St Mary Magdalene & St Stephen's CofE Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th and 5 th November 2001

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SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rowington Close Warwick Estate London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, St Mary Magdalene CEP School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Father D Clues

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June, 1997 St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 17826 June Punnett Registered inspector 9588 Tony West Lay inspector 27644 John Tate Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Phoenix Educational Consultants “Thule” 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT 01227 273449

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London, WC2B 6SE St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary Magdalene CE Primary School educates boys and girls aged between three and 11. It is a one form entry primary school with a Nursery class, situated in the centre of the Warwick Estate on the bank of the Grand Union Canal. The school is part of Westminster Educational Action Zone. Eight new teachers joined the staff in September 2001. The school population is socially and culturally diverse. About 39 per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language which is a very high percentage, and 19 different languages are spoken, the largest group being Arabic. During the term of the inspection, there were 43 children in the Foundation Stage. In total, there are 218 full-time pupils, which is slightly smaller than other schools of the same type. There are more girls than boys on roll, although one class has a disproportionate number of boys. About 45 per cent of the pupils are entitled to free

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

school meals, which is well above the national average. There are approximately 28 per cent of pupils (62) are identified as having special educational needs, which is above average. Seven pupils have statements of special educational need which is well above the national average. During the last school year, 11 pupils entered the school other than at the usual time of first admission and nine left it at times, which were not those of the normal leaving or transfer for most pupils. This represents a below average level of mobility. Following their time in the Foundation Stage, the majority of children enter the school at broadly average levels of attainment.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Mary Magdalene is a good school whose work is soundly underpinned by its Christian philosophy. The good quality leadership and the good provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those with English as an additional language lead to a school where the contributions of all members of the community are valued and included. The overall good quality of teaching results in above average attainment by the time pupils are eleven years of age. These qualities alongside the good systems put in place by the headteacher to monitor the school’s performance, and the good relationships with the church, mean that this school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6 compared with similar schools. • The leadership and management of the school are good overall, so that the school continues to develop in spite of many changes of staff. • Pupils’ attitudes to work, their personal development and the quality of relationships within the school promote a very good atmosphere in which to learn. • In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average, and contributes significantly to the high quality displays and the environment for learning.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall attainment. • The links with the community especially with business, to give pupils a better understanding of the world of work. • The quality of teaching in Year 2 which does not promote the maximum rate of progress of which the pupils are capable. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 7 The school was last inspected in June, 1997 and, since then, it has made very good improvements and has a similar capacity to continue to improve. There are good improvements in the governors’ monitoring of the curriculum and the school’s finances. The partnership with parents and the community has developed further, but both the school and governors consider that there is more that could be done. There are significant improvements to the school building and grounds. A child protection policy is now in place. Punctuality and attendance have improved due to the measures put in place by the school. Homework is now shown on weekly planning sheets, and is set consistently. The Year 1 intervention programme has successfully resulted in only one pupil not reading at Level 1 or above. Standards in art and design are much higher than before; this is a significant improvement. Many school policies have been revised or developed, and new schemes of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

work put in place for art and design and music. A strong teaching and learning policy forms the basis for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Since 1999, the school has successfully addressed weaker areas in mathematics and writing in the infants. There are still weaknesses in writing, and it remains on the school’s improvement plan as a key area for development. Pupils’ attainment in English is affected by the lower standards in writing, when compared with reading. There has been some improvement in the overall standard in writing, but pupils underachieve at the higher Level 3, by the end of Year 2, and at Level 5 by the end of Year 6. This differs from the well above average attainment at Level 5 in mathematics and science. At the end of Year 6, the 2001 results show 63 per cent of pupils achieving Level 5 in science. In 1997, the percentage in science at Level 4 or above was 63 per cent; this marks

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

a significant improvement in the higher Level 5. In 2001, levels of achievement in mathematics have risen to 91 per cent at Level 4 or above, an improvement of 14 per cent on the previous year’s results, and 31 per cent at Level 5. The results exceeded the school’s own targets. The school has achieved the Department for Education and Employment’s School Achievement Award and the Investors in People Standard.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English B C D A Well above average above average A

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Key

B Mathematics B C B A Average Below average C D Science B C A A* Well below average E

