Victory Primary School

VICTORY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd - 24 th March 2004

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VICTORY 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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VICTORY 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. Victory 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: 230 School address: Victory Place Rodney Road London Postcode: SE17 1PT Telephone number: (0207) 703 5722 Fax number: (0207) 252 7363 Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr James Wood Date of previous inspection: 7 th June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has 230 full-time pupils from Reception to Year 6 and 50 children who attend the Nursery part time, 25 in each of the morning and afternoon sessions. The changes in the school roll through the year are significant and increasing in each school year because a rising number of the flats and houses within the community are used as temporary accommodation. For example, only one-third of the Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2003 were in the school in Year 1. This is more than double the national average of pupil mobility. On entry to the Nursery, the full range of ability is represented, although overall, the children’s attainment is well below the national average. The school is ethnically diverse, with Black or Black British African being the predominant ethnic backgrounds. There are currently 75 pupils who have a language other than English as their first language. Currently about half the pupils claim free school meals, a proportion which is well above

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

the national average. Overall, the socio-economic circumstances of the parents are well below average. There is high unemployment and many families claim a range of benefits. About 25 per cent of pupils, including two with statements, are identified as having special educational needs. This is above the national average. Victory Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16405 Keith Sadler Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology Religious education 9561 M Husain Akhtar Lay inspector 23354 Lyn Adams Team inspector Foundation Stage Special educational needs English Design and technology 20324 Vera Morris Team inspector Mathematics Geography History 8696 Abul Maula Team inspector English as an additional language Art and design Music Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Victory Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8 - 12

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory and it provides sound value for money . Good teaching ensures that pupils achieve well. Standards in tests are well below average but inspection findings show there is some improvement. Overall, leadership and management are satisfactory, though governance is poor. The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. He is effective in securing a strong sense of teamwork, but there is too little rigour and focus on improving standards.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Results in national tests in English, mathematics and science show that standards at age 11, in comparison with similar schools, are well below average. • Governance is poor. Governors have an inadequate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • Links with schools and colleges are very good. Links with parents and the community are good. • The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership, but not enough attention has been paid to improving standards. • The quality of teaching and learning is good or better in over 70 per cent of lessons. • Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 to 6 is good. • The provision for pupils who have English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. • The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and they enjoy being at school. • Attendance is below average. • Standards in ICT in Year 6 are too low because not all pupils have been taught the whole curriculum.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school’s improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory overall, although there are some weaknesses remaining. Standards in science in Years 1 and 2 have improved as have those in design and technology and music. Teachers have been well trained in these areas and the quality of teaching is generally good. Standards in tests in mathematics remain well below average, though the inspection finds that standards are improving. The curriculum has been improved. It now fully meets statutory requirements and is broad and reasonably balanced. There has been very good improvement in the provision for pupils with special educational needs. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. All statutory requirements are now met. The school has made poor progress in devising strategies to enable governors to contribute fully to establishing the school’s needs and this remains a weakness.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E* E E D mathematics E E E E science E* E* E* E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - very low. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Standards in national tests have been consistently well below the national average in comparison with all schools. In science, the grade E* shows standards that are in the bottom five per cent nationally. Standards in ICT are below average because although the curriculum is in place, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge because they have missed important curricular units. There are indications of improvement in standards. Pupils are now achieving standards that are in line with national expectations in science and mathematics. However, their attainment in reading and writing Victory Primary School - 5 remains below expectations. Overall, pupils achieve well in relation to their attainment when they start school. Achievement is satisfactory at the Foundation Stage and is good in Years 1 to 6. Gifted and talented pupils make particularly good progress in their learning and they achieve well. However,

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

the achievement of pupils who have English as an additional language is limited because of the lack of specialist teaching and support. Standards in the school are affected by the high mobility of pupils. An ever-increasing proportion of pupils join the school and stay for a short period of time because local housing is being used to provide temporary accommodation. This affects the consistency of teaching and learning and affects the long-term achievement of pupils.

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Pupils’ personal qualities are good. Their cultural, moral and social development is good

and spiritual development satisfactory. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and they behave well. Although the school has good arrangements to promote pupils’ attendance, this is below average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and is good in

Years 1 to 6. Pupils learn well because teachers plan lessons well, provide good encouragement and secure a positive learning environment. The arrangements for teachers’ assessments of pupils are satisfactory. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs is good.

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The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and is good in

The quality of the curriculum throughout the school is sound and it is enhanced by very good opportunities that are provided for enrichment. The school makes very good use of visiting teachers and instructors, particularly for the arts, sports and to support gifted and talented pupils and this promotes good achievement. The school provides a safe and secure environment and pupils are well cared for. Links with parents and the community are good. Links with other schools and colleges are very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership and management. He is very skilled in ensuring that the staff work as a team and he is very caring and supportive. However, he needs to ensure that there is more rigour and determination to raise standards throughout the school. Governance is poor because the governors do not meet often enough and do not have sufficiently high quality information about the life and work of the school. As a consequence, they are not in a strong position to provide strategic direction or to challenge the school to improve.

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PARENTS AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents express positive views. They are satisfied with the school and have confidence in the staff. They are kept well informed about the life of the school. Pupils enjoy school.

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

• Raise standards in English, mathematics and science. • Strengthen governance in the school. • Provide greater rigour, focus and determination in bringing about improvements in the quality of provision and pupils’ attainment. • Ensure that pupils learning English as an additional language receive support on a regular basis. Victory Primary School - 6 • Ensure that the good curriculum plans that are now in place for ICT are fully implemented across the school.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and is good throughout the rest of the school. Few pupils have attained the learning goals on entry to Year 1. At the end of both Years 2 and 6, current standards are below average in English and are in line with expectations in mathematics and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in national tests are generally well below the national average. • Standards in English are below average. • The achievement of gifted and talented pupils is good. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • Currently, pupils are attaining national expectations in science and mathematics. • The attainment of pupils who have English as an additional language and are at an early stage of English acquisition is limited and their achievement is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the Nursery with levels of attainment that are well below average. They make good progress and achieve well in the Nursery year, though this slows to satisfactory achievement in the Reception Year. By the time that they enter Year 1, although the full range of ability is represented, overall standards are below average. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 6 in almost all subjects. This is a result of the good quality teaching and learning in most subjects. In the national tests, pupils’ attainment has been generally below or well below average at the end of Year 2. The pattern was similar in the tests in 2003 when the school’s results in comparison with all schools were in the bottom five per cent nationally in reading and mathematics. In writing, standards were well below average. In comparison with similar schools, standards were well below average in reading and writing and in the bottom five per

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Commentary

2. At the end of Year 6, national test results for 2003 showed standards were well below average in English and mathematics. In science, standards were in the bottom five per cent nationally when compared with all schools. In comparison with similar schools, standards were below average in English and well below average in mathematics and science. However, there are strong indications of significant improvement, particularly in mathematics and science. Inspection findings show that standards in both these subjects are in line with national expectations. This is due to the good quality teaching, particularly in Years 5 and 6, which helps to boost achievement and raise standards in these two year groups. Currently, standards are below average in reading and writing throughout the school.

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Commentary

3. At the end of Years 2 and 6, there are indications that standards are in line with expectations in geography, history and religious education. Standards are in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 in ICT, though they are below at the end of Year 6. This is because there are too many gaps in these pupils’ experiences because the full curriculum has only been in place for the last year or so. In lessons, pupils throughout the junior years meet and exceed national expectations in ICT. In music and physical education, standards are in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 and are above expectations at the end of Year 6. Victory Primary School - 7 4. Although there are no differences in performance between boys and girls in the national tests, there are differences in the standards achieved by some groups. Bilingual pupils at an early stage of English acquisition make unsatisfactory progress across the whole curriculum and

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Commentary

their achievement is limited. This is because they do not have access to specialist support. Most of those who have gained English proficiency achieve satisfactorily and sometimes well, though they would benefit from some continuing support. Generally speaking, the gifted and talented pupils achieve particularly well. This is as a result of the very good and focused provision for these pupils. However, there are some pupils in this category that have English as an additional language. Sometimes their limited understanding and confidence in the use of grammar, punctuation and subject-specific vocabulary limit their achievement.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress in their learning. Targets in individual education action plans are clear and relevant to pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 24.4 (23.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 23.8 (24.2) 26.8 (26.7) science 24.9 (24.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are good. Relationships in the school are good. Pupils’ moral and social development is good and cultural development very good. Opportunities for spiritual development are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils participate enthusiastically in all available activities. • Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. • There are good arrangements for promoting pupils’ cultural, social and moral development. • Attendance is unsatisfactory and unauthorised absences are well above average.

