West Ashtead Primary School

WEST ASHTEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 and 5 December 2000

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WEST ASHTEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 West Ashtead Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Taleworth Road Ashtead Surrey KT21 2PX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 June 1996

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Team members

Mr T. Browne 1503 Registered inspector Mrs D. Pepper 9454 Lay inspector Mrs J. Harris 3678 Team inspector Ms S. Bubb 24556 Team Inspector

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Team members

The inspection contractor was Qualitas Education Consultants Limited, “Langshaw,” Pastens Road, Limpsfield Chart, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0RE.

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with West Ashtead Primary School - 3 OFSTED by writing to The Registrar, Inspection Quality Division, Office for Standards in Education, Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE. West Ashtead Primary School - 4

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REPORT CONTENTS

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 14 West Ashtead Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

West Ashtead Primary is bigger than the average primary school, having 326 pupils aged 4 to 11 on roll. The school comprises an infant department with one class in each year and a junior department with two classes in each year. There are more girls than boys overall in the school. The school serves mainly Ashtead and, to a lesser extent, Leatherhead. Very few of the pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds or have English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils on the special educational needs register is below the national average, and five pupils have statements of special educational need. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. Pupils’ attainment on entry into both the infants and juniors is currently above average, with a wider spread in attainment than in the past.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Pupils make satisfactory progress and achieve standards that are well above the national average at the age of 11. The overall quality of teaching is good in the infants and satisfactory in the juniors. Leadership and management are satisfactory and have maintained the sound education in a caring and supportive environment, as noted at the last inspection. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn. • Results in English, mathematics and science tests are very good. • Teaching in all the infant classes is good, with about one third of lessons seen being very good. • Pupils experience a good range of interesting visits and extra-curricular activities. • Pupils with special educational needs receive good support. • The school grounds are being improved to provide an attractive environment for the pupils, and this is helped by successful fund-raising, especially involving parents.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ computer skills through the school. • Opportunities to improve written work, especially free and extended writing • Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace. • Communication with parents, especially in providing them with information about the curriculum and their children’s progress.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since its last inspection in June 1996, the school has made satisfactory improvement overall. The school tackled the action points from the last inspection reasonably, given the changing national focus on literacy and numeracy. The school has introduced the nationally provided subject schemes of work. The quality of teaching remains similar to that seen at the last inspection. Daily acts of collective West Ashtead Primary School - 6 worship are now in place and pupils’ awareness of the multicultural nature of society has improved. The overall results of 11 year-olds in the national tests have risen since the last inspection. West Ashtead Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

1998 1999 2000 2000 well above average A English C A A B above average average B C mathematics A A B C below average well below average D E science A A A B

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Key

The school’s results in the 2000 national tests for 11 year-olds were well above the national averages. Over the last five years the school’s results improved at a slower rate than results nationally, although they remained well above the national averages. Compared with similar schools, the 2000 results were above average and achievement at the higher level 5 was very good. In terms of the proportion reaching or exceeding the nationally expected level 4 the school exceeded its own target for English, but was below its target in mathematics.

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Key

The school’s results in the 2000 national tests for 7 year-olds were well above the national average in reading and mathematics, and average in writing. Analyses of English test results for both 7 and 11 year-olds show that writing is a relatively weaker area. In lessons seen throughout the school, pupils’ overall skills in literacy and numeracy were well above average, with a particular strength in mental arithmetic skills. Pupils achieve good standards in science and appropriate standards in other subjects, including creative work such as art and music. Many pupils have sound basic skills with computers, but standards are not as high as expected nationally, and the school has this as a priority for improvement. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress through the school. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, as they are given effective support.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and have very positive attitudes to their work and to school life. In lessons, they are attentive, responsive and keen to contribute ideas, even when some lessons are unexciting. The attitudes of reception pupils are particularly good.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well around the school and in most lessons. They are polite to adults and to each other. No pupils have been excluded.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils work well co-operatively, and take responsibility for their own learning and other tasks, when given the opportunity. Relationships between pupils are good. The school is a harmonious community.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The attendance rate is well above the national average. West Ashtead Primary School - 8 West Ashtead Primary School - 9

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Teaching of pupils: aged 4 to 5 aged 5 to 7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall good good satisfactory

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Teaching of pupils: aged 4 to 5 aged 5 to 7 years aged 7-11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 4 to 5 aged 5 to 7 years aged 7-11 years

