Lansdowne Primary Academy

Lansdowne Primary Academy Lansdowne Road, Tilbury, Tilbury, RM18 7QB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

 Progress is variable across the school because teaching is not consistently good. Pupils’ knowledge of number facts is not secure.  Learning activities are not always carefully matched to pupils’ needs and the reading books given to younger pupils are sometimes too difficult.  There are weaknesses in the teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) which prevent pupils gaining the skills they need to make sense of unfamiliar words in their reading and writing.  Teachers do not expect enough of pupils or challenge them sufficiently, especially more- able pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Not all teachers, including some curriculum leaders, use data accurately to assess their pupils’ progress.  Teachers do not always insist on the highest standards of presentation and handwriting, particularly in Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2.  Teachers’ assessments of their pupils’ work are

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

not always accurate and not all marking informs pupils about how well they have done and how they can improve their work and move on to the next steps in their learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 Senior leaders and governors have a clear picture of the academy‘s strengths and are taking the steps that are needed to improve teaching and learning.  Progress is improving and there is an upward trend in standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is strong at the top of the academy and in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Behaviour in and around the academy and in the vast majority of classes is good. Pupils have good attitudes to learning, feel safe and enjoy being at school.  The academy supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning and looked at pupils’ work in all year groups. They visited 28 lessons and several were observed jointly with a member of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held meetings with the Executive Principal, Principle Designate, assistant principals and leaders with subject responsibility. Inspectors met with the Chief Executive Officer for the Gateway Learning Community Trust (GLC), the Chair of the Governing Body and another governor.  They analysed the academy’s information on attainment and progress.  The team examined records of Havering Local Authority’s involvement with the academy and met with a local authority representative.  The views of parents and carers were considered from the academy’s own recent parent survey and discussions before the start of the day. There were insufficient responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, to build a reliable picture of parents’ views. The views of the 60 staff

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Information about this inspection

who completed the staff questionnaire were taken into account and the team talked to staff during the inspection.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, chatted to pupils informally in the dining hall, the playground and with a group of older pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons and at various times around the academy, including at lunchtime.  Inspectors looked at documentation including that related to safeguarding, behaviour and the school’s development planning. They also looked at attendance figures and at the academy’s website.

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Inspection team

Gillian Bosschaert, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lynda Beale Additional Inspector Neil Harvey Additional Inspector Graham Marshall Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school became a sponsored academy within the Gateway Learning Community Trust (GLC) with effect from 1 April 2012. The GLC is sponsored by the Ormiston Trust.  The academy is larger than the average primary school.  The large majority of pupils are White British. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below the national average. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is well below the national figure.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is average  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is double that found in similar schools and rising. This is additional funding provided by the government to support those pupils who are eligible for free school meals or are in the care of the local authority.

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Information about this school

