Shottermill Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Shottermill Junior School

Following my visit to the school on 11 December 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings.

The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in October 2014. This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

You lead with a palpable determination to do the right thing for pupils at this school. You and other leaders have focused successfully on developing the curriculum and improving teaching and learning. As a result, you have created a h...ighly ambitious culture within which all pupils can succeed.

Pupils learn across a rich and varied curriculum. The pupils I met proudly shared with me their work in science, history and geography, and eloquently talked about their learning in these subjects. All staff work well together to provide the most appropriate learning experiences for pupils.

For example, you told me about the impact of specialist teaching in subjects, such as physical education. As a result, all teachers have developed their physical education teaching skills. Teachers now provide more stimulating and exciting opportunities for pupils to improve their physical fitness, and more pupils participate in team sports.

Pupils are very happy in this school. They value their teachers highly and the extra-curricular opportunities they get day to day. For example, Year 5 pupils enjoyed the outdoor educational visit, where they learned to abseil, among other exciting activities.

Parents and carers are very supportive of the work of school leaders. There is a strong sense of community at the school. Parents are very involved in their children's education.

The parent forum is very active. For example, the introduction of mathematics workbooks, for pupils to use at home, was something the parents had asked leaders to implement. This means that parents can assist their children at home with their mathematics learning.

The pastoral support for pupils is very strong. Pupils' attendance has improved and is above, or in line with, national averages for all groups of pupils. Governors work very closely with school leaders.

They know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. They ask the leaders the right questions to ensure that the school continues to improve. They fulfil their legal responsibilities appropriately.

Regular visits by governors ensure that they are well informed about leaders' work and the impact this work is having on pupils' progress. Leaders' plans for school improvement are very detailed and describe many ongoing actions. However, leaders have not identified the most effective strategies to improve the learning and progress of all pupils.

Leaders' work with external partners, including other local schools, is successfully improving the learning of all pupils across the school. The impact of these partnerships is clearly seen in the progress pupils are making in mathematics and writing. Pupils' progress in both these areas of the school's work is good.

You and other leaders have addressed the areas that needed improving at the last inspection well. For example, you have provided appropriate support and worked well to develop middle leadership across mathematics and English. The attentive oversight of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ensures that pupils' individual needs are known well by teachers and other staff.

These pupils are very well supported. Most pupils with SEND are making good progress, and some make very rapid progress. Despite many improvements, there are still weaknesses in pupils' progress, especially in mathematics.

Leaders are aware of these weaknesses and are addressing them. Recently implemented strategies to develop mathematics provision in Years 4 and 5 work very well. These strategies have not yet been introduced in the other year groups.

Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. The designated leaders responsible for safeguarding work very well together.

They have trained staff appropriately and kept them up to date with current legal responsibilities to keep children safe. Leaders respond quickly to any concerns raised and they engage with families to support pupils appropriately. Leaders work effectively with other agencies.

They ensure that the correct level of support is in place for families and children in need. Pupils feel safe at school. They have a good understanding of how to keep safe online and are taught regularly about the dangers of using mobile technology inappropriately.

Pupils say that bullying is very rare and, if it does occur, it is dealt with quickly. One pupil represented the views of others when saying they feel safe at school because 'we are never alone'. There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about treating each other respectfully and equally across the curriculum.

Inspection findings ? Teachers support all pupils to develop their reading skills effectively. The library plays a significant role in this strategy. The school librarian often changes the library books, so that pupils have a wide range of different types of books to read.

Teachers help pupils choose age-appropriate books to develop their love of reading. As a result, pupils are extending their range of vocabulary well. Teachers regularly assess pupils' reading.

Effective support is put in place quickly if pupils require additional help to catch up. As a result, most pupils read well by the end of key stage 2. ? Leaders' work to improve mathematics provision is working well.

Leaders ensure the strategies they implement develop pupils' mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills. You and other leaders have invested significant time in developing teachers' understanding of the teaching of mathematics. This training has led to a rapid improvement in mathematics provision across the school.

Leaders and teachers consistently use the school's assessment information to identify pupils' gaps in mathematical knowledge quickly. Staff are skilled in addressing these gaps through well-planned teaching and learning opportunities. Teachers' mathematical subject knowledge is strong and their use of questioning checks pupils' understanding well.

Leaders' work to improve mathematics is making the strongest impact in Years 4 and 5, and pupils are making rapid progress. For example, pupils in Years 4 and 5 correctly describe in their books how they approach mathematical problems. Pupils with SEND are very well supported in mathematics classes, and in small groups with well trained staff.

Consequently, many pupils with SEND are making strong progress in mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils are well supported in mathematics. They are quickly catching up with other pupils with similar starting points.

• Your strategies to improve writing across the school are effective. Weekly opportunities for pupils to write extended pieces of work are helping them to develop their writing skills. Teachers develop the range of vocabulary that pupils use in writing well.

They also focus successfully on improving pupils' spelling. Pupils have many opportunities to write for different audiences. For example, Year 6 pupils' written pieces, based on 'The War of the Worlds', clearly show the creativity pupils use to write engaging science fiction stories.

Pupils make good progress in writing. Teachers use personalised 'pupil support plans' well to ensure that they provide suitably challenging and appropriate work for pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND make good progress in writing.

• You have addressed issues raised at the previous inspection well. Your work to develop the role of middle leadership has been effective. Middle leaders are passionate about their roles and they value the professional development they have received.

Their work to improve English and mathematics is well considered. They evaluate the work they do accurately. Leaders successfully demonstrated to the inspector the impact of their work on pupils' progress in these subjects.

Pupils have pride in their work, as evidenced through the good standards of presentation across a wide range of subjects. The most able pupils are challenged well. Teachers often allow pupils to choose from three levels of challenge in lessons.

The most able pupils regularly choose the 'level 3' challenge, the most difficult. They are resilient learners and enjoy taking time to complete the most demanding work successfully. The most able pupils are making good progress across the curriculum.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? the successful strategies for improving achievement in mathematics are extended to all year groups, so that progress for all pupils improves quickly. ? they identify which of the school development plans' actions are most effective and prioritise these to maximise pupils' progress. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Surrey.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Dylan Davies Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection I met with you and other leaders during the day. I observed learning in most classes, all jointly with you and your deputy.

I reviewed work in several pupils' books and discussed pupils' progress and attainment with leaders. Pupils spoke informally to me during the day and I met with a group of pupils. I took account of 76 survey responses submitted by pupils.

Parents' views were considered through informal discussions before school, and 66 replies to Ofsted's online survey, Parent View. I took account of 20 survey responses completed by staff. I checked records and documentation relating to safeguarding.

I reviewed the checks made on staff about their suitability to work with children. During the inspection, I reviewed the school's evaluation and planning documentation, and other school information including the pupils' performance information that is available publicly. I also met with governors and spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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