The overall quality of teaching was good in the infants and satisfactory in the juniors. In the lessons seen, 11 per cent of the teaching was judged very good, 29 per cent good and 51 per cent was satisfactory; 9 per cent was less than satisfactory. The teaching of English and mathematics is effective and benefits from the setting arrangements in Years 5 and 6, so that both higher and lower attaining pupils do work that is better matched to their needs. Teachers’ planning is sound and includes detailed preparation for the effective teaching of literacy and numeracy. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and their progress is monitored effectively. In most lessons seen, the teacher made clear to the pupils what they had to learn. The best lessons used a variety of well-paced activities that involved pupils in their learning and provided good opportunities for them to extend their

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Teaching of pupils: aged 4 to 5 aged 5 to 7 years aged 7-11 years

knowledge, skills and understanding. In the less effective lessons, the teachers tended to talk too much themselves, or they set tasks through which the pupils learnt too little and were provided with insufficient opportunities to develop independent learning skills. Some lessons in the juniors were dull and should have made better use of time. The good features to pupils’ learning included their interest and concentration, and their ability to work well collaboratively or independently, when given the opportunity.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. The curriculum is broad and relevant, with strong attention to literacy and numeracy. Visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities provide practical experiences to extend pupils’ understanding of the wider world. The teaching of French enhances the curriculum further. Homework is generally used well to support pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs There are good procedures for the identification, support and monitoring of these pupils. Individual education plans are helpful and are shared with parents. Good support is provided in lessons and in small groups. In some lessons, such as literacy in the infants, the work is well-matched to pupils’ different needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Social and moral development are good. Parents appreciate the positive ethos and values promoted at the school. Spiritual development is sound. Provision for cultural development is good and includes learning to respect other cultures and religions. Pupils also benefit from visitors and from cultural visits, for example to see Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for its pupils and creates a secure environment for their learning. There are appropriate policies and procedures, such as health and safety, and child protection arrangements are in place. West Ashtead Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher promotes the positive ethos in the school and works with senior staff to lead developments, such as those in literacy, numeracy and the improvements to the school grounds. Subject co-ordination across the school needs further development, as does the overall management of the classroom support staff and mid-day supervisors.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors know the school well through visits and through information presented to them at meetings. They show commitment and fulfil their main responsibilities. The governors recognise the need to enhance their role, for example by being more fully involved in planning and in monitoring.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The local education authority provides the school with detailed analyses of test data. The headteacher has begun termly observations of teaching. Evaluation of numeracy, and to a lesser extent literacy, has supported developments in these subjects. Evaluation is less evident in other subject areas or aspects of school provision.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Staff, accommodation and learning resources are used appropriately. The major developments to the school grounds are enhancing the pupils’ surroundings and learning opportunities. The school development plan has been a sound basis for long-term planning. County guidelines are used in relation to spending, and reviews of performance help the school to apply the principles of best value.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress; • Behaviour in the school is good; • Generally the children get the right amount of work to do at home; • The teaching is good; • The children are expected to work hard and achieve their best; • The staff are approachable; • Their children are helped to become mature and responsible; • The school is well led and managed. • They are not well enough informed about their children’s progress; • The school does not work closely enough with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors generally agree with the parents’ views about the school. Some parents dislike the annual pupil reports, which are produced using a computer, although inspectors note these have some helpful features and are being improved. Some parents would like more information about what is West Ashtead Primary School - 11 planned to be taught each term and to hear earlier in the school year about their children’s progress. Although parents feel staff are generally approachable, many parents commented about weaknesses in communication between school and parents, which the school needs to address. Overall however, parents are keen to support their children and the school, and many provide valuable practical help, for example by listening to readers or helping in classrooms. West Ashtead Primary School - 12

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The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn

1. Pupils enjoy school and have very positive attitudes to their work and to school life. In four out of five lessons seen overall, the behaviour of the pupils was good, and in almost all lessons in the infants it was very good. The responses to the questionnaire indicated strongly that parents feel their children enjoy school.

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The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn

2. In lessons, pupils are attentive, responsive and keen to contribute ideas. In an infant literacy lesson for example, the pupils were keen to participate, they suggested voices for characters in a poem, then settled very well to work in groups. All groups concentrated hard and a more-able group wrote sentences independently. They showed good understanding of words associated with time, such as suddenly, next and before. Pupils then listened well to each other as one from each group read out their work. In a very good mathematics lesson introducing directed numbers in a junior class, the pupils were keen and actively involved in well-planned tasks. They contributed enthusiastically to brisk whole-class discussion, learned well in pairs and worked hard individually.

