Three Bridges Primary School

THREE BRIDGES PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st - 4 th December 2003

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THREE BRIDGES PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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THREE BRIDGES 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. Three Bridges Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 344

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Melbury Avenue Norwood Green Southall Postcode: UB2 4HT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (020) 8571 1491 Fax number: (020) 8574 4914

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Peter Mckay

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Three Bridges Primary School is situated in the London Borough of Ealing in Southall. The majority of pupils live in local authority, housing association or emergency housing. Two of the housing estates, which feed the school, are two out of four of the most deprived areas in Ealing. One was built at quite a distance from the school originally for newly arrived refugees. This, after a turbulent start, is now becoming a more established estate and these children are gradually moving through the school (hence some of the falling rolls in the infants). Another more recently built estate on the other side of the canal is used for emergency housing and is part of the reason that the school has approximately 25 per cent mobility and falling rolls as children and their families are rehoused. There are 53 per cent of pupils entitled to free school meals. There are currently ten pupils who are refugees or asylum seekers at the school. There are around 62 per cent of pupils who have English

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

as an additional language and many children start school with well below expectations in English, communication and language and literacy. Even if they were born in this country, they have little exposure to the English language before starting school. Although the school is of a diverse ethnic mix, the major community is Indian. Pupils’ mobility is of a concern. Around 25 per cent of pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not present in Years 3 to 6, mainly due to rehousing. A current analysis of Year 6 shows that there has been 91 per cent movement between Year 2 and Year 6. This is exceptionally high. The children who start school in Years 3 to 6 often have no English and are new to the country. The percentage of children with special educational needs is broadly in line with the average. The number of children with statements of need is below the national average. Three Bridges Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22476 Mrs S Vale Lead inspector Music, Religious education 9079 Mrs A Moss Lay inspector 26232 Mr C Grove Team inspector Mathematics, Design and technology, Special educational needs 22577 Lady M Hart Team inspector Science, Information and communication technology, Art and design, Foundation Stage 3574 Dr K Singh Team inspector English, English as an additional language, Geography, History, Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Three Bridges Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 7 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 14

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a very inclusive school, which provides a sound standard of education. Children achieve well and make good progress because teaching is good overall. Teaching in Reception, one class in Year 2 and teaching in Year 4 and Year 6 is consistently good. Standards achieved in Year 6 in English and science are in line with national averages, but below in mathematics. The leadership and management by the headteacher and the governing body are good and the senior management team supports him well. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The schools main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The level of inclusion in this school is outstanding, every individual is valued and there is total racial harmony. • Standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 in 2003 when compared to similar schools are very good. • Standards by the end of Year 6 in 2003 are good when compared to similar schools and are improving against national expectations. • Leadership, management and governance of the school are good. • Teaching is good overall and pupils achieve well. • Attendance is unsatisfactory, partly due to the high levels of mobility. • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of the school are very good and pupils have very good attitudes and behaviour. • In the few weaker lessons, teachers’ expectations are too low and the pace of the lesson is too slow. • Literacy and information and communication technology are not used sufficiently across other subjects in the curriculum.

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The schools main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Assessment in the foundation subjects is underdeveloped.

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The schools main strengths and weaknesses are:

There have been significant improvements in performance since the last inspection. Key issues for development identified in the inspection report have been tackled effectively. This is particularly noticeable in the improvements within the governance of the school. The leadership provided by the headteacher and the commitment of the staff have been instrumental in ensuring that these changes have occurred. With a very small minority of teaching there is still a lack of pace and teachers’ expectations are not always high enough.

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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 D E D A* mathematics D E D A science E D E B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In the Foundation Stage many children achieve well and are on course to achieve the early learning goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception in creative, physical and personal, social and emotional development. They are unlikely to reach the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and the language aspects of mathematics, as they start school with skills in language development well below what is expected for children of this age. They benefit from good teaching and achieve well. By the end of Year 2 children are also achieving well and standards in reading, writing and mathematics when compared to similar schools are well above national averages. In Years 3 to 6 pupils also make good progress and achieve well. The standards of attainment, which they reached in last year’s standards assessment tasks at the end of Year 6, are just below national averages in English, below in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

mathematics and well below in science. When compared to similar schools pupils achieve much better. They are in the highest five per cent in English and well above average in mathematics and Three Bridges Primary School - 5 above in science. Those pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language (including refugee children) make good progress. By the end of Year 6 standards in information and communication technology are average, but children are benefiting from new equipment and a broader programme of study. Together with good teaching, this means children across the school are achieving well in lessons and progressing as fast as they can. There is some underachievement amongst black heritage pupils but this is partly due to the fact that many join and leave the school throughout the year and therefore have a disrupted education.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ attitudes to the school and their learning are very good . Behaviour is very good in and around the school. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good overall . Attendance is unsatisfactory , but punctuality is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a sound quality of education for its children. Teaching overall is good. There is consistently good teaching at the end of the Foundation Stage, in one Year 2 class, Year 4 and Year 6. The majority of teachers have high expectations of what children can achieve and, as a result, their learning moves forward quickly. In the weaker lessons the pace of the lesson is too slow and teachers do not have high enough expectations of what children can achieve. High priority is successfully given to promoting equal opportunities. Individual children are valued and the ethos of inclusivity runs throughout the school. Assessment procedures are good in the core subjects of English and mathematics, but as yet are not fully developed in science, information and communication technology or in the foundation subjects. Good analysis is undertaken in English and mathematics but again is not as thorough in science and the foundation subjects. The curriculum

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

provides a good range of activities that motivate all children to want to learn. Literacy and the use of information and communication technology now need to be taught and used through other subjects and other areas of the curriculum. There are many opportunities for enrichment through extra- curricular provision as well as the use of visits and of visitors. Children are cared for and supported satisfactorily. The school’s partnership with parents is good and it is making every effort to include them as much as possible in the education of their children, through projects such as ‘Family Learning’. Links with the community and other schools are also good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management provided by the headteacher and governors are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher works effectively with the governing body to provide good leadership. This is a big improvement since the last inspection. The daily management of the school is good and enables everyone to get on with their tasks successfully. The school improvement plan reflects its determination to go on improving. The senior management team supports the leadership and management of the school well. The school analyses data more thoroughly than in the past and compares itself to others so as to bring about improvements. Staff receive regular development and training.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents hold the school in very high regard. The children are very pleased to be at the school, knowing that they feel valued and are helped to do well in their learning.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: Three Bridges Primary School - 6 • Improve the pace and teachers’ expectations of what children can achieve, in the weaker lessons in order to raise standards further. • Ensure that literacy is taught and used effectively across the curriculum. • Ensure that information and communication technology is used effectively in other subjects. • Develop assessment in the foundation subjects and more fully in science and information and communication technology. • Improve attendance.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Three Bridges Primary School - 7 Achievement overall is good, particularly for pupils with English as an additional language. In the Foundation Stage, achievement is good in all areas of learning. In Years 1 to 6 achievement is also good. There has been a downward trend in standards since 2000 in Key Stage 2 in English, mathematics and science. This has now been halted and in the last year standards have started to rise. There are few differences between boys’ and girls’ achievement. There is some underachievement amongst black heritage pupils but this is partly due to the fact that many join and leave the school throughout the year and therefore have a disrupted education.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good . Children enter the school with standards well below those normally found and yet when they leave school by the age of 11, they leave with average standards. • Standards by the end of Year 2 are well above national averages when compared to similar schools. • There are improving standards in English. • The new strategies, which have been introduced, such as the more rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning and better analysis of results in English and mathematics, are having a positive impact on raising standards. • The high level of pupils’ mobility in Years 3 – 6, has a negative impact on standards achieved. • There are gaps in the teaching of religious education for older pupils.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.9 (14.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.2 (14.3) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.0 (16.3) 16.3 ( 16.5) There were 56 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 26.4 (24.9) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 26.1 (25.2) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.2 (27.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 58 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

1. In 2003, standards in Year 2 in writing and mathematics were above national averages. In reading, they were as expected for children of their age. When they were compared to similar schools standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above national averages. This shows good progress. Achievement from age five to seven is good, particularly for those pupils with English as an additional language.

