Hamsey Green Primary

Hamsey Green Primary School Tithepit Shaw Lane, Warlingham, Surrey CR6 9AP

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement

 Leaders’ systems to check the school’s work are underdeveloped. Governors and leaders do not make robust plans to improve the school. As a result, progress since the last inspection has been too slow.  Different groups of pupils do not consistently make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Leaders do not check carefully to make sure additional funding is well spent.  Standards in reading at key stage 2 are too low. Teachers do not ensure pupils read regularly to adults or select books at the right level of difficulty.  Teachers provide insufficient feedback to assist pupils to learn well and make good progress.  Disadvantaged pupils attend school less regularly than their peers. They do not make the more rapid progress needed to do as well as they should.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The committed staff team works hard to put suggested improvements in place.  There is a wide range of visits and visitors to enliven the curriculum.  Children in the early years settle quickly into school. They enjoy learning and are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils feel safe and secure because they know adults will always support them.  Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. This is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils by: – ensuring provision for different groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, pupils who have special educational needs or disability and the most able, is carefully targeted to need so that they make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics – improving systems to check pupils’ reading in key stage 2 so that progress is at least in line with the national average – ensuring that pupils receive helpful guidance to improve their learning and make good progress.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by: – using the information from leaders’ checks on teachers’ work effectively to inform robust action plans which focus on the key areas for school improvement – implementing the recommendations from the pupil premium review which took place in March 2016 – carefully evaluating the impact of additional funding to ensure expenditure represents good value for

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

money.  Increase the proportion of pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, who attend school regularly.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken to improve this aspect of the school’s work.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have not secured consistently good teaching or outcomes for pupils since the last inspection.  Senior and middle level leaders work hard on a range of strategies to improve the school. They have achieved success with some shared projects, such as improving pupils’ conduct around the school. However, systems to record leaders’ findings and check the impact of their work are underdeveloped. They do not use information effectively to plan for improvement. Consequently, they miss opportunities to build on good practice, such as approaches to reading in key stage 1, to raise standards across the school.  The electronic system to track pupils’ progress, developed since the last inspection, helps leaders use information about pupils’ achievement more effectively. For example, it helps them plan additional support for pupils who are falling behind, including those who have special educational needs or

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

disability. However, the impact of this support is not carefully evaluated to ensure it provides consistently good value for money.  Leaders’ checks on teachers’ work have very recently been streamlined. The new useful teacher profiles help leaders see quickly where individual teachers need support or training and if suggested actions for development have been implemented. Leaders do not use this system effectively to identify trends to improve the standard of teaching across the school.  The use of the pupil premium grant (additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils) was subject to an external review in March 2016. The funding is allocated to a wide range of projects, such as learning mentors or small-group support. However, leaders do not evaluate the impact of this work carefully enough, to ensure disadvantaged pupils make the progress they should.  Leaders sensibly take advantage of opportunities to work with other schools to build good practice from

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

other schools. For example, collaboration with local primary schools helped teachers check the accuracy of judgements about pupils’ work, and develop shared approaches to the new national curriculum at Hamsey Green.  Work to improve provision for the most able pupils is under way. Leaders are exploring ways to raise standards, such as author workshops or mathematics and science days at the secondary school. There has also been training to improve teachers’ skills in asking probing questions. All this is too recent to judge the impact on pupils’ progress.  Pupils say that their cross-curricular topics are fun because ‘there is so much to learn and a wide range of things to do’. They enjoy challenges, such as creating a lunar theme park, which fire their imagination. Pupils enjoy the variety of trips and visits arranged to support their learning. For example, older pupils learning Spanish met students from Spain. There are equal opportunities for pupils to participate in all

