Pelham Primary School

PELHAM 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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PELHAM 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. Pelham First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Southey Road Wimbledon London

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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: Hugh TInsley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 March 1998 Pelham First School - 4

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Team members

8798 Dennis Maxwell Registered inspector 16472 Catherine Stormonth Lay inspector 8696 Abul Maula 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 Pelham First 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

Pelham Primary is a community school for pupils aged three to ten years. The age range will extend to 11 in September 2003, as it is in process of re-organisation from a First to a Primary school. It is of similar size to other primary schools, with 199 pupils on roll from the Reception Year to Year 5, and a further 42 children attending part-time in the Nursery. It is a popular school, situated centrally in Wimbledon, and serves an ethnically rich and diverse local community, where the socio-economic circumstances of families are similar to those found nationally. The children's attainment on entry to the school is a little above average. Fewer pupils than average are known to be eligible for free school meals. Around 36 per cent of pupils come from ethnic minority heritages, and the proportion of pupils whose mother tongue is not English is high relative to national figures. Eight children are at an early stage of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

acquiring English. The percentage of pupils identified as having learning difficulties is average, with most of them having specific or moderate learning needs. Seven pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs, which is above average. The school gained an Investors in People award in 1994, and again in 1997 and 2000. It received an Eco-Schools award for achievements in working towards a sustainable lifestyle in 2000. It also gained a DfES achievement award in 2001 as well as a Merton Healthy Schools award in 2002. It is a Partnership Promotion school with the University of Surrey, Roehampton, to support teacher training.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Pelham Primary is a successful school where strengths come together through the vision and leadership of the headteacher. It offers a very good and stimulating quality of education for the pupils overall. Children in the Nursery and Reception Years make good progress as a result of effective teaching and imaginative activities. Good teaching throughout the school has a strong impact on pupils' learning and enables them to reach above average standards by the end of Years 2 and 5. The headteacher creates a strong climate of purpose and continual improvement through her excellent leadership and management. She, together with the senior staff and governors, give very good leadership and management and purposeful direction for the development of the school through shared discussion and self-evaluation. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are above average by the end of Years 2 and 5 supported by the good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-attaining pupils produce many examples of good quality work. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, especially when the teaching inspires very good work. • The headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors provide very good leadership and management. • The school provides a rich and challenging curriculum for children in the Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties. • All members of staff, including the teaching/ learning assistants, provide a high level of thoughtful care for the pupils and their welfare. • Many parents speak in glowing terms about the headteacher. There is an excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement by parents in their children's learning.

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What could be improved

• The arrangements for supporting older pupils with English as an additional language, who lack skills and confidence in written English. 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 March 1998 and has made good improvement since then in tackling identified weaknesses and in improving further the quality of education. Standards in reading, writing and Pelham First School - 7 mathematics in Year 2 have improved in line with the national trend and there are many examples of good quality work throughout the school. The time allocation for mathematics is sufficient now to cover all aspects of the subject and pupils have the time to complete their work. The subject planning for music and geography is well structured and provides good opportunities for pupils to learn. In addition, the school provides many rich learning opportunities, such as the recent cultural diversity week and the Buzz Club for pupils to develop creative thinking skills. The school has introduced several successful innovations, such as the Gold Book to illustrate and value pupils' work, French in Year 5, a school

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

council where pupils are encouraged to take responsibilities, and strong links with the local community. It has applied a very reflective approach to taking decisions.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results.

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Key

Reading A A A A well above average above average A B Writing A A B B average below average C D Mathematics A A C C well below average E

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Key

Standards in the work seen are above average by the end of Years 2 and 5 in English, mathematics and science and most pupils achieve well through the school. One group, pupils with English as an additional language in Years 4 and 5, could do even better if they received more specific support in English. Current standards, as seen during the inspection, are slightly lower in English at Year 2 than those reported at the last inspection but the good attainment reported in mathematics and science has been maintained. There were no Year 5 pupils in the school last time with whom to make comparisons. By Year 2 pupils read with above average understanding. They use interesting words to express their ideas and most pupils write using clear, well-constructed English. They have good skills of mental calculation and numeracy, and a good understanding of measurements and simple properties of shapes. Pupils'

