Edward Francis Primary School

Edward Francis Primary School Uplands Park Road, , Rayleigh, SS6 8AJ

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Over time, pupils make good progress and achieve well across a range of subjects, including in English and mathematics.  Teaching is improving. Leaders have ensured teaching is consistently good and that it promotes good achievement for all pupils.  The pupil premium is used effectively to support pupils for whom this funding is intended so that they make good progress.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils feel safe, are happy and enjoy coming to school, as shown by their high levels of attendance. Pupils are welcoming, courteous and considerate to one another. They develop strong values and show very positive attitudes to learning.  Leadership of the school is good. Staff and governors are supportive of the clear direction provided by the headteacher.  The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and is used effectively to pinpoint key areas for improvement.  Governors provide a good level of challenge to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the school to ensure high standards of attainment and progress across the school.  Communication with parents and carers is strong. They are highly supportive of the school and appreciate the opportunities the school provides for them to gain knowledge and understanding of the subjects that their children study at school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not yet outstanding in the majority of lessons and across all key stages.  Marking is not consistently clear and precise enough to help pupils improve.  Teachers in Key Stages 1 and 2 do not co- ordinate their planning effectively because they do not know enough about what has to be covered by the different age-groups.  The role of subject leaders in checking teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility is underdeveloped.  The progress of the most able pupil in writing is not as rapid as it is in reading and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons. Four of these observations were completed jointly with the senior leadership team. Inspectors also observed breaks, lunchtimes and attended registration and assemblies.  Discussions were held with parents, pupils, staff, governors, the headteacher, deputy headteachers, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 97 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and parent council minutes. They also took account of 14 responses to staff questionnaires, and letters from parents.  A wide range of documents was examined, including samples of pupils’ work, pupil progress and tracking information, the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation, governors’ minutes, behaviour logs, case studies and safeguarding documents.  Inspectors listened to students read, observed reading-support lessons and the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make).

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Inspection team

Sherry Gladwin, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Rosenthal Additional Inspector Alison Footman Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The vast majority of pupils are White British. There are well below average proportions of pupils from ethnic minorities and below average proportions of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well below average. This is additional funding for students in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and those with a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for students’ attainment and progress.  The school works in partnership with the Hockley, Rayleigh and Hullbridge cluster of schools.

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Information about this school

 The school has undergone a recent merger (September 2012) between the junior and infant schools operating on the same site. At the time of the inspection a great deal of building work was in progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that:  marking is consistently good across all subjects and key stages so that pupils are clear about what they need to do to improve their work and are required to respond to the comments and corrections teachers make in their books  teachers have a good understanding of subject requirements for all key stages and plan lessons and learning activities that build on pupils’ prior learning so that they make even faster progress across Key Stage 2  learning activities challenge the most able to make rapid progress, particularly in writing.  Develop the role of subject leaders so they are more effective in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning and pupil progress by:  providing opportunities for subject leaders to work closely with partner and other schools to identify the most successful ways to maximise the progress made by the most-able pupils

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 training subject leaders in the skills used in lesson observations so that their judgements of teaching and learning are secure

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the reception class with skills and abilities broadly in line with those expected for their age. They make steady progress in Reception and are prepared well for entry to Year 1. Consistently good teaching in Key Stage 1 supports pupils’ strong progress so that the majority achieve above average results. Further good teaching in Key Stage 2 ensures pupils achieve above average results in English and mathematics in Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The vast majority of pupils perform well in the reading tests taken in Year 1. Teachers and teaching assistants teach phonics skilfully, making effective use of appropriate reading materials and support from parents and carers to help pupils gain a good appreciation of letters and sounds, and practise their reading skills. Across the school, pupils read widely in a range of subjects and as part of homework tasks. Most pupils enjoy reading and persevere even when they find reading challenging.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across all year groups and in a variety of subjects, pupils make good progress. In-school information shows that pupils make at least expected progress, and many make better than expected progress, in English and mathematics. Current Year 6 pupils are predicted to make similar levels of progress to last year. Progress in writing, however, is not as consistently good as it is in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2012, the standards reached by pupils known to be eligible for free school meals were two and a half terms behind in English and two terms behind in mathematics. The school has used the pupil premium funding well to offer 1:1 tuition and small group catch-up classes in literacy and numeracy. School information shows that across the school, pupils eligible for the pupil premium are making progress similar to that of other pupils. In Year 6, pupils eligible for free school meals are currently making better than expected progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School information shows that across the school, disabled pupils and those with special education needs make similar progress to other pupils in the school

