Fenstanton Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 22–23 March 2012 Inspection number 376420 Fenstanton Primary School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 100595 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 376420 Inspection dates 22–23 March 2012 Lead inspector Mehar Brar

p.1

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

p.1

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 630 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Aileen Garden Headteacher Craig Tunstall (executive headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 7 October 2008 School address Abbots Park London SW2 3PW Telephone number 020 8674 3311 Fax number 020 8671 6419 Email address fenstantonoffice@gipsyhillfederation.org.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

p.1

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’.

p.2

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.

p.2

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

p.2

Introduction

Clementina Ogunsanwo Additional inspector

p.3

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors observed 31 lessons taught by 20 different teachers. They held meetings with senior and middle leaders, groups of pupils, parents and carers, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body. Inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at curriculum and development plans, monitoring information and samples of pupils’ work. In addition, they analysed questionnaire responses from 66 parents and carers, 49 staff and 96 pupils, and took their views into account.

p.3

Information about the school

Fenstanton is a larger than average primary school. Most pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic groups, the largest being Black Caribbean or Black African heritage. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average. The number of pupils joining and leaving the school at times other than the start of the year is high. In 2011, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

p.3

Information about the school

Since March 2012 the school has been led and managed by the Gipsy Hill federation of schools. The executive headteacher who oversees the federation had been in post for three weeks at the time of the inspection. The governing body of Fenstanton has begun the process for the school to become a full member of the federation. The school is undergoing a new-build programme. While this work is continuing, and to ensure there is no disruption to learning, the three Year 5 classes are being taught in accommodation at Kingswood Primary 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

p.3

Key findings

 In accordance with section 13(3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement.

p.4

Key findings

 The school is not satisfactory because pupils’ achievement is inadequate across all phases. The quality of teaching and effectiveness of leadership and management are also inadequate. The new executive headteacher has set up support systems and taken immediate action to address these weaknesses, but these initiatives are very recent.

p.4

Key findings

 Pupils’ achievement is inadequate throughout the school, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage, because most pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make too little progress. Although pupils are now making better progress in Key Stage 2, their attainment in mathematics and in English remains low by the time they leave the school.

p.4

Key findings

 The quality of teaching is inadequate. The pace of lessons is often too slow and there is not enough teaching which meets pupils’ different needs. Assessment information is frequently inaccurate because moderation procedures are not sufficiently thorough. Even where assessments are reliable, the results are not used well by teachers to plan learning for all pupils. Teachers do not give pupils enough opportunities in lessons to work independently.

p.4

Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are satisfactory. The vast majority of pupils enjoy school and want to learn. They respect adults and each other. However, the management of behaviour is not consistent across the school. The few challenging incidents that arise are not always dealt with effectively.

p.4

Key findings

 Leadership and management are inadequate. The executive headteacher has involved other schools in the federation in helping to strengthen the skills of senior and middle leaders, and to develop effective monitoring and evaluation 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

p.4

Key findings

procedures. This work is at an early stage. The leadership of teaching and the management of performance have not been systematic or rigorous in the past. The curriculum does not meet pupils’ different needs well enough. The governing body has not held the school’s leaders sufficiently to account for the performance of the school.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment in mathematics and in English throughout the school by: - providing regular opportunities for pupils to improve their literacy skills, especially their reading - developing pupils’ number skills and their ability to solve problems in mathematics.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and the use of assessment information so these are consistently good or better by: - ensuring that teachers in each key stage plan work which matches pupils’ needs and provides a good level of challenge, particularly for low- and high-attaining pupils - enhancing the quality of resources and the learning environment in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the capacity and impact of leaders and managers at all levels, including the governing body, in driving school improvement by: - rigorously monitoring and evaluating the impact of teaching and the curriculum on pupils’ progress, and taking swift action to bring about any required improvement - ensuring that leaders and managers develop the necessary skills to enable them to meet their responsibilities, including the implementation of school improvement priorities so that weaknesses can be addressed - making sure there are detailed and accurate whole-school systems to assess and record pupils’ progress - enabling the governing body to monitor thoroughly the school’s work and offer support and challenge to senior leaders about its performance.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Most pupils make too little progress in lessons, especially lower and higher-attainers, resulting in inadequate achievement over time. Most parents and carers who responded to the inspection questionnaire believe that their children make good progress at school. Inspection evidence does not support this view. In too many lessons, pupils complete work quickly then waste time as they wait for more instructions, while others are not given enough guidance or the time to finish the tasks they have been set. 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

