St Mary's Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure greater consistency in the progress that pupils make across the school, including in the early years, by:
  • using assessment information to plan work that builds on what pupils already know and can do
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils, particularly the most able, can achieve
  • ensuring that phonics is taught systematically and that pupils in key stage 1 are provided with reading books that are at the right level
  • making sure that pupils develop a secure grasp of basic writing skills by the end of Year 2.
• Strengthen the impact of leaders, including governors, to improve the overall effectiveness of the school by:
  • using all available information to accurately identify what most needs to be improved
  • ensuring that targets in the school improvement plan are specifically aimed at raising pupils’ academic achievement
  • focusing on how well pupils are learning when observing teaching
  • making sure that governors are given clear information so that they can analyse all aspects of the school’s performance and hold leaders to account. An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Actions taken by school leaders since becoming an academy have not yet brought about good achievement for pupils. This is because leaders and governors make insufficient use of published information to provide them with a clear picture of where weaknesses remain.
• Actions for improvement in the school development plan are too broad and lack precision. They do not show clearly what actions are to be taken to tackle weaker performance and raise standards, particularly in the lower part of the school and the early years.
• Although leaders check the quality of teaching by visiting classrooms regularly, they do not look closely enough at how well pupils are learning. Consequently, remaining weaknesses in teaching are not addressed quickly enough.
• Some subject leaders do not have a clear enough view of the strengths and weaknesses in their subject because they do not use or analyse assessment information thoroughly enough.
• The school has responded positively to the high level of support provided by the trust and this has brought about early improvements. Previously weaker teaching has been addressed through a programme of training and support provided by leaders and supported by advisers. However, more needs to be done to secure consistently good teaching across the school.
• School leaders capitalise on the strengths of all staff so they make an effective contribution to the development of the school. Staff say that leaders listen to them and take account of their individual strengths. As a result, teamwork is good and staff morale is high.
• Considerate use has been made of the additional funding to support the very few disadvantaged pupils in school. These pupils are provided with help and support at an early stage so that they do not fall behind other pupils.
• The school has implemented the requirements of the new national curriculum. Subjects are often linked together under an overall theme or topic and this allows pupils to develop a rounded view of what they are learning. Pupils have opportunities to use their literacy and mathematical skills when learning other subjects.
• The school actively promotes British values through the curriculum, through assemblies and through the school’s own values. Pupils are taught to respect each other and show tolerance towards those from other backgrounds. Discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.
• The primary school sports funding has been used to employ a full-time sports teacher and, consequently, the choice of sporting activities on offer has increased. Pupils enjoy taking part in physical activities in school, as well as competing against other local schools in tournaments.
• Almost all parents are happy with the school and point to significant improvements since the appointment of the headteacher.

Governance of the school

• Governors are enthusiastic and passionate about the school. They visit regularly and say they are visible within the school community. However, they do not hold school leaders sufficiently to account or challenge leaders where performance is weaker. Governors do not make sufficient use of published information to give them a clear view of where improvements need to be made. Consequently, they do not have a clear picture of how well the school compares with other schools nationally.
• Governors ensure that they comply with all statutory requirements. They say that pupils’ behaviour has improved and is now good. They believe that pupils are safe in school and point to recent improvements to the security of the site. Governors ensure that all statutory policies are up to date and that these are monitored and evaluated in a timely manner. They manage finances well and ensure that the school makes the best use of resources.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. School leaders have created a culture in which pupil feel safe and secure. Governors carry out termly checks on the premises to ensure that the school meets all requirements. All staff have been trained in child protection and they recognise their moral responsibility to keep pupils safe. They take immediate action should they have any concerns regarding pupils’ safety and well-being.
• Governors check that the school carries out rigorous checks on all adults who visit the school and that routines regarding safer recruitment are robust. All policies and procedures are up to date and issues relating to pupils’ personal safety, such as e-safety, are threaded through the curriculum.
• School leaders work in close cooperation with external agencies to support those pupils and families whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Despite improvements in recent years, the quality of teaching is not yet consistently good. This is because teachers in some classes do not use assessment information to plan work that is at the right level for pupils. As a result, pupils do not progress as quickly as they should, especially the most able.
• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do are not high enough. In some pupils’ books there is too little work, and some comments by teachers are overgenerous. There are times when work does not build upon and extend what pupils already know and this slows their progress, particularly in writing.
