Hornton Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve pupils’ progress in writing in Years 3 and 4 by providing clearer guidance on developing handwriting, composition and spelling skills.
• Ensure that those responsible for governance monitor regularly the progress of children in the Nursery so that they have a clear overview of progress throughout the early years.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Within this happy village school there is an ethos of high expectations. The headteacher is dedicated to ensuring that the school continues to improve. He is well supported by a committed team of staff who help each pupil to do well, both academically and in their personal development.
• Parents are pleased with the school. All who responded to the Ofsted survey would recommend the school to another parent. One parent summed up the views of many when they said,’ I love this school, it teaches and nurtures my children so well’.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well developed. The topic-based curriculum appeals to pupils’ interests. Leaders have ensured that pupils develop a good understanding of the rural area in which the school is located. Pupils visit local farms to learn about crops and livestock management. They were very excited about their upcoming visit to see some newly born lambs. In subjects such as science, pupils learn to consider the impact of different variables when conducting experiments. Pupils have the opportunity to perform classical drama, for example those in Years 5 and 6 enjoyed acting out the Shakespeare play, ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
• Extra-curricular activities include a range of different clubs which enrich pupils’ learning. Trips as well as residential visits to an activity centre help to develop the skills of independence. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about valuing diversity. The school’s aims of humility, perseverance and self-belief are well linked into teaching about British values.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively. Leaders ensure that funds are spent to help improve pupils’ abilities across a range of subjects. Senior leaders recently attended a conference on ways of maximising the use of the funding.
• Additional funding for primary sports and physical education is used well to ensure that it increases pupils’ participation in a range of sporting activities. Funding for the small number of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used effectively.
• There are strong links between the schools within the Warriner Multi-Academy Trust. Staff meet regularly to share ideas. They are guided by the highly experienced chief executive of the trust.

Governance of the school

• Both the board of directors and the local governing body provide a good level of challenge to the school. They carefully check the progress the school is making against the agreed priorities.
• Aspects of governance that are highly effective include the rigorous checking of safeguarding procedures and the monitoring of finances.
• Governors regularly check the progress that pupils are making in most year groups. However, they recognise that they have overlooked how children are progressing in the Nursery. As a result, they do not have a clear enough understanding about children’s progress across all of the early years provision.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils say that they feel safe in the school. There are clear systems and procedures in place to ensure their safety. Staff have been well trained. They feel confident to contact a range of agencies, should the need arise.
• Staff and parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaires all agree that pupils in this school are safe and well looked after.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders have improved the quality of teaching since the school converted to become an academy. Staff now provide work that enables most pupils to make good progress across a range of different subjects.
• Teachers know what pupils can do and what they need to learn next. Staff use the school’s assessment system carefully to track each pupils’ progress. Any pupil who is falling behind is quickly given additional help and support to catch up.
• Reading skills are developed effectively. Younger pupils use their phonics skills to read an increasing number of words. As they progress through the school pupils develop a love of reading. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors. Most key stage 2 pupils read with fluency and expression.
• Writing skills in much of the school are well taught. Work seen in books shows that pupils have good opportunities to write in a range of subjects. For example, in geography in key stage 1, pupils had written about their research on the rainforest. Skills in handwriting, composition and spelling are not well developed and pupils make slower progress in Years 3 and 4.
• Leaders have focused on ensuring that pupils’ mathematical skills are well developed. Staff now have strong subject knowledge due to the effective support of the subject leader. All pupils, including the most able, are given work that is suitably challenging. Fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills are well developed across the school.
• Learning support assistants make a significant contribution. They help pupils overcome any difficulties to accessing their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• All staff work hard to develop pupils’ self-confidence. Pupils say that staff help them to understand that they can succeed in their learning, even when sometimes it seems too difficult.
• Pupils know how to stay safe, such as when using the internet. Pupils are very aware of the need not to divulge personal information and never to speak to someone they do not know, when online. From the early years pupils learn about road safety and how to spot potential hazards when out in the countryside.
• The breakfast and after-school clubs are well attended and provide a calm start and end to the day.
• Pupils have a good understanding about the different forms of bullying. They say that there is no bullying at this school, only the occasional minor disagreement. Pupils confirm that teachers are very quick to sort out any problems.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They are polite and well mannered towards each other. Pupils say that ‘the school is like a family and we all take care of each other’.
• In lessons pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They listen carefully to the teacher and are quick to follow the tasks that have been set. Books are neat and well presented.
• Attendance is similar to the national average. The school has good links with parents and carers and often reminds them of the need for their children to attend regularly.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils typically make good progress. At the end of key stage 2 pupils reach standards that compare favourably with the national average. Evidence in pupils’ books and the school’s own data show that this continues to be the case for current pupils.
• Those who are most able do well. In 2017 in key stage 2, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher standard was similar to the national average in mathematics and above the national average in both reading and writing. Current most-able pupils achieve well because teachers provide work that challenges them.
• Leaders have recently introduced an effective system to monitor the academic and social progress of disadvantaged pupils. Already this is having a beneficial impact and some pupils are making particularly strong progress as a result.
• The results of the Year 1 phonics screening checks have been below average in the last two years. Leaders have worked hard to improve pupils’ progress in this subject. A newly introduced phonics assessment system is having a positive impact. Current pupils are doing well. The vast majority are on track to reach the expected standard by the end of Year 1.
• In key stage 1, pupils typically reach standards that are similar to the national average. Evidence from checking pupils’ books shows that current pupils are continuing to make strong progress, particularly in writing. A few pupils are already achieving the end-of-Year 2 age-related expectations.
• Pupils make particularly strong progress in their reading, writing and mathematics in Years 5 and 6. This is because staff know the needs of the pupils well. Those who need additional help and support are given careful guidance.

