Eyres Monsell Primary School

Eyres Monsell Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 120069 Local Authority Leicester City Inspection number 358684 Inspection dates 14–15 February 2011 Reporting inspector Krishan Sharma

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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 211 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Boyd Pick Headteacher Sally Morrison Date of previous school inspection 2 July 2008 School address Simmins Crescent Leicester LE2 9AH Telephone number 0116 2773855 Fax number 0116 2788761 Email address admin@eyresmonsell.leicester.sch.uk

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 14–15 February 2011 Inspection number 358684 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 123 4234, 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 123 4234 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 three additional inspectors who observed five teachers in nine lessons. They also made a range of other classroom visits. Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, senior and middle leaders and groups of pupils. Inspectors looked at some of the school's policies and procedures, pupils' written work and the tracking data used to monitor pupils' progress. Fourteen questionnaires returned by parents and carers were analysed as were those completed by pupils and staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  The effectiveness of teaching in ensuring that pupils make better progress in their basic skills and narrow the gap between their attainment and national expectations.  The impact of the measures undertaken to improve the rate of attendance.  The rigour of the school's self-evaluation and the use of the outcomes of this process

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Information about the school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Most pupils come from White British backgrounds. A few pupils are from minority ethnic groups. No pupil is at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average as is the proportion of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. A considerable number of pupils enter or leave the school at other than the usual time of leaving or transfer. The school has gained 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

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. The school has made inadequate progress in tackling the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Its self-evaluation is inaccurate in many of its conclusions. As a result, senior leaders and the governing body have a more generous view of the school's overall performance than it warrants. These weaknesses demonstrate the school's inadequate capacity for sustained improvement. Pupils' progress, learning and achievement in English and mathematics are inadequate. Although there has been some rise in attainment by the end of Year 6, it fluctuates and

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Main findings

remains fragile. For example, attainment rose in 2009, the only time in recent years when it has not been low, but it declined in 2010 to considerably below average. Most pupils make sound progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. In the rest of the school, too much inconsistency characterises patterns of progress and, with the exception of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils' progress is inadequate. The rate of progress that pupils make has not been sustained at a level necessary to close the gap between their achievements and those of other pupils nationally. There is not enough good teaching in the school to accelerate pupils' progress sufficiently quickly to counter underachievement. Teachers' planning does not always provide for the needs and interests of pupils, particularly those who are more able. Opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate their basic skills across the curriculum are limited.

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Main findings

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress. Systematic interventions are commonplace and benefit many pupils who regularly receive them. Standards of reading are emerging as a relative success due to the emphasis the school has placed on this development. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory. Pupils understand how to stay safe and healthy. They make a sound contribution to the community in school and locally and show they can reflect on their own and others' actions. Their knowledge of others' cultures is satisfactory. Most pupils say they enjoy coming to school but a significant number are concerned about the level of unacceptable behaviour and the sense of insecurity they say this creates. This was confirmed by inspectors' observations of incidents of unacceptable behaviour and low levels of disruption which affected pupils' learning. In effective lessons, pupils display

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Main findings

acceptable behaviour. Senior leaders are aware of the unacceptable behaviour in school and rightly intend to review current policies and procedures in order to determine what more could be done to tackle this. Low attendance remains a challenge for the school.

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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

Senior leaders realise that the work so far done with parents and carers and pupils has not had sufficient impact on persistent absence. Middle leaders are now contributing to the school's self-evaluation but their monitoring and evaluation skills are insufficiently strong. As a result, self evaluation lacks robustness. Information about attainment is now used regularly to track pupils' progress as they move through the school and this forms the basis for discussions at the pupil progress meetings. However, the potential for this approach to raise attainment quickly is limited because pupils' progress in lessons and in their written work is not fully evaluated and shortcomings are evident in the way progress is recorded.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate the rate of pupils' progress to raise attainment in English and mathematics by: raising the overall quality of teaching to at least good ensuring that work is more closely planned to match pupils' needs and interests, particularly for boys providing frequent opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects.  Improve pupils' behaviour by: reviewing and revising current procedures taking into account the views of pupils, parents and carers and staff re-establishing an agreed code of conduct of behaviour, rewards and sanctions ensuring that all staff consistently apply the agreed strategies.  Strengthen the school's self-evaluation by: focusing on pupils' progress in all monitoring and evaluation activities and making judgements on progress explicit fine-tuning the monitoring and evaluation skills of middle leaders.  Improve attendance by: working more closely with parents and carers whose children attend less

