Audley Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Audley Primary School Whyteleafe Road, Caterham, Surrey CR3 5ED

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is extremely ambitious for all pupils. Staff have high standards and pupils take great pride in meeting them. Classrooms are a hive of productivity, with pupils enthusiastic about what they are learning and keen to know and do more. As a result, pupils’ achievement is consistently strong across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between pupils and with adults are warm and respectful. Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They demonstrate a detailed understanding of their rights and responsibilities, and they delight in exemplifying the school values. As a result, they are kind and respectful. All pupils are empowered to be leaders and role models for younger pupils. This supports exceptionally strong relationships across year groups. Year 6 ‘buddies’ support younger pupils with mathematics and reading and play leaders help to organise activities at lunchtime. Lunchtimes are engaging, with a wide range of activities and equipment to inspire creative play.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive both academically and pastorally in a school community that motivates them to be their best. As one parent said, ‘The school is blessed with great staff who know the children well and work hard to do the best for them.’

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

The school is highly ambitious for every pupil to achieve their best. Leaders have prioritised staff training. This has strengthened staff’s subject knowledge, helped them to identify when pupils may need additional support and equipped them with a range of effective teaching strategies. The school has designed a coherent curriculum from Reception onwards that precisely identifies and sequences what pupils will learn. 26 and 27 March 2024

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Consistently excellent teaching supports pupils to achieve highly. Staff follow planning closely, and this provides opportunities for pupils to revisit and master the most important content. The school prioritises giving pupils time to practise new skills before moving on, and this builds pupils’ fluency and confidence. Staff create purposeful links between different subjects to help pupils to learn effectively over time. Pupils are encouraged to build on what they have been taught with their own additional knowledge through dedicated time in lessons to ‘elaborate’. Pupils are encouraged to explain their thinking so that staff can identify and address any misconceptions. Staff use precise checks of what pupils know and can do and provide additional, tailored support quickly. Staff skilfully adapt their lessons to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, pupils with SEND are very

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well supported, both academically and socially, and achieve in line with their peers. There is no ceiling on pupils’ learning at this school.

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Children in Reception make an excellent start to their education. They are supported to develop confidence and curiosity through carefully planned activities. Staff expertly engage with children to promote their language development and provide well-tailored support to ensure they build strong foundations for the future. Vocabulary development is a key focus across the school. Older pupils confidently use ambitious vocabulary with precision. The confident use of language develops pupils’ independence. Pupils benefit from very positive attitudes to learning and work extremely hard.

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Reading is a top priority for everyone. Committed staff waste no time in helping pupils to quickly learn to read confidently and fluently. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they know. Any pupils at risk of falling behind are provided with swift and effective support to help them to keep up. Pupils enjoy a great sense of achievement and are excited to tackle more challenging texts. The books that pupils encounter across the curriculum are well considered and inspire them to develop a deep love of reading.

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Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance is high. The school provides highly effective support for pupils and families who face challenges with attendance. This ensures that all pupils benefit from the excellent education.

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The school provides an exemplary wider development offer. Pupils highly value the range of clubs that they can attend and the interesting trips that complement their ambitious curriculum. Pupils are supported to develop a deep understanding of diversity and the importance of inclusion. They learn to appreciate this within their local community and beyond. The school uses a wealth of impressive opportunities to nurture and develop pupils’ interests and talents. This includes participating in whole-class violin performances and assemblies led by inspirational role models. Leaders are relentless in ensuring that pupils who are the most disadvantaged benefit highly from the personal development offer.

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The governing body is highly committed to the continuous development of the school. Together with staff, there is a shared passion and vision for helping every pupil to benefit from a high-quality, well-rounded education. 26 and 27 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 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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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). 26 and 27 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with leaders from across the school. The inspector also met with local governors, including the chair of the local governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 and 27 March 2024

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school and discussed wider development opportunities with leaders and pupils.  The inspector considered the responses to the staff survey and the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text responses. The inspector also spoke with parents, staff and pupils to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Hanna Miller, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 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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