School report
Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy
Molesey Drive, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey SM3 9UU
Inspection dates
26–27 June 2019
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Effectiveness of leadership and management
Outstanding
Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
Outstanding
Personal development, behaviour and welfare
Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils
Outstanding
Early years provision
Outstanding
Overall effectiveness at previous inspection
Not previously inspected
Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
This is an outstanding school
Since opening as an academy, senior leaders
have ensured that the quality of teaching and
assessment to improve pupils’ progress has
been their central goal. The impact of this work
is now evident in all year groups, including the
early years.
The governing body has provided the school
with a clear direction as well as a good balance
of support and challenge. They have been
involved in the development of the school from
its onset, because they understand the needs
of the pupils who attend.
Teaching is outstanding and provides a careful
balance of work, which not only interests the
pupils but also makes them want to try hard to
succeed.
Teachers are proud to be involved in the
development of the school and appreciate the
investment in their training that leaders make,
as well as that of the LEO Academy Trust.
Teaching develops pupils’ skills strongly in
reading, writing and mathematics, and also in
other subjects, including art, physical education
(PE) and music.
Staff know their pupils very well and working
relationships are excellent, helping pupils to
become confident learners. This prepares them
very well for secondary school.
Pupils in all year groups make consistently
strong progress. Leaders make effective use of
monitoring records to create small-group and
individual teaching sessions that quickly
address any potential underachievement.
Pupils with special educational needs and/or
disabilities (SEND) do well because care is
taken to plan work that meets their individual
needs. Several pupils also receive helpful
additional support from teaching assistants.
Pupils show great kindness towards others.
They are very well behaved and willing to work
hard. Leaders ensure that pupils are very well
cared for, and make excellent provision for
their personal development.
School leaders have worked effectively with
parents and carers to ensure that they work
together to support the pupils’ attendance,
which is above average.
Leadership in the early years is outstanding.
The provision in the Nursery and Reception
classes supports children’s excellent progress
so that they are very well prepared for Year 1.
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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Full report
What does the school need to do to improve further?
Continue to ensure that pupils make excellent progress across all subjects by
maintaining a focus on developing the school’s approach to teaching and use of
assessment.
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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Inspection judgements
Effectiveness of leadership and management
Outstanding
Since the creation of the school, the headteacher and other school leaders have been
highly effective in developing the quality of education that pupils receive. The
leadership team works effectively to help pupils attain to the best of their abilities
across all subjects of the national curriculum. As a result, outcomes are high, and
pupils do very well.
Leaders hold a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Their
plans for improvement focus on the areas in need of most attention. A good example
of their work has been the recent focus on improving reading progress for the school’s
disadvantaged pupils. The impact of creating a responsive approach to the needs of
this group is shown by the clear improvements in current pupils’ progress.
Teachers are very appreciative of the investment made in their training by senior
leaders. This has resulted in high-quality teaching of reading, writing and mathematics
and a range of other important subject areas, including, PE, art and music.
The wider leadership team includes subject leaders and they contribute enthusiastically
to the school’s work. They diligently take responsibility for curriculum subjects and
ensure that their subject knowledge is used in training and development opportunities
for staff, as well as keeping a close eye on the quality of work being produced in
lessons.
Leaders use assessment information skilfully to hold teachers to account for their
pupils’ progress. Leaders monitor standards and progress judiciously to give them
accurate information to identify and support pupils at risk of underachievement.
Teachers use feedback well from senior leaders to improve their planning and teaching.
Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to support the learning of disadvantaged
pupils. Specific help for those pupils who need to catch up forms the basis of this work.
Consequently, disadvantaged pupils’ progress compares favourably with that of other
pupils nationally.
The leadership of SEND is well supported by the school’s inclusion programme and is
effective. Leaders understand the individual needs of pupils and use assessment
information effectively to monitor the progress of these pupils and ensure that they
receive the help they need to make good progress from a range of external
professionals.
The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium enables the school to provide
specialist teaching which the pupils enjoy, both in lessons and outside-hours activities.
Pupils also benefit from a good range of clubs and unique curricular sessions such as
martial arts, hockey and cricket. These opportunities, as well as promoting pupils’
fitness and enjoyment of physical activity, also encourage them to take up sport in one
of the school’s clubs.
The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development. This is helping pupils to acquire a thorough understanding of life in
modern Britain and is linked to the school’s values. They show great tolerance and
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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respect for one another, both when working and playing.
The curriculum at Cheam Park Farm is very well planned, with pupils’ enjoyment of
their work kept at its core. Each term, pupils work from a practical start to a topic to
‘whet their appetite’. Following this exciting start, pupils then are immersed in deeper
study across the full range of national curriculum subjects. This approach is proving
successful for the school and leaders monitor its impact carefully.
Governance of the school
The local governing board members routinely ask leaders searching questions about
how well pupils are learning, the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and
safeguarding arrangements. As a result, they are confident that they have an accurate
view of the school’s performance and are clear about the priorities for future
development. They are currently working with leaders and trustees to ensure that the
school is fully prepared to change the leadership structure in September 2019.
