Livingstone Primary and Nursery School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 14–15 May 2012 Inspection number 395729 Livingstone Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 101289 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 395729 Inspection dates 14–15 May 2012 Lead inspector Nick Butt

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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 236 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Clive Partridge Headteacher Giovanna Phelan Date of previous school inspection 25 June 2009 School address Baring Road New Barnet EN4 9BU Telephone number 020 8449 2592 Fax number 020 8447 1277 Email address office@livingstone.barnetmail.net achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colle ges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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. Inspectors observed 23 lessons taught by 11 teachers. Meetings were held with parents, carers and pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and another governor, and a wide range of staff. 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 a wide range of documentation including self-evaluation documents, strategic plans and other development plans. Inspectors scrutinised 119 questionnaires returned by parents and carers and those returned by staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

Livingstone is average in size compared with other primary schools. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Over a quarter of pupils speak English as an additional language. Large numbers of pupils join or leave the school outside the normal times, some joining with very little English. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is high. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs (including those supported by school action plus or a statement of special educational needs) is high. The school does not meet government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. A new headteacher joined the school in September 2011.

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Information about the school

The school runs specially resourced provision for 26 pupils on the autistic spectrum in three class bases, which includes a specially resourced nursery. Many of these pupils are integrated into mainstream classes at various points during the week according to their needs.

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Information about the school

The school runs a daily family breakfast club. 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

 Livingstone is a satisfactory school. The new headteacher has introduced new systems and procedures to monitor and develop the school’s work which have brought about rapid improvement in teaching and attainment. The school is not yet good because attainment is below average and the quality of teaching is not consistently good. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Key findings

 Achievement is satisfactory. There has been a steady trend of improvement in Key Stage 1 with pupils achieving well to reach average levels of attainment from very low starting points. While significant groups of pupils make good progress, including those in the specially resourced provision and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs in mainstream classes, pupils in Years 3 to 5 make satisfactory progress. This is because objectives for learning in writing and mathematics are not always challenging enough and some pupils have gaps in their mathematical understanding.

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Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. There is much good teaching in the school and outstanding elements, especially in the mainstream Nursery. However, in a small minority of lessons, introductions go on too long and pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to organise their own learning.

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Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and show respect for others. In the specially resourced provision, pupils’ behaviour is managed well and excellent relationships ensure a calm and orderly learning environment.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. Senior leaders work well together to drive forward improvement, and staff have taken on board new approaches with enthusiasm. Some of these initiatives are not fully established. Strong leadership of teaching has resulted in more teaching becoming consistently 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

good or better. While the management of performance is rigorous and systematic in many respects, the school does not always set out clearly how the improvements it plans will be measured.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to ensure that it is consistently good or better by:  conducting lessons at a good pace so that all pupils have sufficient time for their independent tasks  involving pupils more in organising their own learning so they take increased responsibility for positive outcomes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment at Key Stage 2 to at least equal the national average by:  setting challenging objectives in writing and mathematics for all groups of pupils  consolidating work to fill gaps in pupils’ mathematical understanding.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  refining outcomes for improvement so that they are sufficiently measurable  consolidating the changes to systems and procedures so that they have maximum impact on improving outcomes for pupils.

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Achievement of pupils

Children often join the mainstream Nursery with skills and abilities well below those expected. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of the focus on developing their early literacy and numeracy skills, and the consistently good provision they receive. Outcomes are a little below average by the end of the Reception Year. Progress has been improving in Key Stage 1, so that attainment was broadly average by the end of Year 2 for the first time in 2011. While pupils in Year 6 make good progress, because of the well-targeted interventions that tackle any gaps in their learning, progress is satisfactory in Years 3 to 5. The school narrowly missed meeting floor standards in 2011 because of gaps in pupils’ mathematical knowledge. The school has been tackling this and improved progress this year means that pupils are on course to meet the floor standards. Attainment in Key Stage 2 is rising as

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Achievement of pupils

more teaching is becoming consistently good. However, this is not yet the case in all classes. A significant number of older pupils join the school from overseas with little or no English. While these pupils often make good progress in their learning from very low starting points, attainment is generally below average by the end of Year 6. 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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Achievement of pupils

Pupils achieve well in the specially resourced provision because staff know them extremely well and tailor activities precisely to their needs, helping them to learn by using all of their physical senses. This expertise carries over into mainstream classes because of the school’s inclusive policies. All disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs benefit from the good practice that is transferred. Consequently, these pupils also make good progress. There are no significant gaps in attainment for different groups apart from pupils who join the school late in Key Stage 2 and who have little English.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils enjoy learning and are keen to take part in lessons. For example, Year 5 pupils relished the opportunity to debate whether zoos could be justified. Pupils learn the sounds that letters represent systematically and develop a good range of strategies to read unfamiliar words. They make good progress in reading up to Year 2, where attainment is broadly average. The school’s centrally based and well-resourced library fuels pupils’ enthusiasm for books. Progress in reading is satisfactory in Key Stage 2 and attainment is a little below average by the end of Year 6 because of pupils’ lower starting points.

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Achievement of pupils

Parents and carers mostly believe that their children make good progress at school. Inspectors found that, while this was the case for many pupils, overall progress was satisfactory rather than good, especially in Key Stage 2.

