Discovery Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 17–18 January 2012 Inspection number 381303 Discovery Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 131109 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 381303 Inspection dates 17–18 January 2012 Lead inspector Madeleine Gerard

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 390 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stephen Borthwick Headteacher Jane Perry Date of previous school inspection 18–19 June 2009 School address Battery Road Thamesmead London SE28 0JN Telephone number 020 8855 2470 Fax number 020 8855 2738 Email address information@discovery.greenwich.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the scho ol must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 27 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 12 teachers, and held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They observed the school’s work and looked at work in pupils’ books, tracking data showing pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s development plans and records for safeguarding pupils. Inspectors considered responses to 179 questionnaires received from parents and carers.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school which opened in September 2007. The school has Early Years Foundation Stage provision for children in one part-time Nursery and three Reception classes. There are currently two classes in each year from Year 1 to Year 4. Almost all the pupils are from minority ethnic heritages with 50% from Black African backgrounds. The large majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. A few are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average. Most of these pupils have speech, language and communication needs. The school has specially resourced provision for seven pupils with autistic spectrum disorder special educational needs. A greater-than-average proportion of pupils joins and leaves the school part way through their primary education. The school’s attainment and progress data cannot be evaluated against government floor

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Information about the school

standards because there are no pupils yet on roll in Year 6. The school operates breakfast and after-school clubs. The work of the children’s centre that shares the school site is the subject of a separate inspection.

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Key findings

 This is a good school. All pupils are valued, known as individuals and enjoy themselves in the school’s safe and caring environment. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from harm.  Achievement is good. Children get off to a strong start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Progress through Years 1 to 4 is good. Pupils’ achievement is particularly good in reading and mathematics.  The school works effectively to meet the specific needs of all pupils. All groups of pupils, including pupils in the designated specialised unit, those who speak English as an additional language, pupils experiencing difficult circumstances, and those who join the school part way through their primary education, receive the additional help and guidance that they need to learn and progress similarly well.  Teaching is good. Planning ensures that work is well matched to pupils’ learning

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Key findings

needs. Personalised targets, marking and feedback are used particularly well to make clear to pupils how to improve their work and move up to the next level.  Good leadership and management have maintained the school’s good overall effectiveness while it has continued to grow in size since the previous inspection. Enhancements include the development of the mathematics curriculum, pupils’ raised achievement in mathematics and their increased use of, and skills in, information and communication technology. Similar improvements to the curriculum for writing are not yet as consistently established. Some recently appointed middle leaders, managers and members of the governing body are not as fully involved in monitoring and securing further improvements to the school’s work and pupils’ achievement as they might be.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure pupils in Years 1 to 4 make even swifter gains in their writing by enabling them to build steadily on their key skills and practise their writing regularly across a range of curriculum subjects.  Develop the role of middle leaders and members of the governing body in checking the quality of the school’s work and ensuring further enhancements are made by September 2012.

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Achievement of pupils

Achievement for all groups of pupils is good. In the survey, the very large majority of parents and carers was confident that that their children are making good progress and that their needs are met. Inspection findings agree. Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and capabilities that are generally below those typical for their age. They make good progress in all areas of learning and children’s outcomes are very close to average by the end of the Reception Year. Pupils’ attainment in teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics is broadly average overall compared with pupils nationally, and is improving. Learning is typically brisk and purposeful. Pupils set to work quickly and concentrate on the tasks they are given. This was illustrated in a mathematics lesson observed where pupils were practising their skills in solving word problems. The pace

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Achievement of pupils

of learning was brisk because they listened carefully to the clear prompts and guidance they were given and followed instructions closely. The very few pupils who needed additional help to recall what they had learned in the previous lesson were supported to catch up quickly because they received specific guidance in small groups. Higher-attaining pupils discussed their ideas sensibly together in order to decide how to calculate the answer to the challenging problem they were set. Pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs also made good progress because the work they were set was appropriately matched to their needs. Those learning English as an additional language worked with other pupils in the class who enjoyed taking responsibility for ensuring they understood what to do. In a reading session, pupils were developing their reading skills well. They were very involved in reading independently because they had selected books to read that captured their

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils in the designated specialist unit make good progress from their starting points in developing personal and social skills, and in their academic outcomes. Pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs, including those with speech, language and communication needs, are keen to do well. They enjoy opportunities to work with adults in lessons, and outside the classroom in individual and small group sessions, to boost their literacy and numeracy skills. Pupils are friendly and welcoming so that those who join the school part way through their primary education are helped to make friends, settle quickly and do well. Those at the very early stages of learning English receive additional support to help them to learn specific key words. Higher-attaining pupils are motivated by the challenging work teachers set.

