Daubeney Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Janice Thomas Executive Headteacher Daubeney Primary School Daubeney Road Clapton London E5 0EG

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 26 June 2018 with Barbara Breed, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since Daubeney Primary School was judged to be good in November 2013.

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated very strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

Leaders and governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They have moved the school forward rapidly since the last inspection. The principle that all pupils achieve their best, no matter what, guides leaders’ work. Staff who responded to the Ofsted survey confirmed that your school is much better since the last inspection. Pupils responding to the survey and those spoken to said they enjoy school and that they receive good help in their lessons. Parents who responded to the survey were equally positive. Governors challenge leaders to provide information about pupils’ progress and safety. This helps the governing body do its job properly.

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

Leaders place a high priority on children being safe and knowing how to keep themselves safe. Regular and relevant training for all staff keeps safeguarding high profile. Parents who submitted comments and spoke to inspectors confirmed that their children are safe in school. They commented particularly on the care and attention teachers give to children.

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding make sure that governors receive regular reports. These provide information about the issues facing children, families and the staff supporting them. Leaders and governors have agreed to expand the team supporting vulnerable children and families. This is in response to increased demands caused by greater numbers of vulnerable children attending the school. Support staff working with vulnerable pupils take their responsibilities for safeguarding seriously. Referrals to external support services are managed in a timely way. A strong partnership with the local authority makes a positive difference to the learning of vulnerable children.

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Short inspection of Daubeney Primary School

At the start of the inspection, inspectors were concerned about the number of pupils who were regularly absent from school. We were reassured to learn that the numbers are now much lower than recorded, for the last two years, and are now well below those found nationally. Attendance is above the national average, and has improved over the past three years. This is a notable achievement.

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Inspection findings

 We agreed to focus on three areas where you believed the school’s strong progress could be seen. In the three years to 2017, published results showed that standards continued to rise in the early years and at key stages 1 and 2. These suggested a trend of sustained improvement.  Since this inspection took place, Ofsted has learned that the Standards and Testing Authority annulled the school’s 2018 key stage 2 results in reading and mathematics after investigating allegations of maladministration. While mathematics was not a key line of enquiry during the inspection, we did agree to look closely at the impact of leaders on progress in early reading skills and particularly in phonics.  Inspectors visited classrooms, looking at the displays of work and the book corners. We heard Year 1 and Year 4 pupils read. We saw pupils learning phonics, and spoke to parents about work in phonics and reading.  Inspectors saw effective teaching of phonics. Pupils are encouraged not only to

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Inspection findings

blend their sounds to spell and read words, but to use those words in simple sentences and practise reading aloud with greater fluency.  Many of the attractive wall displays around the school encourage pupils to read. The displays show that pupils have many opportunities to read widely in subject areas other than literacy. All classes have well-stocked reading corners with tidy and attractive books for pupils to choose. Pupils enjoy reading for pleasure across the school.  We saw very effective additional support provided for pupils who need more help with phonics and reading. Disadvantaged children, who started their education with poor skills in reading, catch up with their peers by the end of key stage 1. In 2015, one in five pupils did not achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check. This was reduced to one in 10 pupils in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, more pupils than ever before achieved the expected standard. Leaders

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Inspection findings

make sure that all pupils make expected progress in phonics.  The next area was to consider the effectiveness of additional adults in supporting pupils’ progress during lessons. This was an area for improvement in the last inspection report.  Inspectors visited classes where additional adults were working with groups and individuals. We wanted to see how effective they were in supporting pupils with their daily learning. We also met with a group of support staff to find out more about their roles. We also wanted to understand what had changed for the better since the last inspection.  Irrespective of their individual roles, additional adults showed determination to play their part in supporting pupils’ progress and keeping them engaged with learning. Inspectors saw pupils working independently but being helped as needed. Between them, additional adults have a wealth of experience, which is valued by leaders who recognise the impact they have in lessons. Since the last

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Inspection findings

inspection, leaders have made significant progress in developing the roles and impact of additional adults’ work on pupils’ learning.  Our final focus was on the curriculum in history and science. We explored the extent to which these subjects broaden and deepen pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Leaders chose these to exemplify the school’s wider curriculum provision.  We looked at a sample of books across both key stages and at displays of work in classrooms and around the school. We spoke to pupils and to subject leaders.  The curriculum for science and history is certainly broad. There is a balance of subjects, and time is given to them each term. In science, younger pupils learn about the features of plants and animals. Older pupils learn about scientists and their discoveries. Visits to museums further their interest and understanding. Pupils learn about periods of history, including Anglo Saxons, Vikings and

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Inspection findings

Egyptians. They further their understanding through opportunities to explore different aspects of these ancient cultures, such as clothing and communication.  Pupils enjoy science and learn about many different aspects of it, including life cycles, classification and the lives of scientists. They enjoy history, and they are enthusiastic about the subject. However, teachers’ understanding about what pupils learn by way of new knowledge and skills in these subject is not sharp enough. They tend instead to focus more heavily on pupils’ literacy skills, such as those required for writing.  Evidence suggests that wider experiences in the foundation curriculum are interesting and varied. On the day of the inspection, there were trips for the Reception Year, Year 5 and for some children from other year groups to enrich their learning in religious education and science, and in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Inspection findings

 While the curriculum helps develop pupils’ knowledge in these subjects well, leaders told us that a further focus on the development of skills and deeper understanding of these subjects is an area for improvement.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 the strength of teachers’ understanding about pupils’ progress in the core subjects is matched by equally strong practice in other subjects.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hackney. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

At the start of the inspection, we agreed three lines of enquiry to exemplify your self-evaluation of the school’s performance. Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, subject leaders and staff supporting groups and individual pupils. Other meetings were held with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors and with the designated safeguarding lead. The lead inspector also spoke to a representative from the local authority. Inspectors visited lessons, spoke with pupils and parents, looked at work and heard pupils read. In addition, inspectors considered responses to the staff survey and pupil survey and responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents.

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