Forster Park Primary School

School report Forster Park Primary School

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have a clear vision to drive towards excellence for all pupils and staff. They are extremely thoughtful about what works and what needs changing.  Governors are focused sharply on improving outcomes and performance in all areas. They reacted very swiftly to minimise any difficulties through the departure of senior leaders last year.  Leaders have put in place rigorous procedures for monitoring and improving teaching. They take swift action if teachers do not meet the targets set.  Teaching is good, and improving rapidly throughout the school.  All groups of pupils make good progress from their individual starting points.  The federation provides a strong structure of support for senior leadership and for improving teaching.  Provision in the early years interests the children and captures their imagination. This leads to them making particularly rapid gains in their learning.  Pupils behave well in lessons and at play. They are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

polite, have good manners and show care and consideration for others. School records show that incidents of misbehaviour have diminished greatly.  Pupils are very aware how much staff care for their well-being. They say this helps them feel safe, secure and happy in school.  The school has highly effective strategies for engaging with parents, including those who find working with the school difficult.  Pupils take pride in their work and are proud of their school. They mostly demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and want to be successful.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teaching generates consistently high levels of enthusiasm and a thirst for learning in all pupils.  At times, teachers do not use methods that deepen the pupils’ understanding of new ideas quickly enough.  Pupils are not always as actively engaged in their learning as they could be. They do not always take a lead in planning and taking responsibility for their learning.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 lessons, six of which were visited with the headteacher or senior leaders. They looked at work in pupils’ books from the current academic year.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, and with the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors. A telephone discussion was also held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 16 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire. They also met informally with parents at the start of the school day and looked at the results of surveys undertaken by the school over the last year.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors also took account of the 43 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Beale, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is well above average in size compared with other primary schools. Pupil numbers are rising as it expands to three forms of entry.  The school is part of the Oakbridge Federation with another primary school. They share a governing body and an executive headteacher.  A new senior team, including the head of school, has been fully operational since September 2014. The whole previous senior leadership team and the Executive Headteacher of the federation left at the end of the summer term 2014.  Three quarters of pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  One third of pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure is well above average.  The majority of pupils are disadvantaged and supported by funding through the pupil premium. This is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave part-way through their primary education is much higher than in most primary schools.  The Nursery caters for 21 children on a part-time basis as well as 28 children who attend full time. Children attend the three Reception classes full time.  The school provides daily breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching through targeted professional development by:  increasing the use of inspirational teaching strategies that have been most effective in accelerating pupils’ progress and promoting a thirst for learning  providing more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility to plan aspects of their learning  ensuring that methods adopted by teachers enable pupils to deepen their understanding and mastery of key skills.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 School leaders have very quickly established a common purpose, based on continual improvement and a culture where problems can be solved by working together. Ambitious targets are set and being reached. High expectations of the pupils’ work and behaviour are at the heart of the school’s vision. Staff have clear direction for their work and have quickly rallied around leaders’ goals and actions. They have turned the school round rapidly, following the departure of the previous leadership team.  The quality of teaching is sharply under the microscope and is improving rapidly as a result of the rigour with which the performance of individual staff is managed. Leaders challenge staff to make sure pupils make at least good progress and have clear financial incentives to do so. Staff want to improve, and support each other to do so.  Many staff are now taking on subject leadership roles and provide highly effective guidance for their

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The leadership and management are outstanding

colleagues as they drive forward improvements in their areas. Focused training and coaching by expert leaders are providing them with the skills needed to check performance and plan actions.  The two federation schools work closely together to provide support and challenge for each other, with drive and a shared vision. The local authority helped greatly to get a team of effective leaders in place following the departure of the senior leadership team last year. It has stepped back because of the improvements secured by the new team and their capacity to take the school further.  The curriculum has been remodelled to meet new requirements and to provide an exciting framework for learning and mastering key skills. Its organisation and the way subjects are taught are driven by the school’s values. Leaders strive to make learning meaningful to the pupils’ lives while promoting key skills of literacy and numeracy. The interest and enjoyment generated are having a very positive impact on

