The Chandler CofE Aided Junior School

School report The Chandler Church of England Junior School Middlemarch, Roke Lane, Godalming, GU8 5PB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Pupils’ achievement it is not yet good. This is because teaching over time and checks on pupils’ progress have not been good enough.  Teachers do not consistently plan work at the right level of difficulty for all pupils. They tend to talk too much rather than question in a manner that deepens pupils’ understanding.  Teachers are inconsistent in setting targets and in ensuring that pupils respond to marking. As a result, not all benefit from clear guidance on their next steps.  Pupils’ progress in writing is hampered because not enough attention is given to spelling, punctuation and handwriting skills in Years 3 and 4.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics is limited by a lack of opportunity to explain their ideas. Additionally, teaching assistants are not always briefed well enough to ensure effective support in mathematics lessons.  Guided reading sessions do not sufficiently challenge or promote the reading skills of all

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

groups.  Leadership has not maintained a sharp enough focus on accelerating progress and raising attainment, or on setting clear and measurable targets for school improvement.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Progress is accelerating across the school, with pockets of good progress in most year groups, particularly in Years 5 and 6.  The headteacher is passionate about providing pupils with a broad range of educational experiences, including an outstanding outdoor learning environment that engages them very well.  Thorough checks on pupils’ progress mean that the school is able to give specific help to those who need it, so they catch up.  The school is a very caring community where pupils enjoy their learning, behave well and feel safe and well cared for.  Senior leaders have worked well to bring about improvement following a fall in standards after the previous inspection. This is now ensuring a faster rate of progress for all pupils.  Governors are well led by a strong Chair of the Governing Body and this ensures that they provide good support and challenge to the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 28 lessons or part lessons, of which several were joint lesson observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and four other governors, a local authority officer, the leadership team and other senior staff.  The inspectors took account of the 174 responses to the online Parent View survey.  They observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s information on pupils’ current progress, planning and checks on the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.  The inspectors listened to pupils from Year 3 and Year 6 read.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Elson Additional Inspector Philip Littlejohn Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The number of pupils eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils in local authority care, children with a parent or carer in the armed services and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average.  The school has a breakfast club which was included in this inspection.  The school has had several staff changes, including the appointment of a new deputy headteacher, since the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently at least good and results in pupils making more rapid progress, through: – making sure that teachers plan work at precisely the right level of difficulty for all groups of pupils – ensuring that there is less teacher talk and a greater emphasis on deepening pupils’ understanding through meaningful questioning – ensuring all staff use targets effectively and get pupils to respond to marking to promote further learning  Improve the quality of pupils’ writing in Years 3 and 4 by placing more emphasis on their spelling, punctuation and handwriting skills.  Improve guided reading sessions so they are more challenging and clearly focused on key reading skills.  Improve achievement in mathematics by ensuring teaching assistants provide more effective support and pupils are given more opportunities to explain their ideas.  Build the capacity of leadership and management to drive improvement by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that senior leaders maintain a rigorous focus on accelerating progress and raising attainment – setting clear and measurable targets in the school development plan so that the impact of actions can be more accurately assessed.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics requires improvement because attainment over time has not been high enough, given pupils’ starting points, and progress by the end of Year 6 has been too slow. Pupils’ progress across the school has been hampered by weaknesses in teaching and a lack of accurate and thorough checks on how well pupils are doing. Although the systems for checking pupils’ progress are now much improved, this has not yet led to pupils’ good achievement.  Attainment for pupils currently in Year 6 is above national expectations and their progress is mainly good. Progress across the rest of the school is accelerating, with some that is good.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is also accelerating as a result of clear guidance from the special educational needs coordinator and specific work well matched to their needs.  Pupils who are supported through the pupil premium because they are eligible for free school

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

meals or are looked after have shown poor performance in the national tests in English and mathematics in recent years in terms of their attainment. Last summer their results showed that their attainment was a term behind in reading, writing and mathematics compared with other pupils in the school. However, pupils in the current Year 6 who are eligible for the pupil premium have made good progress in all three subjects and are on track to narrow, although not completely close, this gap.  Regular, careful checks on pupils’ progress ensure that those not doing well enough are identified quickly and are given intensive small-group or individual work so that they catch up. This is helping to close the gaps in the performance of different groups, promoting greater equality of opportunity.  The school has worked with some success to improve writing, and evidence in pupils’ writing books shows an improving picture with regular use of checklists and measures to assess how

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

well pupils have done. However, there is not enough focus on spelling, punctuation and handwriting in Years 3 and 4 and this slows pupils’ overall progress.  Although there is daily guided reading in all classes, it is not always sufficiently well planned to ensure key reading skills are taught effectively and this slows pupils’ progress in reading.  In mathematics, pupils are organised into ability groups and there is also small-group support for those at risk of falling behind. However, pupils do not get enough opportunities to explain their thinking, for example, in Year 4 when finding the area of a rectangle, and this slows their progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching over time requires improvement as it has not been good enough to ensure effective learning for all pupils. Although improving, practice is inconsistent and as a result pupils are not yet achieving well.  Teachers do not always plan work at the right level of difficulty for individual pupils. Consequently, some pupils are not challenged sufficiently and do not make the progress that they are capable of.  At times, a lack of challenging questioning or too much teacher talk means that pupils do not get enough opportunities to extend their ideas or develop their skills.  Inconsistencies in ensuring pupils respond to marking, and in setting clear and specific targets that are reviewed regularly, mean that not all pupils benefit from teachers’ feedback. Some are not clear about the next steps they need to take in their learning.  Teaching assistants, although providing good support for small groups and individuals, are not