The headteacher provides the school’s governing body with comprehensive information
about all aspects of the school’s performance. In addition, governors complete a range
of activities in school to ensure that they have accurate first-hand knowledge of the
school’s work. For example, they regularly spend time in lessons with senior leaders,
visit assemblies and look at pupils’ work.
The MAT and the local governing board have developed a very effective two-way
process for evaluating the school’s performance. A continuous stream of information
and analyses between the board and the Academy Trust ensure that everyone is well
informed about the school’s progress.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Leaders ensure that all members of staff are well trained in child protection and have
the necessary skills and knowledge to promote pupils’ welfare. The school’s policies
and practice are thorough. A strong culture of safeguarding exists in the school.
Leaders and staff work closely with parents and carers, as well as external
professionals, to ensure that all pupils are supported and are as safe as possible. Key
staff have ensured that safer recruitment training and practices are up to date.
Pupils are very confident that the school is a safe place; parents and staff at the school
who responded to Ofsted’s surveys or spoke with an inspector agree with this view.
Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
Outstanding
Teaching is of a consistently high standard across all year groups. Staff have extremely
high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Resources to promote learning are used
well and this includes the additional adults that make significant contributions in
lessons. The working relationships between staff and pupils is very positive and pupils
find this helpful.
Teachers know their pupils very well and this ensures that they plan learning with care
so that the lessons meet the needs of pupils across the full range of attainment.
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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Support for pupils with SEND is also very effective, with tailored work motivating them
to try hard. Pupils know that the staff want them to do well. In turn, this has
developed pupils’ extremely positive attitudes towards learning.
The school has been increasingly effective in its approach to the teaching of early
reading skills. This has helped to ensure that precise teaching supports pupils in
acquiring a secure knowledge of phonics. This helps pupils to use phonics to decode
words increasingly accurately and fluently, which in turn enables them to make a very
sure start in learning to read with clarity and expression.
The teaching of writing is effective in making tasks challenging and interesting for all
pupils. Frequently, it is linked to other subjects of the curriculum and this helps pupils
learn writing skills in a deeply practical context, which helps them achieve well. The
presentation of work has been an area of development and has shown recent dramatic
improvement and shows the great pride that pupils take in their achievement.
Staff have improved their teaching by making good use of the regular training and
useful mentoring they receive from the LEO Academy Trust. They are able to teach
across the full range of national curriculum subjects in a way that retains the practical
approach that pupils at Cheam Park enjoy. Teachers are very proud of the professional
way in which they are treated by senior leaders and benefit greatly from their
association with the LEO Academy Trust.
Personal development, behaviour and welfare
Outstanding
Personal development and welfare
The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.
Pupils work and play together harmoniously. This is because they are taught to show
empathy towards each other and to demonstrate respect and understanding.
Through the curriculum, pupils develop a strong awareness of different faiths, ethnic
backgrounds and cultures. Pupils demonstrate considerate attitudes for each other,
even if they hold different beliefs or points of view. A number of pupils hold positions
of responsibility within the school, such as through the work of the Eco-Squad, which
has made suggestions to improve the outdoor environment.
Pupils say that bullying does not take place at the school but that, were it to occur,
they know how to respond and the systems that exist to support them. Teachers
ensure that pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep safe, for example while using
the internet.
Through different subjects, including science, pupils are made aware of key aspects of
keeping healthy, such as the importance of a good diet and regular exercise.
Behaviour
The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils conduct themselves impeccably, both in
classrooms and around the school site.
Leaders have continued to work effectively to maintain a great sense of community in
the school. This is evident in how the pupils care for one another. While working and
playing in the lunchtime break, a calm, friendly and inquisitive atmosphere pervades
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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the school.
The school communicates well with parents and carers, who are overwhelmingly
positive about the school’s work. One parent’s comment, typical of others, was that
‘Teachers are very supportive and provide a well-balanced learning environment where
children feel confident enough to express their views and opinions.’
Last year, attendance was above average when compared with similar schools. The
school has maintained a focus on raising attendance through developing partnerships
with parents, as well as going the ‘extra mile’ for parents who live some distance from
the school.
Outcomes for pupils
Outstanding
Standards at key stage 2 have remained high since the school opened in 2016. In
2018, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and
mathematics was above the national average. This represented very strong progress.
More than double the national average of the most able pupils attained the higher
standard in reading, writing and mathematics.
In 2018, the proportion of Year 1 pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics
screening check was above the national average. This is because of the school’s clear
commitment to getting children reading as soon as they start at the school.
Current pupils are making very good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
This is shown by the school’s carefully moderated assessments of their progress over
time, work in their books and their learning in classrooms. This is the result of excellent
teaching over time.
Throughout the school, great emphasis is placed on providing opportunities for pupils
to work in a practical and meaningful way across all subject areas. This has resulted in
work of an excellent standard. This is particularly true of art, music and PE, and the
writing quality in religious education is also of a high standard.
