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Other · Ofsted report

Oliver Goldsmith Primary School

Inspected — · published 20 May 2004 · URN 100821

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

David Tytler

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  • Inspectorssingle source

    David Tytler

  • URN verified

    100821

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  • What needs to improve2252w+12

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Full report text

OLIVER GOLDSMITH PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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OLIVER GOLDSMITH 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. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 558

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Peckham Road Camberwell London Postcode: SE5 8UH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 7703 4894 Fax number: 020 7701 7137

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Bola Ogun

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 March 2001

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, Camberwell, south London, is much larger than most primary schools, having 590 pupils aged three to 11, who come from a wide mix of ethnic and social backgrounds, the majority from a Black British Caribbean or African heritage. At the time of the inspection there were 40 children in the Reception classes and 66 children attending the Nursery on a part-time basis, either in the morning or afternoon. The number of pupils having English as an additional language, including a significant number of refugees, is very high, with many at an early stage of learning English. Altogether, 35 languages are spoken in the school; the most common are Spanish, Yoruba and Bengali. The number of pupils having special educational needs, including Statements of Special Educational Needs, is above the national average. Most of these pupils have moderate language learning difficulties. The school has a few pupils from traveller families. The

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

school provides a language course for parents and has links with a Beacon school in a neighbouring borough. The school is involved in a number of national and local initiatives, including an Education Action Zone, the Leadership Development Strategy in Primary Schools and the Single Regeneration Budget. It also provides extra support for pupils with language difficulties and a counselling service for children. In addition to a high level of staff turnover, the school is also adversely affected by the high number of pupils who join or leave other than at the usual times. The attainment of pupils on entry into the school is well below what is expected nationally for children of their age. It received school achievement awards in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Oliver Goldsmith 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

8990 David Tytler Lead inspector Personal, social and health education and citizenship 8599 Phiroze Daruwula Lay inspector 25890 Philip Eaton Team inspector Special educational needs Science Information and communication technology Physical education 32573 Mary White Team inspector English Music Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

10827 Martin Marjoram Team inspector English as an additional language Foundation Stage Art and design Design and technology 32475 Nick Butt Team inspector Mathematics Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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.ofsted.gov.uk). Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a sound quality of education. By the end of Year 6 standards in mathematics and science are below the national average and in English they are well below. Nevertheless, given their low starting point when they enter the school, pupils achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 to 5 and well in Year 6 and the Nursery and Reception classes as a result of the good teaching. High levels of pupil and staff mobility adversely affect standards, but the good leadership of the headteacher ensures that these difficulties are minimised. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Adults throughout the school show a high commitment to do the best they can for the children in their care. • Standards in English are well below average and in mathematics they are below average. • The school finds it difficult to recruit and retain high quality permanent staff. • Attendance and punctuality are poor and impede achievement. • Whilst assessment procedures are at least satisfactory, the information is not used consistently to plan for pupils' individual needs in Years 1 to 6. • Pupils’ very good social, moral and cultural development is reflected in their positive attitudes and their experience is widened through very good links with the community. • Not enough use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning in other subjects. • The accommodation is cramped and adversely affects teaching and learning.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved considerably since the last inspection. While standards remain well below average in English and below average in mathematics throughout the school, they have improved and pupils overall achieve at least satisfactorily, with good achievement in the Nursery and Reception classes and in Year 6. Teaching has improved significantly. Leadership and management are now good. Pupils’ behaviour continues to improve and their personal development is very good. Arrangements for monitoring and promoting attendance and punctuality are very good. Recent improvement looks set to continue as staffing is now more stable.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E* E* E* E Mathematics E* E* E* E* Science E* E* E* E* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - are in the bottom five per cent of schools nationally As less than 80 per cent of the pupils in Year 6 had been in the school in Year 2, the similar schools’ comparison is based on the percentage of pupils known to be eligible for school meals..

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Pupils, including those having special educational needs or speaking English as an

additional language, achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 to 5 and well in Year 6.

p.6

Pupils, including those having special educational needs or speaking English as an

Standards in mathematics and science in Years 2 and 6 are now below the national average; standards in English are well below the average. This is an improvement on the test results in all three subjects in both year groups in 2003 as a result of more consistent teaching. Pupils with special educational needs and those coming from different communities or speaking English as an additional language also achieve satisfactorily. Pupils given targeted support achieve well. The school did not meet its challenging targets for the number of pupils to gain the expected Level 4 or above in English and mathematics largely as a result of the high levels of pupil mobility and a deficit of teaching in the past. School records show that Year 6 pupils who have been in the school since the Nursery achieve well. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) throughout Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 7

p.6

Pupils, including those having special educational needs or speaking English as an

the school are average, although not enough use is made of ICT in other subjects. Standards in religious education do not meet expectations. Children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes but the majority are unlikely to attain the expected learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

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development. Their spiritual development is sound. Pupils’ behaviour is good in Years 1 and

2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6 . Older children have many opportunities to take responsibility and show initiative, particularly through the School Council and as peer mediators. Very good care underpins the positive attitudes throughout the school. Attendance is unsatisfactory because of the amount of unauthorised absence, and a significant minority of pupils arrive late to school.

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The school provides a sound education for its pupils and has several strengths. Teaching

and learning are satisfactory in Years 1 to 5 and good in Year 6 . Two excellent lessons were seen and examples of good teaching were seen in all year groups. As a result of the sound teaching, and taking account of their low starting point, pupils achieve satisfactorily. The predominantly good teaching in Year 6 enables pupils to achieve well. Teaching in Nursery and Reception is good, as is children’s achievement.

p.7

The school provides a sound education for its pupils and has several strengths. Teaching

The curriculum in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory and pupils’ experience is broadened through a good range of out-of-school activities. The very good care, guidance and support of pupils, the good partnership with parents and carers and the very good links with the community make significant contributions to pupils’ personal development.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher’s good leadership sets out clear priorities for raising achievement and improving behaviour in a welcoming and secure environment. His high ambitions for the school are shared by staff and governors. Senior staff play an important role in the good leadership and management of the school, which helps it tackle its many challenges. Key governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are clear about what needs to be done to achieve further improvement.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and carers say their children like school and make good progress in their learning. Parents and carers appreciate the good arrangements made for children starting school. They are kept well informed and are helped to support their children’s learning at home. Some parents and carers are concerned that their children might be harassed in school but no such incidents were seen during the inspection and school records show that any that did occur were handled well. Inspectors agreed with those parents and carers who said they would like to be consulted over any proposed changes to school routines.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils like their school and say that their lessons help them find out new things, that they have to work hard but that teachers help them if they find the work difficult. Most children say they know who to turn to if they need help and that their ideas are taken seriously. Some pupils, however, felt that they could be trusted to do more on their own.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in English, mathematics and science throughout the school. • Seek ways of recruiting and retaining high quality permanent staff. • Strengthen the use of assessment information to ensure it is used consistently well in Years 1 to 6. • Use ICT to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. • Improve the accommodation, particularly for the older pupils and to support learning in practical subjects. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved by pupils un areas of learning and subjects

Standards are rising and are better than recent test results, being below the national average in mathematics and science by the end of Years 2 and 6 and well below average in English. Given their low starting point, pupils in Years 1 to 5 achieve satisfactorily. As a result of a preponderance of good teaching, pupils achieve well in Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are beginning to rise in Years 2 and 6 and are now below national expectations in mathematics and science and well below in English. • Standards are improving in information and communication technology (ICT) and now match national expectations in Years 2 and 6.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 22.8 (22.8) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 21.4 (22.9) 26.8 (26.7) Science 23.4 (23.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 79 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. Standards are beginning to rise in Year 6 because of the predominantly good teaching. Results in the national tests in mathematics and science for 11-year-olds in 2003 were in the bottom five per cent of schools nationally. Standards in the current Year 6 are now below average. Standards in English have risen from an equally low point and they are well below the national expectations for children of their age. While the school did not meet its targets for the number of pupils gaining the national expectations or above in English or mathematics, it came close to meeting the target for the number of pupils to gain the higher Level 5 in English. In comparison with those in similar schools, Year 6 pupils were well below the average in English and very well below in mathematics and science, largely because of the significant number of pupils who had English as an additional language or had joined the school at

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Commentary

2. Standards in all subjects are affected by a number of factors. Many children enter the school with attainment which is well below the national expectation for their age. Their levels of language and communication are particularly low and adversely impact on their learning in all subjects. In addition, high numbers of pupils have English as an additional language or have special educational needs. Attainment over time is also adversely affected by the very large number of pupils who enter or leave the school other than at the normal times. In Year 6 in 2003, for example, only a third had been in the school since Year 1. The numbers are similar in the current Year 6, although they are likely to fluctuate. School records show that those pupils who spent all their primary years at the school did much better in the tests than those who had not, and they achieved well.

