Odessa Infant School

Odessa Infant School Wellington Road, London, E7 9BY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 good because:

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not all make good progress from Nursery to Year 2. Boys do less well than girls, particularly in reading and writing.  Teachers do not always use information about the pupils’ progress to make sure that they set work that is the right level of difficulty.  Pupils do not learn quickly when teachers talk for too long, or when only one pupil has the chance to answer questions in class.  Additional adults who support learning are not always fully involved in helping pupils progress as fast as possible.  Senior leaders, and leaders of subjects and year groups have not ensured that good standards of teaching and pupils’ achievement have been maintained since the previous inspection.  The school does not have an effective way of checking the progress pupils make so that leaders and governors know how well groups of pupils are doing.  Improvement plans do not always focus on the

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

most significant priorities, or have precise timescales and targets.  School leaders do not follow up the points for improvement given to teachers after they have been observed quickly enough.  The governing body does not challenge the school sufficiently to ensure it improves swiftly.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Achievement in mathematics has risen since the last inspection due to improvements in teaching which help pupils make better progress. Increasing proportions of the most able pupils reach above average attainment at the end of Year 2.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. They benefit from specialist provision carefully tailored to their individual needs.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are friendly, respectful of others and feel safe at school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. They observed 27 teaching sessions including seven joint observations with senior leaders.  Discussions were held 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 information on pupils’ progress.  They looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment data, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school action plans, the self-evaluation report, records of the monitoring of lessons and information relating to teachers’ performance management and professional development. The school’s website and records relating to safeguarding were also checked.  Inspectors took account of 31 responses to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View), the school’s own analysis of a recent survey of parents’ and carers’ views, and spoke to parents and carers

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Information about this inspection

informally. Inspectors also took account of 17 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Patricia Underwood Additional Inspector Avtar Sherri Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized infant school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. A larger proportion than the national average speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action is average. A below average proportion are 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 children from other groups) is average.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two part-time Nursery classes and three Reception classes.  Breakfast and after-school clubs at the school are not managed by the governing body and therefore are subject to separate inspection arrangements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching through the school, so that all pupils do equally well, by making sure that:  teachers use information from assessments to set work that is the right level of difficulty for the full range of pupils’ abilities, particularly in reading and writing  pupils are given opportunity to get on with their work  teachers’ planning makes consistently clear what additional adults should do in lessons to support pupils in their learning.  Improve leadership and governance by making sure that:  there is an effective way of tracking the progress of different groups of pupils so that leaders and governors know how well all pupils are progressing  improvement plans identify the most important priorities for action, have precise targets for measuring success and are regularly checked to make sure the desired outcomes are being achieved  development points identified through checks on teaching are followed up in later

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

observations so that rapid improvements are secured  leaders of subjects and year groups develop their roles in securing further improvements within their areas of responsibility  the governing body develops its skills to support and hold the school’s leaders fully to account for the impact of their work.  An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make consistently good progress through the school. Pupils, particularly boys, achieve less well in reading and writing because teachers do not always set work that captures their interest or is suitably challenging for the full range of abilities. Standards of pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 are broadly average overall but girls’ attainment is higher than that of the boys.  Pupils make better progress in mathematics because teachers plan interesting tasks that capture pupils’ interest and help them to practise and use their mathematical skills in a wide variety of ways.  Progress in Nursery and Reception requires improvement because teachers do not always plan activities for the children that extend their skills quickly by building on what they know and can do already. From starting points that are typically below those expected they reach below

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

average attainment by the end of the Reception Year.  Pupils’ attitudes to reading are positive because they enjoy the well-selected storybooks that teachers introduce them to in lessons. However, they do not all make strong gains in their reading skills because teachers do not make sure they practise phonics (knowledge of letters and the sounds they make) frequently enough, and because they are not heard reading individually to adults regularly. In the Year 1 phonics screening check, fewer pupils than nationally reached the expected level this year and last year.  The pupil premium is used to fund a variety of additional activities including extra support and guidance to boost personal and social skills, as well as group and individualised sessions.  In last summer’s national assessments, and in unconfirmed test results from this year’s assessments, the gap in attainment between pupils who benefited from the pupil premium and

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

other Year 2 pupils was narrower than that found nationally. Eligible pupils were about one term behind the others in reading and writing. They did as well as the others in mathematics. The achievement of pupils currently at the school known to be eligible for pupil premium funding requires improvement because their progress is variable through the school.  Additional support for pupils at the early stages of learning English helps them to learn key words and phrases in English quickly and practise the key vocabulary that they will need in lessons. The achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language, is inconsistent and therefore also requires improvement.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Additional support for these pupils is closely matched to their needs so that they benefit from a

