Laleham CofE VA Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 March 2012 Inspection number 381065 Laleham C of E Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 125229 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 381065 Inspection dates 21–22 March 2012 Lead inspector Chris Grove

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Robinson Headteacher (Acting) Andrea McWilliams-Bowe Date of previous school inspection 7 May 2009 School address The Broadway Laleham Staines TW18 1SB Telephone number 01784 453556 Fax number 01784 465556 Email address info@laleham.surrey.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

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 23 lessons taught by 16 teachers. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the school’s staff and the Chair and another member of the Governing Body. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at analyses of pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s development planning and documents relating to monitoring, safeguarding and the curriculum. Inspectors analysed inspection questionnaires returned by 87 parents and carers, as well as those completed by 116 pupils from Years 3 to 6, and 34 members of the school staff.

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Information about the school

This is larger than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are White British, and others come from a mixture of other ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, principally autistic spectrum disorders or moderate learning difficulties, is below average. The school has gained the Activemark and Investors in People awards, and has Healthy School status. The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club which are not managed by the governing body and which did not form part of this inspection. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. From November 2011, the deputy headteacher has been appointed as the acting headteacher, during the absence and phased return of the

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Information about the school

headteacher, who was in school during the inspection. 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 a satisfactory school. Acting leaders have maintained the well- established, positive ethos during the headteacher’s absence. Most parents and carers hold the school in high regard. It is not a good school because pupils do not currently make good progress in Years 3 to 6.  Children make satisfactory progress in Reception. In Years 1 and 2, progress is good in reading, writing and mathematics, and pupils reach above-average attainment. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make satisfactory progress. Attainment is currently broadly average, although higher in reading. School data indicate that attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 is on course to rise in 2012.  The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory, and often better. Good relationships and high expectations support learning well. Where teaching is less strong, the tasks set, and the questions asked, are not consistently well

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Key findings

matched to pupils’ needs. Target setting and marking do not consistently help pupils to the extent that they should.  Pupils are well behaved and attentive, and cooperate well. They feel safe and secure in school. Cases of bullying or racism are few, and are effectively handled. Attendance is high, and continues to rise.  The ambitious vision is shared by staff and the governing body. Acting leaders have addressed effectively pupils’ progress in Years 3 to 6, and lower attainment at Year 6. Effective arrangements to track pupils’ progress and to monitor the quality of teaching are improving achievement. Key elements in whole-school improvement planning are reflected in the management of teachers’ performance. The curriculum has strengths, and meets pupils’ interests adequately. However, in Years 3 to 6, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to write extensively in a variety of subjects, or to apply

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Key findings

their mathematical understanding in problem-solving contexts.  Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 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 teaching is more consistently good or better by:  providing regularly good challenge to pupils’ reasoning and thinking through a better match of questions and tasks to the different groups of pupils in each class  making sure that all lessons are well paced, and make good use of time.  Raise pupils’ attainment and accelerate their progress in Key Stage 2, by:  increasing the opportunities for pupils to write more extensively in a range of subjects  providing more opportunities in mathematics for pupils to develop their problem-solving skills.  Sharpen the impact of guidance for pupils about how to improve their work by:  setting more focused targets so that teachers indicate more precisely to pupils the improvements necessary to reach higher levels of attainment  ensuring that feedback from marking has a greater impact, so that pupils develop a clearer understanding of the next steps in their learning.

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Achievement of pupils

On entry to school, children’s knowledge and skills vary, but are typically as expected for their age. In the Reception classes, children make satisfactory overall progress in their learning. They make good progress in their skills in reading, but slower progress in developing skills in writing. Children enjoy their learning. For example, lively discussions followed from one teacher’s imaginative use of puppets to demonstrate misbehaviour. In another lesson, children enjoyed recognising hour times on a clock, and recorded what they could achieve in one hour.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make good progress to reach above-average attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics by the end of Year 2. In a well-devised literacy lesson, pupils in Year 2 made good progress in scanning texts to locate relevant information. Pupils clarified with their teacher the meaning of ideas, such as ‘nocturnal’, and terms, such as ‘adjective’ and ‘simile’. They then referred to their targets before embarking on their writing task. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 progress well in their reading because they apply their secure knowledge of letters and sounds (phonics) to decode less familiar words. They show good comprehension in predicting plausibly the development of their stories, and in discussing the characters. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make as good progress as others because they are given appropriate individual support.

