West Green Primary School

West Green Primary School Woodlands Park Road, Tottenham, London, N15 3RT

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Pupils’ achievement is inadequate. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been too low for a number of years at the end of Key Stage 1. Progress in Key Stage 2 is not fast enough to overcome previous underachievement, especially for boys and in reading.  Transition between year groups is poorly planned so that, in some classes, any progress made is lost.  Teaching is inadequate. It is not helping all pupils to make enough progress. Teachers’ expectations are not high enough, so work is not hard enough and, as a result, not enough pupils are reaching the higher levels at the end of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.  Leaders have not planned well enough to improve reading across the school.  Teachers do not use information about pupils’ progress well enough to meet their needs or check regularly how well pupils are doing during lessons. As a result, pupils often spend

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

too long on work that is too easy and some become distracted because they do not understand what they have to do.  Attendance rates declined in 2013 and are below the national average.  Leaders have not checked carefully how well additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils has been used to close the gap in attainment between these pupils and others.  The school’s capacity for improvement is inadequate because areas for development identified at the previous inspection have not been tackled quickly enough to improve the quality of teaching and speed up progress for pupils.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 Recent changes in the school’s leadership team and the newly formed interim executive board have, in a matter of weeks, set the school on an upward path, and are addressing areas that need to improve. There is a positive atmosphere in the school.  Teaching in the Nursery and Reception is good and, as a result, children make good progress in most areas of learning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 12 lessons or parts of lessons. Three of these were jointly observed with senior leaders.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work and attended an assembly.  There were not enough responses to the online Parent View questionnaire for the views of parents to be secured. Inspectors took account of a recent school questionnaire for parents. They also took account of the views of staff expressed in six questionnaires.  Discussions were held with representatives from the local authority’s advisory service, members of the interim executive board, including the Chair, and members of the school staff.  Inspectors examined pupils’ progress data and other school documentation, including safeguarding information.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils and also talked to pupils at break, lunchtimes and in lessons.

p.2

Inspection team

Barbara Firth, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jon Carter Additional Inspector

p.2

Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.3

Information about this school

 West Green is an average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils come from a range of minority ethnic heritages, and this proportion is much higher than usual. Almost three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language.  A lower than average proportion of pupils has disabilities and special educational needs, supported through school action. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special education needs is just above average.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. A third of the pupils at school action plus are supported by the specialist speech and language resource base which is for pupils in Key Stage 1. There are currently six pupils on roll in this provision.  Just over half the pupils are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium, which is additional funding given to schools for children in the care of the local authority, those known

p.3

Information about this school

to be eligible for free school meals and those from families in the armed services. The proportion of pupils known to be entitled for free school meals is much higher than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since October 2012 the deputy headteacher has led the school in the capacity of acting headteacher. The school experienced a great deal of turbulence in staffing during the last academic year including the long-term absence of the substantive headteacher who retired in August 2013.  In February 2013 the local authority used its powers of intervention and disbanded the school’s governing body and put in place an interim executive board to be responsible for the school’s governance. The interim executive board was established in July 2013. In September 2013 the senior leadership team was strengthened with the addition of an assistant headteacher, who is

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve urgently the quality of teaching in order to raise the achievement of pupils, particularly in Key Stage 1, for boys and reading across the school, by ensuring that:  expectations are consistently high and work is sufficiently challenging and matched to the different levels of ability so that more pupils reach the higher levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6  teachers assess pupils' progress more regularly in lessons and, where needed, adapt and change work more quickly to help pupils make faster progress and keep on task  teaching assistants are involved in supporting pupils’ learning from the start of the lesson so that pupils are immediately engaged in activities  more opportunities are planned into lessons for pupils to develop and apply their reading skills in all subjects  all marking matches that of the best, so that pupils know clearly why work is good and specifically what to do next to improve and that pupils are expected to respond to teachers’

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

comments.  Improve leaders' capacity to secure and sustain improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement by ensuring that:  the pace of change speeds up and evaluation of the school’s work focuses firmly on its impact on pupils’ achievement  weaknesses in teaching, including that in the specialist resource base, are eliminated rapidly with a sharp focus on pupils’ progress during lesson observations  transition is well planned and effective across the year groups and key stages to make sure that pupils’ attainment does not regress in their new class, especially between the Early Years Foundation Stage and Year 1  an agreed plan for improving literacy, and in particular how to improve standards in reading for boys, is put in place as soon as possible, including precise details about how activities across the curriculum will enable pupils to develop their reading and writing skills

