Slindon CofE Primary School

Slindon CofE Primary School Meadsway, Slindon, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0QU

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors, led by a strong headteacher, have high aspirations for the pupils to thrive. They know the school well and have established a strong culture of self- reflection and constant improvement.  Leaders have the confidence of the community to improve the school further.  As a result of rapid improvement, standards at the end of key stage 2 are now in line with those typical of other schools.  The progress of pupils at key stage 1 is strong overall. However, the most able younger pupils are not routinely challenged, especially in mathematics.  Strong teaching ensures that most pupils are now making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers track pupils’ progress rigorously and know the pupils well. Most teachers provide work which meets pupils’ needs.  Leaders use additional funding thoughtfully. Disadvantaged pupils are supported well and, consequently, most of them make good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress.  The school has a broad curriculum, providing pupils with a wide variety of relevant first-hand experiences. As a result, pupils make strong progress in a wide range of subjects, including outdoor education.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are good. This is a caring and inclusive school.  Pupils are polite, friendly and respectful to adults and to each other. They have positive attitudes to their learning, and this supports their strong progress.  Safeguarding is effective, and pupils feel safe.  Leaders use extra funding for sport carefully. Pupils welcome both the range of sporting activities and the opportunities to compete against other schools.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception Year, and most are prepared well for Year 1.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ learning is supported well by parents and carers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that more of the younger pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are challenged consistently to attain higher standards, especially in mathematics.  Refine governors’ skills in holding leaders to account, so that governors can make sure that staffing and resources are used effectively to accelerate the rise in standards further.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher’s vision for all pupils to thrive is shared widely by staff. Leaders oversee the quality of teaching through a range of activities, observing learning in classrooms and reviewing pupils’ work. Training is arranged for staff when necessary, and staff work together closely to share good practice. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is improving constantly.  Leaders have established rigorous procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress. This information provides teachers with an accurate view of how well pupils are achieving. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind are identified swiftly, and extra help is organised.  The curriculum is broad and includes a range of useful first-hand experiences. Consequently, pupils enjoy learning a range of subjects and make good progress. Pupils learn to make links to children’s literature, using topics such as ‘where are we going?’ to link their study of ‘Into the Forest’ by Anthony Browne with an opportunity

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

to practise and develop their map skills. The school makes good use of its natural environment to bring learning to life. Pupils and parents welcome the wide range of enrichment activities, which support pupils’ learning effectively.  The school’s four overarching principles, ‘a unique child, positive relationships, learning and development, and enabling environments’, are promoted by all members of the school community. These principles reflect British values and are woven throughout all aspects of school life. Pupils contribute to the life of the school as ‘rights respecting ambassadors’ and learn about democracy through taking part in the school council. Pupils learn about different faiths, for example how the story of Rama and Sita inspires Hindus and how the Buddha teaches his followers to find enlightenment. Assemblies provide valuable opportunities for pupils to reflect and listen to the views of others. As

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

a result, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted successfully, and the school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.  Leaders make sure that pupils have equal opportunity to do well. For example, the school’s emotional-learning support programme is effective in helping pupils deal with challenges. Pupils who have difficulty completing activities out of school are provided with extra help and equipment.  The school has improved rapidly since the last inspection, and the headteacher, leaders and governors have a strong capacity to improve the school further. However, the school’s leaders recognise that more needs to be done, as too few younger pupils attain higher standards, especially in mathematics.

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Governance of the school

 Governance is effective. Leaders and governors have high aspirations for the school and pupils. Governors have established an overview of the school and have a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Leaders, together with governors, have the trust and respect of the community to develop the school further.  Governors are reflective, seeking constantly to improve. They completed an audit recently to ensure that, as a team, they have all the skills needed to fulfil their role. Governors attend training and use these activities to help them raise standards.  Governors monitor the school improvement plan closely and undertake reviews regularly with leaders. They understand their responsibility to hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievements and visit the school frequently. Governors have a systematic approach to monitoring the plan’s progress and, consequently, they know the school

