support from the local authority helps hone leaders‟ actions to strengthen further teaching and learning.
• Leaders have secured strong values and a caring ethos at Fox Hill. „Nurture, inspire, challenge and excellence‟ threads throughout the school, and pupils embody these qualities, and wider British values, in their words and actions. Pupils leave school ready for life in modern Britain because they develop very positive attitudes and a palpable caring spirit.
• Staff share leaders‟ determination and dedication to provide high standards of education at Fox Hill. They respond well to appraisal and performance management systems that develop their skills and hold them to account. Most staff state that they feel valued by senior leaders and that they are proud to work at the school.
• The school curriculum has been developed with care and consideration. Leaders articulate clearly what drives learning at Fox Hill. Learning, most strongly in mathematics and English, helps pupils become „global citizens‟, „ambitious and confident learners‟ and „resilient learners‟ with a can-do attitude. Across the wider curriculum, leaders are rightly defining further the knowledge they expect pupils to acquire in a range of subjects. As a result of this careful work, the curriculum at Fox Hill is suitably broad and balanced.
• The newly appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) works closely with other senior leaders to provide good care for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. He uses accurate assessments of pupils‟ needs to help teachers plan and tailor appropriate learning tasks. This careful support ensures that this group of pupils make good progress from their starting points.
• The pupil premium grant is spent well. For instance, where appropriate, there are additional opportunities for disadvantaged pupils to read to an adult and receive extra support with their English learning. The help this group of pupils receive is diminishing the slight difference in achievement that exists between them and their non-disadvantaged peers nationally.
• The sports premium is being used effectively. For example, the sports coaches inspire pupils to participate in physical activity and compete in sports teams. One pupil commented: „The coaches are great; they help develop me as a sportsperson. They teach me the importance of the acronym “TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More)”. I love being part of a team because I enjoy encouraging others to be good athletes.‟
• Parents and carers hold the school in high regard, many commenting how it has improved significantly in recent years. One comment, typical of many, stated: „There has been monumental improvement at Fox Hill in the last four years. The headteacher has transformed provision and is determined to make it an even better school.‟

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Governors use a variety of evidence, such as pupil progress . information and local authority visit reports, to help them evaluate the school‟s effectiveness. They are increasingly skilled in challenging school leaders and monitoring their actions against improvement plans.
• The local authority provides robust support that helps leaders, including governors, drive further improvements at Fox Hill. The school‟s „standards and effectiveness partner‟ assists the headteacher in validating her evaluations of teaching and learning and implementing successful strategies to ensure that most pupils maintain strong rates of progress across the curriculum. The local authority has been a highly effective partner in Fox Hill‟s long-term improvement journey.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have created a culture of vigilance at Fox Hill. Staff are trained thoroughly and are kept up to date of any changes to local or national safeguarding matters. For example, leaders are well informed about „county lines‟ and understand the potential risk this poses locally. Similarly, leaders work in partnership with external children-protection officers, including the police, to provide effective support to potential victims of domestic violence. Staff at Fox Hill demonstrate appropriate skills and knowledge to keep children safe.
• Leaders ensure that pupils have the skills to protect themselves from harm. In computing, they learn not to share personal information online with strangers. Pupils talk confidently about how to report any concerns they might have should they encounter cyber bullying or threats when surfing the internet.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Throughout the school, teaching is typically good. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to ask searching questions to probe what pupils know and understand. Where learning is most effective, teachers make good use of pupils‟ responses to tailor learning precisely so that pupils make strong progress.
• The school has introduced successfully new assessments and an effective tracking tool to monitor pupils‟ achievements. Leaders use these well to hold teachers to account for pupils‟ progress. Staff are collaborative in using data to identify any pupil at risk of falling behind and to put in place appropriate support if they need to catch up.
• In early years and key stage 1, phonics is taught well. Teachers are systematic in reinforcing the school‟s strategy for teaching pupils their letters and sounds. Commonly, pupils use the right techniques to sound out new words accurately and confidently. As a result, most pupils learn to read quickly and successfully.
• Pupils, particularly those of middle ability and the most able, are challenged well in mathematics. Throughout the school, teaching typically takes into consideration what these pupils know and what they need to understand to make good progress. Learning is sufficiently difficult to ensure that these pupils grapple with appropriately complex mathematical reasoning and problem-solving.
• Occasionally, learning is not adapted well for lower-ability pupils. In some lessons, tasks are too difficult for this group of pupils. When this occurs, they lose focus and struggle to achieve as strongly as they should.
• The support provided by some teaching assistants is inconsistent. In some lessons, support is of a high standard and has a very positive impact on the progress pupils make. However, in other lessons, the support is less refined and not organised well. Occasionally, the support provided is weakened by insecure subject knowledge. Leaders are aware of this but are yet to tackle it incisively.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school‟s work to promote pupils‟ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils state that they feel safe at school. They say that bullying rarely happens and that they trust staff to resolve any issues that occur quickly and effectively. Pupils get along well with each other, have fun and engage in positive friendships at this friendly and caring school.
• Pupils are respectful and tolerant. They know, for example, that it is wrong to discriminate against anyone for their sexuality or religion. Throughout the school, mutual respect abounds. This was summed up wonderfully when one pupil commented: „It‟s cool to be a Muslim at Fox Hill School.‟
• Vulnerable pupils receive good-quality care. Staff work closely with families and other professionals such as social workers to adapt provision according to pupils‟ individual needs. A range of additional interventions, specialised support and suitable management of behaviour help this small group of pupils achieve well.
• Pupils have attended science, technology, engineering and mathematics enrichment events at a local international computing company. These opportunities deepen pupils‟ understanding of different careers. Visits to the school from the armed forces have also helped challenge sexual stereotypes in the workplace. The school‟s work in this area is particularly successful; one pupil commented: „We can be whatever we want to be. Girls can play football or be in the army, or boys can do ballet.‟

