Montbelle Primary School

Montbelle Primary School Milverton Way, Eltham, London, SE9 3EY

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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 Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils achieve well. They have made good progress over the last two years. The progress of some groups has been exceptional. Attainment is broadly in line with the national average.  Most of the teaching is good and a small proportion is outstanding.  Leaders and managers use very rigorous systems to check on pupils’ progress and to identify pupils who need additional support.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They feel safe, and their parents and carers also believe that their children are safe.  The staff are extremely supportive of the drive to raise standards by the senior leadership team.  Members of the governing body support the senior leaders’ efforts in their endeavours to raise standards.  The areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection have been successfully addressed. The quality of pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development has

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improved.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress and are well prepared for the move to Year 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. Teachers do not always prepare learning activities in line with different pupils’ abilities. Although books are marked regularly, the advice to pupils on how to improve their work is not sufficiently clear.  Some teachers do not make as much use as they could of the school’s systems for tracking pupils’ progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons, five jointly with the acting headteacher and with members of the senior leadership team.  They listened to pupils read and looked at workbooks to see how much progress they make while they are at school.  Meetings were held with the substantive headteacher, the senior management team, subject and other leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors talked to pupils, parents and carers to see how they feel about the school in general.  Inspectors looked at the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plan and policies, including those regarding behaviour and attendance, and the safeguarding of all pupils.  Inspectors examined the most recent government data on the attainment of pupils and the school’s system for checking on pupils’ progress.  In addition, inspectors took account of responses by 52 parents and carers to the online

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire (Parent View) and the responses of 85 parents and carers to the school’s own parental survey in November 2012.  Responses from 33 members of staff to the staff questionnaires were also considered.

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Inspection team

Mina Drever, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sara Benn Additional Inspector Noureddin Khassal Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average primary school. Most of the pupils are White British. The proportion of other ethnic groups is above average, the largest being Other White.  Also above average are the proportions of pupils who speak English as an additional language, disabled pupils and those identified with special educational needs at school action and those supported at school action plus.  The proportion of pupils in receipt of additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, from armed services families and looked after children (the pupil premium) is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The substantive headteacher has been in post since September 2011. She is currently on maternity leave and the school’s deputy headteacher, in post since September 2012,, is currently

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Information about this school

acting headteacher, from June 2013.  In January 2013, a re-formed governing body – with three new members and existing members – took up its statutory responsibilities, with a new Chair.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  ensuring that all teachers plan different activities for different ability groups, including the higher-ability pupils  improving the quality of marking by establishing a written dialogue with pupils so that they know more clearly what they need to do to improve.  Ensure that all teachers make effective use of the school’s tracking system so that they have a much more immediate overview of pupils’ progress at any one time.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There was a substantial rise in attainment in 2012 as a result of stringent and rigorous systems for checking progress and improving teaching since the arrival of the new headteacher in September 2011.  The proportion of pupils making good progress in English, reading and mathematics increased in 2012. However, progress in writing slowed down a little for most ability groups, except the very high achievers.  School tracking data show that pupils in all year groups have made good progress since the start of the school year. In some cases, pupils have made particularly good progress. For example, the equivalent of two years’ progress was made by Year 4 in reading and by Year 6 in mathematics.  Workbooks show progression in all areas of learning. For example, Year 3 mathematics books showed that pupils had understood various attributes of fractions. Pupils were able to clearly explain what a numerator and denominator are. A Year 6 class exhibited well-developed

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The achievement of pupils is good

communication skills when preparing a verbal class debate.  The school provides excellent intervention strategies for pupils in receipt of extra government funding. For example, intensive one-to-one reading and numeracy programmes, as well as financial assistance with the use of musical instruments and school trips.  In 2012, pupils in Year 6 supported by the pupil premium achieved better test results than other pupils in the school. Ninety two per cent attained Level 4 in English and Mathematics, which is above the overall national average. School data show that good progress has continued this year. For example, pupils receiving intensive support in numeracy and reading in Year 3 have made particularly good progress.  The attainment of disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language is at least in line with, and sometimes above, the national

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The achievement of pupils is good

average. They continue to make good progress in English and mathematics.  Children make good progress in Nursery and Reception from starting points that are below expectations for their age. They thrive in the extremely well equipped outdoor area where they have opportunities to make strides in their physical and language development. Age-related development is reached in all areas by the time they move to Year 1.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good in the majority of the lessons; it is well planned and well structured.  A small proportion of teaching is outstanding, characterised by highly motivating topics which engage pupils in whole-class dialogues and interactive activities. For example, in a Year 4 class, pupils learned a great deal from drawing the outline of their classmates’ bodies on large sheets of paper and then drawing in bones that they identified by feeling their own ribs, fingers and toes.  In consistently good lessons, there is good balance between the amount of teacher talk and pupil talk, and good monitoring of progress, with often very challenging questions. For example, a Year 3class had to investigate habitats in the school playground and explain why they might or might not be suitable for different types of animals.  When pupils are working, teachers question them individually, asking, for example, why they

