Coppermill Primary School

Coppermill Primary School Edward Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 6PB

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching is good, and some teaching is outstanding. Teachers and other adults have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour.  Most pupils make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are confident learners and take pride in their written work.  Behaviour and safety are good in class and around the school. Pupils from many different backgrounds get along together in harmony.  The headteacher has developed a strong team of leaders and managers who have accurately identified the school’s strengths and what they need to do to make it even better. Together they have improved teaching and pupils’ achievement since the last inspection.  Governors are well informed and provide good levels of challenge for senior leaders to bring about improvements. They are aware of the requirement to keep pupils safe, and make

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

sure that the adults in school are trained to do so.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to make sure that all pupils make excellent progress. Occasionally, some teachers do not move more able pupils’ learning on quickly enough in mathematics or provide pupils with opportunities for them to explore mathematical concepts for themselves.  Not all parents are confident that the school does enough to deal effectively with bullying or to respond to their concerns.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 26 lessons or part lessons and four of these were done jointly with school leaders. Inspectors observed all classes in the school and all teachers at least once.  They observed pupils working in small groups with an adult outside of the classroom, listened to pupils read from Years 2 to 5 and looked at work in pupils’ books.  Inspectors visited the school’s breakfast club.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff, and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 74 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke to parents informally at the start and end of the school day. They also considered the results of the school’s most recent survey of parents’ views, as well as the 29 questionnaires completed by teachers and members of the support staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including those

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Information about this inspection

relating to safeguarding and child protection, the performance management of staff, pupils’ achievement and records on attendance, behaviour and safety and the monitoring of the quality of teaching.

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Inspection team

Linda Pickles, Lead Inspector Additional Inspector Maria Coles Additional Inspector Michael Sutherland-Harper Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Coppermill Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, the largest groups being White British and Pakistani. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is below that found nationally. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is in line with levels found nationally.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium grant is above average. This is additional funding provided for children in local authority care, children with a parent in the armed services and those known to be eligible for free school meals. At this school,

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Information about this school

it applies mostly to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  A quarter of pupils enter or leave the school other than at the usual times. This is well above national levels.  The school runs a breakfast club.  There have been changes in staffing since the last inspection, including the headteacher and several teachers.  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?

 Improve the quality of teaching further so that more is outstanding by:  setting work at the right level, particularly for the more able pupils in mathematics, so they can make the best possible progress  providing more opportunities for all pupils in mathematics lessons to draw their own conclusions and explain their reasoning using mathematical language.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the school’s systems for communicating with parents, so that all parents are confident that the school takes notice of their concerns and acts upon them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge much lower than those typical for their age, particularly in speaking and listening. Pupils make good progress through the school and by the end of Year 6 standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics are in line with or just above national averages and rising.  The proportion of children who reach a good level of development by the time they enter Year 1 is increasing. This is because teaching is good and the adults give children lots of opportunities to develop their language, physical and social skills and closely check the progress they make.  Phonics (the sounds that letters make) is well taught and pupils are now making faster progress than in the past. Pupils can confidently use their knowledge of letters and sounds to read words they are unfamiliar with. In 2013, the proportion of pupils meeting the expected levels in the

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The achievement of pupils is good

Year 1 national screening check was above the national average.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Progress in reading is improving because pupils’ love of reading is fostered well. Pupils speak positively about the wide range of fiction and non-fiction books available for them to borrow in the library. Pupils have regular opportunities to write for different purposes across all subjects and take pride in the quality and presentation of their work. Their mathematics skills are well developed because they regularly use them when solving a range of problems. Pupils have fewer opportunities to explore numbers for themselves and to explain their thinking using mathematical words.  The most able pupils are usually given challenging work to do so they are able to work beyond the levels expected for their age. Sometimes more able pupils spend too long practising skills they can already do in mathematics which slows the progress they are able to make.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2013 the gaps in attainment between Year 6 pupils who benefited from the pupil premium and other pupils rapidly narrowed in reading, writing and mathematics compared with the previous year. This is because the funding is well spent on meeting the needs of identified pupils to speed up their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2013, pupils supported through the funding reached standards which were higher than similar pupils nationally and in line with their peers in mathematics. They were about four months behind their peers in reading and writing and eight months behind in grammar, punctuation and spelling.  There is very little difference in the progress made by boys and girls across all subjects. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve well because the support they receive closely matches what they need to learn to make good progress.  Pupils who enter the school outside of the usual times settle quickly and make progress in line

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The achievement of pupils is good

with other pupils by the time they leave. Pupils from different backgrounds, including those at the early stages of learning English, make good progress through the school and in a range of subjects. This is because they have plenty of opportunities to practise speaking and listening so their communication skills are developed well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching has brought about improvements in pupils’ achievement since the last inspection. Inspectors’ observations of teaching and learning and work in pupils’ books show that teaching is almost always good and an increasing proportion is outstanding. For example, Year 5 pupils made excellent progress in an English lesson when they were looking at metaphors and similes in the poem ‘The Highwayman’ and exploring how to use these in their own writing.  Pupils understand what they have to do because the purpose of their learning is made clear. Pupils’ understanding is regularly checked through careful questioning by adults. Pupils are very clear about what they should learn in each unit of work in reading, writing, mathematics and other subjects. This helps them know what they need to do to make good progress.  Teachers and other adults have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement.