 The academy met the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The academy manages its own breakfast club.  The academy houses specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs, in the form of a social communication unit for up to 12 pupils with moderate learning difficulties and autistic Spectrum Disorder. The Executive Principal is also head of the provision, which is funded by Thurrock Local Authority.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching so that progress is good for all pupils by:  raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve and ensuring work set in all classes consistently challenges pupils, especially those who are more able,  ensuring the work set for all pupils, especially that given to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, is carefully matched to their abilities and previous learning  improving the accuracy of teachers’ assessments and ensuring marking always shows the pupils how they can to improve their work  providing training for all teachers, including subject leaders and those with management responsibilities, so that they understand how data should be used to monitor progress and refine lesson plans.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve standards in reading, writing and mathematics, especially in Key Stage 1 and early Key Stage 2 by:  ensuring the reading books given to younger pupils are not too difficult  providing training in the use of phonics for new members of staff and ensuring that they model correct pronunciation when teaching phonics to their classes  improving the presentation and handwriting in pupils’ books and enabling more pupils to write regularly in a joined-up style  improving pupils’ understanding of number facts in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 rose in 2013 in reading, writing and mathematics. But were still below national expectations.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress is not consistently good across the academy. More-able pupils do not achieve as well as they should in all classes because they are not challenged enough so that they sometimes finish their work before their classmates have begun. Pupils sometimes say the work is too easy. However, increasing numbers of pupils currently in the school are making at least expected progress, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage and at the top of the academy.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Books chosen by the teachers in Year 2 and read to an inspector were sometimes too easy for the more-able pupils but too hard for other readers. Year 6 readers generally read with fluency and accuracy but texts were not sufficiently challenging for them to make more rapid progress. Pupils say they enjoy reading and read at home. Pupils, especially the boys, make good use of a recently purchased computer programme that allows them to develop a better understanding of the texts they are reading. Pupils confirm that this is helping them become better readers.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement in writing is improving. An above-average proportion of pupils left in 2013 having made progress that was at least as expected, and many made good progress despite their low levels of achievement in Key Stage 1. However, not enough pupils are able to write in a fluent joined-up style and the standard of presentation in pupils’ books is not always good enough.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of pupils currently in the academy in mathematics is also improving. Standards are rising, having been below average over time at both Key stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In 2013, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who had made above expected progress was broadly similar to the national average. However, as with reading and writing, progress is not even throughout the school. In Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2, pupils’ understanding of number facts is not always secure or as well-developed as it should be.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter the Nursery and reception classes with knowledge, skills and understanding that are well below those typically seen at their age. They make good progress in the Nursery but a third of the children who enter the Reception classes did not attend the academy’s Nursery and most had not attended any pre-school education class. At the end of Reception most pupils have reached levels which are still below expectations, even though they have made good progress in most areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils with special educational needs and those who are on School Action and School Action plus do not progress as well as their classmates particularly those supported at School Action. The gap between these pupils and their classmates is getting wider because work in class is not set at an appropriate level.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In contrast, pupils with a statement of special educational need and those in the unit make good progress because they are well supported and well taught. Work is carefully matched to their abilities and, consequently, both their achievement and their behaviour improve. They have frequent opportunities to join in regular classes and are fully integrated into the life of the academy and accepted by other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupil premium funding is used to provide help for eligible pupils needing support with their learning. Regular reviews take place each half term and additional teaching put in place where needed, with the result that most of these pupils make at least the same good progress as their classmates and sometimes better. The gap between the attainment of eligible pupils and the others in reading writing and mathematics was approximately two terms when they left Year 6 in 2013. Currently, these gaps are reducing, although slightly faster in English than in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The additional sports funding is being used effectively to increase the range and number of activities offered. Participation in sporting activities has increased and pupils are enthusiastic about physical education and competing with other schools.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently good because teachers do not have consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve as they move up through the academy.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not all teachers are able to make accurate assessments of their pupils’ progress. Consequently, the work set for more-able pupils is not always hard enough and, for pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs, it is sometimes too difficult. This is particularly the case in teachers’ choice of reading material in some classes.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality and quantity of the work in pupils’ books shows inconsistent progress across year groups. In some classes teachers too readily accept work that is poorly presented and handwriting that is poorly formed. Not all pupils in Year 2 are encouraged to write in a joined-up style and this prevents them gaining the higher levels of attainment in writing. In contrast, work in the upper part of the academy is often of high quality and well presented, and pupils’ handwriting is well developed.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not all teachers understand how to teach phonics effectively. Consequently, not all pupils learn how to tackle unfamiliar words and develop their reading as quickly as they should as they move through the academy.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The academy’s marking policy is not applied consistently across by all staff. Not all marking is sufficiently informative to ensure pupils can avoid making the same mistakes later or know how to improve their work. Where learning is most effective at the top of the academy, work is marked well. Pupils are given pointers on how to improve their work and any dialogue between the teacher and the child is carefully followed through. However, these qualities are not consistently evident in all classes across the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some of the additional funding for pupils eligible for the pupil premium grant has been used to employ additional teaching staff for mathematics and literacy. This use of the funding has been effective. Small group work within classes and in outside areas has been used well to accelerate learning in reading and writing. The academy’s own records show that reading and writing are improving. Improvement is not quite so fast in mathematics where additional programmes have yet to be put in place.