Bird In Bush School

Camelot Primary School Bird-in-Bush Road, London SE15 1QP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Significant changes in leadership and the appointment of several new teachers have led to a decline in the improvements in teaching and pupils’ progress evident since the last inspection.  New subject leaders have not yet established a clear overview of their areas of responsibility from which to plan actions for improvement.  Teaching in mathematics does not challenge the pupils’ thinking sufficiently or deepen their understanding of the skills they are learning.  Children in Reception do not have enough opportunity to explore resources and ideas themselves. This limits their ability to make decisions about their learning and to be creative.  Teaching does not consistently challenge the thinking of the most-able pupils.  The feedback pupils receive, either orally or through marking, does not help them to eliminate errors or improve the quality of their work quickly.  Newly prepared topic plans are not yet fully

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This is a school that requires improvement

embedded and do not sufficiently support the development of literacy and numeracy across subjects.  Additional sports funding has not been used effectively over the last year to support the school’s aim of helping pupils develop healthy lifestyles.

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The school has the following strengths

 The executive headteacher and head of school have quickly rallied staff around their aims for the school. This has been possible because of the support of an effective governing body and the partnership with the local authority.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and respectful at all times.  Pupils enjoy school and say they are confident that staff do all they can to make sure they are safe.  Progress has improved in writing, particularly for boys, who are now more enthusiastic and keen writers.  Pupils make good progress by the end of Year 1 in their understanding of the sounds made by letters.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the capacity of leadership to secure sustained improvements by:  training subject leaders so that they have the skills to evaluate performance in their subjects and plan actions for improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and ensure that pupils have full access to the curriculum so that pupils make consistently good progress by ensuring that:  teachers provide greater challenge for the most-able pupils  teachers provide more effective guidance for pupils on how they can eliminate errors and improve their work  topic plans support the development of literacy and numeracy  additional sports funding is used more effectively so that more pupils regularly take part in physical activity.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and increase pupils’ progress in mathematics by:  providing regular opportunities for pupils to apply their skills as they are being learned so that they deepen their understanding of number  making sure pupils have to explain the reasoning behind their answers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has been on a path of rising outcomes and improved teaching since its last inspection. This progress has slowed while a new leadership team and several new teachers settle into their roles. The headteacher is striving to fill gaps in staffing and the curriculum and has already gained the confidence of staff, parents and pupils.  In their very short time at the school, the executive headteacher and head of school have assembled a senior leadership team with clearly identified roles. Interim support arrangements from a local federation came to an end at short notice. The leadership team has made a good start in rallying staff and raising their morale following this significant change.  The governing body and the local authority have made a significant contribution to steadying the school since the start of term. Staff are pulling strongly together in support of the new leadership arrangements

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

because of their strong commitment to the learning and well-being of the pupils.  Following a review of teaching and learning led by local authority staff, the executive headteacher has established a baseline from which to plan training for teachers. Some training has already started, and more is planned. Several changes in leadership since the last inspection have resulted in arrangements for managing teacher performance not being rigorous enough. However, teachers’ targets have led to only those with good or better teaching being rewarded with salary progression.  Subject leadership is not fully re-established. Some subject leaders had held posts prior to the partnership arrangement. They have not been back in post for long enough to regain an overview of their areas and put in place actions for improvement. Senior leadership has identified, as an immediate priority, developing leadership capacity by training subject leaders to fulfil their roles more effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The withdrawal of the partnership meant that curriculum plans were no longer available. Teachers have rapidly written new plans under the guidance of new leadership. Pupils are enjoying the topics they study, but plans are not fully embedded and do not support the development of literacy and numeracy effectively.  There is a strong ethos of showing respect for others. Pupils are encouraged to make morally sound choices and discuss provoking philosophical questions. They learn about British values by understanding the importance of following behaviour codes and how democracy is central to society.  Links with a local sports partnership were severed this year in spite of being already paid for out of additional sports funding. Pupils had few opportunities to participate in sports clubs or in competitions with other schools. Links have been reinstated by the new leadership team so that pupils can again participate

