St Peter and St Paul Church Primary School

St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School Inspection report

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125165 Unique Reference Number Surrey Local Authority 293214 Inspection number 24 May 2007 Inspection date Derek Watts 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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Infant Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °7 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 85 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr R Richards Chair Mrs J Leader Headteacher 29 January 2001 Date of previous school inspection 93 Rook Lane School address Chaldon Caterham CR3 5BN

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01883 343299 Telephone number 01883 343299 Fax number

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4 °7 Age group 24 May 2007 Inspection date 293214 Inspection number .

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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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

St Peter and St Paul CE Infants is a small primary school. About three quarters of the pupils come from a White British background. The remainder come from a range of other, predominantly white, ethnic backgrounds. Few speak English as an additional language and hardly any are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. The proportion eligible for free school meals is also below average. The current headteacher has been in post since June 2003 following an unsettled period when the school was led by different acting headteachers. Pupil numbers fell significantly during this period but are now rising again.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007

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Grade: 2

St Peter and St Paul CE Infants is a good school that has emerged successfully from a period of uncertainty. Pupils are achieving well and their personal development is outstanding. The school has regained the confidence of the parents and local community. Parents now hold very positive views about the school and give it strong support. Their comments include, 'Great school, I would recommend it to anyone', 'The staff are fantastic', and, 'The school is a close community'. Effective leadership and management are key to the school's success and to the very good improvements made. The headteacher's outstanding leadership and direction has successfully seen the school through a difficult time. Teamwork among the staff is strong and all are focused on pupils' achievement and providing high quality provision. Other leadership roles within the school are developing well through different initiatives such as the Primary Leadership

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Grade: 2

Programme. Thorough self evaluation means that the school knows what it does well and has taken effective action to bring about improvements. For instance, improvements to teaching and to the curriculum have resulted in higher standards in writing and mathematics, particularly for the more able. Outstanding care, guidance and support contribute significantly to pupils' academic and personal development. In this extremely positive school community, all pupils are valued and thrive. They thoroughly enjoy school and this is reflected by their keen participation in all activities. Clear expectations and excellent relationships lead to outstanding behaviour. Pupils show an extremely good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and how to keep safe. They readily take on additional responsibilities to help others. Assessment is used well to plan teaching and to set individual learning targets in English and mathematics so pupils know what

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Grade: 2

they are working on in order to improve. Stimulating and effective provision in the Foundation Stage means that children in Reception get off to a good start. Most arrive with a level of knowledge and skills that are above average for their age. They make good gains in all areas of learning so that by the time they enter Year 1 most have reached the goals expected for this age of children. Good progress continues in Years 1 and 2 because of consistently good teaching and learning. By the end of Year 2, standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. There are particular strengths is the way that pupils use their well developed skills of literacy and numeracy in other subjects and to solve problems. Despite improvements to resources, the teaching of information and communication technology (ICT) remains an improvement priority because pupils are not using technology fully to support their learning across all subjects. An outstanding range of

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Grade: 2

additional activities enriches a good curriculum. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support their learning in different subjects.

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Grade: 2

Across the school, pupils achieve well. Children in Reception make good progress in all areas of learning and most meet, and several surpass, the expected goals by the end of the Reception 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007 year. Children's personal and social skills and their communication, language, literacy and numeracy skills are well developed. They are creative and show a good knowledge and understanding of the world. The few children at an early stage of learning English make rapid gains in acquiring English language skills. The Year 2 assessments in 2006 indicate that standards were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Able pupils are challenged well and as a result, high proportions attain the higher than expected Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, current standards continue to be well above average. Standards

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Grade: 2

are well above average in science and pupils have acquired a good balance of scientific knowledge, understanding and skills. Those with learning difficulties make good progress because of the effective support provided.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They have very positive attitudes to learning and their behaviour in lessons and in the playground is excellent. Pupils show a great deal of consideration for others, sharing learning resources and including others in their games. Attendance levels are average. Pupils enjoy school very much, but a few can miss out when families, against the best advice of the school, take their children on holiday during term-time. Pupils have a very clear understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. They love physical education and choose healthy foods at break and lunchtime. They feel safe and secure at school, and are confident that adults will look after them well. They have great fun raising money for charities. Those pupils who have special responsibilities, such as monitors and playground friends, take their roles very seriously and carry them out diligently. High

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Grade: 1

standards in literacy and numeracy, and excellent social skills, mean that pupils are well prepared for the future.