Pupils clearly enjoy reading, and leaders have been quick to implement an approach to
the teaching of reading that ensures that text of a very high quality is available to
pupils wherever literacy skills development is a key focus. Older and younger pupils
spoke about their favourite authors and their reading record books showed that regular
reading at home is well established.
Careful use of the pupil premium funding is helping to support the good progress that
disadvantaged pupils make in all curriculum areas. Their progress in writing is now
improving because of the school’s careful analysis and the resulting actions.
As a result of effective support, pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of
learning, and they learn well.
Early years provision
Outstanding
The leadership of the early years is outstanding. The leaders show a clear
understanding of the children’s developmental needs. As a result, children learn well
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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and make very strong progress from their wide variety of starting points.
The proportion of children attaining a good level of development by the end of the
Reception Year has shown steady progress over time and is now slightly above that
seen nationally. Children develop very positive attitudes to school life in the early years
and are very well prepared for moving into Year 1.
The school has worked successfully to raise disadvantaged children’s achievement.
They are now doing better than their peers nationally.
Children in the Nursery class are making excellent progress with their key skills. At the
time of the inspection, during a role play about a holiday trip, one boy was telling his
teacher not to choose the pretend ice lolly which had coloured sprinkles on the top due
to its high sugar content!
Reception children are showing tremendous progress with their skills in number,
reading and writing. Many are able to write clearly, at some length and use basic
punctuation, including full stops and capital letters, with several children choosing to
write ‘chapter books’ about their topic area and gleefully reading it to the teacher.
Staff create a very welcoming, kind and inclusive learning environment, where children
thrive in activities that they find enjoyable. Very skilful teaching ensures that children
gain basic skills, working independently or with their peers. Work is planned very
carefully so that it can be adapted to meet individual needs. Careful records of learning
are kept that support children’s excellent progress.
Children are excited by the interesting topics that staff plan for them. They settle
swiftly to work and are very well behaved and respectful towards one another.
Teachers’ expectations of impeccable conduct result in children who settle very quickly
to their work, show kindness towards one another and engage thoroughly in the work
that is planned for them. Teachers are also very adept at enabling children to develop
their own interests when appropriate, so they gain a deep knowledge of the world.
All the classrooms are exciting and well resourced. Everywhere, there are resources
that children can use independently to help them develop their numeracy and literacy
skills. Everything is well labelled with pictures and words so that by the time the
children are in the Reception class they are capable of choosing their own resources
best suited to the work they are doing.
Children are very well cared for and their well-being is of paramount importance. The
school has developed effective partnership working with parents, who receive regular
updates of the progress made by their children. The school’s ‘Learning Journeys’ are a
useful piece of assessment which also become a prized keepsake at the end of the key
stage when the children transition to Year 1.
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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School details
Unique reference number
140260
Local authority
Sutton
Inspection number
10088840
This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection
was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.
Type of school
Primary
School category
Academy sponsor-led
Age range of pupils
3 to 11
Gender of pupils
Mixed
Number of pupils on the school roll
895
Appropriate authority
The board of trustees
Chair
Peter Cook
Headteacher
Alison Day
Telephone number
020 8644 7415
Website
www.cheamparkfarmprimary.co.uk
Email address
Date of previous inspection
Not previously inspected
Information about this school
The school was created in 2016 following the amalgamation of two schools. At the
same time, it joined the LEO Academy Trust.
The school is much larger than most primary schools. The proportion of pupils
supported by the pupil premium is below average. Just over a quarter of the pupils
speak English as an additional language.
The school is on two sites, one housing key stage 2 pupils while younger pupils attend
the other.
Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The largest group of children
are from White British backgrounds, making up over half of the school, with pupils
from Asian or Asian British and other Asian backgrounds making up the next most
sizeable group.
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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Information about this inspection
Inspectors visited classrooms in all year groups; several visits were carried out jointly
with members of the school’s leadership team.
The inspection team heard pupils read in Year 2. They talked to pupils in classrooms
and looked at samples of pupils’ work.
Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plan
and records of pupils’ behaviour, safeguarding and attendance. They also scrutinised
assessment information and records of meetings of the governing body.
A meeting was held with the chair and the vice-chair of the governing body. A meeting
was also held with the chief executive officer of the LEO Trust. Several meetings were
held with the headteacher and deputy headteachers.
The views of parents were obtained through informal discussions, the 104 responses to
the online Parent View survey and the 25 responses for the online free-text facility.
The views of staff were examined through the 61 responses to the staff survey.
The views of pupils were gained through formal and informal conversations and
examining the 121 responses to the pupil survey.
Inspection team
Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector
Ofsted Inspector
Jonathan Roddick
Ofsted Inspector
Rekha Bhakoo
Ofsted Inspector
Meena Walia
Ofsted Inspector
Inspection report: Cheam Park Farm Primary Academy, 26–27 June 2019
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Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the
guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's
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you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enq[email protected]v.uk.
In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding:
pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care
through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and-
alternative-provision-settings.
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www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.
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