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Key

knowledge of materials and living things in science is good, and their investigative skills develop well. These good standards continue to improve through to Year 5, where pupils write well to persuade or to express their ideas. Their skills of mental and written calculation are good and the higher-attaining pupils achieve well. Pupils develop good skills in mathematical investigation but they do not have enough opportunities to write these out as well-presented pieces of finished work. In science, pupils gain good investigational skills, setting up their own experiments. It is not possible to report overall judgements on standards reached in all other subjects by Years 2 and 5. There is evidence of good quality work, however, particularly by the higher-attaining pupils, across the subjects and this indicates that standards are likely to exceed the national expectation.

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Key

The table above shows that standards in the national tests in Year 2 in 2002 were well above the national average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. In comparison with schools having a similar proportion of free school meals, standards matched the national comparisons. The dip in standards in writing and mathematics in 2002 is explained by the higher than usual proportion of summer born children in that Year 2 and by pupils joining the school shortly before the tests. The trend in standards at Year 2 has been broadly in line with the national trend. The school has set challenging targets for the percentage of pupils next year at Year 6 to gain Level 4 or above in English and mathematics, and is on course to meet them. Pelham First School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good, especially when pupils are inspired by the teaching and challenged to produce work of a high standard. Pupils say that lessons are “fun and interesting”. Parents attribute the enjoyment of school to the enthusiasm and care shown by staff.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour in lessons and around school contributes well to pupils’ achievement and happy school life. Expectations are very clear and help all children to behave well. Lunchtimes are pleasant social occasions. Behaviour in the playground is good and is occasionally boisterous as children play their games.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are very good and are based on mutual respect for all members within a caring school community. “We’re like a big family,” one pupil said. Teachers and other adults build pupils’ confidence and self-esteem by valuing their contributions. In this way, their good personal development has a positive impact on learning and pupils try to do their best. Boys and girls and pupils from ethnic minorities mix freely and happily.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Children are very enthusiastic and want to be at school with their friends. Most pupils are punctual and lessons start promptly. There are good procedures to promote pupils' attendance.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 5

Quality of teaching Good Good 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 – 5

The quality of teaching throughout the school is good and has a positive impact on pupils' learning. A significant proportion of teaching is very good or excellent, and shows the high expectations that teachers have of the pupils. The teaching observed in all lessons was at least satisfactory, indicating that standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The teaching of English and mathematics, and of literacy and numeracy, is good, with a very good balance of attention to formal skills as well as opening children's minds to the appreciation of literature and mathematical thinking. The teaching of information and communication technology (ICT) is also good as teachers use the facilities of the newly installed suite to help pupils to learn about branching decisions or to search the Internet. Teachers' planning is good, making clear how the needs of differing groups of pupils will be met, except that there

