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ITEM LC6(b)
LEARNING
& CULTURE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 10 SEPTEMBER 2002
OFSTED INSPECTION
REPORTS ON OXFORDSHIRE SCHOOLS TO JULY 2002
The
Chief Education Officer reports that the following Inspection Reports
have been received.
Introduction
and Key Issues
- The Learning &
Culture Scrutiny Committee has instructed the Acting Chief Education
Officer, in listing the most recent Ofsted inspection reports on Oxfordshire
schools, to indicate key issues that arise from that particular cycle.
- Again, this is
short list of inspected schools from which to draw firm general conclusions.
The report cycle relates to one nursery school having serious weakness
in its leadership and management in the absence of the substantive headteacher.
Two large primary schools have been inspected, one being commended for
good teaching and leadership, the other for good standards. A general
point that emerges here, and in the monitoring cycles carried out by
advisers, concerns school development planning. As part of the next
update of "Improving Oxfordshire Schools" (guidelines for self- evaluation
and planning), it is already intended to sharpen and simplify the section
on development planning. For many schools, the process adopted in 1998
has become too time-consuming but, in others, there is insufficient
evidence that the targets and priorities have been agreed through sufficiently
rigorous evaluation and audit of present performance. It is intended
that will be addressed in the Monitoring Quality part 3 cycle carried
out with developing schools in the summer term of 2003.
Summaries
of Each School’s Inspection Report in This Cycle
3.
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School
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Inspection
date
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What
the school does well
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What
could be improved
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Wheatley
Nursery School
NOR
11.5
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20
- 21 May 2002
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The inclusion
and integration of all children is very good. All are accepted,
valued and celebrated as individuals.
Provision for
children with SEN is good.
Relationships
are very good.
Management
of children and their behaviour is good.
The nursery
staff are committed and hard working.
Accommodation
is spacious and includes very good use of facilities at John Watson
Special School.
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The leadership
and management structure is not effective. There is no permanent
senior management team, which makes leadership difficult in the
absence of the headteacher.
The role and
effectiveness of the governing body, including monitoring of finances.
Self-evaluation
and the monitoring of teaching and learning need to be developed.
The school
development plan is still in draft form and has not been agreed
by staff and governors.
There are no
policies to provide guidance on important aspects of school life,
such as special educational needs, behaviour, or the different areas
of the curriculum.
Standards in
language and literacy are below expectations, particularly for more-able
children.
Although
providing an acceptable standard of education, the school has serious
weaknesses in its leadership and management. The areas for improvement
will form the basis of the governors' action plan.
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West
Kidlington Primary School
NOR
462
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10
- 13 June 2002
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Standards in
English mathematics, science, ICT, RE and most other subjects are
above average by the end of Y6.
ICT is used
very effectively to support learning in most subjects.
Leadership
and management are good.
The quality
of teaching is good overall and a high proportion is very good.
Pupils are interested in learning and enjoy school.
Relationships
throughout the school and behaviour are excellent.
Provision for
SEN is very good.
PSHE makes
a valuable contribution to personal development and spiritual, moral,
social and cultural development is excellent overall.
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The quality
of learning opportunities, especially the use of the outdoors, for
children in the Reception class.
The use made
of assessment information in subjects other than English mathematics,
science and ICT to improve standards.
Subject co-ordinators'
involvement in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning.
(The school
has already recognised that these issues need to be addressed.)
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Wheatley
Primary School
NOR
390
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17
- 20 June 2002
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Pupils in the
school achieve good standards in science, ICT, DT, music and PE
by the time they leave Y6. Standards are generally good by the end
of Y2.
Standards of
behaviour are very good throughout the school. Pupils have very
good attitudes to learning and relate very well to their peers.
The quality
of teaching is good overall, and learning support staff work in
very good partnership with class teachers.
Provision for
pupils with SEN is very good.
Social development
is very good. Moral and cultural development is good.
The curriculum
is enriched significantly by a very good range of extra-curricular
activities.
The school
works in very good partnership with local schools and the community.
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The curriculum
is not sufficiently balanced in the foundation subjects and the
amount of time given to the school day is far less in the junior
classes than in other schools nationally.
Daily assessments
are not used consistently to help teachers plan future work.
The school's
development plan and financial planning are not sufficiently linked
to provide a clear strategic view of future improvements.
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ROY
SMITH
Acting Chief
Education Officer
Background
papers OFSTED Inspection Reports
Contact
Officer Richard Howard, Principal Adviser, tel. 01865 428084
August
2002
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