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The quality of teaching is good

Lessons typically keep pupils interested because planned activities are well matched to pupils’ different starting points. Occasionally in mathematics lessons, however, pupils’ progress is less rapid because the work they are given is not hard enough, particularly for more able pupils.  Good use of a range of resources and a variety of tasks make learning exciting for pupils. Classrooms are attractive and welcoming. Displays on classroom walls celebrate pupils’ achievements and provide prompts for pupils to help them with their learning.  Pupils’ books are neatly presented and regularly marked. Teachers’ marking is effective because it tells pupils what they have done well and explains to them what they need to do next to improve their work further. This has improved since the last inspection and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ good achievement.  Additional adults are well used in lessons to support disabled pupils and those with special

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The quality of teaching is good

educational needs and pupils at the early stages of learning English. This is because they clearly explain tasks and use careful questioning so pupils can learn for themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good both in lessons and around the school and this contributes well to their good achievement. Pupils are keen to work hard; they respond quickly to teachers’ instructions in lessons and get on with their work so no time is wasted. Pupils say that behaviour in the school is normally good and there is little disruption to learning in lessons. However, not all parents who completed the online survey are confident that pupils behave well.  Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and each other. Pupils from many different cultural backgrounds play and work together well. There is no evidence of discrimination.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. A minority of parents who completed the online survey do not believe that the school does enough to make sure pupils are well behaved or deals effectively with bullying. The pupils told inspectors that they feel well looked

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

after by the adults around them.  Pupils know about different types of bullying, including racist behaviour and cyber bullying. Pupils say they feel safe in school and that bullying is rare. They are confident that adults quickly sort out any problems they might have.  Pupils are proud of their school and speak positively about the contribution they have made to decisions about new playground equipment and taking responsibility for fund-raising events. They take pride in their work and are keen to share their learning and experiences of school. Pupils look after the school environment and follow the school’s requirement for uniform.  Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now average. The school has robust systems in place to track the attendance, particularly of pupils or groups of pupils whose attendance is not as good as that of other pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The determined leadership of the headteacher, ably supported by leaders and managers at all levels, is securely focused on improving teaching to raise pupils’ achievement. The headteacher has created a culture of high expectations across the school which is shared by all staff. Teachers and other adults understand what is expected of them and are keen to work together to keep improving.  Teaching has improved since the last inspection because teachers and other adults are given training which closely matches their professional development needs. The school has strong systems in place for managing staff performance and the headteacher has been rigorous in tackling weaknesses in teaching. Teachers have clear and achievable targets which relate to improvements in pupils’ achievement and are directly linked to pay progression.  Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and regularly review

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The leadership and management are good

what is going well and what needs to be done better. Senior leaders systematically check how well individual pupils and groups are doing to make sure that any pupils not making enough progress are quickly identified and given extra help. Subject leaders regularly check how well pupils are achieving by looking at teachers’ plans and pupils’ work. The school makes sure there is equality of opportunity so all groups of pupils achieve equally well.  Senior leaders have effectively followed up the recommendations from the last inspection report, for example improving teachers’ marking so pupils know what they need to do next to improve their work. Teachers speak highly of the support they receive from senior leaders, including coaching support for teachers new to the profession.  The different subjects studied are well planned and reflect pupils’ interests and experiences. Pupils speak enthusiastically about their trips to the British Museum, Epping Forest and a Hindu

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The leadership and management are good

temple. This makes a strong contribution to pupils’ good social, moral, cultural and spiritual development and prepares them well for the next stage of their education.  The school provides regular opportunities for parents to understand more about their children’s learning, for example through workshops on guided reading and mathematics. Parents speak positively about their children having the opportunity to attend the Saturday Club to get extra help with their learning.  Parents’ responses to Parent View indicate most parents think their children are happy at the school and well looked after. A minority of parents who completed the online survey do not believe that the school does enough to respond to their concerns. Parents spoken to by the inspectors at the start and end of the school day spoke positively about the school and did not raise any concerns relating to this aspect of the school.  The school makes good use of the additional funding for sports by employing a sports coach to

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The leadership and management are good

train teachers and to extend the range of sports and clubs available. The skills that pupils are acquiring, such as teamwork, are used well in classrooms.  The school works positively with the local authority, which has confidence in the school’s leadership to continue to improve teaching and pupils’ progress.  The governance of the school:  Governors make a strong contribution to the quality of education provided by the school. This is because they know how well the school performs against other schools nationally and keep up to date with training. Governors are well informed and have a wide range of skills so they are able to challenge senior leaders and hold them to account to make sure that the finances of the school are used wisely to make the most of the resources and staffing available. They know how the pupil premium funding is allocated and are rightly proud that the achievement gap has narrowed as a result. Governors regularly spend time in school checking that the

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The leadership and management are good

information they are given about how well the school is doing is supported by other evidence. They understand how the quality of teaching has improved and the systems in place to ensure this continues. The governing body makes sure that all safeguarding arrangements meet legal requirements and understand the link between pay progression and how well teaching promotes pupils’ good achievement.

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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 103078 Local authority Waltham Forest Inspection number 430842

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 308 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev John Lampard Headteacher Figen Bektasoglu Date of previous school inspection 7−8 March 2012 Telephone number 020 85206267 Fax number 020 85209755 Email address admin@coppermill.waltham.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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