Fetcham Village Infant School

Inspection Report Fetcham Village Infant School

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124983 Unique Reference Number Surrey Local Authority 293157 Inspection number 23 February 2007 Inspection date Peter Thrussell Reporting inspector

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

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School Lane School address Infant Type of school Fetcham Community School category Leatherhead KT22 9JU 4 °7 Age range of pupils 01372 373502 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01372 361045 Fax number 178 Number on roll (school) Mr D Mills Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs C I Cornish Headteacher 10 September 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 293157 23 February 2007 4 °7 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Fetcham is a two-form entry infant school. It serves an area of low social deprivation, with few pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The majority of pupils are from White British heritage.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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Grade: 2

Fetcham Village Infant School provides a good standard of education for its pupils. It has some outstanding features. The headteacher sets a very clear direction for the school. She works diligently and has gained the very strong support of parents for the life and work of the school. A parent commented, 'The caring education provided by the school has given my children an excellent start'. This work is very well supported by all staff at the school and a governing body that is extremely effective. Consequently, pupils achieve well and make good progress throughout the school both in their personal development and academic learning, reaching well above average standards. Outstanding care, which draws on the extremely close links established with parents and other agencies, ensures that children are safe and that particular difficulties met by pupils are effectively identified and supported. Exemplary behaviour and very positive attitudes to learning contribute to pupils'

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Grade: 2

success in school. They greatly enjoy everything about school, with one commenting, 'There's nothing I don't like'. They enjoy their lessons and the opportunities offered through an enriched and imaginative curriculum. They are well aware that the different sporting activities help them to keep fit and benefit from the well planned and extensive outside play areas, which encourage them to look out for each other and think about their own safety. Pupils recognise the importance of a healthy diet with occasional treats. One pupil commented, 'We eat good food and then we eat a pudding'. The school council appreciate their involvement in school life through the changes they brought about to the dining hall. More art work is now displayed here and the dining tables are set out in Harry Potter's Hogwarts fashion. Pupils are increasingly involved in their own learning. Lessons are planned with clear learning outcomes, which are discussed with pupils, providing a measure against which

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Grade: 2

they can assess how well they are doing. Individual targets are set for reading and writing. Pupils understand that these help them to make their work even better. The very good provision in Reception recognises the importance of carefully assessing and recording the small steps children make in their learning in order to plan the next steps. Good teaching throughout the rest of the school makes full use of regularly updated assessment information to ensure that work is challenging and well matched to individual ability. The school is accurate in the evaluation of its performance and good improvement has been made since the last inspection. Senior staff analyse data carefully and identify areas to work on. A focus on reading and writing activities in Reception has significantly improved children's progress in these areas; a recent one year dip in the standards of writing of more able pupils and differences in the attainment of boys and girls have

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Grade: 2

been successfully addressed. The school is developing its curriculum to make learning even more interesting and enjoyable. Creative links have been made between subjects to add more relevance and purpose to learning, drawing on the opportunities afforded by the school's outdoor areas. Although pupils' increased interest and enjoyment have become apparent, the school recognises that the impact of these changes on learning 2 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007 and standards achieved now needs to be closely monitored. Given its record of success, the school has a good capacity to tackle this issue and make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that recent developments in the curriculum are monitored for their impact on achievement and standards.

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Grade: 2

Standards overall are above average and achievement is good. Children enter the school with an above average level of skills. They make good progress in Reception. Many achieve the learning goals expected at the end of Reception and a significant number exceed them. Good progress continues in Years 1 and 2 and overall standards by the end of Year 2 are well above average. Pupils with learning difficulties make similar progress to their classmates due to the well targeted support they receive. Progress in reading is helped by the regular structured opportunities for reading in school and the very strong support given by parents. The 2005 Year 2 assessments showed a weakness in the writing of more able pupils. This prompted a renewed whole school focus on the development of writing skills, which has resulted in considerable improvement in subsequent years. Emphasis on problem solving in mathematics, with

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Grade: 2

greater encouragement for girls especially to talk about their work and explain their strategies, is now ensuring that all pupils make similar progress.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects, is outstanding. They are very confident and have high self-esteem, showing great pleasure in both what they and other pupils have achieved. From an early age they develop a good understanding of other cultures and ways of life. Children in Reception were fascinated in Chinese life through very well-planned activities based on the Chinese New Year. Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in the above average attendance. They have an excellent understanding of healthy lifestyles, recognised by the recently gained Healthy Schools Award. Pupils agree that school is a very safe place and know that if they have any concerns these are quickly sorted out. They make an excellent contribution to both the school and wider communities. They are keen to take on responsibilities in school and are proud to be