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The leadership and management are outstanding

attitudes, behaviour, attendance and achievement.  The school has built strong links between promoting spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and key British values with the curriculum. An innovative tracking system supports teaching of these themes and identifies gaps in provision that need filling. The school’s 12 values are shared with pupils, reinforced through assemblies, and reflected in the pupils’ thoughts on the ‘Values tree’ in the playground.  The school is highly effective at promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination. This is based on a detailed understanding of each pupil so that support can be tailored closely to their specific needs. One example is the changing focus for the use of the pupil premium to support them in lessons. This is having a significant impact on the progress of disadvantaged pupils.  The school supplements its additional sports funding with a lottery grant and meets well its aim that pupils

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The leadership and management are outstanding

should lead increasingly healthy lifestyles. Spending on training has resulted in teachers delivering higher quality physical education sessions. Pupils’ attitudes to exercise and participation in activities have improved, along with the range of sports on offer.  The aim for the school to become a hub for the community is being realised. Workshops give parents advice on how to support their children’s learning and development, including on healthy eating. Parents are very pleased with improvements this year and have great confidence they will continue.  Safeguarding procedures are very effective in identifying pupils at risk and taking steps to keep them safe. Training keeps staff very vigilant, and rigorous records are kept to track cases and the action taken.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly effective in carrying out its duties and holding leaders to account for the

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The leadership and management are outstanding

school’s performance. Governors have robust systems for keeping the work of the school under review. This enables them to identify priorities and support action when required. Governors challenge the school leadership team through both formal and informal discussions. Their sharp understanding of assessment data gives governors a clear picture of the school’s performance, particularly the quality of its teaching. They are fully aware of the steps being taken to improve teaching to ‘outstanding’ and how systems for managing teacher performance are used as an incentive. Finances are used very effectively to support school priorities and drive improvement. Spending, such as in allocating the pupil premium, is kept tightly under review in order to have the maximum impact on pupil achievement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say behaviour has improved this year because staff are consistent in their implementation of procedures. Any low-level disruption to their learning is rare and isolated to one or two pupils. Most parents are positive about the pupils’ behaviour and the school’s action to deal with any incidents.  Pupils show how mature and responsible they can be by welcoming newcomers openly and helping them settle in quickly. ‘Junior governors’ play a significant role in the school and learn how to carry out duties fairly, such as seeking applicants to work in the healthy tuck shop. Year 5 pupils were observed keenly preparing and rehearsing their speeches to become head girl and head boy next year.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. They have an excellent understanding of what constitutes an unsafe situation and have the skills to deal with any risky situations. Training in internet safety and ‘stranger-danger’ has enabled them to develop these skills and understanding very securely.  By working very closely with parents and outside agencies, previously low attendance is rising, there are fewer cases of persistent absence, and behaviour is improving. Pupils are also more punctual at the start of the day. The school is swift to take action if pupils are absent, particularly where they have been identified as of concern or at risk.  The school works tirelessly with pupils so they are clearly aware that any form of bullying is unkind, hurtful and will not be tolerated. Pupils understand this and say incidents are dealt with swiftly with no subsequent issues. Parents are happy that this is the case, which is confirmed by school records.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of teaching on the pupils’ learning is continually improving and leading to them making good progress over time. There are examples where learning is outstanding because of the vibrancy and high quality of the teaching.  Teachers are developing a wide repertoire of techniques to promote learning. At their most effective, teachers manage learning and behaviour well through interesting methods, stimulating resources, thoughtful questions and clarity of expectations. Pupils are made to think hard and are expected to express their ideas clearly and in detail. Teachers listen carefully to the pupils’ responses to make sure their subsequent interactions can move pupils’ learning forward.  Teachers are adapting their teaching to meet the aim of developing enquiring minds. Pupils say they really enjoy the topic work and that it has inspired them to do research at home. Strong links exist between

