Loughborough Primary School

Loughborough Primary School Minet Road, London, SW9 7UA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the end of Year 6, they have reached standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are above average.  Teaching is good and occasionally it is outstanding. In the majority of lessons, teachers set suitably demanding activities and most pupils receive good written and verbal advice on how to improve further.  Pupils from different groups, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make good progress. Their needs are very well understood and they receive good support.  Behaviour is good, in lessons and around the school. Pupils feel safe, have positive attitudes towards school and enjoy learning.  The executive headteacher and the co-heads of school provide inspirational leadership, ably supported by the school’s team of leaders and managers. They share a common vision and ensure that the school continues to improve.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Leaders have been highly successful in improving the quality of teaching and this has led to improved achievement, raising the standards of reading, writing and mathematics across the school.  Governors have a deep understanding of the school and provide high levels of challenge to ensure that the school keeps on improving.  Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is good. From starting points that are often well below those expected for their age, children make good progress because teachers and adults place a strong emphasis on developing their reading and writing skills and encourage their interest and enjoyment as learners.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough for all pupils to make rapid progress. Pupils are not always given enough  Pupils do not always know how to improve their work and reach their learning targets. opportunities to take responsibility and challenge themselves.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons, and in addition, made a number of short visits to observe support and small-group sessions for pupils at risk of falling behind.  Inspectors attended three school assemblies and visited the school’s breakfast club and children’s centre.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and met with two different groups of pupils. They spoke with three school governors and a representative of the local authority. They also spoke to school staff, including senior and subject leaders.  Inspectors noted that there were six responses to the online Parent View survey and spoke to parents and carers who were bringing their children to school.  The inspection team reviewed the responses to five staff questionnaires completed during the inspection.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s information on pupils’ current progress, planning documents, checks carried out by

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Information about this inspection

leaders on the school’s effectiveness, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Aune Turkson-Jones, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Clementina Olufunke Aina Additional Inspector David Wolfson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools and is the lead school in a growing federation of three schools. The federation currently supports a fourth school in the area. The schools have separate governing bodies and are led by an executive headteacher, who is a national leader in education.  The majority of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  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.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional government funding provided for looked-after children, those known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent in the armed forces, is well above average.

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Information about this school

 The breakfast club on site is managed by the governing body.  There is also a children’s centre on the school site, which provides pre-school care for two year olds and is used by the community as well as by pupils from the school for a range of additional activities. This is run by the governing body.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  making sure that all teachers consistently create more opportunities in lessons for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning, so that they challenge themselves.  Make sure that all pupils are always given high-quality written and verbal feedback so that they know how to improve their work, and that they respond in writing to marking.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress through the school and, by the end of Year 6, are reaching standards which are above average overall. School information suggests that pupils are now on track to achieve their best-ever results in both key stages in 2013 with a small number of pupils set to achieve Level 6 in mathematics.  Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals also achieve well. Their scores are ahead of others’ nationally for English and mathematics by one term and their achievement in reading is particularly good as they are two terms ahead. Overall, pupils eligible for the pupil premium are behind their peers in school in both subjects by two terms, although the gap is closing rapidly because the extra funding is used effectively to provide targeted support. After-school clubs, including a homework club, and additional support through Saturday school help these pupils achieve well.  Pupils’ standard of reading has risen over recent years and is now above average. The more-

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The achievement of pupils is good

able pupils in Years 2 and 6 read fluently and with good expression at levels above those expected for their age. Less-able pupils in these year groups show a secure grasp of the principles of reading. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about their enjoyment of reading and Year 1 pupils achieved higher-than-average results in the national reading check last year.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good-quality support and achieve well as a result. Additional funding to provide specialised adult support for smaller groups daily has been highly effective in promoting these pupils’ success.  The achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups is similar to that of other pupils. Those who speak English as an additional language also make good progress because the school identifies their language needs early on and provides good support. The school is also active in working with parents and carers, and organising activities to encourage them into school. The

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The achievement of pupils is good

children’s centre on the school site provides a useful venue for parent workshops.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching over time has enabled pupils to make good progress and achieve well. Teaching is occasionally outstanding.  Teachers and teaching assistants work closely and plan together well, carefully taking account of what pupils already know, understand and can do. This ensures that activities are suitably demanding for most pupils, engage their interest and motivate them well.  All disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive high-quality support from teachers and specialist teaching assistants at the right level for them within lessons and in one-to-one or small-group activities. Their progress is carefully checked.  Pupils are keen learners and willingly rise to the challenges set for them by their teachers. For example, in a demanding mathematics lesson, one group quickly organised information into frequency tables, shared ideas with others and went on to create bar charts with minimal help

