Britannia Village Primary School

Britannia Village Primary School Westwood Road, West Silvertown, London, E16 2AW

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Under the highly ambitious leadership of the headteacher the school has continued to develop and build on the many strengths identified at the previous inspection.  Pupils of all abilities and from different backgrounds achieve outstandingly well in English and mathematics, often from very low starting points.  As a result of their strong basic skills in English, mathematics and information and communication technology, together with very positive attitudes to learning, pupils are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils achieve so well because of the outstanding quality of teaching over time. Teaching is highly imaginative, tailored to the needs of all the pupils and encourages them to think for themselves.  Pupils take great pride in their school, really enjoy learning and behave extremely well in lessons and around the school. Those with behavioural and emotional difficulties often

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improve significantly in their attitudes and readiness to learn.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school and have every confidence in the adults around them to deal with any issues that arise.  Leaders at all levels, including governors, have focused very successfully on improving the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. Through close teamwork, support and regular checks, teachers are helped to be become highly effective in their work.  Pupils really enjoy the exciting and high quality opportunities they are provided with to participate in sport, dance, drama music and art.  The school makes excellent use of the rich local resources of the Dockland and Central London area to make learning exciting and relevant to the pupils.  The school promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development very effectively. As a result the school is a very harmonious community where pupils of all backgrounds get on very well together.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was conducted with no notice.  Inspectors observed 27 lessons or part-lessons taught throughout the school. They also listened to pupils reading.  Pupils were observed in assemblies, on the playground and around the school.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, governors, groups of pupils and the school counsellor.  Inspectors took account of the 28 responses to Parent View (on-line survey) as well as the outcomes of the school’s own survey of parents. They also talked to some parents on the school gate at the beginning of the day.

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Inspection team

Graham Lee, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Narinder Dohel Additional Inspector Brian Netto Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average sized primary school, which continues to grow year on year.  The school has a diverse cultural and ethnic population. About one in five pupils are of White British heritage and the remainder are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.  The majority of pupils speak English as an additional language with 48 languages spoken in the school. Many join the school speaking little or no English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average as is the proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. A number of these pupils have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Three pupils currently have a statement of special educational needs.  About one in three pupils are entitled to pupil premium funding, which is higher than average. This is additional money provided by the government to support, in this school, pupils known to

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Information about this school

be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at unusual times is much higher than is the case in most schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Inspectors were aware during this inspection that a serious incident had occurred since the previous inspection. While Ofsted do not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Refine the quality of teaching even further by ensuring that:  marking always helps pupils to improve and that pupils are given opportunities to respond, especially in mathematics  teachers always react quickly in lessons to move pupils’ learning on when it is clear they have understood.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils of all backgrounds and abilities achieve outstandingly well because they make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics, often from very low starting points. As a result, the school promotes equality of opportunity exceptionally well.  When they join the school in the Nursery, many children have skills and understanding that are much lower than is typical of three year olds, particularly in language and communication. They receive a warm welcome and quickly become confident and eager learners. By the time they move into Year 1, they have caught up with others of their age to a great extent.  From this firm foundation, pupils make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics as they move through the school. By the time they leave their attainment is broadly average. The rising trend of attainment at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is, in turn, resulting in pupils working at higher levels throughout Key Stage 2.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school gives a high priority to developing children’s communication skills when they join the school so that they can make the most of their learning. They quickly acquire good phonic (letters and the sounds they make) skills and learn to apply their knowledge to unknown words. They also develop good comprehension skills and read increasingly widely for pleasure.  The school has recently been successfully focusing on improving pupils’ writing skills with the result that they are doing as well in writing as they are in reading. Pupils have increasing opportunities to write at length for different purposes. By the time pupils reach Year 6 most are writing fluently and take a pride in their handwriting and the presentation of their work. This was evident in Year 6, for example, when pupils were writing vivid diary extracts based on the characters in the novel Floodland.  Throughout the school, the writing of some pupils remains inhibited by limited vocabulary and

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

this is mainly because so many pupils are learning English as an additional language. However, the school’s emphasis on communication skills ensures that these pupils often make even better progress than those whose first language is English.  Pupils also do very well in mathematics because of a systematic approach to the teaching of number and calculation and the opportunity for pupils to solve problems in a ‘real-life’ context. For example, pupils in Year 4 were working out a capacity problem related to their work on the pollution of the Thames. This made the learning meaningful for them.  Pupils entitled to the pupil premium make rapid progress because of the effective support they are provided with. Indeed, in the last two years pupils leaving the school in Year 6 have made even better progress than their peers during their years in Key Stage 2. Nevertheless, their attainment in 2012 remained two terms behind other pupils in the school in English and three in