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

regularly making parents and carers more aware of their responsibility to ensure that their children attend school regularly.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 4

The large majority of pupils work steadily in lessons, particularly when closely directed by teachers and the numerous other adults present. Occasionally, they display a high level of enthusiasm for their learning particularly when they find the work given to them interesting. In one Year 6 lesson, the teacher successfully led pupils to apply their skills and understanding of four number operations to a real life situation. Pupils were asked to interpret bus timetables and calculate various permutations. Most of them, including those

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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

receiving additional support, rose to the challenge and engaged with the task. This quality of engagement is uncommon across the school. When children enter Nursery, their skills and understanding are well below the levels expected for their age. Their attainment is well below average on entry to Year 1. Attainment is low at the end of Key Stage 1 and it has been for the last six years. By the end of Key Stage 1, the gap between the school's and the national performance in reading, writing and mathematics remains wide. Progress in English and mathematics is patchy but inadequate overall in Key Stage 2. Consequently, attainment fluctuates year- on-year, but overall remains low. As a result of the consistently good teaching in Year 6, pupils make up some of the lost ground and the proportion of pupils getting closer to national expectations is growing. There is no difference between the progress of pupils

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

from different ethnic backgrounds. Boys make slower progress than girls; they disengage quickly when they do not find the work interesting. Overall, pupils' behaviour is inadequate. It ranges from low-level to persistent disruption. Pupils say that they feel safe at school, but a minority qualify this by their unease with the unacceptable behaviour they witness. Pupils' weak literacy and numeracy skills and low attendance do not prepare them adequately for the next stage of their education. Pupils take on responsibility for a number of jobs to assist their teachers and peers. Most pupils get on with each other and their sense of right and wrong is sound.

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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 4

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 4

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 4

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 4

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

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4

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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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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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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is inadequate overall because too much is barely satisfactory and some is inadequate. Inspectors' scrutiny of pupils' written work confirms that over time teaching has failed to secure satisfactory progress. When teaching is satisfactory or better, teaching assistants are purposefully deployed and display effective questioning skills and relationships support learning. Pupils make satisfactory or sometimes better progress because of carefully structured tasks. In contrast, when teaching is inadequate, the work planned is not relevant to pupils' needs so it does not stimulate their interest or challenge them to do their best. Pupils often make limited progress in these lessons. When pupils' behaviour is poor, it is because they are not interested in their work and because sanctions are not consistently applied by teachers. Not all teachers are working to an established, agreed code of behaviour management.

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How effective is the provision?

Work planned for the class is seldom matched to the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, these pupils receive support from teaching assistants who know them well and amend or explain their work. As a result, these pupils make satisfactory progress but the high levels of adult support do not always promote pupils' independence in their learning. There are good examples of effective marking which inform pupils about how well they are doing and how to improve their work. However, this is not a consistent picture across the school. The curriculum does not give pupils a secure grounding in the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT). Senior leaders have begun to redesign the curriculum in order to tackle low attainment and inadequate progress. For example, the Reading Recovery programme and other interventions are helping pupils to become confident readers. Cross-curricular links are increasing, but are

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How effective is the provision?

insufficient to accelerate pupils' progress in their basic skills. The good range of extra- curricular activities is popular with pupils. The quality of care is effective in meeting pupils' personal needs and ensuring pupils' safety. Those starting school are helped to settle well, whether this is in the Early Years Foundation Stage or later. Support and guidance for potentially vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities contribute satisfactorily to their achievement and well-being. Action to improve the rate of attendance to an acceptable level is continuing, but the impact of this work so far is limited. A breakfast club caters well for a small group of pupils.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 4

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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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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How effective are leadership and management?

