St Jude’s CofE Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Christ Church CofE Aided Infant School, Virginia Water continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school.

Leaders and staff make sure that Christ Church Infant School is a happy and safe place.

Pupils behave sensibly at all times. They listen carefully to each other and adults.

Pupils join in enthusiastically during lessons and work hard. They particularly like learning through many fun activities that teachers provide for them. For instance, Year 2 pupils enjoy using board games to learn spelling patterns in phonics (letters and the sounds they represent).

Pupils have use of a range of equipment at playti...mes and take part in organised games at lunchtimes. They say that there is no bullying. Pupils know that, if there are problems, there are plenty of kind adults on hand to help to sort things out

Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities outside their lessons.

These include work within the community and with the church. There are a small, but appropriate, number of clubs on offer. Pupils enjoy many trips that deepen their understanding and knowledge about topics they are studying.

Leaders have high expectations and aspirations for every child. They provide effective training for teachers and work closely with other schools to ensure a good quality of education.

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

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils.

At this early stage in the new class arrangements, teachers are still finding the best ways of providing a high quality of education for all pupils of different ages at all times. Leaders and teachers have thought very carefully about how to revise the curriculum for mixed-aged classes. Teachers know exactly what to teach pupils and in what order this term.

Plans for English, mathematics and physical education (PE) cover the whole year but development within other subjects is ongoing.

Pupils listen well in lessons. There is very little chatter to disturb their learning.

As a result, pupils achieve well academically and personally. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. Teachers understand the difficulties faced by pupils with SEND in their classes.

Resources are well used to support pupils with SEND.

Leaders have made sure that there is a clear structure and sequence to the teaching of phonics. This supports pupils to learn how to work out words before they move on to read with greater ease.

Younger children are helped by learning plenty of rhymes and songs. Children entering Reception are taught from their very first week to read letters by saying the sounds. Children learn letters and sounds quickly because adults teach phonics effectively.

Teachers make regular checks on pupils' progress. Any pupil who falls behind or struggles is given the help that they need to catch up. Over time, almost all pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.

This includes pupils with lower starting points.

Leaders place a sharp focus on the importance of reading. Teachers have a clear understanding of how pupils learn to read.

Leaders make sure that teachers have the expertise to teach early reading effectively. Adults help pupils to choose books that are carefully matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils told us about their new library.

They are very excited to be able to borrow books from it, asking to use it several times each day. They read many different types of books.

Early mathematics is taught well.

Teachers receive clear guidance about what to teach. They have been well trained and are supported effectively. Teachers carefully build pupils' skills over time.

Pupils then use these skills to solve various problems.

Pupils are polite, respectful and caring towards each other. They know about different faiths and religions and learn how to be a good citizen.

All staff in the school are very positive and passionate about their work. Leaders, including governors, care about staff workload. Teachers and other staff say this is always considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff receive regular training to know the signs that might raise concerns about a pupil's welfare. Staff know what to do and follow the school's policy for managing any worries.

The safeguarding team works well in school and with outside agencies to get pupils the help they need. The school's record of the checks they carry out on adults working in the school is detailed.

Leaders make sure that staff, parents and carers get the information they need to help keep pupils safe.

Information leaflets on e-safety help parents keep their children safe as they begin to use the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders and teachers are systematically working through different subjects to fully develop the curriculum. Due to the recent change in class structure, the school's curriculum is not yet sequenced in most subjects for the forthcoming year.

However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders should ensure that there is a logical progression of knowledge and skills in all subjects, thereby delivering a full curriculum across key stage 1. .

The revised curriculum is being planned well. However, it is at the very early stages of implementation. Staff know that further modifications may be needed as the curriculum becomes embedded and evolves.

Leaders and governors need to ensure that their monitoring of the success of the new curriculum is rigorous and effective. Leaders should make appropriate changes, if required, to ensure that pupils achieve well in all subjects.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2011.

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