Stamford Green Primary School and Nursery

Stamford Green Primary School Christ Church Mount, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8LU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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This is an outstanding school

 The headteacher, school leaders and governors provide outstanding leadership that has brought about significant improvements since the previous inspection. They know the school well and have ambitious plans to improve it further.  Governors are highly skilled and hold leaders to account for the work of the school. They provide a high level of challenge and check for themselves that pupils achieve as well as they should.  School leaders regularly visit classrooms to check the work of teachers. They provide high quality support and guidance and, consequently, teaching has improved and is now outstanding.  Teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. They plan challenging work that enables all pupils to progress exceptionally well. By the end of Year 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are consistently well above average.  The rich curriculum is very well planned. Teachers

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This is an outstanding school

provide imaginative experiences that inspire pupils to reflect and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. It promotes British values and prepares pupils for the next stage of their education exceptionally well.  The school’s values support pupils’ learning and promote respect and tolerance towards others. They make an excellent contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  There is a very happy atmosphere in school. Pupils feel very safe and they behave exceptionally well in class and when moving around the school. They are very caring towards each other and show respect towards those from backgrounds different to their own.  The provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs has been thoughtfully considered. It is very well matched to these pupils’ needs. Consequently, they achieve exceptionally well.  Parents are strongly supportive of the school. One

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This is an outstanding school

parent said, ‘the school is aspiring and fun. It is always moving forward and looking for ways to improve.’ Parents especially appreciate the quality of care staff provide for their children.  Children get off to an excellent start in the early years. They are warmly welcomed into a bright and stimulating environment where they feel very safe and secure.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 27 lessons or parts of lessons, 16 of which were seen jointly with senior leaders. They looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reading. They attended an assembly and they observed pupils in the playground and as they moved around the school.  Meetings were held with school leaders, pupils and four members of the governing body, including the Chair. A telephone discussion took place with a representative of the local authority.  Among the documents scrutinised were the school’s own information regarding pupils’ attainment and progress, the school development plan and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Inspectors also examined documentation showing how the school keeps staff and pupils safe.  The views of parents were taken into account by analysing the 158 responses to the online survey Parent View. Inspectors also held informal discussions with parents during the inspection. Staff views were taken

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Information about this inspection

into account by analysing the 27 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There is provision for children in the early years in the two Reception classes. These children attend school full time.  Most pupils are of White British heritage with others from a wide range of ethnic groups. Very few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is lower than average. This is additional funding provided by the government to support those pupils, in this school, who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils.  The school meets the government’s floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Leaders and governors are managing a substantial building project to provide additional accommodation

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Information about this school

in preparation for the expansion of the school. It is to become a three-form entry primary school in September 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that pupils’ handwriting and presentation of their work are always of a high standard.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s mission statement, ‘Working together to be the best we can’ underpins all aspects of the school’s work. The headteacher leads a dedicated team of staff who are highly ambitious both for themselves and for pupils. They have created a culture of success in which all pupils, regardless of background, thrive and flourish. Discrimination is not tolerated and all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed.  Leaders have a thorough understanding of the school’s strengths and have ambitious plans for further improvement. They are currently embracing the opportunities posed by the expansion of the school into a three-from entry primary school in the autumn term.  School leaders are determined that all pupils have excellent teaching. They have provided very effective training to help staff to develop their roles both as teachers and as leaders. Teachers are currently taking part in a ‘Talk for Learning’ project in which they watch each other teach and reflect together on what

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The leadership and management are outstanding

might make the lesson more effective. The management of staff performance is strong with clear targets for their development.  Subject leaders are highly knowledgeable and skilled. They visit lessons, talk to pupils and look at work in pupils’ books. This gives them a thorough understanding of standards and teaching in their subject. They support colleagues by providing guidance on how their teaching can be improved and they model high standards of teaching in their own classrooms.  The additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils has been used very effectively to support those eligible pupils to take a full part in school life. They benefit from additional help provided by trained teaching assistants and they are often supported to take part in extra activities and visits. This has increased their levels of confidence and enabled them to achieve as well as other pupils.  The school has made excellent use of the additional primary sports funding. It has employed a sports

