Granard Primary School

Granard Primary School Cortis Road, Wandsworth, London, SW15 6XA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  This school is improving rapidly. Pupils achieve well both academically and in their personal development.  Pupils in Years 5 and 6, including those entitled to the pupil premium support, are making rapid progress.  Reading is well taught across the school; writing is well taught in Key Stage 2.  Teachers have high expectations of most pupils and teaching is at least good.  Assessment is used effectively to support progress and marking is a particularly strong feature.  Real-life experiences for pupils enliven their learning.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including behavioural needs, make good progress because they are well supported.  Strong leadership has improved teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The governing body is closely involved in checking how well the school is progressing and has developed new systems for improving this further.  Behaviour and safety are consistently good,

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 On a few occasions, teachers do not make clear how much work they expect from pupils, get them working independently quickly enough, or fully challenge the most able pupils.  The pace at which pupils make progress in Key Stage 1 is slower than in Key Stage 2 because there is not enough focus on the development of writing skills.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 21 lessons, 3 being observed jointly with senior leaders.  Two accompanied learning walks, that included visits to lessons, were completed.  Work and marking in pupils’ books were scrutinised.  Some pupils were heard reading.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  The views of parents posted on Parent View were considered, as were the views of some parents spoken to in the playground at the start or end of school and account was taken of a recent questionnaire survey of parents’ views.  Returned questionnaires completed by staff were considered.  School documentation and policies and self-evaluation and action plans were reviewed.

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Inspection team

Anthony Byrne, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Vanessa Tomlinson Additional Inspector Nasim Butt Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 It is larger than the average-sized primary school.  It shares premises with a separately managed children’s centre.  It has a high proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium.  The largest ethnic group is White British; the school has a high proportion of ethnic minority pupils.  A high proportion of pupils has English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils for school action is well above average and above average for school action plus and for those with a statement of special educational needs.  More pupils than usual join or leave at other than the normal times.  The school met government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  A new headteacher was appointed in September 2011.  The school has the facility of an indoor swimming pool.  The school offers breakfast and after-school clubs, managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure teachers consistently challenge pupils to work independently in lessons to the full extent of their capability, especially pupils of high ability, by: – planning tasks at suitably different levels of challenge – specifying clearly how much they expect different groups to achieve – posing probing questions to pupils to develop their thinking.  By the end of this academic year ensure that progress in writing in Key Stage 1 is as rapid as in Key Stage 2 by: – setting clear expectations and allowing suitable time for what is to be written – modelling clear examples of what is expected from pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children begin in the Reception class with generally low age-related skills, although attending Nursery has already helped some make rapid progress.  By the end of Year 2, progress is at expected levels in literacy and numeracy. Learning seen in books and lessons indicates this is increasingly secure. Less advanced readers had the confidence when reading aloud to break difficult words into sounds and get them right. Books are taken home daily and there is a strict routine of the teacher hearing individuals read at least once a week.  Progress in writing is not as rapid as in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1 and a smaller proportion makes better than expected progress from starting points than in the next key stage. This is because there are insufficient models provided for pupils and guidance is not clear enough about how much writing they are expected to produce.  For two years, progress has accelerated in Years 5 and 6. Attainment overall was higher than for

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The achievement of pupils is good

all pupils nationally in 2011 and rose further in 2012. School data show good progress in literacy and numeracy is the norm throughout Key Stage 2 and that increasing proportions of pupils make better than expected progress. This includes all ethnic groups, including White British, those who have English as an additional language and also those who arrive later than at the usual times. Pupils who are entitled to support from the pupil premium are closing the gap from all pupils nationally.  Attainment in writing was targeted for improvement in 2010. Excellent work resulted, for instance, in the Big Book created in response to reading a novel about a flood. Pupils fluently and accurately used vocabulary adapted from the novel, such as ‘scavenger’ and ‘protagonist’.  Reading became the focus for improvement in 2011 because attainment in writing in Key Stage 2 had risen faster. Even though writing improved still further, reading went even further ahead.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils are interested in numeracy. It starts early. In the Nursery, children have fun with number games. Older pupils’ books contain lots of accurate, well set out calculations.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of skilful interventions, such as one-to-one or small group tuition which meet their needs very well.  Younger pupils’ home-reading books and older pupils’ regular homework develop them as independent learners, which is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ expectations of pupils are high and are supported by the school’s well-established reputation in the community for excellent relationships and care for pupils.  Teaching is typically good or better. Instances of less effective teaching are steadily reducing as a result of better sharing of good practice.  In the majority of cases, teaching is well planned, and in some cases exceptionally so. In an outstanding lesson in Year 6, the teacher specified the minimum amount she expected from different groups, with effective modelling and high levels of support provided. Each group knew exactly what would be good or outstanding achievement for them. Some minor inconsistencies persist, however, in planning, notably to meet the needs of high ability pupils.  The teaching of reading is a strength. Book provision is abundant. Classes are named after authors and often use themes in their books to stimulate their ideas and creativity. The school is

