Fullwood Primary School

School report Fullwood Primary School 21−24 Burford Close, Barkingside, Ilford, IG6 1ER

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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.  This school is exceptionally well led by the executive headteacher, associate and deputy headteachers and school business leader.  All leaders and teachers are totally focused on providing the best possible teaching to ensure that all pupils develop a wide range of skills that prepare them very well for the future world of work.  Teaching is outstanding. Teachers set very high expectations in lessons in all subjects and classes across the school. Consequently all groups of pupils make rapid progress, mostly from low starting points.  Achievement is outstanding. Many pupils achieve a very high standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Leaders at all levels, including the governing body, ensure that progress is tracked very systematically and any underachievement is picked up early.  Assessment of what pupils have learned is used very well to plan next steps, so that

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

resources and activities, including the use of support staff, are highly effective in helping develop pupils’ skills.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This is a warm and welcoming school. Pupils are extremely courteous and polite and keen to welcome any visitors to the school.  The high-quality relationships between pupils, and between adults and pupils, ensure pupils develop excellent confidence and self-esteem.  Opportunities for pupils to take responsibilities and contribute to the life of the school are exceptional.  Relationships with parents, carers and families are outstanding and communications about pupils’ work ensure parents and carers are able to help their children at home.  The subjects taught are exceptionally well planned, widen pupils’ experiences and link well to the high-quality and purposeful writing.  Pupils’ have highly developed spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding because the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school has an exceptionally strong programme of personal and social education, with many opportunities provided for pupils to develop their spiritual and cultural awareness.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, three of which were seen jointly with members of the senior leadership team. In addition, the inspection team made shorter visits to lessons to focus on specific aspects.  Discussions were held with the executive headteacher, associate and deputy headteachers as well as other leaders, members of the governing body, an officer from the local authority and pupils.  The inspection team looked at the school’s website as well as a range of documents including the school’s evaluation and development plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding arrangements and work in pupils’ books. They also heard pupils read.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers at the beginning and end of the school day, the views expressed in the school’s own survey and those of the 35 parents and carers who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Barker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Olson Davis Additional Inspector Neil Gillespie Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school and increased from one and a half to two forms of entry in the summer term 2011.  The headteacher was in post at the time of the previous inspection and is currently the executive headteacher of this and another school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is average. This is additional funding for children looked after by the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families. In this school there are no children who are looked after by the local authority or who come from service families.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average, as is the proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action

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Information about this school

plus or with a statement of special educational needs is around the national average.  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?

 Ensure that pupils have opportunities to respond to the excellent marking and teachers’ comments about their work so that they correct their mistakes and practise their skills.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 From starting points in the Early Years Foundation Stage that are generally low, pupils achieve exceptionally well. Standards by the end of Year 6 are usually above average.  In 2012 in Year 6 standards in reading and mathematics dipped. Leaders and teachers have ensured that progress has been rapid in the current year and that standards are back on track.  A high number of pupils enter school later than at the usual starting point, particularly in Years 5 and 6, as the school rapidly expanded. However, these pupils also make outstanding progress, some from very low starting points. Parents and carers commented on the dramatic rate of progress of their children.  Reading is taught systematically, beginning with phonics (the sounds that letters make) in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This ensures that pupils get off to an excellent start with their reading and that pupils who find learning difficult are able to work out unfamiliar words. This

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

helps with their expression and reading for meaning. Older and more-able pupils enjoy reading, and are developing excellent skills in understanding and extending their vocabulary through their wider reading.  The progress of pupils from ethnic minorities and those who speak English as an additional language is rapid and accelerated, even when they enter school later than their peers. Their skills in speaking other languages are also valued, for instance through working as language buddies for those at early stages of learning English.  The additional pupil premium funding for pupils is used very well for those known to be eligible for free school meals. A focus on these pupils by teachers, as well as additional small-group and individual support, ensures they are catching up with their peers. Their attainment in 2012 was about a term behind others in English and two terms behind in mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are making good and outstanding

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

progress since the fall in 2012 for those at school action and school action plus. Any additional programmes are very well monitored to ensure pupils are successful. Pupils respond well to teachers’ particularly effective planning for these pupils in lessons. The additional practical resources and modified activities and the highly effective use of support staff enable this group of pupils to make accelerated progress.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching has had an outstanding impact on pupils’ achievement throughout the school for a number of years.  Outstanding teaching was seen in all subjects and key stages across the school. Collaborative activities, including partner talk, are focused highly effectively on pupils’ learning, and the high level of questioning ensures teachers assess pupils’ learning during lessons.  The quality of teaching is excellent in the Early Years Foundation Stage, with child-initiated and adult-led activities developing literacy, language and communication skills particularly well, ensuring pupils make a flying start with literacy by the time they leave Reception.  In mathematics, throughout the school, staff’s effective use of practical resources to demonstrate ideas and concepts ensures pupils develop calculation skills well and specific vocabulary in mathematics. Opportunities for pupils to apply their skills in a wide range of

