Setting

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

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Mrs Jennie Ratcliff Surrey Hills Church of England Primary School School Lane Westcott Dorking Surrey RH4 3QF

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England Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 7 and 8 November 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the outcome and inspection findings. Thank you for the help that you gave during the inspection and for the time that you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken since the school’s most recent section 5 inspection.

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England Primary School

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses in November 2017. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior and middle leaders, members of the interim executive board (IEB) and a representative of the local authority. The local authority’s statement of action and the school’s action plans were evaluated. I scrutinised safeguarding documentation with you and your assistant headteachers and inclusion leader. Together with you, your assistant headteacher and inclusion leader, I visited lessons to observe pupils at work. I also scrutinised work in pupils’ books. I observed pupils’ conduct at breaktime and lunchtime.

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Context

This was the first monitoring visit since the school’s section 5 inspection in November 2017. The school’s senior leadership structure has remained stable, with the addition of a third assistant headteacher. The governing body was replaced with an IEB in January 2018. The school is situated on two separate sites in the villages of Westcott and Abinger Common. The school roll has fallen. Currently there are fewer pupils registered at the school than in 2017. This is attributed to the school’s decision to decrease the published admission number at key stage 1 from 45 to 30 and a local drop in the birth rate.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

This monitoring inspection report confirms your and other senior leaders’ views as well as that of the governing body that much work has been done to address the inspection findings fully. Senior leaders and governors have addressed with urgency the issues raised in the inspection report, resulting in sharpened safeguarding practices.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school’s action plan for improvement focuses with precision on the weaknesses identified during the November 2017 inspection. Suitable actions are identified alongside success measures, timescales and responsibilities to ensure swift and effective improvement. For example, an independent safeguarding review conducted by the local authority made a series of recommendations both for the school and the local authority. These recommendations have been successfully implemented in the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Safeguarding leads have attended enhanced safeguarding training to ensure that all areas of the school’s safeguarding procedures are fit for purpose. In collaboration with the local authority safeguarding lead, the school has completely revised the procedure for assessing the risk of adults who work at the school when facing allegations. The procedure is checked and monitored effectively by governors and where necessary by the local authority. The school has

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

implemented this very successfully. This procedure has been issued to all schools in the local authority. Leaders have a strong understanding of the statutory early years framework and changes to safeguarding procedures have been implemented since the last inspection report. To ensure the safety of pupils, leaders have also introduced a ban on the use of mobile phones in the school. This has been implemented very successfully and staff and adults appreciate the vigilance of leaders in keeping pupils safe.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Leaders and staff are highly alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour and ensure that pupils receive the support that they require. Safeguarding leaders are tenacious in re- referring cases where pupils are identified as being at risk of harm. Safeguarding documentation is securely maintained and reviewed frequently to ensure that every single child at the school is safe. The single central record of checks on staff and adults meets statutory requirements and is regularly reviewed by the safeguarding governor. Staff files are well maintained. All staff receive regular safeguarding training. Consequently, staff are acutely aware of how to protect the pupils in their care.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

As identified in the previous report, leaders have developed a very strong curriculum in Reception that is both stimulating and enriching. Throughout the curriculum, children develop knowledge, skills and understanding about how to keep safe in school and beyond. For example, through skilful questioning, teachers enable children to articulate their feelings during circle time. To strengthen children’s ability to voice their experiences, leaders have embedded a focus on philosophy in the early years curriculum. Consequently, children discuss their feelings about various concepts. It is too early, however, to judge the impact of this approach. Drawing on external agencies such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, leaders ensure that children learn about how to keep safe at school and beyond.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Pupils unanimously state that they feel safe and well cared for in the school. Pupils and staff have very strong working relationships which create a harmonious learning atmosphere. One pupil in Year 2 commented that the school was perfect, and this was echoed by many other pupils. To enable pupils to keep safe, leaders have introduced a system whereby pupils can leave a teardrop shaped note on their teacher’s desk if they have a concern. Many pupils stated very clearly that they had used this system and that staff had responded swiftly and sensitively to help them. Leaders have also appointed pupils as ‘sports crew’ to support and help other pupils at break and lunchtime if they encounter friendship difficulties. Many pupils stated that this was highly effective. As stated in the previous report, pupils say that bullying is very rare and if it does happen, staff resolve issues quickly and effectively. The

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

school’s focus on ensuring that pupils are safe when using the internet is also very effective. Pupils understand the importance of keeping safe and know what to do. The school also monitors pupils’ use of technology very well.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support to ensure that they can access the curriculum equitably and successfully. The social and emotional well-being of these pupils is supported very well by the school. Additional support such as the home–school link worker and the emotional literacy support assistants ensure that pupils feel safe and well cared for.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Pupils’ physical health is supported extremely well by the school. Leadership of physical education is a strength of the school. Pupils have a wide range of sporting opportunities to strengthen their physical health and well-being. Pupils’ social and emotional well-being is considered throughout the well-structured curriculum. For example, pupils experience the process of democracy through campaigning and elections to the school council.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

As identified in the previous inspection report, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is strong. Through well-structured sequences of lessons, pupils, including the most able pupils, make good progress across the curriculum in all year groups. Through additional staff training, teachers and teaching assistants consistently ensure that pupils with SEND are able to access the curriculum successfully.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection, the following judgements were made: Leaders and managers are taking effective actions towards the removal of the serious weaknesses designation.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school’s action plan is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The local authority’s statement of action is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Guildford, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Surrey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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