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Commentary

2. The results of the 2003 national assessments for pupils in Year 6 show that standards in the core subjects of English and mathematics were below national averages and well below in science. This however still represents an improvement on the previous year’s results. When compared to similar schools, standards in English are in the top five per cent nationally and standards in mathematics are well above and in science are above. There had been a steady decline since 1999 in standards achieved. Since the arrival of the new headteacher standards have started to improve and there is a marked improvement in English. This is partly because the school has placed greater emphasis on the way it is are teaching English and ensuring that they are catering for the increasing numbers of pupils with English as an additional language. Increased monitoring of teaching and learning, and a deeper analysis of test

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Commentary

results highlighting areas that need to be developed, has also been instrumental in halting the decline and starting the improvement. Three Bridges Primary School - 8 3. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well. By the age of five the majority of children are at the level expected for children their age in the early learning goals of personal, social and emotional development, physical development and creative development. This is good progress because they start school with levels well below those expected for their age. Few children achieve the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and the language aspects of mathematics, mainly because they start with very low levels of language development.

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Commentary

4. Standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 are affected by the high level of mobility amongst pupils in Years 3 to 6. Many pupils arrive and leave the school at various times throughout the school year, often due to rehousing. This is particularly so for Black heritage children and refugee families. The school inducts new pupils well. Overall pupils achieve well and make good progress in Years 3 to 6. This is particularly true for those children who arrive new to the school and who, in some instances, have limited, if any, English.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ literacy skills develop well. The very good training which teachers have had in the teaching of pupils with English as an additional language works well and lessons are well planned to ensure that these children in particular have good access to the development of their literacy skills. This in turn has a positive effect on others, who likewise achieve well in literacy lessons. Pupils’ mathematical skills are satisfactory, but they are not as well developed as their literacy skills. This is partly due to a small number of teachers not having high enough expectations of what pupils know and can achieve and of being almost overcautious about ensuring that they understand what is being taught as opposed to developing pupils’ mathematical skills.

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Commentary

6. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations. This is an improvement since the last inspection where it was not seen taught. Standards in all other subjects are in line with national expectations from Years 1 to 6, except for one aspect of physical education where swimming is not of a high enough standard. There are gaps in the teaching of religious education for older pupils. Whilst most of what is taught is in line with the locally agreed syllabus, there is little work on which to make a judgement. Year 6 pupils do not study religious education until after their standard assessment tests in May. This means that they go too long without studying religious education and there is a lack of progression and continuity in their learning in this area of the curriculum.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support and as a result they achieve as well as they are able to in relation to their prior attainment. The large numbers of pupils who have English as an additional language are supported very well and also make good progress in line with their abilities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils, including the very youngest children, have very good attitudes to school. Behaviour in and around school is also very good and some examples of excellent behaviour were noted. There are very good relationships between all members of the school community. Pupils like their school and feel valued. Their personal development is very good as a result of the opportunities given to them to contribute to school life. Pupils’ spiritual development is good and their social, moral and cultural development is very good. Attendance is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school successfully nurtures and develops pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. • Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others. • Very good adult relationships within the school are mirrored by the quality of relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults. • The school stimulates the pupils’ desire to learn and as a result they show an interest in school life and the range of activities provided. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall, enabling teachers to concentrate on teaching and pupils to work hard. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well supported in many lessons and assemblies. • Unsatisfactory attendance levels, often through extended holidays and large numbers of mobility, limit attainment particularly in Years 3 to 6. Three Bridges Primary School - 9

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. They are attentive, listen well and are interested in learning.

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Commentary

9. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. The ethos of inclusivity of the school underpins the personal development of all pupils, which makes them feel valued members of the school community. The school listens to their views through the school council and acts on them where appropriate. There is a clear understanding that pupils will behave well and treat each other and adults with courtesy and respect. Pupils play together well in total racial harmony, both boys and girls and children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds play and work well together with good collaboration. They readily accept responsibility around the school and are enthusiastic about school council meetings. Teachers direct the pupils’ enthusiasm into a desire to concentrate and work hard. This all makes a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement and gives them a very good understanding of fulfilling the

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Commentary

responsibilities of living in a community. No instances of bullying or racism or sexism or inappropriate behaviour were seen during the inspection period and parents report that their children enjoy school.

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Commentary

10. Cultural development is very well supported. The school enthusiastically celebrates the wide variety of cultures represented in it. Pupils are encouraged to be proud of their own religious beliefs and traditions and feel confident in expressing their views. Spiritual development is good overall. An excellent example of this was seen in whole school assembly where the pupils sang with great enthusiasm to try to gain an entry into the ‘Guinness Book of Records’ and to raise money for charity. Another excellent example of spirituality was seen in a lesson when the children in the Reception class held a Sikh naming ceremony for a new baby – a doll – in a classroom, which had been set up as a Gurdwara. This was a new experience for many of the children, but they had been very well prepared and really enjoyed the solemnity and importance of the experience. The ethos of inclusivity, sense of occasion and use of artefacts were all

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Commentary

11. There were no exclusions in the last school year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.6 School data 0.4 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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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. Attendance levels are unsatisfactory, being below the national average. The punctuality of the pupils is satisfactory. However, the school ensures that daily patterns of attendance and lateness are rigorously monitored and it quickly follows up any unexplained absences. The school is participating in a project funded by the children’s fund to work with families of poor attenders. The headteacher and governors are actively discouraging parents from taking their children out of school on extended holidays, but these holidays and the movement of some pupils to other areas, remain factors in the unsatisfactory attendance figures.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a sound quality of education. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In the majority of lessons, teaching is good or better, and as a result pupils learn well. The school provides good opportunities to enrich children’s learning. Its provision for children’s care, welfare, health and safety is satisfactory and the partnership with parents is good. Three Bridges Primary School - 10

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching has improved and is good overall. • Effective provision promotes excellent educational inclusion. • Lessons are well planned with clear purposes. • Assessment arrangements are effective in English and mathematics, but are yet to be developed in other areas. • English teaching is of good quality. • Teaching assistants provide effective support in infant classes, but there is limited support for junior pupils.

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Commentary

13. Teaching has improved since the school was last inspected and is now good overall. Pupils’ learning is also good. Some good teaching was observed in many year groups in the school and in a variety of subjects across the curriculum. Good teaching was also seen with pupils for whom English is an additional language and for pupils with special educational needs. The strongest teaching observed was in the Reception classes, in one Year 2 class and in both Year 4 and Year 6 classes. Other teaching in the school was mostly satisfactory. The small proportion of ineffective teaching was characterised by a slow pace, insufficient challenge for pupils, a lack of knowledge of what pupils can achieve and too little time spent on developing their skills and understanding.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 63 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (3%) 16 (25%) 25 (40%) 17 (27%) 3 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. 14. The needs of children in the Reception classes are effectively addressed through consistently good quality teaching. In one excellent and very inclusive lesson where children were fully involved, children were invited to attend a Sikh naming ceremony for a baby doll. A room was transformed into a Gurdwara for the ceremony and all the children dressed up for the occasion. The planning for this was extremely well done and ensured that pupils were interested and totally engaged in the activity. Teachers showed a very good understanding of religious education work for this age group. In a very effective information and communication technology lesson, also with younger pupils, the management of the pupils was particularly good. The constructive approach adopted by the class teacher promoted a co-operative

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Commentary

atmosphere so that children could explain what they understand to each other and this encouraged them to become more independent.

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Commentary

15. In most English lessons, teaching was good. Teachers displayed very good knowledge of English and are appropriately well trained in how children learn English as an additional language. For example, the language and content of English in the Shakespearean tragedy, ‘Macbeth’, studied by Year 6 pupils, was explained extremely well by the class teacher so that all pupils understood and all had equal access to the content of the lesson. Teachers show good use of language themselves and this enables them to provide good explanations, including the technical terminology of English and to conduct purposeful questioning of pupils, so that they really learn and understand about what they are learning. English lessons are typically characterised by a good rapport with pupils, high expectations of what they can achieve and good use of praise and encouragement which together result in learning of good quality. In the

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Commentary

best lessons, teachers provide pupils with strategies to help them to learn independently. Pupils are very interested in their work and there is a prevailing ethos throughout the school where learning is valued and considered important.

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Commentary

16. Mathematics teaching is frequently good, although in the very few weaker lessons it was due to teachers’ lack of expectations of what pupils know, understand and can achieve. Teachers show good knowledge of mathematical terminology when speaking to their pupils and probe their understanding through imaginative questioning. Whole-class sessions and individual work for pupils are mostly well organised and taught at a good pace. Very good relationships between teachers and their pupils are evident and these make a good contribution to pupils’ progress and achievement. For the most part, teachers set clear expectations for Three Bridges Primary School - 11 pupils, which enable them to work purposefully and in the best lessons these are exemplified through the criteria for good quality work.

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Commentary

17. In both English and mathematics, teaching assistants are used well in infant classes, but there is limited support for junior pupils who need additional help. Homework is regularly set for pupils in both subjects and effective use is made of homework project books.

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Commentary

18. The quality of teachers’ planning is good. Teachers specify clear purposes and a clear focus for their lessons. They identify and explain technical vocabulary needed for the lesson and the key questions to be asked, so that pupils understand better. The sequence of work within lessons is well thought out and the tasks set for pupils are effectively matched to their previous levels of attainment. Teachers make good use of both formal and informal assessment in English and mathematics in matching work to pupils. Good use is also made of the optional national tests at the end of Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5. This means that work is analysed, then carefully matched to pupils’ individual needs and hence is one of the reasons why results are starting to improve during the last year. Tracking sheets for individual pupils enable teachers to record on a termly basis how effectively their pupils are progressing towards expected levels of attainment

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Commentary

in English and mathematics. However, assessment strategies are underdeveloped in other areas of the curriculum, such as science and information and communication technology and in the Foundation subjects.

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Commentary

19. In the few weaker lessons, teachers’ pace and expectations of what pupils, know, understand and can achieve were not high enough.

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Commentary

20. The school has a very strong commitment to educational inclusion and accordingly makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those for whom English is an additional language. Their class teachers principally teach both groups of pupils, but on occasions they are withdrawn to be taught by specialist staff. Planning for small-group activities by the special educational needs co-ordinator is effective and well sequenced and offers a variety of short-term targets so that pupils gain rapid success in limited tasks. The co-ordinator is adept at creating good rapport with pupils. The specialist teacher offers a good role model for children who are new to learning English. The teacher also places a good emphasis on learning correct English spelling and helping pupils to make sense of their reading. Classrooms offer an inclusive atmosphere for all pupils and this in turn means that pupils feel valued and that the contributions

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Commentary

they make in lessons are also valued. The individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs contain realistic targets.

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The curriculum

Curriculum provision is good . The curriculum covers national requirements and is particularly successful in developing pupils' skills in English and mathematics. There is good opportunity for enrichment of the curriculum through extra activities. The quality of the accommodation and resources are also good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes good provision for pupils of different abilities and ethnic groups and those learning English as an additional language. • The implementation of the primary strategy for English and mathematics is good and makes a significant contribution to raising pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics. • There is a good match of trained teachers to the needs of the pupils and the curriculum. However, the number of teaching assistants is only satisfactory. • The range of extra-curricular activities is good and enriches pupils’ learning experiences. • The accommodation and level of resourcing is good.

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Commentary

21. The school provides a curriculum that is well planned, broad and balanced and meets the needs of all pupils well. Statutory requirements relating to the National Curriculum are fully met. The Primary strategy has been implemented rigorously. They reflect the school’s priorities and have a significant impact on raising pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics. The introduction of a curriculum framework now assures appropriate progression and continuity in the development of knowledge and skills in all subjects of the National Curriculum. There are gaps in the teaching of religious education for older pupils. Whilst what is taught is in line with the locally agreed syllabus, there is little work on which to make a Three Bridges Primary School - 12 judgement. Year 6 pupils do not study religious education until after their standard assessment tests in May. This means that they go too long without studying religious education and there is a lack of

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Commentary

progression and continuity in their learning in this area of the curriculum. The school ensures that appropriate attention is given to providing sex and relationships education and awareness of the dangers of drugs misuse. There are missed opportunities for the teaching of literacy and the enhancement of information and communication technology through other subjects of the curriculum such as, history and geography.

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Commentary

22. Provision for special educational needs is good. The school has good procedures for the identification of pupils with special educational needs, including those who arrive in the school in the course of their primary school careers. It provides well for these pupils through a good mixture of work matched to their needs by class teachers and withdrawal for effective work with specialist teaching staff. There are clear processes for writing individual education plans for pupils with more serious identified needs and for reviewing them with parental involvement. Planned improvements in curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs are rightly aimed at their attainment in literacy and numeracy. The need to align individual education plans more closely to the Primary Strategy is acknowledged.

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Commentary

23. Very good opportunities are provided to celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of the school. The school works hard to ensure that all pupils regardless of gender or ethnicity have equal access to all aspects of its work and achieve their best. Pupils who speak English as an additional language receive a broad and balanced curriculum and take full part in all school activities. Pupils get good opportunities to gain confidence about their culture through religious education, assemblies, history, geography, music and art and design. There are many notices, signs and books in other languages to show that the school values other cultures and languages. As a result, pupils are confident and ask and answer questions without feeling embarrassed about not yet having mastered the language. Teachers regularly prepare lessons in English and mathematics for pupils of different abilities. The school runs intervention

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Commentary

programmes for gifted and talented pupils.

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Commentary

24. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall and provides particularly well for developing pupils' personal, social and emotional skills. Planning covers the different strands of each of the areas of learning.

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Commentary

25. The school provides for a good range of extra-curricular opportunities, particularly for older pupils. During the inspection week the range of clubs included football, art, science and computers. Offsite visits support curriculum work well. Class visits are organised twice a year to support work in different curriculum areas. The match of teachers to the curriculum is good. They support the curriculum well and make important contributions to the standards pupils reach. Good use is also made of external agencies, for example in physical education. However, the number of teacher assistants, particularly in Years 3 to 6, is only satisfactory.

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Commentary

26. There are some strengths in the accommodation, such as an information and communication technology suite, library and a wild garden area. The accommodation is well enhanced by engaging displays of pictures, artefacts and pupils’ work. The stimulating environment adds positively to pupils’ desire to learn. The level of resourcing in the school is good.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support of the pupils are satisfactory and support pupils’ learning. Health and safety procedures are good. The school seeks to involve pupils in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils feel secure and well cared for in school. They have good and trusting relationships with all adults. • The school seeks pupils’ views through the school council and acts on them when appropriate.

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Commentary

27. Pupils feel secure and well cared for and there are good induction and transfer arrangements, especially taking into account the fact that many pupils join the school at various points in their education. There is Three Bridges Primary School - 13 good support for new arrivals in the Nursery at the beginning of the school year to help them settle into the school. This is achieved through regular home visits to prepare children for the start of their school life. Class teachers prepare their class to welcome pupils who arrive at other times and they are soon integrated into the life of the school. The monitoring of the achievements and personal development of the pupils has improved since the previous report and is now good in English and mathematics but still not fully developed in other curriculum subjects. Staff know pupils well and any particular needs are noted and met. All pupils have access to well-informed support, advice and guidance, which makes a significant

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Commentary

contribution to their achievement. 28. All pupils are valued and the school’s good ethos promotes very good relationships and racial harmony. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and all staff make a significant contribution to providing a caring atmosphere in a safe and calm environment for all pupils. Parents describe the school as caring and pupils describe the staff as ‘very kind and very nice’.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school values parental support and is initiating many strategies to ensure parents are involved as much as possible with their children’s learning. The partnership with parents is now good. Links with the community are also good. There are good links with other schools including two beacon schools.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents hold the school in high regard. • Good links with the community make a good contribution to learning. • There are good mechanisms for the induction of pupils into the school and to prepare them for the next stage in their education. • Good information is given to parents about, for example, the curriculum and topics to be studied. The weekly newsletter is appreciated. • The reports, although clear and informative, do not consistently give details of progress made in each subject. • The partnership with parents is greatly enhanced by training courses for parents, which are popular and well attended.

p.15

Commentary

29. Parents are becoming more supportive of the school and the school continues to work hard to involve them as much as possible in their children’s learning. A number of parents help in the school and their support is welcomed and valued. Parents say that teachers are approachable, that their children are making good progress and are encouraged to become mature and responsible. Parents also confirm the views of the pupils that they like being at school. They like their teachers, think that they are fair and know that they can turn to an adult if they have any worries.

p.15

Commentary

30. Parents think that the school values and acts on parents’ views when appropriate and they feel that the school deals effectively with any concerns or complaints. The partnership with parents is greatly improved by the popular and well-attended family learning courses in basic language and literacy, which have recently started. This has resulted in much better attendance at all school meetings. The course (which also involves pupils) helps parents to contribute more to the learning at school and at home. Parents are also very pleased with the newly introduced meetings at the beginning of the year for all classes, outlining what their children are going to study.

p.15

Commentary

31. Links with the community and with other schools are good. The school has regular contact with two local Beacon schools and participates in the ‘Village Day’ celebrations. There are regular visits from Brentford Football Club and the school is used for work experience. Pupils have, for example, been involved in a Bahai presentation held at Ealing Town Hall and have visited local parks. They have also attended the Borough sports day and have enjoyed visits from several people such as ‘the Romans’. Year 6 had an adventure day at Hillingdon Outdoor Centre. Regular outside visits contribute well to pupils’ learning. Involvement of the school in the neighbourhood renewal programme has resulted in the setting up of the Breakfast Club. There are good links with local teacher training colleges. Three Bridges Primary School - 14

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The school is well led and management is good. Governance is also good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the senior management team. The majority of subject co-ordinators are keen, enthusiastic and knowledgeable in their subject areas. All of this supports the quality of education the children receive. The principles of best value are applied well.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision and understands what needs to be done in order to raise standards and to move the school forward. • Other key leaders and staff are very keen and enthusiastic about the school. • The school undertakes good self-evaluation and is beginning to use the findings effectively. • The governing body has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and is a challenging force in helping to move the school forward. • There is good strategic planning which reflects and promotes the school’s ambitions and goals. • Despite the high levels of mobility and large numbers of pupils with English as an additional language, overall pupils achieve to the best of their ability.

p.16

Commentary

32. The headteacher provides good leadership. His in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the school on his arrival a year ago has ensured that all staff are clear about what needs to be done to move the school forward and to raise standards of attainment. He is well supported by other key staff. The headteacher has a clear vision of where the school is and where it needs to go next. The thorough self- evaluation, for example the way the school analyses the achievement of all the different ethnic groups within the school, underlines the positive way in which any areas identified as needing improvement, are acted upon. The school works hard to overcome the difficulties caused by the large numbers of pupils entering and leaving the school throughout the school year. This ensures that all children are given every opportunity to achieve to the best of their ability, regardless of their starting point.

p.16

Commentary

33. Day-to-day management of the school is also good. The school improvement plan reflects the school’s ambitions for its children. All members of the school community have been involved in its development. The school is fully inclusive, has a thorough and clear race equality policy which is carefully monitored and this permeates every aspect of school life.

p.16

Commentary

34. Planning, teaching and learning are regularly monitored and constructive feedback given to teachers to improve the teaching and learning that children receive. As yet this is not always sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all teachers expect the highest attainment from their pupils or that the pace of lessons is sufficiently challenging. For example, there are areas of assessment in some curriculum subjects, which as yet are not fully developed. Also there are missed opportunities for teaching literacy and information and communication technology across other subjects of the curriculum.

p.16

Commentary

35. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties and shares the headteacher’s clear vision for the development of the school. Governors are well informed, knowledgeable about the latest developments in education and come into school regularly. This is an improvement since the last inspection. They challenge and yet at the same time are very supportive. They are actively involved in the development of the detailed and well-focused school improvement plan and are regularly updated about all developments within the school.

p.16

Commentary

36. There is thorough performance management and staff development procedures that help identify and bring about further improvements. Professional development of all staff is good. However, there are a small number of co-ordinators who are new to their role and as yet are not sufficiently working together for the child’s benefit. 37. The special educational needs co-ordinator, who is also the inclusion manager for the school, has a clear overview of the management of the area, is thorough in attention to administrative detail and is committed to the role. The school has a designated special educational needs governor. The co-ordinator herself has analysed strengths and weaknesses in provision, which are honest, balanced and realistic. Identified Three Bridges Primary School - 15 improvements correctly focus on the attainment of pupils with special educational needs in literacy and numeracy.

p.16

Commentary

38. The budget is administered well and the governing body oversees actions. The principles of best value are applied well. The school analyses assessment tasks thoroughly and identifies areas of development as well as minority groups who may need extra help. The school also compares itself to other schools both locally and nationally, following good practice where it can. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,227,788 Balance from previous year 65,451 Total expenditure 1,140,865 Balance carried forward to the next 80,017 Expenditure per pupil 3,036 Three Bridges Primary School - 16

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good . Children enter the Nursery in the September after they are three and attend part-time; they enter the Reception classes in the September following their fourth birthday. The very good arrangements for new entrants include a home visit by two members of staff; this is very helpful both for children and parents and particularly for those families who are new to the English education system. Many children begin school with very little experience of learning and with below average skills across all areas of learning. In addition, large numbers of children have English as an additional language and some are at the very early stages of learning English. Because of good teaching by both teachers and support staff, all make good progress during their time in Nursery and Reception classes and achieve well. There are good systems for ongoing assessment throughout the Foundation

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Stage for most areas of learning, but children’s creative development is assessed much less thoroughly than other areas. Systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs are good. Nursery accommodation is adequate but somewhat cramped. Reception classes have good classroom accommodation but the outside play area is barely satisfactory; the school has advanced plans to address this and has gained additional funding to do so from a local Beacon school.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships are quickly formed and good routines help children feel confident and make good progress. • Staff provide good opportunities for children to work independently and to cooperate with each other; they set children a very good example of how to treat other people.

p.18

Commentary

40. When they first enter the Nursery many children have little experience of sharing toys, choosing activities or sustaining their attention to a task. There is a good balance of directed activities, group activities and free play and staff help children to develop their ability to stay with an activity for a reasonable length of time, for example, by saying “Have you finished that now?” when a child moves away from a particular task. There are regular times for social activities, for example, sitting together with drinks and fruit. Children are encouraged to pour drinks for themselves and to be independent in putting on coats and painting aprons. By the time they reach the end of the Reception year, children have developed good habits of work and play and are preparing well for the work they will do in Year 1. New children who join the school mid-year come to a settled and confident class of children who show consideration for

p.18

Commentary

each other, and this helps them to settle quickly and make progress. All children are encouraged to help tidy the classroom and take a pride in their surroundings. Staff are positive in their response to pupils’ achievement; they value every child regardless of ability and give whatever support children need to develop their confidence in themselves as successful learners. Children achieve well mainly due to the good quality of teaching they receive. Children will reach the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception year. Three Bridges Primary School - 17

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff understand how to help children’s language development, including that of children who are new to learning English. • The wide variety of activities in the Nursery which prepares children for writing is followed by careful attention to correct letter formation in the Reception classes. • Teaching and learning are good.

p.19

Commentary

41. The youngest children initially find it difficult to listen to each other, but the regular group activities in which children are encouraged to speak and listen, quickly help them develop the confidence to take part. What they say may be simple or contain errors but they soon speak with confidence. Good teaching methods, such as the use of finger puppets and a toy theatre, encourage children to use, in their own play, words learned from the stories the teacher reads them. Play in the home corner (which on some days may be a shop or café instead) gives further opportunities for children to develop their language skills informally and staff intervene well to enrich this play. The complexity and fluency of children’s spoken language continues to develop as they move through the Reception year and they become more aware of the need to adapt their speech for different situations.

p.19

Commentary

42. Many children arrive in the Nursery class with little experience of books. Staff have to work very hard to teach children how to handle books and even to make the links between books and stories. By the end of the Reception year children choose and handle books with enjoyment and have made a good start on reading skills.

p.19

Commentary

43. Children in the Nursery are given many different and enjoyable activities which help develop writing skills, for example, tracing letters in sand, forming them out of play dough and mark-making with pencils and pens. In Reception classes they go on to practise clear and correctly formed writing. Staff help them take a pride in what they write and encourage them to make up and write their own sentences.

p.19

Commentary

44. Not all children will reach the early learning goals in this area, although many will; this is because children have a lot of ground to make up when they start school. However, they all make good progress and the levels of attainment they reach represent good achievement.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers give children practice in many different ways on the number work they do. • Every opportunity is taken to use number and the language of measurement and shape throughout all activities during the day.

p.19

Commentary

45. Teaching and learning are good in this area of learning and therefore children achieve well. In the Nursery, mathematical language arising from stories, such as Goldilocks and the three bears, is reinforced at every opportunity. Children count the bears’ chairs, porridge plates and beds, use the size descriptions appropriately and match bears to the appropriate sized items. In the Reception classes, children have fun identifying and ordering the numbers up to ten, moving their classmates around until the numbers they are holding are properly sequenced. Throughout the Foundation Stage they have access to activities in which they can weigh, measure and compare sizes and shapes. Teachers and support staff intervene well to ensure children do not miss opportunities to practise mathematical skills. Most children will reach early learning goals in mathematical development by the end of the stage, although those whose language

p.19

Commentary

Three Bridges Primary School - 18 development is still below expectations will not fully attain those aspects of the learning goals which are most dependent on language.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery and Reception children’s attainment in information and communication technology is above expectations.

p.20

Commentary

46. Many opportunities are provided throughout the Foundation Stage for children to learn about how things grow and change and about the roles of people who are important to them; the latter are well reinforced through dressing up and role-play. The good teaching allows children to really learn. Children have good access to computers and many show confidence and skill in the way they use them. One Nursery child was able to show without hesitation how he could change the colours used in a drawing program. This shows that children achieve well. In a very good Reception class lesson in the information and communication technology suite, children behaved very responsibly and worked hard to develop their mouse skills as they selected the right colours to reproduce images of cars and stripy tee shirts. Most children will reach early learning goals in this area, although those who have less experience on entry or

p.20

Commentary

who arrive in school mid-year will not fully have caught up.

p.20

Physical development

Provision for children’s physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have access to a good range of activities that will help them develop fine hand movements and co- ordination. • Outside play areas have been improved, but the Reception class play area is not yet wholly satisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children have access to a good range of wheeled toys and enjoy vigorous activity in the Nursery playground. There is less scope for this kind of activity in the Reception playground, but the school is addressing this difficulty. Inside the Nursery a wide range of activities is on offer to give children practice in manipulating small toys, building materials and tools and by the time they are in Reception year most children can cut out paper circles with some accuracy and use pens and paintbrushes well. Many can double-click computer mouse buttons and move their hands very accurately to colour small details on drawing programs. When using apparatus in physical education lessons, the Reception year children still lack confidence, but the support and encouragement they receive from teachers and classroom assistants help them develop confidence and coordination. Children behave very well and achieve well and teachers

p.20

Commentary

have good management strategies. They will meet the early learning goals in this area of learning.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

48. It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards in creative development. Some simple painting and spontaneous role-play was seen, some singing games and some movement games during physical education lessons, but no music sessions, listening to music or playing with musical instruments was seen. Such activities are timetabled regularly. The teachers’ assessment records in the Nursery indicate that there is much more emphasis on personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development than on the other areas. While this is understandable because these are areas in which children need to catch up, the balance of the curriculum may be weighted too heavily in favour of these areas at the expense of areas that are more “fun” but which are equally valuable in children’s development.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good; it stimulates, challenges and supports all pupils so that they have achieved well by the time they leave school at the end of Year 6. • Teachers’ planning is very detailed. It builds on pupils’ previous learning so that they are continually learning. • Pupils’ progress is assessed and tracked well. All test results are analysed and information used to implement strategies for improvement. • The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and manages the subject very well. • The library is very well stocked with books and artefacts and is very inviting. • Opportunities are missed for pupils to use their literacy skills consistently and effectively across subjects.

p.21

Commentary

49. Pupils’ standards of work in the current Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national expectations in reading, writing and speaking and listening. English is not the mother tongue of most pupils but, as they progress through the school, they develop their English language skills because of good teaching and they achieve well. The school’s monitoring of test results has highlighted that boys were underachieving in writing. Effective strategies have been implemented to combat this. There is some underachievement of pupils from a Black African heritage. This is because of the late start of schooling and because some pupils are still at the early stages of learning English. The high number of pupils joining and leaving the school also plays a major role in this underachievement.

p.21

Commentary

50. Attainment of Year 6 pupils was slightly below the national average in 2003, but was in the top five per cent when compared with similar schools. Year 2 pupils attained standards that were in line with national average and were well above when compared to similar schools. Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is in line with the expected levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils are given opportunities to discuss work in pairs and answer questions in lessons. They are confident and have sufficient language skills to volunteer to discuss work and offer opinions.

p.21

Commentary

51. In reading, pupils standards are as expected by the end of Year 2 and they achieve well considering their low start when they enter Year 1. Pupils have a good grasp of phonics and word-building techniques and they use these to develop reading skills. More capable pupils read fairly fluently and understand the text well. The good use of additional staff to support pupils learning English as an additional language has a positive impact on the development of their reading. They are heard reading regularly, both by staff at the school and by their ‘Reading Partners’. Pupils are encouraged to take books home to practise their reading. By the time they reach the end of Year 6, pupils have made good progress in reading and attain the expected standard for their age. They read fluently and understand the text well. Most pupils skim and scan the text, make meaningful notes and retrieve information. Year 6 pupils interpret the text well,

p.21

Commentary

understand the subtleties and were able to understand Shakespearean language.

p.21

Commentary

52. The school library is very inviting. The books and artefacts are very well displayed and there are enough information books in all subjects of the curriculum for pupils to develop independent study skills and to understand how the library system works. Pupils were seen to make good use of it for individual research and whole class sessions were used well to inculcate a love for reading.

p.21

Commentary

53. Pupils’ attainment in writing in Year 2 is in line with the expected level for their age. This is because the school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy through effective in-service training for staff. With good support from their teachers, pupils think carefully about the overall structure of their writing; for example, the setting, the characters and the plot when writing stories. They have regular opportunities to learn to write in different styles; for example, letters, poems, instructional writing and stories. In a Year 2 lesson, after listening to the story of ‘Tiger Who Came To Tea’ pupils planned their own version of the story well. With support from the teacher and her assistant, pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties and those who speak English as an additional language, worked well in groups and produced good results. They wrote neatly and legibly.

p.21

Commentary

Three Bridges Primary School - 20 54. Pupils’ attainment in writing is in line with the expected levels by the end of Year 6 and their achievement is good. They write for a range of purposes using, for example, narrative and descriptive writing. They use an appropriate range of punctuation and their spelling skills are good. Their handwriting skills are good. Most pupils write neatly, clearly and legibly. In an excellent lesson in Year 6, pupils understood the story of Macbeth well and enjoyed acting out some parts of it. They wrote some probing questions to ask Macbeth when they interviewed him after the killing of Duncan. Gifted and talented pupils had an opportunity to visit a local newspaper and learn about writing for the paper. However, pupils do not consistently get opportunities to write extensively. Their pieces of work are often limited to one page only.

p.22

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching of English across the school is consistently good. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and plan lessons very well. They make sure that pupils know what they are expected to learn and how this links to their previous learning. Pupils are given many opportunities to discuss work in pairs and groups. Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to learn how to write for a variety of purposes and audiences. Good emphasis is given to developing and extending pupils’ vocabulary. In most instances teachers successfully develop pupils’ listening skills and improve their concentration through very effective management of behaviour and successfully enhance their motivation. Teachers are skilful in constantly challenging pupils through probing questions, as was seen in almost all the lessons. Homework is given regularly and this improves learning. Teachers explain the

p.22

Commentary

vocabulary and the tasks well and this supports those pupils who speak English as an additional language. All teachers and teaching assistants give good support to pupils who have learning difficulties. However, there is an insufficient number of teacher assistants to support pupils, particularly in Years 3 to 6 classes.

p.22

Commentary

56. Teachers know their pupils well, assess their work thoroughly and set appropriate targets. The marking of pupils’ work is good. Pupils’ progress is assessed, monitored and tracked thoroughly and this information is used well to provide good support and guidance that helps them to improve. The leadership of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator ensures that the need for good teaching of English has a strong emphasis as pupils’ success in this area of learning is judged to be essential if they are to achieve in other subjects. She is very well aware of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning throughout the school and takes effective action to support improvements. Teaching and learning are monitored, pupils’ work is analysed and good support is provided when required.

p.22

Commentary

57. Since the last inspection pupils’ achievement has improved from satisfactory to good. The school has maintained satisfactory standards.

p.22

Literacy across the curriculum

58. The provision for literacy across the curriculum is unsatisfactory . Reading is encouraged well through guided reading sessions and its importance in subjects such as mathematics in understanding word problems is often highlighted in lessons. However, pupils are not given opportunities consistently to write extensively in other subjects. For example, in history, geography, religious education and design and technology, pupils discuss their work but do not use literacy skills to record. Computers are used, but mostly to draft or word-process text.

p.22

English as an additional language

T he provision that the school makes for pupils who speak English as an additional l anguage is good .

p.22

English as an additional language

59. Most pupils achieve well and attain standards that are similar to their peer group. This is because of the good teaching they receive. The achievement of pupils who come to school with little or no English is very good as a result of good additional support. The school has a full-time teacher to provide additional support and all staff receive in-service training and understand the needs of these pupils well. All pupils are assessed and their stages of language acquisition are determined and recorded. The assessment data is used well to monitor and track pupils' progress. There are over 200 pupils who speak English as an additional language. The school has identif i ed 28 pupils in the early stages of language acquisition in the main school and appropriate support is given to these pupils. Pupils' achievement is good.

p.22

English as an additional language

60. Pupils attain standards that are similar to their peers whose mother tongue is English. Most Year 6 pupils’ statutory test results are similar to their English-speaking peers in English, mathematics and science. There is some underachievement among pupils of Black African heritage and that is because Three Bridges Primary School - 21 pupils have arrived recently into the country and are still not fluent in English. However, they attain well in relation to their prior attainment.

p.22

English as an additional language

61. The quality of teaching is good. Staff receive regular in-service training. The support staff work with pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and provide good support within classes and in withdrawal groups. All staff consider the needs of their pupils who speak English as an additional language at the planning stage and ensure that tasks are matched to their abilities. Teachers explain the key subject vocabulary well and present work with a strong visual content and this results in pupils’ good achievement. Good additional support is provided for those occasional admissions who arrive throughout the school year.

p.23

English as an additional language

62. Pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum and take full part in all school activities. The school is very successful in providing a curriculum that reflects a positive attitude towards other cultures and languages. Pupils get good opportunities to gain confidence about their own cultures through religious education, assemblies, history, geography, music and art and design. There are many notices, signs and books in other languages to show that the school values other cultures and languages. The school has a supportive learning environment and ensures that pupils receive suitable opportunities to develop their understanding of English. They are well integrated in school life and are well cared for by the school. Mutua l respect and tolerance of others' feelings and values underpin good relationships within the school and as a result pupils are confident and ask and answer questions without feeling embarrassed about not

p.23

English as an additional language

63. The school makes every effort to involve the parents in all school activities. The staff and parents who can speak more than one language help in interpretations and translations and all standard letters are translated on request. Coffee mornings and Family Literacy classes support parents well to help their children’s learning.

p.23

English as an additional language

64. The leadership and management of the service are good. The procedures to monitor and track progress are good. The information gained is used well to provide additional support. The staff are given guidance and support on how to support learning and as a result pupils achieve well.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ National Curriculum test results are above average at Year 2, but below average at Year 6 when compared to all schools. • Teaching in mathematics is often good and sometimes very good. • The hallmarks of very good teaching are the quality of teachers’ organisation and pupils’ learning. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and are very well behaved in mathematics lessons. • The co-ordinator is providing good leadership and management for mathematics and is effectively addressing shortcomings.

p.23

Commentary

65. The results of the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils at the end of Year 2 were above the national average and were well above average when compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Since the last inspection, the school’s results have not been consistent. After reaching a level well above the national average for two years, there was a downturn in 2001, when standards fell to about the national average, but standards have improved again since then. For pupils at the end of Year 6, the 2003 test results were below the national average, but were above average when compared with similar schools. Test results have been inconsistent since the last inspection. Having improved from below average to about average in 2000, results since then have again been below average, though there was a small upturn in 2003.

p.23

Commentary

66. In Year 2, pupils’ overall standards are in line with the national average and their achievement is good, including those who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. When pupils discuss with their teacher how to tell the time, they learn quickly through practical Three Bridges Primary School - 22 activities. Individual children hold flashcards to represent the 12 positions on an analogue clock; two children become the clock hands and others represent the idea of a.m. and p.m. In this way, pupils make considerable progress in understanding how to tell the time. Similarly, good achievement is evident in pupils’ recording in their mathematics folders when they apply their understanding of addition and subtraction to spending sums of money and receiving change and to the measurement of objects.

p.23

Commentary

67. In Year 6, pupils’ levels of attainment vary considerably and are unsatisfactory overall, although their achievement within lessons is satisfactory. Higher attaining pupils are reaching good standards of attainment and are achieving well because they are being effectively challenged. For instance, an able pupil, when asked to reflect on the likelihood that the perimeter of a rectangle would be 53 cm, responded that it was unlikely because 53 was a prime number and therefore contained no factors. However, lower attaining pupils do not all have secure knowledge of very basic mathematics, for example, knowing what number will divide both into 12 and 15.