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

mathematics. This was because of their exceptionally low starting points. Throughout the school, these pupils are making extremely good progress and gaps with other pupils are being closed considerably.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same rapid progress as their peers because of the effective support they received that is tailored carefully to their needs. Those with behavioural and emotional difficulties are nurtured very effectively and this has a significant impact on their learning and progress.  There are very good systems to support pupils who arrive at unusual times, many with limited English. As a result, they quickly acquire the skills they need to make sense of their learning and to make rapid progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The quality of teaching over time is outstanding and has improved since the previous inspection. This is evident in the rapid progress made by pupils and the high quality of their learning.  Throughout the school, teachers have very high expectations that their pupils will be successful achievers, whatever their ability. Teachers plan activities that are demanding for pupils of all abilities and make imaginative and flexible use of grouping to enable this to happen. They use homework in a meaningful way which builds on pupils’ work in class and often inspires them to conduct further research for themselves.  Teaching promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development extremely well. Teachers are excellent role models for pupils and relationships in class are positive and productive. The imaginative curriculum and emphasis on creativity also make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers use questions very effectively to consolidate pupils’ learning. They often throw questions back to the pupils by asking them what they think and to discuss it with their partners. This creates high quality discussion and deepens pupils’ understanding.  Teachers assess pupils’ work thoroughly and pupils regularly evaluate their own and others’ work with constructive criticism. Pupils are very clear about their targets and how they help them to improve. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously but in some cases it does not make clear to them how they can improve, especially in mathematics. At other times it is not obvious that pupils have been given time to respond to teachers’ comments.  Teachers check pupils’ progress regularly in lessons to ensure that they understand and to challenge them to think about the learning. Just occasionally teachers are too slow to adjust activities and move learning on when it is clear that pupils have understood and are ready for

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

fresh challenges.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are supported flexibly in lessons and in smaller groups by teachers and support staff. The role of teaching assistants has been developed considerably since the previous inspection and they make a valuable contribution to the learning of these pupils in particular. Consequently, these pupils make rapid progress.  Staff provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere in the Early Years Foundation Stage which enables children to thrive and make good progress. Children are able to develop their early communication and language skills well in small focused groups as well as having the opportunity to explore the world around them in the well-resourced indoor and outdoor areas.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding and has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils are unfailingly polite and courteous to visitors. They are eager and enthusiastic learners and always strive to do their best. This is the view of pupils and almost all parents responding to Parent View and the school’s own surveys.  Staff manage pupils’ behaviour extremely well and are consistent in the application of school policies so that expectations are clear and perceived to be fair by pupils. As a result, incidents of minor disruption to learning are very rare and there have been no permanent exclusions over the past two years none at all over the current year..  A number of pupils have identified emotional and behavioural difficulties. They are supported extremely well in class and by the learning mentor and school counsellor. As a result, there are often dramatic improvements in their behaviour and success as learners.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have an excellent understanding of different kinds of bullying, including cyber bullying and racism and are very aware of the potential dangers around them in the area. They say they feel extremely safe in school and that bullying is not an issue for them. They have complete faith in the adults around them to sort out any problems that arise. They know that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in the school. This is also the view of almost all of their parents.  Pupils are extremely proud of their school and take on a variety of roles such as ‘team leaders’ and ‘playground buddies’ willingly and enthusiastically. They celebrate each other’s achievements in assemblies with genuine enthusiasm. As a result, the school is a happy and vibrant place for pupils to learn.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leadership and management are outstanding and have improved since the previous inspection. The headteacher continues to lead the school with great vigour and determination to offer the very best opportunities for pupils at Britannia Village.  The role of senior and middle leaders has developed significantly since the previous inspection. Leaders are talented and committed and lead by example, modelling high-quality teaching. They play an important role in the drive for continuous improvement in teaching and learning and pupils’ achievement.  Leaders and governors have maintained the school’s strengths over a number of years and improved the quality of teaching still further through teamwork, nurture and support as well as regular checks on the quality of teaching. As a result, new teachers thrive in the school and many become highly skilled and successful over time. This clearly demonstrates the school’s

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The leadership and management are outstanding

commitment and capacity to continue to improve.  The accurate and realistic self-evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses which translate into clear and succinct plans for improvement are based clearly on raising achievement and improving the quality of teaching.  The checking of the quality of teaching is linked closely to systems for performance management. Targets and rewards are linked very closely to the progress of pupils.  Leaders use data about pupils’ progress very effectively to identify potential underachievement at an early stage and to identify additional support where it is needed. Teachers play a full part in this analysis, meeting with leaders on a termly basis to discuss the progress of their pupils.  Leaders ensure that basic skills in literacy and numeracy are taught very effectively so that pupils are well prepared for secondary education. An innovative curriculum ensures that these

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The leadership and management are outstanding

skills are taught in an integrated way, making links between different subjects, so that pupils can make sense of their learning.  There are many opportunities for pupils to be involved in competitive sport, to take part in music and theatre and to produce impressive art work which is evident around the school. Many of these activities involve the local community for which the school is a central focus. It gives pupils a sense of belonging and provides many memorable experiences for them.  The policies and procedures for ensuring the protection of children are robust and the safety and well-being of pupils is the highest priority for all members of staff. The school does everything possible to eliminate risk in all its activities and many staff are trained first aiders.  The local authority provides appropriate ‘light touch’ support to the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school: Governors bring a range of expertise to their roles and are committed and knowledgeable about the school. They understand how the school is performing based on the published national data and know about the quality of teaching. They ensure that performance management is robust and that rewards for leaders and teachers are linked very closely to pupils’ achievement. In conjunction with the headteacher they ensure that any underperformance is dealt with decisively. Governors manage the school’s resources very effectively. For example, they are committed to classes of no more that 20 pupils up to Year 3 and this has had a significant impact on raising attainment by the end of Year 2. They also know in detail how the pupil premium funding is being used and are clear about the effectiveness of the spending in terms of pupils’ achievement.

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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 131613 Local authority Newham Inspection number 423058

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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 420 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair David Mann Headteacher Linda-May Bingham Date of previous school inspection 22–23 May 2007 Telephone number 020 7511 5412 Fax number 020 7511 5426 Email address info@britannia-village.newham.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

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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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