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Key

Over the past three years, the school’s results have been consistently average or above average, and have improved at the same rate as the national trend. When the results are set against those of pupils from similar schools, St Mary Magdalene’s pupils were well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science in the 2001 end of key

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Key

stage tests. The findings of the current inspection agree with the school’s test results and judge standards to be similar to the 2001 test outcomes. The school exceeded its targets for St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 8 the percentage of pupils reaching Level 4 and above in mathematics in 2001 but did not reach those in English because of weaknesses in writing. The 2001 test results show that the school continues to improve, with improved results in all three subjects, especially at the higher Level 5 in science and mathematics. Standards in English are not as high as those in other subjects. Standards in art and design are much higher than those found in most other schools, and a significant improvement on those of the last inspection.

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Key

Standards in 2001 in Year 2, show well below average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with schools nationally. In comparison with similar schools, standards were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in science were well below the national average at Level 2 or above, and above average at the higher Level 3. The trends show rising standards in writing and falling standards in reading and mathematics.

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Key

Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and the majority are on course to attain the expected standards in all areas of learning by the time that they enter Key Stage 1. Some of the children with English as an additional language are not on track to meet the goals in language, literacy and communication by this time. Children’s writing skills are average and they are beginning to ‘talk like a book’ when reading. Children have an above average knowledge of the world around them, as a result of the very good teaching in the Nursery. They use computers confidently. Children have above average creative skills as reflected in the range of work observed in the classrooms. Children are developing a sound understanding of number and shape.

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Key

The good standards of work reflected in the tests and assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 were not seen in Year 2 during the inspection. This is because of the weak teaching in that class. In Year 1, pupils have benefited from an early intervention programme that helps them with their reading, consequently, only one pupil has not reached a Level 1 in reading. This reflects good progress. Pupils in this key stage are making slower progress in writing, and it is this aspect of language work that is holding pupils back, as standards are too low. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are satisfactory. They have a sound scientific understanding of animals and plants, and use the computer well to support their learning. Standards in art and design are above average. At the time of the last inspection, they were unsatisfactory so that this is a very good improvement.

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Key

Given their overall below average attainment on entry to the Nursery, and the high proportion of pupils with English as an additional language, pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6. More able pupils achieve well in all subjects, especially in the juniors. Pupils’ test results show that they read to well, do not make enough progress in writing, and that their mathematical and scientific work is of a good standard. Pupils with special educational needs, and those with English as an additional language, make sound progress and reach satisfactory standards in relation to their previous attainment.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are very keen to come to school and are enthusiastic about learning. They enjoy lessons, work hard and are very involved in all school activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils show good behaviour and sensible attitudes to rules. They are mostly kind and respectful to each other. There is no bullying or oppressive behaviour in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils have a good understanding of how to care and show consideration for each other. They mostly work well together. Relationships are good between all members of the school community.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Below the national average with some incidence of lateness, which is being addressed well by the school.

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Aspect Comment

The enthusiasm of pupils and their generally good attitudes to work contribute greatly to the school’s very good ethos. Pupils’ good behaviour shows their understanding of the school’s high expectations for them, and their awareness of the school’s code of conduct.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Good Unsatisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The overall quality of the teaching and learning is good, with a small proportion that is very good. The quality of teaching and learning in Year 2 is unsatisfactory. One out of 15 lessons seen was very good or excellent; seven were good, five lessons were satisfactory, one was unsatisfactory and one was poor. This is not as good as the finding of the previous inspection, when 100 per cent of lessons were satisfactory or better.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The good relationships between staff and pupils and the high expectations of teachers underpin the teaching and learning in most classes. In the Foundation Stage, teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age. Across the school, teachers respect the pupils and expect them to do their best. Consequently pupils respond well and most achieve well in lessons. Support staff make an important contribution to the work in classrooms and the good teamwork means that pupils who need extra help have the benefit of focused adult support. The needs of all pupils are well met, including those with English as an additional language, higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. English and mathematics are taught well overall, although the teaching of writing is not good enough and teachers’ expectations of the pupils are too low. Work is carefully planned in these subjects and staff take care to develop pupils’

