Sunningwell Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Develop the support and challenge for the most able pupils in key stage 1 so that:
  • they are prompted to consider the audience, purpose and type of text when selecting language features for their writing
  • they have regular opportunities to apply their mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding to more advanced mathematical problems
  • an increased proportion of key stage 1 pupils attain greater depth in writing and mathematics.
• Develop the teaching and learning of phonics so that:
  • pupils in Year 1 are secure in their understanding of letters and the sounds they represent
  • a larger proportion of Year 1 pupils meet the expected standard in the phonics screening check.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• In collaboration with the deputy headteacher, the headteacher has secured improvements in teaching, learning and assessment at Sunningwell Primary. Through targeted training and focused support, the leadership team has ensured that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is strong across the school.
• Pupils’ outcomes have continued to improve across the school. This is because leaders have focused appropriately on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through internal and external training and by providing pupils with additional support. For example, staff have developed their skills for teaching PE through the observations of a specialist teacher. The science leader is engaged in developing science provision through the British Science Association’s CREST scheme. The mathematics leader and the leader of early years are engaged in a programme of training at the Bucks, Berks and Oxon Maths Hub. The impact of training is evident in the improved standard of teaching, learning and assessment across the school.
• Leaders review each pupil’s progress with class teachers. Consequently, leaders have been able to focus on developing and extending pupils’ understanding across the curriculum.
• Although a small school, the leadership team has high aspirations and expectations of the pupils’ social, emotional and academic success. Through a breadth of subjects, pupils develop a range of skills and a body of knowledge in preparation for secondary school.
• Leadership of English is strong. Through the carefully structured approach to the study of high-quality texts, leaders have ensured that pupils develop their writing skills as they respond to the texts they read. Additionally, through training and support, leaders have ensured that teachers embed grammar in the teaching of writing. As result, pupils apply their grammatical understanding and knowledge effectively in their writing.
• Leaders have ensured that staff teach drama, music and art discretely but also use them to enhance and enrich pupils’ understanding of the creative process involved in writing. Consequently, pupils develop a strong understanding of the role of language in shaping the reader’s response.
• Leadership of mathematics is strong. Leaders strive to improve the delivery of mathematics both through internal training and with the Bucks, Berks and Oxon Maths Hub. Consequently, pupils are making stronger progress in mathematics across the school.
• Support for pupils with SEND is effective. Through reviews and high-quality support, leaders have ensured that pupils with SEND experience a fully inclusive education. As a result, pupils make good progress.
• Leaders ensure that pupil premium funding is used appropriately to provide bespoke support for disadvantaged pupils. Consequently, pupils make good progress across the curriculum.
• Leaders use opportunities to further develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding through the curriculum and assemblies. For example, pupils develop their understanding of different cultures and faiths, such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, through their religious education.
• Subject leaders are both passionate and well informed about the subjects they lead. They make explicit links between subjects to enhance and enrich pupils’ understanding of specific topics and themes. For example, key stage 1 pupils developed their skills and knowledge of the art of collage in relation to their study of a poem about the wind. Leaders look beyond the confines of the school to enrich pupils’ experience of subjects. As an example of this, pupils have opportunities to use the science laboratories at Abingdon School.
• Although the leadership of the curriculum is strong, the most able pupils in key stage 1 are not sufficiently challenged in both writing and mathematics to enable all to attain greater depth at the end of Year 2.
• Although pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding of how meaning is constructed in texts through the use of language and grammar are strong, the knowledge and skills of Year 1 pupils in phonics are not as strong. Teachers do not make the links between letters and the sounds they represent explicit. Consequently, some pupils are not secure in their understanding of how to decode unfamiliar words.