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Grade: 2

Effective teaching and learning contribute significantly to pupils' good achievement. Teaching in the Foundation Stage provides a good blend of direct teaching and opportunities for children to explore, be creative and work independently. Across the school, teachers share learning intentions with the class so pupils know what they are expected to learn. Classroom displays are stimulating, attractive and a strong feature of the school. Teachers select interesting learning resources which motivate and inspire pupils. Clear instructions, explanations and demonstrations promote learning well and pupils respond positively to these. There are good opportunities for pupils to discuss their work. Consequently, their speaking and listening skills are well developed. Skilful questioning by teachers challenges pupils' thinking and checks their understanding. While teachers use interactive whiteboards effectively to illustrate key learning points, pupils

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Grade: 2

do not have sufficient, independent use of computers to support their learning. Assessment of pupils' performance is good and it is used effectively to match tasks to pupils' different abilities and needs. As a result, pupils are challenged well, their interest is maintained and they make good progress. Teaching assistants are well trained and provide effective support for pupils. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum enables pupils to achieve well and contributes exceptionally well to their personal development. The Foundation Stage curriculum provides stimulating indoor and outdoor activities in all areas of learning. Across the school, there is a strong focus on developing pupils' literacy and numeracy skills so they are well prepared for their future. Creative links between subjects add relevance and interest to learning. For example, during history week, pupils studying the Great Fire of London not only found out about the events of that time, but also applied and developed their writing and art skills and learnt about the importance of fire safety from a visiting fire officer. The new computer suite is a good resource for teaching ICT, but the school has recognised that pupils need more opportunities to apply and develop their ICT skills in different subjects. An outstanding range of trips, events and clubs enrich the curriculum.

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Grade: 2

Excellent use of the attractive grounds and the local environment and pupils make good gains in their understanding of the natural world. For example, with seasonal walks pupils understand how nature changes during the year. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the range of sporting and other activities offered.

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Grade: 1

Outstanding pastoral care and support contribute exceptionally well to pupils' personal development. Effective procedures ensure pupils are safe and secure at school. Well considered induction arrangements, including home visits, help to ensure that new children settle quickly. The headteacher and staff have established outstanding relationships with pupils and their parents. Parents commented, 'I really feel that children are treated as individuals' and, 'Teachers are always happy to discuss any concerns'. Assessment information is used well to set suitably challenging individual learning targets in English and mathematics. As a result, pupils know what they are aiming for in order to improve their performance in writing and mathematics.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are successfully promoting good pupil achievement and outstanding personal development. The headteacher's outstanding leadership has gained the absolute confidence of pupils, parents and staff. With her staff, she has created a very positive school climate. Leadership responsibilities are effectively shared among the staff. Through initiatives, such as the Primary Leadership Programme, evaluation skills are being developed so that all leaders are effective in monitoring and improving their areas of responsibility. Self evaluation is effective and thorough. As a result, the school has an accurate overview of its strengths and areas in need of development. Leadership has effectively focused on improving teaching and learning which are now consistently good. Improvements to leadership and management, to teaching and the curriculum have had a positive impact on standards. The

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Grade: 2

school has successfully focused on the needs of the more able and this has had a positive effect on their attainment. Leaders are aware that there is more to do to improve the contribution of ICT to pupils' learning. The school has demonstrated an outstanding capacity to improve and is now in a strong position for further growth. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007 The governing body are committed and supportive. Governors have a better understanding of the school's performance than at the time of the last inspection. Budget deficits of the past have been effectively resolved through careful financial planning and management. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 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 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

2 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 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

11 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School,Caterham,CR3 5BN Thank you so much for welcoming us into your school and showing us your work. We enjoyed our visit and would like to tell you what we found out. St Peter and St Paul is a good school. These things are strengths of the school. • You clearly enjoy school. • Children in Reception get off to a good start. • Teaching is good which is why you learn so much and make good progress. • By the end of Year 2, most of you have gained very good skills in reading, writing and mathematics. • You are considerate, friendly and get on well with other pupils and adults. • The school provides a good range of learning activities with excellent additional clubs, events and visits. • Your behaviour is outstanding in and around the school. • Staff know you well, they take very good care of you and give you excellent support. • Your headteacher leads the school extremely well and is well supported by other staff.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Your parents are very pleased with the care and education provided. There is one thing the school has been asked to improve. • You could use ICT more to support your learning. Finally, thank you once again for all your help. We wish you all the best for the future. With kind regards Derek Watts Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Peter and St Paul CofE Infant School, 24 May 2007

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