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

literacy and numeracy skills in other areas, such as geography and science.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Curricular provision is good and assists the pupils to make good progress in their learning. All statutory requirements are met. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is rich in learning opportunities. The school has identified writing as an area for continuing development. There is a good selection of extra- curricular activities to extend pupils’ knowledge and experience.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision for pupils with special educational needs. This is well organised by the new co-ordinator. Pupils have clear targets and their good progress is monitored effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good provision, which supports pupils well. They are included in all activities, and quickly gain confidence in their use and understanding of English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development is very good. There are close links with the church and very good opportunities for spiritual and moral development through literature, art and design, music and assemblies. Provision for social and cultural development is good including opportunities for pupils’ personal development and initiative.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils There are good procedures in place to assess and monitor pupils’ progress, especially in English, mathematics and science. The school cares for its pupils very well. There are good procedures in place for promoting good behaviour and ensuring pupils’ welfare.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum for the Foundation Stage takes good account of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall, with very good leadership by the headteacher. The headteacher gives very clear educational direction to the school and works enthusiastically and effectively to raise standards. All staff subscribe to the school’s aims and values and give the headteacher good support. The new curriculum co-ordinators are not fully effective in their roles. The school meets its aims well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors support the school well and have a sound grasp of their responsibilities. All statutory requirements are met. Finances are well managed and the principles of best value are applied when considering purchases. Governors give good support to the headteacher and his staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation The school analyses the performance of pupils and staff well. Planned improvements are made in the light of test and assessment data information. Realistic, yet challenging, targets are set for improvement. The monitoring of teaching by the St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 11 of its performance headteacher and his deputy is good and is having a positive impact on raising and supporting standards of teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good use is made of all staff, time and curricular resources. Staff are effectively employed and managed. The development plan is clear about its targets and how much they will cost. The administration of the school’s budget is good, and the school has good procedures for judging how well money is spent.

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Aspect Comment

The accommodation is good overall, and there is a good supply of resources to support pupils’ learning. The school’s Christian ethos is very strong and well reflected in the work and life of the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• A church school with a strong sense of community. • Good efforts to make new children feel welcome. • Homework clubs make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. • Regular newsletters give useful information. • School has completely changed for the better in recent years. • The majority of parents think the school is well led and managed. • A small minority of parents raised concerns that pupils with behavioural problems inhibit the learning of others. • Secondary transfer as there is a shortage of good schools to choose from. • 20 per cent of the nine per cent of respondents to the questionnaire expressed concern about homework. • 19 per cent of respondents wanted more information about their children’s progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection supports the positive views of parents. The behaviour in classrooms is well managed. In the playground, especially at lunchtimes, behaviour is lively yet good. Secondary transfer is problematic and the inspection team shares parents’ concerns about the current availability of schools and places. The inspectors found the setting and marking of homework to have been satisfactorily addressed by the school’s close monitoring of the arrangements in every class. There is a clear homework policy. Although 19 per cent of parents expressed concerns about the amount of information they receive from the school about their children’s progress, the inspection found that this information was good compared with that provided in other primary schools.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

1. When children enter the school, their initial assessments show that they are broadly average in all areas of their development, except in language, where a significant proportion of pupils have very little English. This varies from year to year depending on the intake of children. In the latest national assessment tests for eleven-year-olds in 2001, pupils showed that they had made good progress. Their end of key stage test results were well above average in English and mathematics, and very high in science, when compared with similar schools. When compared with all schools, attainment in English was below the national average, largely due to weaknesses in writing, above average in mathematics and well above average in science. In 2001, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 is above average in mathematics (31 per cent), in science 63 per cent, which is very high, and 13 per cent in English,

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

which is well below the national average of 28 per cent. This inspection confirms the test results, and the good improvement that pupils have made in mathematics and science since the previous OFSTED inspection, when standards were average in both subjects. Statutory targets for 2001 for pupils reaching Level 4 and above were exceeded in mathematics but were not met in English. The English results are not as good as they were in 1997, and reflect the changing intake of the school and numbers of pupils with English as an additional language. Boys performed less well than girls in the 2001 tests for English.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

2. In Year 6, pupils’ reading is well developed. Pupils enjoy books and read a good range including works by Shakespeare, Anne Fine and Gene Kemp. Pupils enjoy reading and writing their own play scripts. The school sets appropriate standards for pupils to attain in their reading from an early stage, and some read with lots of confidence and expression. This strong emphasis placed on developing pupils’ reading skills is not reflected, however, by the test results at the end of Year 2, as many pupils have English as an additional language and take longer to develop their skills in English. The school’s early reading intervention programme in Year 1, however, is beginning to show good improvements. As they move through the school, pupils build on their earlier experiences and use their literacy skills well in science and geography. Those pupils with English as an additional language benefit from the support provided by a