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Quality of teaching

In the survey, the very large majority of parents and carers agree that their children are well taught at the school, a view endorsed by the inspection findings. Teachers manage classes successfully and make use of a variety of resources, including computers, to motivate and engage pupils’ interest. For example, in a mathematics lesson, pupils enjoyed practising their multiplication tables by accessing a mathematics website using laptop computers.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers use assessment information well to match work in lessons to pupils’ individual learning needs. Well-selected enhancements to the mathematics curriculum ensure activities reflect pupils’ interests, and underpin pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and swift progress. Daily independent reading, availability of books for children to read that inspire their curiosity and regular shared reading in class foster pupils’ good reading skills. Planning does not always ensure the writing curriculum is as relevant and engaging, so pupils do not build their writing skills as steadily. Opportunities are sometimes missed for pupils to practise their writing in different subjects. Well-trained additional adults are used effectively to support pupils’ learning and understanding of new concepts. Occasionally, the pace of learning slows when pupils spend too much time listening to the teachers’ explanations before they are set to do independent tasks, or when they are not

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Quality of teaching

reminded of the limited time available to finish their work.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching and the curriculum in the designated specialist unit ensure pupils receive the individualised and carefully-tailored support they require for high-quality learning. Regular enrichment opportunities, such as weekly horse riding, ensure pupils in the designated specialist unit develop their skills in a wide variety of contexts. Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage create an environment where children develop good personal and social skills, grow in confidence and are happy. There is a good balance between adult-led tasks and activities for children to choose for themselves in both the inside and outdoor areas. For example, children in Reception working with an adult developed their understanding of subtraction by calculating how many people were left on the bus after a few had got off at the bus stop.

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Quality of teaching

Marking and individualised targets are used consistently well so that pupils know the next steps in their learning. Opportunities for pupils to evaluate one another’s work and to review how successfully they have met their personal targets effectively foster their independence and self-confidence. For instance, in a literacy lesson pupils listened attentively to one another’s mythical stories and used a checklist to assess the quality of their writing. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and emotional development is well promoted. Pupils regularly enjoy discussing their ideas in pairs and small groups. The breakfast and after-school clubs provide a calm and sociable start and finish to the day for the few pupils who attend. Moral values are promoted well, for example through talks in assembly and through class discussions. Pupils from diverse backgrounds get on well together. The school’s aspirational African motto, ‘Ubuntu’,

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Quality of teaching

permeates the school’s work. Pupils are knowledgeable about the wider cultural diversity within the school and treat each others’ cultures and faiths with respect and consideration.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in lessons, at lunchtime and in the playground. Inspection findings endorse the views of parents and carers expressed in the survey. The very large majority of parents and carers feel that there is a good standard of behaviour at the school and confirm that disruptive incidents in lessons seldom occur. Pupils’ behaviour makes a positive contribution to learning in lessons and the calm and friendly atmosphere around the school. Incidents of bullying are rare and the school is sharply aware of the various forms in which it might occur. Pupils say there is some name calling, which is usually dealt with very swiftly by staff. Visits from the local emergency services and guidance on road safety and keeping safe when using computers ensure pupils are clear about the steps they should take to keep themselves safe from harm in a variety of situations. Strategies have been introduced to promote regular attendance and good punctuality. These include

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

individual certificates at the end of each term for the best attendance. As a result, average attendance is rising swiftly.

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Leadership and management

Leaders, managers and members of the governing body have worked effectively to ensure the quality of teaching is consistently good as the number of pupils on roll at the school grows each year and the number of staff increases. The school has successfully maintained pupils’ good behaviour and the good overall quality of the education that it provides. Professional development for both teachers and additional adults ensures that all the staff work well together as a strong team and have a shared vision for the school. Since the previous inspection, developments to the curriculum include a particular focus on mathematics, the involvement of parents and carers in mathematics activities in order to help them support their children’s learning at home, the prioritising of regular reading and the provision of a new school library. Other improvements include increased opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology in their learning, and the introduction of

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Leadership and management

a good variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs, such as gymnastics, recorders and creative writing. Rates of learning are good for all groups of pupils, including those in the designated specialist unit, because leaders, managers and members of the governing body promote equality and tackle discrimination well. They ensure the curriculum is well matched to the needs of all groups of pupils at the school, and that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is consistently prioritised. All these strengths reflect the school’s good capacity to improve further. Some leaders, managers and members of the governing body are developing their involvement in school improvement efforts as they recognise that their contributions to securing swift improvements to raise pupils’ achievement further have been limited. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. The school site is

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Discovery Primary School, London SE28 0JN

Thank you very much for your friendly welcome and for helping the inspectors when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking to you all very much and listening to what you had to say. We were very pleased to hear about all the interesting extra-curricular clubs you are attending at lunchtime and after school.

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Inspection of Discovery Primary School, London SE28 0JN

Discovery Primary is a good school. You behave well and are keen to learn. You have a good awareness of how to keep yourselves safe from harm. The very large majority of you told us in the survey that you like coming to school and that you learn a lot in lessons. You enjoy all the interesting work the teachers plan and you told us that you particularly like the clubs that the school organises. The youngest children get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes. You make good progress in your learning in Years 1 to 4, and reach similar standards to other pupils nationally by the end of Year 2. You make particularly good progress in mathematics and reading. Those of you who need additional help are well supported and also make good progress.

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Inspection of Discovery Primary School, London SE28 0JN

We have asked the school to plan even more opportunities for you to develop your writing skills quickly, so that you reach even higher levels in your writing. All of you can help by continuing to work hard and checking regularly that you are meeting your individual targets in writing. We have asked the school to make even more checks on its work so that you can all reach even higher standards in your learning.

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Inspection of Discovery Primary School, London SE28 0JN

Finally, I would like to thank you again and wish you well in the future.

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Inspection of Discovery Primary School, London SE28 0JN

Madeleine Gerard Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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