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The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn

3. In a good Year 3 music lesson on the Planets by Holst, the pupils listened well during a whole class discussion at the start. Nearly all had their hands up to suggest a meaning for Mars - bringer of war. They listened attentively as each extract was played, they enjoyed the range of music and worked very well in pairs to make their own music. In a Year 5 top English set, the pupils responded very well. They were sitting quietly reading as the teacher arrived and were very attentive during the whole-class discussion. Many pupils offered ideas for note-making and gained in confidence because the lesson was well planned.

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The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn

4. In some lessons where teaching was less stimulating, the pupils nevertheless responded positively. For example in a teacher-dominated, formal English lesson, pupils were industrious and concentrated throughout, they were keen to suggest their own ideas and justify them, although they were allowed little independence. Although the activities were uninspiring, the pupils made satisfactory progress, building on what they had learnt previously.

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The pupils enjoy school, they are very well behaved and eager to learn

5. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes contribute significantly to the pleasant atmosphere around the school. Behaviour is good at breaks and lunchtimes. For example, during a wet playtime pupils were very well behaved in classrooms and engaged in a range of constructive activities such as board games and puzzles. In the new playground area and in the areas for more vigorous activity, the pupils played well together. Pupils are clear about the behaviour expected of them.

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Results in English, mathematics and science tests are very good

6. The school’s overall 2000 national test results in English, mathematics and science for 11 year-olds were well above the national averages for all schools and above average when compared to similar schools. The 2000 results for 7 year-olds were not as strong, especially in writing, and this is recognised by the school, although overall performance in the infants has improved over recent years. The 2000 reading and mathematics results were well above the national average.

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Results in English, mathematics and science tests are very good

7. Both national and local analyses of the school’s results for 11 year-olds show these are good overall. In all the tests the proportions of pupils achieving the expected level 4 exceeded the county averages, as did the proportions reaching the higher level 5, except in writing. As in previous years, the teacher assessments were mostly lower than the test results, and the school might review the reasons West Ashtead Primary School - 13 for this. In evaluating the progress made by pupils between the ages of 7 and 11, the local authority analyses suggest pupils with lower prior attainment tend to make the better progress, but overall progress is satisfactory, with writing as a relatively weaker area.

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Results in English, mathematics and science tests are very good

8. The reasons for the good test results are the combination of the pupils’ hard work with effective teaching, which is strongly focused on the requirements of the tests as these are approached. In mathematics, pupils have good understanding and skills in number. In the juniors, pupils of lower ability showed a secure understanding of place value and confidence to tackle calculations mentally. Those of higher ability had excellent mental arithmetic skills and their work illustrated good achievement in topics such as shape and data handling. In English, average-ability pupils talked about checking work for spelling and punctuation, and suggested the need for complex sentences to achieve the higher level in the tests.

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Teaching in all the infant classes is good, with about one third of lessons seen being very

9. Almost all the teaching seen in the reception and the other infant classes was good, and one third was very good. This enabled pupils to make good or very good progress in lessons, and to respond very well in almost all the lessons seen.

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Teaching in all the infant classes is good, with about one third of lessons seen being very

10. Reception pupils benefit from lively, effective teaching in a stimulating room. There are high expectations and learning moves at a good pace. Teaching uses every opportunity to reinforce teaching points. In a very good session with a literacy focus, teaching was well planned and made imaginative use of resources to read and spell simple words. Activities catered for pupils of different ability so they all concentrated and made good progress.

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Teaching in all the infant classes is good, with about one third of lessons seen being very

11. Praise and lively teaching were also features of a very good Year 1 lesson. Expectations were high and teaching skilfully used appropriate vocabulary with pupils of different ability. Before the teacher read from a “big book,” pupils were encouraged to predict what might happen by looking at the front cover. Pupils practised handwriting and took part in an enjoyable class game to reinforce the pupils’ recognition of initial sounds and to increase their vocabulary. Class management was very effective and this helped to make good use of time.