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

specialist teacher, and from the help of the school-home liaison worker. Together with parents from the minority ethnic community, these staff have run workshops making resources and story sacks to help pupils develop their English. Additionally, coffee mornings for parents from the minority ethnic community help to involve parents in the life of the school through making minority language signs for the school, and help them to support their children’s language development.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

3. Writing skills are taught satisfactorily, but the standards achieved are still below average. In the Year 6 2001 tests, it was the writing scores that held down the overall achievement in English. This is identified on the school development plan as an area of on-going development. In the 2001 national tests at the end of Year 2, no pupil achieved an above average Level 3 in writing. When writing about things that happen in the park Year 2 pupils write, ‘People throw bread to the ducks; adults buy coffees; children have hot dogs’. Targets are set in pupils’ books but there is little evidence that they are having much influence on the standards of work achieved. In Year 6, pupils wrote letters to pupils at a school in the Gambia, and prayers to the American people after the New York atrocities . They record well factual accounts of a visit to Tate Britain in Year 6, and in Year 5 after taking part in the Verdi project with the English

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

National Opera Company. Pupils use language well in creative writing. After reading ‘I Met at Eve’ by Walter de la Mare, pupils created their own lists of words to use when St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 13 writing poems in a similar style. Prompted by the teacher to envisage '’ How night makes you feel,’, pupils suggested words such as, ‘ relaxed, secure, safe, excited ’ to use in their writing. Poetic language was emphasised well throughout the lesson. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language attain according to their abilities, due to good support and sound or better teaching. The booster classes for English are successful, and enable pupils to increase further their knowledge and skills. Presentation of work is overall satisfactory, although often let down by poor handwriting. Throughout the school, there is not a common approach to the teaching of handwriting which results in below

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

average standards of handwriting across the school. By the end of Year 2, a very small minority of pupils are joining their handwriting. Although handwriting practice books are in place, these skills are not being transferred to other subjects.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

4. In Year 6, pupils’ numeracy skills are satisfactorily developed. Higher attaining pupils account for 50 per cent of the current Year 6 class. They show the ability to add decimals mentally, and have a good sense of number. Not all pupils in the year group, however, have a good knowledge of tables, and there is often an individual target set for pupils to learn their tables. Pupils’ work on investigations shows a good understanding of mathematical reasoning, especially when working on probability questions. Pupils confidently multiply and divide by tens, 100’s and 1000’s. When multiplying by 12 and 18, pupils use the factor method effectively. They have a sound knowledge of the properties of shapes. The school runs booster classes for mathematics, and these have started a term earlier this year to give pupils more support in their learning.

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

5. In science, Year 6 pupils’ skills and knowledge are well developed. Ninety-four per cent of pupils this year reached the nationally expected levels for eleven-year-olds, and 63 per cent well beyond this. When compared with similar schools, St Mary Magdalene’s is within the range of the top five per cent of schools across the country. Pupils have a good knowledge of the human body, living things and parts of a flower. They know how micro organisms can be harmful as well as beneficial. Pupils show a good understanding of the principles behind insect and wind pollination. They set up experiments to observe the effects of photosynthesis. Pupils are beginning to think like scientists and are becoming questioning learners. This approach to science begins in the Nursery class where very young children know that the flowers come before the fruit on a living tomato plant. They also know that plants need roots and that

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Attainment in English, mathematics and science is well above average in Year 6

‘ they grow and drink water’. In Year 6, pupils’ recording is generally well organised, and this helps them to follow an experiment through to its conclusion, and to evaluate their findings. Pupils’ finished work is let down, however, by weak handwriting skills.

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

school continuing to develop, in spite of many staff changes.