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 5

is seldom any direct reference to the teaching strategies to be used, and no separate planning for pupils in the more advanced stages of learning English. While the teachers choose interesting tasks, pupils are sometimes required to record their results on work-sheets, rather than setting them out independently. Occasionally, the plenary session (final part of the lesson) is too short to provide much reinforcement. The teaching/ learning assistants contribute very well to pupils' learning, particularly those with learning difficulties, through their thoughtful interventions. Pelham First School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. Teachers plan imaginative and productive activities with a very good combination of formal and creative work. The curriculum meets statutory requirements fully. The Club activities provide excellent enrichment.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils receive very good support that is very carefully focused on their learning needs. The co-ordinator is highly efficient and effective. As a member of the senior management team, she influences many aspects of school life and work.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Targeted pupils make good progress where specialist support is available. Support is currently focused mainly at Years 2 and 3, making it difficult to meet the needs consistently of some older pupils who lack confidence in written English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. All members of staff promote pupils' moral and social understanding through example. Their high expectations of considerate behaviour are reinforced in weekly class discussion times. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is supported through good provision in assemblies and in their delight in the effects of their work. Provision for cultural, including multi-cultural, understanding is a strong feature of the school, expressed, for example, through cultural diversity week and the Tree of Life mosaic.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils' welfare are excellent. Pupils' personal development is monitored closely. There are good arrangements to track pupils' progress in Years 3 - 5, which are reviewed regularly.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works in partnership with parents Parents appreciate the very good, open relationship with the school and many express a high regard for the headteacher. Parents hold an excellent opinion of the school and the many opportunities to be involved.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall. The headteacher is perceptive and has an excellent understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. The deputy headteacher and senior staff also press strongly for high standards. The strategic development plan is a very good management tool that gives clear direction for improvements.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors have very good arrangements to visit the school to form an independent view of needs. They provide informed direction and a thoughtful role as critical friends, having standards and children's needs in mind.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The arrangement to set aside a day where all members of staff, the governors and a selection of parents review the previous year and agree current priorities through a process of open discussion and evaluation is very good indeed. Pelham First School - 10 The strategic use of resources The governors have made many improvements to the building, facilities and grounds to help raise standards and improve provision. They take very good account of the principles of obtaining best value, for example by employing an ICT consultant to ensure the suite runs efficiently. The level of staffing, learning resources and accommodation is good and used to benefit the pupils. The school office runs very smoothly.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and are expected to work hard and behaviour is good. • Teaching is good so that children make good progress. • The leadership is good, the staff are approachable and the school works closely with them. • A few parents think their children do not get the right amount of homework. • Several parents think the school does not provide a good range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with all the parents' positive views. Having looked at homework arrangements, they find the school provides a suitable amount for the ages of the children, though could extend this a little for the older pupils. They also find that the opportunities for pupils to take part in activities outside lessons are excellent and considerably more than in most schools. Pelham First School - 11

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

attaining pupils produce many examples of good quality work.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

1. Standards in the work seen in English, mathematics and science by the end of Years 2 and 5 are above average. There is also evidence of work that exceeds the expectation in other subjects, particularly by the higher-attaining pupils. These good standards are the result of the impact of effective teaching, since a significant proportion is very good or excellent through the school so that pupils achieve well. There is considerable depth to the quality and skills of teaching, which indicates that curriculum planning, monitoring procedures and subject management by co- ordinators are effective. In an excellent English lesson in Year 1, for example, that was rooted in the teacher's subject knowledge, imaginative use of resources and excellent management, the pupils were highly motivated to think of imaginative phrases on the theme of poems about wild animals. Several pupils demonstrated a good sense of rhythm and alliteration – ‘cheetah cheating’

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

or ‘tiger tracking’ - as they produced good quality creative writing.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

2. All pupils are included very well, including those with learning difficulties and those with English as an additional language, helped by the effective classroom support. Within Year 2, pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour contributed well to their understanding of how words and phrases may create humour or of how to change a verb into the past tense. In Year 3, the higher-attaining pupils demonstrated good understanding of how connectives may convey the passing of time by suggesting 'then' and 'finally'. The teacher showed very good subject knowledge and applied strategies that promoted learning well, such as providing clear explanations and modelling the required style of writing. By Year 5, pupils' work is above average overall in English. This is achieved partly through the good match of work to the differing abilities of the pupils although on a few occasions those learning English as a second language do not receive all the support they

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

need to help with their writing. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge and management of the pupils in a lesson to examine similes and metaphors through poetry led to good learning. The teacher's effective interventions enabled the pupils to identify similes and metaphors within Wordsworth's poem 'Daffodils', with the higher-attaining pupils particularly showing a good understanding and feel for the imagery. In general, teachers make perceptive observations of the pupils as a part of their ongoing assessments, which lead into the school's good assessment and recording procedures.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

3. Within mathematics, in Year 1 the teacher's good relationships with the pupils helped keep their attention well as she discussed the ideas of 'more' and 'less'. Her good use of a number square helped to reinforce their understanding, although several pupils had difficulty applying their skills to complete the prepared worksheet. By Year 3 most pupils have the skills to set out additions in vertical form. The higher-attaining pupils understand the process well and explain clearly how to do it. Pupils' very good concentration and effort lead to above average attainment, supported well by the teachers’ clear, direct questioning. One teacher, for example, led a good discussion about the mental methods and skills used when adding such numbers as 76 and 87. This good foundation for learning is built upon in Year 4, so that in a well-structured lesson using effective teaching skills that included all pupils well, the pupils added a sequence of three numbers confidently. At