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The quality of teaching is good

have chosen a particular method to solve a mathematical problem. They stretch higher-ability pupils to go further and explain why they did not choose different methods.  Highly trained learning assistants support individuals and groups of pupils well.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching is good. Good provision indoors and outdoors supports children’s progress in all areas of development. Parents and carers are involved in keeping records of their children’s development.  Although the school has good systems to track the progress of pupils, individual teachers do not always make sufficient use of this information to identify pupils in their classes who could be making even better progress.  Teachers mark pupils’ work consistently. However, not all of this is sufficiently informative and pupils are not always given clear enough advice on how to improve their work. Occasionally, teachers do not provide different learning activities for pupils of different abilities and do not

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour around school is good. Teachers deal swiftly and effectively with any disruption in lessons, which is very rare. Parents and carers, and pupils, raised no concerns about bullying. This is the result of preventative measures which are well understood by pupils. Pupils are aware of the different forms that bullying can take, including cyber-bullying.  A system of playground buddies helps to build the confidence of pupils who take on this role and also contributes to the positive atmosphere at playtimes. Attendance is above the national average. It has improved by over 2% over the last three years.  Pupils feel safe at school and their parents and carers believe that their children are safe. A vast majority of the parents and carers who responded to the online questionnaire say that pupils are well behaved in school.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning, supported by positive relationships between teachers and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

pupils and between all adults. A few lose interest and concentration in class in the few lessons where either the pace is too fast or the work is not challenging enough.  The school’s behaviour policy is consistently applied by most teachers. Recently appointed teachers have yet to apply the behaviour management system as effectively.  The school has put in place a restorative justice approach to resolving any conflict between pupils. Pupils are very proud of it and were able to explain that it worked by using an emotional appeal with questions such as: ‘How are you feeling now? Has anyone been affected by your actions?’

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The leadership and management are good

 In September 2011, leaders put in place rigorous systems to improve teaching and to track the rate of pupils’ progress so that individual pupils’ learning needs can be swiftly identified and appropriate support provided . The substantial rise in attainment and the rapid progress in 2012, and the continued progress since then, show that these systems have been successful.  Senior leaders and middle managers share a determined vision to raise standards, and work very well together to achieve that.  Leaders have succeeded in ensuring that pupils supported by the pupil premium do as well as, and often better than, other pupils. Interventions include literacy and numeracy programmes as well as life-enriching opportunities such as learning musical instruments and participating in school journeys.  The school’s self-evaluation and school improvement plan are rigorously linked to pupils’ achievement. Teachers’ performance is monitored in relation to the teachers’ standards and to

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The leadership and management are good

pupils’ achievement.  The topic-based curriculum is broad and balanced. Literacy and numeracy are incorporated in the investigative approach to learning. Pupils explore the beliefs and culture of other religions and peoples and the morality of everyday actions. For example, whether it could ever be right to tell a lie.  The school has good relationships with parents and carers. It provides workshops for parents and carers on many aspects of their children’s education – for example on the teaching of phonics and mathematics – which are very well attended. Parents and carers are very supportive. All of those who replied to the online questionnaire would recommend this school to other parents and carers.  The local authority provides support in the form of termly ‘critical friend’ visits and the school has brokered bespoke trainingfrom an independent adviser.  Leadership and management meet the statutory safeguarding requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good. The newly re-formed governing body and the new Chair are fully aware of the strengths of the school and of the areas that need to be improved further, in order for the school to be outstanding. It has a good complement of skills and is beginning to hold the school to account, especially in the performance management of the headteacher, which is linked to pupils’ achievement. Governors are fully aware of the interventions in place for pupils in receipt of the pupil premium and the positive impact of this on their achievement. They are well acquainted with the school’s current self-evaluation, the development plan and all policies, which are appropriately ratified. The governing body has a good overview of the budget. It approves pay increases and promotion only if pupils’ achievement targets have been met.

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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 100149 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 412200

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 461 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Koyeli Solanki Substantive Headteacher Rachel Waite Acting Headteacher Elspeth Geden Date of previous school inspection 29  30 June 2010 Telephone number 020 8857 3909 Fax number 020 8851 3150 Email address Sao1@montbelle.org.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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