Sheen Mount Primary School

SHEEN MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr D P Cosway [RgI’s OIN: 2734]

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SHEEN MOUNT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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SHEEN MOUNT PRIMARY 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. Sheen Mount Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: West Temple Sheen London Postcode: SW14 7RT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Shirley Peace

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 October 1997 Sheen Mount Primary School - 4

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Team members

2734 Paul Cosway Registered inspector 9769 Margaret Morrisey Lay inspector 1709 Sandra Tweddell Team inspector 23588 Charanjit Ajitsingh Team inspector

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Team members

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Sheen Mount Primary 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

This is a primary school, educating boys and girls from the age of four to eleven. It is larger than average, with 400 full-time and 40 part-time pupils on the school’s roll. The school serves an area just to the north of Richmond Park. This is a socially advantaged area of London. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is low, below the national average. Because of the high cost of housing, it is difficult to recruit staff and several teachers are on temporary contracts.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Just over 400 of the pupils are white, the rest representing a cross-section of the rich cultural heritage of the immediate area, including children from families of Chinese, Black African and Indian origins. For 44 pupils, English is an additional language. This is higher than the national average, but none of these is at an early stage of acquiring English. The proportion of pupils on the register of special educational need is well below average. The number with statements of special educational need is below average. The attainment on entry is above average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school received a good report from the last inspection and has maintained good test results since then. On this occasion, therefore, it was subject to a short inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. The evidence of the inspection is that attainment is well above the national average and that pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are especially high. The teaching is very good, and pupils’ learning skills are developed well. There is a very good ethos in the school. Teachers praise good behaviour and positive attitudes, rather than criticising any slight misdemeanour. Pupils learn that it is good to behave well and respond very well. As a result, the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good. The leadership and management of the school are excellent. In English and mathematics, there are very effective systems for planning, for assessing and for tracking pupils’ progress and attainment. The school is cared for well. The buildings and the grounds provide a special place for learning – these are fortunate children. It is a very caring school,

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

with strong and productive links with parents. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are particularly high. • Personal and social development are very good, leading to the pupils behaving very well in class and having very positive attitudes to school. • Teaching is very good overall, with examples of excellent teaching. • The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s work are excellent. • The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating both on high standards of work and on pupils’ personal development.

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What could be improved

• There are no significant weaknesses, but the planning and provision for science can be improved. They have not received the same attention as for English and mathematics. 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

The school was last inspected in October 1997. Since then there has been good improvement. The quality of teaching, which was good, has improved significantly. The school has sustained the very good standards of behaviour and the positive attitudes to learning that it was fostering then. Results in the national tests for 7-year-olds and 11-year-olds have continued to be well above average.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The key issues are no longer areas for concern. The school has extended the range of research tasks that are set for pupils and makes good use of information and communication technology to assist in Sheen Mount Primary School - 7 this. The teaching is very good, sometimes excellent, and pupils’ learning skills are developed well. The increase in size of the school has been managed well. Pupils’ social skills have improved and are now a strength of the school. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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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 A A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A A Average below average C D Science A B A B well below average E

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Key

Attainment in the national tests for seven-year-olds has been well above average for the last three years. Attainment in reading and writing has been exceptionally good. In three of the last four years, this school has been amongst the top five per cent in the country in the test results for reading and writing. In mathematics, results have been well above average in all four years. Compared with similar schools, attainment in 2001 was above average in mathematics and well above average in reading and writing.

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Key

At the age of eleven, pupils also attain very well, as the chart above shows. Over the last four years, overall attainment has been, consistently, well above the national average. Compared with similar schools, attainment in 2001 was well above average in English and mathematics; above average in science. The school exceeded its targets for 2001.

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Key

Pupils achieve well overall. Some subjects are particularly strong. As well as very high standards in English and mathematics, very good work was seen in art and information and communication technology. Music is a strength and the school achieves high standards in sports.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes are very good. They are interested and hard-working in class. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Their behaviour is very good in class. Outside, they can be boisterous, as they let off steam after working hard in lessons, but almost all are well behaved. Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is very good. The very good ethos of the school ensures that they learn to be considerate, co-operative and responsible. Relationships are very good. Attendance Attendance is very good, well above the national average.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Sheen Mount Primary School - 8 Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very 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

Almost all pupils are achieving well, because the very good teaching ensures that they are challenged and interested in their lessons. In the best lessons, the teachers make the learning exciting and share with the children their own enthusiasm for the work they have set. In many instances, the higher attainers are set particularly demanding work to push them forward and the lower attainers are given additional support to help them to make progress. Overall, teaching meets the needs of all pupils well. More than half of the teaching observed in the school was very good or excellent, with good teaching in almost all the other lessons.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is very good across the school in English and mathematics. Literacy and numeracy are taught well in all classes.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good: the curriculum is generally broad and balanced, although the emphasis on English and mathematics means that some other subjects, such as physical education, are squeezed for time. There is good provision for after school clubs and activities, although they are not available to all year groups.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good; their needs are diagnosed carefully and met well. Additional support is available where necessary.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are no pupils at an early stage of acquiring English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for moral and social development is very good. There is very good provision for spiritual development. The provision for teaching Western European culture is very good, including visits to Europe, to museums and concerts. The teaching of wider, world cultures is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well: this is a very secure and caring environment for learning. Pupils are valued and respected and they learn to care for others in return.

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Aspect Comment

Assessment processes are very well developed in English and mathematics. In these subjects, target- setting helps pupils to improve their work. It is not used as well in all subjects. The school has excellent links with parents. The quality of information it provides to them is very high indeed. There is a very real home/school partnership, in which the roles each play in the development of children is recognised and mutually valued. The school gives very good help to parents and they, in turn, give generously of their time and money to the school, to the considerable benefit of their children’s education.

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Aspect Comment

Sheen Mount Primary School - 9 Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the school are excellent by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. Subject leaders work hard to improve standards. All teachers have high expectations of themselves and their pupils, which stem from the senior management team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities They fulfil their responsibilities very well, supporting and monitoring the work of the school. The governors’ annual report to parents is of a high quality, detailed and informative.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good: assessment data are used well to analyse the school’s strengths and weaknesses and to help the school to improve.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources well to provide the best curriculum it can for its pupils. The principles of best value are used well in all purchasing decisions.

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Aspect Comment

The school is well staffed. Some teachers are temporary or have overseas qualifications. They are carefully selected and are given excellent guidance and support. As a result, along with the permanent teachers, they form a very effective teaching force. The levels of resourcing are good. The new information and communication technology suite is a valuable resource and is improving attainment. Every available space in the school is used to good effect. Although accommodation is tight for the number of pupils, the classrooms are looked after very well and the displays are of a good quality. The attractive grounds are cared for well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Around 90 per cent of parents who responded stated that: • children like school and are making good progress; • behaviour is good, as is the teaching; • children are expected to work hard, do their best and be mature and responsible; • the school is well led and managed; • the school works closely with parents. • 34 per cent do not think that there is an interesting range of activities outside of lessons; • 20 per cent do not feel well informed about the progress their child there is making; • 20 per cent are not satisfied with the amount of work that children are expected to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The amount of information given to parents about how their children are getting on at school is better than average and 81 per cent of parents think that they are well informed. Some parents would like more homework, but slightly more of those who responded want less. The inspectors were generally satisfied with the quantity of homework, which generally increases as pupils get older, and 79 per cent of parents agreed that the right amount of homework is set. The range of activities outside of lessons is wider than in the average primary school and includes music, chess, sports and swimming. Not all activities are available to all year groups, however. Years 5 and 6 benefit the most. There is very good provision for educational visits and residential journeys. The inspectors agreed with the positive views of parents. The school has high expectations and works closely with parents. Standards of behaviour are

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

high and the teaching is very good. It is very well led and pupils achieve well. The pupils value the school and enjoy their lessons. Sheen Mount Primary School - 10

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

1. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is above average. They are close to the average for the local education authority, as the baseline tests they take in their first term show, but entry levels in Richmond are not typical of the country as a whole. The baseline tests show that many pupils, on first coming to this school, are more literate than the average for the local authority and this gives them an advantage when they begin school. It means that they can listen and understand well and express themselves articulately from an early age. They are better prepared to learn to read and write, some already able to recognise simple written words before they arrive at the school.

