Chennestone Primary School

Inspection Report Chennestone Primary School

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125094 Unique Reference Number Surrey LEA LEA 281885 Inspection number 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 Inspection dates Barbara Atcheson AI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Manor Lane School address Primary Type of school Sunbury-on-Thames Community School category TW16 5ED 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01932 785477 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01932 754943 Fax number 365 Number on roll Mr Lawrence Nichols Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sue Jackson Headteacher 14 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281885 13 June 2006 - 4 to 11 14 June 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large primary school is currently one form entry to Year 2, two form entry in Years 3 and 4 and three form entry in Years 5 and 6. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds. Most children benefit from pre-school educational provision. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is above average. Almost all pupils have White British heritage and few are at an early stage of learning English. A below average proportion is eligible for free school meals. There has been high staff turnover in the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with senior management, governors, pupils and parents that this is a good school which gives good value for money. One parent wrote, 'Chennestone is a first class school with first class teachers. I am thrilled with my son's progress and general well-being.' Standards are above average, all pupils achieve well because this inclusive school has a shared vision for improvement which is reflected in everyday practice. The effective partnership between the highly purposeful head teacher, enthusiastic new deputy and dedicated senior leadership team, makes a major impact on the school. The senior team has an accurate view of the school. Previous weaknesses in mathematics at the end of Year 6 and science at the end of Year 2 have been identified effectively and tackled systematically. The school has succeeded in maintaining above average standards over several years. The highly effective measures taken have resulted in a dramatic improvement in standards and

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Grade: 2

improved the rate of progress made by all pupils in these areas. These successes, together with a full response to the issues raised by the last inspection, indicate that the school has good capacity to improve. Exceptional relationships are a key element in the success of the school. Pupils enjoy coming. They are proud of their school and their achievement. A group of pupils agreed with the boy who said, 'I would change nothing, everything is perfect.' Good personal development and care are two of the school's distinctive strengths. A week dedicated to food awareness, sports and cycling proficiency together with the school council's successful drive to increase the amount of water consumed, ensure that all pupils are keenly aware of healthy lifestyles and how to stay safe. The way that pupils work together and share their ideas in a collaborative way, together with above average standards of attainment, prepares them effectively for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall with some outstanding practice. This ensures that all pupils make at least good progress because they are motivated and learning is made relevant. Teaching is especially effective for those with learning difficulties and disabilities enabling them to make good progress. Well focused assessment ensures that the learning needs of all pupils are met. However not all pupils are clear about their next steps in learning because target setting is not sharp enough. Provision in the Foundation Stage, including teaching is satisfactory and as a result children make satisfactory progress. There is a lack of creativity in planning exciting activities related to the experience of Foundation Stage children and as a consequence, learning is not always as effective as it should be.

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What the school should do to improve further

• involve pupils more effectively in target setting so that they have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve; • improve some important aspects of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage especially in providing more exciting and meaningful activities to stimulate learning. 2 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Achievement and standards are good. The school meets its challenging targets. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average at the end of Year 2 and have risen steadily over the past five years. A weakness in the higher levels in science has been comprehensively addressed. The majority of pupils, regardless of their ability or gender, make good progress. Parents appreciate this. One said, 'My son's progress has come on so much since being at Chennestone. He was two years behind, now he is catching up'. Children start school with a wide range of attainment. They make satisfactory progress in reception and reach appropriate levels for their age in all the areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1, with the exception of personal, social and emotional development, where the majority of children exceed the expected goals. At the end of Year 6, standards in English are well above average and have risen over

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Grade: 2

the past five years, with pupils making substantial progress. Effective leadership recognised the need to raise standards in mathematics, which were average, and to improve the rate of pupils' progress. Very successful intervention, going right back to the basic 'building blocks' has proved to be highly effective. Inspection evidence shows that, as a result, all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress in mathematics. It also shows that most pupils are now attaining standards which are well above average in mathematics and science.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Assemblies encourage pupils to share, respect and value others' different needs and raise their awareness of different cultures and beliefs. Pupils' understanding of the need for a healthy lifestyle and how to keep safe are very secure. Year 6 prefects help the smooth running of the school, whilst the Year 5 playground squad enjoy setting up playtime games for younger pupils. Attendance is satisfactory. The school works hard to remind parents of the importance of not interrupting the school term with family holidays. Involvement with the community such as bulb planting, the delivery of harvest baskets and the development of a business link provide good preparation for pupils' economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall with some outstanding practice. Lessons succeed in motivating and engaging pupils so that their involvement contributes very well to high quality 3 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 learning and achievement. However pupils are not always effectively involved in setting their own targets and as a result do not always have a good understanding of what they need to do to improve. In an excellent mathematics support group session, pupils became highly excited as they tried to divide 13 grapes by 4. The teacher's own good knowledge and understanding was evident in the clear way that learning was structured. As a result pupils were highly motivated and made good progress. In an outstanding literacy lesson the teacher's, enthusiasm together with well framed questions enabled all pupils to write well-crafted, highly persuasive advertisements for a position in the Olympic

