Linton Mead Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 23–24 January 2012 Inspection number 376356 Linton Mead Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 100159 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 376356 Inspection dates 23–24 January 2012 Lead inspector Tim McLoughlin

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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 490 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Kotz Executive Headteacher Jan Beames Acting Head of School Sarah Critchell Date of previous school inspection 4 June 2009 School address Central Way London SE28 8DT Telephone number 0208 310 1902 Fax number 0208 311 0153 Email address information@lintonmead.greenwich.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 You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspection team visited 24 lessons taught by 19 teachers, and carried out a number of shorter observations. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at teachers’ planning and assessment information. In addition they listened to pupils read, scrutinised pupils’ books and met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. They also analysed questionnaires from staff and pupils, as well as 245 received from parents and carers.

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Information about the school

Linton Mead is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is higher than average. The school has just over one fifth of pupils on the special educational needs register and the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is higher than average. The main areas of educational need include speech, language and communication difficulties, physical difficulties and moderate learning difficulties. The majority of pupils come from a Black or Black British African heritage, with about 70% from minority ethnic backgrounds. About half of the school population speak English as an additional language with many at early stages of language fluency. The school meets the current government floor standards. In January 2012 the school’s governing body, working in partnership with the local authority, formed a soft federation between Linton Mead Primary School and another local school. The school is

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Information about the school

therefore now led by an executive headteacher and an acting head of school while arrangements are made to appoint to a substantive position. 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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Key findings

 This thriving, inclusive school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. Achievement is good for all groups of pupils and attainment by the end of Year 6 is now average in English and mathematics.  Teaching is good, a particular strength being teachers’ feedback to pupils so they know where they have achieved well and where they need to improve. However, improvements in teaching, particularly in the teaching of reading, are not yet consistently embedded in every class. There is some particularly strong practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in the oldest classes. However, in a small minority of lessons in Years 1 and 2, teachers take too long to explain the lesson content rather than allowing pupils to get on with their work and this reduces the pace of learning.  Pupils behave well, both in lessons and around the school. Teachers are particularly skilled at supporting pupils who find managing their own behaviour

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Key findings

difficult. Pupils feel safe and secure.  Provision to support pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development results in them being keen to learn and curious about the people and world around them.  The Early Years Foundation Stage has many good features, including its leadership. The leader analyses outcomes for children carefully and adapts future planning and provision to ensure that there is continuous improvement.  The school is well led by an effective executive headteacher, senior leadership team and governing body, who have high expectations of themselves, of the staff and of the pupils. All of the school’s staff are highly committed to helping the pupils to achieve the best that they can. The school’s current data analysis is thorough and detailed. However, the new systems for self-evaluation are not yet fully embedded to ensure that all middle leaders are rigorously evaluating

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Key findings

the impact of their work on outcomes for pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

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?

 Iron out inconsistencies in progress in Years 1 and 2 by:  making better use of data from the Early Years Foundation Stage so that all teachers plan to the needs and abilities of the individual pupils and groups in this key stage  developing a more consistent approach to the teaching of early reading skills which builds more effectively on the work of the teachers in the Reception classes.  Ensure that all middle leaders are fully involved in evaluating the quality and impact of provision to enable all pupils to make the best possible progress.

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Achievement of pupils

From starting points that are low compared to those expected for their age, pupils achieve well and attainment by the end of Year 6 is average. Pupils are well motivated and enthusiastic to learn new skills and concepts. The neat and careful presentation of their work reflects their good attitudes and the high expectations of their teachers. Although good progress is made by children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, by the time pupils start Year 1, their skills remain below average in all areas. By the time the children have left the Reception Year they have made a very good start on learning to read because of the good teaching of linking sounds and letters (phonics). However, this progress is less rapid at Key Stage 1. Progress accelerates again in Key Stage 2, due in part to the use of a wide variety of school- based interventions to help pupils who may have fallen behind to catch up. Standards in reading at the end of Key Stage 1 are average; by the time pupils leave

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Achievement of pupils

the school they are also average, but rising rapidly. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ good progress is reflected across the curriculum. Progress for all groups is at least good. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the most rapid progress as a result of well-targeted support and good quality interventions. Pupils have produced some good quality written work about Olympic athletes who share their nationality. This work is very well presented and exemplified for all the other pupils to see in a central display.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils develop and apply their reading, writing, communication and mathematics skills well in a wide range of other subjects, ensuring that they are well prepared for the next stage in their education. For instance, in a Year 6 language lesson, additional support was being used to help pupils who had recently joined the school and were at a very early stage of English fluency to join in with their peers. Most parents are rightly confident that their children are achieving well.