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The quality of teaching is good

work in class and homework, which is used thoughtfully to set the scene for new topics and encourage learning at home and in the community.  Phonics (the sounds made by letters) and wider reading skills are taught well. Pupils have plenty of opportunity to plan, edit and develop extended writing in a range of styles and across subjects. Teachers generally ensure pupils deepen their understanding of number by applying their skills to problem-solving and practical tasks, such as when Year 6 pupils planned how to refurbish a house and its garden.  Marking is effective in the guidance it provides pupils on how to improve their work. Teachers make clear comments and provide additional tasks to move learning on and eliminate errors. This contributes considerably to the pupils’ good learning and progress.  Not all teaching is as engaging as the most effective in the school, and it does not always generate great

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The quality of teaching is good

interest and excitement for learning amongst pupils. At times, methods used, work set, and questions asked do not engage and inspire all groups of pupils. Teachers do not always deepen the pupils’ understanding so they can fully master new skills by giving them enough opportunity to apply them in a variety of situations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupils’ achievement has improved since the last inspection. Pupils now consistently make good progress across the school. As a result, their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is average and rising. Most pupils are prepared well for secondary school.  The school did not have Year 6 test results in 2014. However, accurate teacher assessments showed the rising pattern of attainment since the school’s last inspection had been maintained. Results of the Year 6 assessments were broadly average. Rising attainment has continued, with more pupils this year working at and above levels expected for their age in Year 6 and across the school.  Pupils make good progress in the development of their phonic skills. The results of the screening check for Year 1 pupils were above average in 2014. Current Year 1 pupils are working at least at similar levels as last year. Pupils greatly enjoy reading. They use their skills to tackle unfamiliar words confidently and can

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The achievement of pupils is good

explore the texts they read to comprehend and infer meaning.  Disadvantaged pupils make similarly good progress as others through the school’s effective use of the pupil premium. Their Year 6 teacher assessments showed they made similar progress from their different starting points, and reached similar levels as others in the cohort and other pupils nationally. Any attainment gaps are continuing to close, and are now negligible in almost all year groups.  Teachers make sure they identify and challenge the most able pupils through the work they set. This enables them to make good progress. As a result, more pupils than previously are now working at levels at least above those expected for their age by the end of Year 6.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs pupils matches that of others and outstrips this in some year groups. By reducing the number of pupils identified to those with the

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The achievement of pupils is good

greatest need, the school is able to focus sharply its mostly class-based support where it is needed most.  There are no patterns to any differences in achievement for pupils from different minority ethnic groups. Pupils speaking English as an additional language make similar progress as others, although some who arrive at the school late in Key Stage 2 do not always have time to become totally fluent.

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The early years provision is outstanding

 Highly effective, thoughtful and reflective leadership of the early years has built a strong team sharing a common vision and continually searching for ways to improve. This means children’s experiences across all classes are consistent and focused very sharply on their individual needs. Relationships are highly positive and children are calm, safe and happy in a very supportive, secure and stimulating setting.  All adults in the setting show they have high expectations of the children, who respond by trying their hardest and behaving exceptionally well. Planning for the activities provided is based on an in-depth knowledge of the children. This is secured by regularly and accurately observing learning, carefully recording evidence, and closely tracking each child’s progress.  Adults continually promote basic literacy and numeracy skills, such as making sure children practise their phonics skills when writing a card of apology for its behaviour from the ‘Rainbow fish’. Opportunities to

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The early years provision is outstanding

develop writing skills are provided throughout the activities provided in all classes, both inside and out, giving the children opportunities to practise writing in ways that they find very interesting.  Adults provide excellent role models for language development, by encouraging and demonstrating extended sentences and correct vocabulary. This supports very effectively the communication skills of the many children new to speaking English.  High quality teaching leads to children making excellent progress. Any gaps in their skills on entry close rapidly or are eliminated. Their attainment is above average by the end of Reception so most children are given a firm foundation for their subsequent learning at Key Stage 1.

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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 100683 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 462143

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 470 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Kris Hibbert Interim Executive Headteacher Kathy Palmer Head of school Mark Gale Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2013 Telephone number 020 869 85686 Fax number 020 869 59659 Email address info@forsterpark.lewisham.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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