The Grange Community Infant School

School report Grange Community Infant School The Avenue, New Haw, Addlestone, KT15 3RL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils achieve particularly well in reading and mathematics, with many pupils attaining the higher levels. Standards have improved year on year.  Children get off to a good start at school. Skilful teaching, sensitive support and strong partnership with parents ensure children in the Reception Year progress and achieve well.  Senior leaders and governors have a clear vision for the school, and ensure teaching is good. The recently appointed headteacher is further raising expectations of what pupils can achieve.  The school has a caring, inclusive ethos, where staff members, regardless of their role in school, put the needs of the pupils at the heart of everything that they do. The school’s promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  The quality of teaching and assessment is good. Expectations for pupils’ effort and behaviour are high and lessons are exciting. Consequently, almost

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

all pupils make good progress as they move through the school.  Pupils behave well and are kind and courteous to each other and adults. Their positive attitudes to school are reflected in above-average attendance rates.  Governors know the school well, and also its strengths and areas for development. They are relentless in their quest to improve it further.  Outstanding systems and procedures for keeping pupils safe are fully in place. Pupils display a mature understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Middle leaders have not been given enough responsibility for improving teaching or raising achievement.  Teachers’ use of marking, and their expectations of how pupils should respond, are not consistently good enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 14 lessons, including three observations carried out jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils reading. Inspectors also observed assemblies, talked to pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, other staff with significant responsibilities, representatives of the governing body and a representative from Surrey local authority.  The inspectors spoke to parents informally on the playground before school. They also took account of the 94 responses to Parent View, the online questionnaire for parents, and also a recent survey carried out by the school. Inspectors also took account of the 36 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors reviewed a number of school documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’

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Information about this inspection

progress, records of leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents concerned with keeping pupils safe.

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Inspection team

Fiona Bridger-Wilkinson, Lead inspector Seconded Inspector

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Inspection team

Hilary Macdonald Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 The Grange Community Infant School is larger than most schools of its type. The children’s centre on the same site, which was opened in 2010, is managed by the infant school. A junior school also shares the site.  Children attend the early years full time.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage, with a small number of Asian heritage.  The overall proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average. The proportion who have education, health and care plans is below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for which the school receives additional funding (pupil premium), is below average.  The school has had several staff changes since the last inspection, including the appointment of the current headteacher. A new deputy headteacher will start at the school in January.  The school has gained a number of awards, including the Basic Skills Quality Mark, the Bronze Anti-

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Information about this school

Bullying Award, Green Eco School and Healthy School status.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of middle leaders and ensure they receive appropriate training in order that they make a good contribution to strengthening teaching and learning, and raising pupils’ achievement.  Ensure consistently good use is made of marking, and that teachers’ expectations of how pupils should respond always adhere to the school’s expectations.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has made a strong start in her new role since the beginning of term. She has successfully conveyed her ambitious vision for securing further school improvements and has the absolute confidence and support of staff and parents. The headteacher and senior staff ensure teaching is good.  Leadership at all levels in the school is improving. Subject and year group leaders ensure thorough and consistent lesson planning is in place. However, they are not involved enough in monitoring the quality of teaching, or in taking steps to improve it.  Performance management of teachers is systematically used to raise standards. Teachers are set demanding targets, linked to the national Teachers’ Standards and the school development plan. Salary progression is directly linked to the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress  The headteacher recognised that pupils in receipt of additional funding were not doing as well as they

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The leadership and management are good

could. Provision and interventions are now reviewed weekly for these pupils to ensure more effective support. Observations and school data show they are now making faster progress than in previous years.  The school has a highly inclusive ethos. Staff take a pride in adapting their approaches to teaching, and in modifying the school environment to accommodate different pupils’ needs, for example by providing an individual table to one side of a classroom for a pupil to work at.  The curriculum is a strength of the school. Whilst there is appropriate focus on literacy and numeracy, pupils experience an engaging and wide range of experiences through topics such as ‘Dangerous animals’ in Year 2 and ‘Castles, princes and princesses’ in Reception. The curriculum is further enhanced by frequent visitors, including staff and artefacts from Chertsey Museum, trips to Portsmouth and special events such as ‘Around the world’ and ‘Nightime adventure’. This broad range of opportunities prepares

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The leadership and management are good

pupils well for the next steps in their education and for life in modern Britain. The curriculum is further enhanced by a wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs, including dance, gardening and sewing.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is strong. In a special assembly, a real sense of spirituality was conveyed when Year 2 pupils showed clay poppies they had made, and a period of silence was held. The pupils placed the poppies in the school garden in an act of remembrance.  The school is making good use of the primary sports funding. A number of initiatives have raised attainment. These include links with a local golf club and a football club, and the purchase of additional resources and training for staff. The school has seen an increase in participation in sport and greater success in inter-school competition. The provision of healthy meals and a ‘healthy eating’ club contribute

