Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Chestnut Grove, New Malden, KT3 3JU

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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 make good progress and achieve well in English and mathematics as they move through the school.  Pupils’ overall attainment at the end of Year 6 has been rising steadily over the past five years. In 2013, standards were significantly higher than the national average.  Pupils eligible to benefit from pupil premium funding achieve well because finances are used to provide support which is carefully tailored to their needs. As a result, the gap in attainment between these pupils and other pupils nationally closed completely in 2013.  Teaching is consistently good over time and some is outstanding. Teachers’ confident subject knowledge is used to good effect to plan lessons which are lively, enjoyable and stimulating, so that pupils are excited about learning.  Pupils behave exceptionally well. They work with each other with great maturity and demonstrate strong respect for adults and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

classmates alike. Pupils feel extremely safe and know that their contributions are valued.  The strength of teamwork in the school is at the heart of its success. The headteacher and acting deputy headteacher are passionate about the school and totally committed to ongoing improvement. Their vision for the future of the school, and their continued drive to become an outstanding school, is shared fully by the whole school community.  Governors play an effective role in supporting school development and in holding leaders to account for pupils’ achievement.  The school’s religious ethos underpins all that it does, and makes a strong contribution to the school’s values.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure that achievement is outstanding.  Achievement in writing is not as strong as in other subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons or part-lessons. In addition, the lead inspector completed a learning walk with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, the Chair of the governing Body and vice chair, a representative from the local authority, senior leaders, teachers, members of staff, parents and carers and pupils.  The inspectors looked at pupils’ work, and heard pupils from different year groups read.  Inspectors took account of 151 responses to the online Parent View survey, letters from parents and carers, and 39 staff questionnaires.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a range of documents and policies, including the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress, attendance records, safeguarding documents and a sample of pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lynne Thorogood Additional Inspector Juliet Ward Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Corpus Christi is larger than the average size primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. (Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and those from service families).  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and the proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language are above the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 There is a breakfast club and an after-school club on site, both of which are privately run.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and so raise achievement to the highest levels, especially in writing, by ensuring that:  pupils are given more opportunities to apply their knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling to written work in different subjects  existing good practice is strengthened by increasing opportunities for teachers to show pupils how to review and improve their written work and give pupils more opportunities to do this.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and achieve well. Standards in national assessments at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are consistently high and rising. In 2013, pupils’ attainment in mathematics, reading and writing was significantly higher than the national average in both key stages. School information about pupils’ progress and targets for 2014 suggest that these high levels of attainment are likely to be sustained.  Children’s knowledge and skills when they join the Nursery are typically in line with those expected for their age, although there are fluctuations from year to year. Children are keen to learn and thoroughly enjoy the wide range of activities provided. They make good progress during their Nursery and Reception Years so that attainment at the end of Reception is typically above average.  Mathematics has been a particular focus for the school since the last inspection. The

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics curriculum has been reviewed and updated to ensure that mathematics lessons in each year group build firmly on pupils’ prior learning. There are more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematics knowledge in different subjects and the school has strengthened the way it works with parents and carers. As a result, pupils’ achievement in mathematics has steadily improved over the last five years. In 2013, pupils’ attainment in mathematics was the highest for five years and significantly higher than the national average, including at the higher levels.  Pupils achieve well in reading because teachers’ subject knowledge is used confidently to teach reading skills and pupils are well supported by parents and carers at home. The results of the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2013 were above average.  Pupils’ achievement in writing is not as strong as in other subjects. Writing has been identified

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The achievement of pupils is good

by the school as a focus for improvement and appropriate plans are already in place to ensure that pupils make more rapid progress and to strengthen achievement. For example, the school is identifying more opportunities for pupils to apply their basic writing skills in different subjects.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. Teachers run focused groups for pupils who need extra help, including personalised support for individual pupils. The school works closely with parents and carers so that they are well informed about how they can help their children at home.  The school provides particularly effective support for dyslexic pupils. Teachers and other staff have received specialist training and so have a thorough understanding of pupils’ needs. As a result, these pupils make similar progress to that of their classmates.  More-able pupils make good progress because teachers’ expectations are consistently high and

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The achievement of pupils is good

specialist advice is sought where needed to ensure that pupils are sufficiently challenged. In 2013, the proportion of pupils who attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics was much higher than the national average.  Those pupils for whom English is an additional language make rapid progress, especially in mathematics. When they join the school, they receive specialist teaching by teaching assistants in the classroom, so that they are able to access the curriculum fully and they settle very quickly. Meetings arranged for parents and carers and events such as ‘International day’ help to ensure that these pupils feel valued and well included.  Pupils who are eligible for support provided by pupil premium funding make good progress and achieve very well. The school is understandably proud of the fact that the gap between this group and their classmates nationally closed completely in 2013 in mathematics, reading and

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The achievement of pupils is good

writing. The school is very clear about individual pupils’ needs and focus support accordingly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers enjoy teaching. They treat pupils with respect and are interested in what they have to say. As a result, pupils are very actively engaged in lessons and know that their teachers are interested in their views and ideas.  Teachers’ questioning is used effectively to check and probe pupils’ understanding and to challenge them to think more deeply about issues. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils were encouraged to explain how they had grouped objects to historical periods based on their knowledge of when a range of materials were available. This meant that they had to think hard about their choices, relating them to their historical knowledge.  Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds play a full and active part in lessons. Teachers and teaching assistants demonstrate the same high expectations for all groups of pupils. Regular assessments are used to identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and effective support is provided

