Heathbrook Primary School

Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 28–29 May 2012 Inspection number 395427 Heathbrook Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 100566 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 395427 Inspection dates 28–29 May 2012 Lead inspector Helen Howard

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

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 430 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Helen O’Malley Headteacher Ben Roberts Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2009 School address St Rule Street London SW8 3EH Telephone number 020 7622 4101 Fax number 020 7720 7048 Email address admin@heathbrook.lambeth.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. Inspectors observed 27 lessons taught by 17 teachers. They met with pupils, listened to them read and met with members of the governing body and various members 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 school documentation including its self-evaluation, monitoring procedures and data about pupils’ progress. Inspectors also analysed the views of 207 parents and carers who responded to the questionnaires.

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Information about the school

Heathbrook Primary is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils have a minority ethnic heritage with the biggest groups having Black Caribbean or African backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is well above that found nationally. The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above average. Nearly one fifth of pupils join or leave the school part way through their education, a proportion that is higher than the national average. The school meets the current government floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage attend either full or part time in the Nursery and attend Reception full time in one of two classes. There is a breakfast club and a range of after-school clubs, run by the governing body, which are offered every day. The school has recently received the Artsmark Gold award. The children’s centre, which shares the site, is not included in this inspection.

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Information about the school

A new headteacher and deputy headteacher were appointed in September 2011 and there have been subsequent new appointments to the leadership team.

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Since the last inspection, attainment and progress declined and, in 2011, were below national expectations. The school is now rapidly improving and pupils are making satisfactory progress. It is not good because, in Key Stage 2, teaching is not consistently good. Rigorous monitoring and evaluation by senior leaders and managers are not embedded at all levels of leadership. 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. Children make good progress throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and this continues through Key Stage 1 but slows in Key Stage 2. Historically, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 has declined over three years, as measured in standardised tests; in 2011, the progress they made overall was below national expectations. However, current data show that pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make satisfactory progress overall and are now reaching levels which are closer to expected standards.

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Key findings

 Although good teaching was seen in all key stages, it is satisfactory overall. Nearly half of all lessons observed were good or better. However, this good or better teaching is not consistent enough, particularly in Key Stage 2, to ensure that all pupils make good progress overall.

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Key findings

 Pupils behave well in school. They are confident, courteous and get on well together. They have good attitudes to learning. They know how to keep themselves safe and are aware of the different types of bullying. Attendance, which was low, has improved over time and is now average and continuing to improve strongly.

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Key findings

 Under the strong leadership of the headteacher, senior leaders and managers have undertaken rigorous monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ progress to identify where there are weaknesses and so bring about improvements in key areas over the last year. However, governors and middle leaders have not yet fully participated in this monitoring. Effective performance management and whole-school professional development have led to improvements in teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2013, raise achievement by ensuring that teaching is consistently good, especially in Key Stage 2 by: - using success criteria consistently so that pupils know precisely what they need to achieve in lessons - providing more opportunities for pupils to be actively engaged in their learning - providing more challenge for higher ability pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by: - fully embedding the monitoring and evaluation role of middle level leaders - ensuring that members of the governing body consistently monitor and evaluate the school’s performance.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start school with skills and abilities that are below those expected for their age. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are happy, settled and make good progress in all areas of their learning because teaching is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities including exploring the exciting outside areas. For example, they enjoy their mini-beast project, which provides many opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding. Whilst not all children who attend the children’s centre move into the Nursery, effective liaison ensures that those who do make rapid progress. This good progress continues in Key Stage 1, where pupils build well on their prior learning.

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Achievement of pupils

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils in Key Stage 1 have made accelerated progress in reading since September. This is because the school has developed a systematic approach to teaching children how letters and combinations of letters make sounds (phonics). Pupils in Years 1 and 2 demonstrate that they are using these skills to read unfamiliar words and are reading more independently as a result. By the end of Year 2, pupils reach average attainment in reading. Pupils make satisfactory progress in reading in Key Stage 2 and by the time they leave the school attainment in reading is now closer to expected levels than in previous years, reflecting the trend of improving achievement. Skills for reading are closely linked to pupils’ own writing as pupils progress through the school. For example, in a Year 5 lesson, pupils had read the text KrindleKrax. Their knowledge of the plot and style of

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Achievement of pupils

the author’s language enabled them to write sophisticated ‘blurbs’ for a book cover using fifty words. The word limit provided opportunities to develop editing skills.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in mathematics was below national average in 2011. Across the school, progress in mathematics is improving because teachers are providing engaging activities. One Year 5 pupil said, ‘I love it when we do something different each day.’ Pupils are able to apply their sound basic skills across a range of subjects so that they are prepared for their next stage of learning. Progress is more variable in Key Stage 2, because teaching is not consistently good. Leaders and managers have developed systematic tracking so that teachers have a better understanding of the progress made by pupils. They increasingly use the data more effectively to inform planning and a range of programmes and support to help pupils who are underperforming. Consequently, progress is accelerating so that by the time they leave school, pupils are now on track to reach expected levels of attainment in all subjects, demonstrating rapid improvement from the

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Achievement of pupils

Most groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special education needs, make satisfactory progress from their starting points. The school provides for pupils who are supported by a statement very well and consequently they make good progress. Pupils who join the school part way through their education make rapid progress because there is a good level of support to ensure that they settle in quickly. Pupils who have a Black African or Black Caribbean heritage underperformed last year but are now making improved progress. The gaps are closing rapidly so that they are on track to reach broadly average attainment.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is satisfactory. It is mainly good in the Early Year Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. It is not consistently good in Key Stage 2 and consequently pupils make satisfactory progress overall.