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The leadership and management are good

effectively to pupils’ well-being.  Relationships with parents are highly positive. The school communicates well through weekly newsletters that emphasise how children can be helped at home with their learning. Parents value the support that the school gives them and know that any concerns raised will be sensitively and swiftly dealt with. Parents spoken to during the inspection unanimously expressed confidence in school leaders and all school staff.  The local authority effectively supports the development of the school through regular routine monitoring. It is also responsive when the school proactively requests specialist advice to support developments identified in its plans.  Robust systems are in place to monitor pupils’ progress, attendance and quality of teaching. The information gathered is accurate, carefully analysed and used well to raise attainment.  Leaders are maximising the opportunities arising from having a children’s centre on site by making sure

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The leadership and management are good

parents know what support is available to encourage early learning. Staff work closely with the on-site junior school to ensure a smooth transition from Year 2 to Year 3. Vulnerable pupils are supported by additional visits and photo books.  The governance of the school:  The highly effective governing body is an asset to the school. Governors challenge and support the school and have broad knowledge and expertise. They are often in school supporting events and working with senior leaders, checking their monitoring of teaching and learning. Governors are highly involved in the formulating and monitoring the school development plan. Governors know how well pupils are progressing and understand data about pupils’ learning. The school’s strengths and areas for development are well known to governors. The spending of pupil premium funding and the impact it has on progress and attendance is well monitored. Governors know about the quality of teaching. They

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The leadership and management are good

ensure that teachers are set high targets and reward staff when this is appropriate. Governors are very clear about their responsibility for safeguarding and ensure that all policies and practices related to keeping pupils safe are fully implemented.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are kind to each other and polite to adults. For example, in Reception, children help each other to put their coats on, and around the school, pupils stand back and hold doors open for adults.  In the playground, pupils play well together, sharing equipment and including each other in their games. Staff are good role models and demonstrate warm and caring relationships with pupils.  In most classes, pupils work hard all of the time and are captivated by the interesting lessons. Pupils co- operate well with each other when asked to work in pairs or groups. This also helps them to make good progress. Where teaching is less good, this is reflected in pupils’ occasionally chatty and inattentive behaviour. Pupils are proud to have ‘jobs’, such as being on the ‘school council’, and making requests for the purchase of new playground equipment. They are articulate and able to express their opinions well,

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Behaviour

describing how they have recently taken part in interviews for the new deputy headteacher.  Parents, pupils and staff all report that behaviour in school is consistently good. Poor behaviour is rare and is dealt with effectively over time, as is shown by the school’s log of incidents.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. All aspects of the school’s work to keep pupils safe are of the highest quality.  Pupils say they feel safe and parents are equally confident that the school keeps their children safe and well looked after.  In discussion with inspectors, pupils showed a mature understanding of how to stay safe when using the internet. Pupils know that they should not share personal information without careful consideration.  Pupils understand what constitutes bullying and how upsetting this can be. However, pupils report that bullying does not happen in their school. For example, the use of a ‘friendship bench’ ensures no-one is left out at playtime.  Pupils and families in need receive sensitive and timely help from school staff. Good links with external agencies ensure that additional support is secured when necessary.  Pupils understand about about being kind to each other. On the rare occasions when pupils do not behave

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Safety

well, staff involve parents in changing the behaviour. Pupils are listened to if they have concerns and are confident that staff will help them if they cannot resolve situations for themselves.  Attendance is significantly above average and pupils are keen to come to school. The attendance rate of pupils in receipt of additional funding is not quite as good but is carefully monitored and is improving. Their attendance is broadly average. The school has good systems to encourage good attendance, such as ‘Attendance Ted’ and certificates. Staff work well with vulnerable families to promote good attendance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching, including English and mathematics, and in the early years, is typically good, with frequent examples of outstanding practice. Teachers have detailed subject knowledge and convey high expectations. The continuing rise in standards in 2014 is as a direct result of consistently good teaching.  Reading is taught well. Teachers use a range of interesting resources and explain clearly about the same sound being represented by different letters. Pupils were observed to participate in a range of interactive ‘sound’ games with enthusiasm. Plentiful opportunities are provided for pupils to read aloud. As a result, pupils become confident and successful readers.  The school is well resourced, which supports pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils were using coins, number squares and number lines, which enabled them to solve number problems such as how much money would be left after buying some sweets and a comic.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Music is taught by a specialist teacher, resulting in pupils being able to follow musical notation by the end of Year 2.  Staff who support pupils with special educational needs, and those in receipt of pupil premium funding, are making an increasing contribution to improving standards in English, mathematics and particularly in social and personal development. This is because staff are well trained, know the needs of each individual pupil and make detailed adjustments so that these pupils can learn well alongside their classmates.  Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a ‘Home Learning Journal’ to record their learning at home. This is used effectively to encourage families to participate in learning, alongside more formal homework.  Teachers make lessons exciting and bring them to life. For example, a Year 2 mathematics lesson started with the teacher telling a captivating tale about money climbing out of a purse. Pupils could not wait to