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

2. They make good progress in all areas of the curriculum. By the time they are five years old, almost all have exceeded the expectations set out in the early learning goals. By the time they are seven, the national test results for the school show that they are well above the national average in all the tests and in the teacher assessments for science. Almost every child attains at least level 2, the nationally expected level for children of their age, in all the English and mathematics tests. This has been the pattern for the last three years. The provisional results for 2002 indicate that this has been sustained. With an entry of 85 children, the largest ever for the school, 98 per cent have attained at least level 2 in reading and mathematics; 99 per cent have attained it in writing and 100 per cent in spelling. These percentages are significantly higher than those for the country as a whole. Many more than the average numbers attain level 3. More than

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

half the pupils attained level 3 in mathematics and reading. For writing, 28 per cent attained level 3. Again, this is well above the national average.

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

3. The quality of the pupils’ work reflects these high test scores. In mathematics, the work in their exercise books shows numeracy skills well above average. The many high attaining pupils work comfortably and accurately with three digit numbers, are adept at multiplication and subtraction and have a very good understanding of concepts such as shape and symmetry. There are some very good examples of work in art, such as the studies from nature done by Year 2 pupils, using pastels and collage. In their written work, very many pupils demonstrate that they can write with a fluency and accuracy far above the expected levels for their age. A boy in Year 2, for example, began his story of an adventure at sea:

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

One sunny day, the sun was smiling down at the deep blue sea. Waves splashed against the rusty rocks. Under the water, fish darted in and out of flashing seaweed, while glimmering seagulls were flying high in the pale blue sky.

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

4. There are other examples of pupils showing exceptional use of descriptive words and the ability to construct complex sentences. This high quality of work is sustained and developed further as pupils move through the school. Results in the national tests for eleven-year-olds in English and mathematics have been consistently well above average over recent years. Both boys and girls perform well. In 2001, the school exceeded the high targets it had set itself for the percentages of pupils attaining level 4, the expected level, or above. In fact, almost all the pupils attained at least this level in both subjects. The provisional results for 2002 suggest that this level of performance will be sustained. The proportion of pupils who gain the higher levels, level 5 or 6, is also significantly higher than the proportion for the country as a whole. In English, almost half the pupils gained at least level 5. A similar proportion is anticipated to reach this level in 2002. In

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

mathematics, 53 per cent gained level 5 or above in 2001. The indications are that 66 per cent will do so in 2002. Sheen Mount Primary School - 11 5. There are many examples of work in mathematics and English of a very high quality. One Year 6 girl wrote a letter to an imaginary candidate for a job in the school, persuading her that this would be an ideal place to continue her career. It is a fine example of persuasive writing:

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

In a kind environment like this, children are enthusiastic and ready to learn...Sheen Mount’s aim is to make learning fun! As your CV states, your musical abilities are phenomenal, and somebody like you would be an asset to the school. Sheen Mount has a choir, a woodwind ensemble and a wide range of facilities. Every class loves music and adores the people who teach it…

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

6. Not only is this a very clever example of adapting a written style for a special purpose and audience, it shows considerable perception. Clearly, a school inspector of the future! She is correct in writing that the music at the school is of a high quality. Appreciation and composition of music are developed well and the quality of singing is excellent. With help from a group of committed parents, the school has produced their own song for the Queen’s jubilee. It is extremely well sung, has been recorded in a professional studio and has been turned into a video. When the palace heard it, representatives of the school were invited to meet a representative of the Queen and present it to her. In individual lessons, there are examples of work of a high quality in science. The school’s excellent facilities for information and communication technology are used well by teachers and pupils. So adept are many of the pupils in the use of the latest

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

technology that when a Year 4 teacher was teaching her class using an interactive whiteboard, many of the pupils were skilfully and courteously able to help her when she encountered slight difficulties with the software. There are also many examples of sporting excellence. Almost all pupils can swim at least 30 metres unaided by the age of 11 and the school is successful in many local sporting competitions.

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Pupils achieve well. Standards in reading, writing, mathematics and music are

7. The needs of the higher attaining pupils are recognised and they achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs are also achieving well, especially where there is special provision for them, such as a learning support assistant working alongside them. They achieve the specific tasks in their individual education programmes, which are reviewed regularly. Some pupils with special educational needs are attaining standards in English, mathematics and science that are close to the national average and attain well in art and music. Pupils for whom English is an additional language receive appropriate support, but in practice this is rarely necessary as almost all have a good working knowledge of English and are achieving well.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

very well in class and having very positive attitudes to school.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

8. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is very good. They understand and observe the school rules and respect their teachers, as well as the other adults around the school. Behaviour in the playground at lunchtime and during playtime is generally good. The small amount of hard play surface for the size of the school means that ball games can run into each other. The children are sometimes boisterous and high spirited. They have shown considerable self-discipline and control in class during their lessons and use their leisure time to release some of their pent-up energy. No instances were observed of anti-social behaviour. The minor incidents that occur are usually the result of accidental collisions. The consistent approach to the management of behaviour is a feature of the school, especially from the teaching staff, and ensures that pupils are clear about the boundaries within which they must operate. Parents agree that behaviour is good in school

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

and that minor problems that used to occur at lunchtime are mainly resolved. No evidence of bullying was observed and parents are confident that any issues of bullying will be dealt with swiftly and sensitively. The very good behaviour in the school contributes to the progress pupils make in their learning and personal development.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

9. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. Children are keen to come to school and settle quickly to lessons. This was demonstrated on the day they were allowed, along with schoolchildren across the country, to watch the end of a vital World Cup match in the school hall at the start of Sheen Mount Primary School - 12 the morning session. Excitement was intense and the noise seemed likely to break every pane of class in the building. When the match ended, the headteacher blew a whistle. There was instant silence. She asked how they should show their appreciation of being able to watch the match. A boy volunteered that they should be extra good and work extra hard in class. They filed out quietly and every class was well behaved and hard-working for the rest of the day.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

10. Pupils arrive punctually to school and work together with parents to maintain good attendance. Attendance figures are well above average and there is relatively little lateness. Throughout the day, the pupils show very positive attitudes to learning, sustain concentration and clearly enjoy in their work. Almost all are as keen to concentrate and work at the end of the school day as they are at the beginning.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

11. Relationships across the school are very good. The pupils have a genuine respect and affection for their teachers, which is reciprocated. Pupils are confident to ask and answer questions. Their personal development is very good and they work well together in all subjects. In very many lessons, pupils are asked to work in small, mixed gender groups. They do so without any fuss and collaborate well and sensibly. Through the good opportunities provided for taking responsibility, pupils, particularly in Year 6, make a very good contribution to the life of the school as, for example, wet play monitors or by taking visitors around the school. In Year 5, selected pupils act as ‘buddies’ to younger pupils and organise playground games for them at playtime. Pupils from Year 3 onwards represent their peers on the School Council. They can ask people, such as parents or senior members of staff to come to speak to them about issues that are

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

concerning them. They have influenced a number of school decisions and policies, such as that on food at playtime. They choose which charities to support and help to organise charity events.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

12. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who have English as an additional language have very positive attitudes to learning. They relate well to other pupils, teachers, special needs and classroom assistants.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

Teaching is very good overall, with examples of excellent teaching.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

13. Teaching is very good, overall. This leads to most pupils achieving well, because they make good progress, are interested in their studies and develop good learning skills. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed. More than half of the teaching observed in the school was very good or excellent, with good teaching in almost all other lessons.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

14. The teachers have very good relationships with their pupils, which leads to pupils enjoying the lessons and working hard to please their teacher. They use praise well to motivate and encourage their pupils. The praise of good behaviour and attitudes is a strong and important feature. Throughout the inspection, it was very rare to hear a child criticised or reprimanded. Instead, teachers praise the pupils who are working hard or behaving well. The other pupils respond by trying to emulate them. This creates a very positive atmosphere in which pupils feel liked and valued. This technique of behaviour management is not unique to this school, but rarely is it used as consistently and effectively as was seen at this school.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