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good overall. Newly developed cross-curricular links are already helping pupils to understand the connections between different subjects. Planning in the Foundation Stage is carefully structured but not all activities are exciting and meaningful enough to stimulate learning. Across the school, there are good opportunities for the pupils to use their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills in other subjects. Year 4 used their skills in calculation and estimation when writing orders for pizzas. Interactive whiteboards are used effectively to focus pupils and to bring the outside world into the classroom. Pupils' personal development is enhanced through lessons in relationships, teaching about the benefits and potentially damaging effects of drugs and giving pupils opportunities to discuss their feelings. Support for those with learning difficulties and

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Grade: 2

disabilities is good and enables these pupils to take part fully in the school's activities. The curriculum is enriched through a wide range of after-school clubs, visits, and visitors. Residential visits such as the Year 5 Victorian experience provides valuable, practical opportunities for pupils to enhance their learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are well cared for and supported by all staff who are mindful of their safety and well-being. Pupils feel safe in school and know that there is always an adult to whom they can turn. Child protection procedures are fully in place and are understood and followed by all staff. Risk assessments for school visits and procedures for monitoring health and safety of the school site are robust. There are effective systems in place to track pupils' progress but the school recognises the need to include the pupils in setting their own targets so that they have a better understanding of the next steps that they need to take in their learning. Individual education plans are relevant, thorough and used well to enable pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities to make good progress. The school makes good use of its strong links with other external agencies to support particular pupils. 4 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. Parents recognise the benefits of changes introduced during the two years that the headteacher has been at the school. One commented, 'The school has recently undergone some significant changes, which have been well managed and brought new ideas'. The use of assessment to inform planning and the way in which progress has accelerated are two indicators of the successful way in which the headteacher has led and managed the staff. The newly appointed deputy together with the highly experienced senior leadership team has worked hard to ensure that initiatives are implemented consistently and have an impact throughout the school. However, the school recognises that pupils are not always effectively involved in target setting in order to have a better understanding of what they need to do to improve. There is a strong thrust towards improvement. A robust programme of monitoring and

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Grade: 2

evaluation by the headteacher and senior leadership team ensures that teaching has improved consistently. Leadership in the lower school has provided strong support for learning and this has resulted in raising standards throughout the school. Senior staff recognise the need to improve some important aspects of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage. Well-focussed training on the use of data has contributed to improved standards and progress, particularly in mathematics. Many of the subject leaders are new to their role but because of the very positive support they receive from the senior leadership team, they are beginning to monitor work and write their own action plans for development. Everyone, including parents, pupils and governors, feels involved and valued in the decision-making process. The school is good at taking account of their views. Governors are well informed and play a full part in the strategic development of the school. They

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Grade: 2

are actively and productively involved in the life of the school and ensure that all legal requirements are met. The school has made a full response to the issues raised by the last inspection and has good capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Chennestone Primary School, 13 June 2006 to 14 June 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pupils Mr Moxley and Mrs Ewing join me in thanking you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. Your parents and carers are right in thinking that you go to a good school. We would like to thank you for being so courteous and helpful in telling us what makes your school so special. We thought you would like to know what we liked about your school and how we thought it could get even better. * You work hard and make good progress.* You behave well and know your class rules and how to keep safe and stay healthy* Your teachers and teaching assistants work very hard to care for you; everyone is valued.* Your headteacher and the leadership team run the school well. These are the things that we have asked the school to make it even better.* We have asked your teachers to help you plan and understand what you have to do to improve even more.* We have asked teachers in the Foundation Stage to find even more exciting ways to make

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

activities more interesting.Mr Moxley and Mrs Ewing and I wish you every success in the future. Yours sincerely Mrs Barbara Atcheson. Additional Inspector.

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