King's Oak Primary School

Dickerage Lane, New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3RZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Good leadership and management, including governance, have raised attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 since the previous inspection.  From their different and often below average starting points, pupils make good progress, reaching the levels expected for their age at the end of Year 6. In 2014, a higher number of pupils reached above average standards than in previous years. In English and mathematics some reached levels typical of those found in secondary schools.  Provision for pupils with autism is good. Together with disabled pupils and those with special educational needs or who speak English as an additional language, they achieve well, as leaders ensure their needs are met.  Good teaching enables many pupils, especially those who join the school at other than the usual times, to overcome barriers to their learning. Teachers in Years 5 and 6 are exceptionally skilled at challenging pupils to achieve highly.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children in the Nursery make an excellent start to their education.  Pupils behave well. They show high levels of respect for those of different faiths and backgrounds. They are very supportive towards their classmates who have a diagnosis of autism or who join the school speaking very little English. They feel safe.  Senior leaders and governors use information well from national tests and frequent in-school assessments to identify where pupils need the most support. They target funds carefully to ensure that these pupils make faster progress.  A broad curriculum provides pupils with many practical experiences that motivate them to achieve well. The strong promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development means there is a harmonious atmosphere throughout the school.  Governors have undertaken effective training to strengthen their skills. They use their detailed knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development to challenge senior leaders to increase the rate of improvement.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Provision for early years requires improvement. Reception teachers are not using assessments sufficiently to plan tasks that challenge children, especially boys, to learn well in the activities they undertake outside.  Pupils in the younger classes find it hard to recall number facts and multiplication tables when calculating or solving problems.  Leadership and management of the early years have not yet ensured that children enter Year 1 as well prepared as they should be. An action plan for improvement has not been implemented fully.  Staff who enable pupils to make rapid progress have not yet shared their skills sufficiently with colleagues who are new to the school or who have changed year groups.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 30 parts of lessons. They were accompanied by the headteacher and senior leaders for most visits to classrooms.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes were observed during lessons, playtimes, lunchtimes, assemblies and while they moved around the school.  Inspectors spoke to pupils from a range of age groups about their views of the school. They also considered pupils’ responses to a questionnaire issued to them by their headteacher in 2013 and 2014. Pupils in Years 1, 3 and 6 read to inspectors. Their previous work in a range of subjects, but especially English and mathematics, was scrutinised.  Meetings were held with staff with leadership and management responsibilities, and representatives of the local authority and governing body.  The responses of 28 parents and carers who completed the online survey, Parent View, the school’s own parental surveys over the past two years consisting of 123 responses, and 52 questionnaires completed by

p.2

Information about this inspection

staff were considered. Inspectors spoke to some parents and carers as they brought their children to school.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents including records of pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour, the school’s self-evaluation and school improvement plan, arrangements for safeguarding, and minutes of governors’ meetings.

p.2

Inspection team

Kath Beck, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Julie Davey Additional Inspector Keith Homewood Additional Inspector Graham Lee Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is much larger than most primary schools nationally. The number on roll is higher than at the time of the previous inspection.A building programme is underway to accommodate three classes in each year group.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is higher than found in most schools. This is government funding to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after by carers who are not their parents.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action, school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is high compared to the national average. The school has specialist provision for up to 27 pupils on the autistic spectrum from Reception to

