Charlotte Sharman Primary School

School report Charlotte Sharman Primary School St George's Road, London, SE11 4SN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

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This is a good school

 School leaders and governors acted decisively to tackle weaknesses identified in the previous inspection. They have raised standards and improved the quality of teaching so that both are now consistently good.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because teachers provide work for them that builds on what they already know and can do.  Pupils who join the school part way through the year make good progress because staff ensure they are provided with work at the right level.  School leaders have rigorous systems in place to record and track pupils’ progress. This enables them to take swift action to ensure that the needs of all pupils, including those who have additional learning needs, are met.  Teaching is consistently good across the school. Teachers plan stimulating activities that engage pupils’ interest. Consequently, pupils work hard and they behave well.  Children get off to a good start in the early years.

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This is a good school

They are warmly welcomed into a stimulating environment where they settle quickly and progress well.  Inclusion is a strength of the school. All pupils are equally valued and treated fairly. The needs of a small number of pupils whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable are met very well.  Pupils get on very well together regardless of background. They feel safe in school because of the high quality care and guidance provided by staff.  The curriculum is very well planned with a wide variety of experiences that add to pupils’ enjoyment. Teachers provide pupils with rich experiences that promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively.  School leaders are ambitious. They have an accurate view of what they do well and are very clear about the steps they need to take to improve further.  Effective governors provide a high level of challenge and support to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not all insist on high standards of presentation and work in some pupils’ books is untidy.  Not all pupils have a secure enough grasp of basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar by the end of Year 2.  In some classes, there are too few occasions for pupils to make their own decisions, such as choosing how they record and present their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 20 lessons or parts of lessons, six of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. They looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reading. Inspectors attended three assemblies.  Meetings were held with school leaders, groups of pupils and three governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector also met with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included plans showing how the school is to develop further and records relating to pupils’ attainment and progress and their attendance. Inspectors also reviewed minutes from governors’ meetings and documentation showing how the school keeps pupils safe.  There were too few responses to the online survey, Parent View, but inspectors took into account the responses by parents to the school’s own recent survey. Inspectors also spoke informally to parents

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Information about this inspection

during the inspection. The views of staff were taken into account by analysing 23 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion that speaks English as an additional language is above average. However, few pupils are at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional funding for disadvantaged pupils) is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is well above average.  The early years provision includes a Nursery which children attend part time. Children attend the Reception class full time.  A higher than usual number of pupils join and leave the school partway through the school year.  There have been significant changes to both the teaching and leadership teams since the previous inspection.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that a higher proportion is outstanding by ensuring that:  pupils have a secure grasp of basic skills, including spelling, punctuation and grammar, by the time they leave Year 2  pupils always write neatly and present their work to the highest possible standards  pupils have more opportunities to make their own decisions, including how to record and present their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders have created a positive climate for learning in which teaching is consistently good and pupils behave well. They have created a strong team of teachers who share their ambition and work closely together to bring about improvements. Staff morale is high and teachers relish the opportunity to be part of this improving school. School leaders have an accurate understanding of their strengths and they have ambitious plans in place to secure outstanding teaching throughout the school.  School leaders have high expectations for staff and for pupils. They have set aspirational targets for all pupils’ achievement. These targets are regularly reviewed to ensure that pupils do not fail. Staff have targets linked to pupils’ progress and they understand that they are accountable for pupils’ progress.  Leadership of teaching is good. Leaders visit classrooms regularly, they check work in pupils’ books and

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The leadership and management are good

they take steps to address shortcomings through additional support, coaching and training. Staff work in close collaboration with other local schools to build on and improve what they already do very well.  Arrangements to manage staff performance are robust. Leaders and governors have agreed new appraisal systems and teachers understand that their progression on the salary scale is dependent on the progress pupils make.  Many subject leaders are relatively new to their roles but have made a good start in developing their skills and expertise. They have received training and have contributed to the school’s own evaluation of its performance and to future plans for development. Ocerall, middle leaders are effective in their roles. They are well placed to support senior leaders to drive further developments to bring about outstanding provision.  The new curriculum is rapidly becoming embedded as teachers increase their knowledge and

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The leadership and management are good

understanding of subjects to be taught. It has been planned in such a way that pupils have plenty of opportunities to use their mathematical and literacy skills when learning other subjects.  Topics have been carefully selected to stimulate pupils’ imaginations. For example, in Year 6, pupils are learning about crime and punishment and thoroughly enjoy finding out how offences were punished in the Middle Ages. It also helps them to understand British values by reflecting on concepts of fairness, tolerance and the rule of law. They know that all pupils have equal opportunities and that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  Racial harmony is a real strength of the school. This is seen in the way in which all pupils, regardless of background, get on so well. They respect each other and enjoy working and playing together in this rich multicultural school. One example of this was seen during the inspection when pupils celebrated

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The leadership and management are good