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Commentary

6. Although the full range of ability is represented on admission to the Nursery, overall children’s attainment in the area of personal, social and emotional development is well below average. Children settle well in the Nursery class and they very much enjoy coming to school and achieve well. They become more confident and they develop good attitudes to their work and to others. This is maintained through the school. Pupils are keen to come to school, they participate enthusiastically in the activities provided and their attitudes remain positive. This is an improvement since the last inspection when pupils’ attitudes were only satisfactory.

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Commentary

7. Behaviour is generally good both in classrooms and around the school. There is a clear and helpful good behaviour policy which, in the main, is used consistently by staff. As a result, in lessons, the pupils’ behaviour is frequently very good, though there are exceptions. On occasion, when teachers raise their voice, this tends to raise the noise levels in the classroom and this consequently leads to some unsatisfactory behaviour. Parents report that there is little incidence of either bullying or racial harassment and that relationships are good.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ cultural, moral and social development is good. Through the curriculum, pupils learn social skills and moral choices and are motivated to see the rewards for their efforts. This is reinforced by the focus on a particular theme each week and the ‘Thinking Skills’ programme. Victory Primary School - 8 Through the circle time and the counselling sessions held by the counselling service, pupils develop appropriate strategies to react when frustrated or angered. In the newly formed school council, pupils have started developing their understanding of democratic processes and their responsibilities. 9. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness is raised in religious education, art and music. The structure of the local authority agreed syllabus for religious education also helps to support the pupils’ knowledge of cultural diversity in Britain. Pupils respond well to the good opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities, including visits, become independent and self-reliant

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Commentary

as they become increasingly aware of the wider communities of London and beyond.

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Commentary

10. The newly-contracted home-school liaison officer has been effective in reducing absences but it is too early to establish a sustained improvement in attendance. Authorised absences are mostly due to widespread illness.

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Commentary

11. The school provides well for pupils who have English as an additional language. Most of these pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They respond well to one-to-one support from classroom assistants and the Learning Mentor, where this is available. This enables them to integrate well into the school community, enjoying good relationships with their peers and adults. They are supportive of each other and generally show good standards of behaviour.

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Commentary

12. There have been 11 fixed period exclusions of one day for each of 11 pupils. These exclusions are all behaviour related.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 41 1 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 4 1 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 11 2 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 13 1 0 Black or Black British – African 62 6 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002-2003 (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 3.8 School data: 2.4 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching is good overall with a high proportion of good and very good teaching, particularly in the junior classes. The curriculum is sound and is enhanced by very good enrichment opportunities. Provision for the care of pupils is good and arrangements for pupils’ guidance and support are satisfactory. Links with other schools and colleges are very good; with parents and the community, links are good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and is good in the infant and junior classes. Victory Primary School - 9

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a high proportion of good and very good teaching • Learning is good in the infant and junior classes. • There are some inconsistencies in the way teachers manage pupils’ behaviour.

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Commentary

13. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage, and is good in Years 1 to 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when teaching was found to be sound overall. During the inspection, there were some examples of outstanding teaching, and over 70 per cent of lessons were good or better. One of the 37 lessons was unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

14. Teachers invariably plan lessons well. They share the learning objectives with pupils, generally ensure that the work is well pitched to meet the differing needs of all pupils and, in the best lessons, inspirational teaching engages the pupils, captures their interest and helps them to develop a very positive attitude to their learning. Pupils generally respond very well to the good teaching. They learn well, generally make good progress in learning and achieve well as a result. However, the needs of pupils with English as an additional language are not consistently catered for in teachers’ planning.