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

times a few teachers confirm with a pupil what he or she has learnt through their work.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

4. A very well managed lesson in Year 5 about number sequences provided a very good level of challenge so that pupils attained above average standards and achieved well. The high attaining pupils, for example, produced interesting and unusual sequences, one, for example, drawing on the patterns of the Fibonacci sequence. The school's Buzz Club provides very good challenge and additional experiences for the pupils who choose to take part, creating great interest and extending pupils' experience of mathematics very well. Activities related to a tangram encouraged spatial imagery, the girls showing rather more creativity than the boys. In Year 5, a simple yet Pelham First School - 12 demanding investigation required pupils to use good mental number skills: they were asked to add a selection of the numbers 1 to 5 so that the total of one group is double the other. Many pupils solved this, but did not have the opportunity to write up their solution as a finished piece of work.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

The teachers plan carefully with clear learning objectives, although only a few comments are included on the intended teaching and learning strategies to be used. Teachers mark pupils work regularly, which encourages purposeful learning, and there are occasional references to targets or to how pupils may improve.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

5. As at the time of the last inspection, all the lessons observed were at least satisfactory. The proportion of the lessons seen that were considered to be good or better shows an improvement over the last inspection. The teaching of English and mathematics is imaginative and thorough, with good attention to both creative and formal skills of literacy and numeracy. Several questions encourage pupils to explain their ideas or methods, while some focus on correct factual answers.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

6. The higher-attaining pupils produce good quality work across the curriculum. In ICT, pupils in Year 5 demonstrated good understanding of spreadsheets by setting up a simple formula to find the total cost of holiday spending. They have also entered information about themselves into a database, and have the skills to use search devices to gain information from a file. Pupils are encouraged to develop their artistic style through the use of sketchbooks, producing for example in Year 4 effective shading patterns to create the effect of three-dimensions and a light source. In Year 3 pupils extended their search skills during work on climate by looking for the wettest, hottest, coldest or driest place from their atlas. They also demonstrate good knowledge in their study of life at the time of the Roman invasion. Pupils have written out a simple musical/ graphical score for the rhythm of playing an instrument.

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

7. The teacher and other support staff funded under the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant understand their pupils' needs well, but work mostly with pupils in Years 2 and 3. They support these pupils well, mainly in lessons. They work in partnership with mainstream teachers and one Learning Support Assistant’s brief includes addressing the issue of ethnic minority achievement. This enables most targeted pupils to make good progress overall in acquiring basic communication skills. They make particular gains in extending their knowledge of vocabulary and the structure of language. They were observed on several occasions responding well to individual and small group support. Their positive attitudes to learning and good relationships with their peers and teachers, combined with the care that the school takes of them, ensure their full integration in the life of the school. These pupils also benefit from the strategies, such as focused questioning,

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good quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. The higher-

employed by most classroom teachers and support staff. Their careful explanation of teaching/learning points ensures pupils’ understanding of activities whilst enhancing their participation. All of this has a positive impact on pupils’ progress and self-esteem. Lack of specific support for more advanced learners of English in Years 4 and 5, however, impedes their progress.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, especially when the teaching

8. Pupils typically settle to work quickly and are keen to learn. They listen very closely and participate confidently in discussion and activities. They are pleased that their opinions are sought and valued by teachers. This generates their active participation and helps them to concentrate very well on the lesson’s objectives. Pupils enjoy their work and most try hard to complete their tasks and to present their work well.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, especially when the teaching

9. The pupils are polite and considerate with each other, their teachers and learning support assistants and are learning to negotiate about what to do in a mature way. Most pupils listen attentively and maintain good concentration during lessons, helped by the lively and thoughtful interactions with their teachers. Pupils follow instructions well, work hard and respond positively to praise and encouragement. They are keen to discuss their work. They particularly relish challenge and this was seen, for example, in an excellent pottery lesson during club time when pupils made clay food plates in the style of Picasso and produced work of very high quality. They also participate very keenly in the excellent range of extra-curricular activities. Pelham First School - 13 10. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. This contributes well to pupils’ achievement and happy school life. Pupils usually exhibit good self-control. The very good relationships

