Lambourne Primary School

Lambourne Primary School Hoe Lane, Abridge, Romford, RM4 1AU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 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.  Pupils’ achievement throughout the school has improved and is now good. They make quick progress in reading, writing and mathematics and reach above average standards by the end of Year 6.  Teachers have good subject knowledge, have a clear picture of the levels being reached by their pupils and help pupils do their best.  Lessons are interesting because teachers make good use of computers to stimulate pupils’ learning.  Additional support in the classroom for small groups or individuals helps pupils to achieve well.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are keen to learn and participate enthusiastically. Attendance has risen and is now above average.  The school provides a caring and supportive environment and pupils say that they feel secure and very safe.  The headteacher, governors and other key leaders provide effective leadership in promoting good achievement for pupils and developing teaching.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governing body uses a range of information to know the school well and provides a good level of challenge and support to senior school leaders and staff.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Marking does not consistently show pupils the next steps they need to take to improve their work. Teachers do not always make sure that pupils act on the advice they are given through marking.  Progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in English because pupils' skills at solving mathematical problems are not fully developed and there are limited tasks that encourage mathematical investigation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons.  Inspectors also listened to pupils read, looked at their work and observed behaviour at the start of the day, during break time and at lunchtime.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, members of staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, a representative of the local authority, pupils and parents.  Inspectors looked at policies, self-evaluation and development planning documents, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding, information about pupils’ progress and minutes of governing body meetings.  Responses from 42 parents to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, 16 staff questionnaires and the school’s own parental and pupil surveys were taken into account.

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Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, Lead inspector Additional Inspector William Alexander Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British and a few pupils have English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who attract the pupil premium (additional government funds for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are in the care of a local authority) is slightly below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action is below average, while the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  There is a before- and after-school club that is managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching by making sure that:  marking shows pupils what to do next to improve their work  teachers check that pupils follow the advice they are given through marking.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress in mathematics by providing more chances for pupils to practise solving mathematical problems and exploring mathematical investigations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children who join the school in the Reception class have varying levels of skills but overall they are typical for their age. All make good progress in reading and writing and use phonics (linking letters and the sounds they make) accurately and with confidence because of effective teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading and do so regularly. In the 2013 national Year 1 check on phonics a below-average proportion of pupils reached the required standard. However, current assessments show improvement. Pupils develop their knowledge of phonics through a systematic daily programme which promotes speaking and listening skills as well as reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Inspection evidence, including analysis of pupils’ work and the school’s own records, shows that pupils of all backgrounds, including pupils for whom English is an additional language, now make good progress in English, mathematics and other subjects. This progress continues so that they typically reach levels above those generally found by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for the move to secondary school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of good teaching and the well-planned individual and small-group support they receive. The school meets their differing needs quickly and, if necessary, support is put in place swiftly to ensure they make progress both academically and personally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In last year’s Year 6 cohort there were too few pupils supported by the pupil premium for comments to be made about their attainment and progress without risk of identifying them. The school’s assessments show that those supported by the pupil premium are progressing at least as well as the others. Good support helps ensure that pupils eligible for the funding make particularly good progress in mathematics and reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More-able pupils make good progress throughout the school. Younger pupils in Key Stage 1 are regularly given extra written and practical tasks to make them think hard. The good challenge provided for older pupils means that this year several Year 6 pupils are on track to reach the higher Level 6 in the tests.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in mathematics, while good, is not as rapid as it is in English. Pupils’ calculation and mental arithmetic skills are well-developed but their ability to solve mathematical problems is a weakness. This is because they do not spend enough time learning this skill or investigating aspects of mathematics such as number patterns and shapes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils enjoy learning because, across the school, staff create extremely engaging and exciting areas and classrooms through high-quality displays celebrating pupils’ work, especially in writing and art. All the classrooms and the before- and after-school club feature a wide range of resources to support learning. For example, in an effective Year 1 literacy lesson pupils created vivid story endings after watching a thought-provoking, short film that captured their interest.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good and improved teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ progress. Teachers have established good relationships with the pupils and manage them well, which contributes to their good attitudes to learning. Clear demonstrations and explanations help pupils to make good gains in their knowledge and help to deepen their understanding.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage staff have a clear focus on the skills that underpin learning in reading, writing and mathematics. They make good use of very careful tracking of individual progress to provide exciting, challenging activities to help children learn. There is a good balance of adult-led activities and tasks that children choose for themselves, making good use of resources both indoors and outdoors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Questioning is used effectively to check pupils’ understanding of new learning. It makes pupils think deeply and give answers of more than a few words. Teachers make sure all pupils are involved in class discussions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are used very well. They provide good support for the small groups in class and help individual pupils to develop their learning skills at a pace that suits them. They also provide a good level of support for disabled pupils, more able pupils and those who have special educational needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils know and understand what they are expected to learn because teachers clearly share the purpose of the lesson with the class. Interactive whiteboards are used well to illustrate the key learning points which often include many opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. In an effective Year 5 lesson the teacher showed photos of real people to encourage reflection on the different emotions that they might be feeling.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is an agreed approach to marking books and giving pupils feedback. However, this is not consistently applied throughout the school. Some teachers’ feedback lacks specific advice about what pupils need to do to improve and there is too little expectation that pupils will actually respond to what is asked of them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Behaviour is good in lessons, assembly, in the dining hall and around the school. The school’s records show that incidents of unacceptable behaviour are uncommon and the clear systems of rewards and sanctions are known and appreciated by the pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils show a keen interest in their learning and in the activities at the before- and after-school club, where they enjoy playing inside and outdoors. Pupils’ skills in working together are well developed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The school helps pupils to keep themselves safe by showing them how to use the internet safely and one typical pupil comment was that, ‘They [the staff] love to help sort things out.’ Pupils have a good understanding of bullying in its different forms but say that, because everyone gets on well together, it is not a problem in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents and carers who responded to Parent View or who spoke to inspectors agreed that their children are safe and well looked after at the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils take on roles of responsibilities such as ‘buddies’ at break time for younger children and assembly duty. The school council is pleased to be able to help organise events to raise funds for national and international charities.  The school has worked hard to improve attendance. Persistent absence is low and overall attendance is a little above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide good leadership and have been successful in raising pupils’ achievement and improving teaching. This is because of the systematic checking of performance, which enables all leaders and governors to have a clear view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. The findings from the school’s evaluation of its own performance are used well to bring about necessary improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Key subject leaders carry out their roles effectively. They check the quality of teaching in reading, writing and mathematics regularly and rigorously, and take any action necessary to address any shortfalls. For example, further training last year in teaching phonics, and recently in writing, has resulted in improvements to the standards pupils reach.

