Stepney Park Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The early years provision gives children a good start to school life.  Pupils’ achievement over time is good. They make good progress at Redlands and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is rising year on year.  Any gaps in the attainment of different groups of pupils are closing.  Pupils’ behaviour around the school is exemplary. They feel safe and are well cared for.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school. Attendance levels are good.  A wide range of clubs, special events and experiences add richness to pupils’ learning.  Much of the teaching is good. Teachers have high expectations that pupils will behave well and work hard.  The headteacher and senior staff set high expectations of the whole school community.  Leaders track pupils’ progress in English and mathematics very carefully, arranging specific programmes of support when required.  Governors are well informed, and challenge the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school’s leaders about all areas of the school’s performance.  The school works effectively with parents in encouraging them to support their children’s learning.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In subjects other than English and mathematics, pupils’ depth of learning is more variable and their progress is not as well tracked.  There is some variability in the way that teachers develop pupils’ speaking skills and specific vocabulary for different subjects.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including information on pupils’ current progress, school improvement planning, the use of additional funding, checks carried out by leaders on teaching, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors visited 18 lessons to observe pupils’ learning, including eight that were observed jointly with senior leaders. They made short visits to several other lessons.  Inspectors observed break times, lunch times, and the start of the school day as well as attending several assemblies.  Inspectors met with four groups of pupils and talked to them about their work. They heard pupils read.  Inspectors met senior and middle leaders, other staff with particular responsibilities, the Vice Chair of the Governing Body, and a representative from the local authority.  There were not enough responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, but inspectors looked at the

p.2

Information about this inspection

parental questionnaire sent out by the school which was completed by 111 parents. Inspectors analysed the response to the questionnaire completed by 50 staff members.

p.2

Inspection team

Jane Wotherspoon , Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is larger than average.  Almost all pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds and the vast majority (90%) are of Bangladeshi heritage. Almost all pupils speak English as an additional language. Most children start Nursery at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who need some extra support, is low. The proportion of pupils who need more extra help or with a statement of special educational needs, is above average.  Over half the pupils are known to be eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium. This is higher than the national average.  The school met the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There have been some periods of instability in staffing since the previous inspection. During the previous academic year, five staff took maternity leave. Several returned to work at the start of this academic year

p.3

Information about this school

and six teachers are new or relatively new to the teaching profession. Two members of the senior leadership team are currently absent on maternity leave.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the depth of pupils’ learning across the subjects of the curriculum by:  implementing plans for ‘curriculum 14’ and associated systems for assessing pupils’ progress in subjects other than English and mathematics  ensuring teachers consistently plan opportunities to extend pupils’ speaking skills, and develop and broaden their subject specific vocabulary.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 Members of the senior team work together effectively, and flexibly. This is demonstrated most successfully in the way that the team has improved pupils’ achievement despite many disruptions to staffing. Staff are fully behind the leadership team. Morale is high and commitment to the school’s ethos and values are strong.  The impact of middle leaders is yet to be fully realised because many are new to their roles. Nonetheless, senior leaders do much to provide development opportunities for potential leaders and professional development for all staff, regardless of the stage of their career.  Improving the quality of teaching is at the heart of team leaders’ work. Structures to support individual training needs are good. Processes for managing staff performance and setting targets for teachers are consistent and well established. Targets are linked appropriately to school improvement objectives and to

p.4

The leadership and management are good

improving pupils’ achievement. Staff and leaders check pupils’ progress very carefully so that individuals can receive appropriate support and/or challenge to reach their potential.  Systems and processes for checking what is working well in the school and what needs to improve are well-established and effective. Planning for future improvements is linked closely to improving outcomes for pupils. In developing plans, leaders share ideas with governors and take account of the views of parents and the wider community.  Leaders have an outward looking approach to sharing best practice, and to learning from other schools and external advisers. A range of local partnerships within the local authority benefit the school’s staff and provide interesting opportunities to enhance and extend pupils’ learning.  The funding to develop physical education and sport has been used effectively. It is having a positive

