Mulgrave Primary School

Mulgrave Primary School Rectory Place, London, SE18 5DA

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The school is improving rapidly. Since the previous inspection, leaders, managers, governors and staff have worked successfully together to make sure the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are good.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress from starting points that are often below expectations for their age. As a result, attainment at the end of Year 6, which was previously low, has risen and is now average, and rising.  Pupils are keen to learn because teachers plan interesting work that captures their interest and motivates them to work hard. Work is set at the right levels of difficulty for most pupils.  Pupils behave well. Their friendly and welcoming attitudes help pupils new to the school to settle quickly. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe from harm. Attendance rates are consistently above average.  Leaders at all levels regularly assess the quality

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

of the school’s work and rigorously check how well all pupils are making progress in their learning.  Leaders set targets for development and provide effective coaching and training for staff to help sustain improvements. Expectations of the quality of teaching and learning have been raised.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, during writing tasks, the work set is not difficult enough for the most able pupils.  The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough to ensure that all pupils make rapid progress. Monitoring of individual teachers does not always identify specific priorities for development sharply enough to improve the quality of teaching further.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and undertook some joint observations with senior leaders. They visited 29 lessons.  Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, staff, members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors listened to groups of pupils reading. They looked at work in pupils’ books and tracking data showing pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school website, development plans and records relating to safeguarding pupils were also seen.  The inspectors took account of 14 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own analysis of a recent survey of parental views, and 27 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kate Robertson Additional Inspector Peter Lacey-Hastings Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in four part-time Nursery classes and two Reception classes.  More pupils than average speak English as an additional language. Few of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is above average. Most of these pupils have speech, language and communication needs or behaviour, social and emotional difficulties.  The school has specially resourced provision for up to 20 children aged three to four with special educational needs in speech, language and communication. These children usually attend the specially resourced provision in the Nursery for 10 weeks.

p.3

Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government for pupils looked after by the local authority or known to be eligible for free school meals) is above the national average.  The school meets the current government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The number of pupils who join or leave the school part way through their primary education is above the national average.  The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school clubs.  There has been a high number of recent staff changes.  The children’s centre that shares the school site was not included in this inspection.  There is no alternative provision linked to the school.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  making sure writing tasks set for the most able pupils are always challenging enough, being matched closely to their abilities  making sure the monitoring of teaching identifies precise priorities for further improvement for individual teachers.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels of skills that are generally below those expected for their age. Well-established routines ensure that they settle quickly and develop their social skills and independence. For example, in the Nursery, children reminded each other to put on an apron before working at the painting table.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enthusiastically select activities for themselves in the inside and outdoor areas. In a Nursery class, boys and girls washing baby dolls in the water tray talked confidently with the adults and each other about what they were doing. In Reception, children working with an adult used their knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) to write words the teacher read to them.  Regular sessions on phonics for children in Reception classes and for pupils in Key Stage 1 help them to make good progress in reading and spelling. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 benefit from daily

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

reading sessions so that they develop their skills quickly. The results of the phonics check for six- year-olds show that pupils’ reading skills are broadly average. Carefully selected books for pupils to read in English lessons capture their interest and older pupils enthuse about the books they read in class.  Pupils learn well as they progress through the school. As a result of consistent improvement since the previous inspection, increasing proportions of pupils make better progress compared with all pupils nationally and attainment at the end of Year 6 is now average and improving. Rising proportions of pupils are reaching above average standards, particularly in mathematics and reading.  Although pupils’ achievement in writing is good, the most able pupils are not always expected to do more demanding work so that they make even swifter progress.  Pupils’ presentation of their work is neat and careful. Their handwriting is clear because the

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

school expects pupils to develop a fluent manner of writing. Pupils are keen to be granted a ‘pen licence’ in recognition of their good-quality handwriting.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds reach standards that are often above those achieved by similar pupils nationally.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including children in the specially resourced provision, learn well and make good progress as a result of the support they receive from dedicated and well-trained staff.  Pupils for whom English is an additional language make good progress. The school is successfully closing the gap between the attainment of these pupils and that of others.  The pupil premium is used well to raise achievement for this group of pupils. Funding is used to provide extra support for these pupils in literacy and numeracy. As a result, the gap is closing between the average point scores in national tests for these pupils and those of all pupils