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, especially when the teaching

amongst pupils often promote good learning and this was noted, for example, between boys and girls in Year 4 as they worked on how animals adapt to differing habitats. There was a very good work ethic, and a busy, chatty atmosphere as pupils searched through the given selection of materials. These positive relationships form a good basis from which teachers manage the pupils, since they are responsive and want to please. Pupils develop a good understanding of other people and their motivation. Teachers and other adults speak positively to pupils and value the contributions they make. This builds pupils’ confidence and self-esteem and helps them tackle new learning and to do their best.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, especially when the teaching

11. Boys and girls and pupils from ethnic minorities mix freely and happily. Pupils have a very good understanding of the effect of their actions on others and have great respect for each other’s feelings and values. Pupils show reverence in assemblies especially during prayer and reflection times. They work well together, sharing equipment and taking turns. Lunchtimes are pleasant social occasions in the dining hall. Behaviour in the playground is good and pupils obviously enjoy the equipment and resources. Pupils confirmed that bullying and racism seldom occur and when reported are dealt with very effectively. There have been no exclusions recently.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

all pupils, including those with learning difficulties.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

12. The school offers a particularly well-structured and rich curriculum that provides for the progressive development of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding through the years. This maintains the overall position at the time of the last inspection and is an improvement in geography and music. The school has made good provision for covering the required curriculum as each new year-group is admitted during the period of changing to a primary school. The curriculum is enhanced through good arrangements to offer French to pupils in Year 5. The members of staff have good arrangements in hand to provide for the curricular needs of Year 6 pupils from September. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and religious education is taught according to the Locally Agreed Syllabus. The school takes full account of national guidance for literacy and numeracy and has good strategies for teaching these skills. Planning also takes account of the need to

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

challenge pupils and to extend their experiences. Their learning is advanced through the provision of tasks that help to open their minds to poetry, literature and the arts. Subject planning generally is based sensibly on national guidance, but with additional material of good local relevance and interest. The school makes many productive links between subjects, such as writing in history. An invitation to perform at an assembly provided pupils with the chance to observe and hear a soprano and a trumpet player perform a duet - filling the hall with sound as they echoed phrases.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

13. The provision for children in the Nursery and Reception classes is very good and is a strength of the school. The quality of the curriculum is good overall in all areas, and helps the children to make good progress. All members of staff make good provision for the children’s all round development and education, including those with special educational needs or with English as an additional language . The activities and work for children in the Reception class builds and extends well on that in the Nursery, providing an appropriate level of formality in the tasks. The management of the Foundation Stage is very good, with many imaginative and purposeful opportunities for children to explore their world. Very well chosen activities encourage children in the Nursery to experiment and to communicate with others. Opportunities to enhance the children's experiences are taken where possible, for example when helping Reception Year

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

children to identify features in the school garden and to describe a journey.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

14. Teachers provide pupils with a broad range of well-chosen texts and poetry in English that help to stimulate an appreciation of literature and provide a good foundation for expressive language skills and writing. This is the case apart from a few occasions where specific support for more advanced learners of English as a second language in Years 4 and 5 is required. The mathematics curriculum is well-structured, with a firm emphasis on number and numeracy skills, and Pelham First School - 14 appropriate attention is given to measurement, geometry and data handling. There are examples of wider mathematical investigations that help to give purpose to the learning of several skills, and pupils make brief records of their calculations. Teachers ensure that pupils receive a good basis of practical work in science as a foundation for their understanding. For

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

example, in Year 3, pupils discussed how to set up an experiment to discover whether plants need leaves to grow. The ICT curriculum combines very good opportunities in the newly up-graded ICT suite with good, developing applications in other subjects.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

