Surrey school celebrates new term with Good Ofsted

​Leaders at a Surrey school work tirelessly to help pupils achieve and have high expectations for every child, according to Ofsted inspectors.
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Children at Marden Lodge Primary School and Nursery, Caterham, look forward to attending and the school’s leadership and management has been rated as outstanding with particular praise for changes which have been made.

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“Many improvements are deeply embedded. They first ensured that there was the right support for pupils and their families who might need a little extra help. The welcoming family room and support for pupils’ wellbeing are valued by parents,” says the report.

“Through the school's values, pupils are taught to be trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair and caring and to become active citizens,” the report adds.

The school, a member of the multi-academy GLF Trust, has been awarded an overall status of Good by the inspectors who visited in November.

"We are all incredibly proud of our school and were delighted that Ofsted recognised the positive impact of the changes we had made," said John Williams, executive head teacher.

“It has been a very challenging time for everyone involved in education and our staff, pupils and their families have all worked incredibly hard to make sure our school offers the best possible start for children at the beginning of their education journey,” he added.

The report highlights the wide range of opportunities on offer at the school, with Year 5 pupils learning the trumpet and a free multi-skills sports club.

“Even at a young age, children in Nursery and Reception learn the school’s values through experiences such as caring for Benji, the class rabbit, or by taking turns at playing games,” says the report.

“Pupils talk with excitement about the new science lessons, for example enjoying the practical activities and using their knowledge to explain what they see.”

“Teachers and support staff are highly effective in teaching reading. Pupils learn the knowledge and skills they need rapidly. Pupils who find it hard receive individual support so that they catch up with their peers. In mathematics, staff deliver carefully planned lessons so that pupils can practice their skills and apply them in a range of ways,” the inspection report adds.
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The school has 235 pupils aged from two to 11 and the last inspection was in June 2016 since when all the senior leaders have changed with Mr Williams and Denise Coady, head of school, joining in 2018.

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