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

activities.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, they learned about democracy through electing a pupil to be headteacher for the day. They learn tolerance and respect through lessons about different religions. Pupils are encouraged to contribute their ideas, including through the school council, and adults respond positively to their views. For example, assembly formats were changed to incorporate celebrations of good behaviour. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves out of harm’s way through events such as anti-bullying week or through debating safe use of social media.  The sports premium funding is used effectively to provide a variety of sports and competitions which interest pupils so they participate enthusiastically. Pupils enjoy attending the wide range of after-school clubs, which encourage them to be active.  The well-targeted support from the local authority got off to a slow start. However, work to improve

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

aspects of teaching such as phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is showing positive impact on pupils’ progress. The dedicated school staff work hard to implement consultants’ suggestions in order to improve the school.  Pupils are kept safe and secure at Hamsey Green. The school works effectively with external agencies such as social services, the educational psychologist and the education welfare officer to promote pupils’ well-being. Recent staff training about safeguarding and how to prevent extremism means all adults are vigilant.  The governance of the school – Governors visit the school regularly to find out for themselves about teaching and learning. The more accurate information about pupils’ progress provided by the electronic tracking system helps them question leaders carefully about standards and understand where the school needs to improve. However, they do not ensure there are consistently robust plans to address the issues they find.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

– Governors know how pupil premium and sports premium funding is allocated, but have not ensured senior leaders provide a robust evaluation of expenditure to check it represents good value for money. Governors ensure that teachers receive pay awards only where merited by good performance. – Governors are exploring a change in the school’s status to become part of a multi-academy trust.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is inconsistent across the school. There is stronger teaching in some classes which builds carefully on pupils’ prior knowledge so they consolidate and deepen their understanding. These teachers model clearly what pupils are expected to achieve, so pupils know what to aim for. On these occasions, pupils make good progress. However, in other classes, teachers do not plan well-structured sequences of lessons to develop learning effectively. Pupils are unsure of expectations, which holds back progress.  The majority of classes have well-established routines which help lessons run smoothly and ensure no time is wasted. However, some teachers interrupt the flow of learning with too-frequent reminders about the task, which stops pupils working as hard as they could and slows their learning.  The recently developed target cards for writing and mathematics help teachers plan lessons at the right

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

level of challenge for the majority of pupils, but targets are not used consistently across year groups, with some classes covering more ground than others. The targets for pupils who have special educational needs or disability are not carefully tailored to ensure these pupils can work towards their personal goals to make good progress.  Teaching assistants are usually deployed effectively. For example, they help pupils express their ideas more clearly or develop their skills of reasoning. They demonstrate effectively what pupils need to do, so pupils tackle tasks with increased confidence.  There has been a focus on developing independent learning. This is promoted well by the helpful displays and useful resources in each classroom. Pupils are starting to take more responsibility for their own learning by reviewing their own and others’ work, but this needs further development to be fully effective.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Some groups of pupils, most often those who find learning hard, are over reliant on adult support and find it hard to work without help.  Teachers promote pleasure in reading through book weeks and author workshops. Pupils say they enjoy reading. Pupils who read to inspectors used their knowledge of letters and sounds effectively to sound out tricky words. In key stage 1, pupils are well supported because teachers make sure they regularly read books at the right level of challenge. Most pupils make the progress they should. In key stage 2, teachers do not check pupils’ books carefully to ensure they are of appropriate difficulty. There is not an effective system in all classes to ensure pupils read to an adult on a regular basis. Progress in reading at key stage 2 is too slow.  Some teachers provide useful feedback to challenge pupils’ thinking and help them make good progress. This is not consistent and many teachers provide too little guidance to help pupils improve their work or

