St Mary's CofE Controlled Primary School, Byfleet

St Mary's CofE Controlled Primary School, Byfleet Hart Road, Byfleet, West Byfleet, Surrey, KT14 7NJ

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Inspection dates 20−21 January 2015 and 27 February 2015

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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 Good 2

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This is a good school

 The headteacher, ably supported by senior leaders and governors, has brought about significant improvements to teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.  Teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now good. An increasingly confident workforce of teachers and teaching assistants plan and teach stimulating lessons that are well-judged to meet pupils’ differing abilities.  Pupils’ rates of progress have increased rapidly and are in line with or better than those seen nationally. From their lower than average starting points, pupils catch up quickly and are on track to match the attainment of other pupils nationally in both key stages.  Pupils enjoy learning. They are courteous and behave well towards each other. The school keeps its pupils safe and cares for them well.  The school’s early years provision is effective. Children make good progress and are well prepared for subsequent learning at the school.

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This is a good school

 Governors provide a good mix of challenge and support for the school. They carefully check school leaders’ work to improve outcomes for pupils and contribute effectively to improvements.

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It is not an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. Recent improvements to teaching are not fully established and in some cases pupils are not being encouraged to develop excellent learning habits.  Not all pupils are confident and accurate writers, particularly when writing in subjects other than English.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors first visited the school in January 2015. The inspection was extended as more evidence was required. One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors visited the school on 27 February 2015 to gather further evidence of teaching and achievement.  The inspectors saw teaching in every class. They observed one assembly, 20 lessons and pupils’ behaviour in the playground and at lunchtime. Ten lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. A number of shorter visits to lessons were made, accompanied by the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Discussions were held with pupils, two members of the governing body, the headteacher and other members of staff. A discussion was also held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors observed many aspects of the school’s work, including support for pupils who need extra help. They heard pupils read and examined samples of pupils’ work in their exercise books and on

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Information about this inspection

classroom and corridor wall displays.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including plans for what pupils will learn in each subject, plans for the school’s future development and the school’s use of sport premium and pupil premium funding. They also scrutinised the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe, pupils’ attendance records, minutes of governing body meeting and records of how pupils’ learning and the quality of teaching are tracked and checked.  The views of parents were taken into account through taking note of the 60 responses to the Parent View survey. Inspectors also held discussions with several parents and considered one message and three letters that were received.  Staff views were taken into consideration by looking at questionnaires completed by 42 staff members and through discussions with several members of staff.

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Information about this school

 The school is a much larger than average-sized primary school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is lower than the national average. This extra money is provided for children known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are slightly lower than in most other schools.  A large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have two part-time Nursery classes and two full-time Reception classes provided for them.  The English leader took up her leadership responsibilities in April 2013. The upper Key Stage 2 leader and assessment coordinator joined the school in September 2014. The special educational needs coordinator

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Information about this school

joined the school in January 2015.  The school currently has five newly qualified teachers among the staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Consolidate good teaching, increase the amount of outstanding teaching and improve achievement, particularly in writing, by ensuring that all teachers: − develop intellectual confidence in pupils, so that they can work with increased energy, stamina and commitment when work is challenging − make the most of opportunities for pupils to write with flair and accuracy in subjects other than English − insist that pupils use accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation in all writing assignments.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, together with other leaders and governors, has worked diligently to improve the school in the short time since the previous inspection. As a result of thorough monitoring and appropriate professional development, teaching has improved and is now good.  Staff are held to account for their pupils’ progress and are given much support to enable them to develop their practice. Pay progression is based on teachers’ performance. In particular, the support that leaders give to newly qualified teachers is exemplary. Pupils’ achievement is improving as a result.  The school development plan is ambitious and well-thought-out. Leaders are clear about how they will check the school’s progress towards its targets.  Middle leaders contribute well to school improvement, not least through their effective use of information about pupils’ achievement. They have helped strengthen the school’s teaching of key subjects, and