Governance of the school

• Governors bring a breadth of expertise, commitment and enthusiasm to their roles. They focus well on the school’s improvement priorities. Consequently, governance at Sunningwell is good.
• Governors share the leadership team’s commitment to ensuring that pupils develop both academically and socially. They are regular visitors to the school to gather relevant information for themselves. They provide leaders with an equal measure of support and challenge.
• Governors monitor the expenditure of the pupil premium and the PE and sport premium to ensure that pupils receive their entitlement to a strong education.
• They monitor the provision for pupils with SEND to ensure that this group are well supported to fully access the curriculum.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Both leaders and staff are alert and vigilant to the needs of pupils. They respond swiftly and appropriately when a pupil may be at risk.
• Leaders analyse behaviour incidents to identify safeguarding risks. They are vigilant regarding the physical and emotional well-being of pupils. They leave no stone unturned in ensuring that pupils access the help and support they need.
• Leaders are meticulous in recording safeguarding concerns, and they ensure that there is timely follow up. Safeguarding documentation is stored securely and reviewed regularly by the safeguarding team.
• Appropriate recruitment checks are made on adults prior to them working in school, and these are meticulously recorded on the school’s single central record.
• All staff receive regular safeguarding training with frequent updates about relevant risks.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Pupils enjoy learning at Sunningwell. They appreciate the many opportunities offered by the broad and balanced curriculum. Many pupils told the inspector that they like school because of the teachers and the lessons.
• The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Through the study of high-quality texts, pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils also develop an understanding of how writers use language to create character, setting and atmosphere. The inspector observed pupils in Years 1 and 2 successfully act out the verbs used to describe the wind in a poem. Consequently, pupils gain a clear and informed understanding of the role of different word classes in written texts.
• The teaching of mathematics is strong. Teachers assess the strengths and weaknesses of pupils effectively in order to inform the planning of new topics. Through well-planned sequences of lessons, teachers address pupils’ misconceptions and develop and deepen their knowledge of mathematical concepts. Pupils are able to articulate how they have made progress and are able to identify the areas they still need to focus on. In the Years 5 and 6 class, the inspector observed pupils make swift progress in their understanding of how to calculate the area and perimeter of shapes through carefully structured tasks.
• Pupils develop strong drama skills through the re-enactment of the texts they study in English. Through drama, pupils explore characters, themes and settings, enabling them to access complex ideas successfully.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge. As an example of this, pupils learn key techniques in art, enabling them to sketch, paint using watercolours and create collage images.
• Specialist teachers provide high-quality tuition in music. All pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. For example, Year 4 pupils learn to play the guitar and read musical notation well.
• The teaching of PE is a strength of the school. Through specialist teaching, pupils develop an impressive range of gymnastic movements. Pupils are highly attentive in PE and they strive to do well. As a result, the school is the only school in Oxfordshire to have been awarded the Platinum Sports Mark for school games.
• The teaching of science focuses successfully on developing pupils’ ability to formulate hypotheses, conduct experiments and evaluate their findings. For example, Year 2 pupils explored the impact of different terrains on the speed of scooters. Using their findings, pupils considered the different factors that had an impact on the speed of the scooters.
• The teaching of phonics does not consistently develop pupils’ knowledge of letters and the sounds they represent. As a result, some Year 1 pupils do not develop strong decoding skills.
• The most able pupils in key stage 1 do not make sufficiently strong progress in writing and mathematics. Teaching does not consistently extend pupils’ understanding, skills and knowledge so that they attain greater depth in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils articulate their ideas with confidence and maturity. They are respectful of each other’s views and provide support for other pupils in lessons and around the school.
• Through the buddy reading scheme, older pupils support younger pupils to develop their reading fluency and, also, their social skills. Many pupils talked about how beneficial they had found this scheme, stating that it has broadened their friendship groups.
• Pupils demonstrate high levels of kindness and care for each other. In lessons, pupils collaborate well to support each other’s learning. In the playground, pupils are keen to ensure that no one is left without a friend. This has been highlighted by the school council’s introduction of a friendship stop.
• Pupils appreciate the ways in which staff care for them and feel well supported. Pupils told the inspector that if they had a problem, they would inform a member of staff as they would help them sort it out.
• Pupils gain a strong understanding of the world around them through the carefully planned and enriched curriculum. As an example of this, pupils have the opportunity to participate in the archaeological excavation of a Tudor cottage which is in the school’s spinney. Pupils also conduct experiments in the laboratories at Abingdon School and learn about space at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils follow the school’s behaviour policy well.
• The attendance of pupils, including that of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, is consistently above the national average. Pupils told the inspector that they enjoyed coming to school.
• Pupils state that bullying is a very rare occurrence and that when it does occur staff respond quickly to resolve all issues.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1, in reading, writing and mathematics, has improved markedly. Pupils’ books demonstrate that current pupils, across the school, are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils make very strong progress and attain well at the end of key stage 2 across the curriculum. Pupils have consistently attained above the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics for the past three years.
• Pupils’ current progress and attainment in writing in key stage 2 are strong. Pupils consider the audience, genre and purpose of their writing when selecting vocabulary and constructing sentences to ensure that their writing has the planned impact. Pupils’ embedded understanding of grammar and spelling supports the quality of their writing well. In 2018, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher standard in writing, at the end of key stage 2, was above the national average.
• Pupils achieve well across the wider curriculum in both key stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ progress in PE is very strong. Pupils develop their skills through many sports, and they appreciate the importance of coordination and practice.
• Pupils make strong progress in their knowledge and understanding of music, and they learn to play of a range of musical instruments, such as percussion, recorders and the guitar.
• Pupils develop strong investigative and observational skills in science, and develop their knowledge and understanding through scientific investigations.
• Pupils with SEND make good progress across the curriculum as a result of the individual support they receive.
• By the end of Year 1, pupils have not developed consistently strong phonics skills. Some pupils do not make secure links between letters and the sounds they represent, and do not readily segment words and blend sounds to read and write unfamiliar words.
• The most able pupils do not make strong enough progress in mathematics and writing by the end of key stage 1. In 2018, the proportions of pupils who attained greater depth in writing and mathematics were well below the national average.

