Lansbury Lawrence Primary School

Lansbury Lawrence Primary School Cordelia Street, Poplar, London, E14 6DZ

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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.  The vast majority of teaching across the school is good and, in some lessons, it is outstanding.  Pupils make good progress from low starting points to reach average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  Teachers welcome the broad range of opportunities they are offered to develop their skills and this creates a positive, dynamic culture of learning among both staff and pupils.  Lessons are engaging and teachers plan well for all the differing needs in their classes. This ensures pupils have excellent attitudes to learning.  Behaviour and safety are outstanding because pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They treat each other with respect and courtesy, and their understanding of how to stay safe is detailed and comprehensive.  Strong leadership from the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and members of the governing body has ensured teaching, and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

consequently achievement, have improved since the previous inspection.  Educational trips and visits are used exceptionally well to deepen pupils’ understanding of the topics they study.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding to ensure pupils make and sustain rapid progress across all subjects.  Marking in subjects other than English is not as effective at creating opportunities for pupils to respond in depth, which limits their achievement.  There are stronger links between English and other subjects than there are for mathematics.  The checks teachers make on how well pupils are developing the necessary skills are not as rigorous in other subjects as they are in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons or parts of lessons; every class was visited at least once. Some of these observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders. Lessons seen included the teaching of phonics (letter patterns and the sounds they represent), guided reading and mathematics.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, attended an assembly and held meetings with staff, pupils, and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  There were not enough responses to the online Parent View survey so inspectors took into account the 162 completed questionnaires from the school’s own most recent survey, as well as views expressed by parents and carers spoken to during the course of the inspection. Questionnaires from 53 staff were also reviewed.  Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ work in lessons, as well as the work pupils completed over time in their books.  The inspection team scrutinised a range of documents, including those related to safeguarding,

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Information about this inspection

child protection and attendance, the governing body minutes, reports from local authority officers, the school’s self-evaluation and development planning, the checks made on the quality of teaching, and information relating to pupils’ academic performance.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Elaine Hamilton Additional Inspector David Radomsky Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional funding for children looked after by the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families, is more than double the national average. No children in the school are from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action is just above the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is slightly lower than the national figure.  The school serves a diverse community and most pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group of which are Bangladeshi. A further 12 groups are represented in varying proportions.  Well over three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language. This is much higher

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Information about this school

than the national figure of just over one quarter. Some of these pupils 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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order that pupils make and sustain rapid progress in all subjects by:  ensuring marking in other subjects provides pupils with equally effective opportunities to respond to teachers’ comments in depth as it does in English  further developing the links between mathematics and other subjects  making equally rigorous checks on pupils’ progress in other subjects as in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills much lower than those expected for their age. Provision across the three Nursery classes is planned with meticulous care to meet their specific needs and so they begin to make progress really quickly, particularly in their independent learning skills. For example, a group of children decided to use available recycled materials to design and make a set of cars so that they had something of a good size to race around the outdoor track.  Pupils continue to make good progress across the rest of the school, so that, by the time they reach the end of Year 6, they have caught up with pupils nationally to reach average standards in English and mathematics.  Phonics is taught well and systematically. This means that, by the time pupils complete the phonics screening check towards the end of Year 1, more of them reach expected levels than is the case nationally, with most pupils reaching the standard. This good grounding ensures pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

make good progress in reading across Key Stage 2.  The school uses the pupil premium funding highly effectively to ensure that the gap between the attainment of pupils entitled to it and other groups in school is eradicated. For example, in 2012, based on average points scored in national tests, pupil premium pupils had caught up to score the same in English and were over half a term ahead in mathematics. This year, mathematics is similar and further gains have been made in English. They are ahead by approximately one term.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is also good because their needs are carefully met both in class and through specialist programmes.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well because the school places great emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary and insists upon correct grammatical usage.  The school takes great care to tackle discrimination so that all groups achieve equally well

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The achievement of pupils is good

because it is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. For example, similar proportions of pupils of Bangladeshi origin progress well to reach average standards as do pupils from other ethnic groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the previous inspection because teachers have embraced the support provided to share good practice and develop a deeper understanding of how to plan to ensure all pupils make good progress in every lesson.  One of the key features that has moved the school forward is the level of involvement pupils have in improving their own work. During lessons, pupils refer to a series of steps which outline how to achieve success at the task in hand. They are adept at editing their work in the light of these criteria and make really astute comments on what they would do better in future work.  Another, related focus has been on developing the quality of marking. Teachers make detailed comments about how to improve, sometimes in the form of short tasks which pupils complete to reinforce a key point or deepen their understanding. This is particularly effective in English, but is not so prevalent in other subjects. Consequently, pupils’ progress in English is more rapid and

