Furzedown Primary School

Furzedown Primary School Beclands Road, London, SW17 9TJ

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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.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress from starting points that are below those expected for their age to reach average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Teaching is good. Measures for identifying what will help teachers improve their practice are rigorous. Teachers are offered valuable support which they embrace because they are committed to improving the outcomes for the pupils.  Teachers plan activities at the right level for pupils so they are not too easy or too hard. New technology is used well and teachers ensure there are links between subjects which support pupils’ learning.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Playtimes are exceptionally harmonious. Pupils enjoy the wide range of activities on offer. Responsibilities such as being a ‘bully buddy’ are taken very seriously.  Relationships between members of the school community, teachers, pupils and parents and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

carers, are a positive feature and contribute to pupils developing strong personal and social skills.  The headteacher leads the school effectively. She has created a strong team which has worked together exceptionally well to bring about the improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement seen since the previous inspection.  The leadership of the governing body has improved since the previous inspection. It is now increasingly effective in both supporting and holding staff to account for meeting the high expectations set.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted exceptionally well, underpinned by strong relationships and a highly inclusive community.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to ensure all pupils make and sustain rapid progress throughout year groups.  In some lessons, pupils are not given the opportunity to develop independent thinking and learning skills and this hinders their progress.  Sufficient time is not always built in to the school day for pupils to respond to the detailed comments teachers make in books which limits how much impact marking has on progress.  Teaching assistants and support teachers are not always used effectively during the part of the lesson where the teacher is addressing the whole class.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons or parts of lessons across a range of subjects, including one conducted jointly with a senior member of staff.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, attended assemblies and held meetings with pupils, staff and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors looked carefully at pupils’ work in lessons, as well as the work they had completed over time in their books.  Inspectors took account of the 70 responses to the online Parent View survey as well as the views of parents and carers they met in the playground.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documents including those related to safeguarding and child protection, behaviour and attendance, checks on the quality of teaching, information related to pupils’ academic performance and the school’s self-evaluation and development planning.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Noureddin Khassal Additional Inspector Kate Robertson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average size primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is slightly above the national average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly lower than the national average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is just above the national average. No pupils in the school are from service families.  The school serves a diverse community. Over two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, whereas nationally the figure is just over a quarter. Fourteen different ethnic groups are represented in varying proportions.  Over a third of pupils speak English as an additional language, more than double the national

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Information about this school

average. A number of these are at the early stages of learning English.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school holds a number of awards, including UNICEF’s Rights Respecting Schools Award, the Gold Artsmark, the Silver Geography Award and the ICT Mark awarded by NAACE (the National Association of Advisors for Computers in Education).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order that all pupils, especially those for whom the school receives the pupil premium, make and sustain rapid progress throughout year groups by:  ensuring pupils are regularly given the opportunity to think for themselves and encouraged to develop independent learning skills by working on their own or in groups  building in sufficient time in the school day for pupils to respond in depth to the comments teachers make in their books about what they need to do to improve  deploying teaching assistants and support teachers effectively at all times in order to maximise pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills below the levels expected for their age, particularly in their language and communication development. By the time they leave at the end of Key Stage 2, the vast majority have caught up and leave with average standards in English and mathematics. This represents good progress from their low starting points.  The school teaches phonics (letter patterns and the sounds they represent) systematically and makes careful checks on how well pupils are acquiring the understanding they need to go on to become successful and confident readers. This ensures pupils do well in the phonics check in Year 1 and puts in place the foundations that lead to them achieving well in reading by the end of Year 6.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well because teaching assistants and support teachers provide activities which meet their needs and explain tasks

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The achievement of pupils is good

clearly for them. Regular checks are made on their progress and interventions are adapted where necessary to ensure continual success.  Pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding also make good progress. There is still a gap of just over a term between their attainment and that of some other groups in school measured by the average points scored in national tests taken at the end of Year 6. However, this represents a successful narrowing of three terms compared to last year.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as those whose first language is English. This is because the school places a strong emphasis on acquiring and using a broad vocabulary. Those who are the early stages of learning English make rapid progress because there is a skilled team which delivers individual programmes that meet their needs exceptionally well.  The school rightly prides itself on being a highly inclusive community. It proves its commitment

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The achievement of pupils is good

to equality of opportunity by ensuring that pupils from different ethnic groups achieve equally well and feel equally valued.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan and deliver lessons that take into account the range of pupils’ needs. For example, more-able pupils are now given challenging tasks that stretch them. This means they are now making much better progress than at the previous inspection. Teachers ask questions of differing complexity to sustain high levels of interest and ensure all pupils have a chance to answer. However, some teaching does not always provide enough opportunities for pupils to think for themselves or work independently, especially those pupils who are supported by the pupil premium.  Reading is promoted exceptionally well. Pupils say they love reading because there are so many exciting books in school. During the inspection, pupils were seen regularly using the attractive reading areas to get engrossed in a book.  Teachers make the most of the resources available to them to enhance learning, including new technology such as tablet computers. For example, in science, pupils record presentations