p.3

Information about this school

Year 6. Often these pupils are integrated into classes.  Over half of the pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. Two fifths speak English as an additional language. This is higher than usually found.  There is a children’s centre on site which is subject to a separate inspection. Since the previous inspection the school has opened pre-school provision for children aged two years. This too is inspected separately and the report is on the Ofsted website.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school clubs.  The number of pupils who join and leave the school at other than the usual times is much higher than the national average. Over two thirds of children join the Reception classes with no pre-school experience.  Staff turnover is high. Some staff are working in year groups that they have not worked in before.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress by ensuring that:  information from assessments in the Reception classes are used more effectively to challenge children, especially boys, to develop early reading, writing and mathematical skills in the activities they engage in outside  pupils in younger year groups learn to recall quickly number facts and multiplication tables and apply these skills confidently when solving problems  teachers with exceptional skills share them with colleagues who are new to the school or year group.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the leadership of the early years by implementing fully the plan for improvement, so that this phase of the school also contributes fully to the drive to raise children’s achievement.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, senior leaders and governors are determined that pupils should achieve as well as they can regardless of their starting points or background. They have worked determinedly to raise achievement, despite high staff turnover and the mobility of the pupils. Good leadership for pupils diagnosed with autistic spectrum conditions has ensured their full integration into the school and they make good progress.  High levels of academic achievement are valued. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Achievement in the early years is rising, but not as fast in Reception as in other year groups across the school.  Since the previous inspection the headteacher and literacy and mathematics leaders have accelerated pupils’ progress in these subjects. Pupils write confidently and at length across a range of subjects. Attainment in mathematics was higher in 2014 than 2013. Assessment is used effectively in most year

p.4

The leadership and management are good

groups to provide increased challenge for the more able, and marking makes clear what pupils need to do to improve their work.  Through robust appraisal systems that link pupils’ progress to teachers’ pay, staff are held fully to account. Achievement has risen in all year groups and more pupils than previously are achieving expected or well above expected levels. The quality of teaching is checked rigorously and is improving strongly.  Training is matched closely to the needs of the school and staff, but teachers who excel in enabling pupils to make rapid progress have not shared their skills sufficiently with those new to the school or who have changed year group. Sports funding and additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils is allocated appropriately to improve teaching in physical education. Pupils are participating in a wider range of sports that help them to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders analyse the information from national tests and half-termly assessments to identify whether pupils are achieving as well as they should. They check how well all the different groups, including those supported by additional funding, are progressing and if any need to catch up. Where necessary, they provide targeted support, organising pupils effectively to ensure all groups make good progress. This is one of the reasons why the gap in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils has closed in Year 2 and Year 6 this year.  A sharply focused school improvement plan, based on rigorous self-evaluation, is reviewed frequently to check the impact of developments. The plan includes the key priorities to improve teaching and the progress of boys in Reception, especially when children are learning outdoors. These priorities are at an early stage of implementation and it is not possible to check their impact on achievement.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 An imaginative, broad and balanced curriculum provides pupils with rich practical experiences that broaden their horizons. It promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well so that they develop skills in being resourceful and reflective, and are willing to collaborate. Religious education lessons and working with pupils less fortunate than themselves help them to consider tolerance and the feelings and beliefs of different faiths in preparation for life in modern Britain.  Assessment systems to track pupils’ progress in the new National Curriculum are being developed. Senior leaders are consulting with other schools about the best way to assess pupils following the removal of National Curriculum levels.  The school is taking determined steps to involve more parents and carers in their child’s education. Staff provide informative sessions, such as how pupils are taught the sounds letters make. Such events are

p.4

The leadership and management are good

enabling parents and carers to support their children more at home. Reports to parents and carers are detailed and give them a clear idea of their child’s achievement in relation to the national picture. Parents and carers responding to the school’s own survey express the opinion that they have full confidence in the school.  The local authority has provided good levels of support and challenge, contributing to the rising trend in achievement.  The governance of the school:  Governors have undergone training to enhance their effectiveness. They use their in-depth knowledge of the school and its performance in comparison to schools nationally, the quality of teaching and data about pupils’ achievements to challenge and support senior leaders. They use the finances available to them to provide additional teaching resources to raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, especially for disadvantaged pupils or those who join the school at different times.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

Additional sports funding is allocated correctly.  In their pursuit of higher levels of achievement, governors ensure that senior leaders implement their policy to link pupils’ progress to pay. Underperformance is not tolerated or rewarded. They participate fully in evaluating the school’s effectiveness and the identification of key priorities for improvement. Together with the headteacher and senior leaders, they check the impact of these developments on pupils’ achievements. Currently they are checking the introduction of the new National Curriculum and expressing their views about possible new assessment systems.  Governors fulfil their statutory duties well, especially with regard to securing pupils’ safety. They fully support the senior leaders in promoting the inclusion of all pupils in all that the school has to offer. They are rightly proud of the way pupils with autistic spectrum conditions are respected by their classmates.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

