Powell Corderoy Primary School

Powell Corderoy Primary School Longfield Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 3DF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Require improvement 3 Leadership and management Require improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching has too many inconsistencies, particularly in Key Stage 2, that prevent pupil progress from being good overall.  Teachers do not consistently make enough use of the wealth of information they gather about pupils’ achievements when planning their lessons.  The quality of teaching in mathematics does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to engage in problem-solving activities.  The work set for pupils is not always at the right level of challenge, particularly for the more able pupils.  Some pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to work independently of adult support.  The quality of marking and checks on pupils’ learning are not at a consistently high level.  In a small number of lessons, the progress pupils make is adversely affected by inappropriate behaviour.  Not all leaders have played a rigorous enough role in monitoring, evaluating and improving areas of the curriculum for which they have

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils at Key Stage 1 and children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress.  The headteacher is determined to raise standards and for every pupil to succeed. Senior leaders increasingly share this commitment.  Accurate school self-evaluation results in appropriate planning for future development.  The monitoring of teaching and learning is improving, although the school recognises this is still work in progress.  In lessons for the younger pupils there is a strong emphasis on improving skills in reading, writing and communication.  Pupils feel valued and safe. Relationships with parents and carers are good and have helped to improve pupils’ attendance to above average.  Governors support and challenge the school well.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed seven teachers teach 12 lessons, including a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors made several short visits to lessons, observed a number of small groups of pupils being taught by teaching assistants, and had a tour of the school to observe areas of the curriculum.  Inspectors heard pupils read in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and also held meetings with two groups of pupils.  Inspectors spoke to members of the governing body, members of the school management team and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors also met with some parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors took account of the 57 responses to the online Parent View survey, and a letter from a parent addressed to the inspection team, as well as examining responses from recent parental questionnaires organised by the school.  They analysed questionnaire responses from 17 staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans and monitoring files, achievement data on pupils’ current progress, and documents relating to safeguarding children and meetings of the governing body.

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Inspection team

Sarah Jones, Lead inspector Additional inspector Howard Dodd Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Powell Corderoy is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action is above average. Those pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average. These pupils have a variety of needs, including speech, language and communication and moderate learning difficulties, behavioural, emotional and social difficulties and physical disability.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium, which is additional funding provided for looked-after children, pupils eligible for free school meals and children from service families, is below the national average.  Most pupils are from a White British background and very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  Since the previous inspection, there have been changes in the school’s senior management

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Information about this school

team, including the appointment of a new deputy headteacher. Two new literacy and numeracy leaders will start in January 2013.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a breakfast club situated on the school site.  There is no alternative provision for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to consistently good or better, particularly at Key Stage 2, by July 2013, to help pupils make faster progress by:  ensuring all teachers make best use of test and assessment data when planning lessons  ensuring that all lessons provide sufficient challenge for all pupils, particular the more able  providing all pupils with more opportunities to work independently and to think for themselves  providing marking and feedback that clearly outline what pupils need to do to improve  ensuring that learning is not disrupted by inappropriate behaviour  providing ample opportunities for pupils to participate in challenging problem-solving tasks in mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Maximise the impact of leaders and managers by ensuring that:  all leaders monitor the quality of learning and pupils’ progress in their area of responsibility  action plans show clearly how subjects support the priorities identified in the whole-school development plan, and that measureable criteria are used against which success can be judged.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement is not yet good because of inconsistencies in the quality of teaching that adversely impact on pupils’ progress at Key Stage 2 in particular. However, the school is addressing these issues and improvements are increasingly evident.  Over the last three years, pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics has fluctuated across the classes at Key Stage 2, reflecting some weaker teaching and also weak assessment and tracking. Standards overall are broadly average and are starting to rise.  The use of data to set targets and monitor progress is now more effective. However, not all staff use assessment information to inform their planning of lessons to ensure that all pupils always make good progress in lessons and over time.  Lesson observations and pupils’ work confirm that progress in mathematics is not consistently good because there are insufficient opportunities at Key Stage 2 for pupils to engage in problem-

