Riverview CofE Primary and Nursery School VA

Riverview Church of England Primary and Nursery School Riverview Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 0JP

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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 make good progress from low starting points. They achieve well and reach average standards overall by the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ achievement in reading has consistently been a strength of the school over time.  Much teaching is at least good and some is outstanding. As a result, the majority of all groups of pupils learn well.  The school makes very good use of teaching assistants, who make a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning.  Pupils are proud of their school and their achievements. They show respect to one another and to adults. Their behaviour is good and they feel safe in the school.  Children get off to a successful start in the Nursery and Reception classes.  The school’s leaders, well supported by governors, are successfully taking effective action to bring about further improvements by raising expectations for pupils’ achievement and teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to enable all pupils to make the best possible progress.  Expectations and challenge for pupils’ learning and for the presentation of their work are sometimes not high enough.  Not enough pupils reach the higher levels of achievement in their learning.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics is not yet as good as it is in reading or writing.  Attendance is slightly below average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 17 lessons or part lessons, some of which were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors talked to pupils about their work, looked at books and listened to some pupils read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers and other staff with key leadership responsibilities. Discussions were also held with pupils, governors and representatives from the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation, including the school’s own check on its performance, particularly the quality of teaching, the school improvement plan, information on pupils’ progress and documents relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of 41 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and seven written comments, and spoke to some parents at the start of the day. They also looked at 30 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Margaret Coussins, Lead inspector Additional inspector Gareth O'Shea Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school has a diverse ethnic population. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. Most of the other ethnic groups are represented in smaller numbers.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average, as is the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funds (pupil premium) is above average. This is additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, who are in care or who are from service families.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school part-way through any year is above average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The school makes provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage in a Nursery, which children attend for a morning or afternoon session, and a Reception class.  There is a children’s centre on the site, which is managed by the governing body but is not included in this inspection.  The school provides a daily breakfast club.  A new senior leadership team was established in September 2013 with the appointment of a new headteacher. One of the two assistant headeachers was appointed at the same time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to raise pupils’ achievement, ensuring that:  expectations and challenge are consistently high so that all pupils make the progress of which they are capable  the presentation of pupils’ work improves  pupils learn as well in mathematics as they do in reading and in writing  more pupils reach the higher levels of attainment by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Work with parents to improve attendance so that it is at least in line with the national average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well. Children start at the school in the Nursery or Reception classes with skill and knowledge levels well below those expected for their ages. Pupils make good progress throughout their time in school and by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, most reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage in most areas of learning to reach the expected level of development by the time they move into Year 1. Skills in reading and writing, however, remain below average.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 has been broadly average, although there was a dip in 2013, particularly in writing.  In the 2013 national tests and assessments at the end of Year 6, standards improved from the previous year and were broadly average.  In English, pupils’ achievement in reading was stronger than achievement in writing, with more

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils reaching the higher levels by the end of Year 6. Too few pupils reached the higher levels in writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ work and the school’s checks on progress show that, overall, pupils currently in the school are making more rapid progress and so standards are improving. Leaders have focused on writing by ensuring that pupils are more motivated and engaged in writing, which is helping to speed up their progress.  In mathematics, the school identified that pupils’ mental mathematics skills were holding them back and that girls were not achieving as well as boys. Structured daily opportunities for practising mental mathematics skills and a range of strategies to promote girls’ achievement, including girl-only mathematics groups, are leading to improvements and in most classes girls are now making faster progress than boys.  Leaders are aware, however, that there are still classes where pupils are not making fast enough

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress, particularly in mathematics, and this is why achievement is not yet outstanding.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, as well as pupils from ethnic minority groups and those who join the school part-way through the year, make progress in line with others in the school. This is because of well-targeted support, especially from highly skilled teaching assistants and senior leaders.  Pupils’ knowledge of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is currently better than indicated by the 2013 screening check, where the proportion reaching the required level was just below average. Pupils are on track to achieve the required level this year. Pupils of all ages are enthusiastic readers because reading for enjoyment is promoted well throughout the school.  In 2013, the attainment of pupils in Year 6 who were supported by the additional pupil premium funds was equal to their classmates in reading, six months behind in writing and eight months

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The achievement of pupils is good

behind in mathematics. They all made expected progress from their starting points in reading, and most did in writing and mathematics, but they did not attain overall higher levels. However, the school is narrowing the gap in achievement and currently eligible pupils are making similar progress to others in all year groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, staff know the children well, help them to develop their independence in adapting to school routines and provide well-planned activities which ensure that children enjoy their learning.  Teachers throughout the school make sure that their classrooms are attractive and tidy, that lessons start promptly and that displays are motivating and support learning well.  Pupils learn well. They say they particularly enjoy working together. This was seen to good effect when pupils worked well together in groups to create a story plan and took photographs to record their work. They said, ‘This is an exciting way to learn’, and made good progress in developing a depth of understanding of characters’ feelings and actions.  There are very good relationships between teachers, teaching assistants and pupils, and as a result, pupils want to do well and usually work hard. Skilled teaching assistants work very

