Ellingham Primary School

Ellingham Primary School

Address: Ellingham Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 2JA Unique reference number (URN): 102568

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

The school makes sure that pupils achieve well. From early on, pupils receive consistent support to develop their spelling and writing. Staff teach pupils about the importance of posture and joined handwriting. They ensure that pupils' spelling and grammar are accurate. This results in pupils producing work to a high standard. In reading, staff ensure that they use phonics to support pupils to blend and segment sounds. Pupils have many opportunities to read and develop their fluency.

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Achievement Expected standard

Staff enable pupils to learn successfully across the curriculum. For example, pupils use scientific vocabulary accurately. Staff focus carefully to develop pupils' vocabulary across the curriculum. Pupils' achievement in national tests remains close to average consistently over time. This includes outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The school's work ensures that pupils are fully ready for the next stages of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school ensures that the curriculum is broad and ambitious. It identifies the important subject content that pupils need to know and when. Staff develop pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics consistently. They build on pupils’ speaking and listening skills effectively. As a result, pupils’ use of subject-specific vocabulary is impressive. Staff use careful questioning to check pupils’ knowledge and skills. They ensure that any misconceptions or gaps in pupils’ understanding are addressed quickly. This means that pupils are ready for new learning confidently.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a rigorous programme of staff professional learning. This enables staff to have the confidence and subject knowledge to teach successfully. Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They encourage pupils to reflect and discuss their learning. Staff scaffold work and provide resources so that pupils understand concepts effectively. For instance, in mathematics, staff use practical resources to help pupils to develop their understanding of number. The school’s use of pre-teaching, where teachers prepare pupils before lessons with extra help, enables pupils to keep up with their learning. On occasion, adaptations to pupils' learning lack precision. This limits some pupils' deeper learning of important subject content.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a great start in the early years. The school has a well-sequenced curriculum that covers all areas of learning. The school identifies the key knowledge and skills that they want children to know. Staff ensure that learning activities are purposeful. Typically, staff's interactions with children are of a high standard. They support children's communication and language skills effectively. This enables children to use vocabulary confidently, for example when discussing the plot and characters in a story. Staff make sure that children learn to concentrate and follow routines. This begins in the 2-year-old Nursery provision, where caring staff develop children's independence positively. Staff develop children's skills expertly. For instance, staff support children's fine motor skills so that they are able to write letters accurately. Staff develop children's love of reading through regular and consistent phonics teaching. They make story times and reciting

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Early years Expected standard

rhymes enjoyable and fun. Staff rehearse key words and concepts with children so that they remember important content. The school works closely with parents and carers. They ensure that children who join the early years receive care and guidance. This helps children to be happy and enjoy the range of activities on offer for their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school prioritises the identification of pupils' needs and their barriers to learning successfully. It enables pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access the curriculum successfully. The school provides pupils with bespoke care and guidance so they can experience all the school has to offer. It works closely with external agencies to support pupils and meet their needs. Leaders use specialist advice diligently. They make sure that staff have a clear understanding of pupils’ needs and how best to support them. Staff identify and close gaps in pupils' understanding, including through the ‘early bird’ lessons. This helps pupils to catch up and keep up with their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school signposts families to access a range of wider help when needed. Leaders monitor individual pupils carefully, including analysing the difference that any support is making. They provide regular staff training, which means staff know which strategies to use to meet pupils’ needs. Typically, the school uses pupil premium funding well to develop pupils’ academic and social skills. However, strategies to raise attendance rates have not been rigorous enough to be fully successful.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s priorities. They make any changes carefully and communicate this with all stakeholders. As a result, everyone buys in to any changes. These lead to positive outcomes for pupils. For instance, the recent changes to the school’s behaviour approach were very positively received by the community. Staff thoroughly enjoy working at the school and feel that their workload and wellbeing are positively considered by leaders. Staff shared that leaders were always available for them. Parents and carers highly recommend the school for its welcoming, family-like atmosphere and wonderful staff.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school's inclusive ethos is consistently understood by all stakeholders. Leaders ensure that the most vulnerable pupils receive bespoke support. They take actions in the best interests of pupils. Leaders establish a positive culture of staff professionalism and expertise. They act as positive role models. The school has clear plans for improvement and implements changes systematically. Leaders check the quality of the curriculum and pupils' wider social involvement with great care. They ensure that high-quality research is used to underpin improvements. This includes working with external specialists to deepen subject leadership. For example, the school's focus on oracy and writing has been embedded effectively. Those responsible for governance work closely with leaders to understand the