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Teaching in all the infant classes is good, with about one third of lessons seen being very

12. The older infants also benefit from teaching that is challenging and well organised. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good, and the pupils settle quickly and work very well in groups. This was evident in a session when the pupils very sensibly shared resources to design and make their own “Father Christmas face,” later to have a light-bulb nose added. The teaching of literacy, numeracy and other subjects in the infants uses a range of appropriate methods. This means that pupils learn effectively and extend their positive attitudes to learning.

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Pupils experience a good range of interesting visits and extra-curricular activities

13. Pupils’ comments and classroom displays show that the curriculum is enhanced by a good range of visits and by extra-curricular activities. However, this is not fully consistent with the response of parents to the questionnaire. One in five parents indicated that they did not feel the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. The last inspection report praised the school’s very good reputation for sport and for its orchestra, although this is now no longer running because of staffing changes. Currently there are four different recorder groups and a choir, and a good range of other clubs, including sports such as netball and football.

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Pupils experience a good range of interesting visits and extra-curricular activities

14. A strength is the range of visits and visitors that enhance the curriculum, especially the social and cultural aspects. For example, the Year 2 class had a visit by a fireman, which linked well with their West Ashtead Primary School - 14 work, including study of the Great Fire of London. Year 5 pupils visited Hampton Court and this provided excellent opportunities for enriching their history work on the Tudors. Both infant and junior pupils take part in music festivals. Pupils from Years 5 and 6 went to see a performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest at a local school, and this extended their experience of literature. A group visit to the Royal Opera House extended the cultural experience even further. There are annual residential trips for Year 4 and Year 6 pupils, providing a wealth of learning opportunities.

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Pupils experience a good range of interesting visits and extra-curricular activities

15. French continues to be included in the taught curriculum, with effective gradual introduction to day- to-day use of the language, for example through greetings at registration time. The school benefits from its suitably equipped home economics room where volunteer parents make a very good contribution. Groups of pupils from across the school are helped to produce, for example, shortbread, and this is enjoyed and appreciated by the pupils.

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Pupils with special educational needs receive good support

16. Although the proportion of pupils on the register for special educational needs is below the national average, the school makes good provision for these pupils. One teacher manages the support and the school has a suitable room for group work. The provision of staff to support pupils is good, with an above-average amount of in-class support for the size of school, and a pupil-teacher ratio that is broadly average. However, the nature of whole-class teaching for literacy and numeracy means that in some lessons the ancillary support staff were not able to contribute as efficiently as at other times. This is a feature that the overall school management of support staff should aim to improve.

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Pupils with special educational needs receive good support

17. The school takes care in identifying pupils’ needs, for example through observation by staff, or the use of diagnostic tests and external specialists, for example in speech and language. The class teacher and the special needs co-ordinator jointly write individual education plans and these are shared with the parents. The homework diary is one form of communication with parents, usually on a weekly basis for each pupil with special needs. Specific provision involves both support in class and some teaching in small groups, according to pupils’ needs. The pupils benefit from these arrangements and the evidence from national tests at ages 7 and 11 suggest that lower-attaining pupils make good progress overall.

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and this is helped by successful fund-raising, especially involving parents

18. The school benefits from a good range of accommodation set in attractive, spacious grounds. At the time of the last inspection in 1996, a period of extensive building alterations was nearing completion. The building now includes a good-sized hall, eleven classrooms, library, home economics room, group room and administration area. A temporary classroom outside provides an additional space that is very useful for music lessons and for teaching the extra English and mathematics sets in the juniors.

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and this is helped by successful fund-raising, especially involving parents

19. The school grounds and playground areas have continued to be improved. An ambitious development of one playground area has involved pupils, parents and staff. The first phase of this includes a quiet play area, with a popular paved drafts/chess board and an amphitheatre. Pupils regard this area as one of the best things about the school. Pupils were usefully involved at the planning stage through a survey of their needs. It has subsequently been a valuable learning resource, for example for art and written work.

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and this is helped by successful fund-raising, especially involving parents

20. A key factor in this major development has been the fund-raising. A substantial private donation was received but the project also depended on very successful fund-raising by the parents’ association, the “Friends of West Ashtead.” The resulting additional outside area provides an attractive environment for pupils, especially for their social development at lunch and breaktimes. West Ashtead Primary School - 15

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Pupils’ computer skills through the school

21. Improving the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills of pupils and staff has been one of the school’s main priorities in recent years. Much work is currently underway to improve the network of computers and the available software. Funding has been available both for resources and staff training. However, the teachers have varied levels of expertise. The headteacher feels disappointed with some of the training and support that has been provided in the past, but currently some staff are making good progress on external courses. Appropriately, the school aims to evaluate the ICT confidence and skills of both pupils and staff, and the use of ICT within the curriculum.

