Clarendon Primary School

Clarendon Primary School Knapp Road, Ashford, Surrey, TW15 2HZ

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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. They make good progress from their starting points. Since the previous inspection, attainment has remained above average except for a dip in standards in the 2013 Year 6 assessments.  Teaching is good and ensures that pupils learn effectively. Lessons are well planned and are lively, with a range of interesting activities that make the most of pupils’ interests.  Relationships within the school are good. Pupils are known well by the teachers and helped to develop personal and academic skills quickly.  Pupils feel safe and they enjoy coming to school. They are courteous and respectful and behave well. Parents and carers speak highly of the school.  Pupils behave well. They enjoy school very much, have positive attitudes to their learning and want to do well.  The very effective headteacher and his team work well together for the good of the pupils. The quality of the school’s self-evaluation has

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improved since the previous inspection. It is accurate and senior leaders and governors know the strengths as well as the areas for improvement.  Leaders at all levels, including governors and subject leaders, provide strong leadership and have a good grasp of how to improve the school further. The clear priority is raising standards and teachers are held accountable for pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always tell pupils in marking how they can improve their writing and do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills in a wide enough range of subjects.  There are too few opportunities to write longer pieces of work or solve mathematical problems and investigate numbers and shapes often enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons, two of which were seen jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with staff, groups of pupils and the Chair of the Governing Body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors heard pupils read, and talked to them informally at break and lunchtime.  Inspectors took account of the 42 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View. They had conversations with parents and carers as they dropped off their children at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the 19 responses to the staff questionnaire.  School documentation was examined, including data on pupils’ current progress and records of governing body meetings, teachers’ performance, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. The way disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are catered for was also carefully reviewed.

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jan Edwards Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary 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 above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is slightly lower than average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There have been a number of staff changes over the last year and the headteacher has been at

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and the rate of pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics by ensuring that teachers:  consistently tell pupils through marking how they can improve their writing  provide more activities for pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills in a wide range of subjects  provide more frequent opportunities for extended writing  plan more opportunities for pupils to solve mathematical problems and investigate numbers and shapes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enter the school at below expected levels. Good provision and imaginative teaching enable children to make good progress in the Reception class. For example, they make good progress in speaking and listening owing to the opportunities they have to role-play during activities.  All groups of pupils make good progress in English and mathematics due to good and sometimes outstanding teaching. Learners get a very good foundation in the sounds that letters make (phonics) which prepares them well to read well as they move through the school. Recent changes to the teaching of phonics and imaginative strategies to encourage reading both in school and at home are raising the good reading standards further.  Progress in mathematics and writing is not as strong as in reading. This is because there are limited opportunities, both in English lessons and in other subjects, for pupils to write longer pieces of work where they can practise using high quality writing features. Pupils do not always

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The achievement of pupils is good

have enough tasks that encourage them to use and apply their mathematical skills in solving problems or to investigate number patterns and shapes.  Results in national tests over previous years have been good. They show pupils have made quick progress and reached standards above the national average. In both 2011 and 2012, all pupils reached Level 4 or above in the Year 6 reading assessments.  Both attainment and progress in national test results at the end of Year 6 in 2013 were lower than in the previous few years and the area of weakest performance was in the spelling, punctuation and grammar test. School data and pupils’ current work show that there have been strong improvements to these skills and other literacy and numeracy skills across the school, indicating the previous year’s results to be untypical.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups make

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The achievement of pupils is good

good progress because specialist teachers and their assistants design activities for addressing their individual needs.  As a result of sharply focused support, pupils with special educational needs typically make good progress. They benefit from carefully selected and well-delivered additional programmes to help them catch up and improve their reading and writing skills.  Data for the attainment of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding at the end of the 2013 Year 6 tests indicate that this group of pupils made better progress and attained higher standards than other pupils at the school, especially in mathematics. Work in pupils’ books and current assessment data also show that pupils in this group across the school achieve at least as well as, and sometimes better, than their peers nationally and other pupils at the school. The most recent information shows that well-targeted support and good teaching continue to promote the

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The achievement of pupils is good

rapid progress of this group of pupils.  The most able pupils make good progress. These pupils are challenged well throughout lessons with carefully selected questions during discussions that make them think hard and tasks that are set at the right level to develop their skills in different contexts.  The extra sports funding is introducing pupils to new activities, improving their skills of balance and coordination. It also provides training for teachers to guarantee the sustainability of these new initiatives in lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants plan interesting and enjoyable activities to make sure pupils are given work that matches their ability and enables them to find things out for themselves. Consequently, pupils learn rapidly. One pupil, typical of many, said, ‘Teachers make learning fun.’  Teachers question pupils to assess their understanding and encourage pupils to discuss 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. Consequently they are fully involved in lessons and make good progress.  The teaching of reading is effective. Recent improvements to the way staff teach phonics has resulted in a well-planned balance of whole-class teaching and smaller groups receiving particular support from teaching assistants. Staff have benefitted from training that has