Early years provision Good

• Experienced staff go to great lengths to ensure that children settle quickly into the bright and attractive early years classroom. Parents praise the way that staff provide such a caring and nurturing environment. They say that their children feel safe and really enjoy coming to school.
• The majority of pupil enter the Nursery with skills, knowledge and understanding that are typical or above for their age. Children make good progress because they take part in activities that develop their curiosity and interest.
• The provision for two-year-olds is effective. Staff understand their emotional and social needs and provide a calm, friendly and reassuring atmosphere. There is a cosy area for young children to rest should they need to during the day.
• Children continue to make good progress in Reception. Teachers plan purposeful activities that are fun and stimulating to enquiring minds.
• The curriculum is vibrant. For example, regular forest-school activities give children a good understanding of nature, such as the animals that live in the woods. In phonics, most children develop an understanding of letters and the sounds they make.
• Staff are accurate in their assessments of children’s skills and abilities. They monitor carefully the progress that is made. Records show that most Reception children can count accurately. A few most-able children have started to learn addition, subtraction and division.
• Children behave well; even the very youngest sit and listen attentively to their teacher. They play well together and share equipment sensibly. Staff are ever-attentive to meeting the needs of the children in their care. One example of this is the recently introduced extended lunchtime. This enables children to eat when they are hungry.
• Leadership of the early years is determined to provide a good start to children’s education. Teaching is effective. By the end of Reception, a higher percentage than found nationally reach a good level of development. This ensures that children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142200 Oxfordshire 10046645 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 Academy converter 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 108 Appropriate authority Board of directors Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Chris King Matthew Green 01295 670 335 www.horntonprimaryschool.co.uk office.2001@hornton.oxon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Hornton Primary School is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school. In August 2015 the school converted to become an academy within the Warriner Multi-Academy Trust. There are five schools in the trust, a secondary school and four primary schools. The management of the trust consists of a chief executive, who is also the headteacher of the secondary school, and a board of directors. Their role is to oversee the strategic direction of all of the schools. A local governing body is responsible for aspects related to the day-to-day running of this school, these include monitoring the quality of teaching and learning.
• Early years provision consists of a Nursery and a Reception class. In the Nursery there are 28 children on roll, including provision for two-year-olds. Almost all attend part time. The Reception class is full time and there are currently nine children on roll.
• From Year 1 pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes, including a key stage 1 class, a Years 3 and 4 class and a Years 5 and 6 class.
• There is a lower than average proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium.
• There are very few pupils in the school who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club.
• When the predecessor school, Horton Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in September 2013, its overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Accompanied by senior leaders, the inspector observed pupils’ learning in all classes. They conducted a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work and listened to some pupils in Year 2 and 6 read.
• The inspector took account of the views of parents through informal discussions at the end of the school day. The 24 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were also considered.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders and staff. There was a meeting with members of the local governing body and the directors of the trust, including the Chief Executive. The inspector considered the 12 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire.
• A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s development plan and its self-evaluation. Policies and records related to safeguarding and information about pupils’ behaviour, progress and attendance were checked.

Inspection team

Liz Bowes, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector