West Green Primary School

Age group 4−11 Inspection date(s) 15−16 September 2011 Inspection number 381136 West Green Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 125826 Local Authority West Sussex Inspection number 381136 Inspection dates 15−16 September 2011 Reporting inspector Wendy Forbes

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 211 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robert Feasey Headteacher Tom O’Donoghue Date of previous school inspection 25−26 March 2009 School address West Green Drive Crawley West Sussex RH11 7EL Telephone number 01293 526679 Fax number 01293 538336 Email address office@westgreen.w-sussex.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, 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

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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 three additional inspectors. Eighteen lessons or parts of lessons were seen and nine teachers were observed. Inspectors visited all classrooms on a learning walk to sample displays, behaviour, assessment strategies, and the curriculum. They held meetings with the Chair of the Governing Body, staff and a group of pupils. Inspectors examined pupils’ work and school documents, including improvement and action plans, safety records and assessment and tracking information. They analysed 63 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, together with those completed by 114 pupils and 8 staff.

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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 progress all pupils make in writing.  The achievement of pupils, particularly that of more able pupils, to ascertain whether teaching and the curriculum are challenging enough.  The impact of assessment and pupil tracking systems in raising achievement.  The effectiveness of leaders and managers, including governors, in driving school improvement since the previous inspection, and the school’s capacity to sustain recent improvements.  The effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage to determine whether provision is challenging enough.

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized school, formerly a first school, which became a primary school in September 2004. All year groups, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, have single-age classes. Most pupils are White British, with the others representing a range of other ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is currently well above the national average and varies significantly year on year. The proportion known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. A daily on-site breakfast club, managed by the school, is provided for pupils who attend the school. The current headteacher, appointed since the last inspection, has been in post since January 2010. The school has achieved a number of awards, including Healthy Schools, Eco-school, International Schools and Activemark.

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Information about the school

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

West Green is a good school. Under the very purposeful leadership of the headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and an enthusiastic team of staff and governors, there have been many improvements since the last inspection. The now outstanding care, guidance and support contribute significantly to pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning, their good, and sometimes outstanding, behaviour, and an excellent understanding of how to stay safe, fit and healthy. The vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school and all that it does for their children. Comments such as ‘Everyone matters here’ and ‘I feel that the school really cares about everyone’ reflect the school’s outstanding cohesive community spirit. Pupils’ desire to be in school is reflected in their above-average attendance. Many said how much they appreciated the early-morning breakfast club.

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Main findings

Reception children start school with skills and understanding that are in line with expectations for their age, although relatively weaker in speech and language. They make satisfactory progress in their learning. This is because activities are appropriate but do not always provide a wide enough range of learning opportunities to promote independence or to challenge children in their learning. The provision of an improved outside area for the Reception class is one of the school’s major priorities.

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Main findings

Numbers on roll across the school as well as the proportion of pupils with additional needs have fluctuated significantly over time and, as a result, the end-of-year assessment statistics have varied. Good, and sometimes outstanding, teaching, a well-planned curriculum and very effective induction and tracking systems ensure that the progress of most pupils is effectively monitored and appropriate support put in place for any in danger of falling behind. This ensures that most, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make equally good progress, and achievement is good. The good capacity for sustained improvement has been evident in the continued improvements in reading and mathematics attainment. This is the result of continued development in the teaching of reading and mathematics, well- tailored intervention strategies, and the very effective use of assessment and tracking systems. Attainment in writing has also continued to improve but has not

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Main findings

risen as rapidly. This is because a few teachers do not always put their good lesson planning into practice, to ensure that pupils, particularly the most able, are consistently challenged to do well in lesson activities.

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Main findings

Leaders and managers have become more effective since the last inspection. Subject leaders now take a more active role in the monitoring of improvements. Self- Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Main findings

evaluation is generally accurate and effective. Information about progress towards targets is used well to monitor performance so that everyone is clear about what the school needs to do to improve further. All of these factors, together with good support from the governing body, contribute to the school’s good capacity for sustained improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate progress and raise pupils’ attainment in writing so that it matches the higher attainment already achieved in reading and mathematics in this coming academic year by:  ensuring that all pupils, particularly the most able, are routinely provided with tasks that are more closely matched to their level of abilities  ensuring that teaching and learning in writing is consistently good or better.  Widen the range of learning opportunities for children in the Reception class so that they develop skills as independent learners by:  making effective use of day-to-day assessments to ensure that activities are sharply focused on what each child needs to learn next  improving the outside area so that it develops aspects of their learning and provides a higher level of challenge.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