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Commentary

15. Pupils with special educational needs are included effectively in all lessons and they are generally well taught. These pupils are well supported by teachers who ensure that they have work that adequately supports and extends them. Learning support assistants provide sound support for pupils with special educational needs, especially during class activities where their support is calm and unobtrusive. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is effectively assessed and reviewed against targets set out in their individual education plans.

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Commentary

16. Within the context of good overall teaching, there are inconsistencies in the quality of some teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour. Although there were a number of outstanding examples of excellent behaviour management by teachers, on occasion, some teachers raise their voice to unnecessarily high levels. This tends to make these classes too noisy which leads to a deterioration of some pupils’ behaviour and a reduction in the quality of learning.

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Commentary

17. Staff have together considered the differing learning styles of pupils, and this has a positive impact in some classrooms where teachers take care to ensure that the strategies for teaching and learning meet the varying learning needs of the pupils. In addition, the very good programme of Thinking Skills has helped teachers to develop the pupils’ learning across many subjects, and science in particular. This teaching programme helps to extend the pupils’ expressive language and their ability to use higher-order skills in thinking through solutions of issues raised. This, too, has helped to improve the quality of learning because pupils have been systematically taught how to think and this has had a positive impact on achievement.

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Commentary

18. There are clear indications in some subjects, particularly English, ICT and religious education, that the quality of teaching and learning is not consistently of such high quality as that seen during the inspection. Pupils’ work shows too little progress and also shows weaknesses in the teachers’ marking of pupils’ work.

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Commentary

19. Progress in developing the quality of teaching of pupils learning English as an additional language has been limited since the last inspection, though there is improvement in some aspects. For example, registers are in place for these pupils, showing their stages of learning English. Some of these pupils also benefit from effective classroom strategies such as questioning and explanations employed by their teachers and teaching assistants. However, Victory Primary School - 10 progress slows for pupils at early stages of English acquisition because there are insufficient opportunities for them to extend their communication skills and response in lessons. Furthermore, teachers’ planning does not always include enough ways to support these pupils in order to ensure they understand key new vocabulary and structure and to develop confidence in using familiar vocabulary and expressions. Opportunities are also limited for

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Commentary

pupils to use their home language in order to facilitate their understanding of new concepts or English language acquisition.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (5%) 8 (22%) 17 (46%) 9 (24%) 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The school provides a sound curriculum overall. There have been significant improvements since the last inspection when statutory requirements were not met in music, physical education, design and technology and ICT.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good enrichment opportunities available. • The curriculum for gifted and talented pupils is good. • Curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • There is a need to ensure that the full curriculum for ICT is taught throughout the school.

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Commentary

20. The school provides a sound curriculum. It has improved significantly since the last inspection when, in some subjects, the statutory programmes of study were not taught. This is not now the case and there has been good improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum is broad and generally balanced. A strength of the school’s curricular provision is the very good range of enrichment opportunities that are provided. These have stemmed both from the school’s promotion of external visits and also from the focus on extending curricular provision of the gifted and talented pupils. In many instances, this has led to a strengthening of provision for all the pupils in the school. For example, specialist teaching for a dance workshop, drumming, a resident artist and in particular the programme for the development of Thinking Skills have provided school-wide benefit. Overall, the provision for pupils who are gifted and

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Commentary

talented is a strength of the curriculum.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is sound and meets requirements. Teachers make good links between the different areas of learning. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are well established, though on occasion, too much time is allocated to some lessons, particularly in the junior years. The curriculum for science is good. The recent emphasis on developing the curriculum for scientific investigation is well founded and is already having an impact on raising standards. The school is committed to inclusion, though not all pupils have equal access to each curriculum area. In particular, the achievement of pupils who are at an early stage of English language acquisition is limited because the support for them across the curriculum is neither as frequent as necessary nor sufficiently focused. This is because there is an absence of specialist support and as a result, these pupils are

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Commentary

denied full access to the curriculum. However, the curriculum provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The targets on pupils’ individual education plans are suitably detailed and are used well. These pupils’ needs are suitably catered for and they have access to the whole curriculum. Victory Primary School - 11 22. At the time of the last inspection, weaknesses were identified in the curriculum for ICT. In particular, there was an absence of work associated with control and computer modelling. There have been improvements in the subject and all aspects are now part of the teaching programme, though pupils in the junior classes have not had access to the whole curriculum because it has only been available in lower years of the junior stage for the past two years.

