Henry Green Primary School

School report Henry Green Primary School

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement. Their progress is not consistently good across the school, especially in reading, where standards by the end of Year 6 are below average.  Teachers do not always expect enough of pupils. Work is not always pitched at the right level and is either too hard or too easy for some.  Teachers do not always ensure that pupils read often enough. They do not check pupils’ reading frequently so that they can help it to improve.  The early years provision requires improvement. As elsewhere in the school, work does not always provide enough challenge for the most-able children.  Leaders do not check teaching with enough frequency or rigour. They do not give teachers enough guidance and support to help them improve quickly. Teachers get too few opportunities to see good practice in this or in other schools.  Middle leaders such as those in charge of subjects do not play a big enough part in driving

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

improvement. They do not do enough to ensure that new approaches are having the desired effect and are being sustained over time.

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The school has the following strengths

 Although the pace of change has been slowed by very high staff turnover, leaders and governors are doing the right things to secure the needed improvements.  The work of leaders to improve pupils’ behaviour and their personal development has been especially effective.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. They are friendly and sociable, and keenly take responsibility. Children in the Nursery and Reception are happy and confident.  Pupils’ attainment is beginning to improve. In 2014, standards at the end of Year 6 returned to broadly average levels in writing and mathematics after a sharp dip in 2013.  Pupils make good progress in learning about letters and the sounds they make (phonics) in the Nursery and Reception classes, and in Key Stage 1.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in 19 lessons, 11 of these jointly with the headteacher or other senior leaders. In addition, the inspectors made some short visits to lessons.  Discussions were held with pupils, staff, members of the governing body and representatives from the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the views of 20 parents who responded to the online questionnaire (Parent View). They also analysed the school’s own surveys of parental views and talked to some parents at the start of the school day.  The inspectors observed the school’s work, heard some pupils in Year 2 and Year 4 read, and looked at a number of documents, including: the school’s own information about pupils’ learning and progress; planning and monitoring documents; the school development plan; records relating to behaviour and attendance; safeguarding information; and health and safety documentation.  The inspectors analysed 29 questionnaires from staff.

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Inspection team

Mike Capper, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Lacey-Hastings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with around a third being White British. The other main ethnic groups are Pakistani, Black African and Eastern European. Around two thirds of pupils speak English as an additional language and this proportion is well above the national average.  Children in early years provision attend school part time for mornings or afternoons in the Nursery and then full time in the two Reception classes.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is around one in five. This proportion is broadly average when compared with all schools nationally.  Around 45% of pupils are supported by the pupil premium and this is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided to give extra support to pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There has been a very high turnover of senior leaders and staff since the previous inspection in February 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement in all key stages, including the early years, by:  ensuring that teachers always have high enough expectations of pupils  ensuring that the work given to pupils is never too hard or too easy for them  giving teachers more opportunities to see good or outstanding teaching in this or other schools.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ attainment in reading, especially in Key Stage 2, by:  providing training to help teachers improve their understanding of how to teach reading  ensuring that pupils’ skills are checked regularly so that teachers can respond more quickly to help them improve  giving pupils more opportunities to read different sorts of books and to support learning in different subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, and increase the pace of improvement, by:  ensuring that the quality of teaching is checked regularly so that teachers can be given the support and guidance needed to help secure more rapid improvement  building the skills of middle leaders in driving improvement, especially in ensuring that new approaches are being sustained and are having the desired effect.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Until recently, the pace of improvement in the school has been too slow. A high staff turnover has made it difficult to establish new ways of working, limiting their effect.  The management of teaching and learning is not rigorous enough to secure rapid improvement in its quality. Teachers, especially those in the early stages of their career, are not given enough guidance and support to help them improve more quickly. They get too few opportunities to see good practice in this or other schools.  Middle leaders, such as teachers who are in charge of subjects, are keen, but they play too small a part in driving improvement. While they are given time to check the quality of teaching and learning for themselves, this time is not always used wisely. Initiatives such as a recent change to the way reading is taught in Years 4 and 5 are not checked rigorously to ensure that they are having the desired effect and