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

nationally.  Pupils who join the school part way through their primary education are made to feel welcome as soon as they start and they quickly begin to make good progress. Pupils’ caring and inclusive attitudes help new arrivals at the school to quickly feel part of the school community.  All groups of pupils at the school make similar good progress. This shows the school successfully promotes equality and tackles discrimination.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are high and this, together with their encouraging responses to pupils’ efforts, helps to motivate them to work hard and do well.  Pupils often work in pairs and groups to discuss their learning and clarify their understanding. Through cooperating regularly with each other, pupils’ personal and social skills grow and good relationships are fostered well.  Teachers check the progress pupils make and use the information to set work that is often at the right level of difficulty for pupils’ abilities. However, teachers do not always plan written work that is difficult enough to stretch the most able pupils. As a result, the pace of learning for these pupils slows.  Teachers make good use of resources to support clear explanations so that pupils understand new knowledge quickly. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Key Stage 2, pupils listened attentively while the teacher modelled a method of working out multiplication sums using tape

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

on the carpet. Teachers also use computers well to support teaching and learning.  Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage consistently support children’s learning through questioning and discussion. Together with an emphasis on extending children’s knowledge and use of words and expressions, this helps all children make good progress in developing their speaking, listening and literacy skills.  Children in the specially resourced provision receive carefully planned support tailored to their needs from specialist teachers, mostly in classrooms with some individualised sessions. These children are included in the wide range of activities that teachers plan for all children in the Nursery’s indoor and outside spaces.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs benefit from personalised support. Additional sessions outside lessons for selected pupils and helpful guidance from teachers, additional adults and therapists help them to develop literacy, numeracy and social

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

skills.  Pupils at the early stage of learning English benefit from daily practise with additional adults to help them learn key vocabulary and phrases quickly so that they make good gains in developing their English skills. Teachers and bilingual staff in lessons ensure that all pupils speaking English as an additional language increase their proficiency in spoken English, and succeed in other subjects. Computing and homework clubs for these pupils also contribute to their good achievement.  The school uses pupil premium funding to organise extra literacy and numeracy classes, and additional small group sessions to boost the achievement of those known to be eligible. The school also uses the funding to benefit entitled pupils through access to extra-curricular clubs and enrichment activities. This is having a positive impact on their achievement.  Leaders have worked with staff to improve the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics so

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

that pupils steadily build upon their skills as they progress through the classes. Teachers follow a consistent approach to teaching letters and the sounds they make so that reading skills are developing well and improving. Skills in mathematics are taught consistently using approaches that capture pupils’ interest. For example, pupils in a mathematics lesson enjoyed practising their skills playing a number guessing game.  The comments teachers make when they mark work are encouraging and give clear guidance to pupils on how to improve their literacy and numeracy skills in order to move up to the next level of attainment. Pupils routinely respond to the personalised additional tasks and challenges set by teachers to deepen their understanding further.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 This is a happy and welcoming school with a strong sense of community. Relationships in lessons and around the school are positive and warm. Pupils are courteous and polite, and develop strong friendships across a range of cultures.  Pupils’ behaviour is typically good, although sometimes a few pupils need reminders about the behaviour that is expected at break time or in lessons.  Pupils feel safe because they are well looked after by the teachers and other staff. Road safety, swimming lessons, computer security and cycling proficiency help them to develop their awareness of how to keep themselves safe from harm.  Pupils are confident that bullying in any form, including racist or cyber bullying, is not an issue and school records confirm this. They are also confident that staff will help them should any problems occur.  Pupils’ views are taken into account. For example, older pupils have recently conducted their

