Sunnyhill Primary School

Age group 3-11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 September 2011 Inspection number 376417 Sunnyhill Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 100585 Local Authority Lambeth Inspection number 376417 Inspection dates 13–14 September 2011 Reporting inspector Jacqueline Marshall

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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 458 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Roy Walker Headteacher John Parr Date of previous school inspection 2–3 March 2009 School address Sunnyhill Road London SW16 2UW Telephone number 020 8769 4785 Fax number 020 8664 6709 Email address admin@sunnyhill.lambeth.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colle ges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the 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 . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by four additional inspectors. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 24 lessons, observed 19 teachers and held meetings with groups of pupils, staff, school leaders and representatives of the governing body. They observed the school’s work and looked at the school’s documentation, including policies including those relating to safeguarding (care and protection of pupils), data on pupils’ progress, attendance figures and the school’s improvement planning. They scrutinised pupils’ work and evaluated 138 questionnaire responses received from parents and carers.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The effectiveness of the school’s strategies for improving the learning and progress for all pupils in writing and ensuring recent improvements is secure.  The extent to which the school’s actions to improve behaviour have been successful.  The use leaders and staff make of assessment information to support and challenge pupils’ learning and set high expectations, especially for the most able and the youngest pupils.  The effectiveness of all leaders in checking, reviewing and taking actions to raise standards since the last inspection.

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Information about the school

This is a larger than average-sized primary school. The pupils come from predominantly Black African, Black Caribbean and White British families, as well as from a range of other minority ethnic backgrounds. Two thirds of the children are learning to speak English as an additional language and, of these, the large majority join with little or no English. The proportions of pupils identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, are above average and represent a range of needs. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. A higher proportion of pupils than usual join or leave the school partway through their education. Since the last inspection there have been many changes to staff, particularly the senior leadership team.

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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

This is a good school. Since its previous inspection, it has successfully raised standards whilst also improving many aspects of its provision. Good levels of pastoral care, guidance and support are effective in ensuring that pupils feel safe and well cared for and thrive in their personal development. Pupils benefit from good relationships with staff and their behaviour is good in lessons and at play. They show considerable support for one another, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. They talk with enthusiasm about their school and have positive attitudes towards their learning.

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Main findings

The school has effectively focused on improving teaching and learning for the pupils following a period of staff changes and appointments. Senior leaders have a very clear awareness of the school’s effectiveness and what it needs to do to bring about improvement. For example, there is a strong, shared commitment to raising achievement which has risen steadily as the school has focused effectively on systematically developing pupils’ basic skills, especially in writing. Subject leaders are not fully effective in collecting and analysing data and checking effectiveness in their own subjects, although the school has plans to increase their skills. Nevertheless, the overall good self-evaluation, combined with the rapid fall in the number of absences and exclusions, shows the school’s good capacity for sustained improvement. Good relationships with parents and carers support pupils’ learning well.

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Main findings

Pupils achieve well because teaching is good and enables them to make effective progress in lively and interesting lessons. In this caring school, all staff know pupils’ abilities well because teachers regularly check on how well pupils are doing and are effective in sharing this information with them and their parents and carers. Although there is some variability between different classes, all groups of pupils make good and sometimes better progress from their starting points. This is because of the considerable skill with which the school adapts and targets the well-focused support it gives pupils of different abilities, such as those at the early stages of learning English. Across the school, teachers’ day-to-day marking is good. Opportunities are sometimes missed to set suitably challenging work for all pupils, particularly the more able, at the start of lessons. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, activities for

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Main findings

the younger children are not always tailored closely enough to their different needs and as a consequence they make slower, although still satisfactory, progress when compared to pupils in the main 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and accelerate pupils’ progress by:  ensuring that lessons always challenge and engage pupils well, particularly the more able  ensuring all activities on offer, indoors and outdoors, in the Nursery and Reception classes are closely matched to next steps in children’s learning.  Raise the quality of provision to secure consistently best practice by:  developing the skills of leaders at all levels to enable them to check effectively how well the school is doing.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils achieve well academically. They are clear about their learning, talk with confidence and share their ideas willingly with one another. During an English lesson, pupils in Year 5 were keen to assess and level different pieces of their work from a previous lesson. Using skills from good prior learning and a sound knowledge of what was expected for each level, they thoughtfully contributed their own suggestions about how each other’s work could be improved and created targets for future learning based on what they found. Pupils of all ages talk eagerly about what they have been learning and know they have targets. They are keen to know how to improve when their work is marked, engaging them effectively in the next steps in their learning.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Attainment in the Year 6 national tests in English and mathematics is now average. It has risen over the past three years from below average. Since the last inspection, progress in lessons throughout the school has improved and is now good. This is the result of the whole-school focus on improving the quality of checks made on pupils’ achievement. Through this the school has ensured different groups are targeted extremely effectively to enable them to make equally good progress from their below average starting points. Consequently, all pupils in Years 1 to 6, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, joining the school at times other than expected, in the early stages of learning English and those known to eligible for free school meals, make the same good progress in English and mathematics. Outcomes, whilst improving rapidly, for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