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The quality of teaching is good

sharpened their knowledge of the teaching of early reading skills and helped them to improve pupils’ spelling by making the link between letters and sounds.  Planning, teaching and assessment in the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. Teachers assess children’s progress carefully and ensure that any gaps in skills and knowledge are quickly addressed. As a result, children make good progress.  Teachers and support staff provide challenge for the most able pupils in lessons so they make good progress. For example, in an outstanding Year 6 literacy lesson, the teacher continually pressed pupils for explanations of their choice of language when describing the flooding to local areas.  Marking encourages pupils and reinforces what pupils do well. However, some teachers do not mark pupils’ writing in sufficient detail so pupils are not always clear how they can improve the structure of their work and the quality of the vocabulary they use. As a result, some pupils do

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The quality of teaching is good

not have a detailed understanding of how to improve their work.  Teaching assistants are effective and need little guidance because they know their roles well. They provide good support in the classroom to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Teachers plan lessons well. They capture pupils’ imagination and interest by using a range of interesting resources. However, the planning of lessons by teachers does not build in sufficient tasks that ensure pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are used widely enough in all subjects and this is stopping pupils from making the best possible progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The school has a purposeful atmosphere, conducive to good learning. Pupils show very keen attitudes to learning and this was frequently seen during the inspection, being able to work collaboratively in a range of lessons and subjects in a mature way. This helps to ensure pupils take pride in what they do, show perseverance to do as well as they can and in class discussions ask sensible and thoughtful questions to find out more.  Attendance is above average and persistent absence is low. Pupils enjoy learning and want to come to school. Parents and carers, staff and governors agreed that pupils’ behaviour is good and that pupils are happy and safe in school.  Pupils typically behave well in lessons and around the school. Although they enjoy learning, sometimes they fidget and chat among themselves when they find activities too easy and this is why behaviour is not outstanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. As a result, pupils feel safe in school. They know how to keep themselves safe in different situations. Pupils know about cyber bullying and the importance of informing an adult if they see any inappropriate content on their computer screens. They have a good understanding of right and wrong, reflecting the school’s good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils say that there is little bullying and that most pupils are helpful and friendly. Records kept by the school show very few reported incidents of poor behaviour.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s self-evaluation is highly accurate and plans for improvement are thorough and focus on appropriate priorities, with clear stages of how outcomes will be achieved and how the actions for improving provision will be monitored.  Leaders check the quality of teaching thoroughly by observing lessons, examining work in books and looking at teachers’ planning. Teachers are given clear guidance by subject leaders about how to improve their teaching and appreciate the professional training available to them. Teachers understand that they are accountable for the progress pupils make and that this is linked to salary progression.  Performance management arrangements are carried out thoroughly. Observations of teaching are accurate and staff receive clear feedback on how to improve. All teachers have ambitious targets for the progress of all pupils and groups of pupils within their classes.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has used national sports funding to broaden the range of sports on offer to pupils as well as using sports coaches to enhance the work of teachers so they become more skilled at leading sports themselves.  Parents and carers are supportive of the school. They are kept up to date via the school website and regular and helpful newsletters are sent home. Parents’ attendance at meetings about the curriculum is good and many provide help during school visits, which is much appreciated by the school.  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 local authority has provided effective support for the school with a focus on raising achievement and the quality of teaching. The school is proactive in working with other schools to mutual advantage.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a good range of professional skills and use these well to challenge school leaders. They visit school regularly, know that the quality of teaching is good and oversee performance management arrangements so that only the best teaching is rewarded. Governors are extremely well organised and very knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and areas for development. They have a good understanding of the school’s performance in the national context because they analyse data and check the school’s work for themselves, using a range of benchmarks. Governors have a good awareness of the quality of teaching across the school and manage the budget effectively. They are aware of how the pupil premium is being used and the impact it is having. The governors are forward thinking and actively seek out training opportunities. Governors ensure safeguarding requirements are met.

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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 125088 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 431445

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 240 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Graham Coldman Headteacher William Neale Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2009 Telephone number 01784 253379 Fax number 01784 421745 Email address admin@clarendon.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

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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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