St Matthew's CofE Primary School

St Matthew’s Church of England Primary School Langley Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6LW

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and other leaders, including governors, are highly ambitious and have a clear vision for the school. Their leadership has been effective in improving the school since the previous inspection.  The governance of the school has improved since the previous inspection. Governors are now effective in supporting and challenging senior leaders in developing and improving the school.  Leaders and managers have worked effectively to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, which are now good.  Teaching in the early years is good. As a result, children make good progress and are well prepared for when they start in Year 1.  Pupils, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare at the school are good. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to adults, and

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This is a good school

have positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effectively promoted. This helps them to value diversity and develop respect and tolerance for the beliefs of other people.  British values are promoted effectively, and pupils leave the school well prepared to become active citizens in modern Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ questioning is not always effective in checking pupils’ understanding and extending their thinking.  Some pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, do not always present their work well, and sometimes it is incomplete.  Pupils do not always consolidate their understanding before they move on to the next topic, especially in mathematics.  Leaders do not always plan effectively to meet the learning needs of some of the pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning to outstanding by ensuring that: teachers ask questions that are probing to check and deepen pupils’ level of understanding and extend their thinking pupils routinely present their work well and complete their tasks, especially disadvantaged pupils pupils always consolidate their understanding before moving on to the next topic, especially in mathematics.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: leaders have effective systems in place to meet the range of learning needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, deputy headteacher and governors are ambitious for the school, and work effectively as a team to bring about continuous improvement. They have been successful in creating a culture of high expectations in which good teaching, learning and behaviour can flourish.  The leadership of teaching has improved and is now good. Leaders have been successful in eradicating weaker teaching and tackling underperformance. Leaders provide effective support and training to teachers to improve the quality of teaching. As a result, the quality of teaching is good and improving, and pupils make good progress. Teachers’ pay progression is linked closely to performance against the teachers’ standards.  Middle leaders are effective in their roles. Senior leaders ensure they receive good support and training, including opportunities to check the quality of teaching and learning. Middle leaders work with teachers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

effectively to improve the quality of teaching, and hold them more responsible for the progress their pupils make. They know the main strengths of the school and its areas for development, and leaders involve them in the development of the school improvement plan.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and is effective in promoting key skills. Interesting topics make good links between subjects; for example, the topic on Romans in Year 3 encouraged enthusiastic writing through real-life experiences. Pupils are provided with a wide range of experiences, including visits, artistic and musical events, tap-dancing sessions and being part of a choir. During the inspection, pupils from all classes attended and enjoyed science workshops, which generated much awe and wonder. Pupils across the school enjoy learning French.  Leaders and managers ensure that pupils’ progress is carefully tracked. Regular checks on pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

progress ensure that senior leaders and staff quickly identify pupils who are not doing as well as they should. Additional support is put in place to help these pupils make better progress. As a result, different groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make good progress. This demonstrates leaders’ commitment to promoting equality of opportunity for pupils and tackling discrimination. However, the systems to meet the increasing range of learning needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language are not robust enough to ensure that these pupils always make the progress of which they are capable.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively, and this is underpinned by the school’s ‘five Gs’ motto: ‘God, growing, grace, giving and guiding’. Pupils learn about different cultures and religions represented in modern Britain, including visiting different places of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

worship. British values are effectively promoted through, for example, pupils’ involvement in the democratic process of electing members of the school council and house captains, holding mock elections, and learning about the importance of Armistice Day. As a result of the school’s work, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The primary physical education and sports premium funding is used effectively and has increased the range of sporting opportunities available to pupils and helped to develop staff confidence in teaching physical education. This has resulted in greater pupil participation in sports and more competitions against other schools.  Leaders, including governors, ensure that the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. Booster groups and small-group support in reading, writing and mathematics and homework clubs have helped to ensure that these pupils make the same good progress as all other pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 A large majority of the parents responding to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including the parents that inspectors spoke to during the inspection, say that the school is well led and managed. A large majority of staff responding to the staff questionnaire agree with them.  The local authority provides effective support through reports, specific advice and support, and by brokering partnerships with other schools. It has also provided training for governors on the use of pupil performance information.  The governance of the school There have been a number of changes in the membership of the governing body since the previous inspection. Governors now provide the appropriate levels of support and challenge to senior leaders. They visit the school to gain first-hand information, and carefully consider the information provided for them by senior leaders and middle managers. They have a secure understanding of the strengths of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

