Lyne and Longcross CofE Aided Primary School

School report Lyne and Longcross CE Infant School Lyne Lane, Lyne, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 0AJ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well. All make good progress, particularly in English, because they have regular opportunities to practise their writing targets and reading skills are taught well.  Pupils with special educational needs and pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding make good progress because of effective and well-planned support.  Teaching is good and improving quickly. Because teaching is improving, standards are rising. Accurate and careful checking systems have led to very good support sessions for those pupils who need extra support so that they achieve well in their reading and writing.  Teachers make good use of well-chosen resources. They have good subject knowledge and high expectations for pupils’ learning.  Pupils are keen to learn; they respect each other and behaviour is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school and have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and management are good. Regular checks are made on the quality of teaching by the headteacher and the progress pupils make, so that quick progress has been maintained.  Governors are knowledgeable, committed and well trained. They provide the support, challenge and oversight that the school needs.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics is not as rapid as that in reading and writing because there are too few opportunities to solve problems and carry out mathematical investigations.  Pupils are not always informed of the next steps for learning when their work is marked.  Too much time is spent on whole-class teaching and overly guiding pupils. This limits opportunities for pupils to learn independently.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed four teachers teach 10 lessons and observed two teaching assistants deliver small-group or individual learning support sessions.  Five lessons were joint observations with the headteacher.  The inspector heard children read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the Early Years Foundation Stage Leader, the Chair of the Governing Body and a group of pupils.  The inspector held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector looked at a range of evidence that included: the school’s website; pupil assessment information; a recent local authority report; the headteacher’s report to governors; the school improvement plan and self-evaluation documents. The inspector also studied pupils’ work books and files, school policies and documents, including those relating to the curriculum, behaviour and safeguarding.  The inspector considered 19 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met informally with parents and carers before school and considered the 24 responses from parents and carers to the online questionnaire (Parent View).

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Lyne and Longcross CE Infant School is smaller than the average-sized infant school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average and very few pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding (the pupil premium), because they are known to be eligible for free school meals, are in the care of the local authority or are children of service families is below average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure more teaching is outstanding by:  providing more opportunities to inform pupils more clearly of how they can improve their work  regularly setting aside time for pupils to work independently  leaders at all levels making more use of assessment information.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and improve the rate of progress in mathematics by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to use investigational skills and improve their problem solving skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the school with skills and knowledge that are variable from year to year but generally below the levels typical for their age. Children in the Reception Year make good progress and are able to work well together. For instance, they use and apply taught skills in mathematics in pairs and individually to count with considerable accuracy how many points they get when knocking over bottles.  The school’s data show that pupils are achieving well in reading and writing. This improving picture directly reflects the school’s focus on frequent checking of how well pupils are doing through the ‘Story Writing’ project, an initiative designed to improve the quality of pupils’ writing. Pupils generally make good progress in mathematics and this reflects the improving quality of teaching of mathematics, resulting from well-directed training for all staff. However, pupils are not developing problem-solving skills, and as a result overall achievement in

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics is slower than that seen in literacy.  All pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, are encouraged to regularly practise their reading with staff who know their individual needs and abilities well. As a result, all pupils have equal access to the right level of support depending upon their needs. They consistently use their knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) to read new words and, as they improve, use good expression when reading out loud.  By the end of Year 2, attainment has been broadly average over recent years. Overall attainment was broadly average in 2012 but in mathematics was significantly below average. This is now rising quickly because the headteacher has quickly identified this as an area requiring intensive support. Pupils currently in the school are making much more progress in English and mathematics as a direct result of the improvements to teaching. Current Year 2

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils in the 2013 assessments are on course to reach above average attainment in English and mathematics, with a rise in the numbers of pupils expected to reach the higher levels.  From year to year, there are a few pupils eligible to benefit from the pupil premium. Pupils who benefit from the pupil premium reach similar levels of attainment to other pupils in the school in both English and mathematics, and in some cases they reach higher levels than their classmates. This is because funding in the last year has been used effectively to promote equal opportunities for them, for example, through expenditure on additional one-to-one guidance and ensuring that they engage in all school activities such as school visits and trips.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good because there is a varied range of activities, both indoors and outside, that captures children’s interests. They enjoy themselves and develop skills quickly, for example, in their physical development in the climbing equipment area and in their speaking and listening skills in the ‘Travel agents’, arranging ‘bookings’ and ‘reservations’.  Teachers mostly engage pupils well in their learning through fun and interesting lessons and, as a result, pupils want to do well and work hard. This is particularly when pupils are involved in the Forest School activities which use the outdoors as a place to acquire knowledge and learning skills. One pupil, typical of many, told of the benefits of this approach saying, ‘I persevered with my maths.’ Pupils and parents and carers say that standards of teaching are good.  Pupils talk enthusiastically about their work and understand how marking increasingly helps

