Altmore Infant School

Altmore Infant School & Children’s Centre

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Altmore Avenue, East Ham, London, E6 2BX

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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.  The purposeful and determined leadership of the headteacher, supported by an able senior leadership team and governors, has created a highly caring and inclusive school where teaching is good and pupils achieve well.  The Federation has helped to further strengthen the transitional processes between the two member schools.  From very low starting points pupils make good progress and leave with attainment in Mathematics and English being similar to the national picture.  Children get a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make good progress.  Teaching is good because marking clearly gives pupils the next steps needed to improve their work. Teachers are good at checking and assessing pupils’ learning and so adapting tasks throughout the lessons. Teaching assistants are used effectively to support pupils’ learning.  Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe.  The school has fostered strong relationships

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

with parents, carers and the local community. As a result attendance has significantly improved since the previous inspection.  The curriculum provides pupils with memorable experiences. It effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Sometimes the pace of lessons is not rapid enough so that pupils’ progress, particularly of the more able, slows.  Pupils do not always have the skills to form their letters accurately.  Teachers do not always fully utilise some of the exciting opportunities given to pupils to help them produce high-quality writing in other subjects, besides English.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 17 parts of lessons, of which four were jointly observed with the headteacher, head of school and an assistant headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and observed two assemblies.  The inspection team looked at a range of the school’s work and looked at records of the governing body meetings, the school’s documentation for gaining an accurate view of itself, records of pupils’ progress, pupils’ work and documents relating to attendance, behaviour and safety.  Inspectors had meetings with key staff, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. They spoke informally to parents and carers during the carnival and at the start of the school day.  Inspectors took into account the 33 parent and carer responses from the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 39 responses from the staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Raminder Arora Additional Inspector Peter Thrussell Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized infant school.  It has a soft federation with Latham Junior School. Both schools have separate governing bodies and budgets. The governing body also manages a Children’s Centre which is situated on the same site and has a separate inspection.  A hard Federation will be formed between the two schools from 7 October 2013 and there will be one governing body.  An executive headteacher is responsible for this school, Latham Junior School and the children’s centre.  The head of school manages the day-to-day running of the school.  The school had a carnival day during the first day of the inspection.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the

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Information about this school

government for those known to be eligible for free school meals, children in the care of the local authority and pupils from service families) is above average.  Most of the pupils are from Pakistani, Indian and other Asian backgrounds.  More pupils join and leave the school at times other than the usual admission time than in most schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching is consistently good and a larger proportion is outstanding by ensuring that the pace of lessons is quicker, so that pupils, particularly the more-able pupils, get to do their activities sooner.  Make more of the stimulating opportunities provided to the pupils, in order to get them to produce high-quality writing in other subjects as they do in their literacy books.  Develop pupils’ skills in accurately forming their letters.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children mostly join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are well below the levels expected for their age, particularly in communication and language, number and personal, social and emotional development. Children make rapid and good progress overtime. This is because school leaders have put in good systems to develop children’s language and social skills.  Pupils enter into Year 1 with skills at below expected levels for their age. Although standards dipped slightly in 2012, they consistently make good progress as they leave the school at the end of Year 2 with standards that are broadly in line with the national average.  Standards are slightly higher for those that have been at the school from the start of the Early Years Foundation Stage, compared to the standards of those who join at other times in the school year.  In 2012 attainment in reading had dipped. The school leaders have successfully addressed this

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The achievement of pupils is good

by giving pupils quality individual support and by appointing a leader who is in charge of phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make). She has ensured that all staff have the necessary skills to teach the early stages of reading. As a result, standards in reading in 2013 have risen.  Pupils who read to the inspectors were excited about reading and used a range of methods including phonics to work out unfamiliar words. They had a good understanding of the books and read with plenty of fluency and expression.  Pupils achieve well in mathematics because they are given practical and useful resources to support their learning. They have plenty of opportunities to investigate different problems.  Standards in writing dipped in 2012 but have improved in 2013.This is because from an early age children are encouraged to and attempt to write short meaningful sentences. Displays show some of the high-quality written reviews made by the older pupils about ‘Flat Stanley’. However,

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The achievement of pupils is good

