Sayes Court School

Inspection of Sayes Court School Sayes Court Farm Drive, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1NB

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 18 and 19 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this inclusive school. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful and there is a well-established culture of learning. Pupils love coming to school, arriving each morning full of enthusiasm for the day ahead.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils strive to achieve well because of the high expectations staff have of them. Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour and relationships are respectful. Pupils are kind and care about each other. They feel happy and safe as bullying is not tolerated. Pupils know that any issues would be quickly resolved by adults. Leaders provide effective support for pupils’ mental health and well-being. A recent assembly educated pupils about what it means to be a young carer. Pupils are keen to encourage and support their young carer friends, including through the young carers club.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Personal development at the school is first class. Leaders’ ambitious vision of ‘I can, I can, I can’ encourages pupils to be resilient and ‘become the very best version of themselves’. Pupils talk excitedly about the wealth of opportunities they have to pursue their interests. They relish the leadership positions available to them and are encouraged to become active, responsible citizens. Pupils are proud of their school and of their work with their local MP to generate improvements to the community.

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better?

Children get off to a great start from the first day in Nursery. They receive highly personalised support to ensure they achieve highly across the curriculum. The early years classrooms are a hive of activity. Leaders have made good use of indoor and outdoor spaces, creating exciting areas where the children can play and learn safely. Children are encouraged to be curious learners and are keen to share their learning with adults and friends.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, giving all subjects equal consideration. The early years curriculum is exceptionally well- planned and links well with what pupils will learn in key stages 1 and 2. Leaders have carefully identified what pupils need to learn and remember at each stage, so that all pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive at the school. Staff know exactly what their needs are. They ensure that pupils with SEND receive the right support to enable them to learn well. Teachers and teaching assistants receive high-quality training to expertly deliver the curriculum.

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better?

There are regular, planned opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning, so that they develop their knowledge over time. Pupils benefit from high-quality discussions in class. Teachers explain new learning clearly. However, on occasion, staff do not pick up on misconceptions and some gaps in knowledge are not identified. Leaders have rightly prioritised effective feedback as an ongoing area for development. 18 and 19 October 2022

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Pupils love reading and value the many opportunities to read across the curriculum. They become immersed in daily story times, enthusiastically joining in with familiar stories. Leaders prioritise reading across the school. They have a sharp focus on ensuring that all pupils learn to read. Staff receive regular training on how to teach early reading well. There is a well-structured approach to whole-class, small groups and individual reading sessions. This helps pupils to quickly gain the knowledge and skills needed to become confident, fluent readers. Where a minority of staff are less confident delivering these sessions, pupils do not benefit from the same expertise as their peers. In these instances, leaders quickly identify and arrange individual staff training and provide ongoing support. Pupils receive additional interventions and continue to receive tailored support as they move up the school.

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Opportunities for pupil’s personal development and enrichment are exceptional. They are woven through the curriculum. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures and benefit from mindfulness sessions focused on keeping themselves mentally and physically healthy. Pupils feel they are treated equally and are valued. As one pupil said, ‘People who are different aren’t treated differently here.’ Responsibility is taught from an early age. Every pupil has an identified role in their class and most pupils participate in the many extra-curricular activities on offer. The student council plays an active role in school improvements. Year 6 pupils proudly showed inspectors their designs for the new playground, talking animatedly about future projects being developed with school leaders.

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Staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported. They appreciate leaders’ investment in their professional development. The local governing committee is effective and works in close partnership with school leaders and the trust. Everyone is driven in their ambition to provide the best possible chances for the pupils. It is a team effort. As one parent summarised, ‘Sayes Court is a well-led school with a place for everyone and a strong sense of community.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders prioritise safeguarding through regular staff training and meetings. Safer recruitment checks are robust. Staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding risks and have an understanding of specific issues in the local area. Staff know how to identify and report these risks, being clear that no concern is too small. Leaders manage safeguarding records very well. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure that necessary support is quickly put in place. Pupils are taught about keeping safe and their right to be safe. Parents are kept well informed about ‘hot topics’ and are confident that their children are safe at school. 18 and 19 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a minority of subjects, teachers do not always check pupils’ understanding carefully enough. This means that, sometimes, gaps or misunderstandings go unaddressed. Leaders should make sure that teachers routinely check pupils have retained the important learning and use this information to adjust teaching as needed.  At times, there are inconsistencies in how well the early reading interventions are taught. This means that some pupils are not getting the support they need to become confident and fluent readers. Leaders should ensure that all staff are well trained to confidently teach all aspects of the school’s phonic programme, including within individual reading sessions.

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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. 18 and 19 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241900 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery which also includes provision for two-year-olds.  The school runs its own before- and after-school club.  This school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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.  The inspection team met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other leaders. They also met with subject leaders, teachers and a number of non- teaching staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, 18 and 19 October 2022

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also heard some pupils from different year groups read.  Inspectors met with leaders of SEND provision and visited lessons and intervention sessions for pupils with SEND.  Staff and pupils’ views were gathered through both formal and informal discussions.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of each day to gather their views.  The views of staff, parents and pupils were considered through their responses and confidential free-text comments to Ofsted’s surveys.  Inspectors met with representatives from the Bourne Education Trust and three members of the local governing committee, including the chair.  The inspecting team reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school, priorities for improvement, external reviews and minutes of governor meetings.  To inspect the school’s safeguarding arrangements, inspectors checked the single

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central record of recruitment checks. Inspectors also talked with pupils and staff, checked the school’s systems for monitoring and reporting safeguarding concerns and met with leaders responsible for safeguarding in the school.

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Inspection team

Vicky Matthews, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Catherine Hylands Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 October 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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