Glenbrook Primary School

Glenbrook Primary School Clarence Avenue, Clapham Park, London SW4 8LD

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Leaders have secured significant improvements in the school since it joined the federation. As a result, outcomes for pupils are better than at the time of the last inspection.  Governors have a comprehensive knowledge of the school. They challenge and hold senior leaders to account for improving teaching and outcomes for all groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Teachers value and benefit from effective training and support from leaders across the federation. Consequently, standards are rising.  Children in the early years share good relationships with the adults and with their peers. They are settled in school and keen to learn.  Glenbrook is a highly diverse school where pupils from different minority ethnic backgrounds happily learn and play together. They show respect and tolerance for different cultures represented in their school and beyond.  The creative curriculum is broad and balanced.

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This is a good school

Pupils have exciting opportunities to learn beyond the classroom through a wide range of activities, such as educational trips and special events, linked to the topics they study.  Pupils say the school is a better place to learn since the headteacher’s appointment. Parents say their children are happy at the school and appreciate the improvements that have been made.  Pupils are polite, well mannered and courteous. They are respectful towards both adults and their peers.  The school’s work to safeguard pupils is effective. Pupils say they feel safe and enjoy coming to school.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Pupils are given opportunities to take on responsibilities within the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some cohorts do not make the progress they are capable of.  Occasionally, teachers do not recognise pupils’ achievements and effort in reading, and thus do not encourage them to stretch themselves further.  Pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they do in writing. In particular, the most able pupils are not fully challenged to exceed the expected standards for their age.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils make outstanding progress consistently across all year groups, by ensuring that: – more pupils across all year groups make rapid and sustained progress to attain and exceed the standards expected for their ages – pupils further develop their comprehension skills – teachers challenge pupils in reading, particularly the most able, by skilfully questioning them so they develop a deeper understanding of what they have read – leaders check that pupils’ achievements in reading are consistently recognised by teachers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher benefits from the range of networks and expertise available at different leadership levels across the federation. As a result, she and other senior leaders in the school demonstrate effective capacity to improve the school further. Leaders are relentless in their efforts to keep improving outcomes for all groups of pupils.  Leaders have ensured that training and support for teachers at Glenbrook to improve their teaching has secured good outcomes for its pupils. Teachers strongly agree that they feel well supported and are treated with respect. Staff morale is high; to quote one teacher, ‘Pupils are very happy and there is a great staff morale.’  School leaders are effective in managing the performance of teachers to improve teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils. Teachers are awarded pay increases when they have demonstrated good performance and pupils in their class have made progress in their learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school’s broad, balanced and creative curriculum is expertly organised to include all the subjects of the national curriculum. The theme-based approach to learning is stimulating as it covers interesting topics. These include ‘Come with us to the Ends of the Earth’, where pupils learn about the similarities and differences between Antarctica and the Arctic. Learning is enjoyable because it is extended beyond the classroom with pupils visiting places of interest. For example, pupils visited a museum to learn more about Antarctica and the Arctic. Pupils are given many opportunities to extend their learning through clubs such as football, healthy living and reading. Pupils say, ‘Our school has a fun environment.’  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well within the school. This is evident in the class celebration books which show that pupils learn about and celebrate different cultural festivals

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Pupils learn about different religions and cultures that help them get a better understanding of each other.  The sports premium funding is spent effectively. The school spends the money by working with a school sports partnership that provides specialist teaching in physical education. Teachers are supported by the specialist teachers to develop their knowledge and skills. This partnership also enables teachers to receive training and pupils to participate in sports competitions.  Additional funding provided by the pupil premium is spent appropriately on improving learning and outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. The school’s assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils are making good progress in writing, compared to other pupils in the school.  The governance of the school – The school is governed by a single governing body which oversees all six schools within the federation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

