Limpsfield CofE Infant School

Limpsfield Church of England Infant School Limpsfield Common, Westerham Road, Oxted, RH8 0EA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils make excellent progress and their attainment in English and mathematics is consistently well above average by the time they leave the school.  Pupils respond superbly to the outstanding teaching. They develop a love of learning because teachers interpret the curriculum in imaginative ways which engage, motivate and challenge them.  Meticulous assessment pinpoints how well each individual pupil is achieving and enables teachers to plan work which moves their learning on rapidly.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They get along with one another extremely well and enjoy all aspects of school. From Reception onwards, they develop a high degree of independence.  Pupils feel entirely safe. They know they are valued and are confident that adults have their best interests at heart.  Parents and carers are extremely positive, particularly about the school’s core values and ethos. ‘This is a fantastic school’ was a typical

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

comment.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well during day-to-day lessons and through a wide range of enrichment activities.  School leaders have ensured that high standards have been maintained since the last inspection.  The headteacher plays a pivotal role in driving further improvements and is supported extremely well by the highly committed team of senior leaders, staff and governors.  Governors carry out their duties very effectively. They keep a sharp eye on pupils’ performance and the quality of teaching to help ensure the school sustains its success.  The school is so successful that it has supported schools within the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons, four of which were joint observations with the headteacher. They listened to pupils read and discussed their reading habits and preferences with them.  Inspectors discussed various aspects of the school with pupils and looked at a range of their work. They took account of the school’s data on pupils’ attainment and progress.  Meetings were held with school leaders, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  During the inspection, inspectors took account of the 33 responses to the online Parent View survey and a recent parental survey conducted by the school to which there were 88 responses. They had informal discussions with parents and carers and took account of the 23 questionnaires returned by staff.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including plans for improvement, teachers’ plans, safeguarding arrangements, records relating to behaviour and attendance, minutes of meetings

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Information about this inspection

of the governing body and records of the school leaders’ monitoring of lessons.

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Inspection team

Rob Crompton Lead inspector Additional Inspector Valerie Goss Additional Inspector Fiona Robinson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average sized primary school. Most pupils are White British, with under 10% from a range of minority ethnic groups. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium, is well below average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, children with a parent or carer serving in the armed forces and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is also below average. These needs relate mainly to moderate learning difficulties and emotional or behavioural problems.

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Information about this school

 The school has received awards for its work in art, science and geography, and for the promotion of pupils’ ecological awareness.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Help the more able pupils to solve mathematical problems more efficiently by introducing them to short methods of calculating.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start school with skills broadly as expected, although many know some letter sounds and count confidently. Due to the excellent provision in the Reception classes, they make swift progress, particularly in early reading, writing and number skills. They develop a love of learning, are ceaselessly inquisitive and develop a great deal of independence in finding things out for themselves. As they enter Year 1, their knowledge, understanding and skills are generally above the levels expected for their age.  By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is well above average in reading, writing and mathematics and the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels is consistently around twice the national average.  Pupils’ reading skills build rapidly as they move through the school. Year 2 pupils are highly competent readers, and were eager to talk about their favourite authors. One said, ‘Roald Dahl

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

starts off stories well. He used to get ideas when sitting in his shed or walking through meadows.’ Another commented fluently, ‘Jeremy Strong is funny. Two children were called Cheese and Tomato because they were born in the back of a pizza van!’  Highly skilled teaching and abundant opportunities for writing for different purposes mean pupils achieve a high level of ability in adapting their writing style to the context. Writing in her ‘diary of the fire of London’, one pupil started with an adverbial phrase: ‘Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flame, then smoke and heard a baby crying.’ Another pupil, writing about Christopher Columbus, used a rhetorical question to good effect: ‘Now from this day onwards everybody (nearly) thinks the world is round. As well he discovered the West Indies! Do you think the world is round?’  Learning also moves on quickly in mathematics. A thorough grounding in basic numeracy

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

means most pupils can instantly recall, for example 6+4, 16+4 and 60+40. Pupils rapidly learn multiplication tables and gain a secure understanding of inverse relationships, such as 5x6 and 30÷5. Pupils in Year 2 rose to the challenge of finding whether certain numbers were factors of 24 and 36. Prompted by the teacher, they tackled the problems systematically and used the correct mathematical terminology, such as ‘multiple’.  The more able pupils gain increasing skills and confidence in solving mathematical problems. However, very occasionally their approach is less productive as they use graphical methods, such as number lines, to work out answers, rather than quicker, more traditional methods, such as vertical addition and short multiplication.  Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals progress at least as rapidly as their classmates. Indeed in 2012, their attainment in English and mathematics was well above that of other pupils