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The quality of teaching is good

get started on the activity. They understood what they were learning about, discussed it with enthusiasm, worked with determination and consequently made rapid progress.  Teachers make good use of questioning to gauge pupils’ understanding, and lessons are adjusted in response. Teachers explain in a different way or plan additional support to individuals or small groups so that any gaps in learning are addressed.  Pupils’ workbooks are marked regularly and in accordance with the school’s policy. The marking code is clearly understood by all staff and pupils. Pupils often respond to marking by making corrections or improvements to their work. However, this is not consistent across classes or year groups. Positive comments from teachers offer good encouragement but opportunities are missed to indicate clearly how work can be improved.  Newly qualified teachers are well supported to develop their teaching skills through planning with more

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The quality of teaching is good

experienced colleagues. Trained mentors provide daily guidance and advice about all aspects of teaching.  Teachers use information technology effectively to enhance learning; for example, pupils in Year 1 came up to the interactive whiteboard and identified sounds with accuracy as part of a phonics session.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils generally achieve well. By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment is typically above average and rising year on year. There is compelling evidence of good progress over time in pupils’ individual topic, English and mathematics books, as well as in class learning portfolios.  The attainment of the most able pupils is good, with around two thirds of pupils achieving the higher levels in reading and mathematics. Action is being taken to ensure the same very high standards are being secured in writing.  While most children in Reception and Key Stage 1 for whom the school is in receipt of additional government funding achieve as well as their peers in school and similar pupils nationally, a small proportion of pupils with complex needs make less progress than their peers. However, outcomes are improving through better teaching, and the gap between their achievement and that of others has reduced in reading and writing, but not yet in mathematics. The school is well focused on tackling this.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make at least similar rates of progress to other pupils at the school. This is because staff know their pupils and match work and support well to make best use of their strengths. This demonstrates the school’s success in tackling discrimination and in promoting equality of opportunity.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) is consistently good. The outcomes of the phonics screening check for pupils in Year 1 in 2014 showed that a higher than average proportion of pupils are getting off to a very successful start with learning to read. Pupils are well supported to become good readers, including by the many volunteers who hear them read. This is particularly helpful for pupils who may not read regularly at home.

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The early years provision is good

 Children start in Reception with skills that are typical for their age. During the year, they make at least good progress across all the areas of learning. This means that the majority of children start in Year 1 with skills that are above the nationally expected levels, and so they are ready for learning.  Teaching is generally good, with staff providing interesting opportunities to support children’s learning, such as encouraging them to write party invitations on ‘scrolls’ of paper with mock ‘quills’. At times, opportunities are missed for children to develop their creativity and independence. They are not always given a variety of materials to select from, such as when designing poppies.  The school has employed additional staff to support children in receipt of free school meals and those with special educational needs. This has addressed these children’s previously slower progress so that during

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The early years provision is good

this inspection, all groups of pupils were observed to be progressing at similar rates.  The school has worked successfully to improve the provision in Reception since the previous inspection. There is a good range of imaginative activities encompassing all the areas of learning for children to explore both inside and out. There is a good balance between adult-led activities and those where children make independent choices. The balance is regularly reviewed during the year as children’s needs change.  The outdoor area is skilfully organised and well used to extend the curriculum. However, it is too small for children to develop their physical skills. Currently, use is made of the Key Stage 1 playground during the afternoon. The school has plans to enlarge the space.  There is a good emphasis on the teaching of basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics, which has a positive impact on children’s achievement. Teaching of early reading is well matched to children’s ability,

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The early years provision is good

and children make good progress in linking sounds to make words.  Teaching assistants are used effectively to support and extend learning. For example, they guide children to sequence numbers to ten and write the numbers using the correct formation.  Children behave well, working collaboratively and sharing equipment. They take turns and play amicably. Their relationships with the adults are strong. They enjoy including the adults in their play. Occasionally, some children lose concentration when a whole-class session is too difficult for them. Adults ensure that children are always kept safe.  Leadership and management of the Early Years is good. Teaching is regularly monitored to ensure it is of a high standard. The progress of all children is rigorously tracked and the information is used to support any child in danger of falling behind. Vulnerable children are particularly closely monitored.

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The early years provision is good

 Relationships with parents are very strong. The school works hard to ensure that children’s experience of starting school is positive. The settling-in procedure includes an opportunity for parents to meet with staff to exchange information and opportunities for a gradual build-up of the hours attended. Parents are provided with good information on their child’s progress and achievement through their Learning Journal.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 125037 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 448853

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 270 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Paula Belso Headteacher Mrs Elizabeth Edwards Date of previous school inspection 14 October 2009 Telephone number 01932 346113 Fax number 01932 342133 Email address head@grange.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 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

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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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