St Mary's CofE Primary School

Inspection Report St Mary's CofE Junior School

p.1

125194 Unique Reference Number Surrey LEA LEA 281912 Inspection number 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 Inspection dates Peter McGregor AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Silkham Road School address Primary Type of school Oxted Voluntary aided School category RH8 0NP 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 01883 712817 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01883 723554 Fax number 363 Number on roll Mrs Eileen Perryer Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Alan Norgrove Headteacher 15 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281912 5 July 2006 - 7 to 11 6 July 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is bigger than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than average, as is the proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Most pupils come from backgrounds that are socially and economically more favourable than usual. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below that in other schools, though the proportion with statements is broadly average. Pupils' attainment on entry is above that expected. Most pupils joining the school come from three local infant schools.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

p.3

Grade: 3

St Mary's is a satisfactory school overall. It has a few outstanding aspects, as well as areas for improvement. Pupils' personal development is excellent, as is the quality of pastoral care. Academic support is sound. Standards are above average at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science and pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. The curriculum is good. Teaching and learning, and leadership and management, are satisfactory. The school's own evaluation of these as good led to an overall judgement of the school being more effective than the inspection evidence supports. Pupils are courteous, polite and thoroughly enjoy their education. The school has generated an ethos where high quality relationships and respect are valued, so pupils work hard and behave very well. The teaching quality is inconsistent. In the best lessons learning is excellent and pupils are very successful; in others, insufficiently high

p.4

Grade: 3

expectations result in slow progress. Pupils enjoy many extra-curricular activities and a good breadth to the curriculum. Pupils are very pleased they have adults they can turn to for guidance. They have targets for improvement but tracking their progress is not yet as effective as it should be. Senior and middle leaders have been very successful in promoting pastoral care. They have been less effective in using the results of monitoring to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching, and pupils' learning and achievement. Some good progress has been made since the last inspection. The school has the capacity to improve further and provides sound value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that leaders and managers at all levels focus on bringing about greater consistency in the quality of teaching, in order to improve pupils' achievement • Make tracking of pupils' work more effective, so that teachers set all pupils appropriately challenging work, based on need.

p.4

Grade: 3

Pupils attain above average standards in end of Year 6 assessments and have done so for many years. The school's own reliable data shows that attainment on entry into Year 3 is not as high as some assessments would indicate, but it is above average. Pupils make satisfactory progress in relation to their capabilities, as the school has stated in its self-evaluation. Progress is not as good as it was three years ago. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, and the very small number for whom English is an additional language, make very good progress. The additional support they receive is of an outstanding quality. Pupils' excellent attitudes to work help them to learn but the inconsistent quality of teaching is restricting the progress being made. Some shortcomings in pupils' understanding of English, mathematics and science have been identified. Speaking and listening skills are very good and pupils use computers with

p.4

Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 confidence, although their skills are as expected for their age. The school sets itself reasonably challenging targets and pupils are mainly successful in achieving them.

p.4

Grade: 1

Pupils really enjoy coming to this school and engage fully with all that is offered. This results in outstanding personal development, even better than the school judges. Attendance is very good and behaviour is of the highest standard, based on models of courtesy and respect shown by all adults. Pupils feel very safe. They are confident that any issues that arise will be dealt with frankly and fairly, in line with the very strong Christian ethos of the school. They are aware of what healthy living means and enjoy many opportunities for exercise and sport. They are often consulted about aspects of school life, such as uniform and homework. Their involvement is further enhanced by taking part in house competitions and the school council. Pupils' future economic well-being is helped through very good skills of literacy and numeracy, and to a lesser extent ICT. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

p.5

Grade: 1

outstanding. There is a respectful and reflective response during assemblies and to prayer. Right and wrong are strongly defined in pupils' minds. Their excellent social development is apparent in lessons and after school. Pupils have developed a respect for their own and other cultures, giving them a broad and balanced view of the world.

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and not as effective as the school judges them to be, though some teaching is outstanding. Relationships are very good and pupils hold their teachers in very high esteem. Behaviour management is usually excellent, lessons are well organised and, in the best lessons, pupils are motivated to learn by interesting and demanding tasks. Interactive whiteboards are used frequently and adequately to help pupils learn, but rarely in an exciting manner. Work is sometimes insufficiently well matched to the needs of pupils, both in sets and in mixed ability classes, with not enough challenge for high and middle attainers in some lessons. Pupils are not always questioned enough on their understanding so work does not build on their prior knowledge. Where teachers' expectations are not high enough, the pace of work is sometimes slow. Examples of very effective marking include

