Gainsborough Primary School

Gainsborough Primary School Berkshire Road, London E9 5ND

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and achieve standards that are just below average.  Children are provided with exciting learning opportunities in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that they quickly settle into school and develop a range of learning skills.  Teaching is good overall. Lessons are well planned so that they grab pupils’ attention and this helps to make learning enjoyable. Teaching assistants play an important part in supporting pupils’ learning and progress.  There is a broad curriculum which fosters the school’s values of Excellence, Integrity and Respect linking history, geography and different cultures.  Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Their positive attitudes help them in their learning.  The clear leadership from the headteacher and deputy headteacher, supported by a capable leadership team, has brought about

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improvement in teaching and pupils’ achievement since the last inspection.  The school’s culture of respect and care means that pupils feel safe and are increasingly successful in striving for personal excellence.  The staff team and members of the governing body work wholeheartedly with the aim of improving the school, showing that the school is well placed to continue to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough to result in all pupils making rapid progress. Occasionally, teachers miss opportunities to improve pupils’ reading skills. Pupils are not always given the opportunity to respond to teachers’ feedback in marking.  Standards in writing are lower than those in reading and mathematics, especially for boys.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 28 lessons or parts of lessons. Three were joint observations with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and an assistant headteacher. Inspectors also observed the teaching of reading, listened to pupils read, and attended an assembly.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior leaders, subject and phase leaders, the inclusion manager, attendance officer, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  There were too few responses to the online Parent View questionnaire to register. Inspectors took account of responses of the school’s own parental survey and a phone call from a parent.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents, including the school improvement plan, external reviews, data on the pupils’ current progress, the school’s self-evaluation, and records relating to behaviour, attendance, exclusions, performance

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Inspection team

Christopher Deane-Hall, Lead inspector Additional inspector Gill Walley Additional inspector John Mason Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium is higher than average. The premium provides additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children in local authority care or those who have a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  A much-higher-than-average proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  Pupils are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds including African, Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  making sure that pupils always have the opportunity to improve their work and act on teachers’ feedback  making the most of opportunities to improve pupils’ reading skills, especially the weaker readers, including the use of suitable books for reading at home so that parents and carers can be more involved in their children’s reading.  Raise achievement in writing, particularly for those capable of reaching high standards, by:  improving the quality of pupils’ handwriting, especially where letters are joined  extending opportunities for pupils to use talk as a motivator for writing.

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Inspection judgements

The achievement of pupils is good  Children start the Nursery with knowledge and skills which are generally much lower than those expected for their age. This is particularly the case in language, communication skills and social development. They make good progress in all the areas of learning across the Early Years Foundation Stage and enjoy the varied learning opportunities provided by the adults.  Pupils’ progress is now more consistent across the school than it was at the time of the last inspection. Standards in Key Stage 1 are rising. In English, standards are now close to national expectations. As pupils move up through the school their progress accelerates. In Years 5 and 6, pupils work in ability groups in mathematics and this helps to accelerate learning.  The attainment of pupils who are supported through the pupil premium funding is slightly less than that of other pupils in the school in English and mathematics, as measured by

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Inspection judgements

their average points scores at the end of Key Stage 2. However, the gap between these groups is reducing and their progress is good. The funding has enabled the school to provide individual and small group teaching in literacy and numeracy as well as more teaching assistants in classrooms. These strategies are improving reading, writing, communication and numeracy skills for this group of pupils, as well as their confidence.  Well-planned support from both teachers and assistants ensures that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make equally good progress as their peers. Pupils who are learning to speak English as an additionl language also achieve well because their needs are met effectively in lessons and through additional support where required.  Pupils’ reading skills are developing well as a result of a strong emphasis on teaching letters and sounds (phonics). The improving standards in reading, though still not in quite line with

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Inspection judgements

the national expectations, are the result of a successful whole-school drive, where daily individual and intensive small group support is paying dividends. Although weaker readers generally make good progress, the school’s systems for supporting their reading, by for example, making sure that appropriate reading books go home so that parents and carers can be involved, are not fully effective.  Pupils’ writing is improving with the majority achieving in line with the expected standard. However, too few reach the higher levels. The school rightly sees this as an area for improvement. To remedy this, teachers and other adults have begun to encourage pupils to talk through their ideas before beginning their writing. This enhances their confidence, improves vocabulary and their sense of achievement, but is not yet a consistent feature across all classes. In addition, weaknesses remain in the quality and consistency of pupils’

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Inspection judgements

handwriting.  Athough standards in mathematics dipped in 2012, the proportion of pupils making expected progress in Key Stage 2 was higher than the national figure. Current data and pupils’ work show an improved picture, with standards rising. Many of the older pupils say that mathematics is their favourite subject and show clear enjoyment in their work, for example when correctly solving probability problems using percentages, decimals and fractions.

