Queensbridge Primary School

Queensbridge Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 100235 Local Authority Hackney Inspection number 354819 Inspection dates 5–6 July 2011 Reporting inspector John Laver

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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 279 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lynne Altas Headteacher Sarah Bailey Date of previous school inspection 12 May 2008 School address Albion Drive London E8 4ET Telephone number 02072541186 Fax number 02072494666 Email address sbailey@queensbridge.hackney.sch.uk

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 5–6 July 2011 Inspection number 354819 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. The inspectors visited 19 lessons and observed 12 teachers. They held meetings with staff, groups of pupils and members of the governing body. They talked to parents and carers. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at records of the monitoring of teaching and learning, the governing body minutes, the school improvement plan, data on pupils' progress and reports from the School Improvement Partner. They analysed questionnaires received from 114 parents and carers, 117 pupils and 16 staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  How effectively the school is improving pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics, from their starting points.  The extent to which two key aspects of provision - teaching and the curriculum - are helping pupils from a wide range of backgrounds to achieve as well as they can.

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Introduction

 How effectively subject coordinators at the middle level of leadership and management are monitoring progress and helping to bring about school improvement.  How well children in the Nursery and Reception classes are provided for and make appropriate progress.

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Information about the school

Queensbridge Primary School is a larger-than-average, and expanding, school. Most pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well-above average. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities, which includes a range of learning, behavioural and emotional needs, is above average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well-above average. Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage in Nursery and also attend two Reception classes. The school has Healthy School status and holds several awards, including the Inclusion Quality Mark. The school provides extended care in the form of a breakfast club and an after-school club. The school operates a children's centre on a nearby site, but this provision was not part of the inspection focus.

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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

Queensbridge Primary is an outstanding school providing a high quality learning environment for pupils from a wide range of backgrounds. Pupils make outstanding progress in acquiring knowledge and skills and developing all the personal qualities necessary to give them an excellent start to the next phase of their education. Parents and carers recognise the school's many achievements, a typical comment being, 'Queensbridge is a vibrant, buzzing school with a real energy about it. It has a great mix of kids, a happy atmosphere and a dynamic head.' Children make an outstanding start to their school career in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They make outstanding progress as they move up through the school until they leave at the age of eleven. By that age, pupils' attainment is above average. A previous gap in attainment between boys and girls has narrowed significantly as a result of initiatives such as one-to-one tuition for those who sometimes underachieved in the past.

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Main findings

Outstanding progress results from a combination of outstanding teaching and pupils' very positive attitudes towards learning, which is reflected in a level of attendance which is well-above average. All groups of pupils make outstanding progress, whatever their level of ability, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils get high quality additional support where necessary. Teachers are highly skilled at meeting the needs of all pupils, through a combination of having high expectations, teaching lessons full of pace and challenge, and making outstanding use of assessment to give pupils consistently clear guidance on how well they have done and how they can improve their work. Although attainment has improved considerably since the previous inspection, a small minority of pupils do not achieve the higher levels in writing, mostly because teachers occasionally miss

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Main findings

opportunities to give pupils more challenging writing tasks in the various topics which form an important part of the school's evolving curriculum. Outstanding care, guidance and support underpin pupils' strong personal development, which includes outstanding behaviour. This ensures that pupils feel very safe in school. Pupils love the school because of its very inclusive ethos, reflecting its award of the Inclusion Quality Mark. They are also very enthusiastic about lessons and the wide range of enrichment activities, such as the after-school club, visits and opportunities to be involved in the community, for example through the school's excellent choir. Parents and carers welcome the opportunity to be part of this happy school community, for example taking part in curriculum workshops and various schemes to support their children's learning. The school celebrates diversity very effectively, so that pupils have a mature

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Main findings

perspective on how a range of values and beliefs can co-exist both within their own immediate environment and in the global community.

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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

Parents, carers, governors and staff all believe that much of the school's success is due to the headteacher's enthusiastic and inspirational leadership. There is rigorous monitoring of all aspects of school performance and there is evident determination amongst staff to sustain and build upon existing successes. The school has very successfully addressed issues identified at the previous inspection, by extensively improving the quality of marking and improving the attainment of more able pupils. The headteacher's cheerful and relentless drive for improvement permeates the school, and it combines with accurate self-evaluation and high expectations to demonstrate that the school has an outstanding capacity for sustained improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils attaining the highest levels in core skills, especially writing, by the time they leave school in 2012, by giving them more challenging learning opportunities within the developing topic-based curriculum.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Children join the school with attainment well-below age-related expectations. They have slightly below average attainment when they leave Reception, and above average attainment when they leave school at eleven, with particular strengths in reading and mathematics, although attainment in writing is more variable. The inspection showed that outstanding progress, already identified from national assessment data for the previous few years, has been sustained and further extended, with pupils on track to meet or exceed challenging targets. Lesson observations during the inspection showed several strengths in both pupils' attitudes and their progress. The outstanding teaching draws an enthusiastic response from pupils of all levels of ability. This was observed, for example, in a lesson for younger pupils in which a trip to the seaside was followed up by pupils learning how to write an acrostic poem. The teacher very skilfully used a blend of evocative seaside sounds,

