Gilbert Colvin Primary School

Gilbert Colvin Primary School Stafford Road, Ilford, IG5 0TL

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  The quality of teaching is not consistent enough across the school to ensure that all pupils achieve well. In many lessons, teachers do not check effectively enough how well pupils are learning. Consequently, they do not adapt their teaching to ensure all pupils make good progress.  In many lessons, pupils are not involved actively enough in the lesson because teachers spend too long introducing new topics or giving explanations.  Some pupils who have special educational needs do not make enough progress because not all teachers understand what their needs are and how they can best be helped.  When marking pupils’ work, some teachers do not explain to pupils what they need to do to get better, and, in some Year 2 classes, work is not routinely marked.  Although there has been some improvement in teaching, senior leaders have not been rigorous enough in improving it across all

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

classes, and, as a result, some teachers are better than others.  Setting targets to help to improve is still in its early stages. Targets do not set out clearly enough what teachers need to do to ensure pupils achieve well.  39% of parents and carers are unhappy because they feel that their children do not make enough progress.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The Governing Body is taking a strong lead in driving improvement. It holds the school to account and carries out a range of checks to ensure the school focuses on meeting the needs of pupils.  Governors have worked closely with the headteacher and the local authority to establish a strong leadership team, which has been in place since September 2012.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress because they are well taught. Interesting and practical activities get them involved and help them to learn.  Pupils behave well in school. They are kind to each other, play nicely in the playground, behave in the dining hall, and respect their teachers. Pupils are keen to learn and usually listen well to their teachers.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons of which six were jointly seen with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher. In addition, the inspection team made a number of shorter visits to lessons to focus on specifc aspects, such as behaviour and how well teachers check pupils' on-going learning.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the headteacher, senior and subject leaders and members of the governing body. A meeting was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 48 responses to the online questionnaire for parents and carers, Parent View, in informing the inspection findings. A member of the inspection team spoke to parents while they were bringing their children to school.  The team observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents, including school improvement plans, data on pupils’ current progress, pupils' written work, minutes of governing

p.2

Information about this inspection

body meetings and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. Members listened to pupils read, and visited an assembly.

p.2

Inspection team

Janev Mehmet-Christofides, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Gulshanbir Kayembe Additional Inspector Allan Barfoot Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average–sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is special additional funding from the government, is average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The majority of pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion whose first language is not English is above national average.  The school meets the current floor standard, which is the government’s minimum expectation for pupils' attainment and progress.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve quality of teaching and the progress made by all pupils, including the different groups represented in the school, by:  ensuring teachers and teaching assistants check how well pupils in their classes respond in lessons, and amend and adjust their teaching and the support they provide to help all to make the most of their learning  ensuring that all teaching staff are clear about the needs of individual pupils in their classes and they, therefore, plan suitable activities that help those with special educational needs, more able pupils, and those who speak English as an additional language, to make good progress.  Increase the proportion of good and better lessons by:  reducing the length of introductions and explanations given by teachers so that pupils have more time to be actively involved in lessons  making sure that pupils' work is marked thoroughly in all classes and that written feedback

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

provides pupils with clear guidance on what they need to do to improve their work.  Strengthening the impact of leadership and management by:  ensuring the leadership team reinforces the the use of data to track pupils' progress and the impact of teaching more accurately in all classes  ensuring that appropriate targets are set for teachers and teaching assistants to improve how effectively they work  making sure that teachers understand and the use data they have on pupils' levels of attainment and progress to help them to plan their lessons.

p.3

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Although there has been a slight improvement in progress of mathematics and English since 2010, overall, pupils make similar progress as pupils nationally. However, some groups of pupils make better progress while others underachieve. For example those arriving with little or no English usually make rapid progress in speaking English. However, they develop less quickly in their writing skills.  School action pupils in Key Stage 1 make more progress than previously, as do pupils supported through the pupil premium. This is as a direct result of the actions by the school to improve learning through the careful use of pupil premium funding.  Progress for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good, and higher than the national expectation in emotional development, reading and writing.  Pupils in Key Stage 2 who have special educational needs do not make enough progress. In addition, some able pupils do not achieve well because they are not always challenged to do

