Bell Farm Primary School

Bell Farm Primary School Hersham Road, Hersham, KT12 5NB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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

 Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics at both key stages, given their starting points. Senior leaders have worked extremely hard within a short space of time to ensure pupils’ good achievement.  Effective teaching ensures pupils make good progress. Teachers plan interesting and engaging lessons for pupils that they enjoy, and this helps them to pay attention and achieve well.  Children achieve well in the Nursery and Reception classes because of effective direct teaching of basic skills.  Very careful, thorough tracking of pupils’ progress ensures that any pupils falling behind are quickly identified and given well-targeted support and guidance to help them catch up.  Good relationships and a positive, supportive learning environment ensure pupils behave well and feel very safe in school.  Excellent leadership by the headteacher has enabled the school to make significant progress since its previous inspection. Teaching is effective,

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This is a good school

pupils achieve well and relationships are good. The school is improving rapidly.  The deputy headteacher and senior leaders have worked well together as a team to support the headteacher’s vision for school development. They have been well supported by middle leaders and governors. This has ensured rapid improvement in pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching and pupils’ enjoyment and success in their learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Staff in the early years do not always plan well enough to ensure challenge or excitement in activities the children undertake by themselves.  Staff do not always show pupils effective strategies for their calculations in mathematics when marking their work and this sometimes slows their progress.  Occasionally, learning is not set at the right level for pupils, especially for the most able, and feedback to pupils is not always effective enough to take their learning on.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 32 lessons or part lessons, of which three were jointly observed with senior staff.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors, the headteacher and other senior staff and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 85 responses to the online Parent View survey. They also spoke to several parents when they brought their children to school. The inspectors considered responses to the 23 staff questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress; planning and checks on the quality of teaching; assessment; the new curriculum; the school’s self evaluation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; the sport premium action plan; and documents relating to safeguarding.  The inspectors listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this school

 Bell Farm Primary is an above-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. This is additional government funding for pupils who are looked after or are known to be eligible for free school meals.  There is a below average proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak Engish as an additional language is also below average. Some of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English.  The school has a Nursery catering for 52 chilfdren. They attend on a part-time basis five days a week . Approximtely half of the children in the Nursery transfer to the school’s Reception classes in the September of the year in which they are five. Children attend the two Reception classes full time.  The school has a breakfast club.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school, which was previously a junior school, became a primary school in September 2012. The Nursery opened in September 2013.  The current headteacher was appointed in April 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and learning to outstanding levels by ensuring that:  planning in the early years for activities that children undertake by themselves ensures sufficient challenge and excitement in the activities  calculation strategies are modelled effectively by all staff when marking pupils’ work  lessons are set at the right level particularly for the most able all feedback to pupils clearly tells them what they have done well and what they need to do to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has been through a time of huge change and turbulence. Very strong, determined leadership by the headteacher has enabled the school to make rapid improvement. She has created a cohesive staff team and effective senior leadership team who are all working together to ensure a thorough and consistent approach to pupils’ learning. Teaching, behaviour and pupils’ achievement have all improved significantly. This indicates a strong capacity for further improvement.  Experienced middle leaders are highly effective in their roles. They have ensured new initiatives have been taken on board successfully and supported their colleagues fully. New leaders are developing their roles well. The early years leader is aware of the need for further development of children’s independent activities.  Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. The school development plan clearly sets out

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The leadership and management are good

key improvement areas that are regularly and thoroughly reviewed to ensure key targets have been met.  The headteacher has set up an excellent, comprehensive system for monitoring teaching and learning. This has enabled a high level of consistency in teaching across the school. Very regular reviews, using a variety of effective methods as well as detailed feedback and follow up, have enabled teaching to improve rapidly.  The process of setting targets for staff is fully in place. Teachers have clear targets for the progress of pupils in their class, the quality of their teaching and their wider professional development that are reviewed carefully before any financial reward is given.  Pupils who attract additional funding receive extra help and support clearly targeted at their specific needs and this ensures they make good progress.  The school tracks the progress of all groups of pupils meticulously and regularly. Consequently, it picks up

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The leadership and management are good

very quickly on any pupils not doing well enough and puts actions in place to ensure they catch up. This ensures equality of opportunity, fosters effective relationships and deals well with any discrimination.  The school uses the government’s sport funding well. It employs sports coaches to provide professional development for staff and widen the range of sports available for pupils. There are external coaches for sporting competitions such as football and tag rugby. There is a ‘fit for life’ programme for those who find it hard to engage in physical activity, and training for older pupils to lead lunchtime physical activity. These will all help to secure long term benefits for pupils and staff.  The local authority has provided effective support and challenge to senior and middle leaders in the drive for rapid and sustainable school improvement.  The school plans the curriculum well. It has ensured good links between subjects to make learning more