p.24

Commentary

68. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good and sometimes very good. Teachers have a good understanding of mathematics and make good use of mathematical language, which enables them to introduce pupils to the terminology of the subject and to explain work effectively. The planning of mathematics lessons is good. Teachers’ planning includes key vocabulary and key questions for lessons and effective sequences of work, including practical activities which are well matched to pupils’ levels of attainment. Preparation also includes good attention to the resources that will be needed. Teachers are particularly adept at maintaining very good relationships with the whole class as well as with individual pupils. Overall, they have high expectations of pupils and encourage them well. Accordingly, pupils are generally very attentive and very well behaved and often enthusiastic about mathematics. In Year 1 to Year

p.24

Commentary

3, where teaching assistants and the specialist teacher of English as an additional language are deployed, lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs and also learning English, benefit considerably from the additional support and well matched activities.

p.24

Commentary

69. The best lessons are particularly well organised and well timed; teaching is conducted at a good pace and there is a real concern for the quality of the learning of pupils, with the result that they achieve well. In a very good Year 6 lesson about the area and perimeter of rectangles, pupils were challenged to think quickly and flexibly. In an exciting lesson, in which Year 4 pupils prepared to present evidence to a company about the comparative popularity of particular foods, the teacher first showed pupils some poorly labelled bar graphs and through discussion elicited the features which they would need to include in their work. Teachers generally make good use of the classroom computer to practise, or extend the range of, the main focus of the lesson, although there was also one instance where Year 3 pupils were playing an unrelated memory game when the lesson focus was about handling data.

p.24

Commentary

70. The leadership and management of mathematics are good. Teachers’ planning and the teaching of mathematics are regularly checked and commented on by the co-ordinator. Teachers are being supported by the school in undertaking additional training in the teaching of mathematics. Pupils’ performance in national tests, as well as their standards in the optional national tests taken each year, are analysed. Any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills are effectively acknowledged and action taken to remedy them. For example, the co-ordinator recognises that pupils need more experience of problem-solving and investigative mathematics. The co-ordinator has produced some very good documentation to guide the further development of the subject, in investigative and other activities at the school and also to help parents in supporting pupils’ learning at home. Pupils’ mathematical skills are satisfactory, but they are

p.24

Commentary

not as well developed as their literacy skills. This is partly due to a number of teachers not having high enough expectations of what pupils know and can achieve and of being almost overcautious about ensuring that they understand what is being taught as opposed to developing pupils’ mathematical skills.

p.24

Commentary

71. Since the previous inspection, pupils‘ standards at Year 2 have improved from being in line with the national average to above the national average. However, at Year 6, standards remain below the national average, despite fluctuations in the intervening period. The quality of teaching has improved from satisfactory to good and the leadership and management of mathematics, which were not specifically judged on the last occasion, but where deficiencies were noted, have improved and are now good.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

72. At present, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical knowledge, for example, in science or design and technology. This results in missed opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding in these and other subjects, as well as for them to increase their Three Bridges Primary School - 23 competence in applying mathematical skills. However, the co-ordinator has recently undertaken a detailed analysis of the opportunities provided through the science curriculum for pupils to apply mathematical knowledge.

p.24

SCIENCE

Provision for science is satisfactory and improving.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s focus on helping pupils to design and carry out investigations is helping to improve standards. • By the end of Year 6 pupils take great pride in presenting their work well. • Teaching is good overall with examples of very good teaching. • Schemes of work have been adjusted to cover work better. • Analysis of pupils’ performance in national assessment tests is not securely established.

p.25

Commentary

73. Standards in science were as expected in teacher assessments organised nationally at the end of Year 2, but they were significantly below expectations in national tests when compared to all schools at the end of Year 6, having dropped slightly since the last inspection. Standards of work seen during the inspection were consistently in line with national expectations throughout the school and achievement good. Measures taken by the school, such as more rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning, are beginning to raise standards.

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Commentary

74. Teaching is good overall, often very good and teachers encourage all pupils to think for themselves how they can answer scientific questions. Pupils find this approach rewarding and exciting and they work hard and are able to make, test and record their results. There is good, focused assessment of this aspect of science and this is helping to raise the level of achievement. Teachers are sensitive to individual needs. For example, they prepare banks of key words that will be needed for science lessons and this helps those pupils who have underdeveloped vocabulary or who are still learning English. All pupils are given the opportunity to express themselves and answer questions and all feel valued; this allows them to feel successful and included. An example of this was seen in a very good Year 6 lesson, where the teacher carefully built on pupils’ previous learning and ensured that quite difficult new concepts about forces were

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Commentary

fully understood by all by the end of the lesson.

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Commentary

75. Lessons are very well organised to give opportunities for cooperative group work as well as independent work. Older pupils’ work is often beautifully presented with neatly set out tables and careful drawings and written work.

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Commentary

76. The subject is well led by a co-ordinator, who has worked hard to revise the schemes of work and improve pupils’ ability to devise and carry out investigations. Joint work with the mathematics co-ordinator has aimed at ensuring good integration of work in these two subjects and this is just beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ work.

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Commentary

77. Assessment is developing well and still being refined, but as yet, analysis of pupils’ performance in national tests is not securely established. The school has taken advice and acquired computer software that will help to do this. This should help to pinpoint where pupils need additional revision or a different approach. This should also help in the greater use of information and communication technology in this area of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is good and improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Three Bridges Primary School - 24 • The subject is very well led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who knows what still needs to be done. • Standards meet national expectations and the youngest pupils have skills and knowledge which exceed expectations. • All strands of the curriculum are well covered. • The equipment in school has been thoroughly updated and this is having a positive impact on standards. • The use of information and communication technology across all the subjects of the curriculum is not fully developed.

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Commentary

78. Standards in information and communication technology have improved significantly since the last inspection. Information and communication technology is now taught as a separate subject and the standard of teaching is good overall. The updating of equipment has only recently been completed, teething problems still occur and staff are still familiarising themselves with new hardware and software. Nevertheless achievement is now good, and in the case of the youngest pupils, it is very good. Assessment is developing very well and portfolios of pupils’ work are being systematically built up to help teachers assess accurately the level at which pupils are working.

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Commentary

79. Pupils very much enjoy their work in the information and communication technology suite; they usually behave very well and treat all equipment with respect, because they enjoy the experience of each lesson. Pupils are very confident in their use of the mouse, keyboard and familiar programs. Individual and paired work are used well. In the older classes, where pupils are preparing “PowerPoint” presentations, a “buddy” system ensures that pupils are made to think about the quality of their presentation in the light of constructive criticism.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

80. There has been good collaborative work between the mathematics and information and communication technology co-ordinators and mathematics is beginning to be well integrated into the study of information and communication technology. There is evidence of good use of information and communication technology for word processing in English, but opportunities have not yet been systematically identified across all the subjects of the curriculum for its use. Occasionally pupils are seen working on classroom computers on work completely unrelated to that of the class.

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HUMANITIES

81. In humanities, work was sampled in history and geography . Only one lesson was seen in geography, therefore it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision.

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HUMANITIES

82. One lesson in Year 2 in geography was observed and in this the teaching was good. A map of a location in Kenya was used to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the physical features. Pupils made good gains in their learning. There was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made about standards attained in geography. Indications from the school’s overview of the curriculum are that the National Curriculum requirements are being met. This is an improvement from the previous inspection when statutory requirements were not met. There is limited assessment in geography and little opportunity for the development of either literacy or information and communication technology in this subject.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards across the school are in line with national expectations. • Visits to places of educational interest enhance learning. • Opportunities for extended writing are not fully exploited.