– Governors know the school well and have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development. They challenge school leaders and hold them to account for the progress of all groups of pupils. – Governors visit the school regularly and talk to pupils about their learning. They also undertake learning walks, attend pupils’ progress meetings and talk to teachers about their pupils’ learning. – They ensure that any additional funding is used effectively to benefit the pupils and improve outcomes for them.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure that all adults who work with pupils in the school are suitable and checked appropriately. Staff are well trained to notice any changes in pupils’ behaviours and identify any signs of abuse. They are fully aware of the school’s internal procedures should they need to raise a concern about a pupil. Similarly, staff have been trained to protect their pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

from dangers such as radicalisation and exploitation.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. This is because teachers plan interesting activities focused on the specific needs of pupils, so they make good progress.  Teachers say they value the high-quality training which helps them to engage and inspire pupils in their learning. Confirming this, teachers say, ‘support with planning helps teachers to focus on the skills pupils are learning, and get the best outcomes for pupils’.  Pupils benefit from opportunities to respond to their class teachers’ marking and feedback to improve their work. Teachers consistently adhere to the school’s policies when checking pupils’ work in books. As a result, pupils move forward in their learning.  Mathematics is taught effectively. Pupils are given opportunities to apply their mathematical knowledge to problems and develop their reasoning skills. For example, pupils were made to think hard when they were

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

asked to use their mathematical skills of addition to solve number problems and puzzles. Work in pupils’ mathematics books confirms that pupils make good progress over time.  Occasionally, pupils’ reading is not checked and their efforts in reading are not acknowledged by teachers. In key stage 1, pupils use their phonics to decode unfamiliar words but sometimes struggle to talk about what they have read to demonstrate an understanding of the book. Some older pupils in key stage 2 experience difficulties in reading unfamiliar words. As a result, they lose the deeper levels of understanding while reading. Most-able pupils are not consistently stretched in their reading and therefore too few exceed the standards expected for their age.  Writing skills are taught well across the school. The work in pupils’ writing books indicates that pupils write for a range of different purposes. They use varying sentence structures, vocabulary and punctuation

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

effectively. For example, pupils learn how to write paragraphs using short sentences to create an element of surprise.  Homework set is supportive of pupils’ learning needs. It is used well to consolidate pupils’ learning in literacy and mathematics. Pupils take pride in presenting their homework and meet the expectations set by the school. In addition, pupils are given independent learning projects such as researching ‘what lies under the ground’ which enhance their learning in other subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are proud of their school and say they would recommend it to other pupils. They are proud of their own achievements and celebrate the successes of their peers. They take pride in presenting their work, as is evident in their mathematics and writing books.  Pupils say they are safe. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of safety, including online safety, the dangers associated with strangers, road safety and safety of people who are alone at home.  Most pupils say bullying is a rare occurrence. They have confidence that adults in the school will take any concerns seriously. Pupils are knowledgeable about all the different forms of bullying. Equally, staff consider that the school deals with any incidents of bullying effectively.  The school council plays an active role in the life of the school and its improvement. For example, council

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Personal development and welfare

members recently led an initiative called ‘FOODTOPIA’ to improve their dining area so lunchtimes are more enjoyable and promote healthy eating. Pupils are given opportunities to exercise leadership and take responsibility in school life, for example acting as ‘peer mediators’ in the playground. This illustrates how effectively the British values of democracy, tolerance and respect are promoted within the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils say that the school is a better a place to learn since the headteacher’s appointment. The school’s information shows that, over time, there has been a decline in the number of behavioural incidents.  Pupils and staff alike share strong positive relationships. The peer-to-peer mediation helps pupils to develop strong positive relationships with their classmates. Peer mediators are trained to help other pupils resolve any problems in a non-threatening manner, within a safe and secure environment.  Pupils are polite, well mannered and courteous. They listen to and respect each other’s views. This was evident when an inspector spoke with a group of pupils about their learning and school experiences.  Occasionally, low-level disruption is evident within learning time. A small number of pupils do not swiftly follow their class teacher’s instructions when moving between different learning activities.

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Behaviour

 Attendance is in line with the national average. Pupils attend regularly and the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is below average. Leaders’ actions to improve attendance are effective.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The progress that pupils make is good overall, and has improved since the school joined the federation. Consequently, attainment is also rising so that more pupils are working at standards expected for their age, particularly in writing and mathematics. However, pupils are not making rapid and sustained progress in their reading, especially in understanding what they are reading.  The school’s current assessment information indicates that a significant majority of pupils are making at least good progress in writing and mathematics. Inspectors confirmed this through a careful scrutiny of pupils’ writing and mathematics books. During visits to lessons, pupils were seen tackling harder work and making good gains in their skills and understanding.  The current Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is confirmed by the work in pupils’ books and the school’s own assessment information. As a result, they

