Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Kim Divey and Gayle Jenkins Interim Executive Headteachers Chandlers Field Primary School High Street West Molesey Surrey KT8 2LX

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 14 June 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 2015. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with both of you and the interim head of school, other leaders, the chair of the governing body and a representative from the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the school improvement plan, minutes of governors’ meetings and documentation related to safeguarding.

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Context

Since the last inspection in November, you have both reduced the number of days you work to one day each week and the interim head of school now works full time. Two teachers are on maternity leave and temporary arrangements have been put in place until the end of term.

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Main findings

Both of you, along with the interim head of school, are working effectively together to improve teaching and leadership. The school improvement plan provides some useful detail as to how the school will move forward when you leave at the end of this academic year. Sharpening this plan would be helpful to guide the permanent headteacher and governing body as to their priorities. The school improvement plan also does not show how your intended actions will improve pupils’ achievement. Providing this detail will support leaders to maintain the momentum of improvement you have built up.

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Main findings

You have tackled long-term staffing issues, linked to support staff roles, with rigour and determination. As a result, the staff structure from September meets the needs of pupils much more fully. Although there is more to do to ensure all teaching assistants have the necessary skills to support learning, your plans for training and development early next term are appropriate.

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Main findings

Governors have built upon the positive work they had started in November. Having checked the skills and training needs of existing governors, they have now recruited new governors with the right skills to meet the school’s needs. The governing body is well placed to take up the full scope of its responsibilities, including the necessary checks on school improvement, which have been carried out by the local authority.

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Main findings

Many teachers are becoming more skilled at meeting the needs of pupils with differing abilities. All teachers now plan work at different levels and they are increasingly aware of the need to challenge the most able pupils. However, many of the activities provided are too easy and do not extend pupils’ thinking and deepen their understanding.

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Main findings

Teachers have a better understanding of the school’s assessment system and are using it more effectively to check pupils’ progress. The moderation you have been doing with other local schools is helping to ensure the accuracy of assessments and it is positive that local authority moderation confirmed the school’s judgements.

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Main findings

Practice in the Nursery is becoming more consistent with the Reception class, as a result of the early years leader’s liaison with the lead practitioner. It is positive to see the range of activities outside as well as in the classroom. The increased writing opportunities are also good to see. The curriculum has begun to provide a greater range of experiences in other subjects, such as art and music. The themed weeks, including international week and music week, which took place during the inspection, enabled pupils to deepen their knowledge. However, there is more to do to ensure that these opportunities are embedded and that they become an integral part of pupils’ experiences at the school.

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Main findings

Leaders’ work to improve behaviour has had a positive impact. Although there are still some classes where low-level disruption is evident, this is much less common than it was. You are providing support for teachers whose expectations are not high enough and helping them to manage the classroom environment in a positive way.

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Main findings

Pupils are making more progress as a result of improvements in teaching. Accelerated progress is more evident in reading and mathematics than in writing. Although work has been done to raise standards through the introduction of a more consistent approach, it is not yet having enough impact and writing standards continue to be too low in most areas of the school.

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External support

The local authority provides useful support, through monitoring teaching and learning, support with the governing body and half-termly meetings to review progress. Subject advisers have also provided useful training for writing and mathematics.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the director of children’s services for Surrey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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