From a sound start in Reception, observations of lessons throughout the rest of the school show that most pupils, regardless of their ability, are now making good progress. Attainment has fluctuated over time and is broadly average overall. However, pupils’ standards observed in Year 6 are at least in line with, and sometimes above, expectations for their age, particularly in reading and mathematics, although this is less so in writing.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils are enthusiastic learners and appreciate the lengths teachers go to in order to make learning fun. This was very evident in a good Year 6 literacy lesson where pupils were working hard to develop their story writing to ‘change the genre from a given text’. The story of the mysterious arrival of an animal in a household was developed exceptionally well by many into a cliff-hanging storyline which held classmates spell-bound as individuals shared their written text with one another. The pace and level of challenge were relentless. As one pupil said, ‘Our teacher makes us feel like star writers – you just never want to stop writing.’ Such high expectations help to ensure pupils’ overall achievement is good.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils’ work and the information about how well they are doing show that a number of initiatives, such as the focus on practical and investigative work, are helping to accelerate their progress particularly in mathematics. Well-focused individual support ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language make equally good progress in their learning. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Overall good achievement, good personal development outcomes and very positive attitudes to learning all help to ensure that pupils are well prepared for their secondary education and later life.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is seen in their positive relationships and support for each other. Throughout the school, pupils’ good, and sometimes outstanding, behaviour, characterised by good manners and exceptional courtesy, is an expectation. Pupils feel extremely safe and know there is someone they can turn to if they are worried about anything. Pupils make a good contribution to school life and the wider community by taking on a wide range of responsibilities, for example as Key Stage 2 reading partners paired with younger pupils and as members of the Eco and school councils. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle, enjoying the wide range of activities to help them keep and stay fit, which is reflected in their many national awards.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes 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 The extent to which pupils feel safe 1 Pupils’ behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

Staff make most lessons stimulating and interesting as seen in an outstanding Year 3 lesson, where pupils extended their knowledge and understanding of multiplication and number bonds by exceptional use of talk partners and number activities to provide extended opportunities for learning. Although teachers’ good subject knowledge and their understanding of pupils’ needs ensure that they plan well for different ability groups, not all tasks consistently challenge pupils in practice, particularly the most able in writing. As a result, their progress is not as rapid as it

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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 Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, 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?

could be and the attainment of these pupils is not as high as it should be. Much has already been done to address this, but the impact of relatively new initiatives, such as extended writing, ‘VCOP’ and ‘response marking’ have yet to be realised. Pupils are helped to consider how well they have worked and what they most enjoyed, but the otherwise well-constructed self-assessment opportunities focus heavily on the pupils’ enjoyment of learning, occasionally missing opportunities to encourage pupils to evaluate how they could improve. Teaching assistants play an invaluable role, providing effective support for pupils who have additional needs.

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How effective is the provision?

The good curriculum is enriched by an excellent range of activities, including specialist teaching in music and extra-curricular opportunities which contributes significantly to pupils’ personal development. Curricular strengths, particularly in the environmental curriculum, are seen in the creative range of local environment projects, such as ‘Right Up My Street’ and in the many opportunities provided for pupils to make good use of the school’s conservation and vegetable growing areas. Effective links are made to other subjects, which makes learning interesting. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their involvement in curricular activities and were particularly excited by their role in looking after the school’s animals.

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils receive excellent care and support throughout the school day, because each and every child is known and valued. The impact of this is evident in pupils’ good standards of behaviour and social skills. Very effective support is provided for the needs of vulnerable pupils and their families as well as those at risk of underachievement. Induction and transition arrangements are exceptional, enabling Reception children to settle very quickly and for Year 6 pupils to feel very confident about starting their new schools.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 1

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How effective are leadership and management?

