Bangabandhu Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 13−14 October 2011 Inspection number 376488 Bangabandhu Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 100937 Local Authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 376488 Inspection dates 13–14 October 2011 Reporting inspector Ruth McFarlane

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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 470 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Salim Ullah Headteacher Susan Tring Date of previous school inspection 4 March 2009 School address Wessex Street London E2 0LB Telephone number 020 8980 0580 Fax number 020 8983 3349 Email address head@bangabandhu.towerhamlets.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 four additional inspectors. Twenty lessons were observed and 16 teachers were seen. Meetings were held with staff, representatives of the governing body and groups of pupils. The inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at information about pupils' past and current progress, evidence of monitoring, the school development plan, a variety of policies and safeguarding documentation. In addition, the lead inspector analysed the questionnaires returned by 62 parents and carers, 76 Key Stage 2 pupils, and 29 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

 How well the teaching responds to the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who speak English as an additional language.  How effectively adaptations are made to the curriculum to improve provision for individual pupils who may be falling behind in their learning.  Whether the progress pupils make is consistent through the school.  How well managers at all levels contribute to the drive for improvement.

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Information about the school

This school is much larger than average and serves a diverse community. Far more pupils than average are from minority ethnic groups, and most of these speak English as an additional language. Pupils from Bangladeshi families make up over three quarters of the school roll. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is higher than average. The Early Years Foundation Stage comprises a Nursery with 70 part-time places, and two Reception classes. A higher percentage of pupils than average have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Some of these are on roll as part of an additional resource for up to 15 pupils with complex needs. Their difficulties include physical difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties. A further 17 pupils in the school have statements for speech, language and communication difficulties, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), visual impairment and/or behavioural, emotional and social

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Information about the school

difficulties. 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 school provides a good education for its pupils. They achieve well in a safe and welcoming environment in which the whole school community feels fully included. Parents and carers recognise the school’s quality. ‘The school is welcoming and open to children and parents, and provides our children with the best start to their school careers’ was typical of comments in their questionnaire responses. There are a number of reasons why pupils do well.

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Main findings

 The good levels of care, guidance and support pupils receive lead directly to the strong personal qualities they exhibit, and contribute to their good achievement. Pupils behave well, feel safe and well cared for, enjoy taking on responsibility and get on well together.  The school ensures that all the teaching assistants achieve an accredited qualification in English so that pupils who are at an early stage of speaking English are helped to develop their understanding through good attention to their needs in the classroom.  Pupils with complex needs in the resourced provision are fully integrated into the classroom, making gains in confidence and social skills, and feeling included in all the school offers. Other pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well because all adults in the classrooms understand and respond to their needs.  Teaching and the curriculum promote good learning. Lessons often feature

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Main findings

teachers working together to make sure all the pupils’ diverse needs are met. Warm relationships and lively and engaging tasks mean that pupils want to do well. Subjects link together to make learning appealing. A range of strategies, such as one-to-one tuition, ensures that staff can respond promptly to any identified weakness. In consequence, gaps in performance have narrowed. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make a good start to their education, and good progress continues through the school. Attainment by the end of Year 6 is broadly average.  Strong, established partnerships enrich pupils’ learning. The ‘Into University’ project currently being undertaken by Year 6 pupils, in partnership with a local university, ignites interest in Shakespeare and pupils’ dreams for the future. As one said, ‘It has raised our aspirations.’  The checks leaders make on the quality of teaching and learning in the

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Main findings

classroom are rigorous and regular. As a result, there are no significant dips in pupils’ achievement within particular year groups and they make consistently good progress across the school. 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

Teaching ranged from satisfactory to outstanding during the inspection. In weaker lessons, teachers’ questions are sometimes not probing enough to stretch pupils’ thinking and imagination. Occasionally, tasks, although interesting, focus for too long on familiar work, rather than extending knowledge. Good quality learning targets are set for pupils in literacy and numeracy, to help them understand clearly how to move to the next level in their learning. However, these are not set soon enough at the beginning of the term, so that for periods of time, pupils are not sure what they are aiming for in their learning.