the school and also areas where it can improve. Governors bring a good range of skills and knowledge to their roles, and they use these well to ask searching questions of school leaders. Through the training they receive, governors have a good understanding of the performance information, and know how pupils, including different groups of pupils, are doing in the school. Governors have also received training on safeguarding, including Prevent training to recognise signs of radicalisation and extremism. Governors have worked with the headteacher to improve the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. They have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and its impact on outcomes for pupils. Governors know about the management of teachers’ performance and the links between this and teachers’ pay progression. Governors manage the finance and resources that are available to the school, including the pupil

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

premium, effectively and know of the impact of spending on pupil achievement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders, governors and staff work closely to ensure that pupils are safe. All staff receive regular training on safeguarding, and are aware of how to identify whether pupils are at risk and the reporting procedures if they have any concerns. Almost all parents responding to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, say that their children feel safe at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Leaders, including governors, and managers have been successful in improving the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. The quality of teaching is good and ensures that pupils make good progress with their learning. Teaching is typically stronger in Key Stage 1 than Key Stage 2.  A strong feature of lessons is the very calm and purposeful atmosphere for learning across the school, with teachers and teaching assistants establishing strong working relationships with their pupils. Expectations are high and pupils have good attitudes to learning, and they strive to do their best. Pupils work together well and share their views and ideas. For example, pupils in a Year 6 lesson were engaged in deep discussions as they planned to recount a UFO sighting.  The school has introduced a new system of assessing pupils’ progress. Assessment information is used effectively to ensure that teachers understand how well pupils are achieving, and they use this

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

information to plan lessons that are appropriate to the needs of the pupils.  The quality of marking of pupils’ work has improved since the previous inspection, in line with the school’s policy on marking. Pupils are given guidance on how to improve their work, and they usually respond to the comments in teachers’ marking. This is helping pupils to enhance their understanding and make further progress with their learning.  More able pupils are often provided with additional challenges to deepen their learning. As a result, they make good progress with their learning.  Teaching assistants work well with pupils who have particular needs, including those who are at risk of underachievement, and provide them with effective support. As a result, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, pupils who speak English as an additional language and disadvantaged pupils make good progress. However, occasionally pupils who speak English as an additional language,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

especially those who are at advanced stages of speaking English as an additional language, do not always receive the support they need to access learning. They sometimes find some of the rich vocabulary used in lessons too challenging . At other times, these pupils are not sufficiently challenged in lessons . As a result, their progress slows.  Pupils enjoy reading, and staff use daily reading sessions effectively to listen to pupils read and discuss their reading with them. Phonics (the sounds that letters make) is taught effectively across the school, and is helping pupils to read.  Pupils are encouraged to write at length and across different subject areas. As a result, pupils’ progress in writing over time has been strong.  Pupils learn a range of calculation skills to solve mathematical problems, including word problems, and are able to extend their mathematical vocabulary. In a Year 4 mathematics lesson on fractions, for