15. The school sets aside an hour each week for curriculum enrichment. This excellent arrangement draws upon the expertise of a range of visiting tutors as well as members of staff. Choices for the pupils include pottery, dance, orchestra and tennis, all of which add depth to pupils' learning. In the excellent pottery session, for example, pupils produced very high quality work in the style of Picasso, one pupil making clay 'spaghetti' using a special tool. The very positive dance session encouraged the self-selected all-girls group to express themselves using space and their bodies strongly. The very experienced tennis coach established excellent relationships with the all-boys group, also self-selected, so that they were highly motivated to extend their skills.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

16. The school has approved policies for pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE), and for sex and drugs education. These are taught carefully within the well-planned and effective programme for PSHE through the school. This is supported by the good arrangements in many lessons for pupils to work together collaboratively, to encourage both learning and their social development. This was noted in mathematics and science lessons, for example, where pupils benefited from sharing ideas. There is an excellent range and choice of extra-curricular activities. The school has also taken the decision recently to hold a residential course for pupils admitted to Year 6 next September. The community makes a very good contribution to pupils' learning, for example through the celebration of Festivals, the assembly on light and the visiting speakers who have talked about famous people such as Nelson Mandela.

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Nursery and Reception classes through to Year 5. It caters well for the needs of

17. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is very good. Their needs are carefully assessed and support is managed very well so that they have full access to the curriculum. The classroom assistants provide very thoughtful and encouraging support, often unobtrusively ensuring that pupils can give a correct answer. These assistants have a very significant role in enhancing the pupils' self-esteem, and hence in averting any adverse behaviour. The school has also set up diverse arrangements to provide additional help for literacy and numeracy. These, and other specialist lessons, do not usually have an adverse effect on pupils' learning for the lessons they miss, several of which are for English or mathematics. The class teachers write and use the pupils’ Individual Education Plans in their lesson planning, which is good practice.

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

level of thoughtful care for the pupils and their welfare.

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

18. The school provides a high level of care for the pupils which helps to make pupils’ learning as effective as possible. All members of staff know the pupils very well and pupils place high levels of trust and confidence in their teachers and other adults in the school. This helps pupils to feel happy, safe and secure.

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

19. Pupils feel that they have someone to turn to if they ever feel troubled or worried. In discussions with pupils, they confirmed strongly that teachers are kind and approachable. Staff know pupils so well that they can detect mood changes and show great concern about their welfare. Pupils feel that teachers care deeply about them and go beyond normal bounds to ensure that they are happy and feel valued and well cared for. This helps pupils to achieve well in their work. Teachers usually have good strategies for including all pupils within the activities to ensure that pupils are fully engaged in the tasks. Specific provision for pupils with learning difficulties or those with English as an additional language enables targeted pupils to make good progress in relation to their targets. Pelham First School - 15 20. The procedures to monitor pupils’ personal development are good. Teachers maintain good

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

oversight of the personal development of pupils, for example through their many informal discussions. Pupils are given good advice for improving their attendance and punctuality, their behaviour and attitudes, and their social skills and work habits. The school keeps good records of baseline (initial) assessments in the Reception class. It also keeps a good range of records to track pupils' progress so that teachers are able to provide helpful targets for pupils’ personal development, as well as for their academic development. These contribute well to raising

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

standards and are used for curriculum planning. The learning objectives for lessons are identified in teachers’ plans, although they are usually set out for the class as a whole and not adapted for the learning needs of differing groups of pupils.

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All members of staff, including the classroom support assistants, provide a high

21. The arrangements for child protection are excellent. The school keeps a very watchful eye on pupils and staff monitor any concerns carefully and sensitively. Children in foster care are supported very well. The school gives a high priority to making sure that all medical conditions are known and catered for. When pupils are ill or injured they are cared for well. The health and safety management system is very good. Records show that the accident frequency is low, which reflects a safe school. The school, however, currently has fewer trained first aiders than usual since three members of staff have left recently.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

by parents in their children's learning.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

22. The family induction arrangements for children in the Nursery or Reception classes are very good and help children to settle quickly when they start school. In an example of excellent practice, a senior member of staff monitors the home visits. The school puts much effort into working closely with parents. It involves them very effectively in joint approaches for improving standards and ensuring their children’s happiness. There are many opportunities for parents to become informed about their child's education and links with parents are very good.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