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Pupils’ computer skills through the school

22. Pupils in different classes currently have different experiences. In some classrooms where the teacher is confident and keen, the pupils have very good opportunities and their ICT skills progress well. For example in one junior classroom the evidence of pupils’ work on the computer is extensive, with pupils producing reports combining text and graphics, and showing skills for example in running programs and saving files. In other classrooms, there is very little evidence of computer use, and pupils make few gains in their knowledge and skills. In the large majority of the 35 lessons observed, the classroom computer was switched on but not used.

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Pupils’ computer skills through the school

23. There is a need for more-effective co-ordination of ICT across the school. Currently, the school claims to be using published schemes of work. However, pupils do not all have the necessary prior experience as they have not been progressing through the scheme in previous years. Therefore there is a need to plan the ICT aspects of the curriculum carefully for each year group and to ensure the necessary knowledge and skills are built up. The school is aware that the control work and data logging aspects of the curriculum are not yet fully resourced or being taught. Appropriate priorities are to further improve computer hardware and software, and to continue staff training.

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Opportunities to improve written work, especially free and extended writing

24. The school’s results in the national tests in English for both 7 and 11 year-olds have been well above the national average. However, the school has recognised that performance in reading has been consistently better than writing over recent years. An appropriate priority in the school development plan is to focus on improving the standards of pupils’ written work, especially free and extended writing.

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Opportunities to improve written work, especially free and extended writing

25. Classroom displays and pupils’ books show that pupils practise writing for a range of purposes. For example Year 6 pupils had written their own accounts following their visit to see Shakespeare’s The Tempest. They described their favourite character and provided an overall evaluation in their neatly presented work. Year 6 pupils also wrote about the new playground, demonstrating good handwriting and punctuation, and incorporating paragraphs and some complex sentences. Other pupils for example wrote sets of instructions, poems, book reviews and reports on sports events.

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Opportunities to improve written work, especially free and extended writing

26. However, there was less evidence of free and extended writing, with an over-use of short exercises and worksheets, both in literacy and in other subjects. Pupils write some stories and have creative writing books; they draft and make best copies, often for mounting and display. Writing at length in other subjects of the curriculum is limited. Evidence from work in religious education suggested that pupils all had copied the same written information in this subject. This illustrates the limited opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills across the curriculum. Also, marking varies in quality and value. Some includes helpful comments, makes reference to objectives and indicates ways to improve. Other marking is very limited and less helpful. West Ashtead Primary School - 16 27. In literacy and other lessons observed, opportunities to encourage pupils to write more freely were inconsistent. For example, in lessons on conjunctions and clauses, worksheet exercises were narrow

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Opportunities to improve written work, especially free and extended writing

and lacked purpose, with pupils just practising the techniques. Pupils were not told why two simple sentences should be made into a complex sentence, nor were they encouraged to create their own sentences. However, in another class the pupils were given some independence in creating their own clauses and then expected to extend this work for homework.

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Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace

28. The teaching seen in the juniors was satisfactory overall. Whilst it was satisfactory or better in about 90 per cent of lessons, it was good or better in only 25 per cent of lessons. This is a low proportion compared with the national picture.

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Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace

29. The judgement that teaching was satisfactory in the juniors matches the evidence that pupils make satisfactory overall progress. The local education authority provides the school with much analysis of test data. Comparing pupils’ attainment at age 11 with their prior attainment at age 7, analyses suggest the 11 year-olds at West Ashtead in 2000 had made progress as expected in English, mathematics and science. During the inspection, in too few of the junior lessons seen was the teaching good enough for the pupils to make good or very good progress. This is a similar finding to the last inspection that reported “the pace of some lessons is slow and pupils are given routine and undemanding work.”

