St James CofE Primary School

St James Church of England Primary School Grotto Road, Weybridge, KT13 8PL

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  Pupils’ progress has not been good enough for the past three years.  Progress in mathematics declined in 2013, so pupils now make less than reasonable progress when compared nationally.  Overall, attainment at Key Stage 1 also declined in 2013.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those who are eligible for free school meals do not make consistently good progress.  Teaching is not yet good because lessons have not always been planned using accurate information about how well pupils are doing.  Teachers do not always check pupils’ understanding in lessons so that they can change activities if necessary.  Not all leaders, including governors, make enough use of information about pupils’ progress to ensure they are making the best possible progress.  Not all managers have a clear role in checking the quality of teaching. Consequently they do

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

not always understand what needs to be improved.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Teaching has recently improved at Key Stage 2, but its impact on progress is not yet evident.  Progress in English is beginning to speed up as a result of improving pupils’ writing skills.  Progress and teaching in the Reception are good.  The most able pupils make good progress.  Pupils display positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy school, feel safe where pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural values are promoted well.  Parents and carers are supportive of the school and feel it is a safe place for their children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 30 lessons or part lessons. Eight lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders and managers.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, governors and staff, and a telephone call was made to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence, including the school’s documents on sports funding, self-evaluation and safeguarding. They observed the school’s work and looked at pupils’ books and the tracking system used to monitor pupils’ progress.  Inspectors considered the 78 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, written comments from parents and carers, and 16 questionnaires received from staff.

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Inspection team

Miranda Perry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Olson Davis Additional Inspector Victoria Taylor Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St James’ is an above-average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported through school action and at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families, is below average. In this school, the pupil premium only provides funding for children known to be eligible for free school meals.  There has been recent high staff turnover. From September 2013, at Key Stage 2, four teachers joined the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching so that pupils make at least good progress, particularly in mathematics, by:  planning lessons based on accurate information about pupils’ progress  ensuring all teachers check pupils’ understanding in lessons, and amending tasks according to the progress pupils have made.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by: - improving the quality and accuracy of information gathered about pupils’ progress, particularly the progress of disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are eligible for the pupil premium funding - using accurate information about pupils’ progress to inform lesson observations, whole school planning and lesson planning, and to set challenging targets in order to bring about rapid improvement - ensuring governors receive accurate information about pupils’ progress and appropriate training to analyse this information, so they can properly challenge leaders and managers to improve achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because too few pupils make rapid enough progress over time due to weaknesses in teaching.  Performance in different subjects, for White British and different groups of pupils, has been too variable, particularly at Key Stage 1.  Most children join the school with skills at levels typical for their age; the exception being those who completed Key Stage 1 in 2013, whose skills were below average levels. In 2012 pupils made good progress through Reception to the end of Key Stage 1, although progress and attainment dipped in 2013.  In mathematics, the proportion of pupils making reasonable or better progress at Key Stage 2 in 2013 is below average. Staff have not always been clear about how well pupils are doing in mathematics, and as a result have not adjusted their planning of lessons sufficiently to meet pupils’ needs.  In English, the proportion of pupils making reasonable or better progress at Key Stage 2 was

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

below average in 2012, and broadly average in 2013. The increase in opportunities for pupils to write at length and in different styles has had a positive impact on progress in English.  Overall, the achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average, but in some cases is below that of their peers. This is because the school does not measure their progress in ways that take into consideration their specific needs.  The achievement of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding varies from year-to-year. In 2012, their attainment was above that of their peers. However, in 2013 it fell so that they were behind their peers by one year in English, and two years in mathematics. The school has used the funding for a number of programmes, for example booster classes in mathematics and English, but the work set in these classes has been based on inaccurate progress information.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of the most able pupils is good. Pupils benefit from a vibrant and exciting programme which they enjoy, and in which they flourish.  Pupils in Reception also make good progress. This is because there has been a low turnover of staff, and colleagues are experienced in measuring children’s progress, and as a result, plan activities that are right for them.  As a result of primary school sports funding, pupils celebrate healthy lifestyles. The school has recently extended the range of out-of-school sports clubs so that there are now over 30 weekly. Pupils are taught physical education by highly qualified staff, and have impressive opportunities at both Key Stages 1 and 2 to participate in inter-school competitions. There has been training for teaching staff in physical education to ensure current opportunities are maintained.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement, because the quality has been too variable, and there has not been enough that is consistently good to ensure all pupils make good progress in all classes and subjects, particularly at Key Stage 2, in English and mathematics.  A number of staff arrived new to the school in September 2013, at Key Stage 2. Teaching at Key Stage 2 has improved recently, but because it is early on in the school year, its impact on progress has so far been limited.  Teachers feel that it is only recently that they are beginning to feel confident in accurately measuring pupils’ progress in English and mathematics. This has affected their ability to plan lessons that are at the right level for pupils.  In lessons, when pupils do not understand, this is not always picked up by teachers. When the class move on to the next activity, some pupils fall behind.  Marking has improved considerably since September 2013. It is thorough and consistently clear

