Frequently Asked Questions

How would you describe the feel of the school?

St Richard’s is a small, calm, friendly place and visitors often comment on this when they leave.

When was the last OFSTED inspection and how did the school do?

Our last OFSTED was in June 2018. It was a one day Section 5 Inspection and we had a very positive experience. We were pleased that the inspector graded us ’Good’ but are constantly striving to provide an even better quality of education for our children.

Does the school feel cared for?

We are constantly looking for ways to keep the learning environment, both indoors and outside, as good as possible. We ask all stakeholders, parents, pupils and staff to do their best to keep the school looking clean and orderly. Over the years we have raised large amounts of money, through our PTFA and other charitable bids, to improve key areas of the school. These include a full refurbishment of our swimming pool; the development of a music room; the refurbishment of our Rainbow Room (kitchen/nurture space); new stage lighting system in the hall; the provision of new climbing equipment in the Nursery; the full refurbishment of our Reception outdoor space and the creation of an outdoor learning space for Year 1. 

How long has the head teacher and other staff been there for and what is the vision for the school?

Our Headteacher, Mrs Murphy, has been with us since 2001 and Headteacher since September 2022. In addition, our Inclusion Leader/SENCO Mrs Singleton has been with us since 2005; our Assistant Head, Mrs Grant, since 2013 and Mrs Wilson our School Business Manager, since 2016. This continuity of leadership has allowed us to slowly and solidly build on our Vision: ‘to provide an education that nurtures and inspires our children to achieve without limits; develop and grow in all aspects of our Faith ID and courageously embrace the world we live in. As a community made in God's image we choose to be Bold, Bright and Beautiful.’

How does the school communicate with parents and involve them in the life of the school?

We communicate with parents in a variety of ways but our main way is through our Website. This is where we try and share the vibrancy and colour of school life, as well as helping parents with their day to day enquiries. Each week we produce a newsletter (click here to view our latest newsletter) which includes ‘What’s on next week…’ and ‘Forthcoming dates.’ In addition we have two Learning Conversations with each parent a year to discuss how their child is doing and what we can all do to help.

As well as these formal routes we have an ‘open door’ policy and encourage parents to come and see us if they have a query, concern or question. We also try and encourage parents to take part in our many events, from our fairs and fetes to our cake sales.

In addition we encourage our parents to volunteer in a variety of ways. These include accompanying school trips; supporting swimming; acting as school Library assistants or hearing children read.

How does the school support more or less able children?

At St Richard’s we believe every child should be allowed to learn at their own pace and as a result we plan for individual learning across the curriculum. This may result in children having differentiated tasks or they may be part of a small group or one to one session to support their learning. We are constantly planning and reviewing interventions to support children to keep up or catch up. For more information about how we support pupils with identified special educational needs or disabilities click here to go to our SEND page.

In addition we offer our more able pupils a range of interventions including special roles where they can demonstrate their mastery in a subject – such as being a reading buddy and our Year 5 Secondary Booster tutoring to support them in taking the Tiffin Schools' entrance tests in Year 6. For more information about our support for more able pupils click here.

What are the lunchtime arrangements?

School lunches are prepared on site and over 85% of the food is cooked from fresh ingredients in our own kitchen including using our own school grown produce. Children choose from a variety of foods each day and in addition can top up from the salad bar.

Children from Nursery to Year 2 attend the lunch hall with their year group. All children in Years R to 2 take a school dinner.

From Year 3 onward children may opt to bring a packed lunch and enter the hall in their year group on a rota basis from 1230. From September 2023, The Mayor of London is funding Universal Free School Meals for primary aged children from Reception to Year 6. 

What experiences does the school offer the children?

During the school day we try to make learning as interesting as possible by making good use of our amazing site. Children can be found learning in our outdoor classroom; on our school allotment as well as in our swimming pool.

At St Richard’s we aim to supplement the children’s learning with a wide range of experiences, trips and visitors.

These cover a wide range of areas. For example over the course of their time at our school children will visit a wide range of local and London Art Galleries; they will visit all the local and main London Museums; they will attend a West End Show; they will have visited all the local parks and outdoor spaces; they will spend a day at the seaside; they will have spent a night in school, on the school field, in a Tepee at Thames Young Mariners and will have spent some nights away at a PGL activity centre. The will have petted farm animals and will have seen marine and zoo life.

In addition children will have had the opportunity to visit and sometimes perform in major concert venues such as the Wembley, the O2 and The Royal Albert Hall as well as performing in local singing events such as the Ham Fair and Local music festival.

Is there before and after school club?

We offer wrap around care. Breakfast club starts at 7.45am and is run by our staff. No booking is necessary and it is priced very competitively.

The school runs its own after school provision called The 3 Bees After School Club. This runs from 1530-1800 and there are three sessions to choose from. Click here for more information

How does the school deal with bullying?

We recognise that bullying must be dealt with swiftly and effectively. We recognise that not all incidents in school constitute bullying and we work closely with our children to help them identify the difference between a falling out and an actual bullying incident.

Either way we seek to resolve these matters using a Restorative Approach. This allows both the victim and perpetrator to discuss what has happened, how it has made them feel and how to make things better. In the event of a child being identified as a bully we would contact their parents and work closely to try and eradicate the unwanted behaviours.

Is this a happy school and is it the right one for my child?

Only you can know if this is the right school for your child but a simple walk around the school will clearly indicate what a very happy, lively and positive school St Richard’s is. We would welcome a visit from you.