• Some teachers do not teach phonics systematically. This slows the pace of learning and progress that pupils make, both in their reading and writing. Reading books provided for pupils in key stage 1 are too easy and provide little challenge for them.
• In some classes, pupils do not make enough progress when learning to write. This is because teachers do not always provide enough examples of what they want pupils to learn and they do not show pupils how their writing can be improved. Some teachers’ own subject knowledge is patchy and they confuse pupils by giving them incorrect information.
• Some teaching assistants provide effective support to disadvantaged pupils and to pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, which helps these pupils to understand what they should learn. However, there are times when teaching assistants spend too much time managing pupils’ behaviour rather than supporting their learning.
• Teaching in mathematics is improving. Teachers now provide pupils with opportunities to reason and to apply their knowledge of number to solving problems and this is leading to an improvement in outcomes for pupils in mathematics.
• Teachers in the upper part of the school are skilled in using assessment information to gauge how well pupils understand their work. They adapt work provided for pupils accordingly, so that pupils make good progress. They ask pupils questions that make them work hard and this increases the pace and challenge of learning.
• When marking pupils’ work, some teachers provide clear feedback to pupils so they know what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils learn that it is all right to make mistakes because this helps them to learn. There are some good examples of where pupils provide feedback to each other and this helps them to learn effectively.
• There are very positive relationships between pupils and teachers that inspire pupils to behave well and to develop positive attitudes towards their work. Most teachers explain clearly so that pupils understand what they are expected to do.
• Some teachers provide good-quality resources to inspire pupils to write well. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson, the teacher asked pupils to write imaginatively about a given illustration. Pupils used language very effectively to create a written description. One boy wrote, ‘The dark forests are untouched by man and storm but patterned with age and breeze.’

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are kind and respectful to each other and adults. They are polite and friendly and they get on very well together.
• Pupils’ spiritual development is good. Pupils enjoy acts of worship and singing which instil a sense of belonging. They say the school is like a large family in which they feel warm and welcome.
• Staff know pupils well and they provide timely interventions when the occasional problem or difficulty arises. Pupils say that staff are kind and helpful and so they feel very safe in school.
• Older pupils have opportunities to help younger ones during lunchtimes and breaktimes. The youngest pupils point to the ‘Buddy Stop’ where an older pupil will help them if they do not have anyone to play with. Year 6 pupils have been trained as ‘peer mediators’ and help to prevent issues from escalating in the playground.
• The school has a small number of families whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable. Staff carefully monitor these pupils and they work closely with families and the appropriate agencies to ensure that they receive the support they need at the right time.
• The school has created a culture of safety so that pupils learn how to stay safe from dangers outside school, such as traffic. Pupils know that tobacco and some non- medicinal drugs can be harmful.
• Pupils know about different forms of bullying, including that related to modern technology. They are provided with clear guidance about how to stay safe when using mobile phones and computers so that they know that it is unwise to provide personal information to strangers.
• The breakfast club provides pupils with a healthy and nutritious start to the school day.
• Parents who responded to the online survey, Parent View, agreed that their children are happy and safe in school and that they behave well.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong. They behave well in class and when moving around the school. They settle quickly after breaktimes and are ready to learn.
• Pupils say that all pupils are treated fairly and equally. They say there is little name-calling or physical bullying and that adults would act immediately should a concern be raised. Pupils say that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.
• School records show very few reported incidents of poor behaviour and there have been no recent exclusions. Pupils’ attendance is above average.
• Just occasionally, when teaching is not sufficiently challenging, pupils will fidget and chat among themselves, and this distracts other pupils and slows their learning.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ outcomes require improvement because pupils make uneven progress across the school and between subjects. Often, gaps in learning are only addressed in the last two years in school. They make stronger progress in Years 5 and 6 and they make better progress in reading than they do in writing or mathematics.
• Provisional data for pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2016 shows that a higher proportion than average reached the expected standard in reading and mathematics, thus preparing pupils well for the next stage in their education. However, this good picture is not yet reflected across other year groups.
• The most able pupils do not make as much progress as they should because the work provided for them is often too easy and provides too little challenge. Work in pupils’ books shows that the most able pupils often complete the same work as other pupils and this limits how much they can achieve.
• Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in writing in Years 1 and 2. This is because they are not developing a good enough grasp of basic skills of handwriting, spelling and punctuation. By the time they start Year 3, they struggle to record their ideas because they have not yet developed fluency and confidence in writing.