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

solving activities.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with basic skills that are a little below the levels expected for their age, settle quickly into the welcoming and safe environment provided, and make good progress. This good progress continues in Key Stage 1 so that standards are at an average level by the end of Year 2. Pupils develop their skills well across a range of subjects, especially in reading, writing and communication, and standards continue to improve.  Pupils’ achievement in writing has improved across the school, and compares favourably with the national picture. The topic-based curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to write extensively, seen for example in the African topic in Year 4. Pupils enjoy the topic-based curriculum and it provides good opportunities to promote their literacy and numeracy skills.  Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding are given extra support to promote their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

literacy and numeracy skills. The school’s records show that this has led to improvements in their rate of progress, particularly in English, and the gaps with other pupils are closing, although progress is not consistently good in all classes at Key Stage 2.  Good pastoral care and a high level of support in lessons for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs ensure that they make progress in line with that of their peers, so that they reach the levels expected given their starting points, but progress is not sufficiently strong to be judged as good at Key Stage 2.  A significant majority of parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire believe that their child’s progress is good. The evidence found during the inspection indicates that this is the case for younger pupils in school but, although it is improving at Key Stage 2, it is not good.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is improving but is not yet good because its quality is inconsistent, particularly so at Key Stage 2, for example in the use of assessment information to plan tasks and activities that regularly challenge all pupils, and particularly the more able.  Teachers at Key Stage 2 do not routinely provide enough opportunities for pupils to work independently or think things through for themselves. This hinders pupils’ ability to develop as independent learners who are not too reliant on adult support and guidance.  Mathematics teaching is at times weaker than that in English because pupils are not given enough opportunities to learn through challenging, open-ended and investigative tasks that really stretch their thinking.  The quality of marking is variable. In English, it usually provides guidance on how to improve and what progress they are making. Nevertheless, there are inconsistencies and sometimes

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

pupils do not know how well they are making progress and what to do next to improve their work.  The teaching of reading skills is often good. Well-structured daily sessions on linking letters and sounds (phonics) and well-planned guided reading sessions for older provide pupils with the tools to move forward.  In the better lessons, assessment and other data are used well to inform planning and the tasks set in the class to meet pupils’ different needs. In the less effective lessons, planning lacks this focus on pupils’ specific needs and, as a result, pupils, irrespective of their stage of learning, cover the same work.  The more effective teaching promotes pupils’ learning well because expectations about what pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, can do and can achieve are good. Where teaching requires improvement, expectations are not high enough and pupils are not challenged enough. As a result, pupils can lack interest, which leads to some low-

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

level disruption which is not always managed well.  Children get a good start to school in Reception and good teaching ensures effective use is made of the outside space to engage children and offer further opportunities to develop their skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ behaviour around the school is good. However, their behaviour for learning is not as good because some pupils do not work purposefully in lessons.  Teachers encourage pupils to try hard through their positive comments and approaches. The majority of teachers manage behaviour well in lessons, which creates a positive climate for learning. In a small proportion of lessons, low-level disruptive behaviour is not managed adequately and this results in the pace of the lesson slipping.  Most pupils work hard and try their best, showing good attitudes to learning when their interest is captured. However, their efforts do not consistently lead to good progress because there are not always opportunities to excel.  Pupils with particular behavioural needs are making suitable progress in managing their behaviour because of the good pastoral support provided by teachers and support staff.  Just over half of parents and carers believe that behaviour is improving, but some express

