Witley CofE Controlled Infant School

Inspection Report Witley CofE Controlled Infant School

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125159 Unique Reference Number Surrey Local Authority 293213 Inspection number 16 October 2006 Inspection date David Marshall 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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Church Lane School address Infant Type of school Witley Voluntary controlled School category Godalming GU8 5PN 4 °7 Age range of pupils 01428 682420 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01428 685014 Fax number 96 Number on roll (school) Mrs Louise Rhodes Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Jillian Storey Headteacher 21 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 293213 16 October 2006 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

Witley Infant School is a smaller than average village school with a mixed catchment area of private and local authority housing. It is a popular school, which has been oversubscribed for the last few years. Although pupils' attainment on entry is usually above average, there is a wide range of abilities and needs in the school. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is average. The accommodation consists of a large Victorian main building, dating from 1836 and one demountable hut. Since the last inspection, building work has provided a new Foundation Stage classroom with covered outdoor play area, a new school entrance, office and a staffroom. The school is currently facing re-organisation due to a planned reduction of admission numbers due to a locally falling birth rate.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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Grade: 1

Witley is an outstanding school. The inspection findings agree with the school's judgement that it provides a highly effective education for all the pupils. As one parent said, 'I believe the school is an incredibly friendly, positive environment in which children flourish.' Over the last two years, the headteacher has led the staff with skill and flair through the considerable difficulties associated with the major building work. Together, they have kept the pupils' learning central to all that they do. Their clear vision, along with the stimulating learning environment, means pupils' abilities are nurtured from the outset and all achieve outstandingly well. Pupils' standards, in Year 2 this year, in English and science are well above average for their age. Standards in mathematics, whilst less high in the past, are still well above average, and the school is already implementing ways to raise them further.

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Grade: 1

Provision in the Foundation Stage is excellent, and these young children make a very good start to their education. Teaching and learning are outstanding overall. Assessments by teachers of what the pupils know and can do are thorough. The information gained is used outstandingly well to guide pupils and move them rapidly on to the next stage in their learning. Lessons are challenging and exciting, making sure that all pupils enjoy learning. Having been given many opportunities to develop their own individual skills, support staff make an outstanding contribution to the pupils' development. The rich curriculum covers all subjects very well and is enhanced by a very good range of additional activities. The way that the wooded and outside play areas are used makes every day exciting for the pupils. Pupils are cared for exceptionally well and all of them, including the most vulnerable, feel safe and secure. Their personal

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Grade: 1

development is outstanding. Behaviour is exemplary. By the time they leave the school, pupils develop into well-rounded individuals because of their excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents, who enjoy a close relationship with the school, are very pleased about this. As one wrote, 'I have watched my son develop socially, creatively and academically in the past year. He positively runs up the hill to school!' Leadership and management are outstanding. The head teacher provides first-rate leadership. She is very ably supported by all staff and developments are driven forward at a very good pace. Teamwork is excellent. Strengths and weaknesses are speedily identified because the school has excellent systems for monitoring its work. This is especially important as the school faces the challenge of moving down in numbers from four classes to three in the near future. The staff's determination not to rest on

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Grade: 1

their laurels is evident and the school has an excellent capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

The school has no major issues for improvement. However, staff and governors agree with the inspection findings that they should - 2 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006 • Raise the good standards in mathematics to match those achieved in English and science. • Ensure that current successes are maintained during the period of re-organisation.

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Grade: 1

Most pupils enter the school with above average attainment, although the number needing additional help for learning difficulties is around average for the size of the school. Standards are consistently well above those expected for the pupils' ages by the time they leave and their achievement is outstanding. In the 2006 national assessments, pupils reached standards that were well above average in speaking and listening, reading and writing, and above average in mathematics. Their targets are challenging and in these national assessments were exceeded with a high proportion of pupils achieving the higher level. The school is especially good at assessing how well its pupils are doing so that gaps and weaknesses are identified straight away and tackled speedily. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well across the whole curriculum and pupils are achieving well.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils speak warmly about their school, immensely enjoying both work and play. They are polite, respectful of each other, well-mannered and confident. Lunch times and playtimes are sociable occasions when pupils chat and play together amicably through the use of the 'Rainbow Board' system. Attendance is average and pupils feel safe at school and show great confidence in asking any adult for help if they need it. Pupils are developing a very good understanding of how to stay healthy, by eating sensibly and enjoying physical activities in the spacious school grounds and using the good play equipment. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils relate exceptionally well to each other and adults. They are keen to take responsibility both for classroom tasks and by taking on school roles. Through a wide range of activities