The school's current priorities for improvement clearly reflect a commitment and ambition to raise attainment and improve pupils' personal development. Targets are now set to drive improvement, for example, for the proportion of pupils reaching age-related expectations. However, so far, senior leaders and managers have not been able to tackle successfully the low attainment and inadequate progress pupils make across the school. The school's over-generous view of the quality of teaching has not served it well because it has allowed inadequacies to persist. Governors are supportive and keen to help the school but not sufficiently effective. There is little evidence to show that governors have held the school to account for its persistently low attainment, particularly at Key Stage 1, and for the school's inability to narrow the gap between its performance and that expected nationally. The school enjoys a good range of links with parents and carers and engages well with

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How effective are leadership and management?

many, although the impact of these on improving pupils' achievement and attendance has been limited. Local partnerships make a sound contribution to pupils' well-being and to the satisfactory progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and assist the school in strengthening support for some families. The school tackles discrimination with conviction. Its commitment to equal opportunities is not always realised, however. There remain differences in the outcomes for different groups of pupils. Safeguarding procedures are in place and staff are suitably trained to remain alert in ensuring pupils' safety. The school has made a start with a number of actions to promote community cohesion. Senior leaders and governors recognise that more remains to be done to broaden pupils' horizons beyond the local community and traditions.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management

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4

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

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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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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make sound progress from their starting points on entry to Nursery, particularly in early literacy and numeracy skills. They start to link sounds with letters effectively, because this is taught daily. Children move around responsibly and know how to behave. They enjoy their independence, but need occasional reminders to stay engaged. Planning provides a good mixture of activities, some led by adults and others initiated by the children. Children's development is strongest in the creative areas of learning. During the inspection children were seen to enjoy planting and tending plants outdoors. Indoors, a group was busy making a birthday cake with play dough. Adding candles on the cake showed children's insecure counting skills, which adults quickly identified and intervened appropriately. Adults take every opportunity to extend children's communication skills, but sometimes they intervene too soon and restrict children's responses. The recently designated leader

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Early Years Foundation Stage

of the Early Years Foundation Stage has clear ideas and priorities to improve children's learning and development. A growing team spirit is evident, as is a determination to raise standards. Adults are sufficiently skilled in observing children closely to monitor their progress in all areas of learning. The outcomes of these observations suitably inform subsequent planning. Links with parents are highly valued and used well to exchange mutually beneficial information.

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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 Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The proportion of parents and carers responding to the questionnaire was well below that typically found in a primary school. As fewer than seven percent returned the questionnaires, conclusions cannot be drawn with confidence. However, most of the parents and carers who returned the questionnaire responded their child enjoys coming to school, and are happy with their child's overall experience at school. Nevertheless, the concern registered about the school's management of unacceptable behaviour has found resonance in staff and pupils' questionnaires, where the response is clearly sizeable. The inspectors checked behaviour in and around the school, discussed it with pupils and judged it to be inadequate.

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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 Eyres Monsell 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. The inspection team received 14 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 211 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 6 43 6 43 2 14 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 2 14 10 71 2 14 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 3 21 8 57 2 14 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 5 36 8 57 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 3 21 10 71 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 3 21 10 71 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 3 21 10 71 1 7 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) 2 14 9 64 2 14 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 1 7 12 86 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 3 21 8 57 2 14 1 7

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 1 7 11 79 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 1 7 12 86 1 7 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 1 7 12 86 1 7 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 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 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. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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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 Eyres Monsell Primary School, Leicester, LE2 9AH

Thank you for helping us during the inspection of your school. We enjoyed talking to you about your work and life at school. We think your school has a lot of things to improve, but we know that your headteacher, staff and governors want to make your school better. We have said your school needs special measures, which means that it will get help to make the improvements needed. Here are some of the things we found out about your school. You know how to stay healthy. Most of you say you feel safe at school. You like taking on responsibility in the school and helping people outside. Adults in the school care about you. Those of you who receive special support are making satisfactory progress. To improve your school further, I have asked those in charge to make sure that:  teaching helps all of you to make more progress in English and mathematics  you have regular opportunities in other subjects to practise your skills in English and

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Inspection of Eyres Monsell Primary School, Leicester, LE2 9AH

mathematics  those of you who find behaving properly difficult, get the help you need to improve your behaviour  school leaders check carefully on your learning and progress when they visit classrooms or check your written work  those of you who do not attend regularly are given help to do so. Of course, you also have a role to play in improving your school. For example, some of you could attend school more regularly so that you don't miss out on your education. It would be most helpful to your teachers, and other pupils too, if all of you could behave sensibly in and around school.

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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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