Setting

Mrs Jude Grundy Headteacher Crawford Primary School Crawford Road London SE5 9NF

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 23–24 November 2010, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in October 2009. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – inadequate.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – inadequate.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

Newly Qualified Teachers may not be appointed.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crawford Primary School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Southwark.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email :Fiona.allan1@tribalgroup.com

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place in October 2009

 Secure consistently good teaching that accelerates pupils’ rates of progress with their learning by:  ensuring that teachers receive the appropriate professional development to help them plan lessons which enable all pupils to make at least good progress  making sure that senior leaders regularly check that the actions taken to improve the quality of teachers’ lesson plans are accelerating the rate of pupils’ progress  ensuring that, by February half term, all lesson planning for English, mathematics and science includes tasks matched to pupils’ differing learning needs.

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place in October 2009

 Immediately secure consistent use of assessment in each class so that:  marking makes clear to pupils how to improve their work  the use of targets means that all pupils know the next steps they need to take to improve their work  lessons are well matched to pupils’ learning needs so that they make more rapid progress in gaining knowledge, skills and understanding.

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place in October 2009

 Build the capacity of the school’s leadership by:  building the capacity of the senior leadership team as soon as possible  strengthening the leadership skills of middle managers by the end of this term, with a plan for their ongoing development for the rest of the year.

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Evidence

Her Majesty’s Inspector observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with senior and middle management teams, a group of pupils and a representative of the local authority.

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Context

The headteacher retired at the end of the summer term and the deputy headteacher who had been seconded to the school left for a new post. A new headteacher joined the school in September. Two teachers left the school at the end of the summer term. Two more have resigned and will leave in December. Three teachers who previously had specialist roles have become class teachers. The deputy headteachers have increased their class teaching commitments.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Attainment in the National Curriculum tests in 2010 at the end of Year 6 was lower than the previous year and significantly below the national average. This group of pupils entered Key Stage 2 with attainment that was significantly below average and their progress overall was satisfactory from their starting points. However, it was expected that these pupils would do considerably better and targets based on teacher assessment were not met. Outcomes in assessments in Key Stage 1 and the Early Years Foundation Stage were significantly below national averages. In all other age groups standards remain low. The school’s data show that pupils’ progress in the last academic year was uneven, with some year groups making better progress than others. Current monitoring information and evidence in books show that progress remains uneven. Learning seen in lessons on this visit varied from good to inadequate. Pupils’ progress is therefore not consistent enough to raise standards

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

and to tackle the legacy of underachievement.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Pupils with special educational needs receiving targeted intervention are making better progress in the small group setting than in the classroom setting. An analysis of data suggests that pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve in line with other pupils.

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Pupils continue to behave well. They are polite and respond quickly to teachers’ prompts and guidance. They are diligent. During the visit, Year 6 pupils performed a play to other year groups. They showed that they were confident to present to an audience. Their friends thoroughly enjoyed the event. Pupils spoken to are very positive about their school and happy to describe the different things that they do; including the responsibilities they take for younger children. They play energetically on the playground and engage enthusiastically in physical education lessons.

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The effectiveness of provision

Overall, teaching is still not of sufficient quality and has not consistently improved enough to ensure that pupils’ progress accelerates. While there are some improvements there remain too many inadequacies. Lessons are planned and have a clear structure. Classes are efficiently managed because resources and activities are prepared and behaviour management is effective. Too often, however, the pupils do not make sufficient progress. In too many lessons, even though learning objectives are in plans and are shared at the beginning of the lesson it is actually unclear what pupils are intended to learn. Lessons are insufficiently influenced by teachers’ prior assessment of pupils. Despite teachers planning for different groups using ‘must do’, ‘could do’ and ‘should do’ statements for pupils, expectations of learning for individuals and groups are not clear enough. As the intended learning is unclear,

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The effectiveness of provision

activities, pace and questioning are then not pitched accurately enough to meet the different needs of pupils and ensure that they are consistently challenged to make the best progress they can. Additional adults are not used effectively to support learning. They are too focused on keeping pupils on task in a large group setting or completing set work rather than ensuring they are making the best progress.

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The effectiveness of provision

The significant disparity between the teacher assessment and the Key Stage 2 test results shows that at the end of last term assessment was still not accurate. Since the last visit, the National Curriculum level of each pupil has been more accurately assessed. Challenging targets have been set that are now monitored on a half- termly basis and reported to governors. While this is proving effective in identifying pupils who may be making slower progress in the current term, it will not identify whether a pupil remains at risk of underachievement. There is currently no consistent evidence that classroom practice is being changed due to these assessments. Marking continues to be regular and encouraging to the pupils. It is more targeted in some classes than others. Individual teachers, for example, are using sticky notes to remind pupils of their particular focus. However, the effectiveness of feedback in improving pupils’ learning is still not consistent across

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The effectiveness of provision

the school. It is not informing ongoing assessment sufficiently, nor ensuring that pupils are learning more and effectively remedying their misconceptions.

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The effectiveness of provision

Progress since the last inspection on the areas of improvement:

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The effectiveness of provision

 Secure consistently good teaching that accelerates pupils’ rates of progress with their learning – inadequate.  Immediately secure consistent use of assessment in each class – inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The new headteacher has made an effective start and her arrival has been welcomed by staff and pupils. Managers feel more informed and involved. Pupils said ‘she is doing a really good job’, ‘she listens well to children’ and ‘she wants us to make something of ourselves’. Governors have quickly established an effective working relationship and feel that they are all working together and with the same priorities. The headteacher has already taken some important actions. She has appropriately rationalised additional interventions so that there is less disruption to classroom learning. She has also formed an accurate view of teaching, correctly identified the need for a common method of teaching letters and sounds through the school and arranged for this to be addressed. Expectations of staff have been made clear. On the whole, there has been an appropriate response to these. However, it is still absorbing precious time to deal with the distractions of challenging some

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

inappropriate historical practices. The deputy headteachers responded quickly following the last visit to some of the issues raised and ensured assessment and transition plans were put in place. Middle leaders receive ongoing support for their development and are continuing their monitoring of planning and books. They have led training sessions for teachers to develop classroom practice, for example in developing extended writing. At this stage, not all leaders have risen to the challenge of contributing to the school’s improvement proactively. Too much direction is still required and they are not sufficiently accountable for, and part of, the drive for improvement of standards. While there is a great deal of monitoring, it is not synthesised enough. Not enough of the monitoring has led to clear actions that will remedy the issue quickly, within a defined timescale. Governors remain committed and continue to hold the school to account through regular ‘Standards

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Meetings’. They have an accurate view of the school and are frustrated with the current lack of progress. They remain fully engaged with the local authority and are open to seek creative and different solutions.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last inspection on the areas of improvement:

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

 Build the capacity of the school’s leadership – inadequate .

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External support

The local authority has provided a great deal of support to the school and this has been supplemented by support from London Challenge and a local school. Everyone speaks highly of the individuals involved and welcomes their input. However, as improvement is inadequate it is not currently effective. The new headteacher, with the help of the School Improvement Partner, has taken steps to coordinate the support more. This will address some teachers’ concerns that they are receiving different advice. The local authority accepts that at times it has assumed practices were being adopted or improvements made. It has not proactively checked that this was the case and that its support was sufficiently understood and effectively interpreted by the school and having the necessary impact on classroom practice.

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