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 rapid action is taken to address the underachievement of different groups, including boys and those pupils supported through the pupil premium funding, monitoring its impact closely  rapid action is taken to improve rates of attendance so that these improve to being at least in line with the national average  the skills and expertise of new and inexperienced leaders with particular responsibilities are developed, especially in the support of teachers to improve rates of progress within their year groups  the interim executive board ensures that all policies, including those related to performance management, are agreed and in place as soon as possible.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Achievement is inadequate because pupils do not make enough progress in all year groups and over time.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have been significantly below average at the end of Key Stage 1 for a number of years. In 2012, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 improved to being just below the national average. However, they remain too low in reading and too few pupils reach higher levels at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6.  Children start school with experiences and skills that are well below the levels typically expected. They make good progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage because the quality of teaching is good and activities stretch their learning. Adults observe and assess what children know and can do and adapt activities to ensure all children learn. They work well with the children with an emphasis on promoting talk. Adults provide well-thought-through and focused

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

activities, both in the classroom and outdoor spaces, to support the development of reading, writing and number skills. Standards at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage have improved over time and children now enter Year 1 with average skills in most areas of learning.  In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ progress slows in reading, writing and mathematics. Half of the pupils in Year 1 reached the expected standard in their phonic skills (letters and the sounds they make) in the 2012 national reading check. Current school data indicate that in 2013 there was a slight improvement in all subjects; however, standards remain very low and progress is also very slow.  Pupils’ progress across Key Stage 2 is not consistent and in the last academic year it was particularly slow in Years 3 and 4 with the majority of pupils making very little, or no, progress. Achievement is better in Year 6 because progress accelerates and, in 2013, attainment was

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

higher as a result. Pupils, including those of minority ethnic heritage and those for whom English is an additional language, are making better progress in writing and mathematics. However, progress in reading is slow and attainment of higher levels in all subjects is well below the national average.  The school is failing to promote equality of opportunity because boys’ attainment and progress are below that of the girls. In reading, boys were eight months behind girls in 2012, and 13 months behind that of boys nationally. Pupils for whom the school receives government funding through the pupil premium do less well than others in the school and nationally. Attainment for these pupils in 2012, which includes those known to be eligible for free school meals, was around 12 months behind in English and around two months behind in mathematics. In reading they were around 17 months behind their peers.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make progress from their individual

p.5

The achievement of pupils is inadequate

starting points which is better than their peers in school and in line with similar pupils nationally. Most pupils in the speech and language resource base make slow progress over time.

p.5

The quality of teaching is inadequate

 The quality of teaching is inadequate because, over time, too much teaching has not been good enough to ensure pupils make the progress of which they are capable. Teaching varies across the school from inadequate to good. Too much teaching requires improvement, especially in Key Stage 1. It is consistently good in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  In too many lessons, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do and how much they should do. As a result, teaching is not helping pupils to close the gap with nationally expected standards quickly enough or achieve higher levels.  Teachers know pupils well and relationships are positive. However, teachers do not use information from assessments well enough to match accurately the work in lessons to individual pupils’ needs. Pupils do not learn well enough because teachers do not check their progress often enough during lessons and adjust tasks accordingly. As a result, some pupils are confused

p.5

The quality of teaching is inadequate

or lose concentration and do not complete enough work because they do not understand what to do or the work is too easy or too hard for them.  Teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to practise their reading, writing and mathematical skills across all subjects. In guided reading lessons, activities are often poorly planned and checks are not made often enough to ensure that pupils working independently are focused and making progress.  The quality of marking has improved since the last inspection but it is still too variable. In the best marking, comments are useful and identify what pupils have to do to improve their work. However, in too many instances, marking does not give clear enough guidance on how well pupils are doing or how to improve and comments are too general, such as ‘well done’. Not all teachers expect pupils to respond to their comments and there is little opportunity for pupils to

p.6

The quality of teaching is inadequate

take responsibility for their own learning through marking their own or their peers' work.  The quality of teaching in the specialist resource base requires improvement. Pupils rely too heavily on adult support to complete their tasks, and opportunities to extend their written work are not challenging enough. Progress is slowed because adults do not always help pupils overcome their difficulties with speaking.  Teaching assistants often make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning, especially for disabled pupils or those with a statement of special educational needs. However, they do not always support pupils actively enough in the opening parts of lessons and after break they sometimes arrive when the lesson has started because they have completed a break duty. This can be disruptive to the lesson and limits their effectiveness with the pupils they are supporting.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Behaviour and safety are not good because, while most pupils behave well, behaviour varies according to the quality of teaching. In some lessons, where teaching is less effective, pupils become distracted or ‘switch off’ when tasks do not provide enough challenge or when they do not understand what they have to do.  Attendance is below the national average and decreased in 2013. The acting headteacher has introduced a number of rigorous measures to be adopted in the new school year, including making it clear that the school will not authorise holidays taken in term time. It is too soon to see the impact of these measures.  Inspectors observed compliant behaviour in and around the school. Pupils like school and report that they have good friends. Those from a wide range of backgrounds and heritages get on well with one another. They are polite and greet visitors warmly.  Inspectors found that pupils know about different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying, and

