Chennestone Primary School

Chennestone Primary School Manor Lane, Sunbury on Thames, TW16 5ED

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ achievement is good and both inspection evidence and the school’s records show that it is improving for all groups of pupils.  Most teaching is good or better and, as a result, the great majority of pupils make good progress from their starting points.  Pupils who find learning difficult or have special educational needs are given very effective support and as a result they achieve well.  The school’s senior leaders and governors have high expectations and are fully committed to the school’s continuous improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. They have exceptionally good attitudes to learning. Pupils feel safe and happy and their attendance is good.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough. Work provided is sometimes too easy. This is why pupils’ achievement is not outstanding.  Written feedback to pupils, for example, about spelling errors and the next steps in their learning, is not frequent enough. This misses opportunities to ensure that pupils make progress and are able to avoid the same errors being made.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons; four of these were observed jointly with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher respectively.  Inspectors talked with pupils, looked at samples of their work, and listened to two groups of pupils read.  Meetings were held with teachers, a group of governors, and with the school’s senior leaders. Inspectors met a representative of the local authority to discuss the extent and impact of the support provided to the school.  In planning the inspection, inspectors took account of the 82 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), views expressed by parents and carers in a letter to inspectors, the views of eight parents and carers who spoke to inspectors during the inspection, and 33 questionnaires returned by school staff.  The inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at many documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s development plan, documentation regarding the

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Information about this inspection

management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings, planning documents, checks on the quality of teaching, pupil progress information, school policies and records relating to attendance, behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

John Collins, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Clementina Aina Additional Inspector Melanie Clapton Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Chennestone is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school is federated with Beauclerc Nursery and Infant School. This is an arrangement by which the headteacher and senior leadership team share their time between the two schools under one governing body.  A very high proportion of pupils join the school part-way through their primary education. This is especially the case in Year 3 when pupils arrive from feeder infant schools.  The majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is slightly over half the national average but very few speak English as an additional language.  Approximately one in seven of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium; this slightly less than half the national average. Pupil premium provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service

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Information about this school

families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is higher than average. The proportion of pupils supported school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has gained a number of awards, including Artsmark Gold, Active Schools, Healthy Schools, and Green Flag Eco-Schools awards.  There is an independently run nursery on the school site. This was not part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that:  pupils’ work is regularly marked by a teacher and that the written feedback makes clear to pupils what they must do to improve  errors in pupils’ work, for example spelling errors, are explained to the pupil and, when appropriate, corrections are completed by the pupil  the work is not too easy, especially for more-able pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils make good progress throughout the school. By the time they leave at the end of Year 6, they achieve well above average standards in English and mathematics. The attainment of the current Year 6 is particularly strong in reading and, for a high proportion of pupils, in mathematics.  In Reception and Key Stage 1, mostly good teaching has enabled the pupils to make rapid progress. As a result they reach consistently above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils in Key Stage 2, including those who joined the school after Key Stage 1 and have English as an additional language, make good progress and attain standards in reading and mathematics that are above national averages.  In the 2012 national tests, pupils’ attainment was above average in both reading and mathematics but below average in writing. This is because a high proportion of that cohort had specific learning difficulties and this affected their progress and attainment in writing. School

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The achievement of pupils is good

records show that currently, more than half the current Year 6 are achieving more than expected progress in writing and most are achieving the levels expected for their age.  Pupils eligible for pupil premium make very good progress, often as a direct result of skilful support by well-trained teaching assistants. Most achieve as well or better than other pupils in the school and exceed national averages, especially in mathematics.  Inspection evidence and school records show that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. This is as a result of close checks on their progress, good teaching and additional support.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is generally lively and engages all the pupils. Lessons are well planned and make clear to pupils what they are expected to learn. In most classes pupils work with their teacher to decide what they must do to complete the task well. However, in a small minority of lessons, some work is not always sufficiently challenging, especially for more-able pupils. Their progress slows as a result.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers use both the inside and outside areas well to develop all areas of learning. They have a strong focus on developing language skills and provide many opportunities to encourage children to develop their vocabulary. For example, when encouraging the children to suggest how a trapped fish could be rescued one suggested, ‘You could tie a rope around its fin and rescue it.’  Phonics (learning about the sounds that letters make) and most aspects of literacy are typically

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The quality of teaching is good

well taught and consequently pupils’ speaking, listening and reading skills are good throughout the school. Some pupils’ reading is exceptionally good; they are fluent and read with engaging expression.  Most lessons are motivating and challenging, giving each pupil good opportunities to think hard. For example, in an outstanding geography lesson for Year 4 pupils based on previous learning about rainforests, pupils were organised in groups to discuss and write about the causes of deforestation. They provided vivid descriptions of the profit-driven production of palm oil and beef and sale of rainforest hardwoods. Pupils’ interest in the environment is strong and led to a prestigious national award.  Pupils that have difficulty reading, including those with special educational needs, receive expert help from the reading recovery specialist teacher and a team of specially trained teaching assistants. Almost all these pupils make good, and sometimes spectacular, progress in their

