Setting

Mr Gary Nott The Executive Headteacher Crowlands Primary School London Road Romford RM7 9EJ

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crowlands Primary School

Following my visit with George Rayner, Additional Inspector, to your school on 2 and 3 March 2011, 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 Crowlands Primary School

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in May 2010. 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 Crowlands Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crowlands Primary School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crowlands Primary School

Newly qualified teachers may be appointed subject to contact and discussion with HMI.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Crowlands 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 Havering.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Tribal Education 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 0845 123 6002 Direct email : sarah.cartlidge@tribalgroup.com

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place in May 2010

 Take action immediately to provide training for all staff in child protection and enhanced training for the designated person(s) that meet statutory requirements.  Carry out comprehensive risk assessments of hazards on the school site and for all activities.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership, management and governance, by:  ensuring whole-school policies and procedures are comprehensive, reviewed appropriately and implemented effectively  sharing responsibilities for leadership and management more widely so that all managers can have greater impact on school improvement  improving the effectiveness with which systems for tracking pupils’ progress are managed and the information shared with teachers  monitoring teachers’ planning more effectively so that essential components are consistently included.  Raise pupils’ attainment through improved teaching, so that 75% or more is consistently at least good and attainment is broadly average in all subjects by

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place in May 2010

September 2011, by:  making full use of assessment information to ensure higher expectations in lessons and increased challenge for all pupils  ensuring that activities match the abilities of the pupils  improving teachers’ marking and the use of targets to ensure that all pupils are aware of how they can improve.  Reduce persistent absence so that it is no higher than the national average by April 2011.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work over two days, scrutinised documents and met the executive headteacher, a range of senior and middle managers, pupils, governors and representatives from the local authority. A range of school documents was scrutinised. Pupils were observed at lunch time and generally around the school.

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Context

Since the last monitoring inspection the executive headteacher has increased his time at Crowlands Primary to half of the working week. The assistant headteacher has been appointed as acting deputy headteacher to cover the absence of the deputy headteacher. At the start of the spring term 2011, one new teacher joined the school.

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

There is evidence of progress accelerating; although, pupils’ still make uneven progress in Year 3. This is due, in the main, to a legacy of underachievement. Mathematics remains a concern and it is too early to see the impact of the very recent initiatives to tackle pupils’ underachievement in this area. Pupils’ progress throughout the school is accelerating because of the close collaboration with the partner school in the federation and because Crowlands Primary is now able to draw upon high levels of expertise from a core of experienced senior staff. They are providing effective help which is enabling staff to improve their practice. Pupils feel safe and are happy. They enjoy lessons and most work engagingly and participate well in paired or group discussion and are keen to take part in question and answer sessions and feedback. Pupils listen well to each other, take turns and behave well in lessons and around the school.

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

The executive headteacher and office staff supported by education welfare officers have worked hard to improve attendance. A range of procedures is in place to encourage parents to send their children to school regularly. Particularly noteworthy is the reduction in the levels of persistent absences. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has significantly decreased. This is due to rigorous monitoring. For example, first day absence calls are now made.

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

Progress since the last inspection:  reduce persistent absence so that it is no higher than the national average by April 2011 – good.

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The effectiveness of provision

There has been a rigorous drive to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Most of the teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory or better. However, there is still a very small proportion of inadequate teaching. Teachers know their subject well and monitoring, training and mentoring have contributed to improvements in planning. These are helping teachers to understand how to meet the needs of pupils in lessons and to ensure that pupils know the skills they are learning. As a result, expectations, the learning objectives and success criteria are usually explained and reviewed during the lesson.