p.4

The leadership and management are good

impact on learning and supports extra-curricular sports, including a coach who comes to breakfast club. Teachers say they feel more confident as a result of the support from specialist teachers. In addition the number of pupils participating in sports clubs over the last academic year has increased significantly.  The broad curriculum prepares pupils well for their future lives in modern Britain. It has a global dimension which provides opportunities to explore different viewpoints and moral issues. The school invests strongly in offering pupils an extensive range of stimulating experiences outside of school which widens their horizons. This features a range of visits, including residential visits.  The strong focus on English and mathematics means that evidence of pupils’ learning in other subjects is more limited. The school has reviewed its curriculum and planned changes for ‘Curriculum 14’, are well in

p.4

The leadership and management are good

hand. The study of themed half-termly topics allows pupils to learn and practise basic skills through other subjects.  Wider provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a significant strength. Pupils have many opportunities to develop a strong identity in their own culture and develop a growing respect and tolerance for other beliefs.  The home school liaison team works effectively to encourage parents to take part in events in the school community. Increasing participation in activities over time reflects parents’ confidence in the school. Family learning, including family homework, is popular and helps parents to support their children’s learning.  The school identifies safeguarding concerns quickly and effectively. Procedures are robust and parents have confidence in the school to follow up concerns. The school does a good job of promoting safety. Leaders ensure staff are trained extensively in safeguarding pupils.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a wide range of skills and networks which help them promote the school in the wider community and communicate their role to parents. They are well informed about all areas of the school’s performance and receive detailed information on the performance of pupils. However, they do not simply accept this information but actively seek to check it out by asking for more clarity. Governors make appropriate decisions about pay progression and performance management based on a wide range of evidence. They are clear about plans to spend funding intended for disadvantaged pupils and check closely that it is having the intended impact on helping pupils make progress and raising attainment. Governors challenge school leaders robustly; for example they asked many questions about proposals for the new curriculum. They are rigorous in asking probing questions about the wider life of

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are courteous and well mannered. Relationships between pupils are strong. They are especially polite to visitors.  The Redlands code of behaviour is displayed prominently in every room and well understood by pupils. The school’s records show only a small number of reported incidents of misbehaviour. This is because, in the main, systems for warnings and reflection are generally sufficient to manage pupils’ behaviour.  Pupils’ behaviour in the playground is friendly. Here, the good divisions of space support well-ordered break times. Movement around the complex school building, with its many stairs, is impressive.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning and to school are almost always good and sometimes outstanding. They know their teachers expect them to work hard. Pupils’ active involvement in learning is more prominent in the early years and the upper end of the school.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe. They can explain how they have been taught to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations, including when using computers.  Pupils know about different forms of bullying but are confident that it is rare at Redlands. There have been no reported incidents of racist behaviour. Older pupils say they are capable of sorting out their own difficulties because they have been taught effective strategies to do so. One pupil reported that. ‘teachers help us to be confident’.  Attendance continues to improve and is above the national average. Systems for monitoring attendance and following up absence are rigorous. School staff work relentlessly to support families to ensure their children attend regularly. Such efforts have reduced the number of pupils who frequently miss school.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching over time is effective at ensuring pupils make good progress and achieve well during their time at Redlands.  Without exception, teachers create a positive climate for learning. They have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and foster good relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils themselves.  Teaching in intervention groups is highly effective. During one-to-one sessions in reading and mathematics, pupils’ individual needs are extremely well catered for by carefully targeted, precise teaching. Teaching in small groups is equally strong. The supportive environment enables pupils to work at a slower pace, have time to offer answers and gain confidence to ‘have a go’.  Teaching is stronger where staff are more experienced or well-established in the school. A number of teaching staff are less skilled at questioning pupils and reshaping tasks. In the best lessons, teachers