‘International Day’. They dressed in national costumes and ate food from different parts of the world. This helped them to develop a good understanding of the diversity of life in modern Britain.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very effectively. Pupils show curiosity and creativity in their learning and they enjoy reflecting on wider issues such as making the right choices. Pupils enthusiastically take part in art, music, dance and drama and through their studies of other world religions, they learn to understand each other’s beliefs.  The school uses the pupil premium funding effectively to ensure that eligible pupils do at least as well as others in school. Part of it has been used to employ additional staff to provide one-to-one targeted support and this has improved pupils’ progress. Some funding has also been allocated to subsidise school trips and to enable pupils to attend extra-curricular clubs after school. This has increased their confidence

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The leadership and management are good

and raised their self-esteem.  Additional sports funding has been thoughtfully allocated to ensure that all pupils benefit regardless of ability. Sports coaches have been employed to work alongside teachers to develop their skills in providing high-level teaching in a variety of sports including cricket, athletics, dance and football. Consequently, pupils take part in local competitions and enjoy success in many events.  The local authority has provided valuable support for the school since the last inspection. This has helped to bring about the rapid improvements to teaching and learning. Although the level of support has reduced, the local authority continues to check on the work of the school each term.  The school’s arrangements to protect pupils and keep them free from harm are good. All adults are carefully checked and there are effective systems in place for staff to record any concerns they have about

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The leadership and management are good

pupils’ safety and welfare.  Parents who spoke to inspectors said that staff were approachable and that they were well informed about how well their children were doing at school. They felt the school was very well led and managed and praised the headteacher for being highly visible and available should there be any concerns.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very well informed about the school’s performance. They have a good understanding of published information about pupils’ attainment and progress and know that standards have risen rapidly since the previous inspection. They know that the school is improving and how well it is doing in comparison with other schools nationally.  Governors receive regular reports about how well different groups of pupils are doing and they analyse these reports in depth to assure themselves that funding is used effectively. They know that disadvantaged pupils do as well as, if not better than, other pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors know that school leaders have been relentless in their pursuit of high quality teaching and they have been fully supportive when difficult decisions had to be taken. They ensure that teaching is good by implementing an appraisal policy that rewards only the best teaching.  Governors visit school regularly so they see for themselves how well the school is performing. They meet with staff and pupils and this helps them to ask challenging questions of school leaders. They provide a good balance of challenge and support and contribute well to the leadership and management of the school.  Governors are well organised and they ensure that all statutory requirements are met. They keep a close eye on finances to ensure that the school provides good value for money. They are vigilant in ensuring that all pupils and adults are safe in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and they behave well in class and when moving around the school. They enjoy learning and are keen to contribute to lessons by answering and asking questions. They respect staff and very few lessons are disrupted by poor behaviour.  Respect for all is very evident in this school. Pupils are friendly and helpful. They get on very well together regardless of background. They are kind to each other and will readily help each other without needing prompting by adults.  School leaders have created more space to play at break times by introducing ‘staggered breaks’ so that there are fewer numbers of pupils in the playground at any one time. This gives pupils more space to run around or to play games using a wide range of equipment provided for them. This has resulted in fewer accidents and happier break times for pupils.  School records show very few reported incidents of poor behaviour and there have been very few

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Behaviour

exclusions in recent years. Pupils’ attendance has improved and is now broadly average.  The school has a very small number of pupils who sometimes find difficulty managing their behaviour. However, owing to the kindness and patience of staff, they are very well supported. There is always a friendly adult on hand to help to sort out any minor problems that may arise.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school because there are always plenty of adults to help them. Parents who spoke to inspectors agreed that their children are safe and happy in school.  Pupils understand different forms of bullying, including that related to technology. They say they learn how to stay safe through anti-bullying week and are confident that an adult will help them should they raise a concern. Just occasionally a few pupils get over-excited when moving to and from the playground and do not show enough care and consideration for others who might be in their path.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe outside school. They know that some non-medicinal drugs can be harmful and that substances such as tobacco are harmful. They are aware of the need to stay safe from strangers and to take care when crossing busy roads.

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Safety

 Parents who spoke to inspectors agree that their children are happy, safe at school and behave well.  School staff work highly effectively with other agencies to promote pupils’ health, safety and welfare.

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The quality of teaching is good

 School leaders have successfully improved teaching so that it is now consistently good. Teachers work very well together to plan interesting activities that stimulate pupils’ imaginations. They share ideas and expertise and this helps them to ensure that work provided for pupils is similar in parallel classes.  Teachers use assessment information very well to plan work that is at the right level for pupils. They have high expectations and they ask questions that demand a lot from pupils and make them work hard.  Work provided for pupils is challenging and they are expected to complete a good quantity of work in class. However, there are times when pupils do not take enough care with their written work, which is occasionally untidy, with poor handwriting.  Teachers are skilled at checking on pupils’ learning in lessons and adjusting activities to meet pupils’ needs. They offer pupils choices of the level of work they feel comfortable with and encourage reluctant

