Crondall Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 March 2012 Inspection number 379162 Crondall Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115878 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379162 Inspection dates 21–22 March 2012 Lead inspector Elisabeth Linley HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 203 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Oliver Beavon Headteacher Megan Robinson Date of previous school inspection 9−10 January 2007 School address Croft Lane Crondall Near Farnham GU10 5QG Telephone number 01252850291 Fax number 01252852291 Email address Megan.Robinson@crondall.hants.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Elisabeth Linley Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 19 lessons taught by nine teachers. Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior and middle leaders, representatives of the governing body and groups of pupils. There were no published responses to the on- line questionnaire (Parent View) to take account of in planning the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at safeguarding arrangements as well as other information, including development planning, policies, data on pupils’ progress and a range of pupils’ work. A total of 140 questionnaires from parents and carers were scrutinised, together with those returned by staff and a representative sample of pupils.

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Information about the school

Crondall is smaller than the average-sized primary school and is situated in a rural area near the town of Farnham. The proportion of pupils attending the school known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average, although the proportion who have a statement of special educational needs is below average. There are few pupils from minority ethnic groups and most pupils are of White British heritage. The school is affected by a larger number of pupils joining or leaving the school at different times of the school year than is normally seen. The school has exceeded the government’s floor standard, which sets minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school has achieved the Becta information and communication technology (ICT) mark, the Unicef Rights Respecting School award, gold Flagship Food for Life status and enhanced Healthy Schools status. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is an outstanding school. The headteacher, governors and all the staff have a very clear and ambitious vision for the school’s success which is underpinned by outstanding leadership and management. As a result, the achievement of most pupils, including those who are disabled, have special educational needs or who join the school at different times of the school year, is outstanding. The view of one parent/carer is representative of many: ‘I really feel my children’s welfare and ability to reach their potential is at the heart of the school’s ethos’.  Teaching is outstanding overall. Pupils are fully engaged in their lessons and are keen to learn. The previous gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in English is narrowing and, when pupils leave the school, their overall attainment is well above average. Furthermore, the value that is added to pupils’ attainment from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 is significantly above that seen nationally.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching and the high quality curriculum make a significant contribution to the pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils develop into thoughtful, confident and respectful members of the community. They behave exceptionally well in and around school; pupils, and their parents and carers, are confident that they are safe in school.  The management of teaching and performance is of high quality. Staff training to improve teaching and the curriculum is an important part of the school’s work to maintain outstanding provision and outcomes for pupils. For example, staff have received training in a number of intervention strategies to be used with pupils who have special educational needs. However, training for staff who work with pupils who have complex special educational needs has not been implemented. As a result, even though the pupils’ pastoral care and academic

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Key findings

guidance are of high quality, the pupils are not consistently enabled to be as independent as they might.  Crondall is an important part of the local community and is highly valued. One parent/carer’s view echoes that of the majority, ‘We are incredibly lucky to have a school such as Crondall available to us in the village.’ Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that staff who work with pupils who have complex special educational needs receive appropriate training so that the guidance and support provided for the pupils’ particular needs is of high quality in all respects.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start in Reception with skills that are broadly in line with expectations for their age. The many exciting opportunities planned across the areas of learning for the Early Years Foundation Stage, and high quality teaching, provide children with an excellent start to their education. From an early age, staff are mindful to promote boys’ enjoyment of literacy-related activities to aid their achievement. Boys in Year 3, for example, enjoyed their work on ‘the Temple of Doom’ and their feedback and language development were very good. In a Year 6 English lesson, when pupils considered characterisation, girls and boys listened to each other’s views very carefully and were skilled at using a partner to share ideas with and then come up with a well-reasoned response. As a result of such focused work, the gap in attainment between girls and boys in English is narrowing.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils of all abilities are challenged and supported very well to achieve their best. This is exemplified by the results of the Year 6 national tests in English and mathematics when in 2011 all pupils with special educational needs attained the level expected for all pupils nationally. Similarly, the proportion of all pupils attaining the higher level in English and mathematics was well above the national average. The vast majority of parents and carers comment accurately on the very good progress that their children make and their enjoyment of learning. With the school’s focus on making the curriculum fun, pupils are thoroughly absorbed in their work and most make outstanding progress over time. As a result, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are well above the national average.

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Quality of teaching

The vast majority of parents and carers confirmed, through their questionnaires, that they are highly positive about the teaching in school; as one parent/carer wrote, ‘The very good teaching inspires children to learn.’ Many also commented on the very good relationships between staff and pupils which are fundamental to the pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers throughout the school have high expectations of what pupils of all abilities can achieve and this enables them to make rapid and sustained progress. This is exemplified very well in Reception where the teaching of phonics (linking letters with the sounds they make) is outstanding. These sessions are very well structured, are fast in pace and feature Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

the excellent modelling of sounds by the teacher. The teaching of phonics elsewhere in school is good as while there are clear strengths in teaching, the assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress in their sounds and letters is not as clear as it might be. The cross-curricular approach adopted by the school provides many excellent opportunities for pupils to practise the skills they learn. In a Year 4 art and geography lesson, for example, pupils carefully matched colours to rivers while the teacher’s strong subject knowledge enabled pupils to grasp key facts, abstract concepts and create their own paintings in the style of Mondrian. Pupils who have special educational needs receive additional guidance and support, with the focus on independent success in the classroom being paramount. However, on occasions, teaching assistants intervene too quickly, thus limiting the opportunities for the pupils’ independent learning. Nonetheless, all pupils benefit from high quality