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in most subjects, including English and mathematics, is consistently good, with some teaching that is outstanding. Teachers plan lessons carefully making good use of their subject knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn to create lessons that are interesting and enjoyable. Pupils benefit from activities that have been carefully designed to meet their different needs and make good progress as a result.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants set high expectations. They work well together to plan in-class support and catch-up sessions to help pupils gain knowledge and skills appropriate to their age. Resources are engaging and support the achievement of learning objectives. Pupil progress is monitored well so that those requiring additional support are offered this in a timely manner. Pupils benefit from using the sensory room and the opportunity to engage in the ‘time to talk’ initiative.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers often plan lessons astutely, providing opportunities for pupils to use their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and develop technological skills well. In a Year 6 literacy lesson, pupils explored presentation skills and developed criteria for creating a good presentation. Carefully planned learning activities meant that pupils worked in small groups on a range of tasks. These included opportunities to engage in research, using laptops and video links provided through the interactive white board, to access different styles of presentations and make comparisons of their strengths and weaknesses.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils acquire knowledge and develop skills quickly across a wide range of subjects, as seen in a French lesson where Year 6 pupils were taught prepositions. Interactive learning activities and appropriate support from the class teaching assistant helped pupils apply the knowledge they had already gained in new situations. Pupils used the prepositions accurately and spoke the target language with a good accent, showing confidence and understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Classrooms are vibrant exciting places in which pupils learn quickly. Teachers make effective use of questioning to check pupils’ learning and encourage them to reflect, unpick ideas and develop good reasoning skills. Pupils respond to questions enthusiastically and provide thoughtful responses that demonstrate understanding. They recall learning from previous lessons with accuracy. Reading, writing, communication and mathematical skills are taught well and across a variety of subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers set and mark pupils’ work regularly and accurately. However, the quality of marking is not consistently good across the school. Pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve their work or challenged to respond to the comments and corrections teachers make in their books.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers in Key Stage 2 are not always familiar or confident with the subject content studied at Key Stage 1. The school needs to use the opportunity provided by the recent merger of the infant and junior schools to ensure teachers develop knowledge and experience across all key stages and subjects, particularly in English and mathematics, so that they are able to quickly build on pupils’ previous learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school is a calm and purposeful place, despite the noisy building work taking place during the inspection. Behaviour management in the school is outstanding and makes a strong contribution to the peaceful atmosphere in the school. Adults model the school’s values, treating pupils with care and respect. Adults and pupils cooperate to make the school a very positive place to work and learn. Teachers use excellent classroom management strategies, including praise and rewards, to encourage positive behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils value the opportunity to contribute to the life of the school and take responsibility seriously. Pupils on the school council contribute to the design and review of the school’s code of conduct. In a meeting with an inspector, members of the school council demonstrated care and compassion as they took turns to speak and patiently listened to the youngest members who sometimes struggled to explain their thoughts quickly. Pupils are aware of different special needs and support other pupils well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attitudes to learning are highly positive. In lessons, pupils are respectful and attentive. They follow instructions well, engage enthusiastically with learning activities and they are keen to discuss their work. Parents, staff, governors and pupils are proud to be associated with the school and do not express any concerns about behaviour and safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are courteous, polite and welcoming. They demonstrate confidence from the youngest year groups. When engaged in group work or independent tasks, pupils work sensibly and maintain good focus and concentration. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils’ demonstrated good resilience as they grappled with demanding problem-solving tasks, and consequently acquired much new knowledge and understanding by the end of the lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Bullying in all its forms is rare. Pupils understand all types of bullying including physical, racial, cyber and homophobic bullying. They are confident that when bullying occurs it is dealt with effectively by staff. Assemblies, lessons and personal and social development classes ensure that pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe and provide opportunities for reflection and moral growth. Pupils have a strong grasp of right and wrong. The school keeps detailed records of all incidents, including accidents, and how they are dealt with. Pupils feel safe at school. They are happy and enjoy coming to school, as demonstrated by their high levels of attendance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Parents of pupils with challenging behaviour were highly complementary of the school’s support for their children and family. Case studies reveal that over time behaviour has improved for this group of pupils because of the strong partnership between the school, external agencies and families concerned. Pupil premium funding has been used successfully to support good attendance and improve the behaviour of eligible pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is well-led. Good progress has been made with the key issues raised at the previous inspection. The headteacher has a clear plan for improving the quality of teaching and learning and raising pupils’ attainment. He is well supported by the senior leadership team, staff, governors and parents. The senior team communicates high expectations to staff. Governors provide a good level of support and challenge to school leaders, rigorously holding them to account for pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and appropriate key points for improvement are identified in the school improvement plan. Progress towards outcomes is monitored systematically by governors in their appropriate sub-committees.

