Stedham Primary School

School Report Stedham Primary School School Lane, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0NY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 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.  Pupils achieve well and the school is rightly proud of the changes since the previous inspection that have led to improvements in teaching and achievement.  Pupils’ results in national assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 have improved over time and the levels they attain are higher than average.  From their starting points pupils make very good progress in reading and writing, and their test results are particularly high. By the time they reach the end of Year 6 they are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Teaching is good. Pupils, including the most able, learn well because work is usually challenging and teachers know their subjects well.  The curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences, including exciting visits and activities.  Pupils behave well, feel safe and enjoy the work teachers give them to do. They are keen to learn and the school has been effective in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improving the behaviour of the very few pupils for whom this is an issue.  The headteacher has carefully organised staff in order to use teachers’ particular strengths to the benefit of all pupils.  Leadership is good because the high expectations of the headteacher, other leaders and governors have ensured that standards of education have improved.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Not all pupils achieve as well in mathematics as they do in reading and writing.  The work set in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics is often not challenging enough.  Pupils do not regularly have opportunities to act upon the advice given in their teachers’ marking and therefore do not always know how to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons, taught by four teachers. Nine of these observations were carried out alongside the headteacher.  The inspector also spoke to pupils about their work and looked at the work in pupils’ books. He held meetings with senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils, representatives of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector reviewed teachers’ records about pupils’ progress and standards, as well as documents detailing pupils’ performance over time. He also looked at school documents, policies and procedures, as well as plans to further improve the school.  The inspector looked at senior leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and minutes of meetings, including those of the governing body.  The inspector considered the views of parents and carers about the school, through the 19 responses to Parent View, the online survey for Ofsted, and through informal discussions. The

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Information about this inspection

eight responses to a survey for staff were also considered, alongside other discussions with staff.

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Inspection team

Gianni Bianchi, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than the average-sized primary school. There are three mixed age classes: Reception, Years 1 and 2, Years 3/4 and a Years 5/6 class.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. A very small proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion who are supported at school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  Only a very small number of pupils are supported by the pupil premium funding, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, children of parents or carers serving in the armed services and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school is a member of a local partnership with several other local primary schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  All but one of the members of the governing body have changed completely since the previous inspection with two new chair persons who share the role.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and of achievement so that both are outstanding by ensuring that:  pupils achieve as well in mathematics as they do in reading and writing  pupils are given opportunities to act upon the advice given by teachers in their marking so that they understand fully how to improve their work  pupils are consistently well challenged in all subjects to the same high standard seen in reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Reception class with skills and knowledge typical for their age. Effective teaching ensures they make good progress and they are prepared well for Year 1.  Pupils in Years 1 to 6 achieve well. End of Year 6 national assessments show that pupils consistently attain levels above those expected for their age; however, they are not as high in mathematics as they are in reading and writing. This was confirmed in the 2103 national tests, where the Year 6 pupils made good progress in mathematics and excellent progress in reading and writing.  The use of phonics (the sounds that letters make) in reading is taught well. Even though the results in the most recent national Year 1 check on pupils’ understanding of phonics were below the national average, good teaching in Year 2 means that they catch up and achieve well. Reading is a strength of the school. Pupils who read to the inspector demonstrated fluent and

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The achievement of pupils is good

expressive reading and good understanding.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. Resources are used well to support them, and their progress is regularly checked by teachers and leaders to ensure that they are achieving well.  In this school, the additional funding is used well to support individual pupils by providing extra one-to-one teacher support for pupils who need it and for small-group work. Numbers are too small to enable comparisons with other pupils.  The typically good achievement of pupils in reading and writing means that pupils are well prepared for secondary education, including the small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds.  Pupils take pride in their achievement. Their presentation of work is neat and they take great care.  The majority of parents and carers who offered an opinion considered that their children made

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved over time. Teaching is consistently good because it enables most pupils to achieve well. The improved quality of teaching is the main reason for the enhanced results attained by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils are high and, when set more difficult work, pupils achieve as well as they can. In an effective mathematics lesson where pupils were learning to solve problems, the most able pupils were promptly moved on to a more challenging task and, as a result, made better progress. However, this level of challenge is not always as consistent in mathematics teaching as it is in reading and writing.  Teachers know their subjects well. They ensure that in reading, writing and mathematics pupils develop good understanding and learn well. Teachers use questioning skilfully both to test out pupils’ understanding and to encourage them to think more deeply about the work being