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Inspection judgements

The quality of teaching is good  Children quickly settle into school life in the Early Years Foundation Stage because the adults work well together, know how children learn and skilfully match their needs to interesting learning activities. The school has ingeniously improved facilities so that children are not hampered in their development due to a lack of outside learning opportunities. Adults are skilled at encouraging children to develop social skills and talk about what they are learning. Many are excited about the different things they do and they learn well.  Teachers know their pupils well and plan tasks at the right level of difficulty for individuals. Teachers make it very clear what pupils will be learning and provide useful ‘steps to success’ so that all know what they need to do to achieve well. Lessons generally move along at a brisk pace. It is not uncommon to see pupils involved in animated discussions

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Inspection judgements

with a partner or small group.  Teachers’ questioning is well focused to check learning and reshape the lesson when necessary. This skilful questioning also challenges pupils in their thinking. Older pupils particularly enjoy the challenges set, especially when they see the relevance to real-life situations.  Teachers measure pupils’ learning accurately and regularly check their progress. This allows them to identify pupils who are falling behind or need extra help. Sometimes, support is provided in small groups, or before lessons, for example the mathematics club.  In many lessons, teachers and teaching assistants encourage pupils to talk with others about specific questions and issues. This not only develops their literacy skills but interests them, and prepares them for writing activities too. For example, in an outstanding session, strong relationships between the adults and pupils, well-judged use of praise by the teacher

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Inspection judgements

and active learning opportunities meant that pupils grew in confidence, tried out new ideas and developed listening skills by working with a partner. This excellent practice is not yet consistent across the school.  Teaching assistants successfully support pupils’ learning. Teachers and teaching assistants often work seemlessly alongside one another; for example, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are helped to build their confidence, skills and understanding well.  Marking provides pupils with lots of feedback. It is thorough and, in the best examples, builds pupils’ belief that they can succeed, while steering them as to how to improve their work. Where pupils assess how well they have done in a piece of work, teachers do not always deal with any lack of understanding on the part of the pupil to ensure that pupils fully understand how to improve their work.  Reading skills are taught well, Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in teaching

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Inspection judgements

letters and sounds, especially lower down in the school. This is helping to raise standards over time in different subjects and reduce any learning gaps further up the school.  Teachers generally have high expectations of what pupils can do and, in the main, pupils respond well to these. For example, presentation of mathematics work is neat and well organised, which helps pupils when solving number problems. In writing, though, teachers do not model good handwriting consistently for pupils to help them develop a clear joined script as they move up through the school.

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Inspection judgements

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good  Pupils are friendly, polite and helpful. While most are keen to please, a few are too easily angered. This is the main reason why behaviour is not outstanding. These pupils are taught practical ways to deal with these situations. Records of pupils’ emotional outbursts indicate that these occasions are declining. Some pupils have experienced emotional trauma outside school. These pupils are managed extremely sensitively and effectively so that they are able to continue their learning as soon as possible.  In lessons, pupils show good attitudes to learning which are consistently positive. The ‘Good to be Green ‘ behaviour support system has made a very positive impact on behaviour. Only occasionally do a small number of pupils lose concentration. Around the school pupils show respect for others, for instance in assembly they listen attentively to others’ point of view.

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Inspection judgements

 Pupils say that they feel safe in school. They know how to keep themselves safe. Bullying is rare and, when it does arise, pupils say that it is quickly dealt with. The ‘restorative justice’ approach to solving disagreements works well and, recently, older pupil ‘play leaders’ have been trained to undertake this role. They are clear about how to help others in the playground when upsets occur.  The school has worked successfully to improve attendance since the last inspection. There are a raft of measures to improve attendance and, although it is below average, it is not low. The school has been successful in improving punctuality, although the persistent lateness of a few pupils in the morning can have a negative impact on early morning activites, such as checking home-school reading books.

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Inspection judgements

The leadership and management are good  The headteacher’s determined drive to improve pupils’ achievement is bearing fruit. The school’s sytems she has implemented provide clarity of purpose for the leadership team’s role in the continued success of the school. Working with the deputy headteacher, she has built a strong committed team which has a shared vision for the school. This is based on everyone having an important role in the pupils’ future so that they are well equipped academically, and in their personal and social development, to succeed in life. The role of the middle leadership team is widening and their knowledge and understanding of their subjects and phases play an important part in the school’s successes, as they take an increasingly stratetgic role .  Improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection has resulted in pupils making good progress and standards are rising. This improved picture is based upon

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Inspection judgements

accurate and rigorous checking of quality.  There is a good link between staff training and the improved quality of teaching. Training for teachers and teaching assistants has had a big impact on achievement, particularly in areas such as the teaching of letters and sounds, reading and behaviour support. The induction programme for new teachers helps to ensure that good quality teaching is maintained. There is also a good link between training, teachers’ performance and staff salary progression. The school has been awarded the gold award by Investors in people recognising its commitment to staff in all areas of the school community.  The local authority’s good support for the school over several years has helped to enable improvements to be made in teaching and learning. The school collaborates with other local schools and has shared their expertise as well as benefitting from the opportunities the

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Inspection judgements

other organisations offer.  Pupils gain from a wide range of out-of-school clubs and a variety of subjects and activities, such as art, sports, carpentry, educational trips and specialist teachers, for example in music. These equip them well for life out of school.  Links with parents and carers help support pupils’ learning, for example the induction of young children into Nursery and Reception.  Procedures for safeguarding meet legal requirements and careful records are kept of all visitors to the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body holds the school to account well. Governors know the school’s strengths and what it needs to develop, including how well pupils are doing compared to other schools and the quality of teaching.  Governors recognise the importance of the school’s main focus, that of providing good teaching for learning. Systems for governors to keep in touch with developments and the

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Inspection judgements

life of the school, such as meetings with leaders, help them in undertaking their strategic planning.  Governors know how the management of staff performance is used to enhance teaching and how it links with career and salary progression. Governors receive regular training and are clear about how the pupil premium resource is being used to raise achievement.  Procedures for the safeguarding of pupils are carefully reviewed.

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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 pupil’s 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 pupil’s 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is 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 100225 Local authority London Borough of Hackney Inspection number 400401

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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 504 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mat Webb Headteacher Clare Pike Date of previous school inspection 28-29 April 2010 Telephone number 020 8985 4622 Email address admin@gainsborough.hackney.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,

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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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