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

in matches against other schools. Effective use was made of a small proportion of additional sports funding. By working alongside a physical education specialist, teachers have developed their skills and confidence in teaching aspects of physical education.  The governance of the school Governance has improved considerably since the school’s last inspection. Governors have a sharp understanding of the school with which to challenge leaders and plan for the school’s future. They are aware that teaching had been improving but that momentum has slowed this term. Governors consulted widely when making decisions about leadership arrangements for September 2016. They had not anticipated the withdrawal of the interim support arrangements with the federation at such short notice, but have acted swiftly in bringing in a new team. Governors have checked carefully that their spending decisions have been carried out. They have made

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

sure pupil premium funding has been used effectively. They are quite clear that spending on additional staff, to provide individual and small-group teaching, has been the most effective use of this money.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. New leadership has quickly instigated weekly meetings of appropriate staff to pull together information about vulnerable pupils and to agree any action to be taken. Training has made staff aware of issues relating to radicalisation and female genital mutilation. Consequently, they are very vigilant and follow school procedures fully if they have any safeguarding concerns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Variations in the quality of teaching, identified at the last inspection, have not been eliminated. This has not been helped recently by having to recruit several new teachers at short notice. Consequently, pupils are not making consistently good progress, particularly in mathematics.  At its strongest, teaching identifies when pupils are unsure of new ideas and it is then adjusted skilfully to help to make things clearer. Where subject knowledge is most secure, resources and methods used capture the pupils’ interest quickly so they concentrate and enjoy learning. However, at times teaching does not challenge the most able.  Pupils respond well when they are given clear guidance orally and through marking. This shows how keen they are to improve. Often though, misconceptions and errors are not identified in their work and so are not eliminated quickly. This slows their progress.  The teaching of writing has improved. Boys are now more engaged and interested in writing because the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

texts they use fire their imaginations and stimulate their ideas. The headteacher has identified, as a priority, making sure that the new topic themes promote writing more effectively than at present.  Reading is taught well, particularly the teaching of letters and the sounds they make. All Year 1 pupils read to an adult at the start of each day. This further secures basic skills and generates a genuine interest in books among pupils. Other skills such as comprehension are taught well as pupils move through the school.  The teaching of mathematics is weak. Pupils are not made to think deeply about what they are learning or to explain the reasoning behind their answers. They have few opportunities to apply what they know in investigation and practical activities and so do not deepen their understanding of new concepts quickly enough. At times, the most able have to listen to explanations of skills they have already mastered, which

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

reduces the time available for them to extend their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy the opportunities they are given to take on roles and demonstrate responsibility. They carry out their jobs with pride and enthusiasm. This includes being trained as peer mediators to help to resolve differences between pupils by negotiation.  The pupils’ view that bullying is rare is borne out by school records. Pupils say how safe they feel in school. They also report that they have the utmost confidence in staff to keep them safe and sort out any personal difficulties.  Pupils are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe. They are aware of how to use the internet safely, including keeping personal information such as passwords secure. They can discuss avoiding radicalisation and how to stay safe on the streets.  Pupils speak highly of their school. They have quickly adapted to the new leadership team. Relationships

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Personal development and welfare

are strong and have helped to ease changes over recent weeks.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils move around the school sensibly. They respond quickly to their teachers’ requests and instructions. They play together happily on the playground where they are well supervised, and have a wide range of activities to keep them occupied.  Pupils are polite when talking with adults. They are generally attentive in class and listen carefully to the contributions of others before making their own thoughtful responses.  Pupils look smart in their school uniform and walk around school confidently with a sense of pride. They try hard to meet their teachers’ expectations for neat and well-presented work and clearly want to be successful. This is reflected in their regular attendance and their punctuality to school.  Pupils show respect and consideration for others. They mix well and enjoy learning about the different cultures represented in the school. They are tolerant of others and try to make sure that everyone, even