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

example, pupils worked in pairs to identify mathematics in a picture and were able to apply a wide range of mathematical knowledge and skills to explain different concepts to one another. However, in mathematics pupils do not always have sufficient time to deepen their understanding about mathematical concepts before new learning starts. As a result, there are some gaps in their learning.  Some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, do not always present their work well and complete their tasks. As a result, they make mistakes in their work and their progress slows.  Although teachers ask pupils questions about their learning, sometimes the questioning is not probing enough to check and deepen their understanding and extend their thinking.  Pupils say that they receive a good quantity and quality of homework to extend their learning. Most parents responding to Parent View agree with them.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are proud of their school. They are respectful and caring of each other and adults . Pupils from different backgrounds work and play together happily. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do their best. They interact with each other well, for example when working with a partner or in small groups.  Pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles, including healthy eating. Pupils say that their cooked lunch at school keeps them healthy. The various sporting activities, including lunchtime clubs, contribute effectively to the physical health and well-being of pupils. Pupils enjoy attending the breakfast and after- school clubs; these provide a safe and healthy start and end to the school day.  Pupils enjoy and value all the different responsibilities they are given, including classroom ambassadors,

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Personal development and welfare

members of the school council, playtime pals and house captains.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and can approach a member of staff easily if they have any concerns about their safety. They are confident that staff will not tolerate any language or actions that may be offensive. Pupils are taught well how to keep themselves safe, and know about, for example, road and fire safety and how to keep safe when using the internet.  Pupils have a good awareness of different types of bullying, including racist and homophobic bullying and cyber-bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare; this is confirmed by the behaviour records that the school keeps which show very few incidents of poor behaviour.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Expectations of how everyone should behave are made clear, in line with the school’s behaviour policy, and are understood by the pupils. They appreciate the incentives they get for positive behaviour, and understand that there are consequences for unacceptable behaviour.  Pupils are polite and friendly, and conduct themselves well around the school. In lessons, pupils are eager to learn, they behave well, and there is no disruption to learning. However, occasionally some pupils are inattentive and lose concentration, especially if they are not sure what to do. As a result, progress slows.  Attendance is above the national average and persistent absence is low. Pupils are keen to start their learning and their punctuality is good. The breakfast club also helps in ensuring good attendance and punctuality. However, the attendance of a small number of disadvantaged pupils is below the national

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Behaviour

average.  Most parents responding to Parent View agree that the school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ achievement is good, and improvements in teaching are leading to pupils making better progress throughout the school. The school’s own information, since the previous inspection, shows that pupils make good progress throughout the school in a range of different subjects across the curriculum. The current pupils are also making good progress, including in reading, writing and mathematics. This is confirmed by the good progress seen in pupils’ books and in lesson observations across the different year groups.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2014 was significantly above average in reading, writing and mathematics, and their attainment improved further in 2015. Pupils make good and sometimes better progress in reading, writing and mathematics because of the strong teaching in Key Stage 1.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 tests in 2014 was significantly above average in reading,

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Outcomes for pupils are good

writing and mathematics, and broadly average in 2015. The school’s information shows that a large majority of pupils, some with complex learning needs, in the 2015 cohort had lower starting points.  The most-able pupils are well challenged in lessons, and the school’s information confirms that they make good progress across the year groups. In Key Stage 1 in 2014 and 2015, a significant proportion of the most-able pupils attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of Key Stage 2 tests in 2014, a significant proportion of the most-able pupils attained the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics; in 2015, their attainment at these higher levels was broadly average.  The proportion of pupils who achieved the expected level in the Year 1 phonics check in 2015 was above the national average. The teaching of phonics is strong in the school, and pupils’ knowledge of the

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Outcomes for pupils are good

sounds that letters make is helping them to enjoy reading. As a result, pupils make good progress in reading.  Attainment in writing has been particularly strong across the different year groups. This is because pupils are encouraged to write at length in English, and across different subjects and topics. This helps them to improve their writing skills quickly.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. This is a result of teachers’ secure subject knowledge and good teaching. Pupils are able to apply their mathematical knowledge in a range of relevant problem- solving activities, both within mathematics lessons and in their topic work.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because their progress is tracked carefully, and they receive effective care and support from staff.  There is no significant difference in the achievement of different groups of pupils. Pupils from different

