Cheam Common Infants' Academy

Inspection of a good school: Cheam Common Infants’ Academy Balmoral Road, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 8SS

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Outcome

Cheam Common Infants’ Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this happy school. They are safe, confident, and keen to learn well. It is clear that they are well looked after by staff who really care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to achieve their fullest potential and take pride in their work. Pupils rise to this challenge and want to do their best. The school’s values of perseverance, respect, imagination, dedication and encouragement are woven throughout the curriculum. Pupils know these values well and refer to them when they learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well both in lessons, and outside at lunch and playtimes. They move around the school sensibly and quietly. Pupils understand what bullying is. They said that it is when someone is ‘unkind repeatedly’. They also said that if it did happen, they would tell an adult, who would help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on various leadership roles, including those of eco-warriors and as members of the school council. They also encourage each other to have healthy and positive playtimes by inviting all pupils to join in a wide variety of active games. Pupils look out for each other on the ‘rainbow bench’ as this may mean someone needs a friend.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is structured and sequenced logically. They have made sure that it is appropriate for the needs of all pupils at the school. Leaders have thought carefully about what knowledge pupils need, and when. For instance, in computing, children in Nursery Year explore programmable robots. This means that they are familiar with some of their functions before learning about algorithms in Year 1.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers generally have a clear understanding of what they want the pupils to learn. They reflect on how well pupils have grasped the intended learning and make adaptations if necessary. For example, in history, teachers realised that some pupils needed other 26 and 27 April 2022

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sources to really understand how the seaside was different in the past. They then made plans to include other photographs in the next lesson.

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Leaders are currently developing systems to check how much pupils remember in the wider curriculum. Where teachers use these systems well, the impact on pupils’ learning is immediate. For example, in Year 2 computing, pupils were learning about hardware and software. A quick quiz instantly highlighted some misconceptions pupils had. Staff then skilfully provided feedback, ensuring that the pupils finished the lesson with the correct knowledge. In history, pupils’ recall of key knowledge is less secure. Leaders state that there is further work to do to make sure that all teachers check the non-negotiable learning.

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Children in Reception Year are taught phonics right from the start. They quickly learn the sounds that they need in order to read words. Staff match pupils with books that contain only the sounds already taught. This motivates pupils to read as they experience success straightaway. Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training to teach phonics. This means that when pupils need to catch up with their reading, experts are available to provide additional sessions. Most pupils are on track to be fluent readers by the time they leave Year 2.

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Most pupils engage effectively with their learning. They are resilient and try hard in their lessons. Sometimes, transitions between playtimes and lesson times, or when moving between classrooms, are not swift enough.

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Despite their young age, pupils play an active role in their school. There are new pupil leadership positions this year. Their role is to help school leaders by promoting internet safety. They are also ambassadors for technology generally. There are various opportunities after school to take part in clubs. These include clubs for French, coding and a rock band, among many more.

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Leaders quickly identify whether a pupil has a special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that staff can work swiftly to find the best strategies to help pupils access the curriculum and make good progress. For example, teachers provide pictures alongside key vocabulary or pre-teach important knowledge. They make sure that parents and carers are fully included in their child’s learning.

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Leaders strive to support all staff with their workload. Staff said that senior leaders care about their well-being. Teachers appreciate the school’s routines around meetings as this helps them to organise their schedules. They also appreciate the collaboration with the trust and with their year-group colleagues.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that everyone understands their responsibilities to keep pupils safe. They update all staff weekly with the latest safeguarding advice. This means that everyone is vigilant to the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. 26 and 27 April 2022

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Leaders work closely with a range of external agencies to make sure that pupils get the right help when needed. Governors carefully check safer recruitment procedures.

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Pupils know how to stay safe when online, in the playground, and on the way to and from school. They would go to the ‘help team’ if they were worried or felt unsafe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders train and support staff to deliver the curriculum as intended. As a result, most staff have the expertise to help pupils learn well. Some staff are less secure in their subject knowledge and on how to check learning. Leaders should continue to develop all staff, so that they check that pupils know and remember the non-negotiable learning across the wider curriculum. This will help all pupils to remember key knowledge fluently.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection aa section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Cheam Common Infants’ School, to be good in September 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 26 and 27 April 2022

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This school is a four-form entry academy converter infants’ school.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and subject leaders.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, history and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead, looked at records and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding practice. 26 and 27 April 2022

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 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day and spoke to staff about pupils’ personal development. She also held discussions with several groups of pupils about their views of their school.  The inspector considered the views of parents and staff through Ofsted surveys.

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Inspection team

Alison Colenso, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 April 2022

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regulates and inspects to 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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