Felbridge Primary School

Felbridge Primary School Crawley Down Road, Felbridge, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 2NT

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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 Good

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This is a good school

 Pupils like school. The vast majority say they feel safe and happy.  Pupils generally make good progress and leave having attained good standards by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and helps them develop a strong sense of their own self-worth.  Much of the teaching is good and there are some examples of exemplary practice.  Pupils are taught well how to read. They are encouraged to practise their reading at home. As a result, half of them read at the highest level by the end of Key Stage 1.  Leaders ensure that all statutory duties are executed fully. Safeguarding arrangements are secure and effective.  Teachers establish good routines with pupils so that they all know how to behave appropriately.  Pupils conduct themselves well around the site. They are polite and courteous with adults and

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This is a good school

cooperate well with each other.  Most children in the early years make a good start to their education, which helps get them ready for Year 1.  Leaders at all levels work with parents and carers to ensure that communication is an open and two- way process.  Governors know the school well. They are clear about its strengths and apply strong analytical skills to their overview of its performance.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils regularly make more than average levels of progress by the end of Key Stage 2, except in reading.  Standards in mathematics for higher attaining pupils are not as high as for other pupils nationally with similar starting points.  Not all pupils, especially boys, take as much care or pride in their work as they should. Some present it untidily and others leave it incomplete.  Not enough children in the early years make the rapid progress of which they are capable.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes in writing and mathematics for all pupils, especially those who are higher attaining, so that they attain the highest possible standards consistently by: increasing the frequency of checks on learning and the rigour of assessment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of challenge provided in feedback on work so that boys in particular take more time to present their work more clearly, complete it all and adjust its quality regularly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate outcomes in the early years by: identifying next steps accurately, particularly for the most-able children so that an even greater number of children meet and exceed the early learning goals.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Both co-headteachers are passionate about the school. They have built a team that supports their ambition. The team is loyal and supportive of leaders. Leaders support admirably staff facing personal challenges as part of the ‘family atmosphere’ of which they are duly proud.  The school has an unusual leadership structure. Two co-headteachers lead it. One was a former deputy headteacher of the school. The co-headteachers presented this model to the governors as a positive way of enabling their own career development while retaining continuity in the leadership of the school. Governors will review the arrangement at the end of the current academic year 2015/16.  Although the shared leadership is working well and ensuring pupils’ good progress and good personal development, it is too early to judge whether it will lead to pupils achieving the very highest standards in mathematics or in the presentation of their work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Parents generally like the family ethos and told inspectors that their daughters and sons are happy at school. Pupils also like the way teachers look after them and ‘sort out any problems’. Not all parents, though, believe that the school communicates with them effectively. Leaders are working on ways to change this.  Leadership of subjects is undertaken by more experienced classroom teachers so that all staff are able to keep up with developments in policy and practice. For example, the leadership of mathematics is concerned to keep standards as high as possible despite recent changes to the National Curriculum. This is necessary because the standards attained by Year 6 pupils in 2015 were lower than in previous years. The subject leader has undertaken a thorough review of why this might have occurred. Training to improve the teaching of mathematics is under way.  Leaders are increasingly seeking ways of sharing more widely the good practice that exists in some parts