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The quality of teaching is good

effectively with class teachers and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.  Teachers prepare work for pupils of different abilities. However, on a minority of occasions, expectations and challenge for some pupils in all groups are not high enough to enable them to make the progress of which they are capable. Teachers sometimes have too low expectations for the presentation of pupils’ work, which can be untidy and poorly set out.  The most able pupils in particular are not always challenged effectively to help more of them reach the higher levels of attainment by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.  Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and most give pupils clear pointers about how to improve their work and reach the next steps in learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in lessons and around the school and when they are working with teachers, teaching assistants or other adults. School records show that the good behaviour seen during the inspection is typical of behaviour over time.  The recently introduced approach to managing behaviour is having a positive impact and incidents of inappropriate behaviour have reduced as a result. Pupils respond well to the system of rewards and sanctions, and understand that good behaviour helps them learn well. Sometimes behaviour is exemplary, as seen in a whole-school assembly where pupils enthusiastically celebrated one another’s academic and personal achievements.  The school promotes positive relationships and pupils are proud of their school. They are polite, considerate and respectful to each other and adults. They demonstrate this in the way that pupils from a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and beliefs work and play well together and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

in the caring and considerate way in which they welcome new pupils to the school. A group of pupils agreed that, ‘The school is very welcoming, we love new children and it’s good to learn about others.’  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel secure in school. Almost all parents agree that children feel safe and most agree that their children are happy, are well looked after and behave well.  Pupils have a good awareness of all the different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying, and say there are very few incidents of inappropriate behaviour or bullying in school. They are confident that staff would deal promptly and fairly with any incidents should they occur.  Very occasionally, when teaching does not fully engage pupils and teachers’ expectations are not high enough, pupils can become distracted and inattentive in lessons, which hampers their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school works hard to promote regular attendance and punctuality, and pupils are keen to receive an award for the best weekly class attendance. However, despite improvements in attendance, the figures remain below the national average.  Pupils who attend the breakfast club get a good, healthy and sociable start to the school day. The breakfast club has helped to improve the attendance and punctuality of some pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher provides good leadership for the school. She is supported well by the assistant headteachers, other senior leaders and governors, who all share the ambition and vision for the future of the school and the drive to further improve standards.  Teamwork is very strong in the school. Staff feel valued and are very positive about the guidance and help they receive in meeting targets and improving their expertise. All staff say they are proud to work at the school and have every confidence in the headteacher and senior leaders.  Close checks are kept on all of the school’s work, including pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. The information gathered through these rigorous checks informs the school development plan, which provides a clear steer for future improvements. If any weaknesses are identified, leaders provide good support and expect to see improvements.  Subject leaders have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and provide support and guidance

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The leadership and management are good

to colleagues, as well as skills and expertise in their areas.  Leaders carefully check the impact of additional support that is provided for pupils of all abilities to ensure that it has the maximum benefit on pupils’ learning.  Leaders have successfully maintained the school’s good position reported at the previous inspection and demonstrate the capacity for further improvement. Leadership and management are not yet outstanding, however, because despite the improving picture for pupils currently in the school, achievement and teaching are not yet outstanding.  The school provides a broad and varied range of subjects. Appropriate emphasis is given to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, with opportunities to use these skills in other subjects. Pupils are involved with choosing the themes for their topics, which greatly enhances their enjoyment of learning and has had a particular impact on helping to improve their writing

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The leadership and management are good

skills.  A wide range of additional activities and trips and the promotion of the school’s values enrich pupils’ learning and promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school ensures equal opportunities, and all pupils have access to the full range of subjects and learn in a supportive, caring school without fear of any type of discrimination. Pupil premium funding is, in part, used to ensure that all pupils, and particularly those who may be vulnerable, have access to all the opportunities offered by the school. Funding has also been spent on additional staff and resources. The impact is evident in the support given to pupils’ emotional and social needs, as well as in better literacy and numeracy skills.  Parents are positive about all aspects of the school’s work and almost all are pleased with the information they receive about their children’s progress. The family support worker makes a

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The leadership and management are good

valuable contribution to supporting pupils who may be vulnerable and their families, in order to remove barriers to learning so that pupils can achieve well.  The school is using the extra money for primary sports in a variety of ways. These include training for the leader of physical education, with plans to share expertise with all teachers, and additional resources to help develop pupils’ coordination skills. These initiatives are beginning to make a positive contribution to pupils’ health and well-being.  The local authority supports the school as part of its ‘Every School A Good School’ initiative, although the school feels the level of support has been inconsistent. The school is supported well through its work with the diocese, particularly to monitor, evaluate and improve teaching.  The governance of the school: The governing body is very well informed about all aspects of the school’s work and knows the

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The leadership and management are good

school’s strengths and improvement priorities as a result. Governors understand data about pupils’ achievement and how well the school is doing compared to the national picture. This enables them to offer a good level of challenge, as well as support, to the school. They have a good awareness of the school’s pay and promotion processes, and they check the performance of staff and the quality of teaching. They are aware of where underperformance has been addressed in the past. Governors undertake regular training and review the impact of their work to increase their effectiveness in holding the school to account for its performance. They are fully aware of how the school is spending additional funding and the impact this has on pupils’ achievement. Governors make sure the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet all current government 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 131072 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 441075

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 219 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Maxine Fernandez Headteacher Mercy Atkins Date of previous school inspection 10–11 March 2011 Telephone number 020 8337 1245 Fax number 020 8330 6311 Email address head@riverview.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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