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Children join the school with knowledge and skills that are below those usual for their age. Attainment by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage is low because children make inadequate progress. Most children develop confidence because of the supportive and positive relationships created by the teachers. In lessons, however, teachers talk for too long so there is too little opportunity for children to explore for themselves and develop independence. The strong focus on literacy and numeracy enables most children to begin to read and write simple words and to count confidently. However, children are not helped to develop these skills as well as they should and therefore do not make enough progress.

p.6

Achievement of pupils

Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 has been low over time, although the Year 6 mathematics results in 2011 were broadly average. As a result of weak assessment and inaccurate recording by teachers in some mathematics lessons, pupils repeat work that they have already learnt. For example, in one lesson the main task involved converting measurements between metres, centimetres and millimetres, and was completed by more than a quarter of the class in half of the time allocated.

p.6

Achievement of pupils

When listening to pupils read, inspectors found that only a minority of pupils in Key Stage 1 can confidently join and separate sounds to help them read and understand age-appropriate texts. By the end of Key Stage 2, although more pupils can read fluently, overall their reading skills are inadequate. Opportunities for pupils to apply their skills in other subjects are limited and this contributes to their lack of confidence with reading. They have limited opportunities to read widely, particularly using non-fiction texts, and this restricts the development of a broad reading vocabulary. The school has recently strengthened planning for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology, but these skills are still not taught well enough across the curriculum. Extended writing opportunities are limited. Pupils are hesitant to apply their skills in too many lessons and lack confidence to ask for

p.6

Achievement of pupils

clarification in relation to their work.

p.6

Achievement of pupils

Although there is some variation between year groups, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make inadequate progress because a lack of structured support plans leads to teaching which does not meet their particular needs. Inspection evidence also shows that there is widespread underachievement amongst different groups of pupils, including those of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage and those eligible for free school meals. Similarly, the school’s provision does not enable those who arrive at other than the usual times of admission to make enough progress.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Inspectors observed too much inadequate teaching. Most of the other lessons they observed were no better than satisfactory. Often, the pace of learning is slow. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to work independently and those requiring extra help do not always receive timely support. Support staff, when moving around the 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

p.6

Quality of teaching

classroom, help to sustain pupils’ engagement but they often only repeat the teacher’s instructions rather than dealing with pupils’ individual concerns. While teachers assess pupils’ progress regularly, this is not always done accurately. Where assessment information is more reliable, it is not used well by teachers to match activities to pupils’ different levels of ability. Most pupils and their parents and carers believe that teaching is good. Inspection evidence does not support this view.

p.7

Quality of teaching

There are some strengths in the teaching but not consistently so. Lesson planning usually includes a variety of activities to help sustain pupils’ engagement. Relationships and routines, when combined with challenging teaching, ensure that lessons proceed smoothly. Pupils are interested in learning and cooperate well with their teachers and with each other. In Key Stages 1 and 2, in a small minority of lessons, teachers support good progress by helping to develop pupils’ confidence in working independently, speaking precisely and organising themselves and others when working on collaborative tasks. Examples were observed of pupils working productively together and using appropriate mathematical language in finding solutions to problems. A more effective approach to marking pupils’ work is being introduced which is beginning to encourage pupils to respond to teachers’ feedback and is helping them to improve their work.

p.7

Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage there are too few suitable resources to support children’s learning and the environment is uninspiring. Opportunities for children’s exploratory learning, particularly outdoors, are limited. While the teaching of letters and sounds is systematic, teachers sometimes include words that are too challenging for pupils to understand fully. Current assessment information is not used well enough to inform lesson planning.

