Kennington Primary School

Kennington Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 23–24 February 2012 Inspection number 379738 Unique Reference Number 119153 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 379738 Inspection dates 23–24 February 2012 Lead inspector Stephen Rowland

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 224 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Bailey Headteacher Judy McAteer Date of previous school inspection 20 January 2009 School address Kennington Road Fulwood Preston PR2 8ER Telephone number 01772 774044 Fax number 01772 787154 Email address bursar@kennington.lancs.sch.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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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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Stephen Rowland Katherine Lee Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed eight teachers teaching 12 lessons. In addition, inspectors visited short phonics (the sounds that letters make) sessions and listened to children read. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, and school staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school development plan, records of pupils’ attainment and progress, and minutes of meetings of the governing body. During the inspection, 82 parental and carers’ questionnaires were analysed, together with others completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The majority of pupils are of Indian, Pakistani, or White British heritage. About half of the pupils speak English as an additional language, but very few are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is below the national average. The percentage of those who receive external support, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is also below the national average. The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. The school has gained Healthy Schools status and holds the Activemark.

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Information about the school

A privately run pre-school and after-school club operates on the school site. It is subject to separate inspection arrangements. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

■ This is a good school. It has a number of strengths and has improved rapidly in recent years. It is a calm and welcoming place where pupils of different ethnic and religious backgrounds play and work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is outstanding. The school is not outstanding overall because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching which prevent teaching from being outstanding.

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Key Findings

■ Achievement is good. Children make a good start to their school life in the Reception class and make good progress. Progress in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is good and attainment at the end of Year 6 is in line with the national average. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress which is in line with their peers.

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Key Findings

■ Teaching is good. There are examples of outstanding practice. Most lessons are lively and engaging with a brisk pace, which keeps pupils fully involved. Lessons are planned well to meet the needs of all groups of pupils, including the more-able. However, there are some inconsistencies relating to independent learning and the quality of feedback to help pupils improve further.

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Key Findings

■ Behaviour is typically good. Pupils treat each other and adults with respect and consideration. Bullying is rare and is dealt with promptly and effectively. Pupils know how to avoid unsafe situations. Attendance has improved in recent years and is now above average for primary schools.

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Key Findings

■ Senior staff and members of the governing body share a common determination for the school. The performance of pupils is tracked carefully and actions are taken to tackle any variations. The quality of teaching is monitored closely and the best practice is shared. The curriculum is good and provides a broad and stimulating variety of experiences for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

■ Eradicate the inconsistencies and increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  ensuring that pupils have frequent opportunities to develop their independent learning skills  making sure that the role of teaching assistants is developed to help promote independent learning  making sure that written and verbal feedback informs pupils about how well they are doing and how they can improve.  

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ learning is good. A large majority of parents and carers are pleased with the progress their children make and feel that the school ensures they develop skills in communication, reading, writing, and mathematics. Pupils respond well to lively and engaging teaching. They enjoy learning and make good progress. In a very successful mathematics lesson, for example, pupils in Year 3 were able to work in groups on the properties of 2D shapes. They were able to discuss their ideas with other pupils and adults and were constantly challenged to explain and refine their thinking. There are regular phonics (the sounds letters make) and guided reading sessions so that progress in reading and spelling is good. This was confirmed by the school’s own detailed records of pupils’ attainment in reading at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are supported

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Achievement of pupils

well and make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also make good progress. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills levels which are generally below those typically expected for their age. They are made to feel welcome by older pupils and by staff and make good progress. They settle quickly and enter Year 1 as confident learners. They make very strong progress in reading and writing skills.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Attainment has been close to the national average over the last three years, although there was a slight dip in attainment in mathematics in 2011. The school’s thorough records of progress, along with evidence from lesson observations and the scrutiny of pupils’ books, show that progress for all pupils is improving strongly in all subjects, including mathematics. The school has focused on using assessment data more effectively to plan lessons and on improving the consistency of teaching. This has had a clear impact on attainment and progress and the large majority of pupils, including the more-able, are now on track to meet or exceed the challenging targets the school has set for them.

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Quality of teaching

A large majority of parents and carers say that their children are taught well at the school. Inspectors agree that teaching is good, with some outstanding practice. This is so in all key stages, with examples of very effective practice throughout the school. Teachers use assessment information to plan lessons which meet the needs of all groups and individuals. The pace of learning is characteristically brisk and engaging. In a very effective Year 5 lesson on measuring the perimeter of different shapes, pupils were engrossed in a practical exercise which involved planning for the teacher’s garden. They were able to work constructively in teams to plan and cost the garden and to predict which would be the best options for the project. They were encouraged to work independently. Pupils respond well to the broad variety of activities offered to them through the school’s curriculum. This is particularly so for the impressive array of enrichment activities which

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Quality of teaching

develop pupils’ artistic, musical and creative skills.