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The quality of teaching is good

reading.  Pupils are encouraged to write for different purposes and some outstanding, highly imaginative, examples of story and letter writing by older pupils were seen. However, many of these had numerous spelling errors that were uncorrected by their teachers. Such omissions restrict pupils’ progress and do not adequately prepare them to meet future expectations.  Mathematics is mostly well taught, but in some lessons younger more-able pupils are set work that is too easy for them and their progress is limited as a result. However, a high proportion of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils are achieving levels in English and mathematics that are well beyond those expected for their age. These pupils benefit from specialist teaching in school and also from a nearby secondary school.  Pupils at risk of falling behind, including those with poor attendance, are provided with well- planned, strong support to help them catch up and, as a result, most do.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The overwhelming majority of pupils have exceptionally positive attitudes to learning; they take part in learning activities with real enthusiasm because they are keen to do well. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary.  Pupils from different backgrounds show considerable respect for each other’s feelings, views and property; they readily work together in different situations. They are very courteous, helpful and polite to visitors.  Pupils show much interest in their health and environment and this has led to awards from several national bodies.  Pupils have a very clear and broad understanding of right and wrong. For example, a group of pupils, who had been learning about rainforests, expressed great concern that some deforestation was used to make profits by extensive use of fertilizers to grow cane sugar; they knew that sugar grown this way could be harmful.  Pupils have a very strong awareness of various kinds of unsafe situations and understand about

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

internet and road safety through the school’s assemblies and its rich, vibrant curriculum.  Pupils say they feel really safe in school, and in travelling to and from school. They understand what bullying means and say that it is very rare but if it happens the teachers deal it with swiftly. Behaviour records show that any incidents of poor behaviour, including a few instances of bullying and racial discrimination, are dealt with promptly and effectively.  Pupils are extremely tolerant of the differences in others and know that if they are worried they can talk with an adult in the school. The school does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.  Attendance and punctuality are above average. The school is very inclusive and there have been no permanent exclusions for several years.  The strongly positive views of parents, carers and staff support the inspection findings about behaviour and safety.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong and effective leadership which in many ways is outstanding. They have a relentless drive for continuous improvement in all aspects of the life and work of the school while simultaneously providing a similar commitment to their federated school. However, leadership and management are not outstanding overall because some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching still remain.  The school runs very smoothly on a day-to-day basis under the direction of the deputy headteacher while the headteacher works on alternate days at the federated school.  Senior leaders and governors give strong support to the professional development of teachers and teaching assistants. The checks and improvements made on the quality of teaching are conducted rigorously and to good effect. As a result the school has sustained the above average achievement and attainment of pupils, and is improving.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s own evaluation on how well it is doing is accurate and makes clear where its strengths and weaknesses lie. The planning for further improvements is correctly focused on improving the achievement of all pupils, and the measures taken have the full support of governors.  The wide range of subjects, project work and activities provides close links to pupils’ lives and motivates them to learn. It provides good opportunities for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.  Homework is purposeful, mostly challenging, and the amount is gradually increased with age. However, by Year 6 it is sometimes less frequent than it should be to prepare pupils for the demands of secondary school work.  The school has developed innovative practices to involve pupils more in their learning. In each lesson, pupils are involved in reflecting on and tracking their own progress. They are listened to

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The leadership and management are good

about what they find easy and hard; they learn what they must do to improve in one-to-one discussions with each other and with their teachers.  The local authority has confidence in Chennestone and provides appropriately light-touch support.  The governance of the school:  The well-trained governing body’s involvement with the school, support of staff, and the way in which governors hold the school to account are outstanding. They know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are aware of how the school compares to other schools nationally. This enables them to take an active role in helping the senior team to write and implement policies and the school’s improvement plan. Governors give strong emphasis to safeguarding. Together with senior leaders they have made clear that bullying will not be tolerated and that equal opportunities are to be promoted. They have comprehensive knowledge of how and why pupil premium funding is being used

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The leadership and management are good

and how it improves the progress of these children. For example, they approved the use of funds to pay for one-to-one tuition for slower readers and to help children who arrived part- way through the year to catch up. They know about the quality of teaching and use safe recruitment procedures. They take a real interest in teachers’ professional development and records show that good teachers are enabled to move up the pay scales. However, the records of promotions and salary increases over time show clearly that governors do not support unjustified promotions or salary increases. The governing body meets all its statutory requirements and has the capacity to ensure the school’s continued improvement.

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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 125094 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 413186

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 351 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tirzah Bagnulo Headteacher Sue Jackson Date of previous school inspection 3 June 2009 Telephone number 01932 785477 Fax number 01932 754943 Email address info@chennestone.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

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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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