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Commentary

3. Good emphasis is placed on teaching speaking and listening skills and pupils are encouraged to discuss their ideas with each other in subjects across the curriculum. The development of writing has been identified as a priority. In mathematics, the class mental arithmetic starter is well taught and challenges pupils of all abilities. However, all pupils find it difficult to use and Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 9 apply their knowledge in different situations. In science, many pupils do not understand scientific terminology; this is being addressed in Year 6. Generally in science pupils are not given enough opportunities to find things out for themselves.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 10.3 (12.1) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 81 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2003, the proportion gaining the expected Level 2 or above in reading, writing and mathematics was in the bottom five per cent, both of all schools nationally and in comparison with similar schools, based on the number of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals. There are a number of reasons for this: children enter Year 1 with poor language and communication skills and large numbers of children speak English as an additional language or have special educational needs. In the current Year 2 standards remain well below the national average in English but are now below the national average in mathematics. Standards in science are also now below the average.

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Commentary

5. Given their very low starting point, pupils in Years 1 to 5, including those having special educational needs or speaking English as an additional language, achieve satisfactorily. Pupils in Year 6 achieve well as a result of the generally good teaching. The attainment of older pupils in particular has been affected by a shortage of effective teaching in the past as a result of the school’s difficulty in recruiting and retaining high quality permanent staff. Staffing is now more secure.

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Commentary

6. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes achieve well as a result of the consistently good teaching. Given their very low starting point, however, it is unlikely that, with the exception of creative development, many children will reach the learning goals expected for their age.

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Commentary

7. In ICT, standards are average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. largely as a result of the school’s drive to improve the use of its new equipment. In religious education, standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in Year 2, but below in Year 6. In art and design, design and technology and physical education standards are broadly in line with national expectations throughout the school.

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Commentary

8. Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily. They are encouraged to work independently within the classroom and additional help is only given where it is needed. During class discussions, for example, learning assistants sit with pupils who find concentration difficult and encourage them to participate.

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Commentary

9. At the time of the inspection, 45 per cent of the pupils spoke English as an additional language, a significant minority being at an early stage of learning English and having arrived at various times during the school year. The good support these pupils are given in the classroom enables them to take a full part in the lesson and achieve satisfactorily. On occasion, pupils are taught individually or in small groups and they achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are good throughout the school. Their behaviour is good in the Nursery and Reception classes and in Years 1 to 2. It is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Pupils’ social, moral and cultural development is very good. Their spiritual development is satisfactory. Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are poor. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 10

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good relationships throughout this large multi-ethnic school make an important contribution to pupils’ personal development. • Pupils have positive attitudes to their work and are generally well behaved although some older pupils find it difficult to concentrate and follow their teachers’ instructions. • Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is very well supported in many lessons, in the extra activities provided for pupils and by the good examples set by adults. • Poor attendance and punctuality limit attainment. • Exclusions are falling from the high levels of previous years. • While after-school activities, such as theatre visits, art and music projects give good support to pupils’ spiritual development, more could be done in lessons and in assemblies.

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Commentary

10. While many pupils arrive late to school, most enjoy being there and understand that they have to work hard. The very good relationships pupils have with all adults in the school are based on mutual trust. Most teachers are able to focus the pupils’ natural enthusiasm into positive approaches to learning.

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Commentary

11. The very strong ethos of the school underpins the very good personal development of all pupils. The school is very largely successful in meetings its aim of helping all pupils feel that they are valued members of the school community. Teachers, learning assistants and other adults provide good role models for pupils by demonstrating the need to be honest and trustworthy, ways in which to work co-operatively in lessons and about the school, the importance of being welcoming to visitors and being constantly courteous in their personal relationships.

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Commentary

12. Teachers know their pupils well and are able to deal with any concerns. Most older pupils say that they are trusted to do things on their own and pupils throughout the school are given opportunities to take on various tasks. The effective School Council helps pupils to realise the importance of working together and to recognise and respect points of view different from their own. A number of Year 6 pupils have also been trained as peer mediators and this is becoming increasingly important in enabling pupils to resolve problems on their own.

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Commentary

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 54 8 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 20 5 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 1 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 5 2 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 21 1 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 187 73 0 Black or Black British – African 141 23 0 Any other ethnic group 71 9 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

13. The school has a very clear policy on behaviour, which is well understood by pupils, parents and carers. A strict approach to any violent behaviour has led to high levels of exclusions in the past. A few individuals have given rise to repeated exclusions. The school follows the correct procedures and monitors exclusions carefully. More consistent teaching and the Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 11 significant improvement in the ethos of the school, which generates an atmosphere of shared responsibility, has resulted in a continuing improvement in behaviour and a resultant drop in the number of exclusions. Behaviour in Years 3 to 6, while satisfactory, is not as good as it is for the younger children largely because many of them are new to the school and are still becoming accustomed to school routines. Extra help is frequently provided to support these pupils and teachers work hard to ensure that any disruption is minimised.

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Commentary

14. Children In the Nursery and Reception classes have positive attitudes to their work and behave well. Pupils having special educational needs or speaking English as an additional language respond well to the support they are given and enjoy working in classes, groups and individually. School records show that attitudes and behaviour have improved significantly in recent years.

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Commentary

15. Pupils’ cultural development is very well supported. The school celebrates all the many cultures represented in it. Black History Month was particularly well organised and gave all pupils a good understanding of the wealth of their heritage. Year 6 pupils used the Internet to find out about the lives of a range of personalities and then presented their finished work as a PowerPoint presentation to a school assembly. An outstanding feature of the school is the steel band, which performs to a high standard. A talented musician teaches pupils how to play the instruments in Years 3 to 6. This high quality experience not only develops musical skills but helps pupils to grow in confidence and to understand why it is important to work closely with others and to listen to advice. Others are involved in gospel singing, through involvement with the Education Action Zone and many pupils are enthusiastic participants in a Peckham

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Commentary

arts and music and the school carnival, having made impressive headdresses with the help of a specialist designer. Year 6 pupils have produced 3D models of mosques and have learned how to write Arabic at a local community centre.

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Commentary

16. Spiritual development is satisfactory and well supported in art and music lessons and the very good range of extra-curricular activities in music and art. More, however, could be done in other subjects and assemblies, which tend to concentrate on moral and social issues.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.7 School data 5.6 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

17. While attendance and punctuality are poor, the school has good arrangements for promoting and monitoring good attendance and has recently made progress in reducing the high levels of unauthorised absences in collaboration with the local education authority. Pupils appreciate the weekly reward system for attendance and punctuality and this is beginning to improve attendance and punctuality. However, children from a significant minority of families are either persistently late or fail to attend school, which significantly affects standards and slows achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound quality of education. Teaching in Years 1 to 5 is satisfactory with a preponderance of good teaching in Year 6. Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is good. The school has satisfactory arrangements for assessment and uses this information satisfactorily to plan for the needs of pupils. The curriculum is good in the Nursery and Reception classes and satisfactory in Years 1 to 6. The curriculum is enhanced with a very good range of extra-curricular activities. The good care, guidance and support of pupils, good partnership with parents and carers and the very good links with the community enhance the learning of pupils. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 12

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and Reception classes and satisfactory in Years 1 to 5 with much good teaching in Year 6. Arrangements for gathering information on what pupils know and can do are satisfactory and this is used satisfactorily to plan for the needs of pupils in English, mathematics and science. Assessment in the Nursery and Reception classes is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good teaching in Year 6 enables pupils to achieve well. • Staffing is now more secure. • Teachers do not use assessment information consistently to plan for individual needs. • Arrangements to assess children in the Nursery and Reception classes are very good and the information is very well used to plan the next steps in their education. • With a few exceptions, teachers manage their classes well, creating a purposeful learning environment. • Pupils of all backgrounds and with a wide range of needs, are fully involved in their lessons. • Skilled classroom assistants support pupils well.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 60 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (3%) 6 (10%) 24 (40%) 27 (44%) 2 (3%) 1 (1%) 0 (0%) 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

18. Teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection as a result of more secure staffing linked with rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Extra support and training is provided where necessary. Whilst many pupils achieve well in their lessons, the improvement in teaching is comparatively recent and has not yet impacted on standards over time and formal end-of-year assessments.