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Quality of teaching

teaching which makes a major contribution to their achievement.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The very large majority of parents and carers, pupils and staff confirmed through their questionnaires that they are highly positive about behaviour and safety in school. Behaviour in lessons and around school is outstanding. Pupils confirmed that this is the norm and that bullying of any kind is not tolerated. Nonetheless, pupils are fully aware of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, and know what they should do if it were to occur; they also say that it is dealt with very quickly if it ever does happen. Pupils take responsibility for themselves and for helping others very seriously, showing a clear understanding of the ‘rights and respect’ agenda which is fundamental to the school’s work. The buddy system works very well and pupils value the support of others; parents and carers confirm that their children, when new to school, are made very welcome by other pupils. Pupils take on board

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

their responsibilities very seriously as shown when school captains, the chief buddies and chief librarian gave their reports for the week in assembly. With confidence, they explained where improvement was needed and congratulated everyone for their successes. Year 4 pupils were delighted to receive the captains’ award for the best corridor, while everyone congratulated the star of the week in each class for their best work, attitudes to learning, effort or kindness. Equally, pupils respond very well to opportunities in assemblies that are provided for prayer or quiet reflection. Pupils develop highly effective skills to empathise with others, taking time to reflect on moral issues. Pupils spoke to inspectors with deep conviction of race equalities’ issues such as those highlighted by Rosa Parks and her fight for civil rights in America. Pupils are highly motivated to take part in all aspects of school life and this

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

is reflected in their attendance, which is high when compared to the national average.

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Leadership and management

The exceptional leadership of the headteacher has inspired all staff and governors in their commitment to the school. Everyone is focused on continued improvement and works together very well to achieve this; morale is very high. The vast majority of parents and carers comment on the high quality partnerships and communication Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

they have with school, and of the highly valued support provided for children who are potentially vulnerable. Promotion of equality of opportunity is at the heart of the school’s work, which secures the improved performance of all groups of pupils. As one parent/carer stated of the school, ‘It has so many excellent qualities, including its warm friendly atmosphere, its ethos of promoting respect, and fun and creative teaching.’ A key aspect of this work is to promote the pupils’ understanding of what it is to be a citizen of the world and the elimination of discrimination of any kind; Year 6 pupils spoke with clarity of multi-cultural issues and with enthusiasm of their teaching about being a ‘Global Citizen’. In this way, the school contributes very well to pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The impact of the school’s work in this respect is evident at all times. Pupils are keenly aware of

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Leadership and management

their responsibilities and how their actions will affect others. Similarly, the school’s curriculum contributes very well to pupils’ highly developed basic skills while ensuring that they enjoy a wide range of music, art, dance and sport activities, and visits out of school, such as the school exchange to France. Pupils talk with real enthusiasm about the many opportunities they have and mentioned specifically their pride in the school’s allotment and the food they grow for use in the school kitchen.

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Leadership and management

Highly challenging targets for the pupils’ future achievement, underpinned by the staff’s performance management, are central to the school’s planning for improvement. Even here, leaders have recognised that not all planning for improvement is clearly linked to the outcomes of different groups of pupils and action is being taken to remedy this. Nonetheless, the vision for pupils’ achievement and outstanding teaching is clearly articulated and shared through whole-school training. One such example of planned training is in the teaching of phonics which, further to a careful review of the teaching of sounds and letters, will take place before the summer term. However, training for staff who work with pupils who have complex special educational needs has not taken place.

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Leadership and management

The school has established a rigorous process of self-evaluation which is based on careful monitoring and evaluation of teaching and pupils’ performance data. This enables leaders to identify potential underachievement and hold teachers to account for the quality of their teaching and the progress pupils make. Governors are equally involved in the process and provide high quality challenge and support for the school’s strategic direction. They take very seriously their role to ensure that all safeguarding arrangements are fully in place which are, as a result, highly effective. The sustained progress, high quality provision and outcomes for all pupils that have been maintained by leaders, managers, all staff and governors fully illustrate the school’s excellent capacity to improve further.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding s chools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

Thank you for the friendly welcome you gave us when we visited your school. We very much enjoyed visiting your lessons and talking to you about why you enjoy your time at school. You are justifiably proud to attend Crondall Primary as it provides you with an outstanding quality of education.

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

There are many things that contribute to your making outstanding progress and attaining well above average levels of attainment in your reading, writing and mathematics. A significant reason is the quality of teaching that you receive, which is outstanding overall. This excellent quality of teaching starts from the moment you begin school in Reception, where children make a very good start to their education. You work really hard in lessons in Key Stages 1 and 2 and again the teaching you receive here is mostly of high quality. Another really important thing is the way you behave, which is outstanding. You told us that most pupils behave really well for most of the time and that you feel safe at school; the majority of your parents and carers agree with you, as we do. You also told us how much you enjoy the activities and lessons in the different subjects that you learn and it is clear that you respond

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

very well indeed to the challenges you are given, and that you take the different responsibilities you have in school very seriously.

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

The leaders, managers and governors of your school also take their responsibilities very seriously. Their excellent leadership and management have meant that they are constantly looking at how things can be improved so that you continue to achieve really well. One thing they need to do, however, is to ensure that all the staff who work with those of you who have special learning needs attend training to make sure they know what is just right for you and your learning. All the staff at your school have opportunities to attend training and this is something that the headteacher and governors have said they will arrange quickly.

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

Thank you once again for your help during our visit, and best wishes for the future.

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Inspection of Crondall Primary School, Near Farnham GU10 5QG

Elisabeth Linley Her Majesty's Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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