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Quality of teaching

Lessons are interesting and fun. Teachers frequently encourage pupils to use their imagination and undertake practical tasks, investigations and experiments. Teaching across the curriculum is good and teachers make good use of cross-curricular links to inspire and motivate pupils. For example, in a good lesson in Year 6 pupils were 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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Quality of teaching

investigating how to measure angles correctly and the teacher explained to them how features of mathematics are often used in modern paintings, design and architecture. Teaching is good overall, enabling pupils to make accelerated progress. Nevertheless, data on children’s achievements in the Early Years Foundation Stage are not always used effectively to plan work that precisely meets the needs of all pupils in Key Stage 1. In addition, the teaching of reading in this key stage does not consistently build on the exciting lessons the children experience in the Reception classes which inspire them to make a good start with their reading. The strong focus on teaching important literacy and numeracy skills permeates many of the Reception activities and gives children the confidence and ability in their early reading and writing skills. Further up the school pupils use dictionaries and other reference material well in order to expand their use of vocabulary and are beginning to take

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Quality of teaching

real pride in their work, particularly when they understand the importance of this, for example when their work is to be displayed or shown to the class.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers, particularly in Key Stage 2, mark pupils’ work well, frequently pointing out to them where they have made good progress and what they need to do to make even more. Pupils demonstrate a striking awareness of their own abilities and understand the targets that are set for them to achieve. Teachers use effective systems for both tracking pupils’ progress and setting targets to keep pupils motivated to succeed and progress as they move through the school.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural skills are developed well by the school staff, and as a result pupils have a good ability to recognise the difference between right and wrong and understand how their chosen actions affect others. They show a sense of enjoyment in learning about the world around them and are developing an ever-increasing respect for the cultural diversity of different nations across the world. This understanding has been supported through links with community groups in the local area and through regular celebrations of a range of cultural and religious festivals.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Parents and carers are mostly confident that that their children are safe in school and are very positive about the good standard of behaviour. In discussions, pupils show a secure awareness of different forms of bullying; they say that incidents of bullying are rare and are confident that any concerns are dealt with effectively by staff. Pupils explain that lessons are rarely disrupted as a result of bad behaviour. Inspection evidence endorses pupils’ views about bullying, and the school has effective procedures for dealing with any incidents that may occur. Some pupils at the school do find managing their own behaviour a challenge, but as a result of all staff using agreed behaviour management techniques, a positive, calm and friendly atmosphere is evident. Expectations are high and all staff take collective responsibility for upholding the good behaviour of pupils at all times, with all incidents being followed

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

through. Pupils say they feel safe in school and can identify how particular lessons help them to keep themselves safe, such as a Year 6 lesson looking at a multi- agency approach to preventing violent extremism. Attendance is now above average. 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A consistent approach to improving attendance is taken and the school has engaged in some very effective partnership work with the local authority. The school has recently started a number of initiatives to further improve attendance including the use of new technology to alert parents to lateness and absence.

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Leadership and management

Since the last inspection the school’s leadership has sharpened the processes for reviewing pupils’ achievement. This has been done by introducing highly focused pupil progress meetings for all teachers and through more systematic moderation of both lesson quality and work scrutiny in order to assess pupils’ work more accurately across the different year groups. The school’s curriculum is good; it is broad and balanced and meets pupils’ needs well. It makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. Although the school’s new systems for self-evaluation are not yet fully established, evidence indicates that leaders have an accurate understanding of key strengths and weaknesses and the school development plan is focused on the right priorities for improvement. All staff take responsibility for the performance of pupils in their class or group and the high expectations from senior leadership and governors are reflected by everybody in the

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Leadership and management

school. Middle and senior leaders take on key roles in the training of staff and the monitoring of actions, although middle leaders are not yet fully involved in evaluating the impact of strategies to accelerate pupils’ progress. Governors have monitored key initiatives carefully, challenging the school where appropriate. The school’s capacity for sustained improvement is good due to the strong commitment to improvement at all levels. The governing body is diligent in exercising its statutory responsibilities, particularly with regard to pupils’ health, safety and well-being. At the time of the inspection all safeguarding arrangements were robust.

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Leadership and management

There is a strong commitment to inclusion and equality of opportunity, reflected most clearly in the sensitive care and management of all pupils. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. The school is particularly successful in helping those pupils whose circumstances cause them to be vulnerable to overcome barriers to their education by providing additional support and utilising its effective partnerships with others schools and agencies. Staff have very good relationships with parents and carers and provide useful information so that parents can help their children at home with their studies. The vast majority of parents and carers who returned inspection questionnaires expressed high levels of satisfaction and were very pleased with their children’s experiences in school.

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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 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics a bout 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. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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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

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and 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 governors and 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.

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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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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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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 Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

Thank you for making myself and the other inspectors very welcome at your school when we visited you recently and for answering our questions so well when we spoke to you. You told us that you feel safe in school and that the staff listen to you when you have a problem. We were very impressed by your good behaviour and by how kind and friendly you are to each other. You have a good understanding of what is right and wrong, and the effect that your actions have on others.

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Inspection of Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

The youngest children in the school get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes where they make good progress, particularly in the work they do in learning to read. By the time you leave the school good achievement has been made, with the oldest pupils attaining average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. We judged Linton Mead to be a good school. You are making more and more progress each year because the teaching is improving and because staff give extra support and lessons to any of you who need help. Your teachers are particularly good at making lessons interesting and enjoyable and giving you really helpful tips on how to make your work even better.

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Inspection of Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

To improve the school further I have asked the school’s leaders to:

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Inspection of Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

 make sure the teaching of reading in Years 1 and 2 always builds on what you have already learned in the Nursery and Reception classes  keep a careful check on all aspects of the teaching to make sure you all achieve the very best you can, even when the work is very hard for you.

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Inspection of Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

You can help, too, by continuing with your super attitudes to school and by coming every day, on time.

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Inspection of Linton Mead Primary School, London SE28 8DT

Tim McLoughlin 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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