Camelsdale Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that teachers have consistently high expectations of the most able pupils so that, by the end of key stage 2, they achieve higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Further develop the wider curriculum so that pupils develop deep understanding in a range of subjects besides English and mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has ensured that the school’s ethos, ‘The Camelsdale Way’, is at the heart of everything pupils and staff do. Pupils are encouraged to be ‘caring, independent and enthusiastic’ during lessons, outside lessons and at home. Pupils, parents and carers understand and appreciate this strong ethos.
• The headteacher and senior leaders have, rightly, focused on improving teaching, learning and assessment. They have accurately identified the school’s strengths and weaknesses. After mathematics results dipped in 2017, leaders introduced a new approach to mathematics teaching and focused staff training on improving the teaching of problem-solving skills. Consequently, outcomes in mathematics improved.
• Leaders monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment through observations of learning and by looking at pupils’ books. As a result, leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching. This allows leaders to identify where teaching can improve and then offer skilful support.
• The curriculum provides a wide range of learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom. Pupils enjoy activities related to the school’s ‘forest school’ status. These activities give pupils opportunities to develop their practical skills in an outdoor environment. Leaders are proud of their strong links with a Spanish school. Spanish is taught in all year groups and pupils in Year 6 visit the link school in Spain. Because of this varied curriculum, pupils develop their social and cultural understanding well.
• Leaders have made certain that English and mathematics are taught increasingly well so that pupils make strong progress. In other subjects, pupils work on activities and projects that spark their interest and creativity. However, the structure of the curriculum in wider subject areas is not yet as well developed as it is in English and mathematics. As a result, pupils do not deepen their skills and understanding as well as they could in subjects other than English and mathematics.
• Leaders have worked hard to make sure that the school’s assessment policy is employed consistently across subjects. Pupils regularly reflect on how well they think they have performed in class and homework tasks. Consequently, pupils think hard about how they learn and what their next steps should be.
• Pupils benefit from the many opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. For example, as part of the religious education curriculum, pupils visit places of worship, such as a mosque and a Hindu temple, so that they can develop their understanding of different religions.
• Leaders ensure that communication with parents is frequent and purposeful. Parents’ evenings are well attended. The parent-teacher association provides good links between parents and leaders. Almost all parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed that their child is happy and well looked after at school. One parent commented that the school is ‘a very inclusive school’, while another parent wrote, ‘an amazing school with a strong leadership team’.
• Personal, social, health and economic education is well developed across year groups. Pupils learn about a range of issues through visiting speakers. For example, during the school’s ‘disability awareness week’, visiting speakers talked to pupils in assemblies about disability. This resulted in pupils having a keen awareness of disability-related issues.

Governance of the school

• Governance has been through a period of change over the past year. Recently, a new chair of governors and two new co-vice-chairs have quickly ensured that they are properly trained. They have also ably assessed the training needs of other governors.
• Governors have a range of expertise. They are passionate and knowledgeable about the school. They monitor the effectiveness of leaders’ actions well. For example, governors surveyed parents about their views and structured a series of questions for leaders based on what they found out.
• Rightly, governors challenge leaders and ask searching questions during meetings and their school visits. As a result, leaders feel challenged and supported by governors.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff receive regular training so that they are kept up to date with national safeguarding guidance. They are aware of how to spot signs that a child might be at risk and they know how to take appropriate action if they are worried about a child.
• Leaders ensure that the correct checks take place that ensure the suitability of staff to work in school.
• Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They enjoy the frequent opportunities to learn about safety. For example, from Year 1, pupils learn about road safety, including how to be safe on bicycles and scooters.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Good-quality training means that teachers are knowledgeable about how to plan lessons that engage pupils. Teachers also know pupils well. As a result, pupils want to work hard. They respond to tasks with interest and enthusiasm.
• Overall, teachers plan activities that increasingly challenge pupils. For example, in mathematics, pupils had to think hard about how to solve problems involving improper fractions. However, in some subjects, such as history and English, most-able pupils are not challenged enough so that they can attain the highest standards. Consequently, some of them find the work easy.
• Teachers’ skilful questioning generates pupils’ interest in topics and encourages them to join in discussions. For example, in Year 2, pupils answered their teacher’s questions about apostrophe use. One pupil correctly used the word ‘contraction’ and several others followed with examples of contractions and where they could be used.
• Teachers employ the school’s assessment policy well. They provide clear feedback to pupils about how to improve, particularly in spelling, punctuation and grammar. As a result, pupils rectify mistakes and deepen their understanding.
• Pupils read regularly across all year groups. Strong partnerships between parents and teachers mean that pupils read at home and in school. In key stage 1, pupils use their phonics knowledge to work out what words mean in the challenging texts they read. In key stage 2, pupils read more complex books. This helps them to develop their vocabulary.
• Teaching assistants support pupils with SEND very well. Staff plan their interventions carefully so that pupils receive the well-informed support that helps them understand tasks. Pupils with significant social and emotional needs make strong progress because staff adapt activities to meet their needs.