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Typically, pupils take great pride in their work. Throughout the school, work in pupils‟ exercise books is neatly presented and handwriting is clear and legible. Some written work, particularly of the most able pupils, is of an exemplary standard.
• Lessons are frequently calm and productive. Most pupils listen closely to their teacher, answer questions thoughtfully and contribute enthusiastically to discussions.
• Pupils‟ conduct in and around school is good. Unruly behaviour is uncommon because pupils rise to the high expectations set by staff. Pupils know that any poor behaviour has repercussions and will be tackled consistently and fairly by staff.
• A few pupils who are disadvantaged do not attend school as regularly as they should. Leaders are beginning to act to improve this, but their work is in the early stages.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In the 2018 Year 1 phonics screening check, most pupils achieved the standard expected for their age. Current pupils are making similarly good progress. This is because phonics is taught well, and pupils can use and apply the right strategies to sound out words.
• Pupils‟ achievements in the 2018 key stage 1 national assessments were strong. Most pupils‟ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics demonstrated that they were well placed to start their next stage of learning in key stage 2.
• In key stage 2 national assessments, pupils achieved well in mathematics, and many pupils made rapid progress in writing. Work in their exercise books is of a high standard. For example, one pupil, demonstrating good vocabulary choice and writing for purpose, wrote: „My mind went into a dreamy swirl the moment his darling-brown eyes reached out to mine.‟
• In the 2018 key stage 2 national reading assessments, too few pupils made good progress. However, current pupils throughout the school are achieving more highly.
• Most-able pupils achieve well throughout the school, particularly in mathematics. This is because learning is suitably challenging, requiring them to think hard to solve more complex calculations and problems.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities achieve well from their starting points. Learning is adapted well to their needs and they receive extra help and support to make good progress.
• A few disadvantaged pupils do not achieve highly enough. This is because, currently, they miss too much school and this limits their learning. Leaders know that there is a small difference between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and others nationally. They are taking the right actions to address this, but their work is yet to have a strong impact.

Early years provision Good

• The Nursery and the Reception Year are led well. Teachers‟ planning for learning activities takes into account early, accurate assessments of children‟s development. The early years curriculum is appropriately broad and engages children‟s natural curiosity. Most children achieve well and are ready to start the next stage of their education in Year 1.
• Teaching is good in the early years. Most interactions between adults and children are purposeful and help build children‟s emerging skills and knowledge. Staff are rightly ambitious to ensure that every opportunity is taken to develop children‟s early writing skills.
• There are good links between the early years setting and parents. For example, on entry, parents contribute wholeheartedly to teachers‟ initial assessments of their children. Throughout the year, there are planned opportunities for parents to visit the setting and participate in children‟s learning. Although these are less well attended, leaders are working proactively to encourage more parents to engage more readily.
• Children produce some effective art work in early years. When learning about water, children produced some wonderful tissue-paper water droplets that hang as a mobile. Teachers linked this creative work to deepening children‟s language and vocabulary, with words and phrases such as „full‟, „half full‟ and „empty‟.
• All statutory safeguarding and health and safety requirements are met in the early years. Children‟s behaviour is good, and they learn to follow adult instructions obediently and respectfully. As a result, the setting is calm and harmonious.
• Occasionally, the support from some additional adults does not engage children in purposeful play or learning. For example, sometimes the questions adults ask lack focus and do not provide children the opportunity to reflect upon or deepen their thinking. When this occurs, children do not make as rapid progress as they could.

School details

Unique reference number 109805 Local authority Bracknell Forest Inspection number 10046160 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Dr Roy Bailey Mrs Sarah Coxell 01344 421809 www.foxhillprimary.co.uk secretary@foxhillschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection April 2016

Information about this school

• Fox Hill Primary is an average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are White British. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is below average.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities support is below average. The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is also below average.
• The school offers a breakfast club, run by the governing body.
• The school shares a site with a children‟s centre, which was not subject to this inspection.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning throughout the school, spoke to pupils and looked at work in their books. Observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, middle leaders, groups of pupils, the chair and vice-chair of governors and two representatives from the local authority.
• Parents‟ views were gathered at the start of the day, and 22 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered. The inspectors also analysed 28 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• A range of documents were reviewed, including the school‟s development plan and self-evaluation document; the school‟s single central record of employment checks on staff; information about pupils‟ achievement, attendance, behaviour and safety; information about the school‟s performance management of staff; governing body reports; and local authority reports.

Inspection team

Dom Cook, lead inspector Peter Dunmall

Her Majesty‟s Inspector Ofsted Inspector