p.5

Grade: 3

constructive remarks guiding improvement; other work was merely ticked and comments were not followed up. Pupils with additional learning needs are identified with great care and learn extremely well in withdrawal sessions, where specialist support is exceptionally helpful. 3 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

p.5

Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's judgement that its curriculum is good. It is broad and stimulating, including specialist music, sport and French, and generally meets the needs of pupils. They benefit from teaching time that is longer than the recommended minimum. A daily emphasis on English and mathematics provides pupils with a firm foundation for their future lives. The combination of setting and mixed ability groups does not always result in planning where work is matched to pupils' needs. The programme for personal, health, social and citizenship education makes a very good contribution to pupils' personal development. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, as well as those with English as an additional language, are outstandingly well catered for. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is satisfactory. Curriculum links are good with the infant schools from which most pupils come, and with the

p.6

Grade: 2

receiving secondary schools. Pupils' participation rate is high in the excellent range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils have very good opportunities to make contributions to the local community, for example by taking part in music and sports tournaments.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school's care, guidance and support for pupils are good overall, with some outstanding elements. The school works hard to maximise pupils' attendance, which is above average, with virtually no unauthorised absence. Adults are always ready and willing to help all pupils, from whatever backgrounds. Pupils said how well those new to the school are helped to settle in: 'Teachers remind us to make friends and look out for children when they start in this school, and we look after each other very well.' Staff are well trained in child protection and apply the policies with rigour and sensitivity. Pastoral care of a very high quality is a major factor in pupils' exceptional personal development. Pupils are supervised most effectively during break and lunch times. Health and safety checks and risk assessments are dealt with meticulously, creating a secure environment. Bullying of any form is not accepted, and pupils know

p.6

Grade: 2

that. Systems for tracking pupils' progress are not yet adequately developed for use in raising achievement. The school has identified this as an issue and is taking action to make improvements.

p.6

Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, with some strengths but also areas for improvement. The headteacher, very effectively supported by the complementary skills of the deputy, is highly respected for the very strong influence he exerts on the Christian values and moral climate of the school. This affects every pupil's experience. Senior leaders are not complacent about the satisfactory progress of the pupils and have a strong will to improve it. They are efficient in carrying out monitoring of teaching and learning and performance management but are reluctant to pursue identified 4 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 weaknesses and to challenge adequate teachers to improve further. Subject leadership is inconsistent, with insufficient accountability for what is taking place. School self-evaluation is satisfactory but is not based on sufficiently firm evidence.

p.6

Grade: 3

Consequently, improvement planning, although informative, lacks clarity and focus. Good control of school finances provides a well-resourced learning environment. This is utilised well, except that good ICT facilities are not used to capacity. School systems run very efficiently and effectively with the first-class support of administrative staff. Communications with parents and carers are frequent and their views are taken into account. Parents are very happy with what one called this 'well-rounded education'. Governors conduct their business scrupulously, including building development, finances and salaries, and show a strong commitment to the school. They are beginning to make sharper demands on the school for accountability in terms of reports that measure improvement. School leaders ensure that all children are fully included and they cooperate well with other agencies to support pupils. Improvement has been made

p.7

Grade: 3

since the last report in areas such as communication with parents, but overall improvement has not been as great as the school believes. The school has the capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Mary's CofE Junior School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 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

p.9

learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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.

p.9

and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 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 3 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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pupils Thank you for helping us when we were in your school. We enjoyed talking to you, looking at your work and seeing what was going on. Some things are really good about your school. You work hard, look after each other very well and your behaviour is excellent. Your attendance is very good too. You play well together and feel safe and secure. You are confident and polite. The headteacher and all staff are especially good at caring for you. They show respect for you and talk to you about Christian ways of living. Your relationships with one another and the staff are excellent. A very wide and interesting range of clubs and activities is provided and lots of you take part in them, particularly sports, music and drama. You have the opportunity to learn French as well as all the subjects we normally see. When you come into the school in Year 3, your standards are higher than those of children in other schools and the same is true when you leave in Year 6. You are making satisfactory

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

progress as you move through the school. You speak and listen and use numbers very well. Your skills in using computers are similar to those of most pupils. Support for those of you with learning difficulties and disabilities is excellent. Teaching is satisfactory overall but with quite big differences between lessons. We have asked the headteacher to check more carefully on the progress you are making in lessons and to try to make sure that all teaching is as good as the best. The work that you do isn't always as demanding as it could be and teachers don't always find out what you know and build on this. The headteacher, very well supported by his deputy, provides satisfactory leadership and management. He has provided a school for you that is satisfactory overall, where you could make better progress than you do, but where you are very happy and enjoy yourselves a lot. Best wishes Peter McGregor Lead Inspector

p.11