Early years provision Good

• The leadership of the early years provision is strong. The leadership team continually strive to improve the setting. The result of their work is that the proportion of children who reach a good level of development has been consistently above the national average for the past three years.
• Leaders ensure that activities are carefully structured to develop children’s critical skills in communication and language, physical development, reading, writing and mathematics. Children’s innate curiosity is stimulated well by the innovative and creative curriculum. For example, children have many opportunities to practise their phonics and writing skills by writing letters in their English books.
• Children enjoy learning through well-structured play. For example, children have opportunities to explore their understanding of the world through their small-world play with dolls’ houses, and through drawing. Children’s language skills are extended through skilful prompts and targeted questioning from adults, supporting children to respond in longer, more complex phrases and sentences.
• Children maintain their concentration well and do not flit between activities. The inspector observed children attentively colouring pictures of queens. In assembly, the inspector noted that children listened attentively to stories about Epiphany, and then discussed them articulately with their teacher.
• Children enjoy practising their reading and writing. They have many opportunities to explore a range of colourful, imaginative texts. The inspector observed children enthusiastically discussing the images in a book about transporters.
• Safeguarding is effective. Children are kept safe. They have strong relationships with adults and are well protected.
• Staff extend children’s understanding of the world through regular contact with children in a school in Romania. Children communicate through Skype and learn about the lives and culture of the Romanian children.
• Children develop strong social skills through sharing their toys and through discussions. As a result, they develop kindness and care for the needs of each other.
• Parents are involved in the learning of their children through discussions with early years staff, visits to lessons and reading through children’s work.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 123161 Oxfordshire 10054391 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 Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 91 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Robert Evans Anita Leech 01865 739 378 www.sunningwell.oxon.sch.uk head.3242@sunningwell.oxon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13 March 2018

Information about this school

• The school is smaller than an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and supported by pupil premium funding is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the service premium funding is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with education, health and care plans is below average.
• The majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below the national average.
• The section 28 inspection for Anglican and Methodist schools took place on 23 March 2016.
• The school has received support from the Diocese of Oxford’s school improvement team and Oxfordshire local authority.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector made visits to classrooms, some jointly with the headteacher, to observe learning and to talk to pupils about their work.
• The inspector met formally with the headteacher and other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator.
• Formal meetings were held with four governors, including the chair of the governing body, 23 pupils and the school council.
• The inspector listened to pupils read and discussed reading with pupils across the school.
• The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work across all subjects and year groups to determine the accuracy of leaders’ and teachers’ assessments, and to determine whether pupils’ strong progress is being maintained.
• The inspector checked the school’s documentation regarding the school’s approach and systems for safeguarding pupils, pupils’ behaviour and attendance and the quality of teaching and learning. She also considered the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans.
• The inspector considered 69 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 67 free-text comments. She also took account of parents’ views expressed at the beginning of the school day. The inspector also considered 10 responses to the Ofsted staff survey and 79 responses to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector

Her Majesty’s Inspector