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Commentary

23. There is a good programme of work to develop pupils’ personal, social and health education. A school council has recently been formed and this provides a good forum for pupils to develop an understanding of citizenship as well as providing pupils with a voice. Group time known as “circle time”, effectively supports this aspect. The programme for sex education and relationships, and alcohol and drugs misuse, is included in this provision. Here, benefit has been gained through the LEA’s programme of visiting support to the school.

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Commentary

24. There is a suitable number of teaching staff, and the school has placed a particular emphasis on the number of learning support staff. These assistants bring benefit to teaching and learning. They are generally well employed, supporting both individual pupils and small groups as well as taking direct responsibility during some lessons. There has been some turnover of staff, though there is a relatively high proportion of teaching staff that have been at the school for many years. There is a weakness in the staffing in that there is no provision of first- language support for pupils who are at an early stage of English language acquisition.

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Care, guidance and support

The school has good arrangements for ensuring that the school provides a healthy and safe environment. Care and support for pupils are good. The advice and guidance for pupils to improve their work are satisfactory. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is satisfactory.

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Main strengths

• There is a caring ethos that promotes a good learning environment. • Very good admission and induction processes effectively help children to settle in quickly. • Good health and safety measures are in place and pupils feel safe and secure. • Child protection arrangements are good; vulnerable pupils are looked after warmly.

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Commentary

25. The commitment of staff to the welfare and happiness of all pupils creates a good learning atmosphere. A learning mentor and the counselling service further support pupils’ specific needs. Pupils are rightly confident that someone will always be available to help with any problems that they may have. Regular risk assessments of the site ensure any perceived hazards are dealt with. There are several staff that are qualified in providing first aid but the medical room facilities are only adequate. The headteacher, who is the child protection liaison officer, is suitably trained. Some parents were concerned about the level of supervision during breaktime. However, these arrangements are good. The extent and quality of lunchtime supervision are appropriate.

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Commentary

26. Staff responsible for the well-being of the youngest children ensure they settle in happily and that they and their parents and carers quickly feel at home. These arrangements are very good and much appreciated by parents who commented that their children quickly adapt to being in the Nursery.

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Commentary

27. The systems to check individual achievement and use this information to support pupils’ performance are satisfactory overall. The achievements of pupils with special educational needs are effectively monitored and checked. The school has recently started a useful means Victory Primary School - 12 to track all pupils’ achievements, though there is a need to ensure that targets for improvement are set and shared with both pupils and parents. This is particularly the case with pupils who have English as an additional language. Arrangements for tracking these pupils’ achievements, particularly those at an early stage of language acquisition, are inadequate. Exchange of pastoral information amongst staff provides effective means to monitor pupils’ personal development. The pastoral needs of vulnerable pupils are well supported and their progress is effectively monitored.

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Commentary

28. The newly formed school council provides satisfactory means to gauge pupils’ views and involve them in shaping the work of the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents are supportive of the school, and the school’s partnership with them, which has improved since the previous inspection, has a good impact on pupils’ learning. Highly productive links with other schools and colleges enhance experiences for teachers and pupils. Links with the wider community helpfully support the curriculum.

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Main strengths

• Links with local schools and colleges are very good. • Links with parents are good.

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Commentary

29. Parents are very supportive of the school. The school effectively encourages parents to become involved in the education of their children. They regularly receive good quality information about the school. Parents state that staff, including the headteacher, are readily accessible and helpful in responding to any day-to-day enquiries that they may have. Parents are invited to individual and collective consultations and to library sessions. The overall information to parents is satisfactory. Pupils’ annual progress reports contain very good and detailed information of what pupils have been doing in curriculum subjects, although they do not adequately inform the parents of what pupils should have been doing or what they can do to raise their children’s achievement. However, these annual reports are supplemented by the welcoming ethos and the regular opportunities available to discuss their children’s progress.