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

6. The previous inspection found leadership and management to be strong and effective and it remains the case with a new headteacher. The school’s aims relate to a commitment to the principle of equal opportunities for all, provision of good education within a Christian context, and a partnership within an atmosphere of trust, between parents and the school. The aims of the school are reflected in its everyday life and they make a strong contribution to the standards achieved and to the very good ethos of this multi-cultural school. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 14 7. The success in leadership and management is attributable to both informal relationships and formal analysis of the school’s strengths and weaknesses by the headteacher and his deputy. The thoroughness with which results are analysed and action taken to raise attainment, mean that standards have been maintained or improved during a time of tremendous changes of staff. Most changes of staff have

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

been due to promotion or removal to other parts of the country, but for this school, all came at the same time. The headteacher works hard and rigorously for the school, and shares his expertise in art and design with staff and pupils. This has led to the significant improvements in pupils’ achievements in art and design across the school and to the enrichment of the environment for learning. He offers energetic leadership, and is committed to raising standards and improving the school environment. The deputy headteacher, staff, governors and parents support him very well. The inspection’s evidence supports this view. Ninety-five per cent of the nine per cent of the parents, who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire, agreed that the school was well led and managed. The school has a clear sense of educational direction and the staff and parents understand this. The staff, although most are new,

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

are hardworking and committed to the school. Three of the seven new class-teachers are newly qualified. They have been well inducted and supported by the deputy headteacher. When teachers experience difficulties, the school has given very good support involving the Local Education Authority staff and school expertise. Staff are well managed and make a good contribution to the management of the school through their shared Christian values that are reflected in their work. The headteacher and his deputy have successfully undertaken the monitoring of curriculum areas. They have also formally monitored the quality of teaching in all classes, giving good support to newly qualified, and teachers new to the school. The interests of the pupils are at the heart of everything this school does and it is due to the very good leadership of the headteacher that it achieves as well as it does in all aspects of pupils’ development, for all pupils. The school’s commitment to equal

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

opportunities is fully reflected in its work. As almost all staff are new to the school this term, the roles of the curriculum co-ordinators are weakly fulfilled at present. Staff are only just getting to know their classes and the school’s routines and expectations. The senior management team includes the Nursery teacher, and together, they have successfully given support to these new teachers across the school.

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

8. The governing body is effective and fulfils its statutory responsibilities. This differs from the judgement of the previous inspection that found governors insufficiently involved in the strategic management of the school, and of its finances. Governors work closely with the school and contribute productively to its ethos and success. Each governor is paired with a class or curriculum area. In addition, governors visit the school at least twice a year and, in many cases, termly to spend time with specific classes, and to discuss curricular issues with co-ordinators and the headteacher. Together with the headteacher, governors have monitored the progress of the key issues arising from the school’s last inspection. The relationship between the governing body and the school is good. The budget is well managed and planned to support the priorities in the school development plan. Funds allocated for staff

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The leadership and management of the school are good overall, resulting in the

training and for pupils with special educational needs are well spent. The school office is welcoming and efficient. The accommodation is bright, well maintained, and enhanced through excellent displays. Resources for learning are good.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work, their personal development and the quality of relationships

within the school promote a very good atmosphere in which to learn. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 15 9. Pupils’ have positive attitudes to school, as at the last inspection. This reinforces the views of the parents at the pre-inspection meeting when pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and values were described as reasons why parents chose the school, and responses to the parental questionnaires in which 95 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement that behaviour is good. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning; they concentrate well during lessons and most show helpful, caring attitudes towards each other when working in groups. One class of older juniors finds this more difficult. Pupils throughout the school understand the purpose of schooling, they concentrate well in lessons and work hard to achieve their best. They settle to their places quickly at the start of lessons and are keen to learn. When pupils move around the school,

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Pupils’ attitudes to work, their personal development and the quality of relationships

especially when entering and leaving the school hall, their conduct is excellent, and they know what is expected of them. Although a very small minority of parents through the questionnaires did not agree that behaviour was good, there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. The inspection finds behaviour to be good. The school has effective procedures in place to deal with bullying should it occur. Pupils are well mannered and polite, yet full of natural confidence and enthusiasm for school. In the playground areas, pupils show consideration for the needs of the younger pupils and undertake their responsibilities as monitors very well. In Year 6, roles outside the classroom consist of many areas that involve taking responsibility for younger pupils, for example, ‘buddy reading’ in Year 2, having responsibilities as monitors in the infant assembly and playground areas, taking the Nursery register to the office and having