p.7

Quality of teaching

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development benefits from visits to venues such as museums and by fundraising for local charities, but is not routinely planned for across the wider curriculum. The curriculum is inadequate as it does not help all groups of pupils to achieve as well as they should.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory overall. The vast majority of pupils are courteous to each other and to the adults they meet. They are happy to come to school. The majority of parents and carers think that the school manages behaviour well, although some have concerns. Inspection evidence indicates that parental and pupil concerns have arisen as a result of the inconsistent implementation of the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils who occasionally need support to manage their behaviour are not always helped quickly enough so that they can continue to learn.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

The vast majority of parents and carers believe that their children are safe in school, and this view is supported by the pupils themselves. Procedures to deal with the rare incidents of bullying are effective. Pupils confirm that verbal and physical bullying hardly ever takes place. Although racist bullying has very occasionally occurred, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Attendance is average. Pupils who attend the 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

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

breakfast and after-school clubs enjoy these times of the day.

p.8

Leadership and management

Leadership and management are inadequate. Systems for monitoring and evaluating the school’s work have deteriorated since the previous inspection. The capacity for further improvement is limited because leaders have not addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection or secured the essential improvements. Only a limited amount of information was shared with staff and governors about the school’s performance and much of this was overly positive. Consequently, the governing body has struggled to hold senior leaders fully to account. The leadership of teaching since the previous inspection has been inadequate. Monitoring has had too little impact and has not been linked to the performance management of staff.

p.8

Leadership and management

The executive headteacher has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. His commitment to success for the pupils has been demonstrated by his urgent and incisive action to begin to remedy weaknesses in the quality of teaching, school management systems and the skills of leaders at all levels. He has harnessed the support and expertise of successful schools in the partnership to develop the skills of all staff, with carefully targeted training, especially for senior and middle leaders. As a result, staff morale is now improving, energies are more focused and all are determined to improve the school. A number of aspects of the school’s work already show some signs of improvement although these are at an early stage. Crucially, expectations of teachers’ classroom performance are becoming clearer, and sharper monitoring is helping teachers to improve their practice. In addition, pupils’ behaviour is becoming more positive and attendance is starting to

p.8

Leadership and management

improve. It is, however, too soon for the actions taken by the executive headteacher to have had a significant impact on developing the roles of key leaders and establishing effective systems to monitor and evaluate the work of the school in order to raise pupils’ achievement.

p.8

Leadership and management

The school has not been successful in securing equality of opportunity since not all groups of pupils make the progress expected of them. The curriculum is inadequate because it fails to meet the needs of most groups of pupils. The executive headteacher is leading, very directly, the development of the curriculum. He is seeking to promote pupils’ interest and enjoyment in lessons and to develop their understanding of their place in Britain’s multicultural society. The staff are becoming increasingly clear about how to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.8

Leadership and management

The school ensures that there is appropriate support for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Parents and carers speak positively about the impact of workshops which enable them to develop their own skills and which help them support their children’s learning more effectively. The governing body ensures that safeguarding requirements are met.

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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 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. 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.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

p.9

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.11

Inspection of Fenstanton Primary School, Lambeth SW2 3PW

Thank you for making us feel welcome when we came to inspect your school. We enjoyed talking to you, and watching you learn and play. Thank you for talking to us about your work and sharing your views about your school. You helped us to understand your school better.

p.11

Inspection of Fenstanton Primary School, Lambeth SW2 3PW

Most of you told us that you enjoy school and feel that you learn well. Most of you behave well, but we found that some of you need more help to manage your behaviour. We believe that, although your school does some things well, overall it is not helping all of you to learn well enough. So we have judged that your school needs special measures. This means that other inspectors will visit your school regularly to check that things are getting better.

p.11

Inspection of Fenstanton Primary School, Lambeth SW2 3PW

You should make faster progress all the way from Nursery through Key Stages 1 and 2. Too often, teaching is not good enough to improve your reading, writing and mathematics as quickly as it should. Your new headteacher has already started to make your school better. Your teachers are also working to make sure that all of you learn faster and reach higher standards. We want the school’s leaders to make better checks on how well you are learning.

p.11

Inspection of Fenstanton Primary School, Lambeth SW2 3PW

Your school will be given help to make these important improvements. You can all help by working as hard as you can.

p.11

Inspection of Fenstanton Primary School, Lambeth SW2 3PW

Mehar Brar 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 .

p.11