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Main findings

The governing body provides a good range of expertise, challenge and advice. It monitors the school’s work thoroughly. The determination of leaders and managers, together with staff, to continue the upward trend of achievement underpins the school’s accurate self-evaluation and identification of priorities. This, and the successful teamwork evident, demonstrates that the school has good capacity for sustained improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment by improving the quality of all lessons to that of the best by:  making sure that pupils always have suitably challenging learning targets set in literacy and numeracy at the earliest stage possible  ensuring that lessons include tasks that extend all pupils’ knowledge and understanding as well as reinforcing existing learning  improving teachers’ use of questioning and providing more opportunities for pupils to think and imagine more deeply.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Most children join the school with skills and abilities that are low in comparison with expectations for their age. They go on to leave Year 6 with broadly average attainment. All groups, including those of minority ethnic heritage, make good progress and achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with complex needs, benefit from care tailored to their needs both within and outside the classroom, which develops their confidence to help them make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language quickly learn English because all staff in the classrooms have the relevant expertise to help them to learn.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Smiling faces as pupils enter school at the start of the day demonstrate their enjoyment of school. They respond best in those lessons when the main activity includes different tasks, matched precisely to their ability, and which help them to explore their thinking. For example, a Year 6 lesson on poetry captivated their sustained interest and enjoyment. In this, they answered questions and posed their own about their feelings on an object that was important to them, having studied a poem on this topic by Michael Rosen. 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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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils’ attendance is improving but it is still average overall. This, and their satisfactory competence in the use of information and communication technology and other basic skills, prepares them adequately for their secondary schools. However, their well-developed personal skills contribute to the good learning evident in most lessons. They commented on how safe they feel in school. Pupils can explain how to keep safe when using the internet and on the roads. Behaviour is good. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the benefits of exercise and a healthy diet. There is an active school council, and pupils enjoy taking on responsibility, for example in fund raising. The range of examples of pupils’ good contribution to the community includes planting bulbs in a local park and pupils’ art work being on display in a local gallery. There is a good take-up of enrichment activities such as table tennis, rugby

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

or musical instrument playing. Through these activities, and other aspects of the curriculum, pupils develop good levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.

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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 2 Pupils’ behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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?

Good cross-curricular elements within the school and curricular links with the local community promote lively teaching and pupils’ good progress. Curricular planning is adapted to meet the school’s priorities for improvement and pupils’ individual needs. There is a popular range of additional activities, such as Bengali and a newspaper club, as well as sports and music. These contribute well to pupils’ social development and learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well, whether or not they are part of the special resource. The school makes sure

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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 satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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How effective is the provision?

this group, including pupils with complex needs, is given equal opportunity to take part in all that is on offer, with good support from teaching assistants and tailored individual education plans. In all lessons, pupils are encouraged to behave well. In most lessons, the intended learning is explained well, and pupils are helped to understand how to succeed. Some lessons provide excellent encouragement for creative thinking. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, high-quality, pacey questions stretched pupils’ imagination when considering how to calculate the different possible dimensions of shapes. However, a few teachers do not shape questioning enough to allow pupils to explore their thinking. Some lessons stay too long on familiar topics, reducing the time available for new work. Teachers’ use of marking and targets is good overall but when pupils move to the next class, the good information available is not used promptly enough when setting new individual

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How effective is the provision?

Good levels of care, guidance and support are reflected in pupils’ good personal development and academic progress. Several pupils enjoy a good start to the school day in the well-organised breakfast club. The good programme of personal, social and health education (PSHE) helps to develop pupils’ understanding of key issues such as drug abuse, discrimination and personal safety. Good links with outside agencies ensure appropriate support for vulnerable pupils and those who are known to be eligible for free school meals so that they make the same progress as other groups. Strategies to improve attendance are having a significant positive effect this term.

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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 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders and managers work together and fully share the headteacher’s aspiration to continue building on success. Coaching and team-teaching ensure that the quality of provision is consistent through the school, and this leads to the consistently good progress pupils make. This is because school leaders and managers form a highly cohesive team, with all staff working in the classrooms acting together to drive improvement. This drive has ensured a good impact on pupils’ learning and well- being. It permeates the whole staff team and the governing body. Governors serve and support the school well. Their monitoring of the school’s work enhances the school leaders’ systematic and rigorous checks on teaching and progress. The systems for tracking pupils’ progress, in addition to the progress meetings to address the needs of individual pupils, assure quick response to need, and a positive impact Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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How effective are leadership and management?

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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How effective are leadership and management?