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The leadership and management are good

relevant and ensure the teaching of key skills. The school places a strong emphasis on teaching personal and social skills as well as academic skills. Staff ensure pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain through their roles as school councillors and peer mediators.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Pupils develop a good understanding of different beliefs and religions through, for example, the study of Sikhism. Pupils work very well together, have a clear understanding of right and wrong due to the school’s huge emphasis on ‘rights, respect and responsibility’. They learn about British values through, for example, their study of the Second World War.  The school meets all statutory requirements to safeguard pupils. Robust policies and procedures, that are rigorously implemented, keep pupils safe.  The school has effective links with parents, who are very pleased with the improvement in the school and

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The leadership and management are good

how well their children are learning. The school provides parents with detailed reports on their children’s progress and keeps them well informed through regular newsletters and a wide range of events for them to attend.  The governance of the school:  Governors fulfil their statutory duties well. They have provided effective support and challenge to the school on its journey to good. They have a good knowledge of the quality of teaching and learning because they get regular reports from the headteacher and receive reports on reviews undertaken by the local authority representatives. Additionally, they visit the school to check for themselves. They have a clear understanding of how well pupils are doing due to the very detailed half-termly reports they get from the school on the performance of all groups of pupils. They know how well the school is doing in relation to other schools nationally. They know what is put in place to support any pupils not doing well

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The leadership and management are good

enough. There is a clear policy for staff targets linked to financial reward. The pay review committee looks at recommendations carefully before agreeing rewards. They are also fully aware of sanctions that apply for underperformance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in lessons, moving along the corridors and around the school. They line up in an orderly fashion and walk quietly in to lessons. They behave exceptionally well in assembly. Only very occasionally, when lessons do not engage them, do they chat quietly or occasionally ‘mess around’.  Leaders check behaviour rigorously. Sanctions are in place and immediate action is taken to address any misbehaviour. Pupils are clear that they move up the behaviour ladder if they are good and down it for any misbehaviour.  Pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning. They show a growing maturity as they go through the school. By upper Key Stage 2, they are confident and committed learners who enjoy the challenge of learning. Overall, they are interested in their work and have a strong determination to learn well.  Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors and cooperate well with each other in lessons. They say that

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Behaviour

they get on well together and any differences are sorted out quickly.  They enjoy taking on responsibilities. For example, the school council has given a talk about site safety and the safe use of equipment and suggested new equipment for the playground. Pupils also enjoy being peer mediators who help to sort out any issues at break times.  There have been several fixed-term exclusions. Over time these are reducing in number. Effective in- school support for the behaviour of those pupils has helped to bring about this reduction in exclusions.  Pupils say that bullying does not happen very often, but when it does staff sort it out quickly. They know about the different forms of bullying and found anti-bullying week very helpful in this context. They know about cyber bullying and how to protect themselves against it.  The school has clear policies and procedures to protect pupils against bullying. The school’s records show

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Behaviour

that there is a declining trend with no reported incidents so far this year.  Breakfast club caters appropriately for pupils. There is a sound range of activities and adults are kind and friendly. This sets them up appropriately for the day.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school and there are only some minor disagreements at break times that sometimes worry them a little. They are very confident that if they have a problem, or any worries, staff will sort them out quickly.  The school takes very good care of its disadvantaged pupils. Effective actions, including links with outside agencies and support groups in school, have had a significant impact on pupils’ learning and well-being.  Pupils know how to stay safe in a range of situations. The school ensures pupils develop safety awareness through, for example, road safety, stranger danger and railway safety training and talks. They also have five golden rules for safe use of the internet.  Parents are fully confident that the school ensures their children behave well and keeps them safe.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching ensures effective learning. Teaching has improved rapidly since the previous inspection due to a sharp focus on it by senior leaders, and strong, unflinching direction by the headteacher.  Teachers plan lessons well, question pupils effectively and ensure lessons are interesting. This engages pupils and helps them to learn well.  Teachers have good subject knowledge that they use well to ensure pupils develop their knowledge, understanding and technical vocabulary.  Teachers ensure that teaching assistants are well deployed. This ensures that they make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly those who are disabled or have special educational needs and those at an early stage of learning English.  Occasionally, pupils learn exceptionally well in lessons due to excellent questioning that encourages deeper thinking, work that clearly meets their needs, and exciting lesson content.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Well-planned reading sessions ensure that pupils learn well. For example, in Year 4, tasks were well matched to pupils’ different learning needs and this, coupled with effective questioning and the teacher’s good subject knowledge, moved their learning on quickly.  Teachers ensure pupils develop effective skills in writing. They focus well on developing pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills, as well as their creativity. They ensure work is presented well and that writing activities are engaging and purposeful.  Teaching of mathematics has been weaker than in other subjects. This has improved significantly due to a huge focus on it by leaders. Teachers now question pupils effectively, challenge pupils’ thinking and make good use of resources. They are getting better at teaching different strategies for solving problems and encourage pupils to choose the best one for the task. However, this is not yet consistent practice so not