currently satisfactory rather than good, reflecting the satisfactory, although sometimes better, teaching and learning at that stage.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Across the school, pupils achieve well in their personal and social development. Behaviour is well managed, with the overwhelming majority of pupils saying that they really enjoy school, feel cared for and know exactly who they can talk to if they have any problems. Pupils’ enjoyment of school life is evident in their eagerness to take on responsibilities and their supportive approach to one another, which helps make the school a very welcoming place. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe. Their healthy choices at lunchtime and evident enjoyment of exercise in

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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

the playground demonstrate their clear understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. With many different ethnic heritages represented in the school population, their cultural awareness within the school is particularly strong, relationships are good and children are considerate of each other, valuing and celebrating each others’ differences. Pupils’ ability to work well together from an early age, their good communication skills and their improving awareness of the importance of regular attendance are key factors in pupils’ good development of basic skills and preparation for their future life and learning.

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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

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils’ keenness to learn is due in a large part to the increasingly creative curriculum and the good, and sometimes better, quality of teaching within the school. Engaging visits, such as those made as part of the ‘Take one Picture’ topic, help to bring the curriculum alive. These creative links between subjects help to stimulate and foster pupils’ interest and provide opportunities to engage pupils, such as those at the early stages of learning English in particular, in their learning. All staff play their part in delivering this rich, stimulating and engaging curriculum. In a Year 1 English lesson, the teacher effectively used the interactive whiteboard to stimulate pupils’ vocabulary. A video of a lifeboat in a rough sea allowed the children to imagine how the characters in their story might have felt; the sights, sounds and emotions. The teacher and other adults successfully used open-ended questioning to extend pupils’

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How effective is the provision?

ideas so the pupils were able to suggest a wealth of words to describe the waves

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How effective is the provision?

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

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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

and sea and use these to create their own sound poems in groups. Pupils were given every chance to talk about their ideas and, consequently, were very motivated and worked well collaboratively. However, at the start of some lessons, opportunities are sometimes missed to use questioning to extend and stretch pupils’ understanding or provide enough opportunities for the more-able pupils to be active, independent learners.

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

Pupils’ welfare and personal, social and health needs are catered for well because the school works closely with parents and carers as well as with outside agencies where needed. The acceleration in pupils’ progress has been partly due to the school’s success in improving attendance to the current above average level. The school’s effective efforts to support the whole school community are evident in many ways. For example, the work with pupils and families who might otherwise find it difficult to access education is evident in their increasing involvement in school activities as well as in rising attendance. Workshops involve parents and carers successfully in improving their understanding of the curriculum as well as developing their own literacy and numeracy skills.

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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

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The headteacher has an extremely clear vision for the school, which is shared by the very effective senior leadership team. Their drive and determination have been instrumental in the upward trend in standards, achievement and attendance. There is a positive team spirit amongst the whole staff, who are equally ambitious for the school. Subject leaders do not yet play their full part in checking how well their subject is doing, although they are keen to be involved in the monitoring of teaching and learning to raise the quality of provision still further. The governing body is conscientious in fulfilling its statutory duties to ensure the safety of the children and agree policies. Governors, too, play an important role in giving challenge to the headteacher and are becoming more and more effective in checking how well the school is doing. Although there are good links with parents and carers that help the

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How effective are leadership and management?

school to achieve its goals, the school is continuing to encourage even more parents to play an active role in how the school works by, for example, gathering their responses and suggestions as part of school improvement planning.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school’s promotion of equality and diversity is good because it takes effective steps to tackle discrimination to make sure that pupils from all backgrounds perform

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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

to a similar standard. Staff ensure that pupils, whose circumstances make them most vulnerable, have the opportunities to achieve as well as their peers. Pupils are encouraged to play their full part in the school and the local community, and their understanding and contribution are developing well in these areas. The school is making good progress in promoting pupils’ understanding of communities and cultures in national and global contexts. All safeguarding requirements and duties are met and arrangements and policies for safeguarding are in line with government regulations and systematically reviewed. All staff play their part in ensuring that safeguarding procedures are followed routinely and the school is a safe and secure place in which to learn.