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Grade: 1

they understand about the beliefs and lives of people from different cultures. Pupils' contribution to the community is outstanding. In addition to helping different charities, the school council has been instrumental in putting forward ideas that are making a real difference to the quality of their own school. Pupils are learning the necessary skills that will enable them to settle into their future schools well, and become good citizens in the future. 3 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding. They are never less than good and often excellent. Teachers' planning is exceptionally good and, in all subjects, firmly based on the use of careful, but simple, assessments. This ensures that tasks are pitched at the right level for all pupils. Learning is fun. Lessons move forward at a very good pace and pupils' attention is held throughout. The use of resources, such as the interactive whiteboards and the school grounds, inspires pupils to try their hardest. High expectations of pupils' behaviour are evident in all classrooms and are consistently met. A feature of the successful teaching is the way that staff question pupils, get them thinking and expect well-reasoned responses. These techniques work especially well for support staff working alongside those with learning difficulties. Marking, with the pupils, is used very well to give very clear and immediate pointers

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Grade: 1

about what they need to do reach even higher standards. Targets are used very well and all pupils know what they have to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 1

The school's curriculum is excellent. Learners enjoy and benefit from a wide range of activities inside and outside the classroom. Approaches to learning match the needs of all pupils including those who have learning difficulties, or have gifts and talents. There is a good range of high quality additional activities that enrich the curriculum and promote pupils' development and enjoyment. Provision for pupils personal, social and health development are excellent and the school uses an exceptional range of community and other links to enhance learning. By the end of Year 2, pupils are well prepared for junior education and the transfer between schools is managed very well.

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Grade: 1

The school provides a very high level of care, support and guidance for its pupils, and related procedures, including child protection, are very good. Health and safety routines and risk assessments are firmly in place and carried out thoroughly and regularly. Pupils' safety and well being are paramount at all times, ensuring that the school is a very safe and supportive place to be. Children settle into the Foundation Stage particularly well because of the excellent relationship with the local playgroups, and the outstanding care taken over the induction process. From this early start, staff members know all pupils really well and treat them with respect and fairness at all times. The partnership with parents is excellent. The Friends of Witley School provides unstinting support and is a real asset to the school. 4 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006 Linked to the exceptional practice in pastoral care, there is the robust assessment of

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Grade: 1

academic progress. Comprehensive assessment information is regularly updated and pupils' strengths and weaknesses are accurately identified and appropriate support or extra challenges are provided at all times.

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Grade: 1

Teamwork is of the highest quality and everyone plays a valuable part in moving the school forward. The headteacher's leadership is outstanding. One parent paid her a tribute by saying, 'The head has settled in extremely well and grows in strength and stature. She is incredibly level-headed and has a fabulous team of staff working with her.' Everyone involved in the school shows an unremitting drive to achieve their best. There is a clear understanding of strengths of the school and areas that need more development. The school's self evaluation is extremely effective. The school development plan provides very clear guidance on relevant issues for raising standards and takes into consideration the need for future re-organisation and its possible impact. The outstanding governing body is fully involved in this process and they bring a wide range of skills to bear as they act as critical friends, challenging decisions and

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Grade: 1

requesting explanations where this is necessary. The school has outstanding links with other schools through the 'Seven Saints' group to give teachers every possible opportunity to develop their own knowledge and understanding. Management at all levels is very good with excellent systems in place to monitor pupils' progress and the quality of teaching and learning through carefully addressing any issues that might arise. Within the school, there is a high commitment to include pupils in all activities and the care and concern for all pupils is a high priority. Parents value this and see it as an important feature of the school. The school is very well placed to continue its successes and has an excellent capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 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 3 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: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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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: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your school. I enjoyed my time with you and would now like to tell you what I found out about your school. I agree with what one or two of you told me - Witley is an excellent school. I think you all do very well and really try hard. You are all making excellent progress and I was very impressed that you knew what to do to make your work even better. I saw that you know you are especially lucky to have so many different activities both during and after school. I also saw how keen you are to take part and how well you behave. Many of you told me how much you enjoy being at school, and how proud you are of what you can do. I am sure that you will continue to try hard so your school can be the fun place that you like and where you can all learn. Over the next two years, there may be some changes in how many classes and teachers there are in the school. I have asked the staff to make sure they keep the school as good as it

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

is now. You can help by making sure you always listen carefully to whichever teacher is taking your class. Your teachers are also working hard to make sure that you do as well in maths as you do in English and science. Finally, I would like to thank you once again for all your help. I wish you well in the future. With kind regards David Marshall (Lead inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Witley CofE Controlled Infant School, 16 October 2006

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