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

questioning and discussion to recreate the memory of the trip. She then used challenging language and concepts to immerse pupils in a learning experience which excited their imagination at the same time as seamlessly extending their range of vocabulary and understanding of the power of language. This was a remarkable achievement given that many of the pupils were still at a relatively early stage of using English as an additional language. Throughout the school, such pupils, and also those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive excellent help from learning support assistants and volunteers who work closely in tandem with class teachers. More-able pupils, and the gifted and talented, also make outstanding progress, as was evident during the inspection when a group of gifted mathematicians was observed discussing mathematical concepts through the medium of Renaissance art. Pupils' learning is also reinforced by strong social development, evident in the way in

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

which the pupils get on very well together in lessons, whether cooperating in group or paired activities. All pupils, including the most vulnerable, feel very safe in school. They enjoy an excellent range of enrichment activities. The outstanding school choir has contributed to professional performances outside school. There is a high take up of sporting activities and pupils talk very knowledgeably about health-related issues, such as the qualities of different foods, as evidenced by the achievement of a national award. The

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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

school council is very active, and pupils show an outstanding capacity for taking on responsibility, for example taking part in community projects such as UNICEF world water day. The school prepares pupils outstandingly well for the next phase of their education. In addition to being equipped very well with a range of core skills, pupils are encouraged to join in activities such as fundraising for charities, producing a school newspaper and working in teams to design and sell products. They learn enthusiastically how to take on personal responsibility. In addition to promoting a highly developed sense of moral and social responsibility, the school develops a strong spiritual and multicultural awareness in pupils. This was shown, for example, in a school assembly in which pupils enthusiastically worked their way through songs from cultures as diverse as the Louisiana Bayou and Merseyside. The school makes very effective use of pupils' backgrounds to develop their

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

understanding of different beliefs and customs. For example, the school puts on three international events each year and other events such as the Bollywood dance performance.

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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 1

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 1

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 1

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

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1

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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?

Pupils make outstanding progress because the teaching is outstanding and pupils are enthusiastic learners. Pupils know exactly how they can improve their work because the teachers' feedback is detailed and constructive, and pupils are encouraged to respond to

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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

teachers' comments in correcting their work. Other strengths in teaching include the way in which teachers deploy learning support assistants to support particular groups of pupils, and the pace, challenge and provision of a range of opportunities for pupils to be actively engaged in their learning through strategies such as discussion and role play. As one pupil said, 'We swap knowledge about what we are learning.' The curriculum is being modified as topics are introduced throughout the school, giving teachers more opportunities to develop pupils' skills across different subjects. For example, older pupils combine literacy and historical skills in a study of Britain during the Second World War. Pupils are very enthusiastic about this development, and they help in the planning. Music provision is another of the school's strengths. Pupils love the visits and opportunities to participate in events such as the Hackney Music Festival.

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

Outstanding care, guidance and support are evident in several different ways. There is a detailed programme of personal, social and health education which, for example, teaches pupils how to be safe, to cooperate well with each other and develop as well-rounded individuals. Strong links with other schools ensure that pupils make a smooth transition when they move on to their next school. There are rigorous procedures to encourage high attendance. For example, the learning mentor works with families where attendance or punctuality pose potential problems. The breakfast club gives several pupils a healthy and enjoyable start to the school day.

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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 1

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher has very high expectations of what the school can achieve. She has a high profile not just in the school, but through her support for other local schools and in demonstrating the school's achievements in areas such as inclusion to a range of foreign educationalists. Several parents referred to the headteacher as 'inspirational, a great leader and someone who really propels the school forward'. Staff and governors, who are very knowledgeable, supportive and challenging, share the commitment to improvement. The subject coordinators' role in monitoring and supporting colleagues has developed considerably since the previous inspection. The senior leadership's own monitoring is rigorous, and teachers are encouraged to share in the best practice and so ensure outstanding learning. There are thorough assessment procedures, with staff meticulously tracking the progress of all pupils. This progress is then discussed

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How effective are leadership and management?

and, where necessary, provision put in place to support individual pupils.