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

have a sensible understanding of how they can keep themselves safe, including when using the internet. Pupils say that when incidents occur they are dealt with very quickly. The school’s records indicate that incidents of bullying are followed up and carefully investigated.  Pupils say they feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe. They are well cared for by the school. Most parents who responded to the school’s questionnaire agreed that their child was safe in school.

p.6

The leadership and management are inadequate

 Over time, school leaders have not secured the necessary improvements in pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching and learning. Too little progress has been made in dealing with the recommendations of the previous inspection. Pupils’ achievement remains low at the end of Key Stage 1 and the quality of teaching has not improved enough. Although there are positive signs, recent improvements are fragile and the school’s track record indicates a weak capacity to improve.  Staff told inspectors that they have a new sense of purpose since the formation of the interim executive board and there is now a shared vision for improvement. The senior management team has been strengthened by the appointment of an assistant headteacher who is currently acting as the deputy headteacher. There are new systems and plans in place; however, these changes are at an early stage and have not yet had time to make a difference to pupils’ learning

p.6

The leadership and management are inadequate

and progress.  Leadership and management of the specialist resource base require improvement. Age- appropriate resources are provided and used adequately to support pupils’ learning; however, pupils’ progress is limited by the quality of teaching which requires improvement.  The local authority has a clear understanding of how pupils and teachers are performing. Over the last academic year it has provided support and advice which the school has welcomed and used well. School data suggest that standards have started to improve.  The school has restructured and middle leaders are taking on an increasing responsibility for checking planning and progress within their subject areas. However, many are new to their responsibilities and, as yet, lack the skills to be effective in their use of data and in improving the quality of teaching to ensure that it has a positive impact on pupils’ progress in their subject.

p.7

The leadership and management are inadequate

 There are new systems for checking the quality of teaching, which are more rigorous than previously, when judgements have been too generous and focused too much on what the teacher was doing rather than on pupils’ learning.  New procedures for the management of teachers’ performance are now being put in place. They will be linked more robustly to how well pupils are doing and to salary progression.  The leaders’ understanding of the school’s performance lacks rigour, because it is not based enough on a sufficiently detailed scrutiny of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching.  Over time, systems for checking the progress made by groups, such as those supported by the pupil premium and boys, have not been robust enough to provide leaders with the information they need to make rapid improvements. Plans for future improvements are not focused finely upon areas of underachievement; for example, there is no strategic planning for the teaching of

p.7

The leadership and management are inadequate

reading across the school and, in particular, for raising the achievement of boys in reading. Activities that have been put in place to support these groups are not systematically evaluated for their impact. Where this information has been available leaders’ responses have been too slow.  Transition between year groups is poorly organised and, as a result, too many pupils regress in their new class. This is especially the case in Year 1 where inspectors observed pupils displaying a very poor attitude to learning, yet had left the Reception at the end of the summer term with a good attitude to learning.  The school is in the process of applying for the primary school sport funding. In anticipation, it has employed two sports coaches who are working alongside teachers to develop their expertise and provide better physical opportunities for pupils. It is too early to judge the effectiveness of the provision and its impact on pupils’ well-being and achievement.

p.7

The leadership and management are inadequate

 Pupils report that they enjoy the clubs, trips and visits to places of interest organised by the staff. However, the curriculum does not prepare pupils well enough for the next stage of schooling because reading skills are not established firmly enough. Arrangements for safeguarding meet current requirements and the interim executive board is finalising statutory policies as a matter of priority.  Newly qualified teachers should not be appointed.  The governance of the school:  The interim executive board is an experienced group of individuals who bring a good range of relevant skills to the school. They are fully aware of the issues at the school and are well equipped to ensure that progress is made. They have a good understanding of data and an accurate view of the school’s performance and the quality of teaching. They have already contributed to strategic plans for improvement. It is too early to assess the impact of their

p.7

The leadership and management are inadequate

contribution but evidence gathered during the inspection suggests that they provide both challenge and support. Training for safer recruitment and safeguarding has been undertaken and plans for ensuring that teachers’ salary progression is linked to their performance and an evaluation of the use of pupil premium funding are in the process of being agreed.

p.7

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

p.9

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.

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 102115 Local authority Haringey Inspection number 425541

p.10

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.10

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 250 Appropriate authority Interim executive board Chair Joel Brookfield Headteacher Acting Headteacher Doris Law Date of previous school inspection 1–2 February 2012 Telephone number 02088004676 Fax number 02088028297 Email address doris.law@westgreen.haringey.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 .

p.10

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.

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

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’.

p.11

School details

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

p.11