Since the last inspection, leadership and management have strengthened significantly. The new headteacher has developed a positive culture for improvement, which has enthused others to have the highest possible aspirations for themselves and the pupils. Self-evaluation is effective. It provides a good basis for embedding ambition and driving improvement, and has already brought about significant improvements in teaching, the effectiveness of other leaders and managers and higher attainment since the last inspection. An enthusiastic and hardworking senior staff team and key curriculum leaders work well together, Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, 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?

developing areas identified as weaker than others. Effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the work of the school and there is an effective plan for further improvements. Adults at all levels are good at promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination through raising pupils’ expectations of what they can achieve. Any differences in performance between groups of pupils are quickly identified and effective action is taken. The governing body provides good support and challenge to the school and is clear about what leaders need to do next to improve provision further. Well-developed support systems are complemented by a good range of partnerships. Parents and carers engage effectively with their children’s learning and in the life of the school. They appreciate the opportunities provided by the school to learn about what is taught and how they can best support their child.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school has developed excellent provision within its community cohesion policy. Links with the local, national and international communities, for example in Ghana and with a London primary school, are extremely well developed. These links have significantly extended pupils’ awareness through opportunities to visit and communicate with twinned schools. Measures for safeguarding pupils are good and all statutory requirements relating to child protection are well met.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding amb ition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 1 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Provision, outcomes and leadership and management in the Early Years Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The school has identified and begun to implement clear priorities to enable provision to be fully effective. Recent developments, such as improvements in outdoor provision, have made a good start and provide an adequate range of opportunities for children’s physical development. However, there Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, 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

is still much to be done to ensure that outdoor activities provide a challenging range of opportunities for children to learn whilst they play. Children learn in a safe and caring learning environment. Parents are very appreciative of the care in planning the induction process when their children start school. As a result, pupils settle quickly and happily into the daily routines of school. Children play together well, are very well behaved, and enjoy their learning. They respond well to a range of activities which support their overall development. However, the balance of child- initiated and adult-led activities is not yet effectively organised. Activities do not always provide children with a wide enough range of learning opportunities to develop their own learning in order to promote independence. This is because the analysis of children’s achievements and needs through day-to-day assessment is not

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Early Years Foundation Stage

sufficiently rigorous. As a result, curriculum planning is not detailed enough to ensure that activities always meet the needs of children, particularly the most able. However, there is a consistent and skilled approach to the teaching of letters and sounds, commonly known as ‘phonics’, which helps to develop early reading and writing. From a start in line with expectations for their age, children make satisfactory progress and at the end of Reception, the majority reach the levels expected for their age.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage 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 overwhelming majority of parents and carers who returned questionnaires or who spoke to the inspection team are very happy with the school. They consider that the school has a dedicated team of staff and that the headteacher leads and manages the school well. They agree that the school has a very warm, supportive and friendly atmosphere and that most of their children make good progress. Inspectors endorse these views. There were no particular trends in the very few negative comments received by inspectors.

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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 West Green 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 63 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 211 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 41 65 21 33 1 2 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 33 52 30 48 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 16 25 41 65 3 5 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 21 33 37 59 1 2 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 23 37 38 60 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 14 22 43 68 3 5 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 20 32 43 68 0 0 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) 16 25 40 63 0 0 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 19 30 39 62 2 3 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 16 25 36 57 4 6 1 2 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 11 17 44 70 4 6 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 20 32 42 67 1 2 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 30 48 32 51 0 0 1 2

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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 West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

I am writing to thank you for your help when we inspected your school and to let you know what we found out. We spent time in lessons and looked at the work of the school. We also talked to staff and governors. We were interested in what your parents and carers think of your school, and we enjoyed listening to what you had to say and hearing about what you most enjoy about school.

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

The staff at the school work hard and are doing a good job. The work of the school is good. These are some of the things it does particularly well.

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

 The school looks after you extremely well and most of you are making good progress in your learning.  The way the school works with parents and carers is good.  The way you behave is good, and sometimes excellent, and you work and play well together.  You feel very safe at school and have an excellent understanding of how to be healthy.  You help your school to be a happy and better place to play and learn.  You have a good understanding of right and wrong and look after each other.  You look after your school, particularly your animals and school gardens, really well.  The school provides you with lots of different and exciting things to do.

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

There are some things we have asked your school to do to help it to become even better. We have asked the staff:

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

 to make sure that the adults in the Reception class are helped to provide everything you need to make the most progress you can  to ensure that more of you make faster progress in writing by ensuring that work is not too easy or too hard and provides just the right level of challenge

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

Thank you very much once again. Keep up the good work and we are sure that if you do this, you will continue to enjoy learning for a long time to come.

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Inspection of West Green Primary School, Crawley RH11 7EL

Wendy Forbes Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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