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The quality of teaching is good

sustained.  Teachers make regular, detailed checks on how well pupils are doing in reading, writing and mathematics, and this ensures that any pupils in danger of falling behind are given support to catch up. This is particularly effective in writing, where progress this year has been more rapid. However, the checks made in other subjects are not as rigorous and this makes it harder to ensure that all pupils make rapid and sustained progress.  The curriculum supports pupils’ learning well because links are made across different subject areas, and understanding is deepened by reading a broad range of texts and going on well- chosen trips to support learning. However, while there are some good links to mathematics, such as using compass points and co-ordinates in geography, these are not as well developed as the links to reading and writing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is impeccable. They go out of their way to create a friendly, welcoming environment, and are thoughtful and considerate beyond their years. For example, even those as young as five or six ensure pupils new to the school know how to find their way around and always have someone to play with.  The school’s approach to learning is built around the idea that if you put effort into something, you can get better at it, no matter what your starting point. This philosophy runs alongside the use of highly specific praise so that pupils know exactly what they need to do to improve. Consequently, pupils are deeply involved in their own learning and make comments as to how well they think they have done that are extraordinarily perceptive for their age.  Pupils’ understanding of how to stay safe is exceptional because the school has worked effectively to explain a wide range of scenarios to them and equip them with the skills and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

understanding to deal with them should they occur. For example, they are aware about internet safety and know that there are organisations that children can call upon if they have any concerns. Parents and carers, and pupils, agree that the school keeps its pupils safe.  Pupils are equally well equipped when it comes to recognising and dealing with bullying. However, they say it is extremely rare in their school and have every confidence that teachers would deal with it well were it to occur.  Parents and carers are welcomed into the school before the start of the school day. They appreciate this opportunity to speak to teachers or read with their children. This, and similar initiatives, ensures attendance is higher than the national average, and pupils are punctual and ready to learn.  Behaviour is managed consistently well, including for those pupils who have particular behavioural needs. This has ensured that there have been no exclusions for the last few years.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders set ambitious targets for staff and pupils alike. They make effective plans to improve pupils’ achievement, and reflect objectively on what works and what does not. They have a clear understanding of what the school does well and what it still needs to do to improve, and welcome feedback from external sources to confirm their views and offer an extra dimension of challenge.  Senior leaders have instituted a positive culture of aspiring to excellence and, as such, teachers welcome opportunities to develop their professional expertise. They share the mindset they teach pupils: try hard at something and you will become proficient at it.  Senior leaders manage teachers’ performance well by setting clear targets linked to pupils’ progress and supporting teachers to meet them.  The school’s curriculum is vibrant and ensures pupils study topics in depth. Each topic links different subject areas together well. For example, in a topic about rainforests, pupils visit Kew

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The leadership and management are good

Gardens, create posters to persuade people to save the rainforests, learn map skills, and design and make an imaginary rainforest creature that they then write descriptions of.  The curriculum also offers a variety of opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Music, art and poetry from a range of cultures broaden their horizons. Topics such as ‘Leading the World – Rulers and Parliament’ and the life of Rosa Parks ensure pupils think about moral and ethical issues such as sacrifice and democracy. Along with visits to places of worship, spirituality is to be found in the awe pupils experience across the curriculum at the wonders of nature, the majesty of classical paintings and the philosophical discussions about and empathy with characters such as evacuees and Victorian street children.  The local authority offers light-touch support as and when the school requests. For example, the

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The leadership and management are good

school commissioned a report on teaching and learning to benchmark how far improvements had taken hold. School leaders used this information to plan further improvements.  The governance of the school:  Governors have become considerably more effective since the previous inspection. They are very clear what their roles are and their activities, such as meetings and visits into school, are a crucial part of the improvement cycle. They are aware of how the school compares to others and participate in training to keep their skills up to date. Governors use a range of available information, such as reports by educational establishments and the school’s figures on pupils’ progress and attainment, to challenge senior leaders to improve outcomes for pupils. For example, they discuss how effectively the pupil premium funding is being used to ensure that they are getting maximum impact for money spent. Governors know about the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching and are aware of where underperformance has been tackled in the past. They support senior leaders in driving forward the quality of teaching in a number of ways. Crucially, they oversee performance management and understand that the new pay and conditions mean that teachers will not be awarded increments if they do not meet targets. Conversely, where performance is exceptional, a range of incentives such as career advancement are made available. The school meets all statutory safeguarding requirements well.

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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 133574 Local authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 406531

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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 550 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Burrett Headteacher Liz Curran Date of previous school inspection 28–29 September 2010 Telephone number 020 7987 4589 Fax number 020 7537 2432 Email address head@lansburylawrence.towerhamlets.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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