• The percentage of pupils who reached the expected standard in phonics improved in 2016 and is now broadly average. However, some pupils still struggle to recognise initial sounds or to blend letters together to form words. This is because pupils do not develop their knowledge of phonics systematically.
• By Year 6, pupils have developed fluency and a love of reading. One pupil said, ‘I just love getting lost in a book.’ Pupils read a range of books both for pleasure and to find information. They have learned to infer and make predictions by referring to what they have read. Progress for younger pupils is slower because the books they are provided with are sometimes too easy.
• Leaders took rapid action following the poor results in mathematics in 2015 by providing staff training and introducing a new system to teach mathematics. Consequently, pupils’ achievement is improving. Pupils in Year 6 apply their numeracy skills confidently to solving complicated problems calling for reasoning and perseverance.
• Pupils are articulate and speak clearly and fluently, communicating their ideas with good expression. They have a wide vocabulary and enjoy responding to teachers’ questions and putting forward their own views and ideas confidently. They listen carefully to adults and to each other, demonstrating respect for those with alternative points of view.
• Owing to effective use of additional funding, disadvantaged pupils are quickly catching up with other pupils nationally, particularly in reading and mathematics. These pupils are provided with effective support in class that helps them to keep up with other pupils. However, the very small numbers in some cohorts mean that their attainment cannot reliably be compared with all pupils nationally.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their different starting points. This is because staff are skilled at identifying specific barriers to learning and ensure that pupils get the right support. They use short programmes of work targeted towards pupils’ individual learning needs.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• Children make slow progress in the early years. This is because staff have low expectations for what children can do and because staff do not make use of assessment information to plan activities that are demanding enough.
• The proportion of children that achieve a good level of development by the end of the Reception class has been below that found nationally since the school became an academy. Boys do not achieve as well as girls do.
• Leadership of the early years requires improvement, particularly in the ongoing assessment of children’s needs. Close working with the local nursery ensures an overview of children’s needs when they start school but, after that, a clearer grasp of progress data is needed.
• The quality of teaching is not consistently good. There are times when the activities planned for children do not meet their developmental needs. Although children start school with skills and aptitudes that are broadly as expected for their age, they do not progress as quickly as they should. Too many children are not well enough prepared for the demands of Year 1.
• There is too little evidence of children’s learning in their learning journey files, such as examples of work that children have done. Records are kept of what children can do but these are not used to inform or plan their next steps as effectively as they should be. Staff who work in the early years are now being asked to record their observations of children’s learning so they can plan their next steps. This is already leading to improvements in outcomes for children.
• Children in the early years have settled quickly into the routines of school. They get on well together and they behave well. However, they become fidgety and distracted when the activities provided for them fail to meet their needs and interests and this slows their progress.
• There are strengths in their personal, social and emotional development so that children develop confidence and self-awareness. Staff help children to form good relationships with each other.
• There are good relationships between adults and children and so children feel safe and secure. The environment is bright and attractive and makes children feel valued. Spaces for learning are well resourced both indoors and outside, with good quality toys and equipment to help children to learn and develop.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140026 Surrey 10019844 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils Gender of pupils 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 186 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Caroline Doherty Janis Radcliffe 01428 683 115 www.stmaryschidd.org/ jradcliffe@stmarys.goodshepherdtrust.org.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school became an academy under the Good Shepherd Multi-Academy Trust in November 2013. The headteacher joined the school in April 2014.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ learning and progress.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. There is full-time provision for children in the early years in the Reception class.
• The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and very few speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than average.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is lower than average.
• The school runs a daily breakfast club for pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils working in 16 lessons or parts of lessons, most of which were jointly observed with school leaders. They observed pupils’ behaviour in class and as they moved around the school. Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils reading in Year 2 and Year 6. Inspectors attended one singing assembly and an act of collective worship.
• Inspectors held meetings with school leaders, a group of pupils and with the school effectiveness director from the Good Shepherd Trust. They also met with three governors, including the chair of governors.
• Among the documents scrutinised were the school’s own evaluation of their performance, school development plans and records relating to pupils’ learning and progress. Inspectors also looked at records regarding pupils’ behaviour and attendance, as well as information to show how well the school keeps pupils safe in school.
• The views of parents were considered by analysing the 53 responses to the online survey, Parent View. Inspectors also met parents informally during the inspection. The views of staff were analysed in the 10 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Joy Considine, lead inspector Becky Greenhalgh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector