Grazebrook Primary School

GRAZEBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 – 24 September 2003

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GRAZEBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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GRAZEBROOK 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. Grazebrook Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 449

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lordship Road Stoke Newington London Postcode: N16 0QP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8802 4051 Fax number: 020 8809 5607

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Tom Lewis-Brooke

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 September 2001

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Grazebrook is a large primary school with 449 girls and boys on roll between the ages of 3 and 11. Many pupils join the school with low and in many cases very low attainment. A very high proportion of pupils speak other languages than English and for many English is not the language they speak at home; the commonest second languages are Turkish, Bengali and Gujerati. A significant proportion of pupils are at an early stage of English acquisition. The school community represents a very wide range of cultural heritages, the largest groups other than white British being Turkish, black African, black Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Indian. The school serves a mixed social area. Although in the main very economically deprived, with a very high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, there is a significant number of pupils from more economically and socially favoured homes. Mobility is high and entrants are commonly refugees or asylum seekers. The proportion of pupils with

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

special educational needs is average. Grazebrook Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

12487 John Lilly Lead inspector History Religious education English as an additional language 9472 John Edmonds Lay inspector 22180 Shree Lekha Mystry Team inspector Science Art and design Geography Physical education 22058 Christine Richardson Team inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Information and communication technology 27895 Margaret Skinner Team inspector English Design and technology Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6 East Point High Street, Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Grazebrook Primary School - 5

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11-16

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 33 Grazebrook Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Grazebrook is a good school and has improved rapidly over the last two years since the last inspection (September 2001). Good teaching, guided by good planning of the curriculum and comprehensive assessment, supports good achievement by pupils. They develop well within an ethos of strong and determined values, and as full members of an orderly school community that works with a sense of purpose. The school now has strong foundations on which to move forward, knowing what still needs to be done and guided by an ambitious and shared mission. It offers good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Governors, senior management and teachers give clear and strong leadership backed by efficient management. • Staff focus on the learning and achievement of all pupils, whatever their gifts or the barriers to learning they face. • The school sees that high achievement and positive personal development depend upon every area of the school’s work being equally strong. • Teachers do not make enough use of assessment to make clear to all pupils what they need to learn next. • The school has not found the best ways to involve parents in supporting their children’s learning and personal development. • The school does not have sufficiently developed strategies for helping pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour. • Teachers do not always ensure that pupils not only learn new words but also understand their full meaning, so that they can use them to think and talk.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

When last inspected the school had many areas needing improvement. It has made very good progress and has become a school with secure strengths on which to build for the future. Firm leadership and effective management have improved provision in all areas.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English C A C B Mathematics D C C B Science E D D C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The pupils achieve well throughout the school . They join the nursery with very low attainment. Although they make good progress, few will achieve the goals set for the end of the reception year. They continue to make good progress between Years 1 and 2. Pupils make good progress in speaking English. Achievement is good, although by the end of Year 2 only a minority will reach the standards nationally expected because of their low starting point. Gaining in confidence and the language they need at school, pupils make even quicker progress in Years 3 and 4 and, by the end of Year 6, most pupils attain the standards that are expected by that stage. The achievement of pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs is especially good; many able pupils achieve the higher levels of attainment by the end of Years 2 and 6. Grazebrook Primary School - 7 Most pupils behave well and develop well socially, personally, morally and culturally . They

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

become happy, balanced and confident young people. Even so, many have yet to see how they must take their share of responsibility for learning, setting their own targets to achieve. Attendance is much improved and is now good. Relationships between children and adults, and amongst children of many cultures are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good . This is because the school provides a safe, orderly and caring community in which to learn. Teachers teach a broad and relevant curriculum well, and track the progress of each pupil. When learning slows they act quickly to give additional support. Links with the community significantly enrich the pupils’ learning. The next step is to help pupils understand more clearly what they must do to improve and use more fully the willingness and potential of parents to help.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . A strength of the school is the strong and clear leadership that threads through from the governors to senior management to teachers in their leadership roles. At the school’s heart is the very strong leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Management at every level and in every area is efficient and effective. Even so, as managers face up to the demands of the next stage in the school’s improvement, they need to increase their skills and knowledge, for example, in using assessment data to see how performance needs to improve and in designing better strategies.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents value the school highly but want to make a greater contribution to their children’s learning. Pupils think their school is 'great' and value highly the way adults help them.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Find better ways to help pupils fully understand and use the new words they learn. • Make clearer to pupils what they need to learn next, explaining how and why. • Work more closely with parents to support the pupils’ learning and development. • Find better ways to help pupils manage independently their behaviour. Grazebrook Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good throughout the school. Pupils join the school with very low attainment and by the end of Year 6 reach standards that are close to those expected nationally.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improved teaching helps pupils to make good progress and achieve well. • The achievement of pupils learning English as an additional language is good. • Girls and boys of higher ability and those with special educational needs make good progress. • Pupils’ language skills are too low, when talking, to think-through solutions and to understand fully what they hear. This holds back their learning in all subjects.

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Commentary

1. The picture overall is that children join Reception with low or very low attainment, often with low language development both in English and in the other languages many speak at home. By the end of Reception, despite good progress, few children will have reached the early learning goals set for this age, especially in literacy, numeracy and social skills. Even so, good teaching means they make good progress by the end of Year 2, although still hindered by slower development of speaking and listening amongst both second language and also English speakers. Attainment is below that expected of pupils aged 7. As pupils gain these essential language skills, however, progress speeds up in Years 3 and 4 and by the end of Year 6 most pupils are broadly in line with the attainment expected of 11-year-olds.

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Commentary

2. Many factors confuse evaluation of pupils’ progress and attainment. Managers correctly recognise that they need to become more skilled at using analysis of assessment to clarify this confusion, seeing more clearly where teaching needs to focus and provision improve. These factors include the following. The school has faced many problems and changes over recent years. Pupils speak a very wide range of languages and many are at an early stage in acquiring English, and a higher than average number of pupils joins the school at times other than at Reception or Year 6. The pupils who leave are mainly high attainers while those who join are mainly very low attainers; this tends to hide the school’s underlying high performance.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 14.8 (15.8) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 13.0 (13.8) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 15.7 (15.1) 16.5 (16.2) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Attainment in Year 2 is at least in line with national expectations in most lessons, but, because standards in writing especially are low, attainment overall is below standards expected of pupils aged 7. Results in national tests in 2002 were below the national average. Attainment was slightly higher in mathematics and science. Provisional results in tests for 2003 show slight improvement. Pupils make good progress and achieve well, however, despite the many and varied barriers to learning they face. They have moved from well below what is nationally Grazebrook Primary School - 9 expected on entry to below national expectations by the end of Year 2. A measure of this success is that results in 2002 were average for comparable schools in reading and well above average in mathematics. They were below average, however, in writing and science.

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Commentary

4. Good progress and achievement continues between Years 3 and 6, with a spurt in Years 3 and 4 as the pupils benefit from their improved language skills. In Years 5 and 6, attainment tends to be lower. Lack of the skills and knowledge they should have learned securely much earlier damages their learning and hinders progress. The school realises this and throughout the school has special groups to redress these deficits; these are proving successful.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.8 (28.9) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 26.7 (26.2) 26.7 (26.6) Science 27.5 (28.0) 28.3 (28.3) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. By the end of Year 6, attainment is still broadly below expectations but closer to being in line. In national tests in 2002, pupils were close to the national average in English and mathematics, but were below average in science. At Grazebrook, the good proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 tends to hide the fact that a lower than average percentage achieved the expected Level 4. Attainment of pupils currently in Year 6 is slightly lower than in 2002 overall, although science has improved. Judged against the average in comparable schools, results in 2002 were very high in English, high in mathematics and in-line in science, and the progress made between Years 2 and 6 was good. These results show that the school supports good progress and achievement, and that there is an improving trend. As the make-up of pupils in each year varies considerably, results over the years fluctuate.

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Commentary

6. The school does particularly well with more able girls and boys, and especially well with pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Their achievement is often very good.

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Commentary

7. The progress and achievement of current pupils, while good, is hindered from becoming very good by three main factors:

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Commentary

• Although pupils learn new words, they do not understand them fully enough to use them when thinking or trying to understand what they hear. • The immature attitudes of some pupils hold back not only their own learning but also that of others unless the class teacher’s management skills are strong. • Teachers do not use assessment sufficiently to show pupils how to take personal responsibility for improving their work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance and punctuality are good and greatly improved. Pupils’ attitudes are satisfactory and behaviour is good. Their personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very effective at improving and maintaining good attendance. • Behaviour is good and relationships very good. There were no exclusions last year. • Moral development is good and social and cultural development very good. Grazebrook Primary School - 10

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.0% School data 2.1% National data 5.4% National data 0.5% The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

8. The above comparisons apply to 2001/02, as national data for 2002/03 is not yet available. However, attendance during 2002/03 has improved significantly by 4.4 percentage points over the previous year and unauthorised absence has fallen by 1.8 percentage points and is likely to be below the current national average. These notable improvements result from the measures the school has introduced to promote good attendance and from parental co-operation in ensuring that their children attend regularly. The procedures for recording lateness are good, though they would be even better if persistent absentees and latecomers were given personal targets.

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Commentary

9. When pupils are well taught, pupils’ attitudes are usually good and effective class management is usually the case. Their attitudes and behaviour can deteriorate, however, if, for example, pupils become bored, the teacher tries a new or unfamiliar approach or has weak class management skills. Pupils welcome and value the school’s efforts to help them learn and usually live up to the school’s expectations of effort and behaviour. They take an interest in school life and in its activities. Behaviour in the classroom and round the school is good and well supervised. It is due to the school’s strong ethos and the measures taken to maintain high standards that there were no exclusions last year. During the inspection there was no evidence of bullying, racism or other harassment, and pupils are confident that the school deals with them effectively, when such problems occur. The school is very successful in ensuring all

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Commentary

races and cultures work and play well together, which leads to very good relationships between pupils and with teachers. Pupils’ self-esteem is high and those selected for interview chatted confidently, saying how much they liked the school, especially their teachers.

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Commentary

10. The school actively develops pupils’ self-awareness and this means that pupils make good personal development. They joined the school with low social skills and, even though they develop well, their maturity at each age tends to be lower than normally expected. Though the school does not yet have policies for developing their spirituality or cultural awareness, it is successful in practice. Assemblies meet the statutory requirement for a daily act of worship and some touch on spiritual matters. The school could usefully consider increasing opportunities for quiet reflection and celebrating religious festivals more overtly. Moral teaching is firmly in place and the school is very good at nurturing pupils’ social development. Pupils are clear about the difference between right and wrong and about the importance of respecting other people’s feelings, values and beliefs. Cultural development is strong, with many visits to

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Commentary

places of interest. Respect for and genuine interest in other cultures permeates the fabric and values of the school. A very special example of the way the school celebrates achievement was the graduation ceremony last term. Parents, staff and pupils cannot stop talking about the pride, joy and excitement everyone felt, or as one person said ‘incredible.’ Grazebrook Primary School - 11 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 86 0 0 White – Irish 14 0 0 White – any other White background 91 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 20 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 6 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 9 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 52 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 37 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 63 0 0 Black or Black British – African 36 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 8 0 0 Any other ethnic group 0 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good and much improved since the last inspection. This is because the leadership of the school ensures that all aspects of the school’s work improve equally well. Each aspect is either satisfactory or good, with clear plans as to how they can become even better.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good and have improved significantly since the last inspection. They lead to good achievement by almost all pupils. Leadership and management are clear as to how this improvement needs to and will continue to improve. Assessment procedures are now good when evaluating and recording progress, but these records are not analysed sufficiently so as to identify ways to improve teaching and learning, and raise achievement.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good planning based upon increasing understanding of pupils’ learning needs and secure assessment. • Clear learning objectives for each lesson and unit of work. • Good emphasis upon developing the pupils’ speaking and listening skills. • The pupils’ keenness to learn, seen in most lessons. • Pupils cannot always understand and use new words. • Insufficient interpretation and use of assessment data to help pupils understand how to improve their work and to focus the teaching more precisely on barriers to learning. Grazebrook Primary School - 12 • Insufficiently developed strategies to help teachers improve and not just control behaviour.

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Commentary

11. The good quality of teaching and learning is because the school now has a stable staff, all of whom are eager to improve their skills and do their best for all pupils. Clear leadership by senior management and subject leaders is driving further improvement through perceptive and expert staff training, and staff sharing good ideas and problems, swapping ways to help the pupils. Similarly, effective management ensures that:

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Commentary

• Assessment helps teachers see what has been achieved and what still needs to be done. • Teachers have the training and support they need. • Teachers have the resources they need. • Skilled teaching assistants are deployed precisely where and when they are needed and are treated as equal partners in the teaching task. • The curriculum is well planned so that each stepping-stone in learning leads to the next. • A well-considered range of support teaching is available, for example, for learning English as an additional language, ‘reading recovery’ and help with pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

12. These strengths have created a close-knit, confident and ambitious team of teachers and assistants, determined to help every pupil succeed. The main strengths in the teaching are skilled planning, clear learning objectives based upon reliable assessment, emphasis on building the pupils’ speaking and listening skills and the way staff use open and probing questions to encourage pupils to think for themselves.

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Commentary

13. When teaching is less than good or very rarely unsatisfactory, this is either because the teaching is overwhelmed by the immaturity of some pupils or because the subject knowledge and understanding of the teacher are fragile. When well taught, which is usual, pupils behave well and are very eager to listen and do their best. They collaborate keenly with their teachers and each other. However, these good attitudes are dependent on strong and embedded classroom routines, and when teachers try something new or different the behaviour deteriorates. Similarly, if the teacher’s confidence drops because they feel uncertain of the material being covered, pupils tend to take advantage of the confusion and chatter or lose concentration.

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Commentary

14. Pupils say how much they value their teachers, seeing teachers, assistants and the learning mentor as equally important. ‘Our teachers are great!’ and they particularly appreciate the individual help they receive. Some also say that the behaviour of others distracts them. They see themselves largely being taught and are not so forthcoming when asked how they can help themselves learn.

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Commentary

15. Parents ‘feel’ teaching is good because their children are happy and enjoy their learning. However, they want more frequent information on the progress their children are making and whether it is good enough. They want to work more closely with teachers to help their children more at home.

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Commentary

16. Currently, teaching is good and supports good learning and achievement, but it is not yet good enough to overcome in full all the barriers to learning the pupils present. Key areas to improve are:

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Commentary

• Finding ways to help children to understand new words as concepts in context, so that they aid thinking and problem solving. For example, a child, especially if speaking a language other than English at home, may be able label an activity as ‘fair’ but have a very limited understanding as to what this really means or how to use it in their day-to-day talk. • Using assessment data to help pupils to plan their work, setting objectives for the next steps in learning and targets to achieve. Grazebrook Primary School - 13 • Designing better full-school strategies for behaviour improvement so that teachers are less dependent on solutions they find for themselves.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 64 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (3%) 9 (14%) 30 (47%) 21 (33%) 2 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

17. There were two lessons of outstanding teaching during the inspection and several very good lessons. The task now is to help all teachers learn from these examples so that a much higher proportion of teaching is very good or excellent. There are differences in the quality of teaching in different years and classes, but this range is between satisfactory and very good. Differences in the quality of teaching are mainly due to the newness of the teacher to the school or to their length of experience.

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The curriculum

The breadth of the curriculum is good. The provision for enrichment, including extra-curricular opportunities, is good. The accommodation and resources for learning are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures that every child has equal opportunity to access the National Curriculum. • There is good provision for personal, social and health education. • The teachers and support staff who deliver the curriculum are well qualified. • Information and communication technology is not used enough across the curriculum. • Parents are not sufficiently involved in their children’s learning. • Staff do not give enough specific guidance to pupils on how to improve individual work. • All pupils from Year 2 upwards have the opportunity to play an instrument or sing in the choir.

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Commentary

18. The National Curriculum is fully in place, meets statutory requirements and is now fully balanced. This is an important improvement since the last inspection. The National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy are rigorously implemented and are having good results.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is carefully planned to ensure that all pupils can benefit from every subject. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good, with good specialist teachers and well-trained support staff teaching organised programmes, especially in reading. Throughout the school provision is good for pupils for whom English is an additional language or those who come from an ethnic minority background. Many of the staff talk in the pupils’ home languages. By the time pupils who speak English as an additional language have progressed from Year 1 to Year 6, most achieve high standards in English.

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Commentary

20. The well-qualified teaching staff are well supported by subject co-ordinators. This ensures good coverage of the curriculum through helpful monitoring of planning. A particular strength is that the very well qualified music specialist teaches every child from Year 2 to Year 6 to either play a musical instrument e.g. violin, key board, ocarinas, recorder or else sing in the choir. The teachers ensure that pupils move forward in all subjects. However, this can be further improved if teachers share with pupils exactly what they need to do next to improve their work, such as writing. This could also be improved through greater involvement of parents in their Grazebrook Primary School - 14 children’s learning. The amount and quality of homework is sound. The new homework books should increase parents’ involvement and understanding of homework required.

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Commentary

21. The teaching programme for information and communication technology is satisfactory in specialist lessons but is not being developed regularly enough in other subjects.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum for the teaching of personal, social and health education is good throughout the school. Very good teaching was seen in Year 6 on alcohol abuse. Pupils have opportunities to take on responsibilities and show initiative, as seen in the successful reading partnership group. Here Year 6 boys and girls, after training by the special educational needs teacher, commit themselves to helping Year 2 pupils with reading and mathematics during one lunch- time a week for a whole year. This balance between personal and social education in lessons and roles to play in school provides a good foundation for social and personal development. It is significantly enriched through assemblies, school events and interaction with local community groups. There is a good range of outside class activities to enrich the curriculum.

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Care, guidance and support

The school cares for its pupils well and ensures their health and safety. It provides high levels of support, advice and guidance, but these are still not based firmly enough on the monitoring of progress. The school uses the school council to seek pupils’ views and acts on their suggestions.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Correct child protection measures are in place and the school has close and effective relations with outside agencies. • The school is clean, and proper health and safety procedures are in place. • Risk assessments are insufficiently formalised and staff training on safety matters is not always up-to-date. • Staff are caring, fair and help those with behavioural problems, which results in happy and trusting pupils. The school values every pupil and supports pupils from many diverse backgrounds very effectively. • The school council works well, but the school does not yet sufficiently consult the school community as a whole, for example parents.

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Commentary

23. Child protection practices are up-to-date and in line with those laid down by the local education authority, but new staff are not trained soon enough after arrival. All risks have been assessed, some professionally, but the procedures are still too informal. The governors are properly involved in heath and safety, but staff training could be more up-to-date. Pupils and staff work in a very clean, litter-free environment, which is healthy and safe. All equipment is regularly tested and fire drills are carried out each term. Access to the Internet is strictly controlled.

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Commentary

24. Pupils are highly valued. Indeed the Year 6 pupils interviewed said there was nothing they disliked about the school. The school pays great attention to supporting and caring for its pupils, particularly the vulnerable, which results in happy children. Staff know all their pupils well and there is always at least one member, often several, with whom pupils can and do develop a thoroughly trusting relationship. Pupils consider that teachers treat them fairly and help those few pupils who have difficulty in conforming. The ‘buddy’ system for befriending pupils in the playground is effective and the Year 6 pupils are encouraged to help Year 2 with their reading. The extensive new induction arrangements for nursery and reception pupils are working well. They include home visits, a helpful brochure and assistance for ethnic minority families. The ‘learning mentor’ is making a significant contribution to the care, welfare and

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Commentary

guidance of the pupils. Grazebrook Primary School - 15 25. Last year the school introduced a school council and has implemented pupils’ ideas in several areas. Members agree the council is worthwhile and should continue. As yet there are no plans to introduce detailed gathering of parents’ views.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents are satisfactory. Those with the local community and other schools, particularly the main secondary school, are strong.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The information produced for parents is variable, but generally satisfactory. Some parents find the language used confusing. • The school does not sufficiently help parents to support their children’s learning. • Links with the local community are extensive, varied and valuable to pupils. • Links with the main secondary school are particularly effective.

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Commentary

26. The prospectus and the last governors’ annual report to parents both meet statutory requirements. The prospectus is comprehensive and well produced, but the governors’ report and the half-termly newsletter are rather thin. The annual reports on pupils also meet statutory requirements, and in general are of high quality, setting out what pupils know, can do and understand. Some pupil targets could be more clearly defined and a minority of reports on foundation subjects are little more than a brief summary of the curriculum. The induction brochure for new parents, developed in conjunction with Reception Year parents, is helpful. There are good arrangements for keeping parents who do not speak English, especially the Turkish parents, informed.

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Commentary

27. While the school has recently and successfully concentrated on improving its academic provision, it has, perhaps, taken its eye off the need to involve parents. It has not done enough to encourage parents to involve themselves in helping their children learn at home. The school does make enough use of the great potential of parents to help their children achieve. Even so, there is a substantial body of parents who help in the school or support outings. An energetic parents and staff association raises substantial sums for the pupils’ benefit, but would be even more successful if it could involve more ethnic minority parents. The school generally deals effectively with concerns and complaints. Staff are regularly available for consultation. However, there is a perception amongst a minority of parents that it does not address their concerns adequately. This view gets in the way of improving relationships.

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Commentary

28. Links with the local community are strong and effective, particularly in the way the school welcomes ethnic minorities into its own community. Pupils gain considerably from the school’s athletic, cultural, artistic and sporting connections, but could benefit further from closer links with local commercial organisations. Pupils’ sense of service to others is enhanced to a limited extent by sponsoring charities, but they are not deeply involved on the social side, for example with old people.

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Commentary

29. Links with the main secondary school are effective, notably because of the strong teaching and curriculum element, whereby Year 7 staff teach the three core subjects to Year 6 pupils on both sites. The school works closely and productively with professionals in the local education authority and the Excellence in Cities team.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Grazebrook Primary School - 16 The leadership and management of the school are good. Leadership is very good: governance and management are good. This is a marked improvement since the last inspection, and they are now strengths of the school, forming a secure and well-integrated foundation for the future.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Financial control and management are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Strong leadership by governors, senior and middle managers. • Very good leadership of the headteacher supported by the deputy headteacher. • Efficient and effective management at all levels and across all areas. • Insufficient awareness of strategies to gain higher level achievement by, for example, building partnership with parents. • Insufficiently skilled analysis and interpretation of assessment data to check whether pupils are achieving well enough and to identify ways to improve. • Close monitoring by governors of expenditure and their evaluation of investment. • Much improved and now good budget planning.

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Commentary

30. The degree of improvement is remarkable since it has happened within the last two years, and despite essential and extended absences from school by the head and deputy headteachers and a high turnover in staff.

p.16

Commentary

31. The clear vision and ambitious mission for the school comes mainly from the strong and very determined leadership of the headteacher. She has a well thought-through vision and strong values that inspire staff and children. She sees improvement as an evolving picture in which all parts need to be good, and then very good. Her leadership is embedded in the classroom and learning. It is courageous and highly committed to helping every pupil achieve. The able deputy headteacher and increasingly skilled senior management team, together with the middle managers, pick up this leadership and play their full and independent parts.

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Commentary

32. Good recruitment has created a stable staff who say they want to stay and who work as close- knit team, eager to learn better ways to support the pupils. There is an air of confidence, mutual trust and respect.

p.16

Commentary

33. Efficient and effective management move this vision to making things happen, ensuring that the right things happen at the right time, and everyone has the planning, training, guidance, accommodation and resources they need to do a good job. It is school with its feet on the ground, balancing the practical necessities of the day-to-day with the need for longer-term planning and strategy. This style is exemplified in the strong leadership and expert management of both the provision for pupils with special educational needs and also for pupils learning English as an additional language. Both managers make certain the learning needs of the pupils is at the forefront of teachers’ minds, ensure that specialist staff are deployed precisely where needed, and that there is very close partnership between specialists and classroom teachers. Within both teams, teaching is good and guided by very good assessment. In both areas, however, even more focus is needed upon the needs of pupils

p.16

Commentary

who join the school after reception. Similarly, their leadership could extend to helping the school as a whole develop the pupils’ thinking skills through language.

p.16

Commentary

34. The governors provide strong support and set well-understood direction. They are well led and work through efficient and effective sub-committees. Contact with the school is regular and specific, with link governors to all key staff; this motivates staff. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and the opportunities that are there to be taken. They have produced, working closely with senior managers, a very well constructed, coherent and cohesive strategic improvement plan. This plan identifies key Grazebrook Primary School - 17 aspects of the school to improve, including tight financial control and building a better partnership with parents.

p.16

Commentary

35. Even so, virtually all managers say, ‘We are on a very steep learning curve.’ Many managers lack experience or some have only recently taken up post. There is now a need to learn higher- level management skills and awarenesses. For example:

p.17

Commentary

• Analysing assessment data in ways that make patterns clearer, and that help managers to recognise what needs to be improved next and how. • Improving performance management, staff development and induction so that they meet the Investor in People standard (a stated aim of the school by 2004). • Finding ways to release the potential present amongst parents to help their children. • Finding better ways to improve the ability of pupils to manage their own behaviour.

p.17

Commentary

36. The leadership of the school works naturally and very productively with partners to help the school move forward, for example, local education authority advisors, a secondary school, local community organisations, and the Excellence in Cities and Ethnic Minority Achievement teams. Most parents believe the school is well led and managed because they see the evidence in the good progress and personal development of their children. Too many, however, have doubts. This seems to be a symptom of confused communication between home and school, and a lack of clear strategy as to how to make parents feel respected and valued partners in their children’s education. A joint school, governors’ and Turkish community initiative is building a very productive partnership with Turkish parents, and this shows the way.

p.17

Commentary

37. There is a well-scheduled plan to improve further the school’s good accommodation. The school’s finances are on a firm footing. Governors, administrators and managers ensure investments gain best value. All the above has produced a purposeful and orderly community in which both children and adults are given many opportunities to reach their potential.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1524297 Balance from previous year 127555 Total expenditure 1553375 Balance carried forward to the next 100476 Expenditure per pupil 3436

p.17

Commentary

38. The governors realised after the last inspection that the school had very high reserves with little planning for their use. They now ensure that they have continuous awareness of the budget and have sensible plans for future investment of reserves as part of a clear strategic plan. Grazebrook Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory , and improving rapidly.

p.18

Commentary

39. There are particular strengths in the nursery. The recently appointed manager has already made significant improvements for example, to induction and to integration of the nursery and reception classes. Planning in all six areas of learning is now in place in both classes. Children in the nursery have a stimulating and secure base in which to learn. The co-ordinator plans to work with the new teacher of the reception class to provide similar improvements. There have been good, recent, improvements to the provision in the Foundation Stage since the last inspection. Current leadership and management are good.

p.18

Commentary

40. The attainment of the majority of children on entry to the nursery is below and, in many cases, well below that typical of children of this age, particularly in the areas of language and communication and social skills. Many children are learning to speak English as an additional language. Staff concentrate on the development of language and social skills and, as a result, children make good progress and gain in confidence.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children develop confidence and learn to concentrate. • They learn what adults expect them to do. • There are many opportunities for children to learn to share and take turns.

p.18

Commentary

41. The majority of children enter the nursery with low personal and social skills. They make good progress and most are closer to, but still below, the expected levels by the time they are five. Much emphasis is placed on the development of independence, working together, a sense of self-worth and a feeling of achievement. For example, children make choices about the activity they choose to follow, and they come willingly to work with an adult. Routines are quickly established. They know that there are rules to follow and that there are expectations of behaviour. Poor understanding of language and instructions make it difficult for some children to settle into activities, but adults’ skilled interventions help them to understand the social rules of taking turns, sharing, listening to others and carrying out instructions. In Reception, however, there are times when children need adult support to cope with a group situation. Most children

p.18

Commentary

begin to select activities independently, but, without adult supervision, many would move from activity to activity without completing a task.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good . Grazebrook Primary School - 19

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The many opportunities for children to develop their language skills. • The good support for children who are learning English as a new language or have special educational needs. • Children’s low language skills make it difficult for them to communicate with others.

p.19

Commentary

42. Few children are on course to attain the early learning goals for the end of the Reception year. This is because most start school with such poorly developed language skills. For example, they speak in single words or use body language to communicate. Children do not always stop to listen to answers because they are thinking about what they want to do next. Achievement is good, even though standards are low. Even so, many children do not develop sufficient language to express themselves clearly by the end of the Reception year. Adults keep detailed records of language development, giving perceptive support when needed. This ensures that the children with most need get necessary support. Even so, many children talk alongside others, rather than with them.

p.19

Commentary

43. Children make good progress in recognising letters and sounds, and enjoy looking at books. Good emphasis is placed on being ready to write, with children exercising their fingers well while singing rhymes. There are opportunities for pupils to write their name and practise formation of letters, but more emphasis on the use of writing in imaginative games is required. A strength of the provision in nursery and Reception is that there are regular opportunities for two adults to work together, telling the same story in two languages. Children enjoy this and gain much because they learn vocabulary in English and their own language.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults question children well. • Children’s limited language skills mean it is difficult for them to describe mathematical ideas.

p.19

Commentary

44. Adults take every opportunity to develop children’s mathematical skills and language. They question children while they are engaged in a variety of activities, trying hard to encourage mathematical understanding. For example, the nursery nurse asks, ‘What has happened to the sock?’ when a child has washed it. ‘It longer,’ smiles the child and the adult tries hard to extend this to consideration of pairs of socks and a comparison of length.

p.19

Commentary

45. By the time children enter Reception, their counting skills have improved and higher-attaining children estimate numbers of beads on a string or bricks in a tower very accurately. In small groups they go around the school looking for items that are circular or triangular. Children are better at counting and early number skills than they are at aspects of mathematics that demand more language, such as comparisons. They particularly enjoy work on basic shapes. By the end of Reception standards are mostly below what is expected, but achievement is good. Grazebrook Primary School - 20

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Insufficient evidence was obtained to make a judgement about the overall quality of provision in this area of learning.

p.20

Commentary

46. The work seen was good. Children in nursery learn how the ingredients change as they mix a cake and how people wash clothes. They use a ‘mouse’ sensibly to change pictures on the computer screen and learn to use the return key when writing their name. In Reception, children show great interest in learning about parts of the body. A child who speaks very little English is delighted with the word ‘skeleton’ and repeats this with great enjoyment. Children like to use the computer but many need help in using the machines purposefully as opposed to simply showing interest and exploring.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children show good control when using their bodies. • Children’s fine control when holding pencils or handling tools, is improving.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children achieve well. They are reaching standards close to what is expected because of the good range of opportunities to practise skills in the outdoor areas attached to each class. In the nursery playground, they cycle confidently, climb and balance on the apparatus without fear and work hard to improve their skills at throwing a beanbag or football into a tyre. Children develop their manipulative skills by handling dough, scissors, brushes and glue spreaders with care. Some find it difficult to hold a crayon or pencil correctly. In Reception, children move swiftly around the area, sometimes without awareness of others, but cycling very efficiently. Skills in manipulating small objects continue to improve.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Insufficient evidence was obtained to make a judgement about the overall quality of provision in this area of learning.

p.20

Commentary

48. The work seen in music was good. Each week, both nursery and Reception children work with a specialist teacher alongside the class teacher. Achievement is good because children are developing an understanding of pulse and beat whilst they learn new songs. Children use imaginative play in the home-corner confidently in both nursery and Reception. In Reception, however, children need more examples by adults of other imaginative activities.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

Grazebrook Primary School - 21 • Good teaching using the National Literacy Strategy, especially for reading. • Good support for the early stages of reading including pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. • Good leadership of the subject within a whole school approach. • Pupils’ weak understanding of words when listening, speaking and thinking. • An inconsistent approach to improvement in handwriting. • Insufficient guidance to pupils on how to improve written work.

p.21

Commentary

49. Over the previous four years, reading and writing standards reached by pupils in Year 2 have fluctuated. The reading has usually been better than the writing. In the 2002 national tests reading was broadly average and writing below national averages and when compared with similar schools; the more able pupils, however, attained well. The provisional results for 2003 show an improvement in standards, especially of writing. This shows good achievement.

p.21

Commentary

50. At the age of 11 years, the trend over the last three years was of rapid improvement until 2001 then a slight dip in 2002. The 2002 tests were broadly average and above the average for similar schools. The provisional results for 2003 indicate that standards of writing are not as high as those in reading and slightly below the previous year; this is because the makeup of the year was different. This is a good achievement by almost all pupils.

p.21

Commentary

51. In the light of the low attainment on entry, pupils’ achievement in speaking and listening is satisfactory. At both key stages, pupils are attentive listeners. While speaking skills are satisfactory, the school recognises it needs to improve strategies for developing the speaking skills pupils need for thinking and sharing ideas. This should ensure that teachers not only teach correct vocabulary but also the understanding that allows pupils to use these new words.

p.21

Commentary

52. In Year 2 the more able pupils ask questions about how fellow pupils made finger puppets in well-constructed sentences; however, many others answer in phrases or simple sentences. In a very good lesson in Year 6 the class teacher insisted that pupils framed well-structured questions and this helped their understanding of new words, for example, biography.

p.21

Commentary

53. Standards of reading at the start of Year 2 are average and improving rapidly; this is an improvement since the last inspection. The more able pupils continue to reach good to very good standards, with the identified gifted and talented pupils reading excellently. Achievement is good. ‘Reading Recovery’ programmes are successful. Pupils’ difficulties are identified early and they benefit from a carefully structured approach with the support teacher. The introduction of a comprehensive system to teach phonics has benefited all. Pupils share books with parents on a regular basis and this helps their children’s reading.

p.21

Commentary

54. Standards of reading at the start of Year 6 are those expected nationally. There is very well organised additional support for pupils to help them improve their confidence in reading. The number of pupils reading at a higher level is increasing because of the regular individual and group reading sessions. Effective provision includes: well-stocked book corners in each room and all pupils may take home books regularly from the library; the attractively organised library is used well for the selection of reference and fiction books by every class; a paired reading club is held there weekly in the lunch hour with volunteer Year 6 pupils committing themselves to helping selected Year 2 pupils for a whole year with their reading.

p.21

Commentary

55. Standards of writing seen at the start of Year 2 are below those expected nationally, but are improving rapidly and indicate good achievement from entry to the school. In a very good lesson for Year 2, the more able pupils can write six well ordered instructions on ‘How to Brush your Teeth’ with capital letters and full stops. Testing pupils’ spelling weekly helps them learn. Grazebrook Primary School - 22 56. By the age of 11 years, pupils’ standards of writing are below what is expected nationally even though achievement is good. The teachers use effectively a wide range of approaches, linked to interesting activities. The writing of 11-year-olds covers a wide range including poetry, persuasive and biographical writing and sustained story writing. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Spelling skills are developed well. While presentation of work has improved, handwriting is variable because pupils are writing with a wide variety of pens, pencils

p.21

Commentary

and biros. The school has plans to raise pupils’ expectations of their handwriting.

p.22

Commentary

57. In Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 to 6, teaching and learning are good, with many examples of very good and excellent teaching. In the best lessons, very good planning and often teamwork between class teachers, support teachers and teaching assistants make clear to pupils what they are to learn and check at the end of the lesson what pupils think they have achieved. Teachers ensure that pupils have tasks they can achieve and build on their strengths. In the satisfactory lessons, the pace of the lessons is slower and the lesson focus is not so clear. Pupils’ work is regularly marked with some, but not enough, helpful comments.

p.22

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice Two teachers met the learning needs of an infant class that included pupils of widely varying attainment, many at early stages of English acquisition.

p.22

Commentary

The class and a specialist English as an additional language teacher planned and taught the lesson together. They knew the pupils very well and the blocks to learning each might face. They focused on building the language pupils needed to think through solutions. The pupils clearly understood what the lesson and, therefore, what they needed to achieve and how. The pupils learned to speak and then write instructions for cleaning their teeth, and then transfer these new thinking and language skills to other activities, such as playing a game or making a finger puppet. One teacher led by thinking out-loud as he prepared to clean his teeth, while the other kept asking questions and introducing problems, drawing in the pupils to help him. ‘I don’t know. Is squeeze best – or is it squirt or put?’ Pupils eagerly found the answer. They talked at length, balancing ideas and new words, and thinking through to a solution. You could almost feel the children’s minds working as they

p.22

Commentary

sorted out their ideas and the best way of speaking about them. The lesson bowled along with exciting pace, increasing challenge and a shared excitement in achievement. The jokey interplay of the teachers and the pupils made learning great fun.

p.22

Commentary

58. The subject is well led and managed and there are good systems for monitoring teaching and learning; this is a very good improvement since last inspection. The co-ordinator works well with other experienced professionals from within the school and the local education authority to raise standards. Resources are good. Improvement has been good since the last inspection.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

59. Staff plan carefully to introduce the technical language of subjects. However, pupils do not always understand the meaning of these words and cannot always use them in other situations. In science in Year 2, pupils knew the words ‘dairy products, cereals’ but could not explain them. In a Year 5 design and technology lesson, pupils could not say how they would ‘improve’ work, but knew they could do it better. There is too little use of writing for subjects other than mathematics and science; in design and technology pupils in Year 6 still write in very short phrases and only for labelling. There is very little use made of information and communication technology to complement learning in lessons. None was seen during the inspection and there were few examples in previous work seen. Grazebrook Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Work is matched well to all ability groups. • Well-organised booster groups help pupils raise their level of attainment. • Imaginative teaching stimulates interest and enjoyment. • The co-ordinator monitors teaching and planning well, leading to good advice for staff. • Presentation of work is good. • Information and communication technology is not used regularly enough to support learning.

p.23

Commentary

60. Standards have improved since the last inspection and there has been an upward trend over the last four years. Pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are attaining at a level close to the national average, with an above-average number of pupils achieving at the higher level in Year 6. Provisional results for 2003 tests indicate that standards in Year 2 and Year 6 were broadly average with an above average number achieving at a higher level. Pupils achieve well in mathematics and there are no significant differences between the achievement of boys and girls. Lower attaining pupils make good progress because of the additional support they receive and higher attaining pupils are usually given suitably challenging work. Work in pupils’ books shows that they cover a wide range of numeracy topics over the year

p.23

Commentary

61. In a lively lesson in Year 3 pupils show a good understanding of features of different shapes. They watch intently as the teacher slices a large Swiss roll to demonstrate that a cylinder is made up of many circles. The teacher uses precise vocabulary to describe the shapes. This reinforced pupils’ understanding of the language very effectively. It enabled them to describe the shapes they made simply and clearly. Pupils learn a variety of methods for multiplication and are able to select the one with which they are most comfortable because they understand that there are various ways of carrying out calculations. They work confidently on fractions, percentages and perimeter. Work is usually well presented.

p.23

Commentary

62. In an exemplary lesson in Year 5 pupils count in fives, tens and hundreds. The brisk, unexpected questioning that interrupts the counting ensures that pupils maintain their focus and are aware the teacher knows exactly who is listening. As a result, everyone concentrates and answers come promptly. Skilful use of an overhead projector ensures that the presentation of a graph for the placement and location of co-ordinates is clear. Everyone can see what is to be done and all pupils expect to be involved in answering questions or plotting locations on the graph. Pupils learn how to give co-ordinates and achieve very well in the lesson because the teaching is so finely tuned to meet the needs of every pupil in the class and offers challenge at all levels.

p.23

Commentary

63. Teaching in mathematics is mostly good or very good. Lessons are planned thoughtfully. Work is matched well to pupils’ needs and is presented in a lively, stimulating manner. As a result pupils concentrate well and work hard. When teachers have to stop to manage the behaviour of some pupils, the pace slows and pupils do not achieve as well in the lesson. The majority of pupils, however, enjoy mathematics and take pride in the presentation of their work. Marking is good and teachers praise pupils for their success and suggest improvements or ways forward. Analysis of information from tests is used effectively to organise groups. Pupils who attend booster groups achieve well because of the very focused teaching and planning.

p.23

Commentary

64. The co-ordinator is a very competent leader and manages the subject very well. He supports and guides colleagues admirably, setting a very good example of practice for younger and less Grazebrook Primary School - 24 experienced staff. Another positive aspect of mathematics is the successful Owawe Club. This is a very enjoyable way for pupils to practise skills in problem solving and counting in a social setting. The club is rightly being extended to include younger pupils. The co-ordinator is aware that there is too little use of information and communication technology.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

65. The development of pupils’ mathematical skills across the curriculum is satisfactory. Mathematical skills are practised in subjects such as geography, for the recording of information about, for example, weather or the features of St Lucia. In science there are many opportunities in a range of experiments to use mathematical measures or calculations. Shapes are used in many ways in information and communication technology as pupils manipulate them to make designs or patterns.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planning and teaching are good. • Teachers ask probing questions to check understanding. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils as to their work and behaviour. • Pupils do not learn and use scientific language sufficiently.

p.24

Commentary

66. National test results at the end of Year 6 in 2002 were below the national average, but above the average for schools in similar contexts. The percentage of pupils achieving a higher Level 5 was above average. Standards have been maintained and considerably improved since the last inspection because there is a greater emphasis on the important skills of scientific enquiry, backed by half-termly assessment.

p.24

Commentary

67. Standards in both Year 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations. Some pupils have difficulty in using scientific language to explain what they have learned. This is because, although they know the words, they do not understand fully the ideas they convey.

p.24

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching and learning is good in all years. Lessons are lively, based upon good planning and clear objectives. Further improvement is hindered by insufficient opportunities for pupils to learn scientific language and then practise using the terms to increase their understanding. Previous work shows that pupils record their findings in tables and graphs successfully using software. Lessons are well organised and a variety of methods and resources are used effectively. Pupils are managed well and relationships are good. Teachers use marking and assessment effectively to help pupils improve their work. The pace of lesson is usually brisk and sufficient time is given to enable pupils to complete set tasks.

p.24

Commentary

69. The leadership and management of the subject are good with clear plans as to how and where to raise the standards. The co-ordinator offers good advice to teachers but monitors planning and pupils’ work too infrequently. The use of computers to support learning is encouraged but should be further developed. Resources for science are sufficient and the school grounds and local environment are used very effectively to support teaching and learning.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good . Grazebrook Primary School - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers use the good resources confidently. • Pupils are enthusiastic. • Computers are not used sufficiently in classrooms. • There are insufficient opportunities for control, monitoring and modelling activities.

p.25

Commentary

70. Standards have improved since the last inspection but are still below those expected nationally at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards are rapidly improving because of better resources and appropriate staff training. The extension of the computer suite has made it possible for pupils to acquire skills more quickly and build on their learning successfully. Older pupils have not had time to raise their skills to standards expected for their age but younger pupils are likely to reach these standards given time. Pupils achieve well because of the good teaching.

p.25

Commentary

71. Teachers are confident and competent in teaching ICT and provide pupils with interesting and stimulating tasks. Lessons are lively because teachers make good use of the resources. They plan how pupils will work in pairs very thoughtfully so that pupils support each other’s learning well. Pupils work purposefully, for example, explaining clearly how they find information on the Internet. There are good links with personal and social education and literacy.

p.25

Commentary

72. The subject is led and managed imaginatively and the co-ordinator supports staff well. The co- ordinator is aware that there are too few opportunities for control and modelling activities and there are clear plans for further improvement.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

73. Teachers use the computer suite well but do not make sufficient use of ICT in classrooms.

p.25

Geography

Provision in geography is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is soundly led and managed. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. • Lesson objectives are not sharp enough to focus on what pupils should know, understand and achieve by the end of the lesson in some classes, especially for the more able pupils.

p.25

Commentary

74. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are at least in line with national expectations. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection with some improvements in planning and resources. Pupils develop a good understanding of geographical terms and a good general knowledge. Most pupils make good progress, although the achievement of more able pupils is too low.

p.25

Commentary

75. The quality of teaching and learning is sound overall, and it is best in Years 1 and 2. The best teaching is characterised by thorough planning with clear objectives. Introduction to lessons is brisk, and teachers ask probing questions to check understanding, while encouraging those lacking confidence to try. Resources are used effectively. All pupils make satisfactory progress. However, not all teachers ensure pupils are effectively challenged. Tasks for higher- attaining pupils are sometimes too simple and lack opportunities for them to take responsibility Grazebrook Primary School - 26 for their learning and work independently. Teachers’ marking shows pupils how they can improve. Most pupils enjoy geography, work hard and co-operate effectively in groups. There is a good range of school visits. For example, a field trip to Abney Park provides good opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding.

p.25

Commentary

76. The management and leadership of the subject are satisfactory. There is a clear policy and resources have been expanded and re-organised.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and often very good. Pupils gain a good understanding of the past. • Good planning leads to clear objectives in each lesson and over time. • Teachers create a good balance between gaining of historical knowledge and understanding, and use and evaluation of evidence. • Some teachers give pupils too little opportunity to extend their understanding and use of new ideas through creative and extended writing.

p.26

Commentary

77. History has improved a great deal since the last inspection. Pupils start Year 1 with an under- developed sense of time and low ability to balance and compare ideas. Skilled teaching helps them make good progress, and, by the end of Year 2, their attainment is broadly in line with national expectations. Achievement of all pupils is high.

p.26

Commentary

78. The pupils make good and steady progress between Years 3 and 6, and, by the end of Year 6, their attainment is in line with national expectations, and a significant proportion of pupils exceed this standard. Some Year 6 pupils, however, show that teaching and learning was not as good earlier in their school career. Even so, by Years 5 and 6 pupils have a broad historical knowledge and the skills and perceptions of young historians. They enjoy history and this comes over in the way they answer and ask questions, and throw their all into imagining and feeling what it was like to be, for example, rich or poor in Tudor times or, in younger classes, to be a Celt facing the invading Romans. They analyse, evaluate and use evidence to build their understanding and to answer truly historical questions.

p.26

Commentary

79. This high and rich achievement comes from skilled and imaginative teaching that is well planned and resourced. Careful planning ensures appropriate support for all pupils. Occasionally, the pupils’ immaturity means they waste time through their own silliness.

p.26

Commentary

80. Teachers realise that language is essential to good learning in this subject and teach not only new words but also help pupils to understand and use the very new ideas the words represent. This is done very well in oral work, but some teachers do not give pupils enough opportunity to extend their understanding through extended or creative writing.

p.26

Commentary

81. The good and improved provision comes from the very strong leadership and effective management of the subject. The subject manager is a good historian and shares his expertise and enthusiasm with others. He monitors planning and gives advice when needed. He gives exemplar lessons to help others understand what effective history teaching is and how to follow his professional lead. Realising that teachers need confidence, he makes certain that teachers have the resources they need, and arranges a wide range of visits to enrich the pupils’ historical experience. Teachers give pupils helpful feedback on their work but assessment procedures as a whole are at an early stage of development. Grazebrook Primary School - 27

p.26

Religious education

Provision for religious education is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Planning ensures that the pupils gain appropriate knowledge and understanding, alongside testing and exploring their own beliefs. • Teachers treat the subject seriously and, therefore, teach well; they work hard to overcome gaps in their own knowledge and understanding.

p.27

Commentary

82. Attainment by the end of Years 2 and 6 matches the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils throughout the school gain a secure and unconfused understanding and knowledge of a range of world religions, for example, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Teachers help pupils feel and experience the importance of these ways of life and belief. The teachers treat the subject seriously, and this approach transfers to the pupils. ‘I do not know the answer but let us find out together’. This nurtures pupils’ interest in the ways religion brings purpose and meaning to human lives, for example, through acting out the importance of the Shabbat meal or learning about the role of heroes in Hindu myths. They learn the importance and meaning of symbols, such as the lighting of candles and special foods and that giving thanks for kindness and love needs thought and careful reflection. Pupils join Year 1

p.27

Commentary

with low social and spiritual awareness and gain considerably from their lessons. Achievement is high.

p.27

Commentary

83. Religious education is linked well to personal and social education, and to assemblies, and this enriches the pupils’ understanding so that they can apply what they learn to their own lives. This good beginning could be further improved if firmer links were made with local faith communities and assemblies celebrated the varying religious festivals during the year.

p.27

Commentary

84. At the time of the inspection the responsibility for leadership and management of the subject was carried by the headteacher. Even so, and although not ideal, teachers had secure planning in place, knew the priorities for the subject and had the support and guidance they needed. Resources are adequate but could be usefully extended.

p.27

Art and design

Provision for art and design is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good links with geography and design and technology broaden the learning. • The teachers’ expertise is too low and this leads to low expectations of pupils. • Pupils have too few opportunities to plan imaginatively in sketchbooks.

p.27

Commentary

85. Standards at the last inspection were in line with national expectations and this remains the case. Extended units of work allows for wide learning and development of secure skills and understanding. Standards are at least in line with national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. Some activities are linked profitably to topics in other subjects, largely geography, but Grazebrook Primary School - 28 also design and technology. For example: collage work in making glove puppets. The use of sketchbooks is patchy across the school, missing chances for the development of creativity.

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Commentary

86. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, and achievement at least sound. Teachers now use schemes of work from national guidance to ensure that pupils steadily develop their skills and understanding. There are assignments built into the learning programme that allow for assessment and evaluation of pupils’ work. These increase pupils’ achievement. Pupils are eager to learn and are well motivated. They work co-operatively, for example sharing equipment and taking turns to listen to each other’s views and opinions.