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Achievement of pupils

In Years 3 to 6, the progress of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, is satisfactory, but has recently been more rapid in reading than in mathematics, and particularly in writing. Attainment in reading has accordingly remained above average by the end of Year 6. School data indicate that 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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Achievement of pupils

attainment in each of reading, writing and mathematics is on track to rise in 2012. In some lessons, progress is good. In a mathematics lesson in Year 5 about using different scales, for instance, pupils’ learning was good because pupils had well- planned opportunities to make measurements using a range of equipment and to explain their chosen strategies. In an English lesson about using vivid language and adventurous vocabulary, pupils in Year 6 made good progress with the challenging task of enlivening a dull text because of good prior discussion with their teacher.

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Achievement of pupils

Although most parents and carers feel that their children make good progress, inspection evidence shows that overall progress across the school is satisfactory rather than better, because it is not consistent.

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Quality of teaching

The particularly good relationships between adults and pupils reflect the school’s very positive ethos. Teachers set high expectations for pupils’ conduct and for their moral and social development, with the result that there is little need to manage their attentiveness or behaviour in class. Consequently, pupils show a good readiness to learn. The planned curriculum supports pupils’ development well, especially their spiritual and cultural development.

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Quality of teaching

Where teaching is most effective, there is a well-judged match of questions or tasks according to pupils’ different prior attainment, which provides good levels of challenge for all groups. However, this is not always the case, with the result that the extent of challenge for pupils is not consistent. Much teaching is well paced and sustains pupils’ interest well. Pupils are good at remaining attentive and on task even if a teacher does not consistently set a brisk pace for their learning. In addition, even the best teaching does not always include the most judicious use of time to ensure that pupils are as productive as they could be. Teaching assistants make effective contributions to pupils’ learning, especially for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers’ use of target setting and marking following assessment of pupils’ learning is not as consistent as it could be. In Year 2, there is very good practice in setting targets for writing, which enables pupils to see what they need to do to reach higher levels of attainment. However, elsewhere in the school, target-setting arrangements in writing, and in mathematics, are less well developed. Marking often includes praise, and helpfully assesses pupils’ work against learning objectives, but teachers do not consistently point out the next steps in learning. Because of limitations in feedback, some pupils’ questionnaire responses show that the pupils are not always clear how well they are doing at school.

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Quality of teaching

Most parents and carers consider that teaching is good. Inspection evidence shows that, although some teaching is good, its impact is satisfactory overall because it does not result in consistently good progress in Years 3 to 6. 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are well behaved in classrooms and around the school. In lessons, they are attentive to teachers, work well with other pupils, and show willingness to respond. As a result, pupils apply themselves diligently to their tasks. Pupils are polite towards adults and courteous to visitors. Their mature behaviour is testimony to the school’s calm and positive ethos and to the high expectations of school leaders about pupils’ conduct. In the playground, pupils behave well towards others, and are carefully supervised by adults. Pupils feel safe in school, and are confident to speak to an adult if ever they should feel unsafe. They say that the school helps them to understand risks, for example through discussions of the danger that strangers might represent, or through workshops about cyber bullying. The great majority of pupils who took part in the survey judged that behaviour in school and in lessons is good.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Almost every parent or carer who completed a questionnaire agreed that their children feel safe in school. The great majority judges that the standard of behaviour at the school is good, although a few believes that lessons can be disrupted by bad behaviour. Inspectors did not find evidence of poor conduct in their observations in lessons and around the school, or in discussion with pupils about typical behaviour. School councillors regard incidents of bullying or racism as rare. The great majority of parents and carers, and all respondents to the staff questionnaire, agree that the school deals effectively with instances of bullying. Pupils judge that the peer mediators in Year 6 are effective and that, where necessary, they report any issues to teachers who take effective action. The school rarely has recourse to exclusion. Attendance was high in the last school year, and effective action by the school’s

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

leadership has raised this further in the current year to date.

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Leadership and management

The acting headteacher is well supported by other senior leaders, and provides a clear lead in maintaining the school’s good ethos and in the drive for improvement. Medium-term strategic planning and the current progress plan are based on careful self-evaluation and indicate leaders’ ambitious vision for the school. Parents and carers are appreciative of the leadership’s positive impact. The great majority of respondents to the questionnaire would recommend the school to another parent or carer. One, for example, described the school as ‘well run and inclusive’.

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Leadership and management

The governing body demonstrates a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Members have provided appropriate challenge for improvement, and in the current year have been proactive in making appointments to ensure continuity in senior leadership. Since the last inspection, senior leaders have strengthened further and, with good effect, the arrangements to track pupils’ progress and to hold teachers to account for their pupils’ progress. Pupils’ current progress is not less than satisfactory, and some is better. More frequent tracking of progress has supported the promotion of equality of opportunity. Discrimination in any form is not tolerated by the school. The leaders with responsibility for English and mathematics have clear responsibilities, and have had a positive impact in 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

evaluating outcomes and provision. Members of staff refer positively to the impact of the professional development arranged by senior leaders.

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Leadership and management

Continuing above-average attainment by the end of Year 2, pupils’ good standard of behaviour, readiness to learn and above-average and rising attendance, are testimony to the effective impact of leaders during an unsettled time for the school. Current pupils are making at least satisfactory progress in Years 3 to 6. Although attainment by the end of Year 6 was lower in 2011, tracking evidence indicates that this is not a trend, and that the school is on course to reverse the decline. Leaders have ensured that safeguarding arrangements meet all statutory requirements. This evidence is indicative of the leadership’s clear capacity to secure improvement.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is broad and balanced, and ensures that pupils’ interests are met. There are particular strengths in the specialist teaching, notably of art, as can be seen from the attractive range of striking art work on display. The school is participating in ‘Face Britain’ in which pupils produce self-portraits for inclusion in a national project. Specialist teaching is also provided in music and French, both of which pupils greatly enjoy. All these activities support their cultural development well. Despite these strengths in the curriculum, there are not enough opportunities in Key Stage 2 at present for pupils to undertake extensive writing in different subjects, or to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills through well-devised, problem- solving tasks. Spirituality and reflection are promoted well in various ways. Display in the ‘church alcove’ includes examples of reflective thinking by pupils in all year

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Leadership and management

groups. Through a local Christian link with an orphanage in Uganda, pupils gain good insights into life in the Third World. A noteworthy innovation is the introduction of ‘Reflection Journals’ in which each pupil makes a weekly entry about their personal response to a significant aspect of their own learning. Examples seen demonstrate pupils’ thoughtful responses to this initiative.

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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 schools. 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 Laleham C of E Primary School, Staines TW18 1SB

Thanks to all of you for your help during the inspection. We enjoyed seeing you in your classrooms, talking to you at playtimes and lunchtimes, and hearing some of you read. We particularly thank those of you who filled in the pupils’ questionnaire and those who came for a discussion with an inspector. The inspection judgement is that you go to a satisfactory school.

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Inspection of Laleham C of E Primary School, Staines TW18 1SB

These are the main things that we found out about your school.  You have very good relationships with teachers and other adults.  Your behaviour at school is good; you listen well and work well with others.  You feel very safe in school.  Your attendance is high and improving further.  The teaching and the curriculum in your school are satisfactory.  The acting headteacher and the other leaders know what to do to continue to improve your school.  The great majority of your parents and carers would recommend the school to others.  Your attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 is broadly average, and your progress across the school is satisfactory overall.

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Inspection of Laleham C of E Primary School, Staines TW18 1SB

We have asked the acting headteacher and the governing body to make the school even better by doing three things.  Increasing the amount of good teaching by ensuring that questions asked and tasks set are suitably challenging for all of you, and by setting a consistently good pace to learning and making good use of time.  Raising your attainment and improving your progress, by giving you more opportunities to do longer pieces of writing and to apply your mathematical knowledge and skills to solve problems.  Helping you to understand more about what you can do to improve your work, through better target setting and marking.

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Inspection of Laleham C of E Primary School, Staines TW18 1SB

You can help by continuing to work hard so that the school can improve even more. We wish you every success in the future.

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Inspection of Laleham C of E Primary School, Staines TW18 1SB

Chris Grove Lead 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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