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Commentary

19. Teachers and support staff in the Nursery and Reception classes work very well together to provide high quality teaching enabling pupils to achieve well. The personal, social, and emotional development of many children in the current foundation intake is very low. Staff pay particular attention to children's successful development in this area.

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Commentary

20. Teaching in Years 1 to 5 is satisfactory with many good and better examples seen. As a result pupils in these age groups achieve satisfactorily and sometimes well. One excellent PE lesson was seen in Year 1. (This lesson is given as an example of excellence in the PE paragraph.) Only two unsatisfactory lessons were seen, and one was poor. These lessons were characterised by the teachers’ lack of subject knowledge and work which was not challenging enough. As a result, pupils lost interest, their behaviour deteriorated, particularly in the poor lesson, and they made few gains in their learning.

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Commentary

21. These lessons, however, were far outweighed by the sound and better lessons. In a good, well planned Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils responded well to the brisk pace and work that built on their prior attainment. As a result, pupils of all abilities achieved well. In a very good Year 3 English lesson on report writing, the teacher took great care to ensure that, while maintaining a brisk pace and introducing a range of interesting activities, all pupils had a good understanding of what was being taught. A specialist teacher gave very good support to a pupil at an early stage of learning English, who was fully involved in the lesson. Pupils with special educational needs were also well supported. All pupils achieved well. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 13 22. In all the sound and better lessons teachers ensured that pupils were clear about what was going to be taught and learnt. Behaviour was well managed and in the good lessons teachers

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Commentary

skilfully directed the pupils’ natural enthusiasm into purposeful learning. In lessons that were otherwise judged to be satisfactory, teachers did not always ensure that the work was challenging enough and on occasions the pace slowed leading to some loss of concentration. Nevertheless, pupils achieved satisfactorily.

p.13

Commentary

23. Teaching in Year 6 is generally good and is expert in filling gaps in knowledge and understanding due to staff changes in the past or pupils’ having only recently arrived in the school. As a result, pupils achieve well. One outstanding music lesson was seen. (This lesson is given as an example of excellence in the music paragraph.) A very good mathematics lesson was typical of the high quality teaching. Only nine of the 20 pupils had been in the school since Reception and 15 had special educational needs. The teacher was careful to build on prior attainment while maintaining a brisk pace through timed tasks. The pupils responded well to her high expectations of behaviour and what they could achieve, particularly when working independently. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge underpinned her explanations, which ensured that all pupils knew what was expected of them and achieved well.

p.13

Commentary

24. Pupils with special educational needs have individual plans that clearly identify what they need to learn in order to improve. The plans are completed by staff and reviewed twice a year. Work is satisfactorily adapted by either the teacher or teaching assistant to ensure that pupils can complete it to the best of their ability. Plans are not completed in a consistent format throughout the school and, although there is provision for parents and pupils to contribute to the plans, this does not always happen. While some meetings between assistants and staff happen regularly, this is not consistent throughout the school.

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Commentary

25. Specialist staff and class teachers work closely together to provide effective support for pupils who speak English as an additional language, enabling them to achieve satisfactorily and sometimes well. In a good example of co-operation, the specialist teacher ensured that pupils understood the relevant mathematical vocabulary in order to gain a better understanding of coordinates. Her focused interventions helped pupils achieve well and raised their self- esteem. In another lesson, a specialist teacher helped an individual pupil to work in a small group making patterns from a mosaic jigsaw. The teacher herself and other children gave good examples of spoken English, which led to good gains in learning. There were also some good examples of teachers working successfully with individual pupils for reasons other than addressing language needs.

p.13

Commentary

26. Most support is given in classes. Teachers sometimes withdraw individual pupils and give them focused assistance to help them overcome specific difficulties. Where targeted support is provided either in class or individually, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Otherwise, pupils achieve satisfactorily. The two specialist teachers work closely with class teachers to help pupils speaking English as an additional language, so that they understand the content of lessons and can participate in activities. There is some disparity in the quality of teachers’ provision for pupils with English as an additional language. While most teachers identify the needs of these pupils and consequently cater well for them, not all teachers do. As a result, pupils in some classes do not achieve as well as they might.

p.13

Assessment

27. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now at least satisfactory. They are good in English and mathematics. Targets are set for groups and individual pupils and pupils’ progress is tracked as they move through the school. These arrangements are relatively recent and the information gained is not yet being used consistently to plan the next steps required to move pupils forward. The headteacher is Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 14 responsible for assessment and has rightly concentrated on ensuring a secure system that can be spread to other subjects. Assessment in science is patchy. Arrangements in other subjects are at an early stage of development. Assessment in the Nursery and Reception classes is good.

p.13

Assessment

28. Teaching assistants assigned to support pupils with special educational needs keep detailed records on work completed and have a good knowledge of what the pupils can do and where they need to improve. This information, however, is in not always shared with class teachers in order to help them plan more effective lessons. The Individual Education Plans are not completed in a consistent format throughout the school and details about the pupils' achievements are not always recorded accurately.

p.14

Assessment

29. Effective systems are in place to enable the school to assess accurately the needs of the large number of pupils who have little English and often arrive at different times throughout the year. Specialist staff assess the English language skills of any new arrival within two weeks. Their progress is monitored closely and teachers report on this within a further three weeks. Information gleaned from these various assessments is used effectively to compile the targets in the pupil’s individual action plan.

p.14

The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory range of learning opportunities, which are enhanced by a very good range of in-house and extra-curricular activities. The curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes is good. The accommodation is unsatisfactory and limits teaching and learning. Satisfactory resources support learning in all subjects.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes provides well for the children. • There is a good focus on speaking and listening skills throughout the school. • Pupils make good use of their speaking, listening and writing skills in other subjects. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) is very good. • Pupils benefit from extra support services provided in the school and from the very good range of out of school activities. • The school is careful to ensure that pupils are fully included in all the learning opportunities available to them. • Planning in mathematics does not always take account of the lower attaining pupils. • Pupils do not have enough time to carry out their own investigations in science. • Too little use is made of ICT to support learning in other subjects. • Accommodation is cramped and impedes teaching and learning in the practical subjects and in

p.14

Commentary

30. The well planned curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes provides a wide range of interesting and relevant activities expertly matched to children’s needs. This is an important factor in the good achievement of the children and is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.14

Commentary

31. In Years 1 to 6, the curriculum is suitably broad and balanced with an appropriate emphasis on English and mathematics. The curriculum is very well enhanced by a good range of extra support and out-of-school activities, particularly in the arts and sport, many of them organised by the local Education Action Zone. Pupils are keen to take part in these activities.

p.14

Commentary

32. The school’s very good provision for PSHCE underpins the ethos of the school and prepares children well for learning by giving them personal support and a growing understanding of how to resolve problems for themselves. Pupils make good use of their speaking, listening and Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 15 writing skills in other subjects but there are too few opportunities to promote reading. There are also too few planned opportunities for pupils to use their numeracy skills in other lessons and not enough use is made of ICT to support learning across the curriculum.

p.14

Commentary

33. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Effective organisation ensures that pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory levels of support from teaching assistants. Additional help is also given from a variety of agencies. The Springboard charity, for example, provides help in English and records show that pupils who receive this achieve well.

p.15

Commentary

34. The provision for pupils speaking English as an additional language is good. The school employs two specialist teachers through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, each working three days a week, providing good support for many pupils who are at an early stage of learning English.