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 proud of their school. They wear their uniform smartly and have positive attitudes to learning.
• There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills. Pupils can apply to became house captains or, in Year 6, prefects. Inspectors observed prefects ably monitoring younger pupils during lunchtime. In each year group, some pupils are designated as ‘digital leaders’. These pupils support others in developing their information and communication technology skills.
• Staff are committed to ensuring that pupils learn about healthy lifestyles. Pupils know which types of food are good for them and physical activity is an important part of the school week. For example, many pupils volunteer to take part in a before-school running club. Pupils run around the school field and their distance is calculated over the course of the term. Some pupils complete a ‘marathon’ over several weeks. They are proud to receive recognition for this in assemblies.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well during social times and in class. They move calmly around the school and follow teachers’ instructions quickly. Pupils play well together, and they enjoy using the school’s outdoor play areas, where they are supervised ably by staff.
• Pupils are considerate of one another. In the new dining hall, there is a pleasant atmosphere because pupils are well mannered and sensible. Pupils sit in mixed-age groups. Consequently, they build good relationships with each other, regardless of their year group.
• The headteacher’s commitment to providing an inclusive education for all pupils has ensured that no pupils have been permanently excluded and no pupils receive fixed-term exclusions.
• Attendance is above that seen nationally. Persistent absenteeism is below the national average for primary schools. Pupils who do not attend regularly enough are supported by staff in improving their attendance. This is particularly the case for pupils who have medical issues.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2017, attainment at the end of key stage 2 dipped compared to previous years. The proportion of pupils who attained the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics was below the national average.
• Leaders responded resolutely to the dip in results. They focused on improving teaching, particularly in key stage 2. Consequently, provisional results for 2018 show that the proportion of pupils who attained age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics improved to well above the national average.
• In 2017, the proportion of pupils in Year 1 who met the expected standard in the phonics screening check was below the national average. Provisional results for 2018 show that this proportion has increased to above the national average. This is because teachers have improved the way they provide extra support for pupils who fall behind in their phonics understanding. Similarly, current pupils in key stage 1 develop their phonics knowledge increasingly well.
• Current pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across year groups because teaching interests and enthuses them. However, too few pupils achieve greater depth in key stage 1 or higher standards in key stage 2. This is because the level of challenge for the most able is not high enough.
• Pupils with SEND make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They respond well to strong teaching and carefully planned support from teaching assistants.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their education because they make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils confidently enter secondary school. Leaders ensure that they keep in touch with pupils who have left. For example, a ‘tea party’ is held for pupils who move to Year 7 so that the school can be informed about how well they have settled into secondary school.
• There were too few disadvantaged pupils in school in 2017 and 2018 to be able to comment on their progress.

Early years provision Good

• The new leader in the early years has an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. She has quickly implemented new teaching, learning and assessment strategies. These are having a positive effect on the quality of provision. For example, designated spaces for different activities ensure that learning is well organised.
• Staff are very ambitious for the children. They are eager for them to reach high standards.
• Children enter the early years at starting points that are typical for their age. By the time they leave the early years, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development is broadly average.
• Teaching and teaching support are effective in ensuring that children make strong progress in their development. Planning has recently improved. Staff ensure that they use their knowledge of children’s capabilities to plan activities that meet their needs.
• Staff ensure that children are encouraged to write by providing interesting tasks. For example, children had to write letters or words on paper to secure the return of their missing classroom elf. Children eagerly wrote letters and words to pin on a picture of the elf.
• Staff ensure that children’s progress is clearly recorded so that teaching and support can be planned to closely meet children’s needs. This ensures that children, particularly those with SEND, make good progress.
• Staff work closely with prospective parents so that the transition of children into the early years is smooth. Staff contact parents before their child starts the early years so that they can start to get to know the children and ensure that their needs will be met.
• Children learn in a vibrant and bright atmosphere. They enthusiastically participate in whole-class activities and readily sit as a class to practise the sounds that letters make.
• The new outside learning area is popular and adds another dimension to learning so that children develop their skills through different types of play. Displays promote an understanding of numbers and letters and encourage children to see learning as fun.
• Children behave well. They are increasingly considerate of others and learn the school’s formal rules very quickly. For example, children have quickly learned not to talk while the teacher is talking to the whole group.
• Safeguarding procedures in the early years are strong. Staff are well trained and they prioritise the safety of children.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 125821 West Sussex 10053195 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 219 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Paul Branch Sarah Palmer 01428 642 177 www.camelsdale.w-sussex.sch.uk office@camelsdale.w-sussex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 March 2015

Information about this school

• Camelsdale Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is similar to the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average for primary schools.
• The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is very small and below the national average for primary schools.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 20 lessons. In several observations, senior leaders joined inspectors.
• Inspectors visited two assemblies.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and governors.
• The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a local authority representative.
• Inspectors met formally with a group of pupils from key stage 2.
• Pupils’ views from surveys were considered. Inspectors also spoke to a wide range of pupils during social times and lessons.
• Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work and observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.
• Inspectors considered the views of staff from a meeting with a group of staff and from the 25 staff who responded to the confidential questionnaire.
• Inspectors considered the views of 87 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online parental questionnaire, Parent View.
• Documentation scrutinised by inspectors included the school’s plans for improvement, its self-evaluation, reports on attendance and behaviour, records relating to pupils’ safety, minutes of governor meetings and information on pupils’ outcomes.

Inspection team

Harry Ingham, lead inspector Susan Conway

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector