Clandon CofE Aided Primary School

Clandon CofE Infant School The Street, West Clandon, Surrey, GU14 7ST

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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.  School leaders and governors quickly responded to the actions for improvement from the previous inspection. They have successfully improved the quality of teaching and raised standards for pupils.  Pupils’ make good progress from their starting points to attain standards that are above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing.  Teaching is good and ensures that pupils learn effectively. Lessons are well planned and are usually lively with a range of interesting activities to capture pupils’ interest.  Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are taught well in a safe and stimulating environment so that they make good progress in all aspects of their development.  Pupils behave well and they enjoy learning. They feel safe in school because they know that staff care for them. Staff have created a caring and supportive environment in which

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

each pupil is warmly welcomed.  Staff carefully check pupils’ progress to identify those who are at risk of falling behind. Where this happens, good support is provided to help them to catch up with their classmates.  The range of subjects is well-planned to provide enriching experiences both in and outside school. This contributes well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The headteacher, staff and governors provide strong leadership. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and what needs to be developed further. They have clear plans in place to bring about the required improvements.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Pupils’ achievement in writing is not as good as it is in reading and mathematics. This is because teachers do not always show pupils how they can improve their work.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do and some of the work they provide for them is too easy.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons or parts of lessons, most of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector observed the teaching of letters and sounds (phonics) and listened to pupils from Years 1 and 2 read. She attended an assembly and looked at pupils’ work in their books.  Meetings were held with school leaders, governors, groups of pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Among the documents scrutinised were school development plans, pupils’ assessment information, planning and checks on teaching, minutes from governors’ meetings and documentation relating to the safeguarding of pupils.  The inspector considered the views of 21 parents and carers who responded to the online survey, Parent View, and the views of 12 members of staff who responded to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized infant school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is lower than average. This is additional funding provided by the government, which, in this school, is used to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is broadly average and very few of these pupils speak English as an additional language.  There is provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage in the Reception class.  There is a breakfast club for pupils.  A deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2013.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improving teaching so that all pupils make good or better progress by:  raising teachers’ expectations through making clear to pupils how much work they are expected to do and to what standard  ensuring that in lessons, all pupils are provided with work that is sufficiently challenging.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing to those in reading and mathematics by:  using good quality books to show pupils how they can improve their writing and by insisting that they present their work to the highest possible standard  using pupils’ errors to show them what they have done wrong and what they need to do to improve their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved since the previous inspection. All pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, make good progress to reach standards in reading and mathematics that are above average by the end of Year 2. Their attainment in writing is average. Girls do better than boys but the school has successfully taken action to raise boys’ attainment. Consequently, the gap is rapidly closing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good support from trained teaching assistants to help them to make good progress from their starting points. The school regularly checks pupils’ progress to identify those who are falling behind. Support is provided to help them to catch up and so promotes equal opportunities for all pupils.  Pupils supported through the pupil premium funding attain at levels similar to those of their peers. They make good progress because part of the additional funding has been used to

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The achievement of pupils is good

provide one-to-one tuition from trained teaching assistants to help them to join in with lessons.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception class. They make good progress in speaking and listening owing to the opportunities they have to role-play activities. As part of their work on celebrations, they posed as various characters at a ‘wedding.’ This helped them to develop their vocabulary and confidence in speaking and listening.  Pupils enjoy reading and they make consistently good progress across the school. This is because they have a daily programme of phonics to help them to use their letters and sounds to read. By the end of Year 2, they read fluently, confidently and enthusiastically.  Although pupils’ attainment in writing has improved and is broadly average, it is sometimes untidy and poorly presented. This is because teachers miss opportunities to show them how they can improve their work by building on their mistakes. There are too few occasions when

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The achievement of pupils is good

teachers provide books to demonstrate how authors make their writing more interesting.  Mathematics lessons are lively and engaging and this helps pupils to make good progress. In a Year 1 lesson in which pupils were learning about time, they performed various physical challenges such as jumping within a given time limit to help them to understand how long a minute was. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed this lesson, which also contributed to their health and fitness.  Pupils’ achievement is not yet outstanding because school leaders are aware that there is more to be done to improve pupils’ writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection. Lessons are lively and engaging and encourage pupils to take part and behave well. Pupils say they enjoy learning and that lessons are typically like those seen during the inspection.  In the Reception class, children enjoy activities that are linked to a theme in which they explore and investigate on their own, as well as sometimes working alongside adults. In a mathematics lesson, they estimated and then weighed ‘wedding presents’ as part of their work on celebrations. This helped them to understand that bigger is not always heavier.  Teachers provide challenge for the most able pupils in lessons so they make good progress. For example, in a Year 2 lesson in which pupils were learning how to use speech marks, the most able pupils were given more complex sentences in which they had to insert the correct speech marks. Just occasionally the work given to some pupils is too easy and teachers do not always