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

move on to the next step in learning.  The most able pupils are increasingly encouraged to apply reasoning and think deeply about their work. But this greater level of challenge is not consistent across the school. In some classes these pupils are held back because they have to complete easier work before moving on to more demanding tasks. Consequently, they do not make the faster progress of which they are capable.  Some parents said they appreciated how the school consulted them about homework, so they can support their children at home. The new online mathematics programme enables parents to support and track their child’s progress. Pupils engage enthusiastically in open-ended homework projects linked to their topics, such as ‘Castles’, producing some good-quality work to share at school.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They concentrate well in lessons, listening carefully to their teacher and each other to develop their understanding.  There are good relationships between pupils and adults, which help pupils feel secure. Pupils are rightly encouraged to deal with disagreements between themselves in the first instance, but are also confident there are plenty of adults to support them if needed. The playground zones and staggered playtimes help pupils play safely and happily.  A minority of parents said the school does not respond quickly enough to concerns about bullying. However, pupils said bullying is rare and that cyber bullying, if it occurs, is tackled effectively. There are assemblies to help pupils understand about bullying and lessons to promote e-safety. One pupil commented, ‘It is all safe and sound’.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 Site security is robust and pupils are well cared for. The before- and after-school clubs and Bina’s Breakfast have effective systems to register pupils so everyone is carefully accounted for. Pupils wear high-visibility jackets as they are escorted across the large site, ensuring adults keep them in view. Leaders include pupils in health and safety walks, in order to take the pupils’ perspective on safety into account.  Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibility through roles such as team captains and playground buddies. The buddy system contributes effectively to pupils’ well-being as pupils look out for each other well. A Year 6 pupil noted, ‘If you feel a bit lonely there is always someone.’ The Good Friends Café provides a safe refuge for vulnerable pupils who dislike the busy playground.  The school promotes healthy lifestyles through initiatives such as ‘the golden mile’, which encourages

p.5

Personal development and welfare

pupils to be active. Pupils are taught to make healthy meal choices and understand the impact of diet on health.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils demonstrate good manners in lessons and as they walk safely around the school. They hold doors open, and look out for others. They keep the site clean and tidy.  The school’s behaviour policy is applied consistently by all adults. This helps pupils understand the school’s high expectations for ‘kind words, kind actions’. Parents are informed of concerns so consequences can be followed up at home.  Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. Leaders implement a range of strategies to improve the attendance of individual pupils, such as meeting parents or fixed penalty notices. Bina’s Breakfast and the learning mentor support pupils to be punctual. However, there is more to be done to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, which lags behind that of other pupils.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics improved in 2015 and were significantly above the national average. The proportion of pupils reaching the highest band of attainment was similar to the national average in mathematics, but fell below the national average in reading and writing. There was no difference in the performance of girls and boys. Although disadvantaged pupils started to catch up with other pupils nationally, the gap between these pupils and their peers at Hamsey Green has remained static for the past three years.  The school’s information shows that pupils currently in Year 1 and Year 2 generally make expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their different starting points. Disadvantaged pupils make progress in line with their peers. However, these pupils started much further behind. They are not making the more rapid progress needed to catch up with where they should be. Similarly, the most able

p.5

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

pupils do not make the better progress they should to reach their potential.  In Year 1, boys’ standards in reading and writing were lower than girls’ at the start of the year. Teachers provide exciting learning opportunities aimed at developing boys’ literacy skills. For example, boys are motivated to create menus for the class café or write about inventors such as the Wright brothers. Work in pupils’ books shows that boys now make better progress and are catching up with where they should be.  The proportion of Year 1 pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check in 2015 increased compared to previous years, and was broadly in line with the national average. A similar proportion of current Year 1 pupils are on track to reach the expected standard in 2016. There is effective additional support for pupils who have fallen behind. As a result, nearly all pupils who were below the

p.5

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

expected standard in Year 1 caught up with where they should be by the end of Year 2.  In Year 6 in 2015, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in writing and mathematics was in line with the national average. Standards in reading fell significantly below the national average. The proportion of pupils making expected or better progress in writing was in line with the national average. However, too few pupils, including the most able, made the progress they should in reading and mathematics.  Disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2015 fell further behind other pupils nationally compared to the previous two years, although they caught up with their peers in school. Gaps in attainment remain for disadvantaged pupils who are currently in Years 3 to 6. Their progress in reading, writing and mathematics is variable but overall these pupils do not make the faster progress needed in order to close

p.6

Outcomes for pupils require improvement

the gaps and do as well as they should.  Provision for the most able pupils is inconsistent across the school, but overall too few make the more rapid progress of which they are capable. Although some teachers provide extra challenges, the most able pupils are too often set tasks which are too easy for them.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability usually make slower progress than their peers. The target cards for these pupils do not set the right goals to help them make faster progress to catch up with where they should be.

