Alderwood Primary School

Alderwood Primary School Rainham Close, Eltham, London, SE9 2JH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3

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Overall effectiveness

Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not yet good because

 Pupils’ progress is variable between classes and rates of learning are not consistently strong through the school.  Initiatives to improve the quality of teaching have not secured consistency and too much still requires improvement. This is why teaching is not leading to good learning for all pupils.  Teachers in charge of subjects are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the progress made by pupils or in improving the quality of teaching.  Teachers’ planning does not always make clear how additional adults should support learning in lessons.  Teaching does not fully meet the needs of some pupils when tasks are not sufficiently challenging for the most able or are too difficult for lower attaining pupils.  Leadership and management are not good because improvements to teaching and achievement have not been rapid enough. This is because improvement plans do not all have precise timescales.  Leaders and managers do not always use

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not yet good because

information about pupils’ progress rigorously enough to evaluate the school’s effectiveness. As a result, evaluations of some aspects of the school’s work are over generous.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school is improving. The executive headteacher provides ambitious leadership and is very well supported by the governing body in the drive to raise standards.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 is rising because teaching in a few classes is better.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced lasting improvements to the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children make a good start to their education.  The school is a welcoming community which successfully encourages all pupils to respect others and behave well.  Pupils’ behaviour has improved since the previous inspection and is good. Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe from harm.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. They observed 21 teaching sessions including 13 joint observations with senior leaders.  Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors listened to groups of pupils reading. They looked at work in pupils’ books and the school’s records showing pupils’ progress.  The school website, development plans and records relating to safeguarding were also checked.  There were too few responses to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View) for the inspection to take into account. The inspection considered the school’s own analysis of a recent survey of parents’ and carers’ views, and spoke informally to parents at the start of each day. Inspectors also took account of 15 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Cliff Mainey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Alderwood is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is average. A similar proportion to the national average speaks English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action is above the national average. An above average proportion is supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families) is above the national average. There are currently no children of service families at the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is going through a period of expansion. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Information about this school

are taught in two part-time Nursery classes and two Reception classes. There are two classes in Year 1, and one class in Years 2 to 6.  The school is part of an informal partnership of two primary schools that work together. Each school has a separate governing body with one governor who is a member of both governing bodies. The two schools are led overall by an executive headteacher. The other school is the subject of separate inspection report.  There have been a number of changes to teaching staff in recent times.  There is designated specialised provision for up to eight pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.  The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school clubs which are included in this inspection. The children’s centre that shares the school site is not included in this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and better teaching in order to accelerate pupils’ progress, by making sure that:  teachers match work closely to the different learning needs of pupils  teachers do not talk for too long, so that pupils can get on with independent work quickly in lessons  teachers’ planning is clear about what additional adults should do in lessons in order to play a full part in supporting pupils’ learning and progress.  Improve the effectiveness of leaders and managers by making sure that:  information about pupils’ achievement is always used carefully to measure the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress, and the overall effectiveness of the school  development plans have tight timescales to secure the swift improvements  teachers in charge of subjects play a full part in checking and improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their area of responsibility.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because their progress across the school is inconsistent and pupils do not make rapid enough progress through the school. The turnover of teaching staff that pupils have experienced in some classes has affected the consistency in the quality of teaching and rates of progress.  Faster progress in some classes where teaching is better, together with pupils’ positive attitudes to learning in all classes, is helping to raise attainment in English and mathematics. Standards of pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 are broadly average overall.  The progress made by disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, including those in the designated specialised provision, requires improvement. Additional support for these pupils in lessons or in the designated specialised provision classroom helps them to make similar progress to other pupils.  Additional support for pupils at the early stages of learning English helps them learn key words

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

and phrases in English and other subjects quickly. The achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups, including pupils who speak English as an additional language from their starting points, is inconsistent and therefore also requires improvement.  Pupils’ reading skills are promoted appropriately through daily reading sessions. Older pupils develop positive attitudes to reading because they are encouraged to select books to read from the school’s well-stocked library and classroom book collections.  Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are heard reading aloud regularly and this is helping to develop increasing confidence in using their knowledge of letters and sounds to read unfamiliar words. In the most recent phonics screening check (knowledge of letters and the sounds they make), more pupils reached the expected level than in the previous year’s check.  The pupil premium has funded a variety of activities including additional support and guidance to

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

boost personal and social skills, extra group and individualised sessions tailored to pupils’ specific abilities, booster lessons for pupils in Years 5 and 6 and after-school clubs to develop physical health and social skills.  In last summer’s national assessments, the gap in attainment between pupils who benefited from the pupil premium and other Year 6 pupils narrowed so that their attainment in mathematics was very slightly above the others, although their attainment in reading and writing was two terms behind. Unconfirmed results from this year’s national assessments suggest the gap has narrowed further so that eligible pupils were generally one term behind the others. These gaps are smaller than those found nationally. The achievement of pupils currently at the school known to be eligible for pupil premium funding requires improvement because progress is variable between classes.  Children in Nursery and Reception classes join the school with levels of skills that are below

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

those expected for their age. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes where staff plan a wide range of interesting activities in the inside and outdoor areas. Children share resources, work and play well together and are well prepared for work in Year 1.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always set work that is the right level of difficulty for the full range of pupils’ abilities, particularly in English and mathematics. Lessons in Years 1 to 6 are not always planned carefully to make sure tasks during whole class teaching and independent work are suitably demanding for lower attaining pupils and sufficiently challenging for the most able.  In some lessons, the time available for pupils to work independently is limited when teachers talk for too long. The pace of pupils’ learning slows because pupils are not able to practise new learning and develop confidence in using their skills.  The impact of additional adults on pupils’ achievement is not as good as it should be when their role in helping pupils make good progress is not made explicitly clear in teachers’ planning.  Pupils in the designated specialised provision benefit from individualised support and activities