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The leadership and management require improvement

are being sustained over time.  Senior leaders have demonstrated their capacity to improve the school. They have a clear picture of the current priorities and steady improvement is already being seen in key aspects of the school’s work. Inadequate teaching has been eradicated. This is helping to raise attainment, as shown by an improvement in test results at the end of Year 6 in 2014. Training on improving the teaching of phonics means that children’s skills are improving much more quickly than in the past.  The local authority is giving extensive support to school leaders to help secure more rapid improvement. This is well focused on improving attainment in reading, as well as the quality of teaching across the school. It is too soon to see the sustained impact of this help.  Leaders are becoming increasingly successful at fostering good relationships, tackling discrimination and creating an atmosphere where pupils can begin to flourish both socially and academically. Pupils say that

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The leadership and management require improvement

behaviour is markedly better since the previous inspection.  Additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils has played a good part in improving behaviour by, for example, partly funding the appointment of specialist support staff. Its impact on raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is less strong because support has not secured consistently good progress across the school.  The range of activities and subjects taught is broad and balanced. However, across the school, the teaching of reading does not have a high enough profile. For example, pupils have too few opportunities to read, either in or out of lessons.  Clubs and visits are greatly enjoyed by pupils and help to promote positive attitudes and healthy lifestyles. Additional government funding for primary sports successfully supports pupils’ well-being and is increasing their involvement in sporting activities. Governors carefully check that funding is being used to good effect

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The leadership and management require improvement

to improve the skills of teachers. Pupils are especially proud of the bulging trophy cabinet which reflects recent sporting successes against larger schools.  The school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are sensitive to the views of others and keenly take responsibility. Adults are good role models and help pupils understand that cultural differences are to be celebrated rather than feared. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The governance of the school:  Governors took good account of the external review of their work carried out after the previous inspection. This, along with training on how to analyse data of pupils’ attainment and progress, has helped to increase significantly their effectiveness, especially in holding the school to account. Consequently, governors have a realistic picture how well the school is performing in comparison with

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The leadership and management require improvement

others. They have supported the headteacher well in her drive to eradicate underperformance by teachers. They have a good understanding of where improvement in teaching is still needed and ensure that performance management is used to reward only good teaching.  The governing body is knowledgeable about the use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. Governors are becoming more involved in checking the progress of these pupils to ensure that the gap between their attainment and that of others closes more quickly.  Governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Over the last two years, leaders have focused strongly on improving the behaviour of pupils. Pupils are very clear that they have been successful in achieving this. As one pupil said, ‘Behaviour used to be a mess but now it is good.’  While some parents feel that behaviour has not improved enough, inspectors found that pupils typically behave well. Pupils are polite and courteous, and talk confidently to visitors. They play together sensibly and develop good relationships with each other. The greatly improved attitudes and behaviour of pupils is one of the main reasons why they are beginning to learn more quickly.  Schools logs confirm that incidents of poor behaviour are becoming increasingly rare. Support from skilled support staff is effective in helping those with behavioural difficulties to improve their social skills quickly so that their behaviour only rarely disturbs the learning of others.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are becoming increasingly proud of their work and the school as they become more successful. They keenly take responsibility through the school council and support each other well in lessons. They work hard most of the time, but just occasionally become inattentive when teaching does not engage them fully.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy school. They say that school is ‘more fun than it used to be’. Attendance has improved and is now broadly average. Pupils arrive punctually because they are keen to start their work.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel safe. They have a good awareness of how to avoid dangers in the local community, talking confidently about some of the difficult choices they may have to make in later life.  Pupils are clear about the different forms that bullying can take, including name-calling. They say that there is no racist behaviour and only occasional bullying. School records confirm this and show that it is tackled well by teachers. As one pupil said, ‘The teachers really care and they listen to us.’  The school ensures that pupils have a good understanding of e-safety. Pupils know how to avoid cyber- bullying. They understand that they have to use the internet responsibly.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always expect enough of pupils so they can consistently achieve well. Work does not always provide the right level of challenge for pupils. Sometimes, it is too easy for the most able or too hard for the less able. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make uneven progress because they sometimes become over-reliant on adult help to finish work.  The teaching of reading is not consistently good in Key Stage 2. A few teachers lack confidence in teaching reading skills and do not assess pupils’ progress frequently enough so that they can adapt work to match pupils’ needs. Teachers give pupils too few opportunities to practise and reinforce reading skills by using these skills in different subjects. Consequently, older pupils, in particular, have limited experience of non-fiction books.  Teachers mark work diligently and are beginning to make better use of feedback to help pupils improve