p.15

Commentary

35. The accommodation is in three buildings. Outside areas for the Nursery and Reception classes are small for the number of children using them and the lack of shelters means that they cannot be used in poor weather. The two buildings used by Years 1 to 6 have a number of narrow staircases and pupils often have to walk through one of the three halls where either lessons or assemblies are taking place to reach their classrooms. The small classrooms, particularly for the older pupils and in the practical subjects, limit teaching and learning. The computer suite is well equipped but a very inconvenient shape, which limits the use of the equipment. Resources are satisfactory to support all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. Plans for a major rebuilding programme are being considered by the local education authority.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for the care and general well-being of pupils are very good. Their support and guidance are good. The involvement of pupils in the work and development of the school is good.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides an environment of understanding, tolerance and respect in which pupils' personal needs are catered for well. • Pupils’ personal development is monitored effectively but arrangements for assessing their academic progress are inconsistent. • Good arrangements are made for children and their families whenever they enter the school.

p.15

Commentary

36. The school has set a high priority for ensuring a very good ethos, which underpins the good support provided for all its pupils, whatever their backgrounds or needs. Parents and carers appreciate the care provided for their children in an atmosphere based on a sense of fairness, justice, trust and friendship between teachers and pupils and between pupils. All adults in the school are clearly aware of pupils’ needs and provide sensitive and well-targeted support for those with particular needs based on sensitive monitoring of their personal development. Annual reports to parents and carers contain a detailed description of their children’s personal development. A Record of Achievement for each pupil shows their academic achievements and progress as they move through the school. However, arrangements for gathering information on what pupils know and can do and using the information to plan their learning

p.15

Commentary

are inconsistent. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 16 37. Child protection arrangements are good and procedures to ensure the health and of safety pupils are effective and well established. Pupils know that they can raise any concerns with adults in the school. They are confident that they will be listened to carefully and that appropriate action will be taken. Great care is taken to ensure that pupils who join the school at various times during the year are quickly settled and become valued members of the school community.

p.15

Commentary

38. The school recognises pupils’ good behaviour, constructive friendship and acts of kindness by awarding much appreciated certificates at weekly celebration assemblies. The well organised School Council enables pupils to have a say in the day-to-day running of the school and to consider long-term improvements.

p.16

Commentary

39. Pupils with special educational needs are quickly identified and supported either by classroom teaching assistants, assistants specifically assigned to them or by a variety of agencies such as social services and the Place 2 Be , which provides a counselling service to pupils. Pupils respond well to the support given by the Springboard charity, which provides help in English, and enjoy working in classes, groups and individually. Pupils for whom English is not their home language have good attitudes to school and to learning.

p.16

Commentary

40. Effective strategies ensure that the school is a harmonious and educationally inclusive environment. A race equality policy is in place, and there are clear procedures to resolve any racist incidents, although none were observed during the inspection. The school provides many worthwhile opportunities for enrichment in school time, together with high quality extra curricular activities. Involvement in the local Education Action Zone provides many benefits in the arts and in celebrating cultural diversity, such as Black History month.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents and carers and links with other schools are good. Pupils parents and carers are very satisfied with the quality of the education provided by the school. Links with the local community are very good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. • Very good links with the community have a positive impact on learning. • High quality weekly newsletters are eagerly awaited by parents and carers. • Good arrangements are made for pupils moving to secondary school. • Annual reports do not contain enough detail of what pupils know and can do.

p.16

Commentary

41. The school has worked hard to establish a strong partnership with parents and carers and, as a result, is held in high esteem by them and the local community. Parents, carers and volunteers from the local community are welcome in the school. Parents and carers are pleased that their children like the school and make good progress. They say the school is approachable and has high expectations of both them and their children. Inspectors found substantial evidence to support these positive comments.

p.16

Commentary

42. The school has continued to build on the significant improvements in the partnership with parents and carers noted in the last inspection report. It encourages them to play an important part in supporting their children’s learning at home, which has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. At the start of each term, parents and carers are told what is to be taught so that they can help their children with homework. However, not all parents and carers respond positively to the school’s endeavours to involve them in the education of their children. In particular, some parents and carers do not ensure that their children attend the school regularly and punctually. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 17 43. Parents and carers are well informed through useful weekly newsletters and formal and informal meetings. Most welcome the easy contact with individual teachers or the headteacher and say that any issues or concerns raised by them are dealt with promptly and

p.16

Commentary

44. The school prospectus is clear and comprehensive, giving parents and carers the essential information and emphasising the importance of working in partnership with the school. The partnership is underpinned by a home-school agreement, which is personally discussed with each parent or carer. The governors’ annual report to parents and carers provides them with the necessary details about the life and work of the school community.

p.17

Commentary

45. Annual reports on children’s progress contain appropriate information about pupils’ attitudes to learning and personal development. Whilst they contain targets for improvement, they do not, however, contain enough information on what their children know and can do. The school should provide details that are more relevant.

p.17

Commentary

46. Whilst there are opportunities for parents and carers of children with special educational needs to contribute to their Individual Education Plans, this does not always happen. Parents and carers are informed regularly about their children’s targets and progress made.

p.17

Commentary

47. Staff work hard to ensure that families with English as an additional language are made to feel welcome and included in the life of the school. A booklet, Welcoming New Arrivals , sets out basic information about school routines. Translations and interpreters are available on request, although it is difficult to provide such facilities to address all of the 35 languages spoken in the school. Specialist teachers organise and help run family workshops that enable pupils parents and carers to work effectively together to improve their English language skills.

p.17

Commentary

48. The school has established very strong links with the local community, including different places of worship, which make an important contribution to pupils’ learning and to the strong ethos of the school. The school takes part in an Easter Parade and has established positive links with a local theatre group. Street wardens visit the school frequently and the school has established strong supportive relationships with the local police. Community links with families from different backgrounds are developed through encouraging parents’ and carers’ participation in activities promoted through other organisations such as the London Borough of Southwark Muslim Women’s Organisation.

p.17

Commentary

49. Liaison is good, both with other Nursery schools for children entering the school and also with secondary schools for pupils leaving at the end of Year 6. The school is an active participant in Peckham Education Action Zone and the local schools’ cluster, which widen pupils’ experiences. The school has established good collaborative arrangement for sharing good practice with a beacon school in a neighbouring borough and provides placements for trainee teachers.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the headteacher are good. Governance of the school is satisfactory.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s good management provides a clear structure to deal with the many difficulties confronting the school and he is well supported by the leadership team, who share his ambitions for the school. • The very high levels of pupil mobility are handled well. • The school sets a priority on ensuring that pupils from all communities can take full advantage of the many learning opportunities available to them. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 18 • Key governors know the school well and take an active part in planning for the future of the school. • The good management of the school ensures that priorities are clearly identified. • Whilst the monitoring of teaching and learning is rigorous, not all subject co-ordinators are involved in the process.

p.17

Commentary

50. This large multi-ethnic school faces many difficulties, including high rates of staff and pupil mobility, many of them refugees arriving, traumatised by war, often without their immediate family and having little or no English. In total, nearly half the pupils have English as an additional language and many have special educational needs. In addition, the school has considerable difficulties in securing and retaining high quality permanent teachers, which has adversely affected standards, particularly in Year 6.

p.18

Commentary

51. Leadership and management of the school have improved significantly since the last inspection. The good leadership and management of the headteacher enable the school to tackle all these problems with a fair degree of success, using well-thought-out procedures, which are applied consistently. Staff are regularly monitored to ensure that they follow these routines. The high pupil mobility is handled well and newcomers are quickly integrated into the school community. Staffing is now more secure, which has enabled the headteacher to set up an effective leadership team, which operates well as a group and as individuals giving support to teachers new to the school.

p.18

Commentary

52. Rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning is an important factor in managing the staffing difficulties. All teachers are monitored at the start of the academic year or in their first term, with further classroom observations where these are judged necessary. Any necessary training or extra help is provided. Supply staff who could make a more permanent contribution to the school are generally offered full-time posts if these are available.

p.18

Commentary

53. Priorities for development are clearly identified in the school improvement plan based on the school’s rigorous self-evaluation, which identified areas for improvement, such as assessment and standards in English, mathematics and science, similar to those found by inspectors.

p.18

Commentary

54. Teaching and non-teaching staff are fully involved in the school’s performance management scheme, which is focused on raising standards and giving all staff the opportunity to contribute to school life and feel valued members of the community.

p.18

Commentary

55. The good leadership and management of the Nursery and Reception classes ensure a good curriculum, good teaching and effective support from classroom assistants. As result, provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is now good, an improvement since the last inspection.

p.18

Commentary

56. Effective organisation ensures that pupils having special educational needs receive satisfactory levels of support from either classroom teaching assistants or assistants specifically assigned to them. The co-ordinator for special educational needs has only been on post for a short time and has a clear understanding of where improvements are needed. Work has already begun on identifying areas for improvement and an action plan is being written. This work by the co-ordinator has provided a sound basis for improvement and provision is satisfactory.

p.18

Commentary

57. Arrangements for pupils having English as an additional language are good. A well-developed action plan sets out clear priorities for the next three years. The school development plan includes targets which incorporate new arrivals from abroad, refugees, asylum seekers and under-achievers. Any issues are dealt with at a most senior level as the deputy headteacher is the line manager for this area of the school’s work. Rigorous systems monitor and evaluate provision and specialist teachers ensure that school policies and practice are part of the Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 19 school’s induction and professional development procedures. There are clear distinctions between different kinds of support, particularly for those pupils having English as an additional language or having special educational needs. As a result, provision is good.

p.18

Commentary

58. Key governors plan satisfactorily for the future development of the school. They have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and frequently challenge the school to explain its standards and its strategies for raising them.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 2,080,757 Balance from previous year 25,509 Total expenditure 2,056,014 Balance carried forward to the next 50,252 Expenditure per pupil 3,427

p.19

Commentary

59. The governors and the headteacher, with the professional support of a directly employed accountant, ensure that the budget is used to meet clear educational priorities. The principles of best value are beginning to be applied in all aspects of the work of the school. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (Nursery and Reception classes)

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last inspection. Improvement stems from a number of factors: good leadership and management, a high quality curriculum, good teaching and strong support from classroom assistants.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (Nursery and Reception classes)

Children attend the Nursery on a part-time basis commencing the term after their third birthday, or earlier if a place is available. They start full-time in the Reception classes in the year in which they are five. Children are admitted into Reception from the school’s own Nursery and about one half come from a number of others. Very effective admission arrangements between the school Nursery and the Reception classes ensure that the children settle quickly and easily. They continue to benefit from the good foundation curriculum and consequently make good progress. Admission arrangements for these children are also very effective, although not all the nurseries provide the same good quality transfer documentation. Currently, almost half the children in the Nursery (44%) and Reception classes (45%) do not have English as their first language. Effective systems identify and address the different language and other needs of these children.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (Nursery and Reception classes)

Children achieve well owing to consistently good teaching and good support from classroom assistants. Moreover, the curriculum is planned expertly to provide a wide range of interesting and relevant activities that are well matched to children’s needs. However, given their very low starting point, it is unlikely that many will reach the learning goals expected for children of their age. Adults are excellent role models and manage the children very well. All staff work co-operatively as a cohesive team. Children’s progress is carefully and regularly monitored and recorded and the information is used very well to focus teachers’ efforts directly on meeting children’s individual needs. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory. The outside areas are, however, somewhat bleak and are small for the number of children using them. Nevertheless, teachers plan imaginatively to ensure that purposeful curriculum activities can be developed to extend learning

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE (Nursery and Reception classes)

well in the outside areas. The lack of shelters means that these areas cannot be used in poor weather. Improvement since the last report has been good.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • Staff are very knowledgeable and work well as a team. • Staff ensure that children with physical, emotional or learning needs such as language acquisition, feel valued and are included in all activities. • The exposed outside areas are small and cannot be used in bad weather.

p.20

Commentary

60. The personal, social and emotional development of many children in the current foundation intake is very low. Staff pay particular attention to the successful development of these elements of children’s learning. Teaching and support work is consistently good and, as a result, children make good progress and achieve well in relation to their prior experiences. Routines are well established and boundaries are clear. Over time, all children learn to conform to the high expectations set by staff. It is clear that children enjoy coming to school and they derive great enjoyment from the activities that are provided for them. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 21 61. The excellent teamwork of adults gives the children very good role models for co-operation. There is an appropriate balance between activities that are planned by teachers and times when children can choose. As a result, children learn to work independently. Children are

p.20

Commentary

encouraged to work and play harmoniously with one another. They are getting better at caring, sharing and taking turns. Adults take every opportunity to encourage children’s positive actions and reward them with praise that is received well. In particular, staff make effective use of the class golden rules to reinforce good behaviour. The very supportive relationships ensure that children feel secure and confident to seek help when required. Many pupils have already made good gains in their learning as a result of the consistency of this approach. The systematic approach to agreeing suitable behaviour targets with the children works well. Consequently, children know what they should aspire to and how to reach it. Only a few, however, will reach the goals expected of them in this area of learning.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • Teachers and support staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s skills. • Good arrangements support children whose first language is not English.

p.21

Commentary

62. A significant number of children who enter the Nursery and Reception classes have limited language skills. The number of children whose main language is not English is also significant. However, children are taught to speak and listen carefully. Those with specific language needs are helped to express their ideas so that learning is truly inclusive. Interesting role-play areas such as the hospital are linked to particular topics and used well. Adults intervene successfully in children’s play and in other activities that occur indoors and in the outside areas. They encourage less confident children to talk in sentences and more confident speakers to extend their vocabulary. Good reading habits are well established. Book bags are taken home three times a week and this helps to foster an interest in reading. Reception children loved their visit to the school library. They began to understand about the function of a

p.21

Commentary

colour index, selected books excitedly and enjoyed sharing them with a partner. They were really animated during this activity. In class, they listen attentively to stories from attractive big books such as White Bear and predict successfully what the bear might hear when the page is turned. In this good session, the teacher used her voice effectively with intonation and inflection that helped capture the children’s interest.

p.21

Commentary

63. Children’s enthusiasm for literature, however, is greater than their capability. Only the most able are able to read anything other than known, frequently used words. Children participate enthusiastically in sessions on phonics and are beginning to demonstrate an awareness of the shape and sounds of different letters. Children’s attempts at writing are at a very early stage of development. Some have learned how to hold a pencil properly but very few are able to form letters correctly. There are limited examples of legible emergent writing. Most children make good progress and achieve well because they are taught well. Despite this strong focus on developing children’s language skills, the majority will not attain the Early Learning Goals in speaking, reading and writing by the end of the Reception year owing to their very low starting point. This, in turn, adversely affects their ability to express their ideas in other areas of

p.21

Commentary

learning. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 22

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • Teachers provide a wide range of interesting activities that promote learning. • Mathematical development is used effectively to support learning in other areas such as personal, social and emotional development and communication, language and literacy.

p.22

Commentary

64. A large proportion of children enter Reception with numeracy skills below the expected levels. Teaching and learning are good because teachers plan a wide range of interesting activities to promote mathematical understanding, which are frequently linked well to the current topic. As a result, children make good progress and achieve well, although some are not always able to use their language effectively to communicate their mathematical ideas. In lessons, some children can recite numbers in order from zero to ten when, for example, the teacher places ten snowmen on the magnetic board or hangs the snowmen on a line and the children count them in unison. Their understanding of number value is less secure. Many do not understand the concept of ‘less than’ or ‘more than’ and most are unable to count on from a given number. There are good opportunities for children to learn and apply mathematical language in other

p.22

Commentary

activities. When playing with sand and water they learn words and meanings such as ‘empty’ and ‘full’ and ‘big’ and ‘small’. They are beginning to understand what is meant by comparative terms such as something being ‘heavier than’ or ‘lighter than’ another item. In creative work children learn to name colours and identify simple shapes and patterns. The good range of practical activities provides a secure basis for future learning and is entirely appropriate for children at this age and stage of their development. Few, however, will reach the expected learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • Teachers plan a wide range of interesting activities to promote learning. • Standards in ICT are unsatisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

65. Very little direct teaching was seen in this area. Evidence from curricular plans and recorded work shows that children enjoy a varied and interesting range of experiences. As a result, most make good progress and achieve well. Topics such as homes and celebrations help children build up their picture of the world and also extend their knowledge of other cultures and different religious beliefs. In information and communication technology, children are beginning to develop sound initial keyboard skills. When using a painting program, some show reasonable mouse control, selecting a colour and clearing the page. Overall, however, children are working below the expected levels in information and communication technology. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 23

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • Whilst the small outside area has some good fixed apparatus and other equipment, resources are limited and other resources that support children’s physical development cannot be used during bad weather.

p.23

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning are good and consequently most children make good progress and achieve well. Some are on course to attain the Early Learning Goals in their physical development by the end of their Reception year. During mild weather, children have daily access to outside areas, although there is a limited variety of fixed apparatus. The availability of two and three wheeled vehicles for children in the Reception classes is also limited. Teachers, however, make the best possible use of the outside play areas for the benefit of the children. In a successful lesson in the hall, learning was good because the teacher insisted that children pay full attention to her instructions. In addition, she used children to show how well they could perform when they concentrated hard and tried their best. The classroom assistant gave effective support to children who did not fully understand the spoken instructions because English was not their first language. Consequently, these children were

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good. • A wide range of interesting activities promote learning. • Creative development is used well to support learning in other areas of the curriculum. • Classroom assistants make a particularly good impact on learning.

p.23

Commentary

67. Children enter the Nursery and Reception classes at very different stages of creative development and some have poorly developed understanding and skills. Teaching and learning are good and most children make good progress when, for example, they make snowmen. In one lesson, children worked successfully under the very good supervision of a skilled classroom assistant, learning to cut, shape, stick and glue together different kinds of material. In this lesson, children developed their skills in speaking and listening because the assistant probed their thinking with skilful questions that enabled them to express their ideas more precisely. A second classroom assistant managed an exhilarating musical activity in the outside area. In the gloom of a dreary December afternoon, huddled against the cold, different groups of children sang joyously of the coming of Christmas through well-remembered verses

p.23

Commentary

of carols and song, to their own percussion accompaniment. Many are on course to attain satisfactory skills in creative development by the end of their Reception year. This represents good achievement . Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 24

p.23

SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

NB: individual subjects were not reported on in the last inspection. Where possible, a judgment on how much improvement has been made since then, based on school records, planning and a scrutiny of pupils’ work.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in Year 6. • Good emphasis is placed on speaking skills. • The subject is well led and resourced. • Not enough emphasis is place on consistent approaches to handwriting throughout the school. • Inaccuracy in pupils’ reading leads to poor comprehension skills.

p.24

Commentary

68. Standards in English are well below national expectations throughout the school but, given pupils' low starting point, they achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 to 5. They achieve well in Year 6 as a result of the generally good teaching. A significant proportion of pupils enter the school with very low levels of skills in communication, language and literacy. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall throughout the school with some good teaching in Year 6, which enables pupils to progress more rapidly and achieve well. Teachers plan work well and lessons are well paced and structured. The amount of catching up that pupils achieve is substantial by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Both planning and pupils’ work indicate that teachers’ expectations of pupils are high in these classes. The low attainment on entry means that, while pupils achieve well in comparison with their starting point, many still fall well below

p.24

Commentary

the expectations for their ages in National Curriculum tests. Test results are also affected by pupil mobility, which is high.

p.24

Commentary

69. Since the last inspection the school has put greater emphasis on speaking and listening skills. Teachers use good questioning techniques, which help pupils to develop their ideas and formulate opinions. Pupils are encouraged to listen and the use of paired talk increases opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas with each other. The development of vocabulary is evident in most classrooms where there are good interactive displays, which constantly reinforce key words, parts of speech and vocabulary used in other subjects. Pupils are encouraged to speak clearly and with confidence in, for example, the nativity play performed by pupils in Years 1 and 2. Older pupils gain confidence in speaking through drama lessons in collaboration with a local theatre group.

p.24

Commentary

70. Standards of reading in Year 2 are close to the national average, largely as a result of the more structured approach to raising standards in literacy in the last two years. Pupils who require individual support attend the Springboard Unit, which gives individual help to improve pupils’ phonic and spelling skills. In Year 2 most pupils of all abilities are able to speak confidently about the books they enjoy. Higher-attaining pupils use phonic skills to approach words they do not know while lower attainers know how to use picture clues to give them the meaning of words. Higher attainers, however, tend to read books which they enjoy but which do not stretch their reading capacity. Pupils speaking English as an additional language make satisfactory progress in their reading in line with their individual action plans. In Year 6, pupils are reading material which matches their age, but they struggle with longer words and have

p.24

Commentary

difficulty understanding the vocabulary. As a result, their ability to understand what they are reading is limited, largely because of weaknesses in the teaching in the past. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 25 71. Standards of writing are improving as a result of the school’s drive to push up attainment in this area of English with extra time given to writing. In a good Year 2 lesson, pupils had to complete a story from a given beginning. The work was well matched to pupils’ prior attainment and pupils approached the task enthusiastically. Pupils with special educational needs are ably guided by teaching assistants, who provide good support in small groups. A positive improvement since the last inspection is the range of writing for different purposes.

p.24

Commentary

72. While teachers emphasise the development of ideas and vocabulary, there are weaknesses in pupils’ punctuation and grammar, particularly where a teacher’s knowledge and understanding of grammar are also weak. Too little emphasis is placed on handwriting throughout the school and by Year 6 pupils have not developed a fluent cursive style. Marking of work in Year 6 provides pupils with points for development but this is less consistent in other year groups. Pupils' progress is consistently monitored to enable teachers to plan for individual needs.

p.25

Commentary

73. The subject is well led by a co-ordinator who has a clear vision for the future and who has made a significant impact in a short time. She has monitored lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work, enabling her to highlight strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning and to plan for improvement. Improvement in English since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

74. Writing is used effectively in other subjects. In science, pupils record information from experiments and, in religious education lessons, pupils retell stories in their own words. Key words in other subjects are displayed in classrooms and some classes use ICT to word process poems. Pupils' speaking and listening skills are reinforced in all subjects but there is little evidence to support the promotion of reading skills in subjects other than English.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6, although the needs of the lower attaining pupils are not always planned for in Years 1 and 2. • Standards are below average but improving. • Mental arithmetic is well taught. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to use their numeracy skills in other subjects. • Pupils’ attitudes are good. • ICT is not used enough to support learning in mathematics.

p.25

Commentary

75. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are now below average, but an improvement on the results in the national tests in 2003, which were in the bottom five per cent of schools nationally. Results were adversely affected by the very high turnover of pupils and of teachers. Those pupils who had spent all their primary years at the school (a third of Year 6) did much better in the tests. Given their very low starting point, pupils’ achievement overall is satisfactory with some good achievement in Year 6. High pupil mobility means that many pupils enter these year groups with little English and limited experience of schooling, often as refugees from war-zones.

p.25

Commentary

76. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Many pupils enter Year 1 with skills which are well below average. They learn to count in twos and to tell the time by the half-hour. In Year 2, work is well planned for high-attaining pupils, who are encouraged to think of different ways of tackling problems. Planning does not take enough account of other pupils’ abilities, which means that some struggle to understand or complete work. For Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 26 example, while high-attaining pupils could compile a block graph from a tally chart, other children became confused and coloured in the tally section thinking it was the block graph. Teachers often correct misunderstandings as they arise but planning does not anticipate possible problems.

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Commentary

77. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching is good and pupils achieve well. Planning is better matched to pupils’ abilities and the pace of lessons is brisker. All pupils find it difficult to use and apply their knowledge in different situations. This disadvantages them when taking tests and does not show their true ability. In all lessons observed, the class mental arithmetic starter was well taught and challenged pupils. Year 6 pupils, for example, were asked to locate negative numbers on an unmarked number stick within a given range, which made them think as they justified their answers.

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Commentary

78. Where pupils have gaps in their knowledge, especially in Years 5 and 6, teachers sometimes lack the confidence to revise key concepts. This is because of the demands of covering all the work in the National Numeracy Strategy. If applied too rigidly this can hinder pupils’ understanding. More confident teachers use the lesson plans more flexibly.

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Commentary

79. Pupils’ attitudes are mainly good. They are enthusiastic in lessons and keen to participate. They work hard and their work is well presented in their books. Many classrooms contain attractive mathematical displays, which are often interactive, with pupils invited to answer questions by lifting flaps. They offer useful tips and provide a visual reminder of things pupils need to know, such as the correct vocabulary or number squares. Learning assistants support pupils with special educational needs sensitively and well. There are, however, too few opportunities to use computers in the classroom. Class teachers closely direct many lessons, so that pupils have little experience of learning collaboratively or independently. One good exception was an activity in a Year 5 class where pupils were required to place units of time in order starting with the shortest. Pupils worked in pairs and had only three minutes to

p.26

Commentary

complete the task. This generated fruitful discussion and good use of the correct terms.

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Commentary

80. The co-ordinator knows the strengths and weaknesses of her subject well and has begun to address them. An effective improvement plan has been drawn up. Analysis of pupils’ test performance and monitoring of the progress of groups of pupils are at an early stage. Most pupils have individual targets and know when they have achieved them. Improvement in mathematics since the last inspection has been good. The use of ICT is underdeveloped.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

81. Pupils use mathematics as part of their work in other subjects, for example, to record data in science, or drawing up a timeline to show chronology in history. Opportunities are implicit and are not systematically planned.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below average throughout the school, • Teachers' secure knowledge ensures that by Year 6 most pupils are aware of factual information relating to some areas of this subject, • Assessment is not consistently used by all staff to help them plan more effective lessons, • Pupils are enthusiastic about the subject and respond well to the sound teaching, • Teachers do not place enough emphasis on encouraging pupils to explain their work using correct scientific language, • Not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to find things out for themselves, Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 27

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Commentary

82. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are below the national average. While pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of some areas of the subject, some have difficulty using scientific language. Many of the pupils who speak English as an additional language have a poor understanding of scientific terminology, which is being addressed by the teaching in Year 6.

p.27

Commentary

83. Given their low starting point and the high levels of teacher and pupil mobility, which have left some gaps in the pupils’ knowledge, pupils achieve satisfactorily as they move through the school. No differences were observed between the achievement of boys and girls. Where additional support is given to pupils with special educational needs they achieve well. Pupils speaking English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily overall, and well when given targeted support.

p.27

Commentary

84. Teaching and learning are satisfactory throughout the school. In lessons where the teacher provides activities for the pupils to explore and find things out for themselves they learn well and make some detailed observations. In the few lessons where pupils are expected to listen for long periods of time, or undertake tasks requiring no practical work, their interest is not sustained and learning is unsatisfactory. Some teachers provide opportunities for pupils to carry out experiments but from looking at the pupils’ work it is clear that this is not consistent. In all the lessons seen there was not enough emphasis on encouraging pupils to use correct scientific vocabulary. Discussions with Year 6 pupils show that they are unable to explain a hypothesis or a fair test. Assessment is not well established, and as a result, work is not always planned to enable pupils to build on prior attainment.

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Commentary

85. Leadership and management of science are satisfactory; an improvement since the last inspection. Improvements since the last inspection include satisfactory achievement in most lessons, pupils’ knowledge and their ability to recall facts. The co-ordinator has been in post for only a short time and has not had the chance to monitor teaching and learning. However, the co-ordinator has already identified where improvements are needed. Training has been provided for staff and resources have been purchased to teach pupils correct scientific vocabulary. Concerns about the lack of practical work are being addressed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have worked hard to improve standards. • Pupils are developing a good range of skills. • Too little use is made of ICT in other subjects. • Assessment information is not used consistently to plan for pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

86. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are average and many examples of pupils’ work are displayed around the school. The school has only recently overcome significant difficulties with its computers and much money has been spent replacing inefficient equipment. For long periods of time pupils have been unable to access computers in school. However, these difficulties have, on the whole, been resolved and pupils have some access to computers in the classroom and regular access to the machines in the computer room. Regular use of the suite by all pupils and the developing knowledge and expertise of staff all contribute positively to the standards achieved. Pupils are interested in the subject and enjoy the range of activities provided by the teachers. Staff have worked hard in difficult circumstances and pupils have Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 28 benefited from these improvements. Consequently, pupils achieve satisfactorily. Efficient

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Commentary

resources, developing staff knowledge and ambitious plans for the future mean that the school is well placed to move forward and improve standards further.

p.28

Commentary

87. Teaching was satisfactory overall in the five lessons seen. Effective planning ensures that all pupils experience the full range of activities expected in this subject. By Year 6 pupils have used e-mails and the Internet. During the inspection two classes of Year 6 pupils were working on Power Point presentations. Effective teaching in these classes ensured that pupils were learning to improve their work by changing fonts and adding graphics. Staff had planned the lessons carefully so that new skills were being learnt and quickly developed. In a carefully planned Year 1 lesson, the pupils were learning the names of the various pieces of equipment and were developing the skills of handling and moving a cursor using the mouse. Conversations with Year 6 and Year 2 pupils show that they are motivated and keen to learn new skills. However, their knowledge of how computers are used outside the school is limited.

p.28

Commentary

88. The headteacher has been responsible for ensuring that standards in this subject continue to improve and the leadership and management of ICT is sound. There has been no monitoring of teaching and learning and assessment information is not used to plan for pupils’ needs. Improvements since the last inspection include the standards pupils achieve, particularly in Year 6, the regular use of the computer room by all pupils and a detailed action plan showing clear strategies for improvement.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

89. The use of computers in the classroom is not a regular and consistent feature of teaching in other subjects. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 reported that computers are sometimes used in the classroom to write stories or draw pictures. Year 6 pupils recently used the Internet facility in a classroom to find information about a famous person. This information was then used to create a multimedia presentation.

p.28

History and geography

90. No judgements can be made about provision in these subjects because not enough evidence was seen during the inspection. The following general comments are made based on one lesson in history and two in geography, scrutiny of planning documents, pupils’ work and wall displays, and discussions with pupils and teachers.

p.28

History and geography

91. In history the newly appointed co-ordinator has a clear vision for development of the subject. He set up a working party to plan Black History Month, for which he successfully received external funding to pay for a South African dance troupe to lead workshops in history and music. Attractive displays around the school celebrate the achievements of black historical figures and imaginative links to other subjects bring this work to life. Year 6 pupils produced Power Point presentations about the life of Bob Marley with his work playing in the background and pupils in Year 5 wrote letters to Martin Luther King asking him questions and telling him about the world he left behind. This topic supported pupils’ cultural development well. Teaching and learning in the one lesson seen were satisfactory.

p.28

History and geography

92. In geography pupils’ attitudes were good in both lessons seen. They are keen to participate in discussion and work hard. In a Year 2 lesson, the teacher injected pace and referred back to the Year 2 pupils’ previous work, enabling them to make good progress. She made good use of collages that the pupils had created depicting features of the fictional Scottish island of Struay and of Peckham, where they live. They were able to say what they liked and disliked about each location. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 29 93. Work for history and geography is currently combined with that of other subjects, consisting of loose sheets of paper, which does not present work at its best or give the individual subjects their due status.

p.28

Religious education

Provision for religious education is unsatisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are able to recall the names of the Holy books of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism. • The subject is not taught in enough depth.

p.29

Commentary

94. Two lessons were observed in Year 2; teaching and learning were good in one and satisfactory in the other. Judgements are based on these lessons, scrutiny of pupils' work, review of planning and an interview with the co-ordinator. In Year 2 pupils studying the Hindu religion can recall the story of Rama and Sita and they know that Divali is an important festival for Hindus. Standards in Year 2 are in line with the expectations of the Southwark Agreed Syllabus. A review of work showed that by Year 6 pupils do not have a breadth of knowledge of the major religions and they find it difficult to recall major festivals or key events. Evidence also indicated that similar work is being done in Years 2 and 6. Cross curricular links with literacy were evident in a Year 6 lesson where work on understanding the meaning of a parable involved pupils in discussions which enhanced their vocabulary and thinking skills.

p.29

Commentary

Overall, standards by the end of Year 6 do not meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. The leadership and management of the subject are currently unsatisfactory. The co- ordinator has only been in post for a short time but she is enthusiastic and has a sound knowledge of the subject and how she wants it to develop. She has already purchased books and artefacts and ensured that the locally agreed syllabus is being used. However, the impact of her work has yet to be shown in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. It is not possible to judge the improvement since the last inspection.

p.29

Commentary

95. During the inspection, only one lesson was observed in art and design. It is not possible therefore to make a firm judgement about provision. Separate discussions were held with the subject co-ordinator and a group of pupils. School planning and work on display were analysed. These indicate that achievement is satisfactory and that standards are average throughout the school.