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

always briefed well enough to provide effective support, especially in mathematics.  Teaching is improving, with some good teaching in all year groups enabling good progress. Where teaching is effective, lessons are well planned and tasks are pitched at the right level, questioning challenges pupils and deepens their understanding and good use is made of vocabulary specific to different subjects. This was clearly seen in a literacy lesson in Year 5 and a mathematics lesson in Year 6, where pupils made good progress in their learning.  In some classes, there is good evidence of pupils assessing their own and each other’s work as well as some effective marking and target setting. In those classes, pupils are clear about where they are at in their learning and are fully involved in improving their work.  Good use of resources enhances pupils’ learning well. For example, teachers make good use of video clips, poetry and the extensive school grounds.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive additional small-group support targeted at their needs. Those eligible for the pupil premium also benefit from this type of support. Personalised one-to-one support for pupils with complex needs enables them to progress well both pastorally and academically.  Teachers make sound use of homework, including spelling and regular reading. This helps to reinforce pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is mainly good in lessons and around the school. Occasionally it is exemplary, particularly in assemblies. However, sometimes, when lessons do not interest pupils, they become fidgety and lose interest.  There are few recorded incidents of bullying or racism. Pupils say that there is some bullying, but staff sort it out quickly. They are aware of different forms of bullying through, for example, drama presentations and talks on safe use of the internet.  Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They say that they enjoy lessons that are fun and particularly enjoy the opportunities they get to work together as talk partners.  Several pupils are part of the Surrey Young Carers Group and receive good support in school to help them in their role as carers of their families.  Attendance is above average for most pupils. The school and home school link worker have worked hard to encourage good attendance and have been successful, especially in reducing

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

persistent absenteeism.  Pupils feel safe in school and are confident of adult support should they need it. They learn about keeping safe through, for example, visits from the fire service and talks on safe practices prior to termly walks around the local area. Parents and carers who responded to the online Parent View survey and those spoken to during the inspection strongly agree that the school keeps their children safe.  The school’s breakfast club caters for a very small number of pupils. It provides a hearty breakfast for them and a good start to the day.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because leaders have not always been through enough in ensuring pupils make sufficient progress. The school improvement plan does not have specific enough measures of success to enable leaders to clearly assess the impact of their actions.  However, senior leaders have done much recently to bring about rapid improvement and are committed to continuing the process. Progress is now accelerating across the school; gaps in the attainment of different groups are closing and more teaching is now good. This demonstrates the school’s capacity for further improvement.  Leaders of subjects and aspects have fully embraced the support they have been given and used this to improve practice across the school; for example, in accurate levelling of work, improvements in marking and pupils’ involvement in assessing and improving their work.  Improved checking of teaching and learning by senior leaders includes regular focused lesson

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The leadership and management require improvement

observations, pupil discussions, coaching and checks on pupils’ work. This ensures that any issues with teaching are followed up and teaching is improving well as a result.  The process of setting targets for all staff, to improve the quality of their work, is fully in place. Targets are now specific and reviewed regularly, and this ensures staff are clear about what they need to do to improve.  The local authority provides good support to the school, and the school has also sought its own support to secure improvement.  The curriculum aims to promote commitment, creativity and curiosity. Subjects and topics are organised to ensure that literacy and numeracy are taught appropriately, but planning does not always ensure that tasks are well-enough matched to pupils’ needs. A very good range of visits, events, after-school clubs and sporting competitions enhances the curriculum. There is also the weekly ‘College’ day that pupils thoroughly enjoy, where they take part in a range of activities

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The leadership and management require improvement

that promote wider learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well. Excellent assemblies, for example, on the theme of forgiveness, show the school to be a lively learning community with a powerful spiritual dimension. Cultural awareness is promoted well through art, dance and music. This was clearly seen in the Year 6 pupils’ response to the dance troupe who worked with them during the inspection. The school works hard to ensure there is no discrimination of any description.  The school works well with parents and carers, and makes sure they are well informed through regular newsletters and detailed annual reports on their children’s progress. Staff involve them in an on-going way through their children’s learning journals. Parents and carers of potentially vulnerable children speak highly of the support that they and their children receive.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Governors are strongly supportive of the school, have a clear understanding of their role and provide a good level of challenge, particularly in ensuring that progress accelerates. They fulfil their statutory duties well and have a good knowledge of the quality of teaching. They monitor the school’s finances effectively, including the use of pupil premium funding. They have an accurate knowledge of pupils’ rates of progress and how these compare nationally, including those of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding. They monitor these carefully to ensure rates of progress continue to accelerate. Governors undertake training to develop their knowledge and skills and keep them up to date with local and national initiatives. They help to set targets for the headteacher and know that all staff undergo a similar process. As a result, they know how the performance of staff links to increases in salary. They monitor

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The leadership and management require improvement

safeguarding procedures and practices carefully in order to ensure pupils and staff 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 125200 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 411841

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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 Junior School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 338 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Pollard Headteacher Tim Burgess Date of previous school inspection 29−30 September 2009 Telephone number 01428 683071 Fax number 01428 685412 Email address info@thechandlercofejuniorschool.org.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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