Ewhurst CofE Aided Primary School

Inspection of Ewhurst CofE Aided Infant School The Street, Ewhurst, Surrey GU6 7PX

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel that they are known as individuals and are cared for by staff. This helps pupils to feel safe and confident. Pupils behave well. They know that if issues arise, staff will listen and respond swiftly. As one parent and carer commented, ‘The school is more than where our children go it is the very heart of the community.’ This typifies what pupils feel. Staff, pupils and the community share a close, positive bond.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils expect to achieve well. They have confidence in their abilities and enjoy their learning. The school’s expectations are well defined and are followed closely by staff. The school is determined for all pupils to succeed. Pupils enjoy the school’s ambitious curriculum and learn a wide range of knowledge and skills. They work hard and usually achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love studying the local area and their school’s place in the community. For instance, they are deeply proud of the school’s century-old tradition of having photos taken next to the war memorial in the village green. They can find siblings, parents and grandparents in these photos and feel a sense of belonging. Pupils learn about difference and life beyond the village. They are welcoming and excited about people joining their community.

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

Pupils’ learning begins with a robust foundation in Reception and a well-considered curriculum. Staff provide effective support to promote children’s early reading and mathematics skills. The children in Reception have excellent language skills. Some expert teaching helps them learn how to share and be kind. From the start of Reception, staff accurately identify the needs of children. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified and supported. The school continues to refine and improve its provision for these pupils. The support for these pupils is effective.

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

The school has carefully identified what pupils will learn and when. Staff use effective approaches to support pupils in learning the intended curriculum. Staff design ambitious activities that support pupils to learn the most important knowledge. As a result, pupils usually learn well in these subjects. In a few other subjects, the school’s work to help pupils recall prior learning is less well developed. As a result, sometimes, pupils’ recollection is varied. Consequently, they sometimes struggle to make meaningful connections between topics.

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

From Reception onwards, pupils develop into fluent and accurate readers. Phonics sessions are taught effectively, and this helps pupils to learn the sounds securely. They read books that are closely matched to the sounds they know. Adults routinely check what pupils know and can do. This information is used well to support pupils who need more help to catch up with their peers. Pupils’ love of reading is clear, and they are avid readers beyond their reading lessons. They have a wide range of favourite stories and authors, and they read extensively throughout the school day and at home. As a result, pupils achieve well in reading. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Pupils behave consistently well in this supportive school community. They are friendly and play kindly together at playtimes. Pupils are focused on their learning and there are no disruptions. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Adults guide and nurture pupils who need social and emotional support effectively. This helps pupils to manage their emotions and behaviours. This enables these pupils to successfully engage in the broader life of the school. The school has rigorous systems for tracking and supporting pupils’ attendance. This includes collaborating constructively with parents. This has had a significant impact on improving attendance across the school.

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Pupils learn to be well-rounded modern citizens. They have a clear understanding of how to treat others. Their understanding of difference is well developed and consistently applied. Pupils with SEND take part in all the experiences and clubs and feel a sense of equity and welcome. The school offers a wide range of opportunities for pupils to expand their talents and interests. Pupils relish activities such as musical performances and meeting members of the local community.

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Leaders at all levels are enthusiastic about the school. Governors are well informed and provide a solid mix of support and challenge. Professional development is consistent and timely. The welfare of all staff is supported effectively, and there is a powerful sense of community across the school. The school plays an active part in supporting parents and the wider community. They collaborate effectively with the local authority and other schools. The leaders have shown great determination following the school’s previous inspection. They have made significant changes across the school for the betterment of pupils and staff alike.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some parts of the curriculum, the school’s checks of what pupils know and can do is not sufficiently rigorous. This means that pupils sometimes do not successfully make connections to prior learning and apply the key content as well as they could over time. The school should check that pupils’ understanding of the most important knowledge and skills is secure before introducing new learning.

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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. 17 and 18 June 2025

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 February 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The executive headteacher has taken up his role since the previous inspection.  The school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Guildford.  The school’s last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, was in May 2022.

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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 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. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, other leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with representatives from the local authority and diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also reviewed pupils’ work from a range of other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They considered the views expressed in Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Toby Martlew, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julia Roberts Ofsted 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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