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The quality of teaching is good

undertaken. In an extremely effective writing lesson, the teacher quickly picked up and addressed pupils’ confusion about using the correct descriptive language to describe different foods.  Teaching assistants support learning well. They provide a very good balance of guidance and support for pupils who gain considerable confidence in their ability as they move through the school.  Work in pupils’ writing books shows that pupils, including the most able, are given challenging work to do, which is the reason why they achieve so well. However, this level of challenge is not provided for pupils in other subjects such as geography and science, where pupils could make better progress.  Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work and give them guidance about how they can improve. However pupils are given too few opportunities to act upon the advice given by their teachers and therefore do not always understand how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Classrooms are tidy. Displays celebrate pupils’ learning well and pupils make good use of the helpful advice they include.  All pupils spoken to by the inspectors praised the quality of teaching and said they enjoyed their lessons.  All parents and carers who offered an opinion considered that their children were taught well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They listen attentively, are eager to learn and willingly get on with the tasks they are given to do.  Pupils say that almost all behaviour is good. They acknowledge that a very small number of pupils find it difficult to maintain the high expectations the school has. However, they say that the school helps these pupils to understand the consequences of any poor behaviour and to make better choices.  Pupils’ typically good behaviour has contributed to the good progress that they make. However, some pupils, when not sufficiently challenged, become disengaged with their learning, begin to call out and their progress slows.  Pupils are very supportive of each other and relationships are strong. Older pupils help younger pupils at playtimes and in their work, particularly to develop their reading.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

are confident in making contributions during lessons because they know their views will be valued by their classmates and their teachers.  Pupils feel very safe at the school because there is always an adult they can speak to if they are worried. Pupils are very aware of how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  Bullying is very rare because pupils understand the different forms it might take and would not tolerate any unkind or unpleasant behaviour. The values of the school mean that racism or discrimination is not tolerated.  The school’s focus on improving attendance has been successful and pupils and parents and carers support the school’s high expectations. As a result, attendance levels have steadily improved and are above the national average.  Almost all parents and carers who expressed an opinion consider their children to be safe, happy and well looked after.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have very successfully established a culture of high aspirations for all pupils. Since her appointment, the ambitious headteacher and other senior leaders have brought about significant improvements. For example, the school’s successful drive to improve the quality of teaching has been sustained and has resulted in year-on-year improvements in standards. This demonstrates a secure capacity for further improvement.  The school is effective in promoting positive relationships and ensuring there is no discrimination. The schools’ commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils underpins a strong ethos of learning and care. This has made an important contribution to improving pupils’ achievement but school leaders know that more needs to be done to secure the highest levels of achievement in mathematics.  There are good systems in place to keep track of pupils’ learning, particularly pupils who may

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The leadership and management are good

not be doing as well as they should. Any extra support that is provided is frequently evaluated to check that it is making a difference.  The headteacher regularly checks the quality of teaching, focusing on how well it enables pupils to learn. She gives teachers precise feedback so that it is clear what they need to do to improve. Training is available where it is needed and middle leaders make an active and successful contribution to school improvement.  The subjects that pupils are taught are interesting and provide practical opportunities to enable pupils to develop their reading, writing and mathematical skills. The learning is enriched with trips, for example to a local Roman Palace, and out-of-school clubs and activities that widen pupils’ experiences.  The range of subjects contributes strongly to pupils’ good and improving achievement, as well as pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Through assemblies and a good range

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The leadership and management are good

of opportunities in religious education, history and geography, pupils learn about cultures other than their own, and how to reflect on spiritual and moral viewpoints of the world around them. Pupils also develop strong social skills through the many opportunities to share learning and other activities, for example, older pupils are very proud to be sports leaders.  The additional sports funding is used primarily to ensure all pupils have swimming lessons and to promote active engagement in sports. Pupils’ participation in physical activity has increased and leaders are beginning to see an improvement in the self-esteem of some pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable.  The school ensures that all statutory safeguarding requirements are met.  Over time the local authority has provided effective support for the school to help improve the quality of teaching and raise standards.  The school is part of a support network with other local schools and often shares resources. To

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The leadership and management are good

gain the views of pupils, school councils have visited each other’s schools to compare the learning.  The governance of the school:  The relatively new governing body is active in the life of the school and offers effective support and challenge. Governors’ direct impact on the school’s drive for improvement is good. They understand development priorities and are well informed of the school’s performance and how it compares to other schools’. They have an accurate overview of the quality of teaching and set the headteacher challenging performance management targets that focus directly on school improvement. Governors ensure the efficient management of financial resources, including the use of additional funding, and understand the links between salary progression and teachers’ performance.

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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 125854 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 446352

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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 57 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Blumlein and Geoff Warren Headteacher Sally Dreckmann Date of previous school inspection 11 October 2012 Telephone number 01730 813522 Fax number 01730 817241 Email address office@stedham.w-sussex.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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