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Commentary

Three Bridges Primary School - 25 83. By the end of Years 2 and 6 pupils attain levels that are expected for most pupils of the same age and their achievement is satisfactory. Year 6 pupils in their study of ancient Greeks had a very good opportunity to discuss and act out the Battle of Marathon. They were made aware of how the past can be interpreted when they discussed the exaggerated version of Phidippides running from Athens to Sparta and back again. Good links were established with current sporting events, in this instance the Marathon. Pupils’ research skills and chronology are appropriately developed. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and so is that of pupils from different ethnic groups.

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Commentary

84. Only two lessons were observed and teaching in both the lessons was very good. Discussions with staff, pupils and scrutiny of displays and of pupils’ books indicate that teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and they plan the lessons well. They give good opportunities to develop pupils’ historical research skills and they use secondary sources such as the Internet, books and the models of sarcophagus in the study of ancient Egypt. However, pupils’ do not use their literacy skills sufficiently to write reports and accounts or use persuasive writing skills to develop achievement and standards. The leadership and management of the subject are sound. A detailed curriculum plan ensures that history is planned for and taught across the school. Pupils’ interest and involvement in the subject and the importance of first hand evidence are promoted well through the visits to

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Commentary

85. Since the previous inspection, the school has maintained satisfactory standards and achievement.

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Religious Education

The provision for religious education is satisfactory overall .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject meets the statutory requirements as laid down by the locally agreed syllabus. • Pupils achieve satisfactorily and reach the standards expected for their age. • There is a lack of progression and continuity in older pupils’ learning in this area of the curriculum.

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Commentary

86. Provision and standards in this subject have remained broadly similar since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

87. Only one lesson in Year 2 and two lessons for older pupils were observed. The quality of teaching was good overall. Pupils’ work was analysed and in discussion with pupils there was a clear knowledge and understanding of other religious beliefs related to their school. This is because the school celebrates and values the world religions and festivals within the school community. For example, this term there have been celebrations for Diwali, Harvest and Eid and the pupils during the time of the inspection were rehearsing for their Christmas concerts. There is a clear structure to the overall curriculum. This ensures that pupils study a broad and balanced range of topics during their time in school. In a good Year 2 lesson pupils were learning about the story of Moses. The skilful use of questions enabled them to empathise with how Moses felt when he saw another Hebrew beaten up. One pupils said, ‘It’s not nice, we should be

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Commentary

kind to each other’. This reflects the inclusive community, which the school encourages amongst everyone.

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Commentary

88. There are gaps in the teaching of religious education for older pupils. Whilst what is taught is in line with the locally agreed syllabus, there is little work on which to make a judgement. Year 6 pupils do not study religious education until after their standard assessment tests in May. This means that they go too long without learning about religious education and there is a lack of progression and continuity in their learning in this area of the curriculum.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

89. No lessons in art and design or design and technology were seen during the inspection, therefore no firm judgement can be made about provision. Work on display indicates that children are offered a suitable range of experiences and that they achieve standards in line with what is expected for their age. Three Bridges Primary School - 26 90. No teaching of design and technology was observed in the course of the inspection. Sampling was based on a small number of artefacts and pupils’ written material submitted by the new subject co- ordinator and a scrutiny of displays in classrooms and elsewhere in the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. In Year 6, pupils design and make carnival hats and slippers; in Year 5 the focus is musical instruments, such as shakers; and in Year 3, pupils’ design and make sandwiches as part of a healthy eating project. From this evidence, it is clear that Year 6 pupils in particular and junior pupils in general, are reaching satisfactory standards in terms of the quality of the artefacts produced and related design processes. There was insufficient evidence available to form judgements about the standards of work of pupils at Year 2. There is limited evidence of assessment in art and design or in design and technology either.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. The evidence shows that the processes of designing and making a product and evaluating its fitness for purpose are in place. However, it is not evident that pupils have opportunities to select a final design from a range of preliminary studies, or that a step-by-step approach is adopted to guide the making process. When pupils evaluate their product, they do so in terms of summary judgements, which do not give them opportunities to communicate the reasoning processes underlying their evaluations of process and product. These are missed opportunities to complete the design cycle fully and to practise the use of literacy across the curriculum. Resources available for the teaching of design and technology are satisfactory. There is a lack of assessment in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. When the school was previously inspected, pupils’ standards in design and technology were seen as below national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and teaching was judged as satisfactory. In the light of the limited evidence available from the present inspection, standards are now satisfactory at Year 6 and teaching remains satisfactory. No overall judgements could be made about standards and teaching at Year 2.

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Music

The provision for music is satisfactory .

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Commentary

94. It is not possible to make secure judgments on the standards achieved in music or to comment on the teaching or learning in music in Years 1 and 2 as due to timetable arrangements there were no lessons in these year groups taking place during the time of the inspection. Music was mainly timetabled in Key Stage 1 for later in the week.

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Commentary

95. Singing heard in assembly in Years 1 and 2 and in another singing practice for Years 4 to 6 was of a satisfactory standard. Children sang with obvious enjoyment and enthusiasm and showed that they knew the words to a number of hymns and popular songs.

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Commentary

96. A very good music lesson seen in Year 4 allowed pupils to experience all the components of music, in developing their listening skills and appreciation skills. The skilled teaching allowed pupils to develop thoughts and links between art and music and culminated in pupils in small groups using non-tuned percussion instruments to create their own music inspired by a picture by Bridget Riley. Another good lesson seen in Year 6 was well related to work in literacy where pupils were given the challenge of creating music for a jingle to advertise a product. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the task and made some progress in the one session towards achieving their goals. They successfully worked together in small groups, experimenting in rhythm, dynamics and composition. There is no evidence of the use of information and communication technology in this area of the curriculum.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision for physical education is satisfactory . Three Bridges Primary School - 27

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• After-school clubs and outside expertise is used well to improve pupils’ skills. • Standards and achievement are satisfactory throughout the school. However, standards in swimming are below expectations. • The co-ordinator is new and lacks understanding of the curriculum.

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Commentary

97. The standards in dance, games and gymnastics by Year 6 are satisfactory. Pupils in Years 4 to 6 are regularly coached for football. Good use is made of outside providers to give specialist training. After- school clubs in football and hockey coaching develop games’ skills further. Pupils have many opportunities to take part in competitions with local schools in gymnastics and football. Year 4 pupils regularly go for swimming but a significant minority do not reach the required standards by the end of Year 6. Most pupils go swimming only when the school takes them and do not have opportunities to practise outside school time and this results in underachievement for many.

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Commentary

98. The quality of teaching and learning overall is satisfactory, though it varies from unsatisfactory to very good. In a very good lesson on ball control skills in tennis, the teacher’s planning, pace, teaching of skills, demonstration, praise and encouragement resulted in very good achievement for all pupils with no differences on the basis of gender, special educational needs or ethnicity. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils made good progress in developing the skills of throwing and catching. In dance, Year 4 pupils concentrated well and produced mirror movements keeping their sequences of movements such as rolls, balances and jumps. Their work with their partners was disciplined and creative. In the unsatisfactory lesson, the pace was poor and the teacher’s expectations were low; this resulted in pupils spending too much time observing and too little on practising the skills.

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Commentary

99. The co-ordinator is new and lacks thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject. Resources are satisfactory and outdoor provision is good and used well. The school has maintained its satisfactory provision since the previous inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

100. The programme for personal, social and health education, including sex and relationships education, is satisfactory. In the Foundation Stage, personal, social and emotional development receives a lot of attention. There is not enough information to make a judgement about provision. Three Bridges Primary School - 28

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The overall effectiveness of the school 4

How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Three Bridges Primary School - 29 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 3 The school’s links with other schools and college3 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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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