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The quality of teaching is good

from the teacher.  Teachers are sometimes very effective in creating opportunities for pupils to apply ideas so that they can understand how they learn and thus achieve greater success. This is particularly evident in the ability sets created for English and mathematics higher up in the school. However, this good practice is not consistently widespread across the school and sometimes teachers do not explain enough when setting out their expectations, or help pupils to take charge of their own learning. As a result progress slows.  Children begin quickly to develop their reading and writing skills across subjects from the time they enter the school in the Nursery and Reception classes. This close attention to speech and language helps them to overcome early barriers to learning and make good progress.  Marking across the school has improved and is good in most lessons and subjects. Pupils say that they value this as it helps them to know how to improve. Nevertheless, teachers do not

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The quality of teaching is good

always give detailed enough feedback to help pupils reach the highest levels in their work, or make sure that pupils respond to their comments.  Homework is set regularly each week and this is sometimes in the form of home learning projects which involve parents and carers. The school’s homework club means that all pupils can receive help and support to complete their work successfully.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents, carers and staff who expressed an opinion agreed that behaviour in lessons and around school has improved. Pupils are polite and well behaved, respond well in class, especially when teaching is good, and show positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils are proud of their school community, speaking positively about how the atmosphere has changed for the better. They treat each other with mutual respect and are tolerant of each other’s differences. Pupils from different years act as school councillors; their most recent work involves harnessing the support of the local community on a London Citizens project, to boost safety for young people.  Staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well across the school and added to the high regard which they show for pupils,this has contributed directly to the calm and positive atmosphere in the school. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because pupils do not manage their own behaviour

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

to a high enough standard without the need for adult intervention.  Bullying is rare and dealt with effectively when it occurs. Pupils understand risk and know about different types of bullying and how to keep themselves safe, especially on the internet. They participate in anti-bullying week and several have signed the ‘Bully Prevention Oath’. There are few racist incidents and discrimination is not tolerated.  Older pupils have a clear understanding of the risks associated with criminal and anti-social behaviour, because they learn about the dangers of being involved in gangs.  Attendance has improved and is now in line with the national average. The school has been active in raising attendance and informing families of the important link between attendance and achievement. The school also uses the services of other professionals to tackle unauthorised absence and strengthen contact with families who struggle to ensure their children attend

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The executive headteacher and the Co-Heads of school, alongside senior leadership team, have been highly successful in helping to transform the school, and in establishing and communicating a clear vision of improvement. School leaders work together with a great sense of passion and commitment, and their high expectations are reflected throughout the school and across the federation.  Leadership roles have evolved and strengthened and staff responses were unanimously positive and praising of the leadership team.  The school reviews all aspects of its work thoroughly and acts quickly to address any gaps so that the pace of improvements is not hampered. School development plans are realistic and sharply focused. They illustrate well the school’s ambition to seek ongoing improvement, and plans to raise standards are linked to close checks of the quality of teaching, learning and progress.  Good staff training and the highly effective appointment of key support staff have led to marked

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The leadership and management are outstanding

improvements across the school. This has strengthened teaching and planning, as well as teachers’ use of assessment and marking of pupils’ work. This means that the staff are more skilful in adapting work to suit the needs of individuals and groups. This is especially noticeable in the school’s approach to teaching early reading skills and in developing pupils’ writing.  Leaders make sure that teachers’ pay and performance link directly to whole-school priorities and pupils’ progress. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching so that most is now consistently good.  The curriculum is supplemented by a number of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Special events such as the School Journey for Year 6 pupils, who visit the Isle of Wight for a long weekend, provide an inspiring and memorable experience. These help to boost pupils’ cultural knowledge, and develop their views and personal qualities.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Equal opportunities are rigorously promoted and no pupil is denied access to anything the school has to offer. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. A strong pastoral programme ensures the all-round development of each pupil. The school has strong links with the local community.  The local authority has supported the school well. It has contributed to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning over time and is helping to raise the quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The governance of the school:  Governors work exceptionally well in close partnership with school leaders. They have an insightful understanding of information on pupils’ progress, and use it to make comparisons with national expectations. Governors are committed to enhancing and refreshing their own skills with additional relevant training and use this to improve aspects of the school. They

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The leadership and management are outstanding

make regular visits to check directly on key areas of the school’s work such as achievement, the quality of teaching and leadership and management. This helps them to have a thorough knowledge of the school’s strengths and what still needs to improve. Governors also ensure that financial resources are efficiently managed. For example, in the way that pupil premium money is spent on providing additional teaching support for pupils, creating specific mathematics and English sets and funding breakfasts so that every pupil has a good start to the day. Governors see that targets to improve the performance of staff are checked carefully and that teachers’ pay is linked to how well pupils are doing. Governors also ensure that the breakfast club and children’s centre are well run.

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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 133584 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 403656

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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 479 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Pendergast

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Co Heads of School

Joanna Eade Elena Mauro Date of previous school inspection 12 June 2008 Telephone number 020 7274 8374 Fax number 020 7737 0940 Email address emauro.208@lgflmail.org 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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Co Heads of School

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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Co Heads of School

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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Co Heads of School

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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Co Heads of School

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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Co Heads of School

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

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