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

make good use of time and teaching assistants to allow pupils to discuss their ideas and thinking.  Teachers make sensible links between subjects when planning activities for pupils. In particular opportunities for reading and writing through the curriculum have been well thought out. Opportunities for extending pupils’ speaking and listening skills, and broadening pupils’ vocabulary, are not so strong and more variable through the school.  Teachers’ marking in mathematics and writing is consistent and helpful in pointing out how pupils can improve their work. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the opportunity to assess their own work before the teacher marks it and say that they get time to respond to the marking. Younger pupils are less certain about how to respond to their teachers’ comments. Marking and assessment of pupils’ work in other subjects is less detailed.  Teachers usually have high expectations of pupils which ensure that pupils, especially the most able, are

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

challenged at an appropriate level. In guided reading sessions, the quality of learning dips when pupils working on their own are not challenged sufficiently or when expectations are not made clear enough.

p.5

The achievement of pupils

 Pupils’ achievement over time is good. Attainment is rising year on year and any gaps in the attainment of different groups of pupils are closing. The attainment of disadvantaged pupils is similar to that of their peers and close to or above the national figures. Pupils make good progress over time, with no significant differences in the progress made by different groups of pupils.  Many children join the nursery with skills and knowledge that are lower than typical for their age. The weakest area is speaking because many do not speak English as their first language. Although they make good progress overall, a proportion starts Year 1 with much ground to make up, particularly in literacy and mathematical development.  Pupils make good progress to reach attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 which is broadly average. The dip in attainment in 2013 has been halted. The results of checks on pupils’

p.5

The achievement of pupils

knowledge of phonics (the link between letters and the sounds they represent) in Year 1 have improved considerably; almost nine out of ten pupils reached the expected standard in 2014.  At the end of Year 6, results in 2013 were weaker in writing than in mathematics and reading, especially at Level 5. Figures for 2014 have improved in writing. The proportion of pupils reaching Level 4 in all three aspects is higher than the national figures.  Disadvantaged pupils do well at Redlands. They make progress that is at least in line with their peers in most cases. In 2013 the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in England was about a term or less in reading and mathematics and two terms in writing. However, the gap was wider between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school. This year, 2014, the gap has closed to less than a term in school and is similarly close in each year group. In some year groups,

p.6

The achievement of pupils

disadvantaged pupils are now outperforming their peers.  The most able pupils achieve well, as can be seen by the increasing proportion that attains Level 5 or 6 by the end of Key Stage 2. This includes disadvantaged pupils.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. However, the attainment of those with the greatest needs remains lower than their peers.  Achievement in physical education is improving. The wide range of opportunities available to pupils through clubs has increased the level of participation in sport.  Achievement in art is a strength. Specialist teaching and facilities ensure that pupils learn skills in a systematic way. Art makes a strong contribution to other subjects of the curriculum and to the visual presentation of the school.

p.6

The early years provision

 All children make at least typical progress and most make good progress. Many children start school without the skills and knowledge that are typical for their age. However, staff are alert to the fact that some children start nursery with well-developed skills and experiences, and therefore need more challenge.  Outcomes at the end of reception are below the national figures but are improving year on year. Disadvantaged children are achieving well and do better than their peers.  Parents are involved effectively in the school’s assessment of their children as they start school. Each child’s needs are identified at an early stage and this helps them to make a good start. Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is especially strong. New children have settled quickly.  A broad range of activities ensures that children have opportunities to develop learning across all areas.

p.6

The early years provision

Provision is stronger in the nursery than in the reception classes. Nonetheless, reception children are making a good start on learning letters and sounds and developing their reading skills.  The outdoor provision is particularly strong. Excellent resources include challenging climbing equipment that enables children to take risks in a safe environment. Children make good progress in their physical development.  The early years leader is supporting new staff effectively. She has identified appropriate areas for improvement, including extending children’s answers and providing a good model of spoken English. Assessment is regular and accurate. The way that staff record evidence of the breadth of children’s learning is another area for development.

p.6

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 failing

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 100917 Local authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 448204

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 467 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anna Gouge Headteacher Ann O'Reilly Date of previous school inspection June 2010 Telephone number 020 7790 4534 Fax number 020 7780 9014 Email address admin@redlands.towerhamlets.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

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

p.9

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9