the written work in their topic books shows that they do not always produce similar high-quality writing in other subjects as they do in English. Also they do not always write their letters accurately.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because their needs are identified early and there are good links with other external agencies.  Pupils from a minority ethnic background and those who are at the early stages of learning to speak English make good progress. There is good support from adults who are bilingual and teachers use plenty of visual aids to support their understanding. This shows the school’s determination and drive to ensure that all pupils have an equal chance of doing well.  The attainment gap in reading, writing and mathematics is closing between those eligible for the pupil premium and others in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall. Most of the teaching seen during the inspection was good.  Teachers’ marking is good and detailed. Work in pupils’ books shows they are clearly given the next steps needed to improve their work and they are given a chance to act on them. This helps them to make good progress.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught effectively in other subjects because teachers have good subject knowledge and this helps to deepen the pupils’ understanding. For example, in a Year 2 topic lesson, the teacher’s good subject knowledge helped the pupils to have a good understanding about the differences between man-made and natural materials at the seaside and use the correct vocabulary.  Teaching assistants are used effectively to support pupils’ learning in a variety of ways such as giving individual support and helping them in small groups. They make good use of using the latest computer technology to help pupils to read and develop their speaking skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are good at monitoring pupils’ work and picking up any errors quickly even if they are focusing on a specific group. This was observed in a Year 2 mathematics lesson where pupils were investigating different forms of multiplication using a range of equipment. Even though the teacher was supporting the more-able pupils to multiply a two digit number by 10, she was still able to assess how well the other pupils were doing and move them on where appropriate.  Teaching is good in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Teachers are very clear about what they want the children to learn and plan very interesting activities for them. For example, teachers provided high-quality printed photographs of the children taking part in the school carnival. Children were excited about seeing themselves and were very eager and keen to make books and write about their experiences using these photographs.  Where teaching is not as effective, it is due the delivery being slower, particularly during the

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The quality of teaching is good

lesson introduction. This means that some of the pupils, particularly the more-able, do not start their activities quickly enough in order for them to make further progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good although when writing they are not so good across the fullest range of subjects. Pupils are courteous and well mannered and treat each other with plenty of respect. They conduct themselves well when they are walking around the school.  Pupils are very proud of their school. They say, ‘We are the best school ever’ and give themselves full marks. They have a good understanding of how the school manages their behaviour and can talk at length about the different rewards they receive such as ‘golden time’ and ‘gold stars’.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have well-developed social skills and attitudes to learning. They are consistently positive and have established good relationships with each other and with all adults. As a result they make friends and settle quickly. They make choices confidently and are not afraid to ‘have a go’ when faced with new experiences or making

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

attempts at working independently.  Pupils have a clear understanding of verbal and physical bullying. They are adamant there is no bullying in their school.  Pupils say they feel safe. They know how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know that they must not talk to anyone through the fence unless it is their family or friends.  Responses by parents, carers and staff agree that behaviour is good.  Rigorous procedures by school leaders, such as setting up their own attendance and early intervention teams to support families, have significantly improved attendance. Attendance is now broadly average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The passionate and determined leadership of the headteacher provides a clear picture of how successful the school can be. She has created a senior leadership team that is very motivated. They have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Together with the governing body, all of them have worked well to ensure that all pupils are successful despite their low starting points.  The senior leadership team effectively use data to rigorously analyse the performance of the different groups of pupils and this information is used well to correctly identify the school’s priorities.  All leaders thoroughly monitor the quality of teaching and learning and this has helped to improve it.  All teachers have a challenging performance management objectives which links teachers’ progression in pay to the school priorities, pupils’ outcomes and the new Teachers’ Standards. These are regularly reviewed by the senior leadership team.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school provides an exciting and meaningful curriculum that takes account of pupils’ interests and aptitudes. It provides very good enrichment. For example, pupils are taken to the seaside and different landmarks in London, such as the Tower of London and the London Eye, to widen their experiences. These experiences contribute to pupils’ good achievement. However, school leaders have correctly identified that despite having all of these experiences, they are not fully maximised to get pupils who are capable of doing, to produce high-quality writing in all subjects.  The curriculum effectively promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In lessons teachers help pupils to develop and use their imagination and curiosity. Exciting projects such as having a school carnival help pupils to develop a good understanding of their own and other cultures and faiths around them.  The school has established very strong partnerships with the parents and carers and with the

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The leadership and management are good

local community. This was particularly noted in the overwhelming numbers who turned up to support the school’s carnival day. Some of the comments by parents and carers are, ‘I feel privileged that my child comes to this school’ and ‘A great thing about this school is they are always thinking of improving.’  The Federation has helped to give all teachers a better understanding of the bigger picture of where the pupils have come from and where they need to go at the end of Key Stage 2.  The school has fostered a good relationship with the local authority but does not need its support as it is a good school.  The governance of the school: The governing body has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors have had the relevant training to help them to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They regularly make visits to the school and report back to the main

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The leadership and management are good

governing body. They regularly seek the views of parents and carers and will often translate for those who need it. The headteacher’s report is very detailed and comprehensive and helps them to have a clear understanding about how well the pupils are performing in the school. Governors ask very searching questions and hold leaders to account. They are well involved in the decision making about the spending of the pupil premium funding and regularly check on how it is making a difference to the pupils. They ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are fully understood and meet statutory requirements, as pupils’ safety is rightly given a high priority.

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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 102709 Local authority Newham Inspection number 412595

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 480 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jeremy Evans

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Head of School

Sarah Rowlands Carolyn Marles Date of previous school inspection 5 June 2009 Telephone number 020 8472 3555 Fax number 020 8472 6126 Email address info@altmore.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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Head of School

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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Head of School

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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Head of School

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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Head of School

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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Head of School

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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