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The quality of teaching is good

totally immersed in literacy – even when swimming! In the pool, the instructor deliberately taught ‘symmetry’ and ‘simultaneously’, making the words understood by the pupils’ actions in the water. In an outstanding lesson in Year 6, pupils grasped the importance of words in understanding mathematics. How to combine letters into sounds in the Early Years Foundation Stage is literally ‘all singing, all dancing’, when teachers use movement, gestures, singing and puppets to make the learning memorable.  Procedures to track progress are very thorough now, an area identified as needing improvement in the previous inspection.  Some marking is of exceptional quality that really involves pupils in understanding by responding to comments and the colour codes for success and need for improvement.  Pupils’ thinking and horizons are extended by real-life experiences. They visit central London and write to pen friends in widely differing places from Witney in Oxfordshire to Afghanistan. Staying

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The quality of teaching is good

at a Devon farm they collect eggs still warm from the hen. They tend vegetables in the school garden. They have sung at the Royal Festival Hall. Teachers exploit these opportunities to enliven lessons with interesting and relevant links to these varied explorations.  Sometimes teachers do not allow pupils to learn independently quickly enough. At times they ask simple questions but do not very regularly employ probing questions that really challenge the thinking of all pupils, especially the most able. Moreover, teachers do not always make it clear how much work different groups of pupils, including those of high ability, are expected to achieve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has risen to average, so the school demonstrates its capacity to mount campaigns which bring about improvement.  There have been nil entries in records of bullying and racist incident records for several years. Pupils mix with each other well, regardless of gender or ethnicity. A parent said, ‘Every day in the holidays they ask me when they can go back to school!’  Behaviour in lessons and around school is good. Pupils are considerate about the safety of themselves and others. In the playground some can be slightly careless of others, but adults soon step in if it is getting too boisterous. The worst name calling a cross section of pupils could come up with was ‘silly’. One pupil with a temper problem had been given a sketch book in which to draw about ‘bad feelings’, but had not had any, so was decorating the cover instead. Another pupil with behavioural difficulties is making exceptional progress. There were no

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

exclusions last year. Pupils who join the school other than at normal times settle in quickly; for example, some pupils who have had difficulties elsewhere have made a successful transfer to this school.  Pupils take on responsibilities, but in class rather rely on adults to guide their learning when they could think for themselves, as they demonstrate in homework.  Pupils are taught about risks and dangers in the world outside.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership is convincing; staff, governors and parents have confidence in it. On appointment, the headteacher inherited a united team of staff and has extended the involvement and ambition of staff at every level. Attainment was already rising and she added momentum to that trend. All staff, including non teaching, are involved in self-evaluation and improvement planning to empower them to achieve total quality in every detail of school life.  Effective senior managers now teach lessons more regularly. Besides being a factor in increasing the amount of good or better teaching, this has enabled making all classes single age and improved equality of opportunity.  The involvement of middle managers in monitoring is driving improvement, including in Key Stage 1 where progress is less rapid. Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage, judged to be satisfactory at the previous inspection, is now a clear strength and has effective links with the

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The leadership and management are good

children’s centre and parents. Coordination of special educational needs is based on deep knowledge of pupils and organising interventions to meet their needs.  Teachers respond positively to leaders’ monitoring of lessons and act on advice to improve any features less than good. There is well-organised professional development, so staff have opportunities to see outstanding teaching in different schools.  Safeguarding procedures and child protection arrangements comply with all statutory requirements.  Full use is made of all available facililities, including the swimming pool, to provide pupils with exciting opportunities to explore different experiences and think about life in ways that strongly support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Breakfast and after-school clubs offer a service which children and the community value.  Links with parents are steadily strengthening. The governing body has recruited extra parent

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The leadership and management are good

governors. The headteacher instituted an annual survey through questionnaires. Returns have some written comments. Follow-up action plans are shared with all parents and carers. The recent second survey and the few comments posted on Parent View are generally favourable. So, for the most part, were the comments of parents who spoke to inspectors in the playground. A few expressed concerns about bullying. There is no evidence that serious bullying occurs.  The governance of the school:  although governance was not an issue from the previous inspection, it has nevertheless improved  determined to be more involved and challenging, governors organised training to enable them to become outstanding. They hosted governors from four other schools. By holding it on site they secured a good turnout of the Granard governing body  many improvements to committee structures and business have resulted. Besides discharging

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The leadership and management are good

statutory duties such as policy review, meetings now focus clearly on school improvement  a programme of visits based on the improvement plan has begun, but its impact remains to be seen.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 101028 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 400450 Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 380 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Wendy Gairdner Headteacher Cheryl Grigg Date of previous school inspection 17–18 November 2009 Telephone number 02087883606 Fax number 02087854515 Email address info@granard.wandsworth.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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