Long Ditton St Mary's CofE (Aided) Junior School

Inspection of Long Ditton St Mary's CofE (Aided) Junior School Sugden Road, Long Ditton, Surbiton, Surrey KT7 0AD

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in attending this inspirational school. They form very positive friendships and show a genuine care for the well-being of others. The school’s values of ‘love, respect, compassion and aspiration’ enhance the character of the pupils. They relish receiving awards when they demonstrate these values. Adults are caring and compassionate towards pupils. Pupils take on a wide range of roles of responsibility that connect them to the life of the school and their local community. For example, pupils elected to the school council worked with the local council on a road safety project. All this contributes to pupils feeling happy, safe and part of the school family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. Staff inspire pupils to learn and achieve highly in all subjects. As one pupil said, ‘Teachers make the learning exciting.’ Pupils produce work of excellent quality and are proud to share this with others. For example, pupils complete in-depth science investigations and engage in a range of musical performances.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are compassionate towards others. For example, during playtimes, pupils seek out others who might be feeling lonely and help them to be included.

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better?

The school provides a highly engaging and ambitious curriculum that matches the needs of pupils exceptionally well. Each subject has been carefully mapped out to make sure that pupils develop the knowledge and skills that they need to succeed. The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. Teachers swiftly identify any additional support pupils need in class. Teachers select tasks and use approaches that ensure that the achievement of pupils with SEND is exceptional.

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better?

The school invests in its staff. The support for the well-being of staff is excellent and their opinions and ideas really matter. The school manages the introduction of new initiatives carefully. This ensures that staff do not feel overwhelmed and remain highly focused on teaching effectively. Training opportunities match the needs of staff closely. This makes sure that staff are clear about the school’s approach to teaching. Governors are knowledgeable, ambitious and diligent in their role. As a result, there is a positive balance between challenge and support for all staff.

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better?

Teachers help pupils to develop a detailed body of knowledge across all subjects. Teachers encourage pupils to draw on what they have learned before when thinking about new learning. Teachers check what pupils know effectively. For example, they use questioning in class to ensure that pupils deepen their understanding of what is being taught. This helps teachers to adapt future learning to rectify any misunderstandings and to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers ensure that pupils 6 and 7 March 2024

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make links in what they learn across subjects. For example, pupils learn about diversity in art and design and develop their mathematical skills in science.

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Pupils achieve highly in national tests for reading and mathematics. They read often and develop a love of reading. The school helps pupils who arrive at the school without the necessary reading skills to catch up swiftly. Pupils with SEND receive timely and helpful support with their reading that enable them to succeed in class. Teachers select books that broaden pupils’ vocabulary and knowledge extensively. Teachers enable pupils to deepen their mathematical thinking very effectively, including in other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils apply their knowledge of measurement and scale in design and technology projects.

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Classes are calm and orderly places where pupils learn free from distraction. Pupils delight in attending school. The school supports any pupils whose attendance falls below the expected level swiftly and effectively.

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The school provides thorough and purposeful opportunities to develop pupils’ character and talents. Pupils engage enthusiastically in the wide range of additional activities on offer. Curriculum trips and visitors to the school enhance what pupils learn. The school provides a wide range of clubs that develop pupils’ interests and skills. Pupils learn about diversity in modern Britain. For example, pupils visit a range of places of religious worship in their locality and learn about the Windrush generation in history.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 6 and 7 March 2024

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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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 6 and 7 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.longdittonstmarysschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England (aided) junior school and is part of the Diocese of Guilford.  The school provides breakfast and after-school wraparound care on site for up to 30 pupils. The after-school care is provided by an external registered provider that operates on the school site.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The headteacher is also the headteacher of Long Ditton Infant and Nursey School.  The school will federate with Long Ditton Infant School and Nursery on 1 September 2024.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 6 and 7 March 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school's education provision.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, and a range of staff at the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design, science and computing. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents including those related to the governance of the school.  The inspectors considered the views of parents and carers through their responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors spoke to staff and pupils during the inspection and took account of their responses to Ofsted’s

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online staff and pupil surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Graham Chisnell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Francois Walker Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 March 2024

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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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