West Kidlington Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at the school because it is extremely caring and nurturing. They benefit from the huge range of inspirational experiences the school provides. These include, for example, talks by speakers and drama presentations.

Pupils live and breathe the school's values. They are proud when they receive rewards for putting them into action. Pupils treat each other, and staff, kindly.

They fully embrace the school's motto, 'be kind, give your best'.

Because teachers and leaders have high expectations, pupils behave well and try hard. They respond quickly to teachers' reminders about behaviour.

However, some pupils are not able to manage their own beh...aviour well. The early years staff have close links with parents and carers. Children in early years settle in well.

Pupils are keen to learn and show genuine interest in the broad range of subjects they study. On occasion, pupils feel that they could learn about some topics in greater depth or move onto new topics more quickly.

Pupils are safe because all staff prioritise this aspect of their work.

Pupils also learn about safety issues within the subjects they study. They gain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to make a positive contribution to society.

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

The school is well led.

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils and make sure that they get off to a flying start. For instance, leaders ensure that pupils become fluent readers as soon as possible. They have prioritised providing staff with the expertise they need to teach phonics well.

Staff spot pupils who are struggling to read and give them extra help so that they can keep up.

Pupils enjoy the full range of subjects and topics that they study. Over time, they gain the knowledge and skills that they need in reading, writing and mathematics to make a good start at secondary school.

For instance, they can explain the complex ideas that they encounter in their reading. Leaders have developed the writing curriculum. Older pupils now base the style and content of their own writing on well-written books.

In mathematics, the curriculum enables pupils to build on what they have already learned. For example, because pupils know their multiplication tables well they can use them to solve hard problems.

In subjects other than English and mathematics, leaders are improving the way that teachers introduce and order the topics pupils learn.

In some subjects and key stages, this work is more developed than in others. For instance, when teachers explain new ideas in science they make useful links with the vocabulary that pupils already know. However, this is not as well developed in other subjects, such as history and geography.

The multi-academy trust (MAT) supports leaders well in developing the curriculum. MAT trustees closely oversee the school's local governing body. The local governing body makes a strong contribution to improving the school.

Governors ask leaders searching questions about their work. They have also helped to strengthen relationships between the school and parents.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported so that they do not fall behind.

Teachers carefully check to see if they have any gaps in their learning. Teaching assistants provide short bursts of extra help known as 'keep up, not catch up', so that these gaps are quickly filled.

Leaders have introduced new approaches to managing pupils' behaviour.

For example, they have worked closely with parents so that they can reinforce positive messages from school, at home. Most new approaches are working well, but leaders need to develop some further.

The personal development programme is exceptional.

Leaders have ensured that moral and spiritual threads run through the programme and that it is well organised. They also provide special activities at appropriate points. For example, pupils undertook activities to help them understand risks in society at the end of Year 6.

Leaders check that teachers connect pupils' learning in different subjects to key issues, such as treating all people fairly.

Over their time in early years, children develop confidence in using numbers. They also become better at putting words together to make whole sentences when they speak.

Children leave Reception with the knowledge and skills they need to make a good start in Year 1. A greater proportion than average reach a good level of development. Leaders are currently improving the way that teaching in some areas introduces children to new learning.

There is more work to do on this.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is an expert team of safeguarding leaders, which includes the designated safeguarding lead.

Members of the team work extremely well together to protect pupils from harm. They keep detailed and very thorough records. Team members check each other's work and make sure any decisions have been thought through fully.

Leaders leave no aspect of safeguarding to chance, carefully following up on all referrals they make to the local authority. They provide tremendous additional support for pupils and their families. Leaders also ensure that pupils receive up-to-date information about how to stay safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, there are many indicators which clearly indicate that the school is well under way to bringing this about, such as the actions that leaders have already taken, curriculum improvement plans currently being rolled out and the subject-focused training that leaders are accessing. .

School and MAT leaders rightly see developing the subject expertise and the leadership skills of subject and phase leaders as high priorities. They should ensure that all subject and phase leaders, especially those new in post, benefit from the same effective training that has already been accessed by some. .

Leaders have implemented a raft of new approaches to improve behaviour, which have led to some improvements. However, a number of new approaches are not as well developed as others, such as strategies to help pupils manage their own behaviour and interventions for pupils with behavioural needs. Leaders should ensure that these are fully embedded.

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