23. The headteacher has established a particularly thoughtful and responsive relationship with parents. They speak very warmly about her approach and management, having every confidence that their views will be taken fully into account. All members of staff are very approachable and the school welcomes parents’ views as an important part of school improvement. There are frequent reminders that parents are welcome to keep in contact with their children’s teachers. Members of staff are available every day to talk to parents about any concerns and during the inspection many parents were seen taking advantage of this in an open and friendly way. The arrangements for formal consultations are also very good. Parents confirm that they have complete confidence that any worries will be quickly, effectively and sensitively dealt with to make pupils’ learning experiences more enjoyable.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

24. The previous report described the parents' contributions to the school as outstanding and this is still the case. The fact that the school has very effective links with the parents is shown through the strong agreement with most statements in the questionnaire. The very great majority of parents feel that they have good relationships with the school. Parents have a high level of confidence in the standards of teaching and management at the school. A few parents question the amount of homework provided and a few parents are less than satisfied with the activities provided outside lessons. Inspection findings show that the amount and nature of work that are provided for pupils to do at home are appropriate. Also, the school offers an excellent range of activities outside lessons, many more than most schools.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

25. The school has established creative ways to demonstrate the progress pupils are making. These include a Golden Book of each pupil's work, which parents enjoy and praise highly as an invaluable source of information. The annual reports for Reception children are very good: identify pupils' weaknesses well and give good advice for improvement. For pupils in Years 1 to 5, the Pelham First School - 16 school's annual reports to parents provide good information on the core subjects, especially for English and mathematics. The reports on other subjects, however, are mostly factual and contain very little information on pupils' progress during the year or of aspects to improve linked to further targets.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

26. The school provides very good information to parents, overall. The newsletters and letters keep parents fully in touch with school events and news and, in a good arrangement, parents are informed about the curriculum planning a term ahead. The school holds evening meetings for parents to let them know about recent changes such as the Literacy Hour so that parents may help their children as well as possible. The arrangements for homework are good and parents are provided with homework information for the term so that they know what to expect. This helps parents to support their child's learning at home effectively. Parents are often invited into school and many are actively involved in school life. There are many parents who volunteer and come into school regularly and help to provide good quality support learning in reading, ICT, art and other practical tasks. They also help whenever needs arise with swimming, school trips and other

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

events. Some parents serve on the governing body and are highly committed to the development of the school. The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report are presented well, providing all the information required clearly and giving a good sense of what the school stands for.

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excellent relationship between parents and the school, with strong involvement

27. Parents are very supportive of all activities that involve their children. The international day, for example, was highly successful. School productions, assemblies and other events are well supported. The Parents’ and Teachers’ Association is very active and many parents help to arrange a busy social calendar. These events help to raise funds for big projects and identified items to enhance learning. Parents paid for all the improvements to all three playgrounds recently. The overall impact of parents’ involvement on the school is very good.

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

28. The headteacher has excellent qualities of leadership, which give the school very clear direction through her commitment to improvement. The senior staff work together closely, basing their decisions on firmly held educational principles to make the best provision possible for all groups of pupils or individuals. Their leadership and management are very good, and indicate continuing improvement through self-evaluation since the last inspection. The staff have a high level of commitment for the pupils, which stems from a very strong team spirit and sense of community through the school. The very good foundation of reflective self-evaluation enables all staff to tackle areas for improvement positively. The headteacher has developed very good monitoring procedures and uses the information gained from her observations to open up issues that may require review or improvement. She takes very good account of the experience and views of all members of staff.

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

She has worked continuously with the staff and governing body since the last inspection to plan and implement changes that are having a positive impact on the quality of work and standards. For example, the curriculum is enriched by many special events and the ICT suite provides very good, up-to-date facilities where pupils have many learning opportunities.

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

29. There are very good arrangements for managing the professional development of all members of staff. The teachers' agreed targets for development are known to link with the headteacher's to promote consistent and coherent improvements. The agreed targets place clear expectations and accountability on all teachers with the intention of influencing the quality of teaching and standards. The headteacher and senior staff make formal lesson observations. They prepare teachers well for these visits and give constructive comments afterwards. The school gives staff professional development a high priority so that change is successful. All of the arrangements are having a strong impact on the quality of teaching and learning.