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Governance of the school

well. However, governors recognise the need to challenge leaders even more rigorously, to ensure that all pupils achieve their full potential.  Governors maintain an effective overview of staff training. Staff morale is high. Staff appreciate the training opportunities provided and use their learning to help pupils learn more quickly.  Governors review school expenditure routinely, including extra funding for disadvantaged pupils and physical education, to ensure that it impacts on pupils’ achievements. Funding for disadvantaged pupils is used to fund a wide range of activities, including providing counselling and specialist support in the classroom. As a result, most disadvantaged pupils make strong progress across the curriculum. Pupils learn a variety of skills when taking part in a broad range of sporting opportunities and compete regularly against other schools.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Staff take part in regular training and understand the school’s safety procedures. Staff are aware of the need to act swiftly if there are concerns. Leaders maintain a system of keeping detailed records, which is overseen by a designated governor. Clear systems are in place for when staff are recruited. Consequently, pupils feel safe, and parents are unanimously confident that their children are safe.  Pupils are taught how to be safe. Pupils speak happily about how to use computers safely, including the importance of not sharing personal information. They are confident that there is someone in school to talk to should they have any safeguarding concerns. Pupils know that any issues raised will be taken seriously by staff and dealt with rapidly.  Pupils are cared for well. This is an inclusive school. Leaders work closely with external agencies when needed, to provide focused support for pupils and their families. As a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Following a period of rapid improvement, teaching, learning and assessment have many strengths.  Most staff have high expectations and strong subject knowledge. They organise lessons and interesting activities with the necessary resources. Staff are very positive, for example encouraging pupils through the weekly celebration assemblies and providing regular praise. The vast majority of pupils are attentive, keen to learn and enjoy being challenged.  Pupils’ learning is supported by a range of relevant and interesting first-hand experiences. For example, pupils learn to cook and taste a range of global dishes in design technology lessons and make Stone Age jewellery in a study of prehistoric Britain. Pupils relish the opportunity to apply their skills in different situations, broaden their experiences and learn new vocabulary.  Most adults question pupils thoughtfully to build on previous learning. New learning is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

split into manageable pieces, and questions are made more challenging when a task is too simple. Most teachers use pupils’ progress information to adapt their teaching during lessons to meet the needs of the pupils. Accordingly, most pupils make strong progress in a range of subjects.  Additional adults in the classroom provide pupils with carefully targeted support matched to their needs, both in small groups and individually. Most teachers brief the additional adults carefully about planned activities. Staff are enthusiastic and promote pupils’ learning with extra activities, careful questioning and additional opportunities for them to practise. Accordingly, the majority of pupils are attentive and learn effectively.  All staff know the pupils as individuals, and most teachers ensure that lessons meet the various needs of their pupils successfully. A variety of tasks and adult support, along with carefully chosen resources, help disadvantaged pupils, and those with special

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to take part effectively in most lessons.  Teachers set homework in line with school policy, including spellings, times-tables and reading at different levels of difficulty. Homework supports pupils’ learning successfully. For example, pupils complete their ‘take-away tasks’ (a range of activities linked to a topic) with their families at home. Parents are kept up to date with their children’s progress and have the opportunity to meet regularly with their class teacher. Consequently, homework supports pupils’ learning successfully.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are known as individuals, a fact that is very much appreciated by parents. Staff work closely with pupils and their families to provide appropriate additional support when necessary. Plans for pupils with specific needs are kept under regular review to ensure that these pupils are able to learn successfully and play a full part in school life. As one parent wrote: ‘The school puts the children first and treats them as individuals.’  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and feel safe. They speak happily about how they learn to cycle safely and how to swim. Parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View were overwhelmingly happy that their children are safe and were confident that any concerns they or their children raise are dealt with promptly.  Parents are happy to discuss any concerns about their children with staff. The vast

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Personal development and welfare

majority of parents are confident that any unkindness, including bullying, is dealt with swiftly by staff.  Staff know pupils well and relationships are very good. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of each other and work together well. Pupils use the opportunities available through the forest school to learn about the natural environment together. They learn valuable life skills, such as character and resilience, through the recently introduced Prince William Award programme.  Pupils speak happily about their school. Pupils learn how to be independent and take responsibility when acting as sports ambassadors and helping at lunchtimes. Parents welcome the wide range of opportunities provided by the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils of all ages play together sensibly outdoors and move around the school calmly. They appreciate the range of outdoor activities at breaktime, including bats, balls and large hoops. Pupils enjoy using the spacious field, scrambling up a climbing wall, swinging on monkey bars, and rolling down the mound. Pupils use the equipment safely, and the rotas ensure that all pupils have an opportunity to take part.  The vast majority of pupils are keen to attend school regularly. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and most arrive punctually. One parent commented: ‘I am ecstatic at how happy he is to go to school each morning.’ Leaders follow up any absence swiftly. They work closely with families to encourage good attendance, rewarding pupils with a ‘big breakfast’ each half term and attendance certificates. Although attendance levels are