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Outcomes for pupils are good

ethnic backgrounds achieve well, as do those speaking English as an additional language.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In the tests at the end of Year 6 in 2014, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates narrowed in reading, writing and mathematics and was negligible, and these pupils performed better than other pupils nationally. However, in 2015 the attainment gaps widened and they did less well than their classmates and other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. The number of disadvantaged pupils in the Year 6 cohort was small, and the progress of a few of these pupils did not meet the national expectations. This was because several pupils receiving pupil premium support had additional learning needs.  Pupils overall are well prepared for their next stage of education, with strong attitudes to learning and

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Early years provision is good

 Most children start Reception Year with skills that are typically below those for their age, particularly in language and communication and physical development. They make good progress from their starting points due to good teaching and effective care and support.  In 2014, the proportion of children that achieved a good level of development was above the national average. In 2015, the proportion achieving a good level of development was average. There was a higher number of children who joined the Reception Year later in 2015 compared with 2014. Overall, children are well prepared for transition to Year 1.  Boys do not do as well as girls, particularly in reading and writing. Leaders have taken action on this and have improved outdoor learning to support boys’ learning further. There was a very small number of disadvantaged pupils in Reception Year in 2015; they made good progress with their learning.

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Early years provision is good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. The information that is gathered through assessment is used very effectively to plan for the needs and abilities of children. However, occasionally opportunities are missed to challenge the most-able children and extend their learning.  There is a good balance of adult-led and independent activities where the children make their own decisions about what they wish to do. For example, in a lesson on letters and sounds, children used both indoor and outdoor learning areas to engage in activities on sounds and letters, and joined in with the activity on rhyming words.  Children responded well to a visitor who came into a Reception class to teach them about Diwali. Children showed much interest in the presentation, and staff extended their knowledge and understanding of the Diwali festival through questioning. The discussions also contributed to promoting children’s spiritual,

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Early years provision is good

moral, social and cultural development.  Learning journals are well presented, with photographs and annotations describing children’s achievements. These provide a good record of the progress of each individual child, including the next stage in their learning, for parents and staff as well as for the children themselves.  Good relationships with parents ensure that they are well informed about their child’s progress. They are encouraged to work in partnership with the school to support their child’s learning. There is strong parental engagement when children start Reception through ‘meet and greet’ opportunities.  The leadership of early years provision is good. Leaders have a clear view about the strengths and areas for development of the provision, and use the assessment information effectively to plan for improvements.  Teachers and other adults ensure that children are safe and well cared for at all times. Staff have had

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Early years provision is good

appropriate training in safeguarding and ensure that procedures for children’s welfare are fully in place.

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School details

Unique reference number 102592 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 10001984

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School details

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

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School details

School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Wendy Wilkinson Headteacher Pam Dryden Telephone number 020 8399 3909 Website www.stmatthews.kingston.sch.uk Email address admin@stmatthews.rbksch.org Date of previous inspection 7−8 November 2013

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Information about this school

 St Matthew’s Church of England Primary School is larger than the averaged-sized primary school.  There are two full-time Reception classes.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average compared with similar schools nationally.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support from pupil premium funding (additional money provided by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is below average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The school runs a breakfast club during term time, which is managed by the governing body.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 21 lessons, of which five were joint observations with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour and attitudes in classrooms, and at breaks and lunchtimes.  A meeting was held with different groups of pupils to discuss their learning and views about the school. Inspectors listened to pupils read in Years 1, 2 and 6 and discussed their reading with them.  The inspectors held discussions with senior and middle leaders and five governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. A discussion was also held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors examined a range of school documents, including information on pupils’ progress across the school, improvement plans and checks on the quality of teaching. They also examined the school records relating to behaviour, safety and attendance.  The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ books across the school and written work to see what progress they

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Information about this inspection

make and the quality of teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils.  The inspectors took account of 143 responses received from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. In addition, inspectors spoke to parents in the playground at the start of the school day and considered several letters from parents.  The inspectors also considered 27 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Avtar Sherri, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Joanna Brinkley Ofsted Inspector David Robinson Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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