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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

Partnerships with parents and carers, and with other schools and outside agencies such as social services, are outstanding. The partnerships lead, for example, to the sharing of expertise and resources with other schools in areas such as sport, with tangible benefits for pupils' learning and enjoyment. Strong links with the nearby children's centre, also run by the school, help to involve parents in their children's learning at an early stage. Safeguarding procedures are outstanding and are highlighted as exemplary practice within the local authority. The well-being of all pupils is at the heart of the school's work, and all policies and procedures, in areas such as recruitment, are rigorously monitored and reviewed. Pupils are taught how to keep safe in all circumstances. The school has tackled the very few instances of discrimination in recent years very effectively and the school's success in ensuring equal opportunities is evident in the way in which all pupils, whatever

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

their aptitudes and backgrounds, have equal access to all that the school offers. The school makes an outstanding contribution to community cohesion. Pupils are very active within the local community, for example taking part in several local projects such as London in Bloom. There are developing links with United Kingdom schools further afield whilst, globally, the school has links with schools in Denmark and Japan. Pupils have a very strongly developed understanding of the wide range of values and beliefs both in the United Kingdom and further afield, and older pupils in particular talk knowledgeably about people's experiences in a global context.

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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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1

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children make rapid progress when they join the school partly because they settle very quickly into a very welcoming and caring environment. They are then taught outstandingly well, either when following the lead of staff or when being encouraged to explore ideas for themselves. Children in both the Nursery and Reception engage in imaginative role play,

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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

both indoors and outdoors, they get on well together and quickly learn the conventions of moving around without a fuss, listening to each other and taking turns. Children were able to explain how they wrote about the parts of a flower, drew pictures of their friends, and compared various animals with children. They were able to write about their impressions of friendship. One child wrote, 'I want to be a good helper to everybody.' Children's enjoyment and rapid progress were observed in a physical education lesson in which they cooperated excitedly in a 'parachute game', which involved them controlling and retrieving tennis balls, and were then using their imagination to create a series of 'bean' shapes. All the while, staff were assessing and recording their progress. The staff are skilled at tracking children's progress, using the information to identify areas for improvement and intervening when necessary to ensure the progress of individual

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

children. Outstanding leadership encourages a strong partnership with parents and with the nearby children's centre, as well as with outside agencies. Parents value the school's encouragement for them to come into school and watch their children when learning and at play.

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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 Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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

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Views of parents and carers

The rate of return of the parents' and carers' Ofsted questionnaire was above average. Parents and carers greatly appreciate all aspects of the school's provision for their children, especially the high quality of care and support, the teaching, the curriculum and the leadership. Parents and carers are certain that their children enjoy school and they are lavish in their praise of what one parent called the headteacher's 'superlative leadership with real vision'. Only a very small minority of parents and carers has any concerns about aspects of the school's provision and there was no common theme to these very few concerns. From both talking to parents and carers and reading their comments, the inspection team found that there is overall a very strong level of support for all that the school does and is aiming to achieve.

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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 Queensbridge 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 114 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 279 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 86 75 26 23 1 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 81 71 31 27 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 70 61 40 35 3 3 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 75 66 33 29 6 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 82 72 31 27 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 84 74 26 23 3 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 69 61 44 39 0 0 1 1

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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) 71 62 38 33 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 74 65 37 32 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 73 64 39 34 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 65 57 41 36 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 81 71 30 26 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 87 76 25 22 1 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 2010 to 31 December 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 2010/11 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 Queensbridge Primary School, London E8 4ET

Thank you for welcoming us so politely when we visited your school recently. We greatly enjoyed meeting you, seeing you in lessons and talking to you. Queensbridge Primary School gives you an outstanding standard of education. From the Nursery right up to Year 6, you make outstanding progress in your work, doing better than many children in other schools. This is because your teachers teach you really well, and you help them by being very keen to learn. We know that you enjoy school, and your attendance at school is much higher than in many other schools, so well done! We also know that you feel safe in school, you behave outstandingly well and you get on very well with each other. All the adults in the school care for you and work really hard so that every one of you can do the best you can. You get a lot of very good opportunities, not only to learn in the classroom but to go on interesting trips and do activities you enjoy

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Inspection of Queensbridge Primary School, London E8 4ET

such as performing in the school choir. You are also very good at taking on responsibility, and we know that the school council meets often and does good work for all the pupils. We were also impressed at how well the teachers mark your work, so you know exactly how well you have done and can make your work even better. Your headteacher leads the school outstandingly well, and she is well supported by all the other adults because they want you to have the best opportunities possible. Although you do very well in your work, occasionally when you are doing the topics which we know you like, you could have even more opportunities to improve your writing skills. In order to make your outstanding school even better, we have asked the school to:  make sure that your teachers give you even more challenging opportunities to develop your skills, especially in writing, when doing your topic work in lessons.

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Inspection of Queensbridge Primary School, London E8 4ET

You will help your teachers achieve this if you continue to work hard and show the same enthusiasm that we saw during the inspection. Yours sincerely John Laver Lead 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 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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