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

of the school. They have been ably assisted in this by officers from Surrey County Council. They have also looked further afield to gather examples of effective practice. They share ideas and activities with the East Grinstead Group of Schools (EGGS). In one case, teachers from a group of schools looked at the quality of work to check that teachers’ assessments were accurate.  When teaching is less effective, leaders provide structured plans so that teachers are supported to develop their practice. All teachers receive regular training opportunities, mainly appropriate to their needs.  The school’s curriculum is organised in discrete subjects such as science, history, geography, art, and food technology. This provides good support to their learning in the core subjects of mathematics, reading and writing. Many pupils also benefit from wider, extra-curricular activities. For many pupils, there are trips to the theatre, sporting events and places of worship. These contribute securely to their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are prepared well for life in diverse modern Britain. They learn about world religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and Islam in religious education. Pupils also have regular French lessons. They like this.  Leaders’ work to promote fundamental British values is effective. Pupils are reflective and demonstrate respect for other faiths and cultures. They know the school’s golden rules, which are published in each classroom. The school is heavily involved in the local community. Pupils are actively encouraged to participate in democracy through elections to the school council.  Leaders ensure that the primary school physical education and sports premium is put to good use. For example, it has been used to reduce the number of non-swimmers, to develop teachers’ confidence in planning and structuring physical education, and for training pupils in tag rugby.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school Governance is effective. Governors have a clear understanding of the school. They know its strengths and those areas that are in need of further development. Governors conduct detailed checks on the performance of teachers and limit pay awards to those who meet their targets. Governors take great care with the arrangements for safeguarding and child protection. They have recently initiated a review of some important policies which are clear and helpful to staff and parents alike. Governors’ meetings and other aspects of the school’s administration are expertly managed by the clerk who is also the school business manager. Governors visit the school frequently. They look at a wide range of its activity to ensure that progress is being made in key aspects of its work. They provide good support to senior leaders and hold them to account as best they can. Governors have ensured that leaders use the relatively small pupil

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

premium allocation (additional funding from the government for eligible pupils) to support appropriately the learning of these pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The checks that teachers make on adults working in the school, site security during the day and the maintenance of the premises are all good. Pupils say they feel safe and the vast majority of parents agree. Inspectors found some gaps in the school’s records of incidents. This process is under review and is being appropriately strengthened.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is good most of the time. There are some examples of exemplary practice. In one history lesson, for example, the pupils were inspired to look in detail at historical sources as a means of learning about the Second World War and they rapidly improved their investigative skills. In a writing lesson, pupils were assessing adeptly their own and other’s writing in response to a Christmas advertisement. They were adjusting their work to take account accurately of rules about spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Good teaching is enhanced in most classes by the use of focused questioning. This probes pupils for greater understanding, which extends their knowledge and skills further.  Pupils’ assessment of their own work is extremely good. They write helpful comments, in red pen, to themselves and each other. Teachers frequently extend this assessment by noting good work in green pen and any points for improvement in pink. This consistent system across the school contributes to good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

progress.  Both in the early years and in Key Stages 1 and 2, not enough teachers convert this excellent practice into really challenging the most able. Too much incomplete work exists in books. This is especially true for boys, although some girls also fail to finish work on time. Too few teachers challenge work that is just average, or not presented neatly nor in keeping with the published high expectations of the school. Consequently, too few pupils go on to accelerate their learning and attain at the highest level.  The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Even lower attaining pupils read well out loud. They are able to apply reading skills developed earlier in their learning journey. Pupils visit the library regularly and many borrow books to practise reading at home. Year 6 pupils read a wide range of age-appropriate material. This supports their language development considerably.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 All teachers have established good routines for managing their classes. Pupils respond immediately to instructions so that little time is lost moving from one place to another or between activities. They also encourage pupils to work out each lesson’s ‘steps to success’. Most pupils, therefore, know how well they are doing against the specified learning intentions.  Teachers plan cooperatively to reduce the amount of time given to this process. They share ideas and materials effectively. Recently, they have implemented a system of observing each other’s work so that they can learn how to teach mathematics more effectively. Early indications are positive but it is too soon to see the full impact of this initiative.  Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the work of the school. Some work skilfully with small groups, often in the handy side rooms to each class. Others work with specific pupils to speed up their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

learning. For example, the tiny proportion of pupils who have English as an additional language receive support so that they can access securely all learning activities. All assistants provide good support to the class teachers. Many take over whole-class teaching successfully when the class teacher is required elsewhere. Teaching assistants are an important part of the community. They play a key role in keeping the pupils safe at playtimes. They ensure that pupils consume only healthy snacks.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. This is achieved through a good range of learning opportunities and effective pastoral care.  Pupils leave the school with a strong sense of their own self-worth. This is nurtured in the family atmosphere and ethos, set by the leadership team and celebrated by all.  Clear arrangements for safeguarding pupils are in place and all staff have been trained to spot any signs of neglect, abuse or children at risk.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe at all times, including when online.  Pupils exhibit real passion for learning when teaching is inspiring. Many pupils spoke impressively to inspectors and talked about high career aspirations. All pupils were articulate and communicated gentle self-confidence when speaking to members of the team.  Inspectors did not find a consistent understanding of bullying across the community. Various