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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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driving improvement

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children enter the Nursery class with skills and understanding that are below those typical for their age, with weaknesses in aspects of communication, language and literacy, personal, social and emotional development as well as problem solving, reasoning and number. They get off to a good start in developing their personal and social skills and quickly grow in confidence. By the time they leave the Reception class to start in Year 1, children have made satisfactory progress overall, although weaknesses remain, particularly in their literacy and numeracy skills.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Teaching overall is satisfactory, with an appropriate mixture of activities led by staff and those chosen by the children themselves. Where learning is best adults are good at engaging children’s interest through effective questioning. For example, children using the sand pit outdoors were busily engaged in creating their own towers and structures. Effectively challenged by an adult, they were given time to explain what they were doing and discuss their plans for the rest of their design. Good

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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

opportunities to use their number skills, counting scoops of sand and predicting how many more would be needed, were provided through effective open-ended questioning so that children gained in their understanding of the concept of number and volume. Assessment information has improved considerably since the previous inspection, particularly when recording children’s progress which is improving rapidly as a result. However, it is still not yet used well enough or consistently enough in planning ahead to ensure the children make good gains in their learning from day to day. Consequently, adults miss opportunities to extend children’s learning by tailoring activities more closely to meet their needs and interests or moving their learning on by asking open-ended questions. The curriculum as a whole is adapted appropriately to engage the children in active learning. Children are very keen to use the much

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

improved outdoor learning environment, although the limited provision of shelter means this is curtailed in wet weather. The early years team has worked hard to plan activities for the outdoor area, although these have yet to reflect fully the opportunities on offer indoors.

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

The acting early years leader has worked closely with the senior leadership team in developing the early years provision since the previous inspection. They have a clear understanding of the next steps to be taken to strengthen provision and ensure children achieve well in all aspects of learning. The early years team ensures children are provided with a safe environment in which to learn and grow.

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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

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The vast majority of responses to questionnaires were positive and most of the written comments expressed considerable satisfaction with the school. Typical comments about the school included, ‘Our children love going there every morning,’ and, ‘We feel that Sunnyhill is an extremely changed school and the head has done a superb job transforming the atmosphere and learning environment.’ ‘We love Sunnyhill.’

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Views of parents and carers

A few reported concerns over how well the school helps parents and carers with their child’s learning. Evidence gathered during the inspection showed that regular meetings are held to discuss pupils’ progress and learning. Similarly, inspection evidence shows that the school’s open-door policy encourages more informal opportunities to talk to staff and is welcomed by parents and carers.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils re gistered at Sunnyhill 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 138 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 458 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 87 63 48 35 2 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 80 58 55 40 2 1 1 1 The school informs me about my child’s progress 69 50 62 45 5 4 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 59 43 67 49 6 4 1 1 The teaching is good at this school 71 51 56 41 4 3 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 64 46 59 43 12 9 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 61 44 65 47 10 7 0 0 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) 50 36 75 54 6 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 50 36 73 53 4 3 1 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 60 43 65 47 7 5 1 1 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 46 33 74 54 6 4 2 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 70 51 57 41 5 4 1 1 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 72 52 59 43 4 3 1 1

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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 08 April 2011 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.  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 Sunnyhill Primary School, London SW16 2UW

Thank you for talking to us and showing us your work when we visited your school. We were pleased to hear that you like school a lot and know how important it is to come to school regularly. We agree that your teachers plan many interesting things for you to do. You get on with one another well and behave well in lessons and around the school.

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Inspection of Sunnyhill Primary School, London SW16 2UW

The inspection team has found that your school gives you a good education. The curriculum planned for you meets your needs well and teachers help you make good progress in your work. The leaders in the school know exactly what needs to be done to make your education better. In order to help you to make faster progress, we have asked the staff to do three things.

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Inspection of Sunnyhill Primary School, London SW16 2UW

 Make sure all your lessons are challenging enough and always involve you actively in the next steps in your learning, particularly the activities planned for children in the Nursery and Reception classes.  Keep checking to make sure all your lessons help you to make good progress and the school is doing as well as it should.

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Inspection of Sunnyhill Primary School, London SW16 2UW

You can all help by continuing to come to school regularly and be kind and considerate to one another. Thank you again for helping us with our work.

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from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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