Oare Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Oare Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive principal of this school is Michelle Perrett. This school is part of the Excalibur Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Nick Lewis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Toby Watson.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a small school with a strong sense of community. Pupils feel part of one family.

They get along well and make friends across year groups. From the start of the Recept...ion Year, children have older 'buddies' who help them to settle into school life.

The school is a calm learning environment.

Pupils are polite. They move around the school in a safe and orderly manner. Playtimes are fun.

Pupils enjoy using the play equipment, which they share and take turns on.

The school demonstrates its mission statement of 'We care, we grow, we thrive' through the high expectations it has for all pupils. It makes sure the curriculum is effective in supporting the individual year groups within each class.

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. As a result, current pupils are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

Pupils are happy and safe.

Staff know their pupils well. They build strong relationships with them. Pupils trust staff to help them with any concerns they have.

They are confident that staff will help them with their work and with any worries they have.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has carefully revised the curriculum to reflect very recent changes to the number of classes in the school. It has also taken effective action in response to the below-average key stage 2 published outcomes.

The school has identified clear curriculum goals for each year group. It has ensured that content is well designed and sequenced within the newly formed mixed-age classes.

As pupils progress through the curriculum, they return to and build on what they already know.

This is leading to stronger achievement. As a result, most current pupils are securing their knowledge well. In most subjects, pupils can recall past learning.

They also talk confidently about their current learning. However, the revised curriculum is at an early stage of implementation, and it is too soon for the school to know its full impact on supporting pupils to secure and deepen their knowledge across all subjects.

The school has an accurate understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

It accurately identifies these needs. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND receive the help they need in class to access the curriculum alongside their peers.

The school delivers an effective phonics curriculum.

From the Reception Year, children build their knowledge of letters and sounds. They blend sounds into words. Staff check that children read and write accurately.

This prepares them well for Year 1, where they spell words that sound the same but have different spellings. Pupils in Year 2 apply this knowledge to write and spell sentences about the texts they read.

The school makes sure that pupils build their reading fluency.

When pupils are at risk of falling behind, they get extra reading practice. Staff help pupils to use their knowledge of sounds to blend words. They help pupils to make sense of what they are reading.

As a result, pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

Pupils engage well with their work. Most pupils remain focused, and they follow instructions well.

When pupils need reminders to listen, staff remind them of their expectations and most pupils respond well to these.The school keeps a close focus on attendance. It works with families to address any attendance concerns.

This work is having a positive impact and pupils' attendance has improved.

Pupils have meaningful leadership opportunities. They make valuable contributions to their local community.

For example, as part of 'elf day', they made hampers for people living in their village and delivered these to them. Pupils raise money for national charities. Through their link with an African school, pupils consider the lives of others.

They build their understanding of difference as well as what they have in common.

Trustees and the local governors have an accurate understanding of the school. They provide the school with support and challenge to make sure it continues to be effective.

Staff value the training and close working with colleagues across the trust, which helps them to teach the curriculum well.

Parents and carers are positive about the school. All would recommend the school.

They value its warm and nurturing environment. They say their child gets the support they need to be successful.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The implementation of the revised curriculum is relatively new. As a result, in some subjects, not all pupils secure and deepen their knowledge as the school intends. The trust should ensure that the revised implementation of the curriculum is fully embedded, and that the school checks pupils secure and deepen their knowledge well across all subjects.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.