Setting

Chris Gill Headteacher Shawley Community Primary School Shawley Way Epsom KT18 5PD

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 7 May 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Primary School

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in January 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. HMI conducted a further advisory visit in November 2013.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other senior leaders, pupils, two governors including the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority. I made short visits to six lessons. A range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised, including information about pupils’ achievement and the school improvement plan.

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Context

One teacher has left since the last monitoring inspection in April 2013 and two have joined. Two new teaching assistants have started at the school. Four governors have left the governing body and six have joined including one who is both an additional skills governor and a national leader of governance. Tribal 1–4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5323 Direct email :suzy.smith@tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

Teaching is improving at a sufficient rate because of the strong leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher. As a result, the proportion of good teaching is growing. Although a minority of teaching still requires improvement, senior leaders are taking the right actions to ensure that teaching is consistently good in the near future. They check teachers’ performance regularly and accurately identify individual teachers’ areas for improvement. Teachers receive the specific support and training they need to make improvements. The subject leaders for English and mathematics also make an important contribution because they monitor the quality of teaching, develop teachers’ subject knowledge effectively and challenge teachers to create an exciting curriculum that engages pupils well.

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Main findings

Pupils’ progress is accelerating because of better teaching. Some variations in achievement remain, however, since pupils make slower progress in Years 1 and 4. Across the school, achievement is strongest in reading and it is improving in writing and mathematics. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the same progress as other pupils. The gaps in achievement between those pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium and other pupils are closing rapidly. Pupils are given lots of opportunities to write at length. There is a good balance between doing calculations and solving problems in mathematics. Increasingly, pupils develop and apply their skills in reading, writing and mathematics across a range of subjects.

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Main findings

Leaders rightly track pupils’ achievement regularly and in detail. Governors receive good quality data, therefore, which allow them to challenge leaders effectively. Governors know the school well, including what the quality of teaching is like, and they ensure that leaders’ checks on teachers’ performance are robust. Governors now play a key role in evaluating the school’s improvement.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

Leaders have made good use of the effective support provided by the local authority. The school’s progress is carefully monitored and leaders are challenged to improve. Leaders and teachers have valued the support for mathematics and English which has improved teachers’ subject knowledge and leaders’ evaluative skills. Specific help has been given to individual teachers which has led to improvements in their teaching. At the request of the governing body, the local authority appointed an additional governor who is both an additional skills governor and a national leader of governance. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Surrey.

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