King David Primary School

King David Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 104682 Local Authority Liverpool Inspection number 355615 Inspection dates 6–7 October 2010 Reporting inspector Mark Williams HMI

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 410 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Lauren Lesin-Davis Headteacher Mrs Rachel Rick Date of previous school inspection 19 September 2007 School address Beauclair Drive Liverpool Merseyside L15 6XH Telephone number 0151 722 3372 Fax number 0151 738 0136 Email address c.ward@kingdavid-pri.liverpool.sch.uk

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Age group 4–11 Inspection dates 6–7 October 2010 Inspection number 355615 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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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school 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 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 1234 234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two additional inspectors. Inspectors observed 25 lessons taught by 15 teachers. They held discussions with senior and curriculum leaders and groups of pupils. They observed the school's work and looked at a range of documentation, including that related to pupils' achievement and safeguarding. Inspectors also took account of the 211 parent/carer, 226 pupil and 19 staff questionnaires which were returned. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following.  Given their generally above average starting points, whether all pupils and especially those who are more able or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are challenged sufficiently in their learning so that they consistently make good progress in their learning and attain the highest standards of which they are capable.

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Introduction

 Whether the attitudes and attributes demonstrated by pupils are outstanding.  If its provision ensures equality of opportunity and has enabled different groups of pupils to make good progress.  Whether provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage meets the needs of all children and enables them to make at least good progress.  Whether leaders, managers and governors are clear in their expectation of the intended outcomes for pupils in their development planning and evaluations.

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Information about the school

The school, established as a Jewish school in the 1840s, is situated in a relatively advantaged suburb of Liverpool. Just less than one quarter of the pupils are Jewish. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is higher than at the time of the previous inspection, although below that found nationally. The school is preparing to move to a new building, shared with the King David High School, the King David Kindergarten and a Jewish Community Centre in September 2011. The school holds a number of awards, for example, Healthy School status.

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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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Main findings

King David Primary School is a satisfactory school. It has a number of good features, not least in its strong ethos and levels of care, guidance and support which enable pupils throughout the school to demonstrate good attitudes and attributes in their personal development. Pupils, for example, know the school cares for them, attain high standards, have above average attendance and behave well. These attitudes and attributes, however, are not outstanding as the school suggests because the curriculum and teaching do not routinely provide them with opportunities to put their skills into practice in a range of their work or allow them to work out solutions for themselves. In short, there is a lack of overall challenge for pupils. These are also factors in why their achievement is satisfactory and not good. Other factors preventing achievement from being good are the lack of clarity in teachers' plans of what pupils are to learn and the inconsistent use of information which

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Main findings

tells teachers what pupils are able to do. These factors combine to make pupils' progress uneven across their time in school and mean that, while the standards they attain are consistently high, they could do even better, for example by gaining more of the higher Level 5s by the time they leave. There is a similar picture in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where children enter the school with skills and abilities generally higher than those found nationally. In these classes teachers' planning does not routinely make clear the purpose of the activities in terms of learning, nor does it include details about how outdoor learning is to be developed. Nonetheless, children are happy and safe here, as they are throughout the school. There are signs of promise such as recent improvements in the rates of pupils' progress and the good progress made by pupils with special educational needs. This improvement

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Main findings

has come about as a result of concerted efforts to accelerate progress in mathematics and fine-tune the assessment of reading. In addition to these appropriate measures brought in by the headteacher and senior leaders, work has begun to make the curriculum more meaningful by allowing pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across a range of creative and thematic opportunities. This is a most appropriate course of action as currently there is an over reliance on the use of worksheets, not all of which are appropriate to pupils' needs. The reason why pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make better progress is that their individual education plans are specific to what they should learn. These positive features, coupled with the consistent high attainment, strong governance which supports and challenges the school well, and high levels of parental confidence demonstrate why the school has good capacity for sustained

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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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the rates of pupils' learning and progress so that it is consistent across the school and an increasing proportion of pupils attain the higher Level 5s by the time they leave by: ensuring teaching is consistently good across the school so that it routinely makes clear what pupils are to learn, identifies ways in which pupils may be challenged, and allows them to use their own skills independently in lessons ensuring the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge, skills and understanding across all subjects and themes reducing the reliance on worksheets leaders checking that the good initiatives the school has adopted are put into place as and when agreed.  Improve rates of children's progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage by ensuring planning identifies learning outcomes for individuals and groups, including in the different areas of free play and outdoor learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