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

in the school. The pupils currently supported through the pupil premium are making similarly speedy progress. This illustrates how successfully the school addresses any gaps between their achievement and that of other pupils.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs benefit from very skilled and effective provision, closely matched to their individual needs. Consequently, most progress rapidly towards their individual targets.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Children in Reception thoroughly enjoy learning. Adults set high expectations for their social development and provide an excellent range of opportunities for them to communicate with one another and with adults. Indoors and outdoors, the vibrant and stimulating environment draws an enthusiastic response from children. Adults know when to allow children to explore ideas on their own but they also seize opportunities to enable them to deepen and extend their learning. Teachers and support staff work together extremely well to help children make the best possible start.  Across the school, teachers show great flair in engaging pupils. Lessons move at brisk pace. Introductions are just long enough, leaving time for pupils to work independently. Teachers use their extensive subject expertise and detailed knowledge of where pupils are to set tasks which challenge all ability groups.  Pupils benefit from extremely good feedback through teachers’ marking which clearly indicates

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

the next steps they should take.  Through skilled questioning, teachers find out what pupils already know, extend their understanding and prompt further investigations. For example, as Year 2 pupils explored how many ways there were to sequence four colours, the teacher quickly stepped in to set additional challenges, encouraging pupils to predict outcomes and investigate with more colours.  Teaching assistants are extremely well briefed and provide invaluable support. In addition to working with individual pupils, they often take the lead in teaching small groups. For example, the school’s success in using the outdoor environment, including the adjacent common, to promote learning owes much to the skills and expertise of support staff.  Pupils are increasingly involved in deciding ‘what makes good work’, drawing up lists of specific success criteria at the beginning of lessons. Teachers use visualisers (equipment that projects

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

images onto a screen) to good effect. For example, looking at one pupils’ written work, his classmates sensitively offered sensible suggestions about what he had achieved and how he might improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Outstanding behaviour makes the school a calm and happy place for everyone. Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons which supports their excellent progress.  Pupils are always friendly, polite and eager to help. They show respect, care and consideration for each other and staff, reflecting the courtesy and respect shown to them by all staff.  Pupils have contributed to the school’s recent review of behaviour management, suggesting a ‘traffic light’ system that has been adopted as part of the school’s ‘restorative’ approach, and successfully requesting more playground equipment. Pupils know and understand the need for school rules and think they are fair.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school. They trust the staff and know they always listen if they have any problems. They are well aware of how to avoid potential hazards, for example when using the internet or when near water. Parents and carers organise a daily ‘walking bus’ which

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

ensures pupils are well supervised as they walk to school across the adjacent common. Playtimes are very well organised, happy occasions where pupils enjoy lively activities or choose less energetic pursuits under the shelter of the gazebo.  Pupils know that bullying can take different forms but say it is an extremely rare occurrence and is sorted out very quickly.  Attendance rates are high and pupils arrive in good time each day. Parents and carers agree that their children are happy, safe and well looked after.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leaders and managers work exceptionally well as a team in the continuous drive to ensure that pupils’ achievement is outstanding. Self-evaluation is sharp, focused and accurate. This leads to the setting of appropriate priorities in school development plans.  A comprehensive performance management process is firmly established. Leaders regularly check the quality of teaching. Successful methods are shared and staff benefit from extensive training opportunities. Typical of their comments was, ‘I have always been encouraged to follow my drive and desire to improve my own knowledge and understanding.’  There are close links between performance management and professional development which ensure that all staff have opportunities for career progression and these systems also ensure that only the best teaching is accepted and rewarded.  Leaders ensure that while English and mathematics are a high priority, much time is also given

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The leadership and management are outstanding

to develop pupils’ interests across a wide range of subjects. Art, science and geography are particular strengths. The excellent curriculum is also enhanced by a wide range of visits and visitors.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is given a high priority. For example, links with a culturally diverse school in London and with a school in India contribute significantly to pupils’ understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.  The school is highly successful in promoting equality of opportunity and ensures that all groups of pupils achieve outstandingly well.  The local authority provides light-touch support for this outstanding school. Indeed, the school is so successful that it supports improvement in other schools within the local authority.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school: − Governors are highly effective and committed to ensuring that all pupils do as well as they can. They are very well informed and bring a wide range of experience to their work. Governors have specific subject responsibilities and keep themselves well informed. They are regular visitors to the school. They have a very good understanding of the quality of teaching and use data to effectively monitor the school’s performance. This enables them to ask insightful questions. They seek assurances that pupil premium funds are used and have developed robust skills to monitor their impact. Governors ensure safeguarding requirements are met and pupils are kept safe.

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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 125191 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 312438

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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 Infant School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 174 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Osborn Headteacher Jenny Baird Date of previous school inspection 11 January 2007 Telephone number 01883 723183 Fax number 01883 723183 Email address info@limpsfield.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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