Littleton CofE Infant School

Littleton Church of England Infant School Rectory Close, Shepperton, Middlesex, TW17 0QE

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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 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. Attainment is above average by the end of Year 2 and pupils make good progress, especially in reading and mathematics.  Children make a good start to their learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage, especially in gaining confidence and in mathematics.  Teaching is consistently good and exciting activities engage the pupils’ interest and help them to learn quickly.  Good relationships help pupils to behave well and feel safe at school. Pupils are keen to help others and are very enthusiastic about learning new things.  Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding about how well the school is doing and ensure that it is improving quickly.  The leadership and management of teaching are good. Leaders, including governors, check that teachers and their pupils are doing well, and provide good training and support in aspects of teaching that are less strong than

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

others.  Governance is good because governors are knowledgeable and ask challenging questions to help the school to continue to improve.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well and underpins everything the school does.  Parents and carers are very pleased with the work of the school and would be happy to recommend it to others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There are occasions when pupils, especially the more able, could be challenged more when writing in support of learning in subjects other than English.  Pupils do not consistently use punctuation properly or form their letters correctly.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage do not always learn as quickly as they could on tasks they have chosen for themselves.  Middle leaders do not play a big enough part in improving pupils’ progress across the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in 11 lessons, all jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the diocese.  The inspector took into account 45 responses to the online Parent View survey and held informal discussions with a random sample of parents and carers.  The inspector considered the views expressed in survey responses from eight members of staff.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents, checks on the quality of teaching, the school development plan, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average-sized infant school.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium funding (additional government funding for specific groups of pupils including those with a parent or carer in the armed services, those known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority) is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils on the register of special educational needs at school action is below average and the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2012.  The on-site private nursery did not form part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Move good teaching to outstanding, by:  ensuring that all pupils, especially the more able, always have enough challenge when writing in support of learning in different subjects  providing stronger guidance on how pupils can improve their punctuation and letter formation  ensuring tasks pupils have chosen for themselves, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are purposeful and move learning forward.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Expand the roles of middle leaders so that they have greater responsibility for furthering the rate of pupils’ progress in the subjects they manage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In most years, the very large majority of children are working within levels typical for their age when they join the school in the Reception Year. They make good progress, especially in gaining confidence and in mathematics. For example, in one lesson, children were happy to explain to others their work on adding pairs of numbers to make 10. Occasionally, children make less progress than they could when working on activities they have chosen for themselves, because tasks do not always have a clear purpose.  Achievement is good because pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress, leading to above average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in 2013, while above average, was slightly lower than in previous years, despite these pupils having made good progress. The starting point of these pupils was lower than is usual for the school.  Attainment currently in the school is above average, although pupils do slightly better in reading

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The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics than in writing. In writing, pupils do not always remember to punctuate their sentences and not all form their letters correctly. Pupils have above average skills in sounds and letters (phonics) and use these well to support their reading and spelling. They know that tricky words ‘do not sound as they look’.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding make good progress from their starting points. It is clear from information about how well these pupils are doing that where gaps in attainment in English and mathematics remain for individuals, they are closing quickly.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported well, enabling them to make good progress. Teachers provide work that is just right for them and teaching assistants are given clear guidance to help them move learning forward.  More-able pupils do well in most lessons, although occasionally they do not make best use of

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The achievement of pupils is good