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Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace

30. There are strengths in the junior teaching and these outweigh any weaknesses. For example, teachers generally have the necessary subject expertise. Teaching of the basic skills is often effective, as in the teaching of grammar and numerical skills to the older pupils. Learning objectives are usually clear and shared with the pupils at the start of a lesson. Planned coverage of the basic knowledge and understanding needed for the tests is good, as illustrated in the overall content of science work throughout the juniors. Some work promoted interest, such as the visit to Hampton Court which contributed well to pupils’ learning about the Tudors. Opportunities are made for creative work, illustrated in the good displays of still life drawings and other art work. In a high proportion of lessons, the classroom management was good, and pupils responded very well.

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Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace

31. However, some teaching was dull and involved undemanding tasks, or made poor use of time. Some lessons were based on published scheme material or worksheets that had routine exercises that did not challenge the pupils. Some written work by pupils was all identical suggesting they had all copied the same material. In some literacy lessons, the pace was slow, with pupils having mainly to listen to the teacher for 30 or 40 minutes. Although in one science session the pupils enjoyed themselves and collaborated well, they learnt little science knowledge or skills because of weaknesses in planning and teaching.

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Some of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace

32. Teaching generally needs to make more careful use of time. For example some lessons did not have an effective summary or plenary and some practical activities went on for too long so the pace lagged. Class timetables show at least half of the literacy hours or mathematics lessons in the juniors are scheduled for one hour and a quarter, so either teaching time is being wasted or the lesson runs beyond the recommended length of time.

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curriculum and their children’s progress

33. Parents clearly support the school and want their children to succeed. Many parents support through fund-raising or helping in school, for example, by listening to readers, running sessions in the home economics room, or helping on trips. The large majority indicate they can approach the school to discuss concerns, although some feel there is not a strong enough partnership with some teachers. West Ashtead Primary School - 17 34. The parents’ questionnaire analysis suggested that about half of the parents feel they are not well enough informed about how their children are getting on. A significant proportion of the written comments from parents claimed that communication between the school and parents was poor. The school prospectus refers to an autumn term “meet the teacher” evening, spring term private discussions of pupil progress and an end of summer term report. Some parents dislike the annual pupil reports,

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curriculum and their children’s progress

which are produced using a computer, although inspection evidence suggests these are reasonable and have some helpful features such as the learning targets. The governors, headteacher and staff need to explore further how best to communicate with parents in a helpful but manageable way.

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curriculum and their children’s progress

35. The questionnaire analysis also suggested about one quarter of parents feel the school does not work closely with parents, and this echoes the parents’ general concerns about communication. Parents indicated that the use of the child’s diary for communication between home and school is inconsistent between classes. The school provides parents with outlines of topics for the year, which is satisfactory. But parents say they would like more information about that planned to be taught each term. Some suggested that the information in the end of the year reports about what has been covered could be provided at the start, which is not an unreasonable idea.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• continue its work to improve pupils’ computer skills through further staff training, improved planning for the teaching of ICT skills and ensuring there is appropriate hardware and software.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• continue to address the school priority to improve pupils’ written work, especially free and extended writing, through planned opportunities for writing, and consistency in classroom approaches and in the marking of written work.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• enhance the quality of the teaching in the juniors that lacks interest, challenge or pace. Evaluation of teaching and learning needs a sharper focus on those features that can be improved, such as the use of resources and time.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• finds ways to improve communication with parents and continue to evaluate success in providing information about the curriculum and children’s progress. West Ashtead Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Year R to Year 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 326

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 60

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. West Ashtead Primary School - 19 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total

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Attendance

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 15 16 31

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Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attendance

Boys 15 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 13 16

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 90 (90) 100 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

Boys 15 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 16

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 100 (90) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attendance

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attendance

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total

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Attendance

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 27 27 54

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Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

Boys 24 23 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 21 25

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 89 (93) 81 (92) 94 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

Boys 18 21 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 24 22

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Attendance

Total 41 45 41 West Ashtead Primary School - 20 Percentage of pupils School 76 (77) 83 (80) 76 (70) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attendance

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. West Ashtead Primary School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Year R - Year 6 Financial year 1999 - 2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 13.2 £

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.7 Total income 568,238

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Average class size 29.6 Total expenditure 561,727

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Year R - Year 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,708

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Balance brought forward from previous year 11,706

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of hours 148 Balance carried forward to next year 18,217 West Ashtead Primary School - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 326

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 34 54 5 2 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 24 62 8 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 60 11 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 10 36 39 12 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 38 46 14 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 38 54 5 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 12 48 23 12 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 36 55 6 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 34 58 4 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 56 17 5 4

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