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The effectiveness of provision

In effective lessons, activities are well timed; expectations of work and behaviour are explicit; talk is used well to explore work; and, teachers use practical or written activities to demonstrate what pupils are expected to learn. Where the teaching is well informed and provides pupils with opportunities to talk back, they make good progress because they are sufficiently challenged to develop and articulate their views in a confident manner. However, some lessons are too teacher led and directed, encouraging too passive a response from the pupils. The pace of learning is slow for a number of reasons. There is still too much adult direction and not enough time for pupils to learn actively. Teachers are not always making effective use of assessment information to match work to the needs of pupils of different abilities. As a result, the tasks for the more-able pupils continue to lack challenge. More-able

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The effectiveness of provision

pupils are often asked to complete work that is the same as that of pupils of other abilities before moving on to more demanding activities. Pupils are now set targets in literacy and numeracy and have an opportunity to respond to teachers’ marking. However, these initiatives are not consolidated yet across the school. Consequently, some pupils are still not clear on how to improve their work.

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The effectiveness of provision

Senior leaders have ensured training, to improve early reading opportunities in the Early Years Foundation Stage, has been provided for some staff. Members of staff work together closely and are sharing their expertise. The children learn and develop best when adults use questioning effectively to develop their speaking and listening skills and broaden their understanding of the world around them. Children are encouraged to become independent and to make choices about their learning. Planning identifies what is expected to be learnt from adult-led tasks but is not so clear on what children should learn from the play they initiate themselves.

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The effectiveness of provision

Progress since the last inspection:  raise pupils’ attainment through improved teaching, so that 75% or more is consistently at least good and attainment is broadly average in all subjects by September 2011, by:  making full use of assessment information to ensure higher expectations in lessons and increased challenge for all pupils – satisfactory  ensuring that activities match the abilities of the pupils – satisfactory  improving teachers’ marking and the use of targets to ensure that all pupils are aware of how they can improve – satisfactory.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The executive headteacher provides strong leadership. He gives clear direction to the school and is well supported by an experienced and valued senior leadership team. The executive headteacher listens carefully to staff and has won their trust and respect. He has created a culture of openness and improvement in which issues about professional development and improving the quality of learning and teaching can be discussed and tackled effectively. This approach has helped staff to understand the pace of change required and the importance of developing good management and skills to support the vision of improvement

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

In partnership with the local authority, the executive headteacher has reviewed the roles and responsibilities of senior staff and identified ways in which they can make a greater contribution to school improvement. The newly appointed phase leaders have varying levels of experience but are clear about their role. They have welcomed initiatives to develop their expertise and are committed to the process of change. Systems for analysing assessment data on pupils’ performance have been further improved. Consequently, staff have a clearer understanding of the pupils who are underperforming in reading, writing and mathematics. Additional support has been recently put in place for these pupils. These are all positive developments.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Senior staff and external consultants including advisers have given a high priority to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. This is contributing to teachers improving their work. However, lesson observations do not always focus enough on levels of attainment or the progress made by pupils or different groups of pupils.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Since the previous monitoring visit, governors have increased the rigour with which they hold the school to account and the chair of governors has proved very active in initiating much of the recent improvement. Members of the governing body have undertaken training to develop their understanding of pupils’ progress over time. Senior leaders have made good progress in providing appropriate child protection training for all staff and in ensuring statutory requirements are met. Risk assessments have been carried out and action has been taken to make all the areas of the school safe. These areas for improvement have now been addressed.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last inspection:  take action immediately to provide training for all staff in child protection and enhanced training for the designated person(s) that meet statutory requirements – good  carry out comprehensive risk assessments of hazards on the school site and for all activities – satisfactory  improve the effectiveness of leadership, management and governance, by:  ensuring whole-school policies and procedures are comprehensive, reviewed appropriately and implemented effectively – satisfactory  sharing responsibilities for leadership and management more widely so that all managers can have greater impact on school improvement – satisfactory  improving the effectiveness with which systems for tracking pupils’ progress are managed and the information shared with teachers – satisfactory  monitoring teachers’ planning more effectively so that essential components are consistently included – satisfactory.

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External support

The local authority is providing satisfactory support for the school. It is promoting improvements in teaching and learning, leadership and management and supporting the key areas for development. The support from staff at the partner school and local authority advisers is helping teachers to develop their planning, assessing pupils’ work and progress accurately. Regular meetings provide a helpful review of the school’s progress and identify emerging issues.

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