Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Offley Endowed Primary School and Nursery is a small village school where pupils are happy and friendly. They love their learning and are proud of their school.

Pupils understand the Christian values they live by, such as respect and honesty. They believe that the values help them become better people. Pupils support their peers and celebrate each other's achievements.

Pupils follow the school's motto, 'be all you can be,' and they are keen to do their best. Pupils are confident learners and achieve well.

Pupils understand the high expectations leaders have set for their learning and behaviour.

Consequently, pupils behave well. This includes the sett...ing for the early years, where children settle quickly and develop positive relationships. Teachers encourage children to become independent learners right from the start.

Pupils know that adults listen to them and that they will help them when needed. Adults act promptly to help pupils resolve any worries or concerns they may have. Pupils are not worried about bullying.

Pupils enjoy many different activities and clubs. They benefit from trips, visitors, theme days and focus weeks, such as a cultural and language week. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their resilience and confidence through participating in musical performances.

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

The 'Offley curriculum' is unique to the school. Leaders have carefully considered the knowledge pupils need while linking it to pupils' own interests. Staff prioritise teaching the key vocabulary that pupils need to learn as they progress through the curriculum in all subject areas.

Overall, the curriculum is ambitious and well planned. However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum plans have recently been reviewed, developed and implemented. Teachers are focused on ensuring that pupils learn as well in these subjects as they do in those subjects within the well-established curriculum.

Pupils enjoy their learning. In most subjects, pupils build an impressive body of knowledge. Outcomes for pupils at the end of key stage 2 are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

Pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education.

Leaders have prioritised the development of the reading curriculum. They have adopted a systematic approach to teaching phonics.

Children start learning to read as soon as they join the school. Daily practice helps pupils to secure their phonics knowledge. Pupils who are at the early stages of reading read books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned.

This helps them to quickly become fluent readers. Teachers give pupils who are less confident readers the help they need to catch up. Staff model their love of reading.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about books. They read widely at school and at home.

Leaders quickly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff are well informed about the needs of individual pupils. Staff adapt activities, when needed, to ensure that pupils with SEND successfully access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

There is a close working relationship among staff. Generally, leaders check the effectiveness of the curriculum through, for example, staff discussions. However, the systems for checking the quality of education are not rigorous enough for all leaders to be confident in how well pupils are achieving in all areas of the curriculum.

Leaders have restructured the early years provision. The early years curriculum is well planned. There is an inviting and stimulating environment, with effective adult interaction between adults and children.

Staff have a secure understanding of how younger children learn. Consequently, children are prepared well for Year 1.

The school's Christian values form an important part of life at school.

The values weave throughout the whole curriculum. Pupils develop resilience through the curriculum content and a range of other activities. They learn tolerance and respect and celebrate each other's differences.

Leaders have emphasised music in this school. There is an extensive range of musical activities in which every pupil takes part. Leaders have ensured that every pupil in this school has had broad and meaningful experiences by the end of key stage 2.

This is known as 'things you do before you leave Offley.'

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour right from the start. Staff cater for pupils' well-being.

Pupils understand staff's expectations, and they rise to the challenge of meeting them. This contributes to a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school.

Leaders care for the well-being of staff.

Staff feel well supported, and leaders consider their workload and their well-being. Decisions are taken collaboratively. Staff are proud to be members of this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular training. Clear safeguarding procedures are in place.

They are well understood and followed by staff. Governors fulfil their statutory duties. The safeguarding link governor monitors the single central record regularly.

Safer recruitment procedures are also effective.

Pupils are taught how to keep safe, including online. Pupils know what bullying is, and they know what good relationships look like.

Pupils know how to get support if they have any concerns or worries. They trust adults in this school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The system for checking the quality of education is not rigorous enough for all leaders to be confident in how well pupils are achieving in all subject areas.

As a result, leaders do not always have a full knowledge and understanding of how effective the curriculum is in all subjects. Leaders need to review the current arrangements and develop a more robust and rigorous system, which provides the assurance they need. ? Leaders have ensured that, in most subjects, the curriculum is developed and implemented effectively.

In some subjects, the curriculum is new and is in the process of being implemented. As a result, teachers are still establishing what pupils need to learn and when. Leaders should ensure that, where the curriculum is more recently introduced, teachers implement the curriculum plans well so that pupils continue to achieve equally well across the whole curriculum.