Queensway School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are supported effectively at this inclusive school.

Leaders and staff take care to get to know pupils well. Staff are ambitious for every pupil's learning and know what to do to help pupils to achieve. Pupils behave very well.

This starts in the early years, where children learn secure routines for taking turns and behaving positively. Pupils are polite, friendly and interested in each other's views. Pupils also debate, discuss and collaborate respectfully.

They like the opportunities they have to develop their creative, sporting and leadership experiences.

This culture of respect and tolerance means that bullying or any unkind behaviour is ve...ry rare. Pupils feel safe and are confident to raise any worries that they might have with a member of staff.

Pastoral support for pupils is a key strength of the school. Any issues that arise are dealt with by leaders quickly and effectively. One parent summed up the views of the overwhelming majority by saying: 'The pastoral care our daughter has received throughout has been exceptional.

Any child would be lucky to have this as their school and we feel blessed to have found Queensway.'

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

Leadership is extremely strong, focusing on meeting all pupils' needs. Leaders have high expectations of pupils and staff.

Governors and leaders have a very accurate view of the school's many strengths and current priorities because of their comprehensive, accurate processes to check how effective the school is. Leaders rightly invest heavily in training for staff, which is focused clearly on appropriate, well-targeted areas. In particular, staff are supported exceptionally well to identify and then meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) from Nursery onwards.

Leaders support staff's workload and well-being impressively well. Leaders balance this with making sure policies are implemented highly consistently. Governors are diligent and knowledgeable, holding leaders to account effectively.

Partnerships with parents are strong. One parent told inspectors that 'Queensway is a great school that always puts the needs of the children at the heart of everything they do.' The inspection team agrees.

Consequently, pupils achieve well because the curriculum is effective and teachers have strong subject knowledge. This starts in the early years, which provides a firm foundation for pupils' learning in subsequent years. The curriculum in Nursery and Reception is closely linked with what pupils learn from Year 1 onwards, which means there is a well-designed progression in the knowledge pupils acquire year on year.

Many pupils with SEND achieve very well indeed, learning the same curriculum as other pupils through teachers' skilful adaptations. Teachers check pupils' learning and make well-judged changes to subsequent teaching. In some subjects, where the curriculum is particularly strong, pupils achieve highly.

This is not yet the case across all subjects.

Leaders have dealt very effectively with the many challenges they have faced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. One parent's view was typical: 'We cannot commend highly enough the school's approach to the handling of the COVID crisis.

It was measured and proportionate throughout and the communication we received was excellent.' However, two key issues remain. Before the pandemic, pupils' achievement in reading was very positive.

While most pupils currently make good progress in reading, a few pupils, some of whom are pupils with SEND, are still catching up. At times, the books they read could be matched more precisely to help them become more fluent and accurate readers. Similarly, pupils' attendance before the pandemic was high.

Although rising overall, levels of attendance for a small proportion of pupils need to rise more. Leaders have taken very effective action to address both of these areas. The ongoing impact of their work is clear.

The strength of leadership means there is the capacity within the school to successfully resolve both of these issues in the near future.

Leaders are as ambitious for pupils' personal development as they are for pupils' academic learning. The highly positive relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils and their peers reflect how pupils are taught about healthy relationships.

Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds and who have contrasting views and beliefs. Pupils enjoy the extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities that leaders are in the process of building up to pre-pandemic levels.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Parents, staff and pupils rightly feel that pupils are safe at school. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. They also participate in projects coordinated by Safeguarding Children in Banbury which are focused on local priorities.

Staff have strong knowledge because of leaders' effective and regular training. Referral and recording processes are robust. Leaders and staff follow up on concerns assiduously, liaising closely and appropriately with external agencies so that pupils get the help they need.

The right checks are made on staff. Governors carry out their responsibilities well.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils do not achieve consistently highly across the curriculum.

In some subjects, for example science and mathematics, pupils' learning is deep and extensive. While pupils achieve well in other subjects, leaders should develop the curriculum further so that pupils' learning is consistently excellent overall. ? Some pupils, including some with SEND, do not make as swift progress in their reading as they could.

This has an effect on their learning in other areas of the curriculum. At times, reading books are not matched to pupils' phonics knowledge as precisely as they need to be to help these pupils increase their fluency and accuracy in reading. Although leaders' actions focused on this area are already having an impact, this remains a priority in order for these pupils' learning to improve further.

• Pupils' attendance is not at the same high level as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic began. A relatively small proportion of pupils do not yet attend regularly enough. Although pupils' overall attendance levels are rising, leaders should continue their work to reduce absence further to ensure pupils are in school and learning.