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

own ‘inspection’ of the school, evaluating the school’s effectiveness and suggesting where further improvements could be made.  Pupils contribute to the school and local community. Pupils in the gardening club tend the school’s green spaces and all pupils participate enthusiastically in the virtual cycle race covering the length of the United Kingdom on static bikes set up in the school playground. The choir and drumming club perform in whole school assemblies and in the local community.  Rates of attendance are above average. The contest for the best class attendance each week is highly competitive. The school works well with those few parents whose children do not attend regularly.  The breakfast and after-school clubs are well organised to ensure those pupils who attend enjoy a positive beginning and end to the day.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher and deputy headteachers have worked successfully, and with determination, to make sure the school is constantly improving in order to raise pupils’ academic achievements.  By checking the quality of teaching and other areas of the school’s work very regularly, leaders and governors form an accurate view of the school’s strengths and those aspects requiring further improvement. Regular professional development for staff has helped the school’s leaders and governors to improve the quality of teaching and the school’s overall effectiveness so that it is now good. All these strengths demonstrate the school’s capacity to improve further.  Although the monitoring of teaching is always careful and identifies areas for development, specific priorities for improvement for individual teachers are not always pinpointed precisely enough to bring about rapid further improvement and increase the proportion of outstanding

p.6

The leadership and management are good

teaching.  Through good quality training and effective coaching activities, leaders have successfully enhanced the quality of weaker teaching and brought greater stability in staffing to the school. There is a clear link between promotion and salary progression, and between pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching, because the performance of staff is managed carefully.  A good variety of educational visits to local places of interest including museums and cultural centres support pupils’ learning well because they are selected to complement class-work projects. In Years 5 and 6, pupils enjoy a residential visit to an activity centre. There are many popular extra-curricular clubs including martial arts, homework and phonics play that successfully promote pupils’ social skills and their wider interests.  Activities supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are carefully

p.6

The leadership and management are good

organised to make sure these aspects of pupils’ learning are promoted well. Pupils learn about sustainability through a wide variety of interesting activities within and outside the classroom. For example, they are encouraged to care for and take pride in their environment, use energy more efficiently and reduce waste. Celebrating festivals from a wide variety of faiths, practising greetings in a new language each month, charity fundraising, and developing their curiosity in the world around them in the school’s woodland corner help pupils develop thoughtful, caring and tolerant attitudes.  The school effectively involves parents in its work. Volunteer parents regularly hear pupils read. Workshops for parents help them support their children’s achievement.  The local authority has provided appropriate advice and guidance to assist the school in securing lasting improvement to the overall effectiveness of its work. Given the school’s track record of

p.6

The leadership and management are good

improvement, the local authority rightly now provides light touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body works closely with the school’s leaders and shares their resolve to promote ambition and drive improvements. Governors make sure they attend the professional training they need to keep up to date with current developments in education and be even more effective. They review the quality of teaching by visiting lessons with leaders and checking the information that the school gathers about pupils’ progress, and identify further priorities. They know how well the school is doing compared with other similar schools and are confident in challenging the school to improve further. Governors are clear about their role in performance management and take steps to ensure that teaching quality and pupils’ achievement are reflected in promotion, responsibilities and salary progression of staff. They

p.7

The leadership and management are good

understand the ways in which the pupil premium is spent, including extra sessions and enrichment opportunities. They hold the school to account and receive itemised details from the school’s leaders of how additional funding is used to support pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium. They evaluate the impact of this against the results these pupils achieve compared with other pupils at the school, although they do not rigorously check that they are catching up quickly with all pupils nationally. Governors are experienced, well trained and highly committed to the school. They are careful to ensure that procedures to keep pupils safe are effective and meet requirements.

p.7

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.8

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.8

School details

Unique reference number 100163 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 400395

p.9

School details

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

p.9

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 522 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Taylor Headteacher David Dixon Date of previous school inspection 23–24 March 2010 Telephone number 020 8317 9211 Fax number 020 88542957 Email address info@mulgrave.greenwich.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 .

p.9

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.10

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.10

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.10

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.10

School details

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

p.10