Botley School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 July 2024

This is a rapidly improving school. Recent work to improve the curriculum, supported by the trust, is having a positive impact. However, the quality of teaching in essential areas, such as reading, writing, and mathematics, still needs to improve as reflected in the published low outcomes for pupils. Positive relationships between pupils and staff are very important here. Staff often go to great lengths to support pupils and their families. Pupils speak highly of the adults and show great respect towards them. Any unkind behaviour, such as bullying, is dealt with quickly and sensitively. As a result, pupils are happy at this welcoming school, where differences between people are valued and nurtured. They feel safe and have confidence in staff to address any concerns on the rare occasions this is needed. Personal development is a particular strength of the school's offer. The school's values of inclusivity, teamwork, kindness, respect, resilience, and creativity run through everything it does. Pupils are taught how to work and play together nicely. They behave well and take pride in their work. Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to develop talents and interests. They are also encouraged to take on positions of responsibility to support their school community.

What the school should improve

• Although curriculum planning is now secure, the teaching of the curriculum is inconsistent. This means that the quality of pupils' learning in different subjects varies, so they do not reach their full potential. The school should build on and strengthen the implementation of the curriculum so that gaps in pupils' learning are closed and their outcomes continue to improve in all subjects.
• In many subjects, the school is not yet effective in evaluating the delivery and impact of the curriculum. This means that some weaknesses are not identified and acted on in a timely manner. This hinders pupils' achievement in these subjects. The school should ensure that it has the processes and actions in place to further improve the quality of education.
• The school has not provided some staff with the training they need to expertly support pupils at the earlier stages of learning to read. As a result, these pupils do not consistently benefit from the high-quality teaching that they need to rapidly become fluent readers. The school should ensure that all staff supporting the phonics programme have the skills and expertise they need to deliver the phonics programme effectively and with confidence.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)