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

about what the pupils need to do to improve. It has already had an impact on improved presentation in books. In some cases, pupils have started to make good progress in response to feedback in the marking, but not in all cases.  Children learn well in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are confident in their understanding of phonics (the sounds letters make) so that they can read different types of texts.  In Reception, teaching is at least good, because lessons are planned to challenge learners, at a demanding pace. Teachers have a very thorough understanding of how children learn effectively at this age.  The best teaching has brought about improvements in writing. Teachers ask questions which extend pupils’ understanding, and give learners materials which are right for them. For example, in a Year 2 lesson on storytelling, pupils made outstanding progress because they had to answer questions on why they had chosen individual words, and had materials which enabled them to,

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

in the words of one pupil, ‘write better than they ever had before’.  Pupils have highly positive attitudes in lessons, making the most of learning opportunities, regardless of the quality of teaching. This is often why the most able pupils learn well. They have good learning habits, and can explore ideas on their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff and pupils recognise how much behaviour has improved. It is now good and a real strength of the school. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because in some weaker lessons pupils become bored and disinterested and as a result, pace and enthusiasm wane.  Pupils take responsibility for their own learning. Pupils automatically support each other if they do not understand things. They work well in groups and automatically allocate tasks to each other.  All staff consistently model respectful and courteous behaviour which is mirrored by pupils. Discrimination is not tolerated in any form, and some of the pupils’ best learning relies on positive relations. Pupils are very clear that at the school everyone has an equal right to reach their potential.  Pupils feel safe, have a thorough understanding of how to keep safe and are well versed in issues regarding e-safety.  Bullying is rare, and pupils are confident that if it happens, it is dealt with effectively. Pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

believe that the school educates them well on what bullying is, and how to guard against it.  Behaviour is managed very effectively. Pupils think that the ‘behaviour ladder’ recently introduced has given them an incentive to improve their behaviour even further. ‘I always want to be at the top of the ladder’, one girl said.  If pupils arrive at the school with behavioural difficulties, the school is successful at bringing about improvements in their behaviour. The school works very well with outside agencies to develop a comprehensive support programme unique to each pupil.  Pupils’ attendance is above average.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because leaders have not brought about consistently good achievement or ensured that progress from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 has been good enough over time.  Leaders and managers have not had an accurate enough understanding of the progress pupils have been making, particularly in mathematics, at Key Stage 2, and the progress of disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are eligible for the pupil premium funding. The school’s assessment of its own strengths and weaknesses is over generous in some areas. For example, relevant issues with regard to pupils’ progress have not been highlighted.  School improvement planning has not always identified the right priorities. It does not involve clear and challenging targets for improvements in pupils’ progress and the subsequent actions and milestones aimed at meeting the targets.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leaders and managers regularly observe teaching. However, the lesson observations focus too much on what the teachers are doing, without linking this enough to what the pupils are learning.  A recent drive for improvement has resulted in teaching getting better, particularly at Key Stage 2, and a more systematic application of the marking policy than last year. There are some indications of improved progress as a result, although there has not been a chance for this progress to be sustained.  Leaders and managers have been effective in bringing about improvements in behaviour. The headteacher has worked effectively to develop a culture where staff and pupils behave well because they have positive relationships and respect each other.  Leaders and managers have reviewed the opportunities the curriculum provides for writing across different subjects, so that progress in English has increased.  The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is strong. The team of staff have developed

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The leadership and management require improvement

a stimulating learning environment where children thrive and enjoy their learning.  Parents and carers think the school communicates with them well. They feel staff listen to their concerns and take prompt action to address them.  The local authority has been effective recently in identifying with the school what its areas for development are. It has, for example, supported the school in its adoption of a programme that can systematically track pupils’ progress.  Pupils take their lessons on values very seriously. They develop sophisticated skills of reflection working with other schools on identifying values pertinent to the modern world. Pupils love their topic work; as one said, ‘I think you’ll see I’ve taken a lot of care over this.’  Leaders and managers make sure that statutory requirements with regard to safeguarding are met.  At present, salary increases for teachers are not linked to pupils’ progress, but the pay policy is

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The leadership and management require improvement

currently under review by governors.  The governance of the school:  The Chair of the Governing Body and vice chair were appointed in September 2013. Governors acknowledge that they require further training so that they can better interpret what the information regarding the school’s performance tells them about the quality of teaching, pupils’ progress and how it compares with that of pupils in other schools so that they can challenge school leaders and bring about rapid improvement. Governors have been instrumental in reviewing the school’s system for managing staff performance, so that remuneration will be used to tackle underperformance and reward the best teachers. Governors are kept informed about the allocation of sports funding. They were aware that in 2012 pupil premium funding was allocated in a way that meant eligible pupils outperformed their peers. Because they lack access to accurate information about pupils’ progress, eligible

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The leadership and management require improvement

pupils’ underperformance in 2013 came as a surprise to them.

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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 125163 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 425498

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Claire Haynes Headteacher Hugh Rawson Date of previous school inspection 27−28 November 2008 Telephone number 01932 851 762 Fax number 01982 852 979 Email address admin@stjames-weybridge.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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