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

30. The governing body has funded class release time for subject leaders to help to strengthen their role. This has enabled them to monitor provision, to look at samples of children's work and to make planned lesson observations. These procedures are giving the subject leaders an improved view of their subject through the school, and the related strengths and weaknesses which form a central part of the school's strategic development plan. This is good practice. Pelham First School - 17 31. A particularly influential and effective exercise is held every two years by the whole staff, the governing body and a selection of parents. They set aside a day to debate and agree the priorities to be included in the school’s development plan, with strategic targets. These targets are used very clearly to link to specific subjects or other aspects for development.

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

32. The governing body works closely with the headteacher. There are good arrangements for them to visit the school and to focus their visit on a subject. As a result, members of the governing body meet and discuss subject issues in a productive way. This provides the governors with useful information about the quality of provision and current problems and a shared view of future needs. It helps them to make decisions about how to implement the planned changes. The governors fulfil their responsibilities very well. They have a strong sense of commitment to

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The headteacher, senior staff and governors together give very good

the school and form a very clear view of educational priorities through their visits and discussions. The planned improvements are supported very well through their thorough financial planning, and the expertise of the school administrative staff.

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The arrangements to support older pupils with English as an additional

language, who lack skills and confidence in written English.

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The arrangements to support older pupils with English as an additional

33. The school has a high proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language and specialist support is focused on those at early stages of English acquisition, who are mainly in Years 2 - 3. This means progress slows for some pupils in Years 4 - 5 since they do not have direct access to specialist support on a regular basis. Lack of confidence in written English limits their access to the curriculum and hence to appropriate achievement. Planning does not always take their needs sufficiently into account and ethnic monitoring of pupils’ attainment and progress remains an aspect for further development.

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The arrangements to support older pupils with English as an additional

34. The school’s commitment to meeting the needs of pupils learning English as an additional language is carefully documented. It aims to provide the pupils with access to the National Curriculum and all other opportunities it offers. Their cultural heritage is recognised by including languages spoken at home, as reflected in the display relating to cultural diversity. The provision of additional support is overseen by an experienced member of staff and is supported by the headteacher. This aspect of work also features in the school’s current priorities with particular reference to multicultural resources, translation services, Family Literacy workshops and minority ethnic representation in the Parent’s and Teacher Association. However, the school's arrangements and the procedures to track the pupils' progress do not compensate for the pupils' lack of direct access to specialist support.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO IMPROVE FURTHER?

35. In order to continue to improve standards and the quality of provision, the headteacher, staff and governors should give attention to the following: (Paragraphs 33, 34)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Include specific references to the learning needs of pupils with English as an additional language within weekly planning, as appropriate.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Make suitable arrangements for the specialist teaching to be available for the older pupils on occasions.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Establish rigorous procedures to track the pupils' progress and to monitor provision.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Make regular reports to the governing body. Pelham First School - 18 Pelham First School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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 four percentage point[s].

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 21 199

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 49

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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 71

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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 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

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Attendance

School data 4.3 School data 0.3 Pelham First School - 20 National comparative data 5.4 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. Pelham First School - 21

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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 2002 29 21 50

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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 28 26 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 20 20

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

Percentage of pupils School 96 (91) 92 (90) 96 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 28 26 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 18 20

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

Percentage of pupils School 96 (90) 88 (98) 94 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 16 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 9 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 11 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 14 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other ethnic group 8 0 0 Pelham First School - 22 No ethnic group recorded 20 0 0 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, 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) 9.05 Financial year 2001-02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y5 Total income 626,567

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 607,373

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 163 Expenditure per pupil 2,459

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 41,583

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year 48,452

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 25

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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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) 0

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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. Pelham First School - 23

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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. 66 29 4 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 45 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 42 10 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 38 5 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 29 0 0 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. 65 34 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 67 32 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 70 27 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 25 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 38 15 2 9

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