The pupils of King David Primary School are polite, well behaved and happy. They enjoy school and this is reflected in their above average attendance. They display many good attributes and attitudes in their personal development, for example in their keen understanding of right and wrong and what they need to do to keep safe and healthy. Although there are signs of improvement and high standards continue to be attained at the end of each key stage, pupils' progress during their time in school has been uneven. This is because teachers do not always make clear what it is pupils are to learn and the activities provided do not always challenge pupils or allow them to put their skills into practice, through recording their work in their own words or by using their writing skills across the curriculum. Conversely, the setting of sharp success criteria for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so it is clear to teachers and teaching

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

assistants what they must do and what pupils need to learn, makes a significant contribution to the good progress they make. Given their good starting points, these inconsistencies result in fewer pupils than would be expected gaining the higher Level 5 by the time they leave. In addition, because too much is directed by teachers, rather than through encouraging greater independence, they also result in pupils demonstrating good rather than outstanding attitudes and attributes. Examples of these good attributes include the good take-up of sporting and exercise opportunities offered through the before and after-school clubs and extra-curricular activities; indeed the pupils achieve high levels of success in sporting competitions. In addition, they enjoy the responsibilities they have which include being elected members of the school council, acting as playground buddies, and presenting regular reports to the

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

governing body. Such opportunities, coupled with their charitable fund-raising, their representing of the Jewish nature of their school to other faith schools, their links with

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

other Jewish schools, and their high attainment demonstrate their good contribution to the community, their future economic well-being and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders have identified ways in which these could be strengthened, for example, by ensuring pupils know how to achieve their targets and by affording greater opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their independence across the curriculum.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

The quality of teaching, the ways assessment is used to support learning and the curriculum are all satisfactory. They are so because they do not allow consistent opportunities for pupils to achieve the higher levels of which they are capable. Leaders have recognised the curriculum needs to be revised to afford such opportunities and others which allow for greater pupil independence and application of their knowledge, skills and understanding across a range of subjects and themes. Work on this has already begun and is transitional. Too often in lessons, though, there is an over reliance on worksheets, not all of which are appropriate to pupils' needs and which, for example, involve the pupils filling in missing words rather than applying new vocabulary in a range of settings. In other lessons there is too much teacher-talk which limits opportunities for pupils to make good quality responses and contributions themselves. In such lessons –

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How effective is the provision?

and in others where it is not clear what different groups of pupils are to learn – pupils' progress is no better than satisfactory and sometimes they 'switch off'. Conversely, where

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

teaching is good, it leads to pupils making good progress in their learning. For example, in an English lesson in Year 3, the teacher engaged the pupils in good discussion so they, in their learning about onomatopoeia, incorporated well a range of words and phrases into story settings. The teacher's good questioning and, on hearing the responses, demanding of more, coupled with the pupils' clarity about what they were going to learn, ensured good progress was made in a short time. Likewise, in a Year 2 English lesson the teacher and her assistants focused on groups of pupils and, again through their questioning and prompting, enabled the children to write sentence openers such as 'The disgusting, ferocious wolf', thereby engaging learners' interest well. In this lesson the adults supported pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well through careful reference to pupils' individual education plans.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

There are several good features concerning the curriculum. These include the range of extra-curricular activities on offer including music and sport, the provision for all pupils to study French and Ivrit, and health and internationally themed weeks. Other good features of the school's provision include its care, guidance and support for pupils and its work to involve parents. Examples of this work include leaders and governors ensuring that pupils are kept safe. In addition, good support is given to the relatively small numbers of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents are often involved in the drawing up and reviewing of individual educational plans, although this is not always the case. Pupils who feel vulnerable are supported well through, for example, the lunchtime haven of the 'Quiet Club'. Through the inspection questionnaires parents reported high levels of confidence in the school, although a very few had concerns about bullying. The

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

school takes this very seriously. It recognises in its work to support the very few perpetrators, the effect of any albeit rare inappropriate behaviour on others is of equal importance.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

While there is inconsistency across the school resulting in satisfactory achievement, the headteacher and her senior leaders are tackling this. Their priorities for the future are appropriate and plans to achieve these are already in place. The headteacher and leaders have analysed pupils' performance well and identified where dips were occurring and where, for example, two classes in the same age group were performing differently even though the spread of ability in each was similar. Such inconsistencies are why inspectors have judged the school's promotion of equality of opportunity as satisfactory. As a result of this analysis, staffing has been reorganised, plans have been introduced to make the curriculum more relevant and enable pupils to use more readily the knowledge, skills and