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils to take risks. This helps pupils to make good progress in their learning. Just occasionally, teachers do not extend this by allowing pupils to choose for themselves how to record their work. As a result, pupils do not learn the skills of decision-making when tackling problems.  Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils in lessons. They help individual pupils who may have problems managing their behaviour as well as those who lack confidence and just need a little help. Some teaching assistants provide targeted support for disadvantaged pupils and this helps them to progress at rates similar to their classmates.  The teaching of phonics (letters and sounds) has improved since the previous inspection. Children in the early years are taught phonics systematically and so, at the end of Year 1 in 2014, pupils did very well in the national phonics screening check. They are on course to do so again this year.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is good and continues to develop well across the rest of the school. Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of both fiction and non-fiction texts to support learning. Pupils are taught to use books to find information and to respond to questions about what they have read.Writing is now taught very effectively because teachers stimulate pupils’ imaginations and inspire them to write. They provide good models and show pupils how to construct their own work. However, owing to a legacy of weaker teaching, pupils do not have a secure grasp of basic spelling, grammar and punctuation and this slows their progress.  Pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons because they are interesting and fun. Staff have good subject knowledge that they use to explain and show pupils how to carry out calculations. In most lessons, pupils reason and apply their understanding to solving complex mathematical problems. Work in pupils’ books

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The quality of teaching is good

shows that they reach very high levels by the end of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection, teachers have improved the way in which they mark pupils’ work. They provide detailed comments telling pupils what they have done well and what they need to do to further improve their work. Most pupils act on these comments by correcting their work and so progress well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement has improved considerably since the previous inspection. In 2014, there was a significant improvement in pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Almost all pupils in Year 6 made the progress expected of them and at least half of the pupils did much better than this. This is despite the high turnover of pupils across Key Stage 2. Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Current pupils in school are building on this success. School leaders have set challenging targets for pupils in all year groups and work in pupils’ books shows they on track to meet these targets. Performance information kept by the school shows that across the school, pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, make at least good and sometimes better progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their relative

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The achievement of pupils is good

starting points. This is because staff are skilled at recognising their individual difficulties and put into place the right course of action to help them catch up. There are good arrangements to assess the needs of those pupils who join the school part way through the year and so teachers can quickly provide these pupils with work that is at the right level.  The school has successfully raised the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. This is due to the effective support they receive in class and occasionally in small groups. According to the national tests in 2014, they attained similar levels to other pupils in reading while they were half a term ahead in writing and nearly two terms ahead of other pupils in mathematics. In comparison with pupils nationally, they were a term ahead in mathematics, and about half a term ahead in reading and writing. This represents a significant improvement from previous years.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Owing to higher expectations, the most-able pupils achieve well. This is reflected in the increase in the percentage of pupils reaching Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 and Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2. In 2014, the percentage of pupils reaching Level 6 in mathematics was average. This is the level expected of pupils aged 14.  Although pupils make good and sometimes better progress in writing, some still struggle with their basic skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar. This is owing to a legacy of underachievement at Key Stage 1 that school leaders are addressing. Pupils currently in Year 2 have been more successful in mastering these skills owing to better teaching. There is now evidence in pupils’ work in Year 2 that this is improving.  Pupils enjoy reading and have progressed very well owing to a more systematic approach to teaching phonics. By Year 2, they read with understanding and say they like to read different sorts of books. They

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The achievement of pupils is good

use their phonic skills to read unfamiliar words and use punctuation well to read with meaning and good expression. By Year 6, pupils read fluently and confidently and with good understanding.

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The early years provision is good

 There have been some recent changes to the early years team, but despite this, children make good progress across all areas of development. The headteacher is currently leading this phase and has ensured that provision is consistent by moving staff around to cover gaps.  Staff have created a warm and stimulating environment that is well equipped both indoors and outside. Classrooms are bright and attractive with colourful displays that capture children’s interest. The outside area is well organised and provides children with opportunities to explore, investigate and learn through play.  Children achieve well because they are provided with work and activities that are at the right level. Children have very positive attitudes and they want to do well. Just occasionally there is some duplication of activities and children are not challenged to apply their learning and this means their progress is good

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The early years provision is good

rather than outstanding.  Children’s behaviour is good. They get on well together, take turns, share and co-operate with one another. They enjoy learning about the world around them and they respond quickly to teachers’ requests. Staff encourage them to be independent and this was seen when they quickly tidied up in preparation for their phonics session.  Pupils are safe because staff know children well and they quickly respond to any concerns. They observe them carefully and intervene quickly should a minor problem arise. Children have quickly established good relationships with new staff and consequently are very settled.  Teaching is good overall. There is a good balance of activities that children choose for themselves and those that are led by adults. Teachers have high expectations and they take care to record children’s achievements. All adults play a part in observing children and using this information to plan future

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The early years provision is good

learning. By the end of the Reception year, children are well prepared for Year 1.  Parents are becoming increasingly involved in contributing to children’s ‘Busy Books’ and by adding their own observations of their children’s development. This has strengthened the relationships with parents who are more confidently approaching the school with their own comments.

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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 100816 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 462136

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 361 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Plowman Headteacher Emma Morrogh-Ryan Date of previous school inspection 11 July 2013 Telephone number 020 7735 5598 Fax number 020 7735 5598 Email address office@charlottesharman.southwark.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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