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

that are carefully selected to develop their basic skills. Individualised support helps them to make gains in their basic skills including English and mathematics. Some group sessions are not always as closely matched to pupils’ needs to help them make better progress.  Teachers mark work regularly and make clear to pupils what they might do to improve their work further. Pupils often respond to teachers’ feedback and comments and complete additional challenges that teachers set. Personal targets help pupils understand what they need to do to move up to the next level in their work.  Children settle quickly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and are happy because adults plan a wide variety of interesting tasks for them to do that are well matched to their learning needs and build on what they know and can do already. Activities for children to choose in the inside and outdoor areas are inviting. Adults develop children’s learning through discussions and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

questioning. Adult-led tasks are well planned to build on what children know and can do already.  Specialist sports teaching, together with extra-curricular sports clubs and equipment for pupils to use at break time, helps pupils develop positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour has improved and is typically good. In discussions with inspectors, older pupils were very clear that behaviour has got better since the previous inspection.  Throughout the school, pupils are keen to learn, behave well in lessons and listen carefully. They concentrate hard and sustain their efforts, even when the work they are set is not as suitably challenging for their abilities as it should be.  At the end of break time, children in a Reception class were observed diligently following the teachers’ instructions; they hung up their coats, drank their water and settled very quickly on the carpet ready to start learning letters and the sounds they make.  Social skills develop well because pupils have opportunities to work together in pairs and small groups. Adults are strong role models. Expectations of behaviour, caring attitudes and respect for one another are made consistently clear and this helps to tackle discrimination and promote

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

equality of opportunity well. As a result, relationships are supportive and encouraging.  Pupils are polite and well mannered and they behave equally well around the school during break time. Pupils feel safe in school and express confidence that there are few incidents of bullying. They say there is sometimes some name calling, or nasty comments made, but they know that both teaching and additional staff will deal with this effectively, as the school’s records show.  Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe from harm. Road safety workshops, discussions in assembly as well as in lessons, visitors from the emergency services, together with a strong emphasis on safe practices when using computers and information technology, all help pupils develop a good awareness of risks.  Despite a range of initiatives to encourage regular attendance, rates of attendance are only average.  Breakfast and after-school clubs are popular and well attended. A good choice of food and

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

activities for pupils to choose, as well as welcoming staff, helps pupils enjoy a healthy and happy start and end to the school day.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management are not yet good because improvements have not been rapid enough and there is still too much teaching that is not good.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching have not always focused on how successfully teaching is helping pupils make good progress in their learning over time. When evaluations of teaching quality are over generous, necessary improvements are not made quickly and leaders’ ability to secure teaching that is consistently good in all classes is diminished.  Although priorities for action in school improvement planning are appropriately selected to bring about developments, some of the timescales are not tight enough to make sure improvements are made rapidly.  Leaders of subjects are not involved enough in regularly checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement within their areas of responsibility to drive further improvements.  Leaders and members of the governing body share a determination to improve the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Attainment is rising at the end of Year 6, and teaching and achievement for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have improved. Alongside pupils’ good behaviour and awareness of how to keep safe from harm, and the consistent quality of teachers’ marking and feedback on pupils’ work, all these successes demonstrate the school’s capacity to improve further. Support from staff at the partner school has been effective in helping the school in making these improvements.  The school’s core values of hard work, attentive listening, kind and caring attitudes, honesty and respect for the possessions of others are on display around the school and are regularly discussed and emphasised in assemblies and class discussions. Together with close links with local places of worship and enriching musical experiences, these underpin the school’s strong provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school works effectively with parents and carers to involve them in their children’s learning. The school makes sure they are well informed about what their children will be learning each term and how to support their children’s learning at home. Workshops on how phonics and reading are taught at the school, as well as sessions run in partnership with the children’s centre, are well attended.  The local authority works well with the school’s leaders to provide additional expertise, guidance and support as the school continues to grow in size. However, it has not always checked the reliability of the school’s self-evaluations to challenge the school to improve pupils’ progress further.  The school is at the early stages of establishing plans to use the school sport funding to increase sporting opportunities for pupils, lead by specialist sports coaches working together with class teachers.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governing body is knowledgeable and supportive and works closely with leaders and staff. Governors are keenly ambitious to secure improvements to teaching and pupils’ achievement. They know what the school does well and understand where it must do better. Governors sharply analyse information about how well pupils achieve. They are confident to ask searching questions and challenge the school further, although they do not systematically compare the school with other similar schools. They take their role in managing performance seriously. Links between salary increases, teaching quality and pupils’ achievement are clear and governors check that targets are met in order for staff to receive salary increases. They know what is being done to tackle underperformance.  Governors know the uses to which the pupil premium is put. They check the impact of this money against the results these pupils achieve in all classes compared with other pupils at the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

school. Governors attend appropriate training to keep them up to date with developments in education. They make sure the school meets safeguarding requirements. Because the governing body is effective, a review of work is not required.

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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 100112 Local authority Greenwich Inspection number 425495

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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 244 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rob Stevens Headteacher Barbara Warren Date of previous school inspection 5–6 October 2011 Telephone number 020 88506841 Fax number 020 8850 6011 Email address info@alderwood.greenwich.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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