Marvels Lane Primary School

Marvels Lane Primary School Riddons Road, Grove Park SE12 9RA

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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

 The headteacher, deputy and senior leaders have worked effectively with the governing body to address the areas for improvement that were identified at the time of the previous inspection. Together with staff, they have made sure that pupils’ outcomes have improved.  Leaders and governors have improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that it is good. Pupils enjoy the interesting activities teachers plan. Leaders have introduced a marking policy that helps pupils to improve their learning.  Rates of progress have increased from Nursery to Year 6. Standards by the end of Year 2, a priority for development, have risen. More pupils than in the past reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics (the link between letters and sounds) screening check.  Children are happy and sociable in the early years provision. Leaders have successfully increased the proportion of children who reach the expected

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This is a good school

standard overall at the end of the Reception Year.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are good. Pupils behave sensibly and follow teachers’ instructions so that no time is wasted in lessons.  Older pupils are keen to take on roles of responsibility to help the younger ones at breaktimes. Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe.  Leaders now check the quality of teaching very regularly. Effective guidance on how to improve further has helped to increase the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Governors are confident to challenge the school’s leaders. They check carefully that initiatives are securing the necessary improvements to the school’s overall effectiveness.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 At the end of the Reception Year, outcomes for boys are not as strong as for girls.  Occasionally, work is not challenging enough for the most able pupils, or is too difficult for others.  Leaders have successfully raised pupils’ attendance rates over recent years but the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is still above the national average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise outcomes for boys at the end of the Reception Year.  Share the best practice across the school to make sure that the most able pupils are set demanding tasks and that work is not too difficult for other pupils.  Reduce the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders, governors and staff have worked effectively together with the headteacher to improve the school since the previous inspection. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ learning and their behaviour have risen. Pupils are ambitious to achieve well. In the questionnaire for school staff, those who responded are overwhelmingly proud to be a member of staff at the school and confirmed they know what the school is trying to achieve.  The curriculum encourages pupils’ enjoyment of learning. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They appreciate the ‘golden books’ they have selected for the classroom libraries. Pupils who spoke to inspectors discussed their favourite books and authors confidently. Pupils enthuse about the variety of different subjects they learn. Art is popular. In the school’s art gallery staircase, pupils’ high-quality art work shows the strong skills they develop. Teachers plan outings and visits to local places of interest that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

help to encourage pupils’ enjoyment and deepen their understanding.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They are keen to be elected as members of the school council. Older pupils are enthusiastic to take on roles as ‘responsible people’ and contribute to the school community, for example helping the younger pupils in the dining hall by serving water to drink.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered strongly, for instance through the school’s ‘gem powers’ – strategies that actively encourage pupils’ learning. Discussions in assemblies include good manners, self-control, compassion, friendship and forgiveness, and promote pupils’ caring attitudes and respect for others. In a key stage 2 assembly during the inspection, each Year 6 pupil spoke thoughtfully about which value they personally thought was the most important, and explained why.  Leaders and governors make sure that additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

promote equality of opportunity. They have made sure the funding is effective in closing gaps between the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and the others.  Specialist sports coaching encourages pupils’ enjoyment of sporting activities and their positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy. Pupils in the dance club recently took part in a dance showcase performance at a local theatre together with pupils from other schools. Pupils understand how to eat healthily and explained to inspectors why they appreciate the lunches they eat at school. These strengths show that leaders make successful use of the physical education and sport premium funding.  Senior and subject leaders check the quality of teaching very regularly. Helpful advice and guidance support teachers to improve teaching where it is necessary. Leaders manage performance effectively. They are quick to identify any underperformance in teaching and take action to secure swift

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

improvement. As a result, they have driven improvements in teaching quality. Leaders have not been as effective in sharing best practice to make sure that the most able are challenged, for example during activities at the start of lessons, or that tasks are not too demanding for the least able pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school Governors check the progress the school makes towards meeting ambitious targets for improvement. They have increased the frequency with which they demand up-to-date information from the senior leadership team so that they are better informed than in the past about the school’s overall effectiveness. They have responded positively to the main suggestions for improvement following the external review of governance. Members of the governing body visit the school regularly and are beginning to seek parents’ views actively through informal discussions with parents in the playground.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff and members of the governing body have received up-to-date training on the latest safeguarding guidance, including how to identify and evaluate risks, and how to prevent radicalisation and extremism. Staff with specific responsibility for safeguarding meet with

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

safeguarding professionals and parents to make sure that pupils are supported and safe. Workshops for parents, for example on keeping safe online, help them to keep their children safe.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers make sure that pupils understand what they need to do so that no time is wasted when pupils set to work. They plan activities that capture and hold pupils’ interest and use well-selected resources to support pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year 1 science lesson, pupils learning about leaves compared the different textures and shapes of leaf samples. They thought hard and concentrated to identify differences and similarities between the various types of leaves they were examining.  Teachers’ strong knowledge of the subjects they teach contributes to pupils’ progress. For instance, pupils in the early years provision and key stage 1 develop their knowledge of phonics and make good progress in building early reading skills because teachers and teaching assistants explain new learning clearly.  The school’s approach to giving feedback on pupils’ work is helpful in improving their learning. Pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