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

subjects are highly effective, and many pupils achieve above nationally expected levels.  There are many opportunities to write purposefully across subjects in a range of styles and these ensure outstanding progress in writing, as seen in books. Teachers use of interactive whiteboards and the sharing of pupils’ writing in lessons to enable pupils to see excellent standards, and these help develop pupils’ understanding of correct punctuation and grammar very well.  Reading is taught exceptionally well. The school has developed a programme in partnership with higher education establishments and other schools, which helps pupils to develop a greater understanding of reading ‘between and beyond the lines’. This, together with opportunities to read in a good range of other subjects, ensures that reading skills improve rapidly.  Support staff are very well directed and are therefore highly effective in lessons. They work with

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

groups of pupils and use small whiteboards to ensure visual access and the development of vocabulary for those who find it harder to learn. They are particularly well skilled in their use of questioning and subject knowledge. They use a colour-coded approach to track pupils in lessons, which is shared with teachers and linked to targets in individual education plans.  The quality of marking, through a colour-coded approach, is highly successful in ensuring pupils know what they are doing well and how they can improve their work. The involvement of pupils in developing the system gives them a sense of ownership and they are able to talk about how to improve their work. However, opportunities for pupils to make written responses to teachers’ marking and address any mistakes and to practise any areas for improvement are at an early stage of development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour at this school is exceptional. Pupils are highly motivated to achieve their best in class and in all their other activities. They thoroughly enjoy coming to this very harmonious school. They relate well to each other, whatever their background, and are courteous and polite to adults.  Parents and carers were keen to talk to inspectors about how wonderful this school is. They are exceptionally positive that their children enjoy coming to the school, are safe and that bullying is extremely rare. They would all recommend this school to other parents and carers.  Pupils have many opportunities to take responsibility, for instance looking after the youngest children at lunchtimes, helping with technology in assemblies, and contributing to school improvement through the school council.  Attendance and punctuality are above the national average. This is because the school works so well with families and has a range of strategies to ensure any problems are picked up early.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe, particularly from cyber- bullying. They understand different types of bullying and say it is very rare and that there is no racism.  A number of pupils arrive at the school with challenging behaviour. The school’s exceptional work with families through its wide range of interventions, ensures these pupils quickly join in with the life of the school and rapidly make progress.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 This school is led exceptionally well by the executive teacher with a passion that puts the ‘little people’ at the heart of everything the school does. This vision is shared by all leaders and staff who work in the school. It is this united and relentless focus which has led to the consolidation of the school’s position as outstanding in every aspect. As one member of staff put it, ‘A lot of magic happens here.’  The approach to improving teaching develops teachers’ skills exceptionally well. Leaders and managers at all levels are involved and the approach leads to high-quality training, sharing of ideas and peer observations, so that teaching is constantly improving and is consistently good and outstanding.  The local authority works well with the school in planning for this effective system to be shared with other schools. The work of the executive headteacher has raised standards in other schools

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The leadership and management are outstanding

across the local authority in recent years.  Performance management is rigorous and teachers’ and managers’ progression on the salary scale is related to the progress of pupils within a continuing cycle of school improvement.  Aspects of subjects taught are vibrant and exciting and carefully planned to suit the needs of the school and the community. For instance, a learning journey has been developed about life in India. Parents and carers are included, for instance in teaching Indian dance to pupils.  The school’s work with families is excellent. One parent said, ‘Our children have settled in instantly and are now thriving in their school.’ Senior staff are always there to talk to parents and carers at the beginning and the end of the school day. As a result, relationships are strong and parents and carers ‘appreciate the friendly and approachable staff’ and the feedback they receive about their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The range of exceptional work the school does to promote all aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development reaps rewards in pupils’ outstanding personal development and their approach to learning. Opportunities to reflect on their work in lessons, the qualities of character needed to overcome difficulties, their understanding of right and wrong and exceptional behaviour and range of cultural opportunities through trips and visits as well as listening to music and instrumental learning all make a fine contribution to their understanding of their place in the world.  The governance of the school:  The governors have steered the school extremely well through the rapid expansion to two forms of entry, including building work to accommodate the larger numbers. The temporary fall in standards in reading and mathematics was picked up quickly and governors have continued to challenge the school and ensure that any less than excellent achievement is

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The leadership and management are outstanding

addressed. Governors ensure that pupil premium funding is well focused on additional programmes and that gaps are narrowing. All statutory duties are met and policies are regularly updated ensuring that the safeguarding of pupils is a high priority. Financial stability is well established, and the school has had good support from the local authority in relation to repairs and building work. Governors monitor the work of the school thoroughly. Visits to the school are very well organised and links between teaching and the progress of pupils are strengthening. They set challenging targets for the executive headteacher and ensure that the salary progression of teachers is related to outcomes for pupils. Governors fulfil all their statutory duties with regard to safeguarding rigorously.

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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 102833 Local authority Redbridge Inspection number 412085

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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 490 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gilbert Billingham Headteacher Danvir Visvanathan Date of previous school inspection 24−25 November 2009 Telephone number 020 8551 3288 Fax number 020 8551 3966 Email address admin.fullwood@redbridge.gov.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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