Joseph Hood Primary School

Joseph Hood Primary School Whatley Avenue, Raynes Park, London, SW20 9NS

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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.  Decisive leadership by the headteacher and members of the governing body has brought about significant improvements since the previous inspection.  Pupils achieve well both personally and academically. They make good progress from below average starting points to reach standards in English and mathematics that are above average by the end of Year 6.  Teaching is consistently good with a small but increasing proportion that is outstanding. Lessons are typically lively and capture pupils’ interest.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They feel safe in school because they know adults care for them and will address any concerns they raise.  Inclusion is a strength of the school. All pupils are valued and respected, and discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  Pupils get on well together and they appreciate the opportunities they have to play and work alongside those from different backgrounds.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders, including governors, have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are determined and committed to further improving teaching and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to secure outstanding achievement for pupils.  There is no long-term plan in place to show how the school is to develop over the next few years.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons or parts of lessons, including several that were jointly observed with senior leaders. They listened to pupils read and they looked at work in their books.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents including school improvement plans, pupils’ assessment and tracking information, the governing body minutes and safeguarding information.  They held meetings with senior leaders, groups of pupils and governors. A discussion was held by telephone with the local authority adviser.  The views of parents and carers were considered through the 39 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View, and through informal discussions with parents and carers at the start of the day.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Additional inspector Colin Lower Additional inspector Marion Hunter Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools. Currently, there are two forms of entry in Key Stage 1 and the school is expanding year-on-year to become a two-form entry primary school by September 2016.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is about average. This is additional funding to support pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, pupils who are in the care of the local authority or pupils from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also average.  The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after school club.  There is no alternative provision for pupils.  There has been a significant change to the teaching team since the previous inspection.  A substantial rebuilding programme to create additional classrooms and office facilities was completed in the autumn term.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that a higher proportion is outstanding by: – ensuring that pupils develop their skills, knowledge and understanding by always planning lessons that build on what they already know and understand – providing pupils with high-quality books to develop and consolidate learning in all lessons – ensuring that pupils respond to the comments teachers make by correcting and improving their work.  Improve strategic planning by: – creating a long-term plan demonstrating how the school is to develop over the next phase of its growth.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress from their different starting points. Standards have improved rapidly since the previous inspection and are now above average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because they are given effective one-to-one support in lessons and are provided with special programmes of work that meet their individual learning needs.  Although the average points scores (based on the outcomes of national tests) are lower for pupils eligible for pupil premium funding than for other pupils, assessment information shows that they progress at equal rates to other pupils and that the gap is rapidly closing. The school has taken steps to make sure they are supported in their academic and social skills and that they all have equality of opportunity to benefit from additional support and activities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills below those expected for their age. They make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because they are taught well. By the time they enter Year 1, they read and write simple sentences and count to 10 and beyond. They share, take turns, and play and work happily alongside one another.  Most pupils enjoy reading. In the Year 1 phonics (letters and sounds) screening check in 2012, taken by the current Year 2 pupils, the proportion achieving the expected level was above that found nationally. By the end of Year 2, they use a range of methods, including phonics, to read unfamiliar words. By the end of Year 6, pupils read for pleasure and to find information. However, there are not enough occasions when they use books for learning in their day-to-day lessons to practise and extend their skills.  Pupils’ writing is lively and imaginative and holds the interest of the reader. Pupils write at length

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The achievement of pupils is good

for a variety of purposes, using well-chosen vocabulary for effect. Their handwriting is legible, spellings are mainly accurate and they use punctuation accurately.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics because activities are usually interesting and relevant and meet their needs and interests well. They use their good knowledge of number to solve problems and they explain and discuss ways in which they carry out their calculations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good across the school. Pupils say that lessons are usually lively with an interesting range of activities for them to do. Teachers care about pupils and they want them to do well, and this fosters good relationships between staff and pupils.  Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage use assessment data effectively to plan learning experiences matching the needs and interests of children. The attractive and well-resourced environment supports all curriculum areas to promote children’s learning well. There is a good balance of activities that are led by adults and those which children select for themselves. Good- quality questioning supports and extends children’s understanding and development.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well and this contributes to their good progress. This is because assessment information is used well to