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

concerns about the school’s management of behaviour and of the impact inappropriate behaviour has on learning. Parents of children in Key Stage 1 commented how their children enjoyed school and were very happy.  Pupils say the numbers of incidents of bullying are low and that teachers deal with any incidents quickly and effectively.  Attendance continues to improve and is broadly average. The majority of pupils attend well. Persistent absence is decreasing, reflecting the school’s effective approaches to impress on families the importance of regular attendance.  This is a safe school. There are a few opportunities for Year 6 pupils to act as ‘peer mentors’ and plans are in hand to involve pupil mentors from the local secondary school as a support for younger pupils.  Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is promoted well, as for example in an assembly on the importance of friendship and looking after each other.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because middle leaders have not played a significant enough role in driving forward school improvement at a fast rate. However, the headteacher has faced challenging times to ensure that she has the right staff in school to raise standards. Since the previous inspection, disruptions in staffing and weaknesses in provision have hampered pupils’ achievement, especially in mathematics. However, strengths in Key Stage 1 and the Early Years Foundation Stage have been maintained and teaching and achievement are improving at Key Stage 2 because of the actions of the headteacher and governors.  Middle leaders have not been rigorous enough in monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and pupil progress in areas of the curriculum for which they carry responsibility or in drawing up high-quality action plans that plot a clear and accurate path for garnering rapid improvement.

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The leadership and management require improvement

These shortcomings has contributed to progress at Key Stage 2 not being good.  The governors and local authority have acted positively to respond to areas of difficulty following the last inspection. The appointment of the new deputy headteacher this term, and the numeracy and literacy coordinators from January 2013, provides further assistance to the school on its journey of improvement. The appointment of new class teachers has raised expectations and there is evidence of improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.  Parents have been unsettled by the turnover of staff in recent times. The headteacher and governors have worked hard to reassure them about the quality of their children’s education. Discussion with parents during the inspection demonstrated how parents have been reassured.  Senior leaders and the governing body carefully monitor the school’s effectiveness through a number of activities. They use this information, with support from the local authority, to

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The leadership and management require improvement

construct the development plan. The school’s self-evaluation and the school development plan provide an accurate reflection of the school, with strengths and weaknesses identified and appropriate plans for what the school needs to do to improve.  The monitoring of teaching and learning by senior leaders is proving effective at securing improvements at Key Stage 2 and building on the strengths in Key Stage 1 and the Early Years Foundation Stage. Evidence of this was seen in lesson observations and in pupils’ books during the inspection. Plans are already in hand to strengthen this process still further by ensuring that all leaders have the necessary skills to contribute significantly to the school improvement process, particularly as it relates to teaching, learning and pupil achievement.  The local authority offers good support to the school and regularly reviews the progress made towards meeting its targets. The local authority has provided effective wide-ranging support to

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The leadership and management require improvement

the school, including monitoring and evaluating the school’s work, which has strengthened leadership and management as well as providing support to raise standards in mathematics.  Partnerships with other schools offer positive opportunities to staff to share expertise with colleagues from other schools.  Improvements to the curriculum mean that the different needs of pupils are being met appropriately, so boosting pupils’ progress. The curriculum is also contributing well to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social cultural development.  The school works appropriately at promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination.  The formal performance management process is effectively structured. It shows a good link between the quality of teaching and progression on the pay scales, and also to training opportunities to meet the identified needs of teachers.  The governance of the school:  Governors are experienced and strongly committed to the school’s success and provide a high

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The leadership and management require improvement

level of challenge to the senior staff at the school. They have a clear understanding of the school, including performance management and the implementation of the Teachers’ Standards on pupils’ progress. They maintain oversight of financial issues and the use of the pupil premium funding, which includes in-class support to target pupils not reaching age- related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors are fully involved in the planning of activities that are key to the school’s continued success. Governors are aware of their role and the importance of training and development to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities. Arrangements to safeguard pupils meet statutory requirements and the governing body ensures that the procedures are robust. It checks that all requirements are fully met, and that the processes for appointing staff are secure.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 125151 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 406297

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school All-through School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 193 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Debbie Fenton-Jones Headteacher Susan Rumble Date of previous school inspection 3–4 November 2010 Telephone number 0130 688 3373 Fax number 0130 687 5059 Email address info@powell-corderoy.surrey.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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