Surrey Hills All Saints Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly school. They know the school values of 'Love, Believe, Respect, Aspire, Achieve and Hope'.

Pupils understand their responsibility to live by these values to make school a positive place in which to learn.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils to achieve well, but this vision is inconsistently realised. Where leaders have focused their attention, in English and mathematics, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well.

Pupils' achievement in the rest of the curriculum is variable.

Pupils are respectful and behave well in lessons and around the school. From the start of Re...ception, staff model to children how to behave so they quickly learn the routines and rules.

Incidents of bullying are rare, and staff are quick to help pupils with any friendship worries. Pupils trust adults in school to listen to them. As one pupil commented, 'There is always someone to support you.'



Pupils benefit from different opportunities. They attend a range of clubs, including choir. Pupils thrive on leadership opportunities, such as being playground buddies to help everyone play happily together.

They also appreciate learning in the community, either during forest school sessions or by visiting local landmarks, such as Box Hill.

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

Children get off to an impressive start in Reception. Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum that takes account of children's individual needs and prioritises developing their language and communication.

This includes teaching new vocabulary every day. Staff are knowledgeable, check children's understanding carefully and skilfully adapt their teaching. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are strongly supported.

Staff build in opportunities for children to revisit prior learning to build their confidence and understanding. As a result, children speak with enthusiasm about their learning and develop resilience to persevere when they find things tricky, so they are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of education.

The teaching of reading is effective throughout the school.

Staff promote a love of books by reading texts aloud which are linked to the topics that pupils are learning, such as the Romans or the rainforests. Leaders ensure that staff are equipped with expert knowledge to teach phonics. Staff follow the phonics programme closely, and pupils read books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned.

This helps pupils to develop confidence and fluency over time. When pupils join the school in later year groups, staff prioritise checking their reading. Struggling readers are given effective extra help to enable them to keep up.

Leaders have ensured that the mathematics curriculum is equally strong, but the quality of other subject thinking remains variable. In subjects that are sufficiently developed, staff follow well-sequenced planning that identifies precisely what leaders intend pupils to learn and remember. Leaders have identified that this is not yet consistent across all subjects.

Different teachers have varying expectations in wider subjects. Some staff use effective strategies, such as clear modelling, precise vocabulary and careful questioning, which help pupils to achieve well. They check that pupils have learned the most important content.

However, this is not consistent. As a result, pupils' learning, including those with SEND, is variable across different subjects and year groups. This is reflected in the quality of written work and pupils' ability to recall and discuss their learning.

Staff's understanding of how to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND is not yet secure across the curriculum.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. Pupils learn the importance of looking after their physical and mental health, including the impact that a healthy diet and exercise can have.

Older pupils learn how to keep themselves safe by listening to speakers such as lifeguards, police and social workers. Staff help pupils to develop an appreciation of different cultures and current events in the wider world. Leaders ensure that pupils read books that promote equality and diversity.

Some pupils do not attend school often enough. Leaders have taken action to work with families to improve this, which is beginning to have a positive impact. However, the attendance of some pupils who are disadvantaged remains too low.

The trust has an accurate view of the school and so knows what the strengths are and what needs improving. It provides substantial leadership support. Local committee members are proud to support the school.

They focus well on assuring themselves that safeguarding is effective, but their understanding of how well pupils are learning needs strengthening. Staff enjoy working at the school and value the strong team ethos between staff and leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know their families well, which helps them to notice any changes which may indicate that a child is at risk of harm. Leaders ensure that staff receive high-quality training to help them understand their responsibilities. Staff report concerns promptly, and leaders take action so that pupils get the support that they may need.

There are minor weaknesses in some examples of safeguarding record-keeping. They do not leave pupils at risk of harm and are easy to put right.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online and in the local community, such as when close to roads and railways.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in wider subjects is not sufficiently developed. As a result, pupils' learning in wider subjects is variable. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders set out what they intend pupils to learn and in what order, ensure that staff follow this planning closely and then check how well pupils have learned and remembered the essential content.

• Some provision for pupils with SEND lacks consistency. This means that pupils with SEND achieve strongly in English and mathematics but their learning is variable in other subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to swiftly identify pupils' needs and provide effective support to enable them to achieve consistently well.

• Some pupils have poor attendance. This means they fall behind with their learning. Leaders should ensure that they continue to work with families so that all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, attend school regularly.

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