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Quality of teaching

There are some inconsistencies in teaching and the school’s key leaders are working hard to share the best practice and to make good teaching even better. Occasionally, teachers do not give enough time for pupils to work independently and, as a result, they can be over- reliant on the teacher’s direction. The school has a very strong and dedicated team of teaching assistants, but there are occasions when they could be enabled to play a more- active role in promoting independent learning by, for example, engaging in the support and questioning of pupils to enable them to think about what they have learned and how they could improve.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers use assessment information well and can set up interventions to support particular groups. The focus on the more-able pupils in mathematics is having a positive impact on attainment and progress. Marking is often supportive and helpful, but does not always enable children to see clearly what they have achieved and what they need to do to improve further.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching contributes significantly to pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social, and cultural understanding. Pupils work together well and understand the importance of respecting everyone in the class. The very best teaching helps to foster a love of learning and a fascination with the world’s diversity.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A large majority of parents and carers say that there is a good standard of behaviour in the school and that lessons are not disrupted by bad behaviour. A small minority expressed concerns over these aspects of the school’s work. Inspectors observed that a very large majority of pupils behaved in a respectful and considerate way towards others. School records also show that behaviour is characteristically good over time. The school functions very well as a community, with pupils from different ethnic and religious backgrounds working and playing together. Pupils say that behaviour is good and that any inappropriate behaviour is dealt with swiftly and effectively.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Attendance has risen steadily over recent years and is now above the national average for primary schools. This suggests that pupils enjoy school and that parents and carers value what the school has to offer.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say that bullying in any form is rare and is dealt with quickly and effectively. A very large majority of parents and carers also felt that the school dealt effectively with any instances of bullying. Many parents and carers commented on the very positive and trusting relationships within the school between staff and pupils. One such comment was ‘My children love coming to school. They have fantastic relationships with all the other pupils and staff.’ Pupils say they feel safe in school and all of the parents and carers who returned the questionnaire agreed that their children felt safe in school. Pupils have a very good understanding of unsafe situations and how to avoid them. Pupils are confident that any worries or concerns they may have will be listened to and that staff will support them.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides clear and focused leadership. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and other senior managers who share a determination to provide the best possible education for pupils. The staff work closely as a team to achieve this goal and there is a clear trend of improvement in achievement and teaching. The trend is supported by effective training. The training has enabled staff to share a very clear and detailed system for tracking pupils’ progress. As a result, any concern can be identified quickly and action taken to tackle it. Teaching and learning are monitored and evaluated closely through lesson observations and the scrutiny of pupils’ work. The school is supported by an experienced and committed governing body that knows the school well and does not shrink from asking challenging questions when required. The school’s self-evaluation is honest and rigorous. It involves all levels of leadership including the governing body. Planning for improvement is

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Leadership and management

thorough and detailed. There is clear evidence of the positive impact of the school’s strategies and this shows that there is a good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Leadership and management

Safeguarding arrangements, which ensure the safety and security of pupils, are secure and comprehensive. The school works closely with parents and carers. A large majority of parents and carers said they were happy with the way the school responded to concerns and felt that the school kept them well informed.

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Leadership and management

There is no room for discrimination of any kind at Kennington and all pupils are treated with consideration and respect. Promotion of equality is good because the school’s highly effective tracking system means that any gaps in performance are quickly identified and acted upon. Previous underperformance in boys’ writing has been tackled successfully.

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Leadership and management

The school’s curriculum is good and provides a solid grounding in the basic skills of English and mathematics. The school has invested extensively in information and communication technology since the previous inspection and this has had a clear, positive impact in this important area. The school offers an impressive range of enrichment activities for pupils. These include music, sports, art, and design technology. The majority of older pupils are offered a residential experience and there is a variety of school productions, including an annual Shakespearean play.

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Leadership and management

The spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of pupils is outstanding. Pupils learn the need to respect and value others and understand right and wrong. They learn much about the diversity of religions and cultures within the United Kingdom. In many lessons and in aspects of the school’s extra-curricular work, pupils acquire a sense of the spiritual in the world around them. One indication of this is the quality of display work around the school which is varied and thought provoking.

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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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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 ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

Thank you for making us so welcome during our recent visit to Kennington. We were particularly grateful to those of you who agreed to meet us during your lunch break. Thank you also to those of you who completed the questionnaire. All your comments were very helpful.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

Yours is a good school. It has a number of strengths.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

■ You make good progress in all your English and mathematics. Standards in these subjects are improving rapidly. ■ Yours is a very safe school and staff take good care of you. ■ Your behaviour is respectful and considerate. ■ All pupils work and play together very well. ■ The headteacher, staff, and governing body are determined to make the school even better.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

We have asked the school to do some things to make it even better.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

■ Make sure you have plenty of chances to work independently and to organise your own learning. ■ Make sure that the teaching assistants are able to give as much support as possible to develop your independent learning skills. ■ Make sure that you always know how to improve your work.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

You are rightly proud of your school. Please help it by always trying your very best.

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Inspection of Kennington Primary School, Preston, PR2 8ER

Stephen Rowland Lead inspector (on behalf of the inspection team) 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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