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

their work. However, this is not yet consistently strong across the school.  Although the quality of teaching is not yet consistently good, pupils’ books show that learning is benefiting from improved teaching in the current year, particularly in writing and mathematics. The teaching of phonics in the early years and Key Stage 1 has improved greatly and this is helping to improve pupils’ spelling. In mathematics, pupils are being given more opportunity to problem solve and investigate. This is helping to improve mathematical skills and understanding.  Teachers get on well with pupils and manage their behaviour successfully. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively and have a good effect on pupils’ learning.  Teachers meet the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language well and help them to improve their speaking skills quickly. For example, they check that they understand new vocabulary as

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requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because progress across the school is not consistently good.  While pupils’ attainment in mathematics and writing was broadly average in tests at the end of Year 6 in 2014, their attainment in reading was not as strong. Some pupils do not have enough experience of different sorts of books and do not read confidently, especially in the current Year 6.  The progress of pupils is uneven. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do not always make enough progress because work is sometimes too difficult for them and they rely on adults too much as a result. Recent improvements in provision mean that this is less evident than in the past, but there are still occasions when their skills improve too slowly.  The achievement of the most able also requires improvement. The most able are not always challenged well enough. Not enough attain the higher levels at the end of Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2. When they are

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requires improvement

given the same work as others, their skills, knowledge and understanding do not improve quickly.  The gap between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of others is closing steadily. While eligible pupils do no worse than others in the school, their progress is also uneven. These pupils make the best progress in Year 6 because funding is used to ensure small class sizes and a high adult-to-pupil ratio. This helps to compensate for slightly slower progress elsewhere. Consequently, in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2014, the gap was smaller than that found nationally, with disadvantaged pupils being around a term behind their classmates in reading and writing, and around two terms in mathematics. When compared with all pupils nationally, they were two terms behind in mathematics and reading, but less than a term in writing.  Some aspects of pupils’ achievement are good and there is an improving picture across the school as the

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requires improvement

impact of recent initiatives begins to bite. Pupils’ current workbooks show that progress is already better this year than previously because there is no longer any inadequate teaching.  Improvements in the teaching of phonics has ensured that children’s skills improve rapidly in the early years and in Years 1 and 2. This is beginning to feed into improved attainment at the end of Year 2 in reading and writing, with pupils becoming increasingly confident at spelling new words or reading unfamiliar books.  Pupils from different ethnic groups, such as those from Eastern European or Pakistani backgrounds, usually reach the same levels of attainment as others by the end of Year 6. As with other pupils, their achievement requires improvement because it is not consistently good across the school. Those who speak English as an additional language make good progress in learning spoken English, because they are

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requires improvement

supported well by their teachers and their classmates.

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requires improvement

 When children start school in the Nursery class, a minority are working at a typical level of development for their age, with speaking and listening skills especially weak.  In 2014, attainment at the end of the Reception Year was slightly below average. Achievement requires improvement because not all groups are yet making good progress. This is because adults do not always move learning on quickly when children are working in groups or alone.  Teaching does not always challenge the most able well enough. This happens most often when adults do not check what children already know so that work can build on this. New leaders have rightly identified that improving achievement is a key priority so that children are better prepared to move into Year 1.  In both the Nursery and Reception classes, children make good progress in personal, social and emotional development. Adults have good expectations in this area, ensuring that children behave well and feel safe.

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requires improvement

This means that they are prepared well, especially socially, for their move to Year 1. Children who speak English as an additional language take a full part in activities, and there is an increasingly successful focus on teaching them new vocabulary.  Phonics is taught well. Children’s speaking and listening skills also improve quickly because there is a good focus on this throughout the school day. There has been good work since the previous inspection in improving the quality of the outdoor area. This is used well by all classes. Activities outside give children many opportunities to practise and reinforce basic skills by, for example, writing with chalk on the floor or counting blocks as they build a fire station.  The new leader of the early years is being given high-quality support by a specialist from another school. They are working well together to bring about improvements, for example planning strategies to increase

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requires improvement

the spoken vocabulary of children who speak English as an additional language.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 101229 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 453774

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 481 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lynette Whitaker Headteacher Paramjit Roopra Date of previous school inspection 6–7 February 2013 Telephone number 020 8270 4466 Fax number 020 8270 4464 Email address office@henrygreen.bardaglea.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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