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Pupils’ attitudes to work, their personal development and the quality of relationships

overall responsibility for the distribution of registers around the school. The library is a place of pride for the Year 6 pupils; they particularly like the murals and the ways the books are organised, but would ‘like more copies of books’. They keep all the shelves in very good order. Personal relationships are good between pupils and with adults and the adults are very good role models for pupils. Good opportunities exist through assemblies and lessons for pupils’ personal development. They have very good opportunities to reflect on world happenings and to formulate their own responses. This was evident in the prayers written by Years 5 and 6 after the New York disasters. Very good opportunities are further provided through extra-curricular activities such as computer club, Arabic club, football, rugby, basketball, art and pottery, theatre and a homework club. Attendance remains a difficult area, as some pupils are consistently

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Pupils’ attitudes to work, their personal development and the quality of relationships

late for school and unauthorised absence is above the national average. The school is tackling this well through the appointment of a school-home liaison worker who closely monitors absence and lateness, and through the half-termly attendance certificates awarded in assembly.

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

significantly to the high standards of display and the environment for learning.

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

10. In art and design, the previous inspection found standards to be below average in the infants and broadly average in the juniors. Since that time, there have been significant improvements. Pupils’ attainment in Year 2 is above average, and, in Year 6, it is well above average. Much visual evidence is around the school where the standards of display are excellent. There are many factors that have contributed to this sharp rise in achievement. The headteacher, an art and design specialist, has actively led and promoted art and design in the school to improve the environment for learning. He has developed the staff’s and pupils’ interest in the subject, involving outside agencies such as the local Beacon status Performing Arts College, whose advanced skills teacher works on projects with Year 6 pupils. The current project is centred on the works of Gustav Klimt. Some good quality and thoughtful work, big pictures ‘in the

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 16 style of’’ are in process of being created by groups of Year 6 pupils. These will be displayed at the College later this term. Linked to this, pupils search the Internet to find the ten most important facts about Klimt and his life. Very good use is made of pupils’ individual sketch-books to record and plan their work. The digital camera has been used well by the pupils to make Klimt-like pictures of themselves. Visits to galleries such as, the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain, enrich pupils’ experiences. The school is well resourced, and has a good range of pictures and art packs that reflect well the school’s muti-cultural intake. The range of resources does not, however, reflect artists from India and the Far East adequately. The scheme of work was written by the headteacher and is an excellent working document to guide and support teachers. Sketchbooks are not used extensively across the junior classes, apart from

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

in Year 6. Pupils in Year 3 make preliminary drawings before their final effort, but these are not kept. This is a missed opportunity to monitor pupils’ progress in the subject.

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

11. A highly successful art club supports learning very effectively. Last year a local artist and printmaker worked with Year 6 to create a millennium canvas depicting Christian symbols, using the Church of St Mary Magdalene as an inspiration. The attached Church is one of the best preserved Victorian churches in the United Kingdom and provides a first-hand source of many of the school’s projects. Having successfully acquired a grant from Westminster Arts, a high quality pictorial representation of St Mary Magdalene now hangs in the main corridor of the school. All pupils in the school were instrumental in decorating the school library. This project was led by an artist in residence who helped pupils translate their ideas about life under the sea into pattern and paint for the library area. All ideas for the mural came from the pupils themselves. This has had a huge impact on the lives of the pupils, those in Year 6 said that art

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

was ‘their favourite subject because of the library’. The Christian message is evident in all this school achieves. The school prayer is painted in the library. In the excellent displays around the school, such as those about Remembrance Sunday in the corridors, a very unobtrusive and sensitive message is given visually. Muslim pupils’ culture is well reflected through computer generated Islamic art, and displays of Asian embroidery and African pottery and pictures value the work of those cultures well.

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

12. Very good links are found with African and Aboriginal art, building on the school’s very good links with a primary school in the Gambia. Art and design is used very well to support pupils’ learning in other subjects, either through using the computer or by painting and drawing. Logos were designed following the work done with the English National Ballet Company such as ‘The Warwick Ballet’. Year 5 created silk paintings inspired by tropical fish, explaining the Christian meaning of the fish symbol to Christians. Brass rubbings in Year 4 added life to the Tudor history project, and gave pupils a good idea about how people dressed in those times. Younger juniors added pictures to their text when developing their Tudor newspapers, and created colourful paintings of still life fruits in the style of Cezanne. They created their own ‘ Tree of Life ’, using pencil, ink and brushes. In Year 2, pupils painted an enormous crocodile to