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Commentary

Parents’ attendance at formal and informal meetings is good. Some parents voluntarily help in classes, particularly in younger classes. Parents hold social events and raise money for the school.

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Commentary

30. Some parents commented that they felt that there was not enough homework provided, particularly for children in the Foundation Stage and those in Years 1 and 2. This is not the case. Arrangements for homework are satisfactory.

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Commentary

31. A wide range of support has resulted through links with other schools and South Bank University. Links with secondary schools ensure a smooth transition at age 11. There is a large number of trainee teachers who work in the school. This has a positive impact because it helps to strengthen provision to support learning and also provides an additional range of appropriate role models for pupils. Pupils benefit from educational visits and visiting speakers and specialists. Direct links with businesses, though few, have helped the school in terms of sporting coaching. Community volunteers from a high street bank work as reading partners with pupils. Victory Primary School - 13

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. However, the governance of the school is weak and governors do not provide sufficient strategic direction.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors have a poor understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and, as a result, they do not help to either shape the direction of the school or challenge the school to improve. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are satisfactory.

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Commentary

32. The headteacher’s leadership is satisfactory. He provides caring and sensitive leadership which is highly effective in securing a strong sense of teamwork throughout the school. This helps to create a supportive climate for learning and to develop the school’s inclusive nature. However, the headteacher does not provide sufficient rigour and drive to secure consistent school improvement in the quality of teaching and the pupils’ attainment. As a result, although teaching and learning are good overall, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching that need to be addressed. Although standards in lessons seen during the inspection show a marked improvement, there has been too little focus on improving standards. There have been some effective school improvement projects, particularly those associated with the programme for gifted and talented pupils and the booster programmes of the National Literacy

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Commentary

Strategy. These have tended to be developed as a result of opportunities provided outside the school rather than the school taking a proactive approach in seeking solutions itself to raise standards. The head is supported by a very good acting deputy head. Most subject leaders take their responsibilities seriously, and overall they provide sound leadership, though their influence is limited by the lack of school-wide improvement projects.

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Commentary

33. The governors’ leadership and management are poor. Part of the weakness reported in the last inspection remains because governors have no structured means through which they are able to understand how their policies are met in practice. Some governors are deeply committed to the school and give very significant amounts of time to support the life of the school. However, there is too little sharing of the information that has been gained on such visits. As a result, governors have a weak understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, are too little involved in providing strategic direction and are not able to challenge the school to improve. In addition, the governors are over-reliant on the headteacher both to provide information and to undertake their responsibilities. In some instances, the information provided has not been of sufficient quality or rigour to enable governors to fulfil their

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Commentary

responsibilities. However, as a result of the endeavours of the headteacher, all statutory responsibilities are met. The governing body meets only once each term and although there are nominated committees, it is rare that these meet. When they do, such meetings usually precede the main governing body meeting. There is little connection between any potential committee activity and the main governing body. As a consequence, there is not enough cohesion in the management of the governing body and little discussion or debate recorded that can be built on to reveal a useful picture of the life of the school. Although governors have nominated responsibilities, these roles are not taken seriously enough. As a result, neither nominated governors nor school subject co-ordinators provide information about either standards or teaching and learning in their subject to the governing body. The effect of this is

p.15

Commentary

that the governors’ influence and impact on raising standards in the school are diminished. The four principles of best value are not well applied, particularly in relation to the important area of school improvement. Victory Primary School - 14 34. Overall, management of the school is satisfactory and the school provides satisfactory value for money. There are good arrangements in place to ensure that financial management is secure and consistent. Priorities are established through the satisfactory school improvement plan and appropriate resources allocated to those priorities. However, these arrangements are not overseen by the whole governing body although governors are involved in the confirmation of the budget set by the headteacher. The arrangements for performance management are satisfactory. The arrangements for the induction of new teaching staff are very good and effective.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 876,251 Balance from previous year 32,337 Total expenditure 868,620 Balance carried forward to the next 39,968 Expenditure per pupil 3,447

p.16

Commentary

35. The deputy head has put into place effective processes to make good use of assessment data to track individual pupils’ progress, and co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science analyse performance data well. Alongside this, the senior management team review pupils’ work and check teachers’ planning. However, these processes are under-developed because information from them is not used well in a co-ordinated way to secure improvement projects to raise standards. In addition, there is insufficient systematic monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning by subject co-ordinators, particularly in the core subjects.

