Chipstead Valley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, caring and thoroughly inclusive school. This is evident in the way that pupils play with their friends, including those in the specially resourced provision. Pupils are proud of their school and their personal achievements.

For example, pupils value receiving the 'Charlotte Wicker' award for working hard and demonstrating the school's values of 'respect' and 'resilience'. Pupils achieve well here across a range of subjects.

Pupils are incredibly well behaved.

This starts in the two-year-old provision where children are taught to share and collaborate well. Across the school, pupils work hard to 'be the best they can be'. Kind, nurturing relat...ionships exist between pupils and staff.

Pupils are confident that if they have a worry or a concern that there is an adult who will listen and help them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

There are a range of opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility.

For example, older pupils take pride in looking after the library and recommending books to their classmates.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of enrichment activities on offer, such as choir, gardening and football club. These opportunities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils including those in the specially resourced provision. The curriculum is well-structured. The school has thought carefully about what pupils need to learn and when.

As a result, pupils consistently build on their previous learning. For example, pupils in Year 6 explain how using perspective, space and shading creates a sense of 'vulnerability' in their artwork. This is because they have previously been taught the techniques used by the artist Henry Moore.

Staff have excellent subject knowledge. They explain concepts clearly, making links across subjects so that pupils develop their knowledge. Teachers check what pupils know regularly and correct misconceptions quickly.

The school has actions in place to ensure that standards of writing improve, so that a greater proportion of pupils make strong progress by the end of Year 6.

Reading is given the highest priority here. Children are taught to read right from the start of their time in Reception.

This is because leaders want pupils to read fluently and without delay.

Pupils are given regular opportunities to visit the school library. They read widely and often and are read aloud to daily.

Children in Reception take great delight in joining in with repetitive phrases and using actions to show the Gruffalo's 'terrible tusks' and 'terrible claws', for example. Children in the two-year-old provision eagerly predict the next animal that will make an appearance in the book they share as a class. This is because teachers and other adults read aloud with animation and enthusiasm.

These experiences develop a love for reading.

There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading here. Teachers and teaching assistants have been well trained.

Letters and sounds are taught in a logical order. Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to visit previously learned sounds. Pupils who need support to catch up are quickly given the help they need.

Books are well-matched to the sounds and letters that pupils have been taught. Therefore, pupils read with high levels of confidence and accuracy.

Thorough systems are in place for identifying those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The curriculum in the specially resourced provision is impressive. Staff use well-matched approaches so that these pupils achieve very well. Staff provide effective support to develop pupils' social skills and independence.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour which starts from the two-year-old provision. This means the curriculum is taught without any interruption. The school has appropriate actions in place to ensure that attendance remains high.

The school intends that the wider curriculum should equip pupils with the skills needed to be open-minded and considerate citizens. Pupils are taught to develop 'international mindedness'. They are given opportunities to consider views that may be different to their own through partnerships with schools in other countries.

Children in the early years are taught how to call for help in an emergency. Pupils know not to share personal information online and to report any concerns to an adult. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy and unhealthy relationships.

Pupils are given strategies to manage their feelings. This starts from the early years where children learn the language needed to express how they feel.

Directors and governors have the skills and knowledge required to fulfil their statutory duties.

They have an accurate understanding of what the school is doing well. The school carefully considers staff well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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