p.29

Commentary

96. Art and design is valued not only for its own merits but also because of the contribution it makes to pupils’ learning and understanding in other areas of study. For example, in work dedicated to Black History month, pupils in Year 6 produced authentic representations of African life using pastel, charcoal and chalk to very good effect. Pupils use painting and design programs competently as part of their work in ICT. The curriculum is enriched through visits to local and London galleries. Much benefit is derived from the school’s participation in the Education Action Zone initiative, such as an artist in residence to work with Year 6 and designing and making costumes and models for the Peckham carnival. Art and design make a major contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The co-ordinator has a good overview of standards from her scrutiny of work that is provided for displays

p.29

Commentary

throughout the school. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 30

p.29

Commentary

97. During the inspection, only one lesson was observed in design and technology. It is not possible therefore to make a firm judgement about provision. Separate discussions were held with the deputy headteacher and a group of pupils. School planning and work on display was analysed. These indicate that achievement is satisfactory and that by Year 2 and Year 6, standards are in line with national expectations.

p.30

Commentary

98. Pupils gain broad experience of a range of materials and techniques. By Year 2, pupils have developed the expected subject skills in designing and making as, for example, when producing a "technicolor dreamcoat" for Joseph. Pupils’ computer-generated designs show that ICT is used competently to promote learning in this activity. In Year 6, pupils combine a variety of materials effectively to make slippers. At different times throughout the school, pupils enjoy first-hand experiences of practical food technology. Much exciting work, which combines elements of design and technology and art, is promoted through the Education Action Zone. Records of pupils’ design ideas show that they do evaluate their products and suggest ways of improving them. The deputy headteacher has a good overview of standards through her scrutiny of teachers’ planning and evaluating the quality of pupils’ work.

p.30

Commentary

99. Too few lessons were seen across the school to make an overall judgement about provision. One lesson was seen in Year 1 and two in Year 6. In the very good Year 1 lesson pupils learned the difference between long and short sounds and were able to recognize and play them on percussion instruments. Pupils knew by heart a range of songs and rhymes, which they sang with enthusiasm. In the good Year 6 lesson, pupils responded well to the teacher’s own enthusiasm and learnt that lyrics can have social and cultural meanings.

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Commentary

100. In the second Year 6 lesson a skilled musician taught pupils how to play steel drums. Pupils made excellent progress throughout this outstanding lesson, owing to his high expectations of behaviour and musicianship, which reinforced pupils’ confidence in their own ability. The steel band performs regularly outside school and is much in demand because of its high standards. A small number of pupils participate in gospel singing run by the local Education Action Zone. Pupils’ singing in Years 1 and 2 was observed during a nativity play. They sang with great joy and enthusiasm to a pre-recorded piano tape. The absence of a specialist teacher, however, restricts the teaching of singing and instrumental skills and therefore achievement in these areas is limited. The co-ordinator, who has only been in post a short time, also co-ordinates art and design, which has taken up most of her time. Music is the next stage for development

p.30

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The weekly lesson for Year 6 pupils in the school’s steel band, taken by a skilled musician and steel band expert The 12 enthusiastic and disciplined musicians responded very well to the teacher’s high expectations of behaviour and musicianship, which he made clear even before they entered the music room. Once in the room, each musician moved to their instrument as he called the register, following the clearly established protocol of standing behind the instrument, touching nothing. He led the band from a set of drums, quietly explaining which musical techniques were required and counting them in. While the piece was being played, the teacher listened carefully and was able to tell each player what he or she needed to do to improve performance further. The other musicians waited while the teacher demonstrated the techniques he wanted. This excellent lesson both improved musical standards to a high level, and also gave the players faith and

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Commentary

confidence in their own ability. Their animated responses showed the effect excellence can have on pupils’ learning and personal development. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 31

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are in line with national expectations throughout the school. • One excellent lesson was seen, which enabled pupils to achieve very well. • Pupils are enthusiastic learners. • The lack of a grassed area limits the development of ball and games skills.

p.31

Commentary

101. Sound teaching ensures that all pupils work hard and achieve satisfactorily and standards match the national average throughout the school. Pupils are keen to participate and learn new skills, achieving satisfactorily. Teaching and learning is limited because of the lack of any grassed area. Nevertheless, staff plan and deliver lessons that will help pupils to improve their skills and achieve satisfactorily.

p.31

Commentary

102. Teaching was satisfactory or better in all the lessons observed. Clearly planned lessons and appropriate objectives provide good opportunities for pupils to consolidate skills in games and dance. In one excellent physical education lesson in Year 1 the pupils were challenged throughout and learnt new skills and techniques very effectively. Some lessons, otherwise judged to be satisfactory, lacked challenge and, in these, pupils did not always achieve as well as they could.

p.31

Commentary

103. The leadership and management of physical education are satisfactory. A detailed and comprehensive action plan clearly identifies areas for improvement. The co-ordinator has ensured that all pupils receive the same amount time for PE each week and that during the year all areas of the subject are covered. Some training has been provided for staff and there are plans to provide more.

p.31

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice Children in Year 1 were learning to create their own sequences of movements on and off apparatus A class of young and very enthusiastic five and six-year-olds entered the large hall. They sat quietly in anticipation of what was to come. Following a brief warm up, the teacher quickly asked the children to move in different directions discovering the different parts of their body on which they could balance. The children used all the space in the hall, moving quietly and avoiding each other, absorbed in concentration and determined to succeed. After a short time the teacher asked the children to form teams. In total silence the children moved to their designated area of the hall and waited. The teacher asked the children to get out the apparatus. Still silent, the young children worked co-operatively in their teams to assemble complex layouts involving benches, climbing frames and large mats. With the teacher overseeing their work the children worked swiftly and all

p.31

Commentary

equipment was carried safely. Children were aware of the work of their peers and waited patiently for others to move out of the way. The apparatus was assembled within minutes and the children were soon ready and eager to begin work. They explored their pieces of apparatus devising sequences of movements. Groups of children demonstrated their work to their peers and the teacher encouraged and praised everyone for their hard work. Before the cooling down activity the children put away the apparatus quickly and silently. The teacher clearly had high expectations and the children rose to the challenge. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 32

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION (PSHCE)

Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is very good.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good provision underpins the school’s very good ethos and personal development of pupils. • The school sets a priority on promoting pupils’ social and personal skills through a range of interesting activities. • Pupils can explore ideas in lessons and through circle time discussions.

p.32

Commentary

104. Time constraints during the inspection meant that it was not possible to see any lessons in PSHCE. Judgements made are based on a thorough review of planning, an interview with the co-ordinator and a review of displays around the school, which illustrate a range of activities designed to support pupils’ personal development.

p.32

Commentary

105. The high profile given to PSHCE in the curriculum underlines the importance attached to it by the school in ensuring the personal development of all its pupils, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds. A significant number of refugees enter the school at various points during the school year; many have had very difficult experiences or have very little educational background. Weekly time-tabled circle time discussions focus on speaking and listening, enabling pupils to discuss their concerns and ideas, which might help them resolve any difficulties. In addition, there is a weekly PSHCE lesson.

p.32

Commentary

106. Drugs education is introduced from Reception, sometimes using a mobile classroom, which visits the school. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 benefit from specialist teaching in this area. The school is a member of the Healthy Schools Partnership and the local police visit the school to talk to pupils about their personal safety. Pupils are also actively involved in understanding the need to protect the environment: its recycling project won the London Schools’ Environment Award. Their ideas for improving all aspects of school life are taken seriously and expressed through the effective School Council, which builds pupils' confidence and social skills.

p.32

Commentary

107. The school uses a wide range of agencies to support the programme, sometimes working with individuals or small groups of pupils. Pupils’ personal and social education is very well supported through a varied programme of experiences, including a good range of visits from individuals and organisations, such as theatre groups and design experts from the Peckham Carnival. Other activities, such as gospel singing and art projects, are supported by the local Education Action Zone.

p.32

Commentary

108. The programme is based on a well-received questionnaire seeking parents’ and carers’ views on which topics they thought should be taught. PSHCE is very well managed by the deputy headteacher, who monitors teachers’ plans to ensure that the school’s clearly set out programme is followed to cater for all year groups. Inspection evidence, including the positive attitudes of pupils and their improved behaviour, indicates good improvement since the last inspection. Oliver Goldsmith Primary School - 33

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 6 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 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 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 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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