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The leadership and management are good

 There has been good support from the local authority, which has offered effective strategies to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Teaching has improved over time so that it is now consistently good with some outstanding teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Literacy is well taught throughout the school. Pupils make good progress from their starting points to achieve good standards. The school recognises the challenge of helping its most able pupils achieve as well in writing as in other subjects. It is beginning to address this through additional booster classes and enrichment activities, and through its close partnerships with similar schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s teaching programmes are broad and balanced. They are well-organised so that all groups of pupils have good access to every kind of activity the school provides. Pupils participate in and benefit from a wide range of sporting, artistic and social clubs, cultural activities and educational visits. The school supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. A Year 4 class was observed practising several Tudor dances during their PE lesson as part of their historical study of the Tudors. Pupils enjoyed the Tudor music, experimented with choreography and considered the social value of dance for Tudor men and women. Visitors attend school regularly to deliver various workshops including, anti-bullying, e-safety and the ‘mad science’ club.  Pupils develop team work, social skills and knowledge of various cultures so they are well prepared to participate in a democracy like modern Britain. They visit a variety of religious places

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The leadership and management are good

of worship, the Houses of Parliament and Colchester Castle, and gain memorable experiences and personal development from the residential trip to Osmington Bay.

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The leadership and management are good

 Communication with parents and carers is good. Many parents keenly expressed their contentment and support for the school. One parent spoke warmly and welcomed inspectors to ‘our lovely school’. Another parent expressed thanks for the work of the special needs department with her son saying, ‘He sleeps at night now that he has a worry box’. A number of parents expressed concern about the lack of hot meals and dining facilities available at the school. The school provides helpful and well attended sessions for parents and carers such as ‘Parents in English’ and ‘Parents in mathematics’. These help parents to assist their children with learning at home.

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The leadership and management are good

 Arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides effective support for the teaching of mathematics and English, which has improved the quality of teaching in these subjects

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The leadership and management are good

 The school strongly promotes equality of opportunity for all and pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are enthusiastic, long serving and committed. Prior to the recent merger, governors operated as a federated governing body so that the infant and junior schools collaborated on a range of plans. They are well organised into appropriate committees and systematically monitor progress with the school development plan and take responsibility for specific areas. Governors provide appropriate challenge and support for school’s leaders, holding them to account for the quality of teaching, behaviour and pupils’ achievement. Following the last inspection, governors received training in the use of pupil performance information. They use this to review pupils’ progress and set challenging targets. Governors are well informed and have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, including the quality of teaching and learning. They ensure that only good or better teaching should be rewarded by a

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The leadership and management are good

rise in pay. They are actively involved in managing performance management and policy design. Governors have a clear understanding of what the school is doing to tackle underperformance and are very supportive of the headteacher. Governors can account for the use of the pupil premium and explain how it is contributing to the raised attainment of eligible students.

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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 115012 Local authority Essex Inspection number 405556

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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 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair June Lumley Headteacher Gary Soars Date of previous school inspection 9 December 2010 Telephone number 01268 775047 Fax number 01268 770181 Email address office@edwardfrancis.essex.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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