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The leadership and management are good

 The process of school self-evaluation is detailed and accurate. It allows leaders to set appropriate priorities for improvement within a clear and effective plan for improvement. Progress against priorities is regularly checked by senior leaders and governors to ensure continual improvement. The rigour of this underlies the quick improvement since the last inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection because there is a clearer system for the appraisal of staff performance and training of staff is well planned. Targets to improve teachers’ practice and skills are clearly linked to the ‘Teachers’ Standards’, the school’s improvement priorities and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works in close partnership with the local authority, which has provided the school with good support. It has worked well with the headteacher and senior staff in carrying out checks on, and improving the quality of, teaching and leadership of key subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 Child protection and safeguarding training for staff are thorough, and leaders implement policies rigorously. The school completes all statutory checks on the suitability of staff to be employed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils develop better physical well-being and fitness through physical education lessons and the additional sporting activities provided though the primary school sports funding. It has also been well used to update physical education resources and to provide additional training for the teachers.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are supportive of the school but also challenging. They play an important role in checking the work of the school and have a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Governors use achievement information well, attend meetings and receive regular reports, which they challenge by asking probing questions. They show a clear understanding of pupils’ attainment and progress and are knowledgeable about the quality of teaching. This also helps them compare the performance of their school with that of others. Finances are monitored effectively; governors make sure that only those teachers who have met the challenging targets set by the school, including those for pupils’ progress, are considered for pay increases. The governing body sets aspirational annual objectives for the headteacher. It understands the links between teachers’ performance and their pay, having

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The leadership and management are good

adopted a pay policy fully in line with legal requirements. Governors ensure that the pupil premium funding is spent carefully on a range of additional resources, including the provision of extra support by teaching assistants, specific learning programmes and funding for pupils to be able to participate in extra-curricular activities, including horse riding and trampolining. These contribute well to the equality of opportunity for all pupils.

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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 114952 Local authority Essex Inspection number 442021

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 193 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Martin Headteacher Sarah Noden Date of previous school inspection 20 November 2012 Telephone number 01992 812230 Fax number 01992 815675 Email address admin@lambourne.essex.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 and 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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