Overstone Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Overstone Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. One pupil shared: 'We have nice teachers and get to do fun things.'

There is a strong community ethos at the school.

Staff have high expectations of all pupils. Teachers expect all pupils to work hard.

Lessons provide pupils with opportunities to experience success. Leaders refer to the following themes in conversations with pupils: democracy, environment, diversity and aspiration. This enables pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals.

Classrooms are calm and purposeful. All pupils focus in lessons and enjoy their ...learning. Pupils understand what bullying is, including cyber bullying.

Bullying is not tolerated by teachers.

There are a range of wider opportunities available to pupils. Pupils enjoy representing the school in a variety of competitions and performances.

An example of this is the school's participation in a local dancing competition. Pupils are proud of the awards and trophies they have received. They enjoy taking on extra responsibilities.

For example, 'sports crew' members take pride in supporting younger pupils at lunchtime.

Staff plan trips and experiences which help to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils recognise and celebrate differences and understand why this is important.

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

Pupils start learning to read as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Leaders use assessment well to ensure that groups of pupils get the teaching they need to become better readers. Reading books that pupils take home match their phonics knowledge.

Leaders ensure that pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers.

Every day, class teachers in all year groups lead a 'reading for enjoyment' session. Chosen texts include classics but also expose pupils to cultural diversity.

Pupils visit the school library weekly. They borrow a library book to take home to read alongside their reading book. Older pupils take pride in being librarians.

Pupils develop a love for reading.

Teachers use 'class reads' to help pupils learn the curriculum in other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 5 and 6 read 'Letters from the Lighthouse'.

They use this to deepen their understanding about the history of the Second World War.

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced in many subjects.

They have also ensured that they have identified the concepts they want pupils to grasp. For example, in mathematics, there is a focus on developing pupils' fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Teachers encourage pupils to use mathematical language when explaining their thinking.

As a result, pupils know and remember more.

Children explore numbers in the early years curriculum. Staff guide children's learning through play by 'interacting but not interfering'.

The Reception setting prepares children well for key stage 1.

Leaders have recently developed new curriculum plans in the foundation subjects. Many plans identify the most important knowledge and skills that pupils must know and demonstrate.

For example, in art, the range of artists studied has been updated to be more diverse. Teachers have been told what to cover in an artist study and how to record this work in sketch books. This is not yet the case in all subjects.

In the foundation subjects, teachers use a range of methods to assess whether pupils are knowing and remembering more. This includes the use of low-stake quizzes. However, in some subjects, pupils remember activities and events rather than the intended knowledge.

Assessment is not always used as well is it could be to ensure that pupils have secured the intended knowledge.

Teachers have high expectations of behaviour. They create a purposeful environment for learning in classrooms.

Pupils show high levels of engagement. The traffic light warning system helps them to self-regulate. Staff in Reception support the youngest children well with clear routines and expectations.

Pupils behave well.

The personal, social and health education curriculum also covers relationships and sex education. Pupils show an age-appropriate understanding of different types of relationships.

Teachers refer to fundamental British values in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils show a mature understanding of how these values have an impact on their own lives and the lives of others.

Pupils with SEND are well supported.

Leaders ensure that staff understand the needs of all pupils so that they can access the full curriculum. Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies. Relationships with families of pupils with SEND are strong, and communication is regular.

Leaders support staff with their workload and well-being. Teaching staff particularly value the opportunity to be able to carry out monitoring of the subjects they lead. Staff say that leaders are 'very approachable'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture at the school. Pupils feel safe and share any concerns or worries with their trusted adults.

Pupils feel supported. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm. One pupil shared: 'Our teachers always welcome us with a smile and listen to us.'



Staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. Leaders check that staff remember safeguarding information. Staff know how to report concerns.

Safeguarding records are robust and clear.

Leaders ensure that pupils receive the support they need. When necessary, this includes challenging external agencies.

Governors are aware of their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

¦ The precise knowledge that pupils need to learn is not always clear in a few subjects. Some pupils struggle to recall what they have learned over time in these subjects.

Leaders should ensure that the knowledge pupils should learn is identified in all subject areas. ¦ In reading and mathematics, assessment processes are well used to check that pupils know more of the curriculum. This is not the case in all foundation subjects.

Teachers do not always check precisely what pupils know and remember in all subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers have a secure understanding of how to check pupils' learning in all the foundation subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2013.

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