their writing skills to fully extend their learning when working in other subjects.  Lessons in physical education and popular clubs such as football and street dancing support pupils’ healthy lifestyles and well-being, and help pupils to reach the physical levels of which they are capable.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants are enthusiastic and form good relationships with the pupils, enabling them to manage behaviour well and to secure a calm working atmosphere in lessons.  Teachers plan a wide range of exciting activities that engage the pupils’ interest and result in pupils learning rapidly. For example, in Year 1, pupils enjoyed sorting facts from fiction when reading statements about the planets and posting the fiction statements in the mouth of an ‘alien’.  Most work is just right for pupils’ levels of ability although occasionally, the more able pupils in particular could be challenged to use and extend their writing when working in other subjects such as geography and science.  Good use is made of a wide range of resources to bring learning to life. For example, in Year 2 pupils worked in their ‘forest school’ modelling African animals and in the Reception class the children enjoyed preparing a party for ‘Swanny’ the class mascot.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use questioning well, check up on how well pupils are doing and provide good praise and advice to help pupils do better next time. For example, in Year 2, pupils are clear about the purpose of an activity because they discuss what they are going to learn before they start work.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, detailed and attractive records are kept to show how well children are progressing and to help plan future activities, although a few opportunities are missed to extend learning when children are working on tasks they have chosen for themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. Changes in the topics covered in lessons have had a positive impact on boys’ learning and their writing. For example, pupils in Year 1 were fully engaged in finding out about the planets as part of their topic, ‘Why do people live on earth?’  The very large majority of parents and carers and all members of staff who responded to the inspection questionnaires are happy with behaviour at the school. The pupils make positive comments such as, ‘Everyone is really good at concentrating.’  Pupils are polite and friendly. For example, in the Reception class one boy asked another, ‘Would you like to do some building with me? They feel free from bullying because the school is rigorous in providing equal opportunities and discouraging discrimination of any kind.  Pupils say that they feel safe at school and they know how to stay safe, including when using

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

the internet or playing outside. For example, they could explain why it was not safe to use the wooden play equipment following wet weather because ‘it gets a bit slippy’.  Minor instances of unkind behaviour are dealt with to the pupils’ satisfaction and they generously suggest that they should ‘give them another chance’ when they have been unkind, but ‘tell the teacher if you are hurt’.  Pupils join in enthusiastically when praising others for their hard work. For example, in Year 1 they enjoy giving ‘a 10 finger wiggle and whoop’ for good work. They are keen to share what they have learned but do not always listen carefully enough to each other’s views and ideas.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is ambitious and is providing a strong driving force to help move the school forward. Self-evaluation is accurate because there is a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and the next steps needed to help make the school outstanding.  Teaching is checked rigorously, resulting in tangible improvements over the past year. Clear and sensitive advice is given to teachers on how they can do better next time.  Parents and carers who responded to Parent View are very positive about the school and typically make comments such as ‘staff put in a lot of effort’ and ‘the school is like a big family, so caring’.  Funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium is used effectively to provide additional support for individual pupils and funding for clubs and specific learning resources. Support provided has led to an increase in progress, and the attainment gap is small and closing swiftly, although it

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The leadership and management are good

remains as wide for a few individuals.  The school has not yet received the specific additional government funding for physical education but has plans to spend it on specialist support in lessons and training for staff. The current clubs and lessons in physical education are appreciated by the pupils and contribute to their health and physical well-being.  The curriculum is developing rapidly and provides breadth and interest. The school is finding ways of extending the opportunities for pupils, especially the more able, to take greater initiative in the way they write about what they have learned.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported well through lessons and worship. For example, in Family Worship, pupils learned about the importance of trust when taking part in a game and when listening to a Bible story about Joshua trusting God. Pupils show their awareness of the needs of others through their thoughtful poems about Remembrance Day and

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The leadership and management are good

their support for an orphanage in Uganda.  Middle leaders have recently been trained so that they can be more proactive in checking on how well pupils are doing across the school and in contributing more fully to whole-school development.  The local authority and diocese have provided good support for the school, enabling it to continue to flourish and improve.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. All members of staff are trained to look after the pupils and have been checked for suitability for working in school.  The governance of the school:  Governance has improved since the last inspection and is good. Governors are well informed about pupils’ progress and consequently have been able to increase the level of challenge, particularly over the past year. Governors understand how achievement at the school compares with that in other schools. They know that teaching is good at the school and how

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The leadership and management are good

teaching is checked. Good teaching is rewarded and weaker elements of teaching are being improved through appropriate support.

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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 125231 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 426627

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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 90 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Alexander Headteacher Rachel Barton Date of previous school inspection 18 November 2008 Telephone number 01932 563271 Fax number 01932 568205 Email address info@littleton.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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