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Quality of teaching

Across the school, relationships between teachers and pupils are strong and teachers have good subject knowledge. Where teaching is good pupils are actively involved in their learning. Teachers use the recently-introduced idea of success criteria. This outlines precisely what pupils need to achieve thus enabling pupils to stay focused and check their work during the lesson. It also allows teachers to assess regularly how well pupils are doing. Pupils rise to the challenge of being able to assess their own and other pupils’ work and make perceptive observations about how to improve. The pace of these lessons is brisk and little time is wasted. Teachers provide different activities to match pupils’ needs and consequently pupils make good progress. A range of activities motivate and enthuse pupils.

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Quality of teaching

Where teaching is satisfactory, pace is slower and pupils are not as actively engaged. An absence of success criteria results in pupils not being sure about what they should be doing. Higher ability pupils are not consistently given an appropriate level of challenge and, as a result, they make slower progress. Across the school, marking appropriately informs pupils about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers plan suitable activities to support additional needs and this, together with their deployment of teaching assistants, enables disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs to make at least satisfactory progress in lessons. The additional provision made for pupils who are supported by a statement ensures that they make good progress from their starting points.

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Quality of teaching

The curriculum has a positive impact on pupils’ progress as it is exciting and relates closely to pupils’ own interests. Curriculum themes are used well to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Most parents and carers agree. School records show that behaviour in lessons has been consistently good over time. Staff are skilful in managing potential conflicts or disruption and so incidents are rare. The behaviour policy is used consistently by teachers and the focus on good behaviour, rewards and praise effectively motivates pupils. Pupils get on noticeably well together. Whilst a minority of pupils feel that behaviour could be even better on the playground, they say that it has improved a lot over the last year. School records show that there are few incidents of bullying and pupils are confident that if they have concerns, they are managed well. Parents feel their children are safe and pupils agree and they are well aware of managing risk. They know about different types of bullying such as cyber bullying and name calling and how to prevent it. The school

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

celebrates diversity and consequently racism is very rare and incidents are dealt with well.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The ‘learning room’, which opened this year, effectively supports pupils who have learning difficulties and those who have behavioural, emotional or social difficulties. It has a significant impact on improving these pupils’ progress in their learning and behaviour and pupils who attend are very positive about the help they get.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils have good attitudes towards learning. They are keen to respond and eager to do well. The school’s strategies to improve attendance have been successful and attendance is now average and improving.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and deputy headteacher, who took up their posts from September, show strong leadership. Supported by staff, and the governing body, their accurate self-evaluation and careful monitoring have improved provision and secured rapid improvements. Leaders manage teachers’ performance effectively. The whole-school programme of professional development, in order to improve teaching, is enabling teachers to support each other and share their best practice. Improvements in achievement, teaching and attendance demonstrate the school’s capacity for further improvement.

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Leadership and management

The rigorous monitoring and evaluation skills demonstrated by senior leaders are not yet embedded amongst middle level leaders. This is because they are relatively new to their posts and, whilst they are effective leaders, they have not fully developed their ability to use self-evaluation to analyse performance.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is supportive of the school and as a result of recent restructuring, has a focused strategic role. Members of the governing body visit the school regularly and assess the impact of the actions taken by leaders and managers. However, not all have an accurate understanding of the school’s performance because they do not have a clear picture of trends in pupils’ progress. The broad and balanced curriculum offers pupils memorable experiences for creativity. Music, art and sports are particular strengths. The school is justifiably proud of the pupils’ achievement in these areas, including reaching national finals for lacrosse, music performances and the recently awarded Artsmark Gold award. The Forest School, which offers opportunities of outdoor learning, is improving pupils’ progress and motivation, especially of boys. A wide range of after school clubs and the breakfast club provide further opportunities to enrich learning. The school

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Leadership and management

takes pupils’ safety very seriously and all requirements regarding child protection and safeguarding are met.

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Leadership and management

The school engages well with parents and carers. Almost all who responded to the questionnaire are positive about the school. One parent summed it up by writing, ‘The school has definitely played a large role in turning my son into the well-rounded person he is today.’

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Leadership and management

The school promotes equal opportunities and ensures there is no discrimination. Leaders and managers make sure that all pupils are offered the same opportunities. For example, the school choir is non selective. Groups of pupils make satisfactory progress overall and there are no significant differences in their outcomes.

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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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Inspection of Heathbrook Primary School, London SW8 3EH

You may remember that three inspectors came to visit your school recently. Thank you for making us so welcome. Heathbrook Primary is a satisfactory school that is improving.

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Inspection of Heathbrook Primary School, London SW8 3EH

We could see that you enjoy coming to school and you told us that you were happy and felt safe there. You behave well in lessons and around the school and you get on very well with each other. We saw how much you enjoy learning when you are really involved and active, and we particularly enjoyed your music performances in assembly. We saw that you work really hard and try your best and that your headteacher and teachers are working hard to help you do even better.

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Inspection of Heathbrook Primary School, London SW8 3EH

 make even more teaching good by giving you clear steps so that you know exactly what to do in every lesson  give you more opportunities to be actively involved in your learning  give those of you who find learning easier more challenging tasks  help some leaders and the governing body to find out more about how well you are all doing.

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Inspection of Heathbrook Primary School, London SW8 3EH

You can all help by continuing to do your best.

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Inspection of Heathbrook Primary School, London SW8 3EH

Helen Howard 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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