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

personalised programme of support from well-trained staff and specialist therapists outside the classroom, as well as additional guidance in lessons. The school makes sure all pupils are equally included in activities.  Pupils have positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy through using equipment at break times together with specialist sports teaching and popular extra-curricular sporting clubs. The school is at the early stages of considering how to use the school sports funding to increase sporting opportunities for pupils further.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils find work too easy or too hard when teachers do not plan activities in lessons that match their abilities closely enough. Tasks are not at the right level of difficulty for pupils when information about their progress and attainment is not used to match activities to their needs. Despite the range of abilities in most classes, pupils are often set similar work to do, particularly in English lessons.  Pupils’ progress diminishes when teachers spend too long talking before setting pupils to do independent work. It also slows when only a few pupils have opportunities to answer questions or contribute their ideas during teacher-led sessions.  Additional adults who support learning are not always fully involved in helping all pupils with their learning, particularly during whole-class sessions in Years 1 and 2.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, detailed observations of children’s progress are made but

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

this information is not always used to plan suitably challenging tasks that extend knowledge and build on what children have already learned. Teachers’ planning does not always make clear what additional adults should do to help children develop their skills.  During small-group and individual sessions, well-trained and dedicated additional adults and specialist teachers support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs effectively. Pupils’ basic skills, including speaking, listening and social development, are well supported, and their self-confidence grows.  Pupils make better progress in mathematics because teachers plan a variety of interesting activities that help them to practise new mathematical knowledge. They often set work more closely matched to pupils’ abilities.  Pupils in Year 2 have helpful personal target cards that make clear what they might do to improve the quality of their written work and were observed referring to them as they checked

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are happy at school and have positive attitudes to their learning. They are polite and friendly. They listen attentively and concentrate even when teachers talk for too long or when only a few pupils have opportunities to contribute during whole-class teaching. Sometimes when independent work is not suitably challenging, their attention wanders but rarely disrupts learning.  Pupils feel safe at school. They say that bullying is very rare, and that there is just occasional rough behaviour or rude words which the school deals with quickly. Parents and carers in the online survey and in the school’s own questionnaire confirm that the school deals well with any bullying.  Advice in assembly on how to keep safe in a variety of situations, as well as regular visits to the local area, helps pupils develop a clear knowledge of road safety and a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe from harm.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Respectful relationships are promoted successfully so that pupils from a wide variety of different backgrounds get on well together. Personal and social skills are fostered well because adults are positive role models and make their expectations consistently clear. Pupils show caring attitudes, examples of this where seen with children in the Nursery, who had joined the school some time ago, observed helping those who had just started. Similarly in a Reception class, children helped one another to put on aprons before painting.  The school works hard to encourage parents and carers to bring their children to school every day. Weekly celebrations of the class with the best attendance and certificates each term for pupils who attend school very regularly help pupils to understand why they should attend so they do not miss valuable learning.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leaders and governors have not made sure that the school’s system to measure pupils’ progress helps them easily check how well groups of pupils are doing. Neither do they use the information well enough to evaluate the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. As a result, evaluations of some aspects of the school’s work are over positive.  Leaders check teaching and identify appropriate targets to improve teaching quality. However, feedback to teachers is not followed up quickly enough to make sure that improvements are made in order to maintain the good standard of teaching.  School improvement planning does not always focus on the most important priorities to bring about improvements, or measure success against improved progress and attainment for pupils within tight time scales.  The curriculum for mathematics is helping pupils achieve well because they are given a wide range of tasks to do that involve them in practical tasks and activities. Similar enhancements to

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The leadership and management require improvement

the teaching of English through the introduction of selected storybooks have not had the same impact because leaders have not ensured that the work is as closely matched to pupils’ different learning needs. Sometimes work is not sufficiently challenging or does not capture the interest of boys.  Some leaders of subjects and year groups are new to their roles and have not had time to drive further improvements in their areas of responsibility.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage settle quickly because social skills are fostered and children work well together. There are regular opportunities for pupils to explore moral issues and for reflection in assemblies. Pupils enjoy singing together and listening to music from different cultures. The school makes sure discrimination is tackled strongly and equality promoted. All pupils are valued

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The leadership and management require improvement

and known well as individuals.  The headteacher, staff and governors work closely together and have successfully secured improved teaching and raised pupils’ achievement in mathematics. This, together with making sure that teaching and achievement are good for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and maintaining pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and good behaviour, demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve further.  The local authority has offered very limited support to the school over recent time.  The governance of the school:  The governing body works supportively with school leaders and staff. Through visits to the school, governors gain a first-hand knowledge of its work and they know what the school does well. Governors attend relevant training for their roles and are aware of how the school is performing compared with similar schools. However, they do not have a secure understanding

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The leadership and management require improvement

of how well individual pupils currently at the school are doing. Neither do they check the quality of teaching against the impact it has on securing good achievement for all pupils. They are not confident to challenge the school’s leaders and managers to provide them with greater detail about the progress groups of pupils make. They have not been skilled in checking the reliability of the school’s self-evaluations of teaching and achievement in order to drive further improvements. Performance management is taken seriously and teachers are set clear targets, although these do not always link to salary increases. Governors understand the uses to which the pupil premium funding is put. However, they are not checking the extent that eligible pupils access additional provision and how well these pupils, and other groups at the school, make progress in their learning.

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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 102735 Local authority Newham Inspection number 425622

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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 335 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Genevieve Appiah Headteacher Ann Hurfurt Date of previous school inspection 12 December 2008 Telephone number 020 85347967 Fax number 020 85553235 Email address info@odessa.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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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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