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

the best they can in lessons.  39% of parents, who responded to the online questionnaire, considered that their child was not making enough progress, and 33% considered that the school did not give enough information on the progress of their child.  Pupils enjoy reading and make effective use of the sounds that letters make to help them to read. Displays around the school, and the open library along the whole length of the school corridor, encourage reading and different types of writing, such as poems, biographies, and investigations.  In lessons, where pupils are actively involved and activities are interesting and fun, pupils achieve well. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils hugely enjoyed a role-play activity, 'hot- seating' where they asked searching questions of one pupil who played the role of a villainous character from the book they were reading. They developed a really good understanding of the character's motives and inner thoughts.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In many lessons that require improvement, pupils are not engaged as actively. Hence, in these lessons, their progress is more limited.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because teachers do not always set work at the right level for different groups of pupils. Nor do they routinely check how quickly pupils learn. For example, where teaching is better, teachers provide pupils with small whiteboards on which all can respond to questions or write their ideas. Consequently, teachers quickly see how well they have understood the question or their initial ideas.  In less successful lessons, teachers tend to rely on questioning a few pupils during whole- class sessions to find out how well they are learning. This limits both the level of active involvement of pupils and the extent to which teachers can be certain that all have grasped a key idea or learning point. Consequently, teachers do not adjust or amend their teaching to ensure all are learning well.  Where lessons are good, planning sets clear targets for learning, and the teacher has good

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

understanding about how well different pupils in their class are doing. In good lessons, teachers know their subjects well, get on well with the class, and provide pupils with interesting tasks that help them to learn.  Special lessons provided for some pupils to speed up their learning have had a good impact. For example, pupils eligible for free school meals have made good progress towards meeting national standards.  Where lessons require improvement, teaching assistants are not used effectively and consequently they have less impact on pupil learning.  Pupils are taught the sounds that letters make and are encouraged to focus on books and reading. In Reception, stories read to children link to creative activities that the children can choose around the classroom.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is very positive and contributes to a calm atmosphere. Pupils are happy, play well together and are respectful to their teachers.  Pupils from different ethnic backgrounds get on well together.  Attendance to school is above average, and pupils are always on time to their lessons.  Pupils feel safe in the school and there is no record of racist bullying. Most parents believe that their child is safe in school. Parents are happy about the behaviour of pupils.  Adults manage behaviour well throughout the school and pupils receive rewards for being successful. They have a good understanding of the school's behaviour expectations.  The school meets all statutory responsibilities towards safeguarding the pupils. Pupils feel safe within the grounds of the school and have access to well-kept outdoor learning and play areas.  Children enjoy the outdoor play area for Early Years Foundation Stage and readily explore

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

the imaginative activities provided. They develop good skills in learning to work with one another and to share toys and other resources.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has worked effectively to recruit the right staff for the school to help it to improve. The headteacher and governors are aware that there is a lot to do to make sure teaching is good. They are working on improving the system for setting targets for teachers, so that targets are linked effectively to pupils' progress, and providing tailored training for teachers on what they need specifically.  Currently, there is no system for setting targets for teaching assistants. The way in which they are used is being reviewed so that they have greater impact on pupils' learning. Overall, the school does not make the best use of teaching assistants.  The leadership team has not yet ensured that teachers use information about pupils' current progress to pitch lessons at the right level. This includes marking work so that all pupils know what they have achieved and what they need to do next. This is not yet built into lessons

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

consistently enough. However, where the leadership team has started to put into practice some systems, these are showing positive results, such as the improvement in Early Years Foundation Stage and progress made by Key Stage 1 pupils with special educational needs.  The topics covered in lessons develop pupils’ ability to read, write and use investigation and thinking skills. The subjects studied in lessons develop pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding. Pupils learn French and Spanish, about Britain, other countries and traditions, and they are taught to think about others’ feelings.  The local authority provides effective support for the teaching of mathematics, which has improved the quality of teaching in this subject.  Discrimination is non-existent and the school reinforces and celebrates equal opportunities at every occasion. However, the inconsistencies in teaching especially weaknesses in how well

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

work is tailored for individual pupils in the class mean that there are differences in the achievements of different groups.  The governance of the school: - Governors are effective in making sure the headteacher is supported. They check on how well she is running the school. Governors drive the vision for the school by working closely with the local authority to check on how well teachers are improving their practice and school expectations are being met. - Governors make sure that money is spent wisely and they have made sure that the way in which the pupil premium fund has been used was well thought through. Consequently, it has had a positive impact on learning for pupils. - The governing body is very committed to seeing the school improve and supports staff and pupils well. The governors ensure that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities; all staff have been vetted and are trained appropriately to keep pupils safe and free from harm.

p.5

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 102805 Local authority Redbridge Inspection number 400572

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 472 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Frankie Chissam Headteacher Debbie Wiles Date of previous school inspection July 2010 Telephone number 0208 550 4630 Fax number 0208 550 2106 Email address admin.gilbert@redbridge.gov.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

School details

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.9

School details

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

p.9