Staff training has a high priority. The use of a parent liaison officer to promote good communication ensures good engagement with parents and carers. There are good safeguarding arrangements in place. Procedures are monitored, evaluated and adapted as required. Staff are well trained in safeguarding issues, there are clear lines of responsibility and pupils are taught important basics. The school is very inclusive in its approach to encouraging a harmonious environment and supporting pupils, whatever their background, ability or difficulty. All pupils have good access to what the school offers, on an equal basis, so that achievement is similar for all. Issues such as potential discrimination are sensitively addressed through assemblies and the PSHE programme. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion. Pupils participate in well-planned community events, for example through fund raising and helping to care for the local environment. Pupils have a well-

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How effective are leadership and management?

developed understanding of a range of beliefs and values in their own community and in various parts of the world. The school has links developing with contrasting communities beyond the local area in the United Kingdom and abroad.

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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 ambition 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 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The good progress children make in the Early Years Foundation Stage helps them to reach broadly average attainment for their age, in most areas of learning, on entry to Year 1. Their writing and their ability to link sounds with letters are less well developed. There are good home−school links to ensure a smooth start. As a result, children settle quickly and learn established routines in a safe, nurturing environment. The timing of the inspection meant that classes were observed early in the school year and it was obvious that children already felt comfortable in their new Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Early Years Foundation Stage

surroundings. They play and learn both independently and collaboratively in a constructive way. Children are confident, and talk confidently and clearly to adults, for example when describing how different materials feel as ‘sticky’ or ‘soft’. Teaching is effective in ensuring a good balance of structured activities and those that the children choose for themselves. The school is developing ideas to improve the outside learning area, which has a poor-quality surface, limiting its potential to support children’s learning. It is set out with a good range of activities. Staff track children’s progress well, and then plan activities in response to this information so that individuals can make consistently good progress. In the Nursery, children can talk confidently with other adults and some can already work independently. In Reception, children are beginning to write their names and can link some sounds

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Early Years Foundation Stage

with letters. The setting is well led and managed. Good attention is given to children’s welfare and safety. Leaders ensure that children’s progress is carefully logged so that parents and carers can share their children’s progress in comprehensive pictorial and written form.

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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

A lower than average proportion of parents and carers responded to the questionnaire. Almost all those who responded felt the school is led and managed well. Most are happy with their child’s experience at school and feel their child is happy there. Concerns were of no particular pattern. A few parents and carers feel that the school does not take account of their suggestions and concerns, or does not support them enough in their child’s learning, and a few feel that the school does not deal with unacceptable behaviour effectively. From looking at records, talking to parents and carers and from reading their comments, the inspection team judged that the school usually takes good account of parents’ and carers’ suggestions and concerns. It is developing additional ways, through the role of the parent liaison officer, to help parents and carers support their child’s learning. Behaviour and its management were good during the inspection and no unacceptable behaviour was

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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 Bangabandhu 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 62 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 470 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 42 68 19 31 0 0 1 2 The school keeps my child safe 37 60 21 34 3 5 1 2 The school informs me about my child’s progress 26 42 31 50 4 6 1 2 My child is making enough progress at this school 24 39 34 55 3 5 1 2 The teaching is good at this school 23 37 35 56 3 5 1 2 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 22 35 32 52 7 11 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 23 37 35 56 3 5 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) 23 37 32 52 3 5 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 22 35 33 53 2 3 1 2 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 29 47 28 45 2 3 3 5 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 19 31 33 53 6 10 1 2

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 19 31 36 58 2 3 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 27 44 31 50 2 3 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 Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school recently. It was very interesting for us to talk to you and see you both in lessons and around the school. Thank you to those of you who completed the questionnaire.

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Inspection of Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

The school gives you a good standard of education. Most of you, from the Nursery class right up to Year 6, make good progress in your work. This is because your teachers teach you well, and you help them by your willingness to learn. You told us you like the way some subjects link together and this helps you enjoy your learning. Because of all this, you enjoy school and usually attend regularly. Recently, your attendance has been improving. Keep that up because when you are not at school, this holds up your learning.

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Inspection of Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

You and your parents and carers told us that you feel safe and well cared for. You behave well and get on very well with each other. You are good at taking responsibility, for example when being members of the school council.

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Inspection of Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

You enjoy your lessons and they are mostly good. Sometimes, the questions you are asked are not challenging enough and occasionally you are asked to go over work you have already learned for too long, rather than trying new learning. You are given targets and this helps your learning, but these are not always set right at the beginning of term so for a few weeks you are not sure what your next target is. In order to make your good school even better, we have asked the school to improve on each of those points.

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Inspection of Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

You will help your teachers to make the school even better if you all continue to do your best at all times.

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Inspection of Bangabandhu Primary School, London E2 0LB

Ruth McFarlane Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is availab le 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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