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Outcomes for pupils are good

are in line to meet the expected standards for their ages at the end of key stages 1 and 2.  Early reading skills are taught well and systematically across Reception classes and key stage 1. Pupils use their phonics knowledge well to read unfamiliar words. However, some pupils struggle with the comprehension aspect of reading and find it difficult to discuss what they have read.  In 2015, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils at the end of key stage 1 was below average in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s own assessment information indicates that in the current Year 2 disadvantaged pupils are making good progress. Leaders’ actions to narrow the gap in attainment are working.  School assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils currently in school are making good progress in writing. The gaps in their progress are narrowing in mathematics and reading, compared to other pupils in the school.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The school’s early identification programme ensures that pupils who have special educational needs or disability are identified quickly and bespoke support is put in place to meet their needs. In 2015, these pupils made good progress, particularly in writing and mathematics.  Pupils in Years 2 and 6 are well prepared for their education in the next key stages because they are making better strides now in much of their learning, becoming more confident in applying their skills and knowledge effectively across the curriculum.

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Early years provision is good

 Early years leaders have a comprehensive view of the early years, including all the areas of learning. They make regular checks on children’s progress. As a result, the curriculum is well adapted to meet the development and learning needs of all groups of children, so they make good progress. There is a good balance of adult- and child-initiated activities which enables children to develop and learn effectively.  Children enter the early years with skills, knowledge and understanding that are well below those typical for their age. The school’s assessment information shows that most children in Reception, including boys and disadvantaged children, are making good progress, and are on track to reach a good level of development at the end of the early years foundation stage. Children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.  Children in the early years share good relationships with their peers and adults. They feel safe and enjoy

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Early years provision is good

learning. Children enthusiastically told an inspector about their topic, ‘sea animals’, how happy they are and how they enjoy their learning.  Teaching in the early years is effective because teachers use their assessments well to design learning activities which extend and enhance children’s learning and development. Teachers skilfully question children to ensure they have understood their learning. For example, as children were counting objects to 10, adults asked questions like, ‘Is 6 less or more than 7?’  Children use their knowledge of phonics well to read and write simple sentences. Most-able children read with fluency and confidence, demonstrating a clear understanding of what they have read.  The early year’s online assessment system enables parents to access and contribute to their child’s learning and progress. This effective partnership promotes good continuity for children’s learning between

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School details

Unique reference number 100601 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 10009159

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School details

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

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School details

School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 364 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Wintle Headteacher Carmel Longley Telephone number 020 8674 2387 Website www.glenbrookprimary.com Email address glenbrook@ghf.london Date of previous inspection 27–28 February 2014

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Information about this school

 Glenbrook Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are from minority ethnic groups. The majority of pupils are from a Black African or Black Caribbean heritage.  A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language.  A very large majority of the pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding. This is additional funding which supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school does not meet requirements for the publication of specific information about the pupil premium funding for the academic year 2015/2016 and its accessibility plan on its website.

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Gipsy Hill Federation on 17 September 2015. Prior to this, the school was receiving support from other schools within the federation. The federation is led by an executive headteacher and one governing body.  There have been significant changes to the governing body since the previous inspection. A new chair of the governing body was appointed in September 2015.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 23 lessons, three of which were joint observations with either the senior headteacher or the headteacher.  Inspectors looked at a range of pupils’ work in their books, displays and profiles in the early years.  Inspectors talked with a group of pupils about their experiences at school and listened to pupils read.  A group of pupils accompanied an inspector on a learning walk to share their views about the school, the curriculum and their learning.  Meetings were held with senior headteachers within the federation and the school’s headteacher.  In addition, meetings were held with year leaders and senior leaders who work across all six schools within the federation.  A meeting was held with the chair of the governing body and one parent governor.  A telephone conversation was held with a senior representative of the local authority.  A meeting was also held with the school improvement adviser within the federation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took into account the 17 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also considered results from the school’s annual parent questionnaire and met with parents informally at the start and end of both school days.  Inspectors considered 23 responses to the staff questionnaires.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of school documentation, including the school’s own information on current pupils’ progress, the evaluation of its performance, the federation’s plans for improvement, and documentation relating to behaviour and safeguarding arrangements.

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Inspection team

Rajeshree Mehta, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Christina Cleugh Ofsted Inspector David Milligan 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

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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