15. Subject expertise is generally high – some teachers have considerable knowledge and skills in the subjects for which they are responsible, such as science and music. This is spread through the rest of the school through example and professional development. The result is that the teachers are able to show pupils what to do to reach high standards, setting high expectations. The pupils respond by working hard to please their teachers and are often inspired by the examples that their teachers share with them. There was a good example of this in a Year 6 science lesson when the teacher’s interest in and knowledge of geology and mineralogy inspired the pupils to reach high standards in their study of the materials and their properties.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

16. The teachers are enthusiastic and keen to share their expertise and to learn from each other. There is, therefore, an unusual element of consistency in their practice, resulting from the sharing Sheen Mount Primary School - 13 of good practice. Their planning is detailed and provides for continuity and development in the teaching of skills and knowledge, so that the pupils make good, steady progress.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

17. In the many very good and excellent lessons, teachers had planned the work well to make it enjoyable. In a Year 2 numeracy lesson at the beginning of the morning, the teacher began by going through the work they would be doing through the rest of the day. She emphasised throughout what fun they were going to have and how much she was looking forward to it. There were many examples in the lessons of this, such as creating little competitions to keep their interest or using humour to entertain them. This approach to teaching created very positive attitudes, because the pupils concentrate better and learn better when they are interested and excited about the things they are studying. So effective was she, that the inspector was reluctant to leave the class at the end of the session!

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

18. The headteacher and the senior team have worked to create an approach to teaching and learning that is now shared across the school. This helps to explain the consistently high quality of the teaching, even from new or unqualified teachers. Lessons are very well prepared to offer an interesting and appropriate range of activities to interest and motivate pupils. The teachers’ high expectations, very good relationships and management of pupils mean that no time is wasted and pupils respond very well to the work that is set. The work is reviewed towards the end of the lesson to consolidate learning.

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Personal and social development is very good, leading to the pupils behaving

19. The work is planned to meet the needs of all the pupils in the class. They are grouped within classes in many subjects by ability, so that they can be set tasks, or provided with additional support, that will enable them to succeed. This helps them to learn well, because they are neither struggling to cope with work that is too hard nor coasting because the work is too easy. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. There is good support provided by the special needs assistants to statemented pupils. Classroom assistants in all classes support pupils well and promote the learning of literacy and numeracy skills among pupils with special educational needs.

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The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s

20. A strength of the school is the way that parents are involved in its work. Not only are their contributions to fund raising welcomed and encouraged, but the number of parents who work in the school to support children’s learning is high. They assist with after school and lunchtime clubs, for example, for cooking, football, chess and swimming. They help in lessons by listening to children read and organising the library. They help on school journeys. Significant parental help and expertise went into the making of the school’s Golden Jubilee CD and video. The school is fortunate to have parents with considerable talents and access to professional resources. These parents gladly give their time and skills to the school, often volunteering their ideas and support and then (under the watchful eye of the headteacher) carrying out all the work themselves, as when the school song was recorded in a professional studio. Such is the

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The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s

enthusiasm of parents, and so many and varied their ideas, that she has to be careful that there are not so many initiatives running simultaneously that the main work of the school is not swamped by them! In addition, the school goes to considerable lengths to assist the parents to help their children to learn at home and to inform them of the progress that their children are making. Three parents’ evenings a year ensure that they are provided with very good information about their children’s progress. The reports are detailed and helpful. Friday achievement assemblies are well attended by parents, who feel themselves to be part of the school community. When a World Cup match was shown in the school hall, many parents stayed to watch it after dropping off their children, with pre-school children in their arms, and cheered along with their off spring. There are regular evening presentations for parents, on the curriculum or

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The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s

parenting issues including a recent one on raising children’s self-esteem that was well received. There is a very strong and supportive home/school partnership, which stems from a clear recognition of the value of this from the leadership of the school. Sheen Mount Primary School - 14 21. The school’s parent and teacher association (PTA) is very active and supports the school very well indeed. Last year, £25000 was raised for school improvements. This year, the governors and the PTA are supporting parents in a fund raising campaign to extend the hall and, within weeks of the appeal starting, £75000 has already been pledged. The long-term plan is to raise a million pounds to provide new buildings of a high quality. Many parents have donated a thousand pounds each towards this, such is their regard for the school and their gratitude to it.