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The quality of teaching is good

where needed. As a result, all groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make good progress.  Increased opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical knowledge in real-life problems and situations mean that learning is relevant and pupils are strongly motivated to be successful. For example, the use of bus and train timetables with Year 4 pupils provided a challenging and meaningful context for pupils to use their knowledge of time and the 24 hour clock.  Regular, effective sessions to teach the link between letters and the sounds they make (phonics) mean pupils make good progress in developing some of the basic skills needed to read and write successfully.  In Early Years Foundation Stage, clear routines, high expectations, strong relationships and lively teaching contribute to children’s good progress. For example, in a Reception class, children were

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The quality of teaching is good

enraptured at the start of a lesson when their teacher appeared dressed as a queen and made good progress in a memorable lesson about words beginning with ‘qu’.  The overall quality of teaching is not yet outstanding because, while there is some outstanding teaching, there is not yet enough to secure outstanding achievement. Pupils are not yet given enough opportunities to apply their good knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling more widely across a range of subjects, or to edit and improve their own work. Occasionally, opportunities are missed for teachers to show pupils how they can do this successfully by working through an example.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 In this happy and inclusive school, all pupils are expected to do their best, regardless of their ability or background, and this is reflected in the pupils’ high aspirations. Pupils play a very active and responsible role in the life of the school and have a keen sense of their personal responsibility in making sure that school is a safe and enjoyable place for everyone. Pupils in Year 6 are mature and articulate young people who are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They are polite, considerate and behave exceptionally well in lessons, during playtime and when moving between lessons. They listen to adults and to each other with respect and work with each other extremely well during lessons.  Almost all parents and carers who completed Parent View feel that their children are safe and happy. This view is endorsed by pupils, who say that adults in school look after them very well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

For example, they appreciate the fact that notes posted in the ‘Worry Box’ about any concerns they may have are sorted out very quickly.  Pupils have a clear view of what bullying is and take the issue very seriously. This is reflected in the comment made by one pupil during the inspection who said, ‘We’ve got our “‘anti-bullying week” next week, but in this school, every week is anti-bullying week!’ Pupils know the different forms that bullying can take and have a mature understanding of how they can help to keep themselves safe. They are confident that bullying rarely happens in school, a view supported by school records and logs.  Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Records are well maintained by administrative staff and show that the school responds promptly and seriously to any concerns raised.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has a very accurate view of its successes and of where further improvements can be made. Information about pupils’ progress is regularly and systematically used to check that all groups and individuals are making sufficient progress. Any pupils falling behind are promptly identified and effective support is put in place.  The key issues from the last inspection have been fully addressed. For example, there has been a year-on-year improvement in standards in mathematics and the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in mathematics, reading and writing are substantially higher than average.  Leaders at all levels, including subject leaders, are ambitious. They continually reflect on the quality of their practice and use these insights to develop their roles further, supported by well- focused professional development. Subject leaders play a valuable part in checking the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching in their subject and its impact on pupils’ achievement. All share the headteacher’s high expectations of themselves and of the pupils and there is no sense of complacency.  Performance management has been developed well and makes a strong contribution to the leadership of teaching. For example, performance management meetings provide a platform to facilitate honest and open discussions with all staff about their responsibilities. As a result, staff are much clearer about their roles and know what they need to do to improve their practice further.  The local authority knows the school very well and provides valuable light touch support for this successful school.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, with many activities and events to enrich and deepen learning. The curriculum was reviewed and updated in 2012/13, so that there is an increased focus on the development of skills across year groups. As a result, teaching now builds more

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The leadership and management are good

strongly on pupils’ learning and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school plans to build on developments by increasing opportunities for pupils to apply their writing skills in different subjects.  The school is using the sports funding for a range of initiatives to increase pupils’ involvement in sport both during and after school. In addition, teachers are scheduled to observe specialist coaches, including a professional gymnastics coach, to strengthen their knowledge and confidence in teaching sport. Governors have already met with the school’s physical education leader to discuss and agree how the success of these developments will be measured and further meetings are scheduled. Early signs of success were evident during the inspection, with excited pupils eagerly anticipating the start of the Gaelic football club that day.  Leadership and management are not yet outstanding because achievement in writing is not yet

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The leadership and management are good

as strong as in other subjects. The school has already identified writing as a focus for improvement and appropriate plans are already in place to ensure that pupils make more rapid progress and to strengthen achievement.  The governance of the school: Governors are competent, knowledgeable and play an active part in the school’s development. They have an accurate picture of pupils’ achievement and regularly ask challenging questions about, for example, pupils’ achievement. As a result, they know why achievement in writing is a priority for development. They know how funding is used, including pupil premium and sports funding, and are well informed about how well funding is supporting pupils’ achievement. They are regular visitors to the school, including visits to lessons, and understand strengths and development needs in the quality of teaching. Governors know how performance management procedures have been improved and the effect this has had on

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The leadership and management are good

increasing teachers’ accountability, particularly with regard to the link between performance and teachers’ salary progression. Governors are closely involved in safeguarding checks, such as the completion of risk assessments with members of staff. As a result, safeguarding procedures are robust and meet statutory requirements.

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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 102594 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 425620

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 472 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pat Geiringer Headteacher Vanessa Vaughan Date of previous school inspection 6 November 2008 Telephone number 020 8942 2645 Fax number 020 8336 0790 Email address office@corpuschristi.rbksch.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

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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