p.6

Early years provision is good

 The early years leader ensures there are effective arrangements to help children settle quickly into school at the start of the year. Teachers request helpful information from pre-school settings and parents. They use this effectively across the year to plan activities which build on children’s skills and interests. As a result, children make good progress from their different starting points.  In 2014, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception was in line with the national average. Standards improved in 2015 and were above the national average. This positive picture of achievement has been maintained this year. Children are well prepared for Year 1.  Additional funding for disadvantaged children is used effectively. The extra help they receive ensures they are well supported to make good progress in line with their peers.  Adults provide a wide range of purposeful tasks to develop children’s skills across all areas of learning.

p.6

Early years provision is good

For example, children were helped to sequence their ideas in clear sentences as they enthusiastically described how to make nests for birds. Activities such as hunting for bugs and building dens help children learn to take turns and cooperate with one another, so that they develop good personal and social skills. Children use their knowledge of letters and sounds effectively to help them write for a purpose, such as making lists of the items collected on a walk. However, sometimes activities do not fully challenge the most able children to ensure they make the maximum progress possible.  Children are happy learners. They respond keenly to adults’ well-targeted questions because they are motivated by the exciting curriculum. Adults skilfully step in to support when needed, but there are many opportunities for children to initiate their own ideas. This helps develop children’s independence and confidence as well as instilling a love of learning.

p.6

Early years provision is good

 Behaviour is good. Children build positive relationships with both adults and other children. They listen to each other’s contributions with respect, which helps them extend their own ideas.  Adults ensure children are kept safe and sound. All adults are regularly trained in safeguarding procedures and adhere strictly to well-established routines to keep the site secure. Children also learn how to keep themselves safe, for example by writing safety instructions for a trip or singing road safety songs.

p.6

School details

Unique reference number 124943 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 10012305

p.7

School details

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

p.7

School details

Type of school All-through primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 391 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Corinne Fernandes Headteacher Fiona Morgan Telephone number 01883 622000 Website www.hamsey.surrey.sch.uk Email address office@hamsey.surrey.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 May 2014

p.7

Information about this school

 Hamsey Green is larger than the average primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, for which the school receives additional funding (pupil premium), is below average.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. A very small proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is lower than average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is higher than the national average.  Children attend the Reception class full time.  The school offers a daily breakfast club and before- and after-school clubs. These are managed by the governing body and were reviewed as part of this inspection.  The school is on the same site as a children’s centre. This is managed and inspected separately.  The school meets the current government floor standards.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all the classes at least once, occasionally accompanied by senior leaders. Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at pupils’ work in their books and on display.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and other leaders, four governors including the chair of the governing body, a group of staff and two representatives from Surrey local authority (Babcock 4S).  Inspectors met two groups of pupils, observed playtime and lunchtime, visited the school’s breakfast club and before- and after school clubs, and spoke informally to pupils around the school.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the end of the day, took into account a letter from a parent and analysed the 71 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors also considered 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.  A range of documents was examined, including the school’s improvement plans and self-evaluation,

p.8

Information about this inspection

documents on the school’s website, governing body records and reports from Surrey local authority.  Checks were made of arrangements for keeping pupils safe and records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ analysis of pupils’ progress and records of the quality of teaching.

p.8

Inspection team

Amanda Gard, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Clementina Aina Ofsted Inspector Daniel Lambert 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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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 .

p.9

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,

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9