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching in the social communication unit is good. Teachers are skilled in dealing with these pupils’ emotional needs and help them learn to manage their behaviour well. They also ensure that the lessons are carefully planned to help these pupils make good progress. Teachers liaise closely with other staff whenever these pupils are taught in classes with the other pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants are generally deployed well and contribute to pupils’ progress especially in the Nursery and Reception classes where they talk to children continually to develop speaking and listening skills. Well-planned activities help children to develop early reading, writing and number skills. There is a strong emphasis on speaking and listening and developing children’s social skills by sharing and taking turns. Teachers also develop children’s curiosity about the natural world though the stimulating activities they offer children when they are working in the outside area.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good. Pupils are polite to each other and to other adults. They cheerfully say ‘Good morning’ and willingly hold open doors. They are eager to learn and apply themselves quickly to their work. Only rarely, where teaching is insufficiently stimulating, do pupils become restless.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are proud of their school, stating, ‘There is nothing to hate, everything to love about our school. Adults make learning fun.’ There is a strong culture in the academy of celebrating success and pupils are very supportive of others successes. They value one another and understand that they have a responsibility to help others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents, carers and staff feel behaviour is good. Pupils like the way citizenship marks are awarded for displaying qualities, such as thoughtfulness, morality, resilience and respect. Discrimination is not tolerated.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The academy’s work to keep the pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe and parents agree that their children are kept safe. Pupils know how to use the internet safely. They understand what bullying is and are clear that, should it occur, staff would support them; pupils readily agree that bullying is rare.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is improving and is now close to average. The academy works hard to ensure that pupils attend regularly. Before-school clubs and the breakfast club have helped pupils to be in school early and the number of pupils who are late is decreasing, giving more pupils equal opportunity to learn and develop.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leadership is strong but, at lower levels, leadership requires improvement. Subject leaders are keen to raise standards in their subjects but do not have a completely secure view of what data means or how much progress should be made, especially in Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The special needs coordinator does not have a secure understanding of, or immediate access to data on pupils’ progress, with the result that class teachers are not given effective advice on how to plan work which is matched to these pupils’ ability. Support for the welfare of these pupils is good but there is too little use of work plans that reflect these pupils’ specific needs or set out clear steps for improvement. Consequently, pupils do not make the progress they should.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The Executive Principal and the Principal Designate are highly ambitious for the academy. They have concentrated on raising attainment and implementing recommendations from the last inspection. They have high expectations of the teachers and equally high aspirations for pupils’ achievement. Middle leaders have a clear view of their role and how the academy should move forward and most are working effectively to help it do so. However, there are pockets of weakness in teaching and some staff are inexperienced, and this prevents some pupils making progress they should. Coaching and mentoring are put in place quickly when teaching is judged to require improvement but some staff do not consistently apply the strategies they have been given.  The self- evaluation plan is rightly ambitious and thorough. The academy’s programme of development is well planned and is bringing about improvement. All senior leaders and the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Assemblies are used well to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to introduce topics and themes that allow pupils to explore differences between cultures and races and to understand the challenges people in other countries may face. The academy has a link with a school in Pakistan and teachers and pupils from there have visited the academy. The curriculum is broad with a particular strength in Science.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Attendance has improved due to the academy’s rigorous checking and follow-up procedures and the introduction of some ‘before-school and breakfast clubs. Pupils say they enjoy attending the academy because ‘learning is fun’. There is a broad curriculum with a particular strength in Science throughout the academy.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Links with parents are strong. They are kept informed about how their children are taught through workshops which are well attended. Parents are very supportive of the academy and willingly help with activities, for example at discos held for the pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The primary school sports funding has been carefully allocated. It has been used to provide additional activities and opportunities that enable all teaching staff to learn new skills from specialists. Experiences for all pupils are being extended so that they know how to lead a healthy lifestyle through activities such as ‘bike-ability’ and scooter safety training.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The academy is very well supported by Havering local authority and the Gateway Learning Community Trust, (GLC). This has been particularly effective in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where teaching has improved since the last inspection. Local authority reviews have taken place and have highlighted areas to improve. The Executive Principal and the Principal Designate take swift action when recommendations are given.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors know the academy well and are committed to supporting and challenging its performance. Regular checks on safeguarding take place, led by governors and the Chief Executive of the Gateway Learning Community Trust, (GLC). Governors have a good grasp of the data on pupils’ achievement and know where teaching is strong and where it is not. They ensure the performance of pupils and staff is properly overseen and managed and that pay is closely linked to teachers’ performance. Governors ensure that finance is carefully allocated and checked including the use and impact of additional funds, such as the pupil premium and the funding for sport.

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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 138048 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 442087

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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 Academy School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 668 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ade Shodipe Principal Designate Monique Anderson Date of previous school inspection 16 January 2013 Telephone number 01375 844184 Fax number 01375 840895 Email address admin@theglc.org.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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