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The quality of teaching is good

summarising the work they have completed and play them back so that they can refine them.  Skilled teaching assistants and support teachers work effectively with pupils during group activities, ensuring that all can complete tasks with a high level of understanding and enjoyment. However, those additional staff are not as well deployed when the teacher is addressing the whole class which limits their overall effectiveness.  Marking has improved considerably since the previous inspection. Teachers mark diligently, letting pupils know both how well they have done and what they need to do next to improve. This does not drive the most rapid progress possible though because time is not always allocated for pupils to respond and act upon these comments.  Subjects across the curriculum not only promote the skills relevant to that subject, for example geographical enquiry, but also give pupils further opportunities to develop the key skills of

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The quality of teaching is good

reading, writing, communication and mathematics. For example, pupils use an online mapping tool to track the fictional journey of a character in a book they are reading, or write reports about key geological features. There are strong links between subjects which enhance learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave impeccably in the playground and when moving around the school. They show great consideration and respect for each other, adults and the school environment.  Behaviour in lessons is good, pupils are attentive and keen to contribute. However, they are not always shown how to work well independently. This can sometimes hinder their learning, for example because they do not always know what to do when they have finished their work or cannot suggest an efficient way of approaching a task.  Pupils say they feel safe at school and can explain how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know what to do if they come across a questionable internet site and know never to give any personal details when online. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who completed the online Parent View survey agree that their child feels safe at school.  Pupils are very clear about the many ways in which bullying can manifest itself but are emphatic

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

that it does not happen. School records, discussions with pupils and staff and responses from parents and carers support this assertion.  The school prides itself on managing behaviour so well that there are no exclusions. It promotes good relations and ensures discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. Pupils who have particular behavioural needs are supported exceptionally well to take responsibility for improving how they react and interact with others in a positive and nurturing climate.  Attendance has risen year on year and is now in line with the national average. Pupils are punctual in the morning and no time is wasted when moving from one lesson to another or coming in from playtime.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management have improved since the previous inspection and are now good. They are not yet outstanding because, although they have driven a raft of key improvements over the last three years, they have not yet ensured that teaching promotes rapid progress in all year groups.  Senior leaders, including governors, are highly ambitious for the school and its community. They rightly judge it to be a good school and plan strategically to ensure continuous improvement.  Senior leaders now check the quality of teaching robustly. They are adept at identifying strengths and weaknesses in order to be able to provide appropriate support to continually enhance classroom practice. Teachers appreciate the range of ways in which they are helped and encouraged to improve their performance. The targets they are set make it clear how much progress pupils need to make in any given year.  Middle leaders ensure that progress in subjects other than mathematics and English is equally

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The leadership and management are good

good. For example, the music specialist ensures that pupils’ skills build year upon year and the art leader sets specific tasks in order to identify how pupils’ drawing skills have improved. Middle leaders promote high standards in their subjects and this is reflected in the raft of national awards the school has successfully accrued.  Promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a key feature. There is a strong focus on the arts which ensures pupils’ horizons are broadened culturally. Regular trips connected to the topic being studied add to this. Books studied often have a moral dilemma that is discussed in depth.  The local authority has supported the school in a range of ways since the previous inspection and now offers light touch support as and when required.  The governance of the school:  Governors are considerably more effective in how they challenge and support school leaders

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The leadership and management are good

than at the time of the previous inspection. They have a clear understanding of data and how the school compares to similar schools nationally. They use this information as a basis for discussions on how to continue to improve. A recent audit of skills has ensured that individuals are matched to roles that capitalise on their strengths. Further training and clear information from the headteacher and other sources put governors in a good position to ask insightful questions about pupils’ academic performance and to understand the strengths and weaknesses of teaching. Governors have a clear understanding of what the school is doing to reward good teaching and know that any underperformance is dealt with swiftly and effectively. The governing body keeps a close check on how effectively the pupil premium funding is spent by analysing progress and attainment information for the relevant pupils and pushing for answers in terms of how well the attainment gap is narrowing. Governors ensure

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The leadership and management are good

safeguarding procedures are robust and all statutory duties are 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 101009 Local authority Wandsworth Inspection number 400448

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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 466 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rebecca McIlroy Headteacher Monica Kitchlew-Wilson Date of previous school inspection 5–6 May 2010 Telephone number 020 8672 3480 Fax number 020 8682 3031 Email address admin@furzedown.wandsworth.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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