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Behaviour

newcomers, are involved in class and at play.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils’ progress has been improving but is not consistently good across all subjects and year groups. Year 6 pupils in 2015 had made good progress from their Key Stage 1 assessments and most were prepared well for secondary school. Pupils’ current work and assessment information show that this improving picture has not been maintained in all areas, particularly mathematics.  Pupils make good progress in their understanding of basic reading skills such as the sounds made by letters. They mostly apply these skills well when faced with new vocabulary, although when some less-able readers make mistakes, they carry on even though what they are reading does not make sense.  Pupils’ work and assessment information show that progress has improved in writing. Boys are now making good progress, although their attainment still lags slightly behind that of girls. Pupils write imaginatively and in a neat style, although their spelling is not always accurate or consistently corrected.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Progress in mathematics requires improvement. Pupils learn formal methods of calculation but their recall of basic number facts is not always secure. Pupils do not have a deep understanding of number because they do not apply their skills enough to investigating and solving problems.  The progress made by disadvantaged pupils has been rising. Gaps in attainment with others in the school and nationally have remained relatively narrow and amounted to between one term and six months in mathematics, reading and writing in 2015.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability make similar progress to others in each year group. At times their progress is better than that of others, because their needs are accurately identified and support programmes are tailored carefully and their impact checked.  The language needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language are met well by the constant

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

focus on talk and explaining new vocabulary at every opportunity. Newcomers to the school, often speaking little or no English, also receive effective, intensive small-group support to help them settle in and access learning.  Pupils of Black African backgrounds make similar progress as others in their classes. There are no significant patterns across the school to indicate variations in outcomes for pupils from other minority ethnic backgrounds.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Inconsistencies in teaching across the early years mean that children do not make consistently good progress in all areas of learning. While teaching is good in Nursery, it is not always so in the Reception classes.  Nursery is a very nurturing environment. Children collaborate well during activities and are encouraged to explore ideas for themselves. They enjoy learning, although at the time of the inspection the Nursery outdoor area was under redevelopment and could not be used fully.  Language development is a prominent feature in all classes. For example, all adults expect children to answer in full sentences. This helps children who enter with weaknesses in their communication skills to develop their speaking rapidly.  Children’s learning in Reception is not consistently good. Children are not encouraged enough to make choices or initiate learning themselves. This limits the opportunity for them to be creative, imaginative and

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Early years provision requires improvement

to become more resilient by learning from their mistakes. The outside area focuses overly on physical development and does not support children’s literacy and mathematics sufficiently.  Children behave well in all classes. They enjoy what they are doing and feel safe. Many children, in Nursery in particular, collaborate well and concentrate on what they are doing.  Leadership, supported by the local authority, has focused on improving teaching and closing attainment gaps between boys and girls. This has led to some improvement in provision and improved attainment, but has not fully eliminated variations in teaching across the Reception classes.  Leadership of the early years was removed when the federation arrangements ceased. The new and temporary leadership has already identified the action needed to bring greater consistency to children’s learning and progress. Local authority support is proving valuable in providing guidance and training for

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School details

Unique reference number 100780 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 10001971

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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 529 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Juliette Young Executive headteacher Gregory Doey Telephone number 020 7639 0431 Website www.camelotprimaryschool.co.uk Email address general@camelot.southwark.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 22 October 2013

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Information about this school

 This school is well above average in size compared with other primary schools.  All but a very few pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds. This figure is very high. The majority of pupils are from families of Black African heritages.  Almost three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language. This figure is high.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by funding through the pupil premium is well above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding which, in this school, supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is above average.  Children in the early years provision attend the Nursery part time and the three Reception classes full time.  The proportion of pupils who join or leave part way through their primary education is higher than in most primary schools.

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Information about this school

 The school provides daily breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school has experienced several leadership and teaching staff changes since its last inspection. The substantive headteacher left in February 2015 and a partnership was then established with the Mayflower Federation. This arrangement ended at the start of the Easter term. Several key leaders left their posts in the school along with several teachers. A new federation has been established with Pilgrims’ Way Primary School and the executive headteacher had been in post for three weeks at the time of the inspection.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 26 lessons. Senior leaders accompanied inspectors to 10 of these. They looked at work in pupils’ books from the current academic year.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, with the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors. A meeting was also held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 13 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire. Inspectors also met informally with parents at the start of the school day.  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.  Inspectors also took account of the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Martin Beale, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Brian Simber Ofsted Inspector Hazel Burnie Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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