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Grade: 1

on the school council. Pupils are regularly involved in charitable fund raising, take part in different local events and invite local elderly people to school celebrations. Good progress in literacy, numeracy and frequent opportunities to use information and communication technology (ICT) means pupils are well prepared for their later life and learning. 3 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Outstanding relationships encourage pupils and they are eager to learn. In Reception, where children are new to the school, these warm relationships ensure that children quickly develop personal skills and the confidence to choose from a wide range of very well-organised activities. Lessons are generally planned well, taking good account of pupils' previous learning. Some lessons combine different subject areas in an integrated approach to learning. More care needs to be taken to ensure that pupils are making the expected progress in these different areas, particularly when working independently. Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants work well as a team and with a keen sense of enthusiasm. They encourage pupils in their learning and use a range of techniques to make lessons enjoyable. For instance, interactive whiteboards are used to good effect. Opportunities for speaking

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Grade: 2

and listening, for example through talking partners and open questioning, are becoming more effective in developing pupils' ideas and understanding.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. Work is well planned for different abilities. Although yet to be fully evaluated for its impact on achievement and standards, a more creative approach to learning, through combining different subjects, is now enabling pupils to use and develop their different skills in interesting and purposeful situations. There is good provision for ICT and pupils have many opportunities to use these skills to support, record and evaluate their learning, for example through the use of digital cameras. Pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. A wide range of visits, visitors, and a good number of additional activities, greatly enrich the curriculum. These add interest and enjoyment to pupils' learning and promote their personal and social development. Work in the Foundation Stage is very well planned to provide a good balance between structured sessions and activities chosen by children.

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Grade: 2

The school's comprehensive programme of personal and social development includes very useful life skills that help pupils to become healthy, safe and responsible people.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support of pupils are outstanding. The school has a very strong commitment to caring, which is reflected in the very good arrangements for safeguarding the welfare of pupils. This starts with the very good arrangements for children starting school. They become acquainted with the staff and surroundings by spending time in school and through home visits, and are therefore keen to start school and settle very quickly. Procedures for safe recruitment and for child protection are very clear, well known and rigorously applied. Learning support assistants provide 4 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007 good support for pupils with social and behavioural needs and for those with learning difficulties, enabling them to take a full part in school life and achieve as well as their classmates. Pupils' progress is assessed and tracked extremely well. Through knowing

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Grade: 1

what they need to achieve in lessons, many opportunities to talk about their work with teachers and literacy targets, pupils are guided well in their learning.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The school development plan identifies appropriate areas for development, but these need to be more fully evaluated for their impact on achievement and standards. Regular classroom observations help teachers to improve. Through good performance management procedures, staff are encouraged to further improve their performance in line with actions that the school is taking. Governors are extremely supportive of the work of the school and have an exceptionally good understanding of its performance. They don't just rely on what the headteacher tells them, wanting as much to find out things for themselves, often by asking searching questions. The school has very good links with parents. They are encouraged to take a full part in their children's learning. The very close links with other local schools effectively foster curriculum development and different approaches to teaching and

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Grade: 2

learning, for example the greater use of problem solving in mathematics and an investigative approach to science. 5 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing to let you know what I found when I visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. I spoke to some of you during my visit and you were interesting to talk to, extremely polite and helpful. You spoke very enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. Fetcham Village Infant School is a good school with some outstanding features. I liked these things the most. • You do well in reading, writing and mathematics. • Children get a wonderful start to school in Reception. You really enjoyed finding out about Chinese New Year. • You behave extremely well, work hard and enjoy your lessons and playtimes. • The school is extremely caring; pupils who need extra help are well supported. • The school provides you with very many interesting things to do. • You understand the importance of eating the right things and taking plenty of exercise. Yes, we all need some treats alongside our healthy meals.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• The school listens to you when you suggest how things could get even better. The toilet signs about washing your hands are very important. • Your parents are keen to help you and give very good support to all that the school does. • Your head teacher does a very good job and is very well supported by the staff and governors. I have asked the school to work on this now. • The school is introducing new ways to make your lessons even more interesting and enjoyable with many different activities for you to take part in. It needs to check that you all continue to learn as well as possible in these lessons. Thank you again Yours sincerely Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Fetcham Village Infant School, 23 February 2007

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