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Personal development and welfare

interpretations were used, despite the school’s clear anti-bullying policy. More teaching, sensitively handled, is needed in all year groups. This is so that the identification of actual bullying is secure, and can be recorded accurately. Not all parents are confident that bullying is currently managed effectively.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. It is encouraged by the behaviour target ‘ladder’ in each classroom. Pupils understand this and challenge themselves to remain on ‘green’ at all times. This has a positive impact on the culture and climate in classrooms and around the school.  Pupils conduct themselves well at all times. Pupils do not, as a rule, disrupt the learning of others, though they can sometimes be distracted from learning themselves. This is usually the result of weaker teaching that does not inspire them or challenge them to do their best. In the worst cases, this results in shabby presentation and a lack of care in their work.  Pupils are polite and friendly to adults. They are courteous and cooperate well with each other. They play together well and generally try to include everyone in games and activities.  Playtimes are supervised well. The playgrounds are zoned appropriately for different age groups. The

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Behaviour

school uses its ‘time-out’ space as a simple way of ‘nipping in the bud’ any over-boisterous behaviour.  Pupils attend school regularly. Rates of absence are below national averages.  The school has not either permanently or for a fixed term excluded any pupils in at least the last four years.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Many pupils join the school ready to learn. They make good progress in Key Stage 1. This builds on the positive start made in the early years. They make good progress in Year 1. For example, they start the year making marks associated with stories or pictures. By the end of term, they are writing short sentences. A few write more complex sentences and are beginning to form paragraphs.  Recently published data show that generally pupils make expected progress broadly in line with national averages in Key Stage 1. Pupils in Key Stage 2 also historically made expected progress in line with national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  In 2014, all pupils achieved this benchmark in reading, writing and mathematics. However, these extremely good results were not repeated in 2015. There was below-average performance in expected progress in mathematics and reading. Outcomes in writing remained good, however. There was a wide

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Outcomes for pupils are good

gap between those who made more than expected progress in mathematics and their peers nationally.  Leaders are rightly concerned that pupils, over time, have not developed sufficient resilience to tackle tricky assessment papers. They are working to develop this critical skill through aspects of the personal, social, health and economic education programme. They recognise the need to develop good learning habits in the pupils, especially as positive ‘can do’ attitudes. They also recognise the need to encourage other important learning habits, such as organising work neatly and completing all tasks in a timely manner.  Half the pupils in the current Year 6 had reached above-average levels of attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 in reading. They are on track to achieve extremely good outcomes in this core subject. Robust work is under way to ensure that they achieve equally well in mathematics in 2016.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Progress in other subjects is good in terms of the knowledge, skills and understanding pupils are developing. However, the rates of progress need to accelerate so that learning in science, for example, is at the same pace as in reading.  Consistently, across all subjects, despite good or better prior attainment, too few pupils exceed expected levels of progress. Too few are challenged to do as well as they can.  The proportions of pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs are well below national averages so their performance was not considered separately.  The proportions of disadvantaged pupils (mainly those eligible for free school meals) are also so small that their performance was not considered separately.  Pupils are generally well prepared for their entry to secondary school. They are being prepared for a diverse range of secondary settings. Many like the extra work they do at home which supports their

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Outcomes for pupils are good

preparation for selection and entrance tests.