p.16

Commentary

36. The school has yet to ensure that all pupils learning English as an additional language have full access to the curriculum and can achieve their full potential. The decision to integrate support for pupils learning English as an additional language into the mainstream has not been successful because staff have not been fully trained to meet the needs of bilingual pupils. The time available for the co-ordination of the provision is also inadequate. Victory Primary School - 15

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory .

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. The quality of provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall. The quality of provision in the Nursery is good and it is sound in the Reception class. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below the expected level for children aged three. On transfer to Year 1, children’s attainment is still below that expected for children of this age, especially in communication, language and literacy but their achievement is good in Nursery and sound in the Reception class. Arrangements for the introduction of parents and the settling of children into Nursery are satisfactory. Parents are offered ample opportunities to spend time with their child in the Nursery until he or she is happy and settled.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

38. The quality of teaching in the Nursery is consistently good and it is satisfactory in the Reception class. There is a cohesive team of adults in the Nursery who provide children with calm effective support and make careful assessments of their progress. Teamwork in the Reception class is satisfactory, with learning support assistants providing effective support for individuals and groups of children. The curriculum across the Foundation Stage is appropriately planned to meet statutory requirements and to provide a satisfactory range of interesting and relevant activities well matched to children’s needs. The Foundation Stage is effectively led and managed by a thoughtful reflective co-ordinator but the co-ordinator’s role has not been sufficiently developed to ensure that rigorous monitoring across both classes of the Foundation Stage takes place on a regular basis.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults provide good role-models. • There are inconsistent expectations of behaviour in the Reception class.

p.17

Commentary

39. Many children enter the Nursery with personal and social skills that are well below national expectations. However, they settle quickly and respond to adults in a way that demonstrates that they are happy, confident and secure. This reflects good achievement due to the calm skilful teaching of all staff in the Nursery. Children of different cultural and social backgrounds play happily together, sharing resources and taking turns. Most children display a growing confidence when trying new activities. By the time that they enter Year 1, few children attain the learning goals and their attainment is below average.

p.17

Commentary

40. Adults, especially in the Nursery, provide good role models for children. They clearly and calmly explain what is expected and children respond in a positive manner. In the Reception class, when tasks are not clearly explained by adults, children misunderstand what is expected of them and, despite trying their best, are sometimes shouted at and disciplined for not understanding. When the children in the Reception class are sure about the teacher’s Victory Primary School - 16 expectations, they behave well and work harmoniously with one another in a friendly and confident atmosphere.

p.17

Commentary

41. The Reception class children do not have direct access to an outside play space and take their playtime with the children from Year 1 and Year 2. The children in the Nursery have daily access to their designated outdoor play-space. When they are outside, the children share toys and make up games in a friendly purposeful manner and demonstrate a clear sense of right and wrong. Children in the Reception class learn the difference between right and wrong but are not guided to behave sensibly at all times, especially when moving around the school.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in the Nursery and members of staff provide good role-models of language. • Teaching is satisfactory in the Reception class but explanations are not always clear and children misinterpret instructions.

p.18

Commentary

42. Children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below national expectations in communication and language. Many children have English as an additional language and some speak very little English when they first start school. A small proportion of children reach the early learning goals expected in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year, though overall their attainment is well below average and their achievement is satisfactory.

p.18

Commentary

43. There is appropriate emphasis in the Nursery on developing children’s speaking and listening skills. Instructions for activities are very clear and are re-told in a number of different ways to ensure that all children understand what they are expected to do. The use of visual information helps all children, including those new to English, to understand what is happening and what they are expected to do. Children with special educational needs and those are a very early stage of learning English are well supported by all the adults in the Nursery. All adults effectively support the development of children’s communication skills by providing good role models in the way they talk to the children. Children listen attentively during the daily story session and are keen to answer the teacher’s questions. Small-group activities are well led by the teacher and the Nursery nurse who both take every available opportunity to teach the

p.18

Commentary

children new vocabulary and engage children in meaningful conversations.

