Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Infant School

Inspection of Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Infant School Fletcher Close, Ottershaw, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 0JT

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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

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The executive headteacher of this school is Jo Hastings. This school is part of the Good Shepherd Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer Paul Kennedy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by James Friend. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this welcoming and nurturing school. Close relationships and care are at the heart of everything. The inclusive culture in this school is palpable. All staff have a high ambition for what all pupils can achieve. Typically, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Staff are excellent role models for pupils. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes settle into school exceptionally well. Pupils follow the two school rules, ‘try hard’ and ‘be nice’, conscientiously. Playtimes are busy and fun. Pupils feel safe. They love receiving ‘rainbow certificates’ during celebration assembly for demonstrating the school values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ learning is enhanced by a rich variety of experiences. For example, during the inspection, Chertsey Museum visited Year 1 pupils. Pupils learned about similarities and differences between toys from the 1960s and today. Pupils at this school are curious and want to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are unwaveringly supportive of the school. Children are happy here. As one parent wrote, ‘Everyone in this school always has a smile on their face.’ Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Infant School is a very special place for pupils to start their educational journey.

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

The school has developed a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum. New concepts build seamlessly on what pupils have learned before. This starts exceptionally well in early years. Staff consider children’s starting points skilfully. Curriculum leaders are knowledgeable about the subjects they lead. They know exactly what is working well in this school and what could be even better. In most subjects, the school makes sure that staff have the expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively. For example, pupils develop their reading and mathematical skills exceedingly well. However, in a few subjects, teachers need some further support to ensure that activity choices in lessons match the curricular aims well enough.

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

Pupils show extremely positive attitudes to their learning. They try their absolute best in lessons. As soon as children join the Nursery class, staff teach them how to follow the school’s behaviour routines successfully. Pupils of all ages understand the school’s well- considered behaviour system.

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

The school has an effective professional development programme for staff. However, there have been many changes in staffing recently. The school is supporting newer staff in how to deliver lessons the ‘Ottershaw Way’.

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

The school uses ‘point of need’ interventions across the curriculum successfully. They identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge in a lesson and provide them with ‘in the moment’ support to help them keep up. The school has effective systems for identifying pupils with 24 and 25 September 2024

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SEND swiftly. There is a razor-sharp knowledge of individual pupils’ barriers and needs. Staff support pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum effectively. As a result, all pupils learn well.

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The school has introduced a new approach to help pupils remember the most important knowledge in the long term. Mornings now start with a ‘remembering task’ based on key content for future learning. These tasks are beginning to help pupils recall content securely. However, in a few subjects, the school has not set out precisely enough the key knowledge that pupils should remember. This makes it difficult for teachers to know exactly what content to prioritise in these lessons.

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The teaching of early reading is a strength of the school. This starts well in Nursery, where children learn new vocabulary through stories, songs and rhymes. Adults deliver the school’s phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) programme well. Pupils read books matched to their phonics knowledge. Staff ensure that pupils get any additional practise they may need. Pupils who fall behind are quickly identified. Well-trained staff provide extra help when needed.

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The school’s work on pupils’ personal development is a further strength. Pupils debate age-appropriate moral issues regularly, such as whether Goldilocks was a vandal. Pupils learn to voice their opinions well and show great respect when listening to others. Pupils care deeply about the environment and their local community. Year 1 pupils speak passionately about their ‘social action’ litter-picking project. They love ‘helping nature’. Pupils enjoy a range of lunchtime clubs, such as drawing, singing and reading. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils benefit fully from everything the school has to offer.

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Trustees and local governors are very knowledgeable about the school. Through their experience and challenge, they demonstrate a determination that every pupil achieves their best.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school’s ambitious intention for the curriculum is not implemented consistently well. At times, in these subjects, task design does not match to the school’s intent well enough. This slows pupils’ learning. The school should continue their work in supporting teachers to develop the knowledge they need to deliver the curricular aims, so that learning in all subjects matches the high standards seen elsewhere in the curriculum.  In a few foundation subjects, the school has not identified well enough the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember over time. This means that pupils 24 and 25 September 2024

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do not make connections to past learning as well as they could in these subjects. The school should ensure that teachers are clear about what pupils need to remember and use this to inform their teaching and assessment so that pupils learn exceptionally well across the whole curriculum.

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Website www.ottershawcofeschools.surrey.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Infant School is part of the Good Shepherd Trust. It joined the trust in March 2019.  The school works closely with Ottershaw Christ Church Church of England Junior School. They share senior leaders, including the executive headteacher and a local governing committee.  This is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Guilford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in December 2019.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and 24 and 25 September 2024

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management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continual impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the senior leaders, other school leaders, school staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the Good Shepherd Trust. She also met with two trustees and five members of the local governing body committee.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, talked to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered the school’s curriculum in some other subjects through

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discussions with leaders and pupils and looking at samples of work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the team: 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 lead inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation of the school and school development plan.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the inspection. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school is supporting pupils’ personal development.  The inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff survey. They took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, parents’ free-text comments. An inspector spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Linda Appleby Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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