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The leadership and management are outstanding

coach to work with staff and pupils to increase the skills of both. Her involvement in lunchtime activities has reduced the number of disputes in the playground over rules in football games, for example by explaining the ‘off side’ rule. Pupils thoroughly enjoy a much wider range of sporting activities that contribute towards healthy lifestyles.  School leaders work closely with the local authority, which provides appropriate ‘light touch’ support to the school. The school will ‘buy in’ additional support as needed. For example, they used the school overview partner to conduct a review of the school to validate their own judgements. They work in close cooperation with other local schools to share best practice.  Classroom activities are exceptionally well planned so that pupils learn rapidly. The new National Curriculum has been embraced and the school has successfully explored all opportunities to promote

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have many opportunities to learn about different religions and faiths by visiting different places of worship. They develop respect and understanding for others and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders and governors ensure that all arrangements for safeguarding and child protection meet statutory requirements. They carry out rigorous audits to ensure that pupils’ safety and well-being are maintained at all times.  The governance of the school:  The highly effective governors work in close cooperation with school leaders to create a team of enthusiastic staff who share the same vision and ambition. Governors are highly trained and have an excellent grasp of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Although they receive high quality information from leaders, they are not complacent and visit the school regularly to check for

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The leadership and management are outstanding

themselves. They know that pupils achieve exceptionally well in comparison with other schools and that this is due to the outstanding teaching seen across the school. They know that all staff have their performance reviewed and that only the best teaching is rewarded. Governors are diligent in ensuring that all statutory requirements are fulfilled and that finances are managed well. They have been working in close cooperation with the local authority, overseeing a substantial building project to accommodate a third class in each year group. Despite this, they have ensured that pupils’ education remains their core purpose.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons because teaching is consistently challenging and inspires them to work hard. They move around the school very sensibly and have adapted particularly well to the restricted access to the playground for the duration of the building programme.  Pupils are very proud of their school. They are friendly, polite and welcoming to visitors. They get on very well together regardless of background. They are sensitive to the needs of others and relish the opportunity to look after each other. One Year 6 pupil wrote, ‘I would love to apply to be a buddy. Looking after those little children who are about half the size of me is so exciting.’  Staff implement systems to manage pupils’ behaviour consistently and so pupils are very clear about teachers’ high expectations. As a consequence of the ‘steps’ system, there are very few reported incidents

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Behaviour

related to poor behaviour.  The breakfast club gives pupils a good start to the day. They eat a nutritious breakfast and take part in games and activities that are stimulating and fun.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and this is reflected in their attendance, which is above average. They talk enthusiastically about school and say that teachers are kind and helpful.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. The school site is very secure and well maintained. Risk assessments for external activities are robust and all adults are thoroughly checked. School leaders have been particularly mindful of the building works and have taken steps to ensure that staff and pupils are completely safe for the duration of this project.  Pupils feel exceptionally safe in school because they know that adults are on hand to help with any problems. Pupils know about different forms of bullying, including that related to technology. They say it rarely occurs but that any incidents are quickly resolved.  Pupils know how to stay safe from dangers outside school. They know about risks associated with roads and railways and that substances such as tobacco can be harmful. They are fully aware of dangers of the internet and know they should never provide personal information when on line.