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The quality of teaching is good

them to know the levels of attainment at which they are working. However, teachers do not always provide written or verbal comments to inform pupils of their next steps for learning.  Strengths in teaching are good relationships between teachers and pupils, and skilled questioning that successfully builds on what pupils already know, encourages their thinking skills and extends their learning. Sometimes too much time is spent on whole-class teaching and explaining ideas, which limits the time for pupils to think for themselves and work and learn independently.  Teachers work well to develop pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics skills in different subjects. In topic books that are checked thoroughly, staff remind pupils about the importance of spelling and grammar. Teachers make sure pupils have the chance to practise some mathematical skills, for example, using data information when conducting science experiments.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is well taught, pupils across the school are encouraged to read widely and their reading skills are improving strongly. The teaching of phonics is effective and pupils use this knowledge well when they come across unfamiliar or difficult words. Teaching assistants provide outstanding opportunities for pupils to consolidate and extend their knowledge of familiar and unknown words.  Teachers involve pupils throughout the lesson in purposeful activities that are well matched to what pupils should learn next. In lessons, pupils write on individual whiteboards, talk and discuss answers with partners and they are clear about what they should be learning and how to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school, and school records show that this is typical of behaviour over time. Pupils say there is very little bad behaviour or bullying and that staff quickly deal with any problems.  Pupils say they feel safe and keep safe as they move around the school and use resources and equipment safely. They know what situations might be risky and how to handle or avoid them.  Pupils are kind and helpful towards others and are polite and courteous to adults and visitors. Pupils support others who might feel lonely or sad, especially at playtimes or if they are new to the school.  Staff manage behaviour well and this helps pupils to enjoy school and ensure that lessons flow without disruption. Parents and carers confirmed that they are very happy with the school and that behaviour is good and any concerns are dealt with swiftly.  The pupils’ good behaviour, their deep respect for other cultures and religions and their equally

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

deep respect for those who may be different show how well the school caters for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils’ attendance is average and is checked carefully to ensure that only a few pupils are persistently absent.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides highly effective, positive leadership and has built a strong team with a shared drive for further improvement. Staff and governors are clear about the school’s priorities for improvement and there is a good capacity for further progress. This is because leaders and managers have an accurate picture of the school’s overall effectiveness.  Good systems and procedures for monitoring and checking that assessment of pupils is rigorous, robust and accurate have been developed in the last year, although this is largely driven forward by the headteacher and needs to be shared more widely among leaders at all levels. However, as a result of these effective systems, all pupils have been given demanding end of key stage targets and pupils are rising to these high but appropriate expectations.  The curriculum is well planned to meet the needs as well as the interests of pupils. Appropriate

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The leadership and management are good

emphasis is given to learning basic skills, and there are good opportunities to use literacy, numeracy and communication skills across different subjects. Visits and visitors to the school, clubs and extra activities enhance pupils’ learning.  There are effective arrangements in place to manage teachers’ performance. All teachers are given targets to improve their teaching based on the school’s well-chosen priorities for development. These are based on the school’s accurate view of its strengths and areas for development, which are used effectively to plan improvements in the school.  There are very strong systems in place to safeguard and protect pupils. Alongside the vetting of staff and governors to make sure they can work with pupils, there are very good procedures for child protection, including staff being trained well in child protection issues and equality of opportunity. Discrimination is not tolerated and equal access for different groups to what the

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The leadership and management are good

school offers is paramount.  The local authority has provided good quality support and training, which have enabled the school to improve the quality of teaching and learning. It has also supported the school’s focus on ensuring accurate assessment.  The governance of the school:  There are a number of new governors to the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body. He has expertly organised governors into new and effective committees which are well informed about the school’s work including pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. This is the result of regularly gathering evidence about the management of staff, staff training and its impact on pupils’ learning and the improvements to teaching. This is supported by regular training for the governors, and a significant number have been trained in safer recruitment and understanding pupil performance information and how pupils at the

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The leadership and management are good

school compare to pupils nationally. Consequently, they have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and balance their rigorous approach with appropriate support. Governors know the importance of performance management and its link to pay progression. The governors ensure that the pupil premium is used successfully, with all relevant pupils making good progress and reaching the same standards as others.

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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 125137 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 413347

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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 81 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Wagner Headteacher Rachel Bradley Date of previous school inspection 25–26 May 2010 Telephone number 01932 872327 Fax number 01932 872327 Email address info@lyne.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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