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The leadership and management are good

prepared the school well for implementing the new national curriculum.  The school’s curriculum is good overall, and includes a wide range of subjects. Pupils have opportunities to study art, music and science through broad topics and also in specific lessons devoted to developing pupils’ skills and knowledge.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. For example, assemblies provide times for pupils to reflect and consider spiritual values. Events throughout the year and displays of pupils’ work explore characteristics such as humility and promote respect for others’ achievements. Such work, along with the caring ethos of the school, demonstrates the school’s successful efforts to promote equal opportunities and guard against discrimination.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. For example, they demonstrate a good awareness of and respect for different faiths and cultures. Pupils have contributed to attractive and informative displays

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The leadership and management are good

about British values and culture, which enhance the school environment and promote the school’s tolerant ethos and vision.  Sport premium funding is spent effectively on checking and enhancing teachers’ skills in teaching physical education. It has also been spent on extending the range of sports clubs offered by the school. Pupils’ participation in sports activities has increased as a result.  Additional government pupil premium funding is spent effectively on raising the attendance and performance of disadvantaged pupils, notably in mathematics. As a result, their progress is increasing and the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils is narrowing rapidly.  The school’s safeguarding work meets statutory requirements. Leaders and governors have undertaken appropriate training and have a good awareness of proper procedures.  The local authority has helped to drive improvement in the school and provided useful support, including

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The leadership and management are good

for newly qualified teachers.  A very large majority of parents who offered an opinion thought that the school was well led.  The governance of the school:  Governors have made a valuable contribution to improvements in the school. They have a good understanding of information about pupils’ achievement and analyse school data well. They carefully check that leaders are doing enough to improve the quality of teaching where it needs to be improved.  Governors make sure that expectations of teachers’ work are high enough and that any weak performance is tackled firmly. Governors offer school leaders a good mix of challenge and support overall.  Governors regard provision for disadvantaged pupils as a high priority, ensuring that funding is spent appropriately to improve their achievement, including, where appropriate, the appointment of additional teaching staff to provide specific support.  Governors carefully check that safeguarding procedures are effective.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils listen attentively and are keen to do well. Many pupils have developed studious working habits and show commitment to learning. As a result, the amount of progress made by pupils is increasing. However, a very few pupils lack confidence when tackling challenging tasks and can lose concentration at times, especially when not enough is expected of them.  Pupils’ behaviour around the school is good. Pupils show consideration for others and look after resources well. Pupils are polite when travelling around the school and behave well in playgrounds and during lunchtime.  The school manages behaviour effectively. School leaders are rightly proud of the improvements made to the behaviour of a very few pupils who have experienced difficulties with meeting the school’s high expectations. School records show few examples of poor behaviour over time. Pupils who met the

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Behaviour

inspectors were clear about the behaviour expected from them and said that behaviour in the school was good.  Pupils who talked to the inspectors were aware of different kinds of bullying, including cyber bullying, but said that there was no bullying in the school. The school’s records confirm this. One parent who offered an opinion had some concerns about the school’s management of bullying, but inspectors found no evidence to support such concerns. Most parents who offered an opinion thought that the school managed behaviour well.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Staff supervise pupils and children well. They ensure that pupils are kept safe and behave sensibly and in accordance with safety rules across the school.  The school promotes e-safety well. Pupils are aware of useful strategies to avoid risk when using social media or the internet.  The school operates diligently to ensure that all visitors to the school are properly checked before being allowed to enter.  Attendance and punctuality have improved over time, and attendance is now above national averages. This has made a positive contribution to the improvements in pupils’ achievement. Persistent absenteeism is lower than in most other schools.  Most parents who offered an opinion thought that their children were safe, happy and well looked after at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve have risen. Pupils are excited by their learning and their interest is captured by stimulating and well-planned lessons which match their varying abilities.  Teachers, including those who are newly qualified, have strong subject knowledge, which is applied well to lesson-planning and the abilities of the pupils. As a result, pupils are confident in their teachers and know that they will help them to make progress.  The teaching of reading is effective. Staff hear pupils read regularly and check their progress regularly. Pupils develop an enjoyment of reading and reach beyond expected standards by the time they leave school.  Mathematics is taught effectively. Pupils are actively interested in their mathematics work and practise problem-solving and mathematical reasoning with enthusiasm.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has carried out much work to improve the teaching of writing, developing exciting strategies to increase boys’ interest in the subject. School leaders have made sure that pupils have opportunities to apply their writing skills in subjects other than English, including some extended writing in subjects such as religious education and shorter responses in science. However, pupils do not always maintain consistently high standards of spelling, punctuation and grammar in all pieces of writing. In some cases, they do not take as much care over the quality of their writing in different subjects.  Well-thought-out pupil groupings, particularly in older year groups, enable teachers to target particular skills. There are clear signs that selected groups of pupils are gaining confidence and beginning to make better progress.  In a few cases, pupils do not have enough opportunities to demonstrate strong working habits and