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

illustrate their text in English. Year 1 pupils created simple clay divas in preparation for Divali. They know that ‘divas lit the way home for Rama and Sita’ . One third of this class show well-developed skills in forming thumb pots and using clay tools to make their designs. In the Nursery, children experience continuous patterns while potato rolling’ Many children chose this activity when they arrived in the morning and showed great concentration in turning the skewers on the paper. Children have very good opportunities in both the Nursery and Reception classes to develop their creative skills. From this base the school develops well above average standards by the end of Year 6. The whole collaborated together to create ‘Monday Madness’ , a very large canvas using complementary and contrasting marks on a large space that reflect St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 17 pupils’ feelings. The school entered the work into the National Children’s Art Awards

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In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is well above average and contributes

and gained an Artworks Certificate of Merit for the group project effort. Art work makes a difference to this school; it raises the environment for learning from an average ‘painted brick’ level to the excellent quality found in the school today. It offers huge benefits to all that work within the school, and to visitors who also experience the ‘wow factor’ in this very rich environment for learning. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 18

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

13. Writing skills are taught adequately, however, pupils rarely review their written work. In Year 2, a very small majority of the pupils have a clear, cursive handwriting style. Teachers place insufficient emphasis on the correct pencil grip resulting in the slow development of a good hand and the outcomes of practice handwriting sessions are not fully reflected in other work. As pupils progress through the school, there is evidence that pupils still have not acquired those necessary handwriting skills to improve the presentation of their work. Even in Year 6, many pupils do not have a joined cursive style of writing.

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

14. Writing is sound in the infants but it is not as good as the standards pupils attain in speaking and listening. In the juniors, writing standards are weaker, and are also not as good as those in speaking, listening, and reading. The youngest children in the Nursery choose creative activities rather than writing, although staff encouraged them. A very few attempt to write their own names. Throughout the school, pupils write confidently but too often, once they have written something, it is not refined. They rarely review their work, looking to put things right. Pupils have a sound understanding of how stories develop, they can give a range of interesting and lively adjectives during writing preparation, and some try them out in written work. Grammatical exercises are regularly completed but pupils do not transfer this learning to other areas of the curriculum. They have the same approach to handwriting and spelling. Pupils throughout the school perform well in practice

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

sessions but do not use their learning when writing independently.

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

15. The school has already begun to tackle this under achievement in writing, through in- service training and support, which is ongoing. During lesson observations by the headteacher and deputy, gender differences were noted in pupils’ attainment. The in- service training has already focused on how teachers can successfully engage pupils in writing through drama, different story genres and story box props. In spite of these efforts, the headteacher’s analysis of the national results in 2000 in both the infants and juniors revealed considerable under achievement. Although the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2 or above in the end of Year 2 2001 tests improved by eight per cent, attainment was still below average. At the end of Year 6 the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 or above in writing rose by 16 per cent on the previous year. No pupil attained the higher Level 3 at the end of Year 2 and the weakness in the higher Level 5

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

at the end of Year 6 resulted in the school’s overall English results in the juniors, being lowered. Pupils with statements of special educational need have learning support from a teacher or learning support assistant. In the juniors, pupils with special educational needs above Stage 1, additionally have access to phonological awareness training. A positive aspect of the school’s work in trying to raise standards in writing is the curricular planning, that takes account of the needs of differing groups of pupils. A literacy consultant continues to work with the school, she models lessons and team-teaches with the school’s staff. The school’s development plan places a good emphasis on ensuring that the newly appointed co-ordinator for the subject receives training and consultancy support.

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Pupils’ attainment in writing, which is too low in Year 6 and affects their overall

16. Both higher attaining and average pupils are reaching average levels. Less able pupils and those with English as an additional language or special educational needs, struggle to communicate legibly. The school has already identified writing as a key St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 19 area of on-going development. It is a focus for progress in the school’s performance management cycle. The inspection’s evidence confirms the school’s view of what has to be done to bring about improvement.