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Quality of teaching

Good relationships between adults and pupils create a positive learning environment in classes. Pupils behave well and respond with enthusiasm when they play an active role in lessons. For example, in science, Year 4 pupils found it very interesting to explore the effect of adding a switch to a circuit they had made. On rare occasions, particularly in Key Stage 2 classes, introductions go on for too long, which limits the time pupils have to undertake independent tasks and practise their skills. At other times, there is too much direction and pupils are not sufficiently involved in shaping their own learning. Teachers use resources well to engage pupils and to adapt learning to suit their needs, both in the specially resourced provision and in mainstream classes. They use technology well to promote learning.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is consistently good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and outstanding in the Nursery. Here, exciting and imaginative activities capture children’s imagination and fire their love of learning. They were amazed when one of their pet caterpillars became a cocoon, and this stimulated a lively discussion about life processes. Teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by giving pupils opportunities to reflect on moral dilemmas and promoting their creativity. For example, Year 2 pupils immersed themselves in writing descriptively to set the scene to their stories.

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Quality of teaching

Reading is well taught in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, giving pupils plenty of practice to hone their developing skills. In Key Stage 2, a focus on guided reading has helped to build pupils’ comprehension skills, although this is not 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

fully established. Marking shows pupils how to improve their work and they know their individual targets for moving their learning on. Just occasionally in lessons, the objectives set for pupils are not challenging enough in writing and mathematics to ensure they make good progress. Good teaching, both in the specially resourced provision and in mainstream classes, enables disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to achieve well. A thorough assessment is undertaken of pupils’ needs, effective interventions adopted to support them and their progress is carefully monitored. Experienced and skilful staff use a wide variety of methods to engage pupils and help them reach their individual challenging targets.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers say that teaching is good. Inspectors found that, while much of the teaching was good, this was not consistent enough, and the impact of teaching overall on pupils’ learning was satisfactory.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils understand the school’s system of rewards and sanctions, and work hard to ensure that their behaviour is typically good, both in mainstream classes and in the specially resourced provision. They move sensibly around the school and are friendly and polite, showing care and consideration for one another, and considerable tolerance and empathy to those who are different from themselves. Their attitudes to learning are good. During an excellent time of communal singing, pupils loved leading their peers in two- and three-part harmony and dancing to the rhythm of the rounds.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare and have every confidence in staff to deal with any concerns they may have. Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying such as name-calling and cyber-bullying. Parents, carers and the pupils themselves all say that behaviour is good and that pupils stay safe in school. Pupils have a good understanding of potentially unsafe situations and how to avoid them, for example with respect to the internet. Attendance has been improving and is now above average. The well-run family breakfast club promotes good punctuality and helps pupils to start their day in a structured and enjoyable fashion.

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Leadership and management

The new headteacher has built successfully on the school’s existing strengths, particularly in terms of its caring ethos and inclusive nature. This is something highly valued by parents and carers, who said, typically, ‘The ethos of inclusiveness extends throughout the school, not just to educational provision but also to extra-curricular activities.’ Equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination lie at the heart of the school’s work, demonstrated in its successful integration of pupils from the specially resourced provision into mainstream classes.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher has also set out her own clear vision for the school centred on rapid improvement of teaching and attainment, something in which she is well supported by other senior leaders and staff. A new tracking system has enabled leaders and 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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Leadership and management

managers to see exactly how individuals and groups of pupils are doing and to hold teachers more to account. Well-focused professional development has helped teachers and support staff to improve their practice, for example in developing pupils’ reading skills. The robust application of performance management has added momentum and rigour to the process of school development, matched by reforms to monitoring procedures. While not all are fully established, these measures have clarified the roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers, and helped to improve their impact on their subject areas. As a result, teaching has improved and attainment is rising. Self-evaluation is rigorous and gives leaders a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to develop. This contributes to the school’s comprehensive plans for improvement, although some of the outcomes are not specific enough to be easily measurable.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is very supportive and members are generous with their expertise. It has developed strategies to make its monitoring of the school’s work more systematic, and this is making it more efficient and better placed to hold the school to account. It ensures that all safeguarding requirements are met so that pupils are kept safe. The school has demonstrated that it has the capacity to improve further under its new leadership. The curriculum is broad and balanced, and adds enrichment in terms of music, art and sport. The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, including through themed events such as ‘cultural dance day’ and visiting storytellers. It makes a positive contribution to pupils’ experiences by means of visits to places of interest and a residential trip to the Isle of Wight.

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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 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.

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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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9BU

Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school recently. Many thanks to those of you who shared your views with me and filled in questionnaires. I found that your school is satisfactory and improving rapidly. I am glad that you find your lessons interesting and enjoyable. There is much good teaching in your school, but not all the time. Those of you in the Nursery and Reception do well, as do those in Years 1 and 2. You are reaching levels of attainment similar to most pupils. Those of you in Years 3 to 6 need to continue to work hard to achieve even better.

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9BU

Your behaviour is good and your attendance is above average. You all get on well together, and you are kind and considerate to one another. The school cares for you well, especially if you are facing difficulties. There are plenty of visits and clubs for you to enjoy. Your new headteacher has a made a good start at improving the school with her staff team.

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9BU

For your school to do even better, we have asked leaders and staff to:  make sure lessons run at a brisk pace  involve you more in organising your learning  give you work to do that really makes you think  help you develop your mathematical skills in Key Stage 2  have a clear idea about how they will measure the school’s success.

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9BU

You all can help by telling your teachers what you enjoy about learning and doing your best at all times.

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9BU

Thank you once again for your support, and my best wishes for the future.

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9BU

Nick Butt 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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