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Safety

 Parents, governors and staff strongly agree that children are happy, safe and secure in school.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Consistently strong teaching over time has led to significant improvements to pupils’ achievement. As a result, pupils progress exceptionally well and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Teachers have excellent relationships with pupils and they plan work that is stimulating and challenging. They have very high expectations and this keeps pupils engaged throughout. Pupils are very positive and respond enthusiastically to teachers’ questions.  Work provided for pupils is at exactly the right level. Teaching assistants are carefully deployed to provide tailored support to individual pupils. This helps all pupils, including those who are disabled and who have special educational needs, to progress as well as their classmates.  Teachers use motivating resources to help pupils to learn. In a Year 6 literacy lesson, for example, the teacher presented the poem, ‘Snow and Snow’ by Ted Hughes to show pupils how writers use language to

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

create atmosphere and express their thoughts and ideas. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the poem, which contributed well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught extremely well and so pupils develop their skills rapidly. The high priority given to teaching letters and sounds (phonics), spelling and punctuation ensures that pupils make excellent progress in reading and writing. In mathematics, teachers continually reinforce learning by asking challenging questions that make pupils work hard.  Work in pupils’ books shows that teachers mark their work meticulously. They provide clear guidance to pupils about what they have done well and what they need to do to further improve their work. Pupils always respond to marking by correcting and improving their own work. However, not all teachers challenge the weaker presentation and handwriting seen in a few pupils’ books and this spoils the quality

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is outstanding

 Pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, achieve exceptionally well in reading, writing and mathematics to reach standards that are well above average by the end of Year 6.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve equally well from their respective starting points. Their difficulties are picked up early and skilled staff provide additional help in lessons. Sometimes, pupils are provided with effective special programmes to help them to catch up with their classmates.  The most able pupils achieve extremely well, and this is reflected in the percentage of pupils who attained Level 5 in reading and writing and the percentage of pupils who attained Level 6 in the 2014 national tests, both of which were above average. Teachers carefully check their progress and ensure they are provided with harder work to challenge and extend their knowledge and understanding. Work in pupils’

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is outstanding

books shows that the most able pupils are working at high levels.  In most years the small number of disadvantaged pupils who receive additional funding attain at least as well as other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. In the Year 6 national tests in 2014, disadvantaged pupils were about two terms behind other pupils in the school in reading, writing and mathematics, about a similar level to those pupils nationally. However, several of these pupils had a range of additional complex needs which had an impact on their attainment. School leaders took decisive action to make the achievement of these pupils a priority. Consequently, school data and work in pupils’ books show that these pupils are achieving exceptionally well across the school and the gap in attainment has closed.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading. They are taught letters and sounds effectively. This was reflected in the Year 1 phonics screening check in which pupils’ performance was well above average in 2014. Pupils in

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is outstanding

Year 2 read fluently and confidently and with obvious enjoyment. By Year 6, they talk about their favourite authors and say they like to read because, ‘books let me use my imagination and go to different places.’  The school has successfully introduced a ‘tool kit’ to help pupils to improve their writing skills. During lessons, teachers provide pupils with a short list of features of writing such as similes, exclamation marks and imaginative vocabulary that they expect pupils to use in their writing. This helps all pupils to write fluently and confidently using a wide vocabulary to express their thoughts and ideas.  Mathematics lesson are usually lively and engaging with plenty of opportunities for pupils to apply their skills to solve complex problems. Pupils talk about mathematics with enthusiasm. Many say they enjoy the subject because they have to work hard and that activities are usually fun.

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is outstanding

 Children enter school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They make excellent progress due to outstanding teaching and are very well prepared for Year 1. They achieve particularly well in literacy, numeracy and their personal and social development.  Children behave exceptionally well. All adults have high expectations and act as good role models for children. The school’s values are taught in Reception and this helps children to develop excellent relationships with each other and adults. Children are caring towards each other and they share and take turns. They feel very safe in school because staff ensure that the environment is safe, secure and very well cared for.  Children make excellent progress because a skilled team of staff teach them very well. Children are encouraged to think more deeply about things because staff ask questions to develop their learning. Where adults have identified gaps in their knowledge, extra support is provided to help them to catch up.

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is outstanding

The environment is exciting, bright and attractive where activities inspire learning.  The early years leader has high expectations of staff and children. She has provided high quality training for other staff so children benefit from equally strong teaching and support.

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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 125066 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 449768

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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

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karina Singh Headteacher Louise Druce Date of previous school inspection 4 March 2010 Telephone number 01372 725383 Fax number 01372 739598 Email address info@stamford-green.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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