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The links with the community especially with business, to give pupils a better

17. Since the last inspection, and the arrival of the new headteacher three years ago, the school has extended its links with the local community. There is still no business governor, however, and opportunities are therefore, lost for the school to develop those important business links. The school has developed very good links with the local College for the Performing Arts and the Paddington Regeneration Project, but other community projects have an insufficiently high profile in the life of the school. The pupils take part in national competitions for art and design, and are involved with a Gospel singing group. They are insufficiently involved, however, with their near neighbours and this means that local people, not connected through the church, have little opportunity to find out about the work of the school.

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The links with the community especially with business, to give pupils a better

18. The school undertakes a cycle of visits to various local businesses and raises money for a primary school in the Gambia through such activities, as non-uniform days. Apart from a financial donation to the Children’s Society, resulting from the three Christmas carol concerts, pupils do not participate in local charity fundraising activities. This means that pupils have an insufficiently developed understanding of the area in which they live. The maintenance and improvement of these community links are clearly identified in the school’s development plan.

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The quality of teaching in Year 2 which does not promote the maximum rate of

progress of which the pupils are capable.

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The quality of teaching in Year 2 which does not promote the maximum rate of

19. The quality of teaching in Year 2 is unsatisfactory. Poor teaching was observed in a literacy lesson. In the literacy lesson, there were frequent verbal rewards for pupils who contributed correctly, and pupils were generally attentive. The teaching was rushed which resulted in many pupils not understanding what they were supposed to be doing. The use of inappropriate praise such as ‘marvellous and wonderful’ for mundane achievements meant that pupils had no clear understanding of the standards of work they were expected to achieve. The focus group worked on a shared text but this was not shared with the pupils. This made it very difficult for them to understand the requirements of the lesson. The session was extremely difficult to follow, even for the observer, as the use of language was inappropriate for the levels of ability in this group. The picking out of compound words, and the speed of reading

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The quality of teaching in Year 2 which does not promote the maximum rate of

through the text meant that pupils had few opportunities to interpret the text to further their understanding. When asked to read the text, pupils were given a very short time to complete the task. The use of the whiteboard was poor. Words were stuck up on the board in the wrong order, and the writing on the board was almost illegible. This was not helpful as a teaching strategy and gave the young learners no support. The monitoring of pupils’ progress was poor during this lesson. The advanced skills teacher, the co-ordinator for special educational needs and learning support assistants each had groups, which made progress.

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The quality of teaching in Year 2 which does not promote the maximum rate of

20. In the work analysed in Year 2, at best, the work represented no higher than Level 1 in English, mathematics or science. In mathematics, similar work was set for each ability group, and this meant that the higher attaining pupils did not reach their potential. In English, much of the work showed good, developmental marking that St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 20 helps pupils to improve their work. This was done, however, by the advanced skills teacher. Standards in handwriting were well below average. In science, too many worksheets were used, although pupils do make progress. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 21

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to maintain and build upon the school’s many strengths, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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(1) Raise pupils’ attainment in writing by:

• raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve when writing; • affording more opportunities for infant pupils to develop their own personal writing; • developing further the use of information and communication technology to improve pupils’ confidence and presentation when writing stories; • increasing further teachers’ understanding of the key experiences that pupils need in order to become successful writers. (paragraphs 13,14,15,16)

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(2) Further develop community links, especially with business, to give

pupils a better understanding of the world of work. (paragraphs 17,18)

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(3) Improve the quality of teaching in Year 2 by:

• continuing to give support to raise the knowledge and understanding of the staff about how pupils of this age learn; • providing opportunities for staff to observe good practice in other schools and implementing that within an agreed time-scale; • the management team continuing to set clear time-scales for improvements to be made. (paragraphs 19, 20, 21,22) St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 22

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than seven percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 192

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 106

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 62

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 74

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 17 16 33

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 11 12 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 13 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 76(79) 76(68) 97(100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86(84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 11 15 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 15 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 73 (71) 91 (96) 76(89) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 16 16 32

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 14 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 14 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 84 (80) 91(77) 94 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 14 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 14 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 84 (73) 91 (83) 91 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 24

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 30 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 10 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 31 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.0 Financial year 2000/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20:9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 669812

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10.0 Total expenditure 666945

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 156 Expenditure per pupil 2637

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 10308

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 13175

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29:1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 9

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Mary Magdalene CEP School - 25

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 48 43 10 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 24 71 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 15 65 20 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 24 14 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 38 5 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 40 0 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 43 43 5 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 60 35 0 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 33 10 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 40 5 5 10

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