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The quality of teaching is good

scholarly diligence, because their teachers do not provide them with enough guidance about how to become excellent learners.  When marking pupils’ work, teachers give pupils clear advice about how to improve. Pupils are expected to respond to their teachers’ comments and edit their work.

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is good

 Since the last inspection, the rates of progress made by all pupils have increased. Although published data about pupils’ achievement show that pupils did not attain results in line with national figures in 2014, rates of progress have significantly increased in the school and are now faster than rates of progress nationally. There are clear signs that in 2015 the legacy of weaker teaching and lower expectations will be overcome and pupils will catch up with national attainment figures.  In both key stages progress and attainment are stronger in reading and mathematics than in writing. Although rates of progress in writing are accelerating, some pupils are not confident writers because of lingering weaknesses in their spelling, punctuation and grammar.  The school’s results of national screening in phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make) are lower than average, especially for girls and disadvantaged pupils. However, as a result of focused teaching at

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is good

the beginning of Key Stage 1 and a programme of interventions, pupils catch up quickly and make up for their low starting points in communication and literacy.  The school can rightly identify significantly improved rates of progress for the most-able pupils, including in writing. In-school results indicate that current most-able pupils are on track to attain higher levels at the end of Key Stage 1 and 2.  The attainment of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, is lower than that of other pupils, both nationally and in the school. However, the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils narrowed last year overall, especially in reading. This is because of careful work carried out to respond to their individual needs.  The results of disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 are improving. Previous gaps between their attainment and that of other pupils in the school and nationally

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is good

are closing rapidly. At the end of Key Stage 2, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment is approximately five terms behind their peers in mathematics and writing and two terms behind in reading. These gaps are similar to those found nationally.

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The early years provision is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills well below those typical for their age. They make good progress and end the Reception year properly prepared for learning in the rest of the school. Children’s attainment has strengthened over time and continues to improve.  Children enjoy learning and are attentive. Early years staff help them to develop good attitudes towards learning. They are friendly towards each other and play happily together.  Early years staff ensure that children are kept safe, including through daily checks made on the outdoor area. Staff teach children to use resources sensibly and with care.  Teaching in the early years is good. Early years staff help children develop key skills well. Child-led activities are purposeful and promote children’s learning well.  Leadership and management of the early years provision are good. The early years leader accurately and

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The early years provision is good

thoroughly assesses children’s skills on entry to the school and as children progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage. Her evaluation of children’s abilities and needs is well used to inform the provision given to individual children.  Early years staff and parents work well together. Teachers listen to and respect parents’ views about their children’s strengths and achievements.  The early years leader ensures that provision meets children’s needs. She has worked well with parents and feeder nurseries and pre-schools to help ensure that children are ready to learn. As a result, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception year continues to improve.

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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 125150 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 453479

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 439 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rob Borgars Headteacher Helen Austin Date of previous school inspection 23–24 January 2013 Telephone number 01932 410300 Fax number 01932 410303 Email address info@stmarys-byfleet.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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