typically take responsibility for responding to teachers’ guidance.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language in key stage 2 and who join the school at the early stages of learning English benefit from additional sessions to increase their understanding of English and build their knowledge of English vocabulary. They develop confidence and fluency in spoken English and achieve well in reading and writing as well as other curriculum subjects.  The most able pupils are particularly well stretched in Year 6 where teachers make sure that they complete demanding tasks. The accuracy with which teachers make sure that tasks are matched to pupils’ abilities is not as consistently effective in other classes. For example, at the start of mathematics lessons, tasks are sometimes too easy for the most-able pupils. Occasionally, in other lessons, the least able pupils struggle to complete tasks when they are too difficult.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders make sure that pupils develop a clear understanding of how to be successful learners through promoting gem powers that encourage skills such as concentration and perseverance. Trained Year 5 ‘diamond dudes’ use their problem-solving skills to help other pupils resolve issues that may occur at breaktime.  Pupils know what they should do to keep themselves safe from harm in a variety of situations. Workshops for pupils in Year 6 help to prepare them for the start of secondary school and guide them to keep safe, for example when travelling on public transport.  There is some name-calling during breaktimes. Pupils are confident that staff and other pupils will help them should any problems occur. Pupils are keen to do even more to make sure that bullying is eradicated.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are settled, calm and attentive to teachers in lessons. Around the school, pupils listen to and follow teachers’ instructions quickly. They are polite, friendly and welcoming. The school buildings and outdoor spaces are tidy and well maintained. Pupils help to tend and water the school’s flower beds. They look after and respect the displays of pupils’ work and art work around the school and there is no litter.  Previously below-average attendance rates have risen steadily over recent years. Leaders have been successful in encouraging regular attendance and good punctuality. Leaders have significantly reduced the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school, but the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is still higher than the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Rates of pupils’ progress have increased throughout the school since the previous inspection. From their starting points, all groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points and are well supported. They benefit from additional sessions with therapists and trained additional adults that are tailored to their social, emotional and academic needs.  Gaps between disadvantaged pupils and the others are narrowing successfully. For example, by the end of the Reception Year, disadvantaged children and the others achieve equally well. Provisional results suggest that in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2016, gaps between disadvantaged pupils and the others have closed.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress as a result of the support and

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Outcomes for pupils are good

guidance they receive.  The most able pupils typically make good progress. In Year 6 for example, they make particularly swift progress in mathematics. In 2015, more pupils than nationally reached the very highest standards in mathematics in national assessments. However, the most able in other year groups are not consistently challenged as effectively to make rapid progress in their learning.  Leaders regularly check the progress all pupils make and identify pupils who may be at risk of falling behind in their learning. Extra sessions with teachers and teaching assistants help them to catch up. Occasionally, the progress of least-able pupils is diminished when teachers set tasks that are too hard.

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Early years provision is good

 Good leadership has made sure that outcomes for children in the early years provision have improved since the previous inspection. As a result of good teaching, children are well prepared for the start of Year 1 by the end of the early years. The proportion of children who reach the expected standards at the end of the Reception Year has increased year on year.  Children are happy in the early years provision. They behave well, and follow routines and instructions from the adults. They work and play well together. Children know that the adults keep a careful eye on them when using physical activities in order to help keep them safe.  Additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used carefully. Gaps between the attainment of disadvantaged children, others at the school and others nationally have closed, particularly in reading, writing and numbers.  Workshops for parents, for example on how phonics and early reading are taught, help them to support

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Early years provision is good

their children’s learning at home. During the inspection, parents of children in the early years provision spoke enthusiastically to inspectors about the positive start to their education that their children have made. Leaders also work closely with the children’s centre that shares the school site to support children in the early years provision and their families.  Leaders have identified that girls reach higher standards than boys by the end of the Reception Year. Consequently, they have started to make changes to the tasks available for children in order to engage the interest of boys more effectively. For example, boys working on their knowledge of numbers in a Reception class enjoyed counting the number of wheels that were on small vehicles. At the water tray, other boys concentrated hard to use toothbrushes to clean toy cars. In the Nursery class, leaders have introduced outdoor learning activities for children in local woodland. However, these initiatives have not

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Early years provision is good

been in place long enough to show a lasting impact on helping boys to achieve as well as girls.

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School details

Unique reference number 100696 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 10009174

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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

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 447 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gavin Berriman Headteacher Edward Dove Telephone number 020 8857 3904 Website www.marvelslane.lewisham.sch.uk Email address info@marvelslane.lewisham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26–27 February 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion speaking English as an additional language is above average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average.  More disadvantaged pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding to give extra support to those known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after) than the national average.  In 2015, the school met the government’s current floor standards.  The school provides part-time early years provision for children in two Nursery classes and full-time provision for children in two Reception classes. There are two classes in each year group except in the current Year 2 where there are three classes.  The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school provision.  The school organises a breakfast club.

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  Marvels Lane Children’s Centre that shares the school site is not part of the school and was not included in this inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 28 teaching sessions across a range of subject areas and all year groups. On the first day of the inspection, many of these visits were conducted together with members of the senior leadership team.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, and senior and middle leaders. Inspectors spoke to pupils informally in lessons and around the school, and looked at work in pupils’ books. They also met with groups of pupils from Years 3 to 6 and listened to some Years 1 and 2 pupils reading. Inspectors held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and held a meeting with five governors including the chair of the governing body.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment information and the school’s action plans and self-evaluation reports. The school’s records relating to safeguarding were also checked.

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Information about this inspection

 There were 82 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 25 written comments. Inspectors also spoke informally to parents in the playground at the start and end of the first day of the inspection. The inspectors took account of these along with 48 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Margaret Warner Ofsted Inspector Lesley Stevens Ofsted Inspector Andrew Rigby 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

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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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