St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Primary School

Inspection of St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Primary School St Nicolas Avenue, Cranleigh, Surrey GU6 7AQ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 10 and 11 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this warm and welcoming school, where there is a safe and nurturing environment. Parents agree and regard the school highly. The school’s seven values are woven through daily life and are lived out by the whole community. Pupils are kind and considerate towards each other. Bullying and unkind behaviour are rare. If it happens, children know staff will deal with it firmly and sensitively. Pupils behave very well. They are polite and well mannered because staff show them constantly how important this is.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Right from the start of early years, staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement. Pupils concentrate well in class and enjoy learning. Reading is valued and pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they love.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and sports, such as athletics, dance and sewing. Staff encourage pupils to get involved, particularly those pupils from a disadvantaged background. Pupils also have ample opportunities to develop their leadership skills. These include mentoring younger children, fundraising and taking part in the school and spiritual councils. The school council has recently been responsible for selecting new playground equipment. Pupils really appreciate their well-organised and motivating outdoor environment. One pupil commented, ‘It’s lovely here.’

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better?

Alongside the relatively new senior leadership team, trustees and local governors have a clear and ambitious vision for the school. Some curriculum plans have recently been redesigned, meaning that there is a coherent and well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects.

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better?

In the strongest curriculum areas such as reading and mathematics, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Teachers are skilful at breaking down mathematical ideas so that all children can understand, practise and remember them. Pupils say that ‘everyone can be a mathematician’. Similarly, in reading, a new approach to teaching phonics is rapidly improving pupils’ reading skills. Children learn phonics from the very start of early years. Well-trained and expert staff teach new sounds systematically so that children quickly become more fluent readers. Leaders identify any pupils who have fallen behind swiftly and provide extra help. Older children read widely and often, choosing challenging books for themselves. Leaders make sure that pupils gain a wide and varied vocabulary.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum plans are new and teachers’ subject knowledge is less strong. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders recognise this and, with strong support from the trust, have planned a structured training programme for teachers. 10 and 11 January 2023

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Teachers assess pupils’ understanding effectively. In the strongest subjects, pupils remember what they have been taught and build on their previous learning. In early years, leaders have made sure that the curriculum is broken down into small, clear steps. Children have ample opportunity to practise their skills and become increasingly independent. Skilful staff make thorough checks on children’s learning and ensure that children with SEND get the help they need. However, in some subjects, pupils struggle to remember key ideas and have gaps in their knowledge. This is because the most important concepts have not been taught explicitly enough.

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Leaders ensure that provision for pupils’ personal development is strong. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and learn about healthy lifestyles. They also learn to appreciate other faiths. All people being treated equally is important in this school. In early years, difference is celebrated. Children learn about different types of families, disability and diversity. However, the opportunity to learn about people from other cultures is less consistent across the wider school.

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have put in place strategies to improve pupils’ attendance. While pupils’ attendance is not yet back to pre-pandemic levels, it continues to improve, including for disadvantaged pupils. Trust leaders provide strong support to the school. Staff value being part of wider networks. Governors and trustees know the school well and fulfil their statutory duties effectively. Leaders have successfully managed the many recent changes in the school. They have skilfully ensured that the school community continues to remain united. There is strong mutual respect between leaders and school staff. Leaders aim to reduce workload wherever possible. Staff feel this is a great place to work.

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Nearly all parents are advocates of the school. One parent who responded to the Ofsted Parent View survey said, ‘The school offers a wonderfully warm environment where every child is cherished and feels cherished.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding keeping pupils safe in the school. Leaders have trained staff well on the new systems for reporting any concerns about children. Staff are vigilant and view safeguarding as a high priority. School leaders know pupils and their families well and are determined pupils get any extra help they may need.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding checks for new staff and volunteers are robust and timely. Governors and leaders are thorough in their approach to monitoring safeguarding. Pupils are regularly taught about potential risks they may face. They value the support they get from staff. 10 and 11 January 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not teach a small number of subjects as well as they could because they are not familiar with how the curriculum is organised in these subjects. This means that pupils do not always remember what they have been taught. Leaders should ensure that professional development is effective in supporting teachers to teach every subject equally well.

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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. 10 and 11 January 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Cuthbert Mayne is a catholic primary school in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.  The school joined Xavier Catholic Education Trust in 2018.  The headteacher and executive headteacher took up post in September 2022.  The school had its last section 48 inspection in March 2019.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held a range of meetings with the headteacher, the executive headteacher, senior leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator, 10 and 11 January 2023

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and teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body and a trustee.  The lead inspector met with the Xavier Catholic Education Trust chief officer.  The lead inspector talked to a representative from the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, design technology and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector heard pupils read aloud to a known adult.  Inspectors checked a range of policies and documents, including the school’s single central record. They also reviewed the school’s website and other records regarding the welfare of pupils.  Inspectors gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour and the school’s wider curriculum.

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 Inspectors talked to pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school. This included the views of pupils and staff submitted via Ofsted’s confidential surveys.  Inspectors talked with parents at the start of the school day and considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted’s parent survey.

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Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carla Laney Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 January 2023

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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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