Farnham Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming here. They feel special and happy because adults show real interest in them. Leaders and staff make sure that pupils are safe.

They have high expectations of pupils. Pupils enjoy learning and they achieve well. Their work is displayed beautifully around the school.

Pupils treat each other kindly. They are friendly and polite. Bullying hardly ever happens.

When it does, staff deal with it well. Pupils and staff, from diverse backgrounds and faiths, get on very well together. There is a lot of mutual respect.

Whenever new pupils join, they are made welcome and make a good start.

Many pupils take part in the wide range of spo...rts clubs. They are enthusiastic about the new activities in other areas, for example in art, which leaders are setting up.

There is a fabulous programme of regular visits out. Activity pledges designed by pupils in each year group ensure they all do exciting things, such as a theatre visit or cable car ride.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Lessons are exciting and fun in all year groups because teachers provide interesting activities.

Pupils learn particularly quickly in the early years and in Years 5 and 6. Children in the early years discover how to concentrate, persevere and share. They love talking about their learning, indoors and out.

Parents and carers correctly say that occasionally the work set in Years 3 and 4 is not explained clearly enough for pupils to understand it well. This happens when activities do not build well on what pupils already know and can do. For example, in mathematics, some pupils found work on telling the time too easy, while others were muddled by it.

In Nursery, staff are very skilled in helping children understand new words. This is built on well in Reception. Pupils become well practised English speakers.

Leaders have reviewed the way in which phonics is taught. This has resulted in significant improvement and now most pupils become good readers by the end of Year 2. Teachers deliver phonics and reading sessions that build on what pupils know already.

Any pupils who fall behind get help and catch up. However, pupils in Reception and Year 1 would benefit from further opportunities to practise their phonics knowledge through writing activities.

Leaders' actions to develop ambitious plans in many subjects are effective.

Some subjects, from Years 1 to 6, are organised better than others. In English, mathematics, religious education, history and physical education (PE), for example, subject plans are logical and coherent. In geography, design technology and music, subject content is not well planned in a careful sequence.

Because of this, there are gaps in pupils' understanding and knowledge in these three subjects. Pupils enjoy their music lessons. However, their opportunities to learn and play musical instruments are limited.

Leaders have clear plans to improve these subjects. This work and the staff training needed for it to be successful have started.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

Leaders and staff make sure these pupils get good support. Disadvantaged pupils also thrive. Their needs are carefully met.

They take a full part in the varied school activities.

Pupils respect each other and adults in school. They are keen to learn, so lessons are rarely interrupted by poor behaviour.

The school is led well. Parents, pupils and staff know that the school has improved a lot in the last few years. They are pleased.

Trustees and governors contribute to this usefully. They ask challenging questions and carefully check on the school. Senior leaders know what is working well and what needs to be better.

They plan carefully, making sure that improvements take root and do not fall away again. They take care of their staff.

Leaders and staff keep in regular touch with parents.

This supports parents to help their children to learn. However, a few parents are concerned that when their child has a problem, leaders and staff do not communicate with them quickly enough.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise pupils' safety. The trustees also make sure that school leaders do the right things to keep pupils safe. Pupils feel confident and well looked after.

The school site is secure. Staff complete thorough risk assessments for the many visits that pupils make out of school. Staff are carefully trained in child protection and safeguarding procedures.

They identify pupils who are at risk, reporting any concerns correctly. Leaders ensure that these pupils get the help they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In most subjects, leaders' plans are well sequenced and thought through.

However, in geography, music and design and technology, the curriculum is not as well planned. Groups of lessons do not build on what pupils already know and can do. This means that pupils do not achieve as well in these subjects as they do in others.

It is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transition arrangement has been applied in this case. .

Leaders' plans for the curriculum are not always delivered well. For example, in Years 3 and 4, pupils are sometimes given work that does not build on what they have learned before. In Reception and Year 1, pupils would benefit from more opportunities to practise using their knowledge of phonics.

This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently in these year groups. .

A few parents who raise concerns with the school feel that their questions are not dealt with promptly or fully. This affects their confidence in the school. Leaders should make sure that parents always receive a timely and full response when they have concerns.

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