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The quality of teaching is good

make clear to pupils how much work they are expected to do and this slows their progress.  Lessons are well planned and organised. They have a clear purpose so that pupils know what they are expected to learn. Most lessons link to previous learning and so pupils build their skills step-by-step. Teachers use imaginative methods including the use of information and communication technology to capture pupils’ interest and motivate them so they concentrate on their work. This was seen in a Year 1 lesson in which pupils were learning about owls and were enthusiastically describing how owls catch their prey.  Teachers question pupils to assess their understanding and intervene if pupils struggle. They encourage pupils to discuss and share their ideas and this helps pupils to learn. Teaching assistants provide good support for small groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium.

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The quality of teaching is good

Consequently they join in lessons and make good progress.  Teachers select suitable resources to support pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year 2 science lesson, pupils used batteries, wires and bulbs to make a circuit to light the bulb. This inspired a sense of wonder as bulbs lit and flickered around the classroom, making a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.  Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously providing detailed comments telling pupils what they have done well. However, teaching is not yet outstanding because not all teachers challenge poor quality work, particularly in writing, and so pupils repeat errors and do not improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school and they feel safe because they know that adults are always on hand to sort out occasional problems. They get on very well together and enjoy playing and learning together. They say that all pupils are treated equally and fairly and that there is no discrimination.  Pupils are polite and helpful, often holding doors open for each other and helping each other in lessons. They have a good understanding of right and wrong reflecting the school’s good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils understand different forms of bullying and know that name calling is not nice. They say that there is no bullying and that most pupils are helpful and friendly. Records kept by the school show very few reported incidents of poor behaviour and there have been no exclusions in recent years.  Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the school. Although they enjoy learning,

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

sometimes they fidget and chat among themselves when they find activities too easy and this prevents their behaviour from being outstanding.  The school provides a safe environment for pupils. Pupils learn about how to stay safe by learning about road safety and by learning how to stay safe when using computers. Policies and procedures for behaviour and safeguarding are fully in place.  The breakfast club provides pupils with a healthy and nutritious start to the day. Pupils’ attendance has improved and is now above average.  Parents and carers, staff and governors agreed that pupils’ behaviour is good and that pupils are happy and safe in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection, school leaders and governors took decisive action to bring about the required improvements. They strengthened the leadership team by appointing a deputy headteacher and provided training for middle leaders who are more accountable for improving teaching and raising standards. This has developed school leadership and built capacity for further development.  Leaders are ambitious. They know the school well and their plans for further improvement link securely to the outcomes of their analysis of their performance. They have successfully addressed the issues from the previous inspection and are well placed to continue to improve. Leadership is not yet outstanding because actions taken by school leaders to improve the quality of pupils’ writing have not yet had a demonstrable impact on raising standards.  Teaching is regularly observed both through formal lesson observations and more informal

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The leadership and management are good

‘drop-ins’, and points for improvement are shared with teachers. Opportunities for further training arise from these observations as well as those linked to achieving the priorities in the school development plan.  There are robust systems in place to manage the performance of staff and consequently teaching is good. Teachers understand that their progression on the salary scale is dependent on their performance and the progress their pupils make, so that only the best teaching is rewarded.  The range of subjects is well planned and provides activities such as in art, music and dance that make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school is using the new primary sports funding to train staff to improve their skills in teaching gymnastics and games. This will contribute well to pupils’ enjoyment of PE and encourage them to adopt healthy lifestyles.  School leaders and governors have responded positively to the medium level of support they

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The leadership and management are good

receive from the local authority.  The governance of the school:  Governors reviewed their skills and practices following the induction of several new members to the governing body. They have a good range of professional skills to challenge school leaders. They visit school regularly and know that the quality of teaching is good and oversee performance management arrangements so that only the best teaching is rewarded. They receive high-quality information from school leaders to enable them to evaluate the school’s performance and compare it to that of other schools. They ensure that appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures are in place to keep staff and pupils safe. They carefully check the school’s finances, including the pupil premium and sports funding to ensure they are spent wisely. Governors are conscientious and attend training to improve their knowledge and skills and keep them well informed about national and local priorities.

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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 125199 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 426515

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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 50 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair James Culmer Headteacher Judith Saunderson Date of previous school inspection 7 December 2011 Telephone number 01483 222442 Fax number 01483 225242 Email address info@clandon.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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