Sandcross Primary School

Sandcross Primary School

Address: Sandcross Lane, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8HH Unique reference number (URN): 144938

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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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Early years Strong standard

Staff interactions in the early years are consistently purposeful and warm. Adults meet the needs of the youngest children very well, creating a nurturing environment where children feel secure, confident and ready to explore. Effective questioning and sensitive support help children to deepen their thinking. Continuous provision is planned with care so that play extends learning and promotes independence.

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Early years Strong standard

The curriculum is coherently sequenced with a clear emphasis on communication, language and literacy. Staff show children how to form letters accurately. Children use this modelling to develop their writing skills well. In the Reception Year, routines for the teaching of phonics are well established. Children revisit sounds regularly. Targeted catch-up ensures that those who need additional support keep up with the pace of the programme. Children apply sounds confidently in their independent writing across both indoor and outdoor areas and take pride in sharing their work with adults.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff introduce and rehearse new vocabulary so that children use it confidently, including when retelling familiar stories. Nursery children benefit from a curriculum that prepares them well for school, including those who attend wraparound care where high-quality interactions continue. Leaders engage positively with parents and carers. Parents speak positively about the support that their children receive. Children achieve well in the early years, and their transition into key stage 1 is managed effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have purposefully adapted systems and processes to meet the needs of the increasing number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This includes a significant rise in pupils with education, health and care plans. The school’s care committee brings together leaders responsible for pupils who need additional support, including those with SEND, who are disadvantaged, or are known to social care. Together, they implement a robust approach to identifying and supporting pupils’ learning and wellbeing needs. Their close oversight ensures that support is allocated accurately, reviewed regularly and adjusted promptly when required.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff who deliver interventions or in class support receive high-quality training. Adaptations for learning and wellbeing are subtle, inclusive and aligned with planned provision, enabling pupils to learn with their peers and feel secure. Leaders work proactively with external agencies, and specialist advice is used effectively in classrooms. Parents and carers are treated as partners, and their views help shape decisions and support plans for pupils.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use pupil premium funding very effectively. They consider the experience of eligible pupils across school life so that barriers to participation are removed. Leaders also manage arrangements for pupils in alternative provision or with adjusted timetables carefully, ensuring that they continue to learn safely and successfully.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils experience a rich and well-considered personal development and wellbeing curriculum. This helps pupils to reflect on their beliefs, respect others and discuss differing viewpoints with maturity. Weekly ‘class forums’ provide regular opportunities for debate and ensure that pupils feel heard and valued. Leaders strengthen the taught curriculum through assemblies, external speakers and the use of focused responsive themes. As a result, pupils speak confidently about their learning, including their secure understanding of different faiths.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have equal access to enrichment and wider experiences. They remove barriers through subsidised visits and guaranteed access to clubs. Participation is monitored closely. Leaders use this information thoughtfully to refine the offer. They are passionate about giving every pupil opportunities such as gallery visits, theatre experiences and trips to the beach. Some pupils acknowledge that they would not have had these experiences without the school providing them.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Relationships education is well established and gives pupils an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships, consent and personal safety. Pupils explain the content clearly. They describe how it builds as they move through the school. Pupils appreciate the sensitive delivery of lessons, including single-gender sessions for some content related to puberty. Online safety is reinforced regularly, including before school holidays. Pupils recall the ‘SMART’ rules confidently.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders actively promote fundamental British values, which align closely with the school's values. Pupils participate in democratic processes through the pupil parliament. They take pride in these roles, which rotate regularly to ensure broad participation.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The pastoral and wellbeing offer is a significant strength. Pupils know who to approach for support and feel safe, valued and listened to. They know how to seek help, including using online worry buttons. Leaders identify emerging needs promptly. They maintain high-quality records and evaluate support carefully through the care committee’s oversight.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils generally achieve well across the curriculum and build their knowledge securely. They use accurate vocabulary and apply knowledge and skills with confidence. For example, older pupils draw on earlier learning in geography to explain new concepts. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities make secure progress through the curriculum. Adaptations are thoughtful and aligned with the intended curriculum, helping them to keep up with their peers.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders ensure that support closely matches pupils’ gaps in learning. For example, in phonics, catch-up provision is effective for most pupils who did not pass the phonics screening check. However, pupils' handwriting remains variable, and this can affect the quality and fluency of pupils’ written work.

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Achievement Expected standard

Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are broadly close to national averages at the expected standard. Pupils achieve particularly well in the Year 4 multiplication tables check.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is monitored rigorously. Leaders take swift action when individual pupil's attendance rates decline. They are proactive as concerns arise. Leaders take a sensitive approach when absence is linked to pupils’ mental health. This helps pupils to rebuild their confidence and attend more regularly. Overall attendance is close to national averages. Persistent absence is reducing over time. Although attendance for disadvantaged pupils has improved, it remains below national averages, and persistent absence for this group, while decreasing, has remained above national levels in successive years. Leaders are highly focused on this group’s needs.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The calm and settled start to the day sets a positive tone for everything that follows. Pupils move sensibly around the school and focus well in lessons. They follow routines, are polite to visitors and work well with each other. Leaders take a strategic approach to behaviour, supported by consistent staff training and oversight from the care committee. More serious incidents are recorded, addressed and monitored carefully, creating an environment where pupils feel supported. They know that their concerns are heard and addressed. Staff use the school’s behaviour systems well. Universal strategies, such as support for pupils to manage their emotions and visual prompts, help all pupils. When individual pupils need a more tailored approach, staff provide this sensitively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well ordered and builds securely on pupils’ prior learning. Clear overarching themes connect subjects. Leaders make evidence-informed decisions about the curriculum. This is supported by monitoring that gives leaders an accurate view of teaching and its implementation. This allows them to target staff training effectively, including recent support for phonics teaching.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers typically have secure subject knowledge, strengthened through clear guidance, regular checks and dedicated development time. This ensures that teaching is responsive and aligned with curriculum expectations. Leaders make sure that the teaching of core skills is a high priority. For example, phonics is taught with consistency, and assessment is used well to identify next steps. Spoken language is modelled carefully, and pupils are supported to use accurate vocabulary in both speech and writing. In mathematics, several refinements, including a greater focus on the use of manipulatives, mean that pupils’ gaps in knowledge are identified and targeted well. However, there is inconsistency in how handwriting is taught. Pupils’ errors in transcription are not always addressed, which allows their misconceptions in writing to continue. Staff understand pupils’ needs well and use thoughtful, inclusive adaptations so that almost

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

all pupils, including the high number of pupils with education, health and care plans, can learn confidently alongside their peers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders draw on a wide range of evidence to evaluate the school’s work. They use these insights to shape the school's strategic priorities. Their approach is particularly evident in the monitoring of inclusion and pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. Here, detailed information is used to refine provision. Leaders also seek the views of stakeholders regularly, enabling them to assess the impact of their work and respond to emerging needs. This ensures that decisions are made in the best interests of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Professional learning is well planned and delivered thoughtfully. It supports whole-school improvement and provides tailored development for staff. Teachers at all stages, including those at the start of their careers, feel well supported. Collaboration within the trust and with specialist settings further strengthens staff expertise.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees have taken appropriate steps to support the relatively new local governing committee, drawing on governance expertise from across the trust. This enables those responsible for governance to carry out their statutory duties well, including careful oversight of safeguarding. Governors understand key improvement priorities, such as the need to further reduce persistent absence rates for disadvantaged pupils, and provide constructive challenge. Clear systems ensure effective collaboration between governors and trustees.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust provides strategic, needs-led support focused on the school’s improvement priorities and maintains a clear emphasis on measurable impact. It also offers valuable opportunities for partnership working with other schools, for example through shared work on pupil premium funding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders manage staff wellbeing and workload with care. Systems are streamlined and unnecessary tasks removed. Appropriate support is provided when needed. As a result, staff feel valued and enjoy working at the school.

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

Pupils understand the school values of kindness, respect, responsibility and resilience well. They explain confidently how they demonstrate these values in everyday situations. This begins with the youngest children. For example, in the Nursery Year, adults use everyday moments to help children recognise how tackling challenges builds their resilience. Pupils attend regularly and show positive attitudes to school life.

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

Pupils feel well known. ‘Pupil Parliament’ gives them an effective way to share ideas with leaders. Pupils speak enthusiastically about improvements that have resulted from their suggestions. Recent examples include new playground zones and the purchase of golf equipment funded through pupil-led events. High expectations and thoughtful support ensure that those who face barriers to learning or wellbeing are fully included. Pupils feel confident seeking help, whether by approaching trusted adults or using the school’s online worry button. They trust adults will act on their concerns, including about bullying if it were to occur.

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

The breadth of enrichment opportunities is impressive. Children in the early years enjoy activities that build strong foundations for later interests. Older pupils can choose from an extensive range of clubs, including gardening, sewing and badminton. Pupils say that these opportunities help them to grow their passions and make friends across classes. They also value the many trips that bring learning to life. Pupils are proud of the school minibuses that take them on visits. They are currently helping to design the new buses for their school.

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

Pupils benefit from the careful thought leaders give to managing the school day. Transitions are calm and well supervised, helping pupils feel safe and cared for. At lunchtime, pupils enjoy activities such as den building and tyre rolling on the playing field, once they have put on their wellies of course. Pupils contribute to the school and wider community through litter picking and charity events. They enjoy seeing the positive impact of their fundraising.

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen the teaching of handwriting across the school and ensure that staff systematically identify and correct errors so that pupils develop secure and fluent writing skills. Leaders should maintain a clear and sustained focus on attendance and continue to refine actions that reduce persistent absence for key groups, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

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About this inspection

This school is part of the Everychild Partnership 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), Glenn Livingstone, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Faulkes.

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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

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders, members of the local academy committee, the CEO and director of education of the trust and trustees during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with staff, parents and carers and pupils and to the alternative provision providers used by the school.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Katherine Russell, Ofsted Inspector Owen McColgan, Ofsted Inspector Lorraine Greco, His Majesty's 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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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. The school uses 3 unregistered alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Mark Richards National average: 300

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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

2024/25 (revised) 60% 62% Close to average

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average

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

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average

2022/23 (final) 53% 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) 69% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 75% 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

2024/25 (revised) 73% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 72% 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

2024/25 (revised) 68% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 66% 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

2024/25 (revised) 41% 47% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 36% 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) 56% 63% Close to average

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average

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

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average

2022/23 (final) 55% 60% 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

2024/25 (revised) 59% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 54% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 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

2022/23 (final) 52% 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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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.3% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.7% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.7% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 14.1% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.0% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 15.3% 16.2% Close to average

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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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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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