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

understanding gained in one area into another, and work has been undertaken to improve pupils' performance in mathematics. In addition, determined efforts have resulted in end of year attainments of pupils being agreed by staff and ready for use immediately at the start of a new year. Leaders appreciate the challenge is ensuring this information is used as and when agreed. The result of the leaders' actions is an improvement in the rates of pupils' progress and a rise in attainment in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. The governing body has had a key role to play in this and has carried out this role successfully through, for example, its request for information measuring the pupils' performance against that found nationally. It meets its statutory duties and appropriate policies are in place. The school has begun to evaluate the impact of its work in promoting community cohesion and is using this information to inform its curriculum planning. There are a

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

number of areas were refinement is required. These include ensuring the school development plan makes clear what the intended outcomes for pupils are – this will aid leaders and the governing body in more sharply identifying successes and more accurately evaluating the school's effectiveness; amending the otherwise clear and effective child protection policy to include reference in the main body of what to do if any concerns were raised about the headteacher; and considering extending training in safer recruitment beyond the headteacher, deputy headteacher and one other governor. Good work has been undertaken to involve external agencies and parents. The Parents Forum provides a regular opportunity for parents to air their views to the headteacher and representatives of the governing body. Parents are positive about the school's work and express high levels of confidence in it. The school provides a range of communications to

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

parents, although a small number of written comments referred to parents wanting the school to take more account of their suggestions and to involve them more in their child's learning. All-in-all, given the leaders' correct focus and the recent improvements made, coupled with the year-on-year high attainment, inspectors judge the school to have good capacity for sustained improvement.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children enter the Reception classes with skills and abilities generally higher than those found usually. They settle in well because effective links with parents have been established well before the children start school. This results in good relationships with adults and other children. Children behave well and play safely. At the end of their time in Reception they have made satisfactory progress and are ready for the demands of Year 1. The reasons why progress is no better than satisfactory are, first, because the planning does not identify learning outcomes strongly enough, and particularly so for the 'free flow' and outdoor activities and, second, as with the older pupils, the children sometimes have limited opportunities to offer their own contributions. Resources are good and both the indoor and outdoor learning areas are safe and secure and staffing ratios meet

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Early Years Foundation Stage

requirements. The Early Years Foundation leader is aware of the strengths and areas for development and her plans for improvement, like those in the main school, are appropriate.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation 3

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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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Views of parents and carers

The great majority of parents express high levels of confidence in the school. This was a major factor in inspectors judging the school to have good capacity to sustain further improvement. A small number of parents made comments, which are addressed in the main body of the report.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at King David Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 211 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 410 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 141 67 64 30 3 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 150 71 57 27 1 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 79 37 110 52 16 8 1 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 95 45 105 50 4 2 1 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 129 61 71 34 3 1 1 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 94 45 96 45 13 6 1 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 104 49 96 45 5 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 101 48 89 42 7 3 1 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 105 50 91 43 10 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 83 39 104 49 9 4 5 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 66 31 114 54 18 9 4 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 121 57 72 34 8 4 3 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 134 64 69 33 3 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures include those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of King David Primary School, Liverpool, L15 6XH

On behalf of the inspection team, I want to thank you for welcoming us to your school so warmly and for the help you gave us during the recent inspection. We have judged that your school helps you to make satisfactory progress in your learning. We can see that the standards you attain are high. We think that more of you could attain the higher Level 5s by the time you leave and have asked that your governors and leaders help you to do this by ensuring teaching is consistently good, challenges you, and allows you to use your own skills independently in lessons. We have also asked teachers to make clear in their planning what you are to learn; that the curriculum provides opportunities for you to put into practice what you have learned in one area into another; and that you complete fewer worksheets. For children in the Reception classes we have asked that teachers' planning, particularly in the areas of 'free flow' and outdoor learning make clear

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Inspection of King David Primary School, Liverpool, L15 6XH

what you are to learn. There are a number of good features about your school, not least in the way the school cares for, guides and supports you. We know you appreciate this, the before and after- school clubs and the 'Quiet Club', for example. We also know the support the school has given to those who find learning a little difficult has helped them to make good progress. We were also impressed by your good attitudes, including your good behaviour and above average attendance. We were pleased to see that you can make reports to the governing body. This will help you to make an important contribution in the life of King David Primary School. We know you want to help the school get even better. We wish you every success for the future.

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Inspection of King David Primary School, Liverpool, L15 6XH

Mr Mark Williams Her Majesty's Inspector.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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