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Needs attention

school's priorities and actions. The governing body makes sure the school's approaches to safeguarding and inclusion are robust and meet statutory requirements.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school has a coherent and well-designed personal development programme. It focuses on promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. Staff ensure that pupils develop a deep understanding about how to stay safe. They teach pupils about personal boundaries and healthy relationships. As a result, pupils speak confidently about cyber-bullying, consent and the importance of positive mental health.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides many opportunities that broaden pupils’ experiences, including for those pupils who are disadvantaged. It expands pupils' understanding of different cultures and beliefs. Leaders support pupils' wider understanding of people with different backgrounds. They ensure that pupils expand their cultural horizons and nurture their curiosity. For example, pupils learn about and visit different places of worship. Regular visits to landmarks and cultural institutions provide pupils with enriching opportunities. Pupils visit galleries, theatres, sporting activities and musical festivals to widen their experiences. Leaders check carefully how disadvantaged pupils are included in the school's wider enrichment offer. The school targets particular groups of pupils to encourage access to and participation in broader opportunities, for instance for pupils to take part in educational outings and residential visits.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils confidently discuss issues such as online safety and different family structures with empathy and maturity. The school encourages pupils to champion fairness and respect for all, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds. Pupils understand the importance of voting, participation and countering stereotypes in modern British society. This ensures that pupils develop knowledge of fundamental British values. The school encourages pupils to have high aspirations. Pupils spoke about the range of careers that they have learned about with enthusiasm.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place pupils' character development and citizenship at the heart of the school’s work. Pupils have meaningful leadership roles, including house captains, wellbeing ambassadors and sports leaders. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously. This helps to develop pupils' confidence and independence. Pupils enjoy making change and having their ideas implemented, for instance through voting for a pyjama day.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Over the last 3 years, the school’s absence and persistent absence rates have remained high. Attendance figures for pupils overall, including disadvantaged pupils, remain below the national averages. Some pupils arrive late to school, missing out on important learning. The improvement of attendance has become a high priority recently. There is now a comprehensive school-wide approach to improve pupils' attendance. Staff focus on working closely with pupils and families to increase punctuality. Leaders have involved the local community, pupils and staff to drive improvement. The school’s focused approach is beginning to make a difference to some pupils' attendance and punctuality.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils’ behaviour across the school is excellent. This is because leaders have established very clear routines and systems. Staff implement the school's policies and procedures very effectively. The school is a purposeful and welcoming environment. Pupils and adults interact with utmost respect. In the playground, pupils play together across different age ranges in a supportive and friendly way. During lessons, pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They focus on their learning and receive expert support from adults who show great care and guidance. Staff deal with any concerns, such as bullying, swiftly and effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff warmly welcome pupils at the start of the day. This is a kind and caring community school where positive working relationships exist between staff and pupils. The school is welcoming and works closely with parents and carers. Leaders ensure that they communicate any changes regularly to everyone. This helps to make the school a wonderful place to learn. Pupils achieve well and leave the school fully ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils enjoy their learning because adults make learning enjoyable. The school takes great care to help all pupils, including any pupils who need extra support.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff ensure that they foster a love of learning for pupils. They are positive role models at this school. Pupils feel confident to share any concerns with trusted adults. Pupils’ behaviour is very positive. They respect each other and adults highly. They settle very quickly and focus on their learning. The school has clear systems for behaviour, which pupils respond to very well. This begins in the Nursery and early years, where staff support children successfully to follow routines and instructions. Leaders place great importance on pupils’ safety. They make sure pupils’ voices and ideas are heard. This enables pupils to understand the importance of keeping themselves safe and healthy, including online.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to experience a wide range of enrichment opportunities, for instance in drama, sporting activities, music and visits to historical landmarks. Pupils take great pride in the responsibilities given to them. For example, ‘wellbeing ambassadors’ join external meetings and share ideas and suggestions with the school proactively. Over time, the school has not prioritised pupils’ attendance as highly as it has recently. This means that overall absence and persistent absence rates are too high, particularly for pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders have made this a high priority more recently, leading to improvements.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that their strategy to promote attendance and punctuality is fully implemented so that pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, attend school regularly.

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Team inspectors:

Lascelles Haughton, His Majesty's Inspector Miz Mann, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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Total pupils

• Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching is embedded across the school so that adaptations to pupils' learning are precise, enabling all pupils to be fully ready for future learning.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Kirsty Ruthven.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspection activities: Inspectors spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of the governing body, the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders. They met with pupils to understand their experiences at the school.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school makes use of 2 unregistered alternative provisions. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2025.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2023/24 (final) 66% 61% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 57% 60% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 77% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 74% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2022/23 (final) 73% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 38% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 38% 44% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 73% 63% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 56% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 63% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 56% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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