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The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s

22. Parents appreciate the care that is taken of their children. The health and safety arrangements are excellent. Three of the learning support assistants are trained nurses, for example. There are regular risk assessments and health and safety checks. Child protection is a high priority and the school nurse, who visits weekly, is available to talk privately to any child who needs this. Parents’ views of the school are very good. Overall, the partnership between the school and parents is excellent. Parents are encouraged to support children’s learning at home and are given very good support and excellent information from the school to do this. Parents are genuinely pleased with the quality of education the school is providing. Parents are happy to bring their children to school and exude confidence in it. This rubs off onto the children, helping to ensure that they start the school day happy, expectant and smiling.

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The school’s partnership with parents and their contribution to the school’s

23. The school’s behaviour policy, school rules and expectations of pupils and parents are presented for parents in an attractive booklet. The governors’ annual report to parents gives very good information and meets legal requirements. It is particularly well written, a particularly good example of what a report should be. The school prospectus is very well presented, with necessary and useful information for parents and pupils. This was the new deputy’s first task on her appointment.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

both on high standards of work and on pupils’ personal development.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

24. The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher, supported very well by the deputy headteacher, are excellent. Both have been in post for a relatively short time. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities well and has a clear strategic as well as monitoring role. The senior team monitors the school’s performance effectively and use the results well to guide their development planning. Effective action has been taken to improve the work of the school. This has led to good progress since the time of the last report and the school is well placed to improve in future. The headteacher has succeeded in putting into place school policies and schemes of work that provide a framework to support the work of teachers that was lacking before her arrival. The next priorities need to be the extension of the excellent assessment and target- setting systems that are working so well in English and mathematics to other subjects,

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

especially science; a revision of the scheme of work for science to bring it up-to-date; a continued focus on raising the achievement of high attaining pupils (there has already been significant success in this area, with many level 6 scores forecast in this year’s national tests for 11-year- olds) and the development of the citizenship aspect of the personal, social and health education course. Much of this is already in hand.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

25. The headteacher and deputy together have an excellent and complementary range of skills that ensure that the school runs very smoothly. The new headteacher is very experienced and has considerable expertise. In her previous post, as headteacher in a smaller school, she gained a qualification in school management and has put the theories into practice very effectively. She has built up a committed and concerted teaching force that is open to new ideas and consistent in its implementation of school policies, especially those concerned with teaching, learning and behaviour management. This has been a major factor in preserving and developing further the very good ethos for learning that pervades the school. The school develops the self-esteem and confidence of all who work and learn in it, teachers as well as pupils. It has recently been awarded Investors In People status for its commitment to the professional development of all its

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

staff – teaching, administrative and support staff. Roehampton University is to make it one of six Sheen Mount Primary School - 15 special training schools, in recognition of the excellent induction and support it gives to trainee teachers.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

26. Resources are deployed well to improve the quality of education for the benefit of pupils. Every inch of space in the school buildings is used to very good effect for the benefit of the pupils. A corridor space has been made into an excellent ICT teaching area, with sufficient computers for a whole class to work on them at once and a large interactive whiteboard to ensure that the teaching points that are being made are clearly visible to all. A roof space has been adapted to create a room for teaching music, equipped to a standard that would not be amiss in a secondary school. Teachers are deployed well – music is taught throughout the school by a music specialist teacher, for example. Such details as these are having a very positive effect on attainment. The school succeeds well in getting the best value from its use of its funds. For example, the funding allocated for the education of pupils with special educational needs is used

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

to good effect. The learning support assistants are well deployed, sufficient in number to meet the needs of pupils, and they support pupils’ learning very effectively.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