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The quality of teaching is good

identify their needs and to provide the right support.  Most teachers have high expectations and they set challenging activities that make pupils work hard. Lessons are mostly well planned with clear learning intentions so that pupils understand what they are expected to do. However, occasionally, lessons do not always build on what pupils already know and understand and this slows the pace of learning.  Lessons are usually brisk and lively with a good pace that keeps pupils interested and on task. Teachers have good subject knowledge which they use well to explain and to ask pupils questions to probe their understanding. In lessons, pupils share their ideas and discuss their work with each other, and this contributes towards their good progress. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils wrote clear explanations of how they constructed models of tunnels based on the book ‘The Tunnel’ by Anthony Browne, following discussions with their partners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and provide detailed comments about what they have done well and what they need to do to improve their work. However, pupils are not always expected to respond to these comments by correcting and amending their work. Consequently, some repeat the errors in later work.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language are provided with specialist teaching, usually in small groups to help them to access the curriculum. Consequently, they make good progress and catch up quickly with their classmates.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently so they are clear about what is expected. Very occasionally, when the pace of the lesson slows, a few pupils become fidgety and start to chat among themselves.  Pupils are friendly and courteous. They get on well together and respect the faiths, beliefs and cultures of those from backgrounds different to their own. Racial harmony is a strength with all pupils being valued for the unique contribution they bring to the school. Discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  Pupils feel safe in school. They understand different forms of bullying such as cyber-bullying and name-calling but say there is very little and that adults are on hand to resolve the very few incidents that occasionally arise. Records kept by the school show a marked reduction in reported incidents related to behaviour and the number of exclusions has fallen.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents and carers who expressed a view feel that behaviour is usually good and that their children are safe. Attendance has improved significantly and is now broadly average. The school has harnessed the strengths of local authority officers to work with parents and carers to improve their children’s attendance. Pupil premium funding supports eligible pupils to attend breakfast club and the after-school club. Breakfast club has improved their attendance and provides them with a nutritious and settled start to the school day.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe outside school. Schemes such as ‘Junior Citizenship’ help pupils to understand risks associated with substance abuse and how to keep themselves safe from everyday hazards such as traffic, rivers and railways.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders are ambitious and relish the challenge of expanding to a two-form entry primary school with the opportunities this brings. They have relentlessly focused on improving the quality of teaching to raise standards while, at the same time, successfully managing a significant building project. Under the direction of the dedicated leadership by the headteacher, senior leaders have created a strong team of staff whose aim is to ensure that all pupils achieve well.  School leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and what more needs to be done. Their plans for improvement are focused on those areas most in need, although there is no strategic plan in place to show how the school is to develop in the longer term.  Teachers’ work is checked regularly and support and guidance is provided to help to improve their skills. Previously weak teaching has been addressed through robust systems for

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The leadership and management are good

performance management. Teachers all have targets that are linked to pupils’ performance and progression on the pay scale is dependent on the quality of their work.  The curriculum meets the pupils’ interests and aptitudes, and effectively promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The strong focus on literacy and numeracy prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.  Leaders ensure that all resources, including the pupil premium, are used carefully for the benefit of pupils and that all pupils have equality of opportunity. Part of this funding has been used to support educational visits so that those pupils achieve as well as other pupils.  The school has responded well to the good support provided by the local authority, which has helped to strengthen teaching and raise pupils’ achievement.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and

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The leadership and management are good

weaknesses. They know about the quality of teaching and the links between performance management and salary progression for staff. They understand how well the school is doing in comparison with other schools and use this information to challenge school leaders. They understand how the pupil premium funding is spent to improve the progress of these pupils. Recent training has helped governors to make informed choices over spending decisions regarding staffing and resources in preparation for the next stage in the school’s development. Safeguarding is given high priority by governors, who ensure that the school complies with all requirements.

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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 102634 Local authority Merton Inspection number 404832

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School details

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

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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 274 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Eric Harding Headteacher Anita Saville Date of previous school inspection 13 July 2011 Telephone number 020 8542 2471 Fax number 020 8542 2325 Email address josephhoodprimary@josephhood.merton.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

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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School details

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

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