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Commentary

87. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge, but has not been very long in the post and knows what needs still to be done. Planning is monitored and a collection of good work is being collected to show staff what pupils can achieve. Staff have benefited from training on interactive displays. Resources in the subject are satisfactory, both for practical work and research. An after-school art club enriches the curriculum. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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Design and technology

The provision in design and technology is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Management of design and technology has improved. • Pupils follow a well-organised and well-resourced scheme of work to ensure progression. • Pupils have too few opportunities to improve their work through evaluation. • The presentation of work in books is not consistently good.

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Commentary

88. Attainment is in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This shows satisfactory achievement. All pupils achieve at least satisfactorily.

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Commentary

89. Pupils reach this standard by following a well-organised scheme of work that ensures that they cover the required curriculum and make steady progress. Over time pupils are systematically taught the skills and techniques to use a wide variety of materials and tools correctly and safely. However, too little attention is paid to developing evaluation of what is produced and how to improve it.

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Commentary

90. In the one lesson seen, teaching and learning were good because the teacher was very knowledgeable, related well to pupils, and engaged their interest in making a musical instrument. He encouraged pupils to investigate their own cultural heritage to design and make an instrument based upon this knowledge. Pupils collaborated well together and remembered health and safety instructions. As part of International Week, Year 3 pupils designed and made puppets with papier-mache heads that they decorated with flags of their heritage country.

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Commentary

91. The leadership of the subject is now satisfactory, a good improvement since the last inspection. The co-ordinator checks that all teachers follow a scheme of work, but has had too little opportunity to watch teaching. Teachers assess satisfactorily at the end of a unit of work. Resources are good and well organised. There is not enough use of ICT to support learning.

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Music

Provision in music is satisfactory with many strengths.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Grazebrook Primary School - 29 • All pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 have the opportunity to play an instrument or sing in the choir, gaining joy in musical performance. • Teaching is always at least good because the music specialist is very knowledgeable. • Pupils’ learning is broad because of good resources and the specialist music room. • Teachers do not assess the progress of pupils enough to identify particular gifts and talents.

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Commentary

92. Music is an important part of the life and work of the school and has many strengths. Energetic leadership and efficient management mean that standards have improved significantly since the last inspection.

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Commentary

93. Starting at a low base, children at the Foundation Stage learn to sing and enjoy music and this gives them a good start for work in Years 1 and 2. Consequently, by the end of Year 2, all pupils have made good progress and achievement is high. Attainment meets national expectations. General observation of Years 3 to 6 suggests provision is similarly effective. A strong celebration of musical traditions from many cultures helps pupils from these cultures to make as good progress as their peers and value their own heritages.

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Commentary

94. The school benefits from an enthusiastic and expert specialist teacher who works closely with class teachers. Pupils throughout the school have good opportunities to learn a wide range of instruments and all pupils have the chance to perform through the choir and school productions (Bugsy Malone), as well as community music festivals (Hackney Music Festival).

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Commentary

95. Although inspectors only saw teaching in nursery, Reception and Years 2 to 4, other observations, such as the choir in assembly and the well-planned provision, suggest that teaching overall is at least satisfactory and often good or very good. This is because management ensures that all pupils have equal opportunities to learn and achieve.

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Commentary

96. The specialist teacher plans lessons very well and the pace of learning is brisk. She helps pupils become attentive listeners and to answer questions in complete sentences. This helps pupils to develop their speaking and listening. The teacher encourages pupils to use the correct musical terms like ‘bar’ and ‘treble clef’. A lesson in Year 3 started very well and had increasing challenge, in this case learning how to play tambourine to give rhythm. One or two boys, however, became fidgety and this caused the pace of the lesson to slow.

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Commentary

97. The good music resources include many instruments from other countries. All pupils receive two music lessons a week, one mostly theory and one wholly practical. This covers the scheme of work thoroughly. Management has yet to develop sufficiently formal assessment or the wider use of information and communication technology.

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Physical education

Provision for physical education is satisfactory. Standards and provision are improving. Grazebrook Primary School - 30

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons start promptly as the equipment is laid out prior to the lesson. • Pupils have good attitudes and their behaviour is good. • There is a lack of awareness of the importance of changing and wearing suitable clothes for physical education – (health and safety).

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Commentary

98. Standards are as nationally expected. They have been maintained since the last inspection with some improvements in provision. For example, swimming is now available. Pupils in Year 6 attain average standards for their age in swimming. Nearly all pupils safely swim 25 meters unaided by the time they leave school at the end of Year 6, including those pupils who have special educational needs. Pupils confidently use back and front crawl with good style.

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Commentary

99. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The school makes good use of specialist swimming instructors to ensure that pupils are taught effective techniques and are challenged to improve their style and speed. Physical education lessons begin with warm-up activities, followed by an explanation of the objectives so pupils know what they are expected to learn.

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Commentary

100. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as tennis for all year groups, cricket, rugby, basketball and football for both boys and girls. These activities are well supported by parents and staff. The girls’ football team came second in the regional competition last year. Many staff organise a wide range of after-school activities for all age groups.

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Commentary

101. Overall, the school’s accommodation and learning resources support teaching and learning well. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator is new to the post, but has already supported her colleagues well by teaching demonstration sessions and offering helpful advice. Procedures for assessing pupils’ skills are satisfactory.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, social, health education (PSHE) and citizenship is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The scheme of work lies at the heart of the school’s curriculum and so makes a major contribution to personal development. • Teaching is good and well planned. • Learning is enriched by the ethos of the school and more general provision for personal development and learning, for example, the school council.

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Commentary

102. The pupils join the school with low development of social skills and awareness and many still show significant immaturity. A small but significant number have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. For this reason and wisely, the school places high priority on personal development and social learning. The PSHE course is well planned, well taught and treated seriously by staff and pupils alike. The curriculum covers a wide range of relevant topics and is well planned to build pupils’ skills and knowledge steadily as they move through the school.

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Commentary

103. Consequently, pupils make good progress. Achievement is high because broad and perceptive support and teaching recognise what each child needs at each stage. Even so, although a significant proportion of pupils show high and growing maturity and ability to manage their own Grazebrook Primary School - 31 lives, most pupils in each year do not show the maturity usually expected at each age. This lack of maturity harms and hinders learning in lessons.

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Commentary

104. Wider provision enriches and empowers learning in lessons; for example, ‘circle time’ (time for pupils to discuss concerns), agreement of class rules, opportunities to take responsibilities and show initiative, and the school’s high expectations of relationships and behaviour. The learning mentor makes a significant contribution as do the fine role models provided by staff.

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Commentary

105. The leadership and management of the headteacher, who is taking interim responsibility for this area of the curriculum, has brought about this core strength and improvement. The time has now come, however, to bring all the various sides of the provision more closely together as part of a coherent strategic plan. Managers recognise that this coherence is necessary and that policies for, for example, behaviour improvement and building the pupils’ independent responsibility for their work, need to be more powerful and more consistently applied across the school. Grazebrook Primary School - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 4 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 5 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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