27. Performance management is at an advanced stage of implementation. All teachers are observed teaching and have agreed targets. The work in subject areas is regularly monitored. Subject co- ordinators are, in the main, very effective. They are working to raise the profile of their subjects, to improve performance and to give guidance to their colleagues. There is a wide range of professional expertise on the governing body – surveyors, architects, teachers, and authors, for example. They give their time and skills freely to the school. Some governors have specific responsibilities for curriculum areas and many visit regularly to monitor and support the school. They take their role seriously and are effective as critical friends of the school. They are involved in setting and monitoring the budget and in school development planning. The school improvement plans are detailed and have been implemented effectively.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent, concentrating

28. The administrative and clerical staff work very effectively and support the teachers well to ensure that they can concentrate on their teaching roles. The caretaking and cleaning staff work effectively to ensure that the school buildings and grounds are clean, tidy and attractive.

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science can be improved. They have not received the same attention as for

29. The attainment of eleven-year-olds in science has usually been well above average and above the average for similar schools. Over the past three years, there has been little difference in the attainment of boys and girls. However, attainment in science is not as high as in English and mathematics.

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science can be improved. They have not received the same attention as for

30. Strengths in science are in the pupils’ knowledge and use of scientific vocabulary and the range of methods they use to present their findings, including, for example, tables and graphs. The teaching of science is usually good, particularly the focus on scientific vocabulary, which is well taught and reinforced during the lessons, and the insistence on clear labelling of diagrams. Where the teacher has very good scientific knowledge and understanding, the lessons are successful. A Year 3 class studying habitats, for example, benefited from excellent teaching. The teacher was responsive to their ideas, had so much background knowledge of the subject that she was able to incorporate their suggestions into the lesson no matter how apparently wide of the mark they were. One girl’s suggestion that a habitat is a shop was welcomed. The teacher made good teaching points as they explored together why the shop had been called this

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science can be improved. They have not received the same attention as for

and how it connected with the work they were doing. By the end of the class work, the pupils were ready to set off on their minibug safari with a good scientific understanding of what they were doing and why. In lessons such as this, the teaching and learning of science can be as good as that of any other subject, because teachers in the school are skilled practitioners and use their Sheen Mount Primary School - 16 expertise well. However, scrutiny of the pupils’ work in science shows that there are some areas for development. Whereas in English and mathematics, teachers have good subject guidance to support their teaching, the guidance for science is less clear. Also, assessment is not used as well as it is in English and mathematics. Work is marked, but often in the form of ticks. Comments are mainly supportive, rather than giving advice as to how the work can be improved. Individual targets are not set; nor is progress tracked effectively. Much use is made of

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science can be improved. They have not received the same attention as for

worksheets. These do not always encourage pupils to think for themselves, nor do they extend their understanding. Work in books showed no evidence of pupils’ individual needs being taken into account, as all the work is the same.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

31. This is a school that is providing a very good standard of education, but it recognises, nevertheless, that there are still areas for further development. In order to improve and to raise levels of attainment, the governors, headteacher and teaching staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

develop further the provision for science. In order to do this, they should - • rewrite the scheme of work, so that it provides good, up-to-date guidance for teachers; • incorporate the very good assessment systems that support pupils’ progress so well in English and mathematics into science; • use information from assessment to set appropriate work for all pupils. Sheen Mount Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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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, three percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 420

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 5

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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 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 23

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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 44

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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 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 21

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Attendance

School data 4.4 School data 0.0 Sheen Mount Primary School - 18 National comparative data 5.6 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. Sheen Mount Primary School - 19

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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 31 29 60

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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 30 31 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 29 29

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (98) 100 (98) 98 (98) 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 31 30 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 29 29

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (98) 98 (98) 98 (98) 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 23 26 49

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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 21 20 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 26 25 26

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

Percentage of pupils School 96 (93) 92 (90) 98 (91) 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 21 21 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 24 25

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (86) 92 (90) 96 (86) 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. Sheen Mount Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 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) 14.2 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 875352

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 901812

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 173 Expenditure per pupil 2032

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 95503

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 69043

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3

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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 Sheen Mount Primary School - 21 FTE means full-time equivalent. Sheen Mount Primary School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 41 6 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 60 3 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 53 14 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 52 17 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 26 7 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 31 5 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 47 6 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 54 38 5 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 38 6 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25 32 26 8 8

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