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Behaviour

below those achieved nationally, they are beginning to improve, and attendance for some individuals has risen sharply.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils work together successfully and respect each other’s points of view. Pupils make improvements to their own work, using advice from staff and self-assessing their own achievements regularly. Pupils take pride in their work, in their school and in themselves.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils in key stage 2 are making very strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, pupils at the end of key stage 2 are now achieving in line with pupils in other schools. Most pupils are prepared well for Year 6 and the subsequent transfer to secondary school.  Pupils’ progress in key stage 1 is improving. However, too few of the younger pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are achieving the high standards of which they are capable, especially in mathematics.  Pupils with SEND make good progress. Leaders organise individual programmes of learning, which are reviewed routinely. Staff work with external organisations when necessary. Pupils are supported successfully, a fact that is appreciated by the vast majority of parents.  The achievements of disadvantaged pupils are tracked closely, and extra activities are organised to help them catch up where necessary, such as extra support in class and

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Outcomes for pupils Good

provision of additional equipment. As a result, most disadvantaged pupils make strong progress.  Pupils enjoy reading and appreciate the chance to choose from the wide range of books in the attractive library. Leaders link class topics thoughtfully to the range of exciting books, for example ‘Shackleton’s Journey’, and ‘Stig of the Dump’, which support learning effectively. Pupils read regularly at home and at the school. They make strong progress in phonics and use these skills independently in their reading and writing. Pupils talk confidently about their reading.  Pupils’ work shows improving progress in a range of subjects, including science, personal education, religious education and design technology. Pupils have a wide range of motivating opportunities to use their literacy skills across the curriculum. For example, pupils practise writing a letter home ‘from the trenches’ when studying the

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Outcomes for pupils Good

First World War in history or discuss advice for a child with a problem in personal- education lessons. As one parent wrote: ‘My child is always happy when coming home from school and appears to have learnt in class as well as having fun.’

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Early years provision Good

 Leadership of Reception is strong. Leaders work closely with staff to ensure that systems are followed routinely and to improve progress. Leaders review the provision carefully and have a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses.  Children at the end of Reception attain in line with children nationally of a similar age and, consequently, they are prepared well for key stage 1. The learning of children with SEND is promoted effectively. Extra funding for the small numbers of disadvantaged children is used thoughtfully and tracked carefully. Staff know the children well. As a result, most disadvantaged children and those with SEND make similar progress to other children nationally.  Phonics is taught successfully. Children make good progress when learning their sounds. They enjoy using macaroni pieces to make initial consonants and are able to use their knowledge of sounds in their writing. When choosing their own activities, the

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Early years provision Good

children enjoyed writing lists on clipboards and labelling their models independently using these letters and sounds.  The early years area is attractive and well organised. There is a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, including opportunities for literacy and numeracy. Children enjoy pretending to be builders when using the wheelbarrows and large blocks, dressing up and manipulating playdough to make two- and three-dimensional shapes. All of these activities support their learning effectively.  Children become successful learners, taking part happily in the fun activities organised for them. Behaviour is good. They are encouraged to persevere, for example when cutting shapes from playdough. Children were seen working alongside each other in the sand, and others worked together independently to build a swimming pool with a slide.  Relationships are strong, and staff know the children well. Staff have completed

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Early years provision Good

safeguarding training and understand how to keep the children safe. Children are taught how to be safe. They are aware of the importance of staying safe, for example by putting on a high-visibility jacket when supervising the ‘traffic’. Safe systems are maintained routinely, and consequently parents are overwhelmingly confident that their children are safe.  Parents are kept well informed. The close working partnership with them is welcomed by parents and supports the children’s learning effectively. Staff visit the children at home and work closely with parents before the children start school. Parents are welcomed into the classroom to help their children settle and find out how to help at home. Consequently, the children settle into school quickly.  Most children start Reception with skills and abilities that are below those that are typical for their age, although this varies each year. Their achievements are tracked

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Early years provision Good

closely, and this progress information is used to organise interesting activities matched to most children’s needs. Most adults have high expectations and question the children carefully to ensure that they learn well. However, as leaders have recognised, too few children achieve higher standards.

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School details

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

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address office@slindonprimary.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 January 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in mixed-aged classes.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A larger proportion of pupils than the national average is eligible for the pupil premium.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching, learning and assessment in all classes, jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector talked to pupils, looked at their work and listened to pupils read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the chair of the governing body and five other governors, the school’s middle leaders and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector spoke on the telephone to a representative of the diocese.  The inspector took account of the 26 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View and considered the 19 free-text responses provided.  The inspector took account of the eight responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.  The inspector also spoke to parents and carers during the inspection.  The inspector observed the wider work of the school, including an assembly, playtimes and lunchtime.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents including: minutes of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body; leaders’ and external evaluations of the school’s effectiveness; the school development plan; information about leaders’ monitoring of teaching and pupils’ progress; school policies; behaviour and safety records; safeguarding policies and procedures; and the single central record of recruitment checks made on staff.

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Inspection team

Rosemary Addison, lead inspector 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

Parent View 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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