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The quality of teaching is good

all pupils benefit. Pupils say they like mathematics because it is fun.  Well-structured phonics (the sounds that letters make) lessons, that clearly focus on developing pupils’ phonics skills, ensure pupils use these skills well in their reading and writing. For example, in Year 1, less able pupils thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to show how they could sound out words such as ‘short’, and ‘fork’, while the most able pupils were able to sound out words such as ‘tradition’ and ‘exploration’.  Teachers mostly ensure work challenges able pupils through higher expectations of what they can achieve and work that extends them. However, lessons are not always set at the right level for them and this slows their progress.  Teachers do not consistently set work that meets the needs of all pupils. Occasionally, it is too easy for the most able and too difficult for others in the class.  Senior leaders have worked hard to ensure consistency in marking and target setting, and this is securely

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The quality of teaching is good

in place. Staff mark pupils’ work regularly and according to the whole school policy. Many staff ensure it clearly tells pupils how well they have done and sets specific next steps. However, this is not always the case and some marking does not clearly tell pupils how well they have done, show effective calculation strategies or set specific next steps to help them improve their work.  Teachers make good use of other subjects to develop pupils’ writing skills. For example, role play is used to develop pupils’ understanding of characters and their emotions, writing is used to describe mummification in Ancient Egypt in Year 4 and pupils create their own Aztec God in Year 6.  Homework, such as reading, spelling and number work, is used well to support pupils’ learning in school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils across the school make good progress in their reading, writing and mathematics, given their starting points. This is a huge improvement at Key Stage 2, particularly in mathematics, where a legacy of underachievement has slowed pupils’ overall progress until recently. The school has worked extremely hard to ensure all pupils now make good progress, and has been largely successful.  The attainment of disadvantaged pupils was similar to other pupils nationally in reading, less than a term behind in writing and a term and a half behind in mathematics. Their progress was similar to other pupils both nationally and in the school. The school provides well for them to ensure their academic and personal achievement.  Pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs receive effective support to ensure they achieve well. Improved provision has ensured better identification and well-targeted activities in the

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The achievement of pupils is good

classrooms that meet their needs well. This is helping to ensure they make good progress.  Pupils at an early stage of learning English get good support to improve their spoken English and develop their vocabulary. The inclusion manager has ensured that provision for them has improved. For example, pupils have been involved in a social skills group to develop friendships and encourage speaking and listening and the manager has ensured teachers have a better understanding of their needs. This ensures they make good progress.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups achieve similarly to other pupils in the school.  Most able pupils mainly have their needs met well, enabling them to achieve well. The school receives support from a local secondary school to help teachers in setting extension work at the right level for them, especially for those in Year 6 who are working at much higher levels.  Pupils in Year 1 achieved above the national level in the phonic screening check in 2014. Effective

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The achievement of pupils is good

teaching of phonics enabled them to make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils achieve well in reading and writing due to effective teaching of key skills and the many opportunities provided for reading widely, and writing across subjects.  Pupils currently in the school achieve well in mathematics. They make good progress in developing their problem solving skills, and their calculation skills are well honed through purposeful practice.  Pupils achieve well in other subjects due to the good links the school makes between subjects, for example looking at differences in Christian worship and studying a text on the Second World War as part of their English work.

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The early years provision is good

 Children start in school with skills and abilities that are broadly typical for their age. They mainly make good progress across the areas of learning in both the Nursery and Reception classes. Most children in the Reception classes meet, and some exceed, the goals expected of them. They are well prepared for Year 1.  Well-planned teacher-led sessions clearly focus on the development of key skills, enabling good progress. Well-structured phonics sessions and focused teaching of calculations ensure children use these skills well in their reading, writing and number. For example, in a teacher-led phonics session for the most able in Reception, children were challenged and had to think hard about their work. In the Nursery, in a number session, the children counted the Easter eggs they had collected carefully with the teacher, ensuring they counted accurately.  There is a wide range of independent activities, both indoors and out, that children mainly enjoy.

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The early years provision is good

However, they are not particularly stimulating or exciting and staff interactions do not challenge children in a way that extends their understanding of the world, develop their ability to solve problems or think critically. This is linked to weaknesses in planning for these activities. This means that children do not have the same opportunities to learn effectively through their play as they do when adults are leading the activities.  Children behave well and work together sensibly on their activities, sharing resources and enjoying their role play. They develop their confidence and independence well.  Children know the routines and respond well. They independently access resources and know how to take care of themselves, for example putting on their coats to go outside.  The school works well with parents to ensure their children get off to a good start. They involve them well through ‘stay and play’ sessions, celebration assemblies and workshops.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff assess children’s progress regularly and make sure that any children not doing well enough get the support they need to help them catch up. They regularly carry out a detailed observation of each child, as well as half termly checks, to ensure all children are making progress across the areas of learning.  Staff ensure that children are kept safe. Children know to use resources safely and staff ensure they walk back to their classrooms sensibly.  Leadership is good and has ensured a consistent and effective approach to teacher-led learning and a thorough assessment of children’s progress. However, it has not yet developed children’s independent learning to an equally effective level.

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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 125058 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 455348

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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 Number of pupils on the school roll 486 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pip Ashton Headteacher Anne Cooper Date of previous school inspection 23−24 October 2013 Telephone number 01932224009 Fax number 01932219369 Email address head@bell-farm.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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