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Early years provision is good

 Leadership of the early years is effective. It leads to consistently good provision that is constantly improving. Leaders ensure that even temporarily appointed staff have the right skills to enable children to make regular progress towards the early learning goals.  The Reception Year children learn in a bright and stimulating environment. They benefit from a good range of equipment and materials which support their development in the prime areas of learning. Leaders ensure that the outdoor learning environment mirrors the provision of play and learning activities inside. Even when it is raining and wet, children enjoy going into the outdoor space to explore further the world around them.  Over time, leaders have acted to improve quickly the learning opportunities available. For example, children have focused and systematic sessions in phonics (letters and the sounds they make).  Adults work effectively with children most of the time. They ask lots of questions and invite them to

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Early years provision is good

explain what they are doing. This means that all children grow in confidence with their communication and learn well.  Adults work well with parents to ensure that children’s time in the setting is purposeful and productive. Parents contribute helpful information and evidence to the process of initial assessment. This contributes to a positive start for the vast majority.  Children make good progress in their time in the early years so that, year on year, more are entering Year 1 having attained a good level of development. Few, however, go on to exceed the national average, even though many are bright, alert and keen to accelerate their learning. Inspectors talked to children who had an extensive vocabulary already and a significant group who had developed good use and understanding of number.  The most-able children do not always benefit from activities that enable them to access higher order skills

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Early years provision is good

or deepen their knowledge. Not all the activities or interactions from adults challenge such children to learn as much as possible.  Leaders have recently put in place a technology-based system for tracking and monitoring children’s progress. This has improved adults’ access to detailed information about what each child knows, understands and can do. They are also able to capture quickly pieces of evidence from observations, which helps them to assess how well each child is doing.  Children are safe and happy in the setting. They cooperate well with each other, taking turns as appropriate. They are safeguarded well.

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School details

Unique reference number 124971 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10001272 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4 — 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 205 Appropriate authority Surrey County Council Chair Mark Taylor Headteacher (Co-headteachers) Andrea Trigg and Yasmin Ravandi Telephone number 01342 323413 Website www.felbridgeprimary.com Email address info@felbridge.surrey.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 29–30 March 2011

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Information about this school

 Felbridge Primary School is smaller than the average primary school. It is located on the outskirts of East Grinstead, West Sussex.  There are slightly fewer girls than boys.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is very small.  The proportion of pupils from black and minority ethnic groups is below average.  All pupils have English as their main language.  There is a tiny proportion of pupils who receive support for special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils supported with a statement of special education needs or with an education, health and care plan is above the national average. However, these numbers are skewed by the relatively small cohort sizes.  The proportion of pupils who stay in the school through all of their primary education is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils from deprived households is extremely low.  The school participates in the East Grinstead Group of Schools. It receives support from Surrey County

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Information about this school

Council’s school improvement service, run by Babcock 4S.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection began as a short inspection of a good school under section 8 of the Education Act, 2005. On day 1, the lead inspector converted the inspection into a full section 5 inspection in order to gather sufficient evidence to confirm that the school remains good.  Inspectors observed learning in all year groups and classes. On day 1, the lead inspector jointly observed learning with the co-headteachers during two lengthy tours of the school. Inspectors also observed an assembly, the dining hall during the Christmas lunch and the departure of pupils from the site.  Inspectors met with the governors and with a representative of the local authority in her capacity as the school’s leadership partner.  Inspectors also met with a large number of parents at the school gate. Inspectors took into account 53 responses to Parent View (Ofsted’s confidential online survey tool). They also considered the much

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Information about this inspection

larger sample of parent responses to its own survey.  Inspectors met with two groups of pupils and heard a further two groups of pupils read. They spoke to pupils on the playgrounds and in lessons. They also considered 26 responses to Ofsted’s new online survey for pupils.  Inspectors took into account 22 responses to its new online staff survey. They also spoke to a group of subject leaders. The lead inspector held regular meetings with the school’s leaders.  The inspection team considered the time of year and adjusted inspection activities to take into account celebrations of Christmas under way at the time.

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Inspection team

Dr Simon Hughes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Jo Lakey Ofsted Inspector Susan Quirk 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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