Tolerance and respect for pupils of all faiths, cultures and lifestyles are at the heart of the school’s work.  A new school website is helping governors to ensure that their procedures are transparent. They seek the views of the pupils, parents, carers and staff and use them to bring about improvements. Parents and carers are informed about changes and school routines through regular newsletters. To check the impact of their work, governors carry out an annual evaluation of safeguarding procedures, and compare the outcome of spending decisions on pupils’ achievements.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Parents and carers, governors and staff are right to believe that pupils’ behaviour is good. They, together with the pupils, say that it is better than it was a year ago. There is a buoyant and confident atmosphere in and around the school. Pupils conduct themselves well when moving from one part of the school to another, and during assemblies.  Pupils understand the importance of good behaviour and know the consequences should they not behave well. They are polite and well mannered, holding doors open for one another and adults. They take pride in looking smart, and take care of their environment. Some pupils are working with the local council to prevent rubbish being tipped in areas close by where pupils have to walk on their way to school.  Most pupils demonstrate good attitudes when they are working in class or in small groups. They do their best to listen carefully, take pride in their work and persevere when tasks become difficult. They respond

p.5

Behaviour

well to teachers’ requests to be resilient and resourceful. On occasion some pupils do not settle as quickly as they should to tasks they are asked to complete. They do not disturb other pupils but their own progress is slowed.  The school’s attention to developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development means relationships are good. Pupils are very supportive to their classmates who have autism. They understand their difficulties and how to communicate with them. Pupils starting at the school unable to speak English are ‘buddied’ with another child so that they can communicate in their own language. This makes them feel welcome.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Senior leaders and the school’s family support worker work in close cooperation with other professionals to ensure that pupils are kept safe in school and out in the community. The school’s procedures for ensuring visitors to the school are suitable are rigorous.  Staff make certain that pupils have good awareness of different kinds of bullying, including the use of derogatory or discriminatory language. Pupils say that this does not occur often. If it does they know who to turn to. Very few pupils have been prevented from attending school because of inappropriate behaviour towards classmates or staff.  The school’s robust action to improve attendance and punctuality has been successful over the past year. Attendance has risen and is close to the national average. Most pupils arrive on time.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching over time is good because teachers give the right attention to ensuring that pupils from different groups achieve well. Some teachers are exceptionally skilled in enabling pupils to make rapid progress. They have high expectations of what pupils can do and of their attitudes towards learning. They use information from assessments to accurately match work to differing needs. This means that the most able pupils, particularly in Years 5 and 6, achieve highly.  Other frequent assessments identify where additional support is needed. It is rightly directed to help disadvantaged pupils and those recently joining the school to catch up. Where necessary it also helps pupils to acquire greater fluency and understanding in spoken and written English.  Teaching for pupils on the autistic spectrum is good. Staff are knowledgeable about the best ways these pupils learn. Pupils make good gains in their communication, social and academic skills because staff

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

understand what they know and can do, and what they need to learn next.  Reading and writing are taught well. Teachers show pupils how to use their good grasp of spelling, punctuation and grammar to write confidently for a wide range of purposes, and to capture the interest of the reader. They demonstrate a good style of handwriting which pupils apply in their work. Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading stories, novels and non-fiction books because reading lessons inspire them.  Through training, teachers are confident to teach mathematics well, especially in enabling pupils to use a range of strategies to solve problems. Consequently pupils are making faster progress than previously. That said, not all teachers in the younger classes promote the rapid recall of number facts to help pupils calculate accurately. Teachers in Year 6 work successfully in partnership with teachers in a local secondary

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

school to challenge pupils to reach the highest possible standards.  Most teaching assistants provide well-focused support for disadvantaged and disabled pupils and those with special educational needs or with English as an additional language. They are well trained and enable these pupils to make good progress. On occasion, however, they do not show pupils what they need to do in a way that pupils can easily see and understand.  Good management of pupils’ behaviour allows teachers to give them clear feedback, correcting misconceptions in lessons. Marking, together with personalised targets, gives pupils a clear idea of how well they are progressing and what they need to aim for. High-quality marking in mathematics shows pupils where they went wrong in their calculation and how to get it right next time.  Homework, based on work done in class, extends pupils’ skills in literacy well and helps them to develop

