Farthinghoe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

The executive headteacher and senior teacher, with the strong support of governors, lead the school extremely well. Together, they ensure that teaching and achievement are consistently outstanding. The school benefits from the challenge and support provided by an experienced governing body, which is involved in all aspects of the school's life.

Excellent leadership of the early years provision ensures that children settle quickly and make rapid progress in all key areas of learning, especially in literacy and numeracy. All adults work together as a very effective team. Teachers and teaching assistants are very effective in provid...ing support to any pupil in need of extra help.

Pupils' excellent behaviour contributes much to the school's happy, calm and nurturing learning environment. Pupils are exceptionally well looked after. They know they are kept very safe and parents are equally convinced that their children are safe.

Pupils display very positive attitudes to learning. They want to please their teachers and try their best in lessons. Achievement is outstanding because pupils make excellent progress and standards in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently well-above average at the end of Year 6.

Excellent provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs ensures that these pupils make exceptional progress. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. They learn the importance of tolerance and respect for others and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Attendance is well-above average and pupils are rarely late for school. This is because parents are highly supportive of the school and want to do all they can for their children to succeed. Because of the small number of staff, teachers have limited opportunities to share good practice with others.

Information about this school

The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. Children in the early years provision attend full time. The school is organised into three classes in the mornings: Reception and Years 1 and 2; Years 3 and 4; and Years 5 and 6.

In the afternoons, there are two classes, when Years 3 to 6 are combined as one class. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. A below-average proportion of pupils are supported through the pupil premium.

This is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average. There were too few pupils in Year 6 in 2014 to report, reliably, on whether the government's current floor standards were met.

Floor standards set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. In January 2012, the headteacher at Greatworth Primary School became the executive headteacher for both Farthinghoe and Greatworth. During the period of the inspection, almost all pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 were out of school on a week's residential visit.