Byfleet Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Byfleet Primary School King’s Head Lane, Byfleet, West Byfleet, Surrey KT14 7AT

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Outcome

Byfleet Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Cheryl Meyrick. This school is part of Engage, Enrich, Excel Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), David Harris, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Norton.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and welcoming school. There is ambition for every pupil to succeed academically and in their personal, social and emotional development. The school builds pupils’ confidence and encourages them to take risks and explore new ideas. Pupils have a genuine interest in learning. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations for their learning and behaviour. Learning is purposeful and staff support pupils to succeed. Pupils work hard in classrooms and want to be successful. The school’s values and systems guide pupils in their behaviour and conduct. Pupils behave exceptionally well. The warm and trusting relationships between staff and pupils underpin this. The school’s support for pupils’ emotional well-being is a strength.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Playtimes are joyful and active. Pupils relish playing with one another. Outdoor spaces, such as the ‘well-being garden’, provide activities for pupils to enjoy, including painting a mural. The curriculum is enriched through visits, for example to a sculpture park to experience art and to important landmarks to learn about local history. Older pupils take on leadership roles such as house captains, play leaders, anti-bullying ambassadors and eco-leaders. They fulfil their responsibilities with dedication and pride. 17 and 18 June 2025

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

The school has designed a highly ambitious curriculum for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Subject content is thought out and taught carefully, enabling pupils to build their learning securely. The development of pupils’ spoken language and communication is central to their learning. For example, pupils in Year 6 debate with confidence about the long-term impact of Martin Luther King Junior on civil rights today. Pupils are encouraged by staff to use subject-specific vocabulary when speaking about their learning. This is also evident in pupils’ writing in different subjects.

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

Teachers encourage pupils to draw on what they have learned previously. As a result, pupils connect what they have learned before with new curriculum content. Teachers use a range of ways to understand how well pupils learn the curriculum. However, sometimes these checks are less effective. For example, on occasion, staff do not use questions precisely enough to check pupils’ understanding or extend their thinking. As a result, sometimes misconceptions or mistakes are missed, and some pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge that they could.

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

Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly. Pupils get the help and support they need to access the curriculum. Pupils with SEND learn and participate well with other pupils, meaning that they feel included and valued. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school’s approach to teaching early reading is well thought out and effective. Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Staff identify pupils who need extra help quickly. They support pupils without delay. Staff carefully select reading books that match the sounds that pupils learn. Staff ensure that most pupils learn to read confidently and fluently. Pupils benefit from the diverse range of books on offer. A love of reading is fostered in different ways throughout the school, including visits to the library and poetry recitals.

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

Staff are caring in the early years. Routines are well developed to make sure that children settle quickly as they start school. The classroom is set out to provide stimulating and engaging learning with staff’s support. Staff pay close attention to children’s speech, developing their pronunciation of words. Occasionally, there is variability in how effectively staff identify when children have difficulty understanding subject content. This means that, at times, children do not learn some key knowledge as well as they could.

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

The school has well-considered systems in place to track pupils’ attendance and support families where attendance is a concern. Consequently, attendance rates remain above the national average.

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

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is calm. They are polite and keen to engage with adults. From the Reception Year, children learn skills such as listening to adults and following instructions. This positive behaviour continues throughout the school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Nothing is left to chance in this school. The school has designed a comprehensive programme to promote pupils’ broader development. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. All pupils take part in a vibrant tapestry of new experiences, including learning to swim. The school teaches pupils about how to remain healthy and safe, including in relationships and when online.

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School and trust leaders, including trustees and local governors, work closely together to evaluate the quality of the school’s work. Their ambitious improvement plans are focused on what will make the biggest difference for pupils. Leaders have managed a period of significant change well and staff feel well supported by leaders. They are proud to be members of staff at Byfleet Primary.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, assessment strategies are not used to inform teaching as well as they could. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their understanding, while others do not move on to deeper thinking when they are ready. These small pockets of variation mean that some pupils are not learning in the same depth as others. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise to assess accurately where pupils have knowledge gaps and address them promptly.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 17 and 18 June 2025

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2018.

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Byfleet Primary School converted to become an academy school in May 2020. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of Engage, Enrich, Excel Academies Trust.  The headteacher has been in post since 2020.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 her evaluation of the school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 The inspector met with all senior leaders, a number of teaching and support staff, some local governors, the CEO, and representatives of the trust including the chair of trustees.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at playtime and at lunchtime.  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 considered a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation and plans for improvement. The inspector checked records of attendance and behaviour. She also observed pupils’ behaviour at playtime and lunchtime and talked to them

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about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspector considered the views of parents and carers submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. In addition, she met with parents at the beginning of the school day.  The inspector met with pupils and staff to gather the views of the school. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff.

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Inspection team

Sam Johnson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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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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