St Mary's CofE Primary School

Inspection of St Mary’s Church of England Primary School Silkham Road, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0NP

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding 21 and 22 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and joyful at St Mary’s. The Christian core value of ‘koinonia’ knits everyone together. Leaders set a top-notch benchmark that pupils must rise to as only the very best is accepted. This starts with pupils’ behaviour. Pupils see the good in everyone. Kindness is found everywhere, meaning that bullying does not occur. Pupils are safe and protected.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every part of school life excites pupils. Leaders go out of their way to develop each child personally. Leaders remove barriers so no child misses out. Pupils excel in performing arts and sport. They eagerly sign up for enrichment clubs. The school’s facilities in acres of land are used to harness pupils’ talents and interests. This includes an elite running track, sports courts and a swimming pool. Rock climbing, skating and fencing are also on the curriculum. Pupils have endless enjoyment in the two impressive central libraries that are brimming with books.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ character is exemplary. They beam with pride when they demonstrate the noble qualities that leaders instil across the school. Pupils are ‘challenged to contribute’ in all they do. They love writing the ‘chit-chat’ newsletters and taking part in charity fundraising. Pupils are conscientious and work hard.

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better?

Leaders and governors are ambitious. They are resolute in giving pupils the best education. Staff sing the praises of how leaders prioritise professional development. Teachers at the start of their career are nurtured and well supported so they quickly learn how to help all pupils learn. Parents are equally happy. They are delighted with everything the school does for their children. Not only that, leaders help other schools to be even better.

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better?

Governors’ astute thinking focuses on the actions of school leaders and their impact. They are highly knowledgeable and carry out their functions effectively. Governors work transparently. They make sure that there is value for money when challenging leaders’ plans. The right checks and balances happen so governors can be assured these decisions benefit pupils’ education.

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better?

Teachers’ knowledge of reading is impressive. Leaders’ investment in staff training and a rigorous phonics programme means pupils learn to read quickly. Staff are teaching phonics with increasing flair. Leaders use a consultant trainer highly effectively to bring consistency to staff’s practice. Each day, there are ‘fast track’ additional sessions for pupils who need further support. These are well implemented, ensuring that pupils get exactly what they need. Furthermore, leaders make sure that pupils read the right books when learning their sounds. Leaders are tackling gaps from the COVID-19 pandemic in younger pupils’ spelling and handwriting. 21 and 22 September 2022

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Pupils access a highly ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. This starts off strongly in some of the early years areas of learning. Leaders are clear about how the learning in each subject develops through each year. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they study a wide range of content from heart dissection to Canadian artists. Leaders’ curriculum thinking shows they consider which is the right knowledge to learn first and then after. However, as yet, this work has not been completed for all subjects. The knock-on effect is that pupils miss out on reaching the highest standards across the whole of the curriculum.

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Teachers check pupils’ understanding well. Their questions, quizzes and discussions inform them on what pupils remember. This aligns closely to what has been taught. Frequent recall questions really help pupils secure knowledge to memory. In the strongest subjects, teachers make the best use of lesson time. This ensures that pupils get the most knowledge practice. Equally, pupils are focused and kept busy, with no moments wasted.

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Leaders ensure that the ambition for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is just as high as that for their classmates. Teachers smartly adapt resources and provide additional layers of support. Pupils have high esteem and complete the same work as their peers. Where pupils may struggle, teachers explain concepts in smaller steps to help pupils understand better. Excellent transition work with feeder nurseries ensures that any additional needs of Reception-aged children are quickly identified so they can get the help they need.

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Well-oiled routines lay the foundations for pupils’ excellent behaviour. When in lessons or in the dining hall, pupils model perfectly what to do. Leaders make sure that adults uphold the school’s rules consistently well.

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Pupils are taught to be compassionate and to support one another. Leaders source ways for pupils to shine in society. Pupils look beyond disability, race or religion. They accept others, they look to help those in need, and they show remarkable resilience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ safety is prioritised by leaders. Perceptive adults know how to spot signs a child may need help. Leaders train staff comprehensively and have created a culture where adults report everything. Each adult’s role in school contributes to keeping pupils safe. Record-keeping is highly detailed, with a clear timeline of events. This helps leaders to unpick practice and actions. Governors play an integral part in checking compliance and staff’s understanding of what to do.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe online and when out and about. They know they can lean on any adult in a time of need. 21 and 22 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders’ curriculum thinking is not precise enough around the component knowledge that all pupils must learn. This has an impact on how well pupils achieve the ambitious end points. Leaders need to adopt the same rigour they have with other subjects so that all content is broken down into appropriately sized steps.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 21 and 22 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241510 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 and 16 December 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Previously, St Mary’s was a Church of England voluntary aided junior school. In 2018, the school amalgamated with a community infant school. It became a primary school with a Christian religious character. The school has a published admissions number of 60 in Reception and key stage 1. In key stage 2, the provision doubles in size to four-form entry.  St Mary’s is part of the Diocese of Southwark. Its most recent section 48 inspection was in 2016.  The school is currently using one alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 21 and 22 September 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met five governors, including the chair. He also spoke with the director of school improvement from the local authority and the assistant director of education from the diocese.  The inspection team carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art, history and physical education. To do this, they met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work.  Pupils across the school were observed reading to a familiar adult by the lead inspector.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors spoke with staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leads to examine records and actions. This included sampling a range of safeguarding documentation. A team inspector reviewed checks on the safer recruitment of

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adults.  Inspectors talked to pupils from different year groups about their learning and experiences at school.  The views of staff, pupils and parents were gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documentation provided by the school. This included leaders’ self-evaluation and school development priorities, policies, curriculum documents, published information about pupils’ performance, pupil premium strategy and minutes of governors’ meetings.

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Inspection team

James Broadbridge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Martin-O’Donoghue Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 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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