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 Since the previous inspection, senior leaders have taken robust action to ensure that pupils in Years 1 to 6 make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. From their below average or low starting points more pupils in Years 1 to 6 are reaching or exceeding standards found in most schools than in previous years.  The most able pupils are challenged well. In 2014 almost half of the pupils taking the tests in Year 6 exceeded the national expectation in reading and mathematics. Those who are highly talented in writing and mathematics reached levels of attainment that are more usually found in secondary schools.  Pupils entering Year 1 with low starting points make good and sometimes rapid progress. They too are now reaching or exceeding the levels expected for their age. Pupils have good knowledge of the sounds that letters make and use this well in their writing and when reading unfamiliar words.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 In Years 1 to 4 pupils make good progress in mathematics acquiring many different methods to calculate and solve problems. That said, they do not all have the rapid recall of number facts and multiplication tables that would help them to do this quickly.  In national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2013, disadvantaged pupils reached standards that were below those of others of their age nationally. In school, there was no gap between their attainment and that of their classmates in reading, less than a term in writing and two terms in mathematics. The data for 2014 show that these pupils made much faster progress. They reached the standards in line with others of their age this year. Some matched the exceptionally high attainment of their classmates in writing and mathematics.  The school has a strong commitment to ensuring that pupils achieve as well as they can. The needs of pupils joining the school at other than the usual times are identified quickly. Additional support enables

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

these pupils, and any found to be falling behind, to catch up quickly. In 2014 there was little difference in the attainment of pupils from different backgrounds, those who speak English as an additional language, boys and girls when they left the school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those in the provision for pupils with autistic spectrum conditions, make good progress. Their attainment is mostly in line with that of similar pupils nationally. Staff track their progress carefully and provide tasks that challenge and extend their learning. Pupils diagnosed with autistic spectrum conditions make good gains in their communication and social development, particularly when integrated into the main school classes.

p.6

The early years provision requires improvement

 Children enter the Nursery with knowledge and skills at levels well below those typical for their age. They make rapid progress in the Nursery, but this is not built on sufficiently in the Reception classes. Teachers in this year group are not using information from assessments well enough to challenge children and push their learning on at a faster rate, especially when learning outdoors.  While leadership and management have brought about some improvements to children’s attainments, they have not ensured that the majority of children are as well prepared for learning in Year 1 as they should be. A well-focused action plan to bring about rapid improvement has been drawn up by senior leaders, but has yet to be fully implemented. Skilled practitioners in the Nursery have not shared their expertise fully with those teaching in Reception.  In 2014, when children transferred into Year 1, their attainment was higher than in previous years. That

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

said it remained low compared to the national average, especially in reading, writing and mathematics. More-able pupils do not achieve as well as they should, and boys do not achieve as well as the girls. Disabled children and those with special educational needs, including autism receive good support, are included fully in all the early years has to offer and make good progress.  In Reception, teachers’ planning, especially for activities that are to take place outside, is not as effective as it should be. Teachers do not make sufficient links between what children already know and need to learn next. Tasks do not enable children to apply early literacy and mathematical skills well enough. Boys quickly lose interest because there is not enough to capture their curiosity and motivate them to learn.  Activities in the Nursery are planned exceptionally well. They capture children’s imagination so they

p.7

The early years provision requires improvement

remain engrossed in them for long periods of time. Adults know what children are to achieve in each activity. They play alongside them following their interests and developing their spoken English. They note children’s achievements and use the information well to extend learning.

p.7

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 failing

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 102582 Local authority Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 449077

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3 ‒ 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 523 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jeff Reardon Headteacher Cathy Clarke Date of previous school inspection 20 ‒ 21 November 2012 Telephone number 020 8942 5154 Fax number 020 8336 0853 Email address admin@kop.rbksch.org 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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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 and 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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10