p.18

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching in the Reception class is satisfactory overall although one unsatisfactory lesson was seen. Children have regular opportunities to practise early writing skills but these opportunities are not always well planned or delivered. In one session, the teacher provided small whiteboards and marker pens for the children; the pens were tossed across the carpet area for each child to catch, children were not encouraged to sit at tables in order to develop good pen control and the teacher’s handwriting to demonstrate the letters “c” and “o” did not provide a good model for children to follow. In a mathematics lesson, the teacher did not explain what she wanted the children to do in clear uncomplicated language and this led to the children misunderstanding what was expected of them, misinterpreting the task and subsequently being disciplined by the teacher.

p.18

Commentary

45. Children in the Nursery and Reception class enjoy stories and have a growing knowledge of well-known children’s stories, nursery rhymes and classic fairy tales. Victory Primary School - 17

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The overall provision for mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are provided with a good range of practical mathematical activities in the Nursery. • Teaching in the Reception class is sometimes unsatisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

46. Most children in the Nursery make good progress from the low level of skill on entry. Teaching is consistently good and children are provided with a good range of practical mathematical activities to match, sort and count, using everyday objects. They also enjoy playing mathematical games that are linked to the class topic. Younger children in the Nursery can count objects accurately to three and the older children can count accurately to five. Few children attain the expected goals on entering Year 1. Progress in learning the Reception class is satisfactory overall but is slower than in the Nursery because the teaching is less focused. Children in the Reception class can recite numbers to 50 and most can accurately count objects to ten. They are beginning to develop the concept of size and can use words such as “bigger than” and “smaller than”. The children’s achievement is satisfactory overall.

p.19

Commentary

47. Children in the Reception class enjoy counting games and most can recognise two-digit numbers up to 50. When activities are clearly explained by adults, children follow instructions well and enjoy mathematical tasks. However, when they are not absolutely clear as to what to do or what is expected of them, their behaviour deteriorates and their work and progress are unsatisfactory. Most children are on course to achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

The overall provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Topic work in the Nursery and Reception classes provides a sound context for children to learn about the wider world.

p.19

Commentary

48. Children enter the Nursery with very limited knowledge and understanding of the world. Topic planning in the Nursery and Reception class provides children with a sound context for extending this knowledge. For instance, both classes have recently visited a farm and almost all the work in the Nursery class, including stories, mathematical games, creative activities and physical pastimes, were linked to the farm topic in some way. The links in the Reception class were less clear. Few children are on course to achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning by the end of the Reception Year. Their achievement is satisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

49. Through clear links to the farm visit, children in the Nursery are making good progress in developing their knowledge and understanding of farm animals, plants, crops and the food chain. Children in the Nursery class can identify and name sheep, cows and horses. They play co-operatively together in the “Farm Shop” and invent games linked to their farm visit in the outdoor area. Victory Primary School - 18 50. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, though it is more effective in the Nursery class. Both the Nursery and Reception class have a good range of equipment and resources to provide well for this area of learning. Both classes have computers in regular use plus a range of other technical equipment such as tape recorders and headphones.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Planning for physical development in the Nursery is good. • Outdoor play space is limited but best use is made of it by the Nursery. • The Reception class does not have direct access to outdoor play space.

p.20

Commentary

51. Generally speaking, the children enter the Nursery with average levels of attainment in this area of learning. Children in the Nursery have free access to an outside enclosed play area. The range of activities provided in the outside area is sound and best use is made of the limited space available. Activities are appropriately linked to the class topic and children make good progress in developing their climbing, running, balancing and riding skills. Most children demonstrate reasonable co-ordination and overall, most are on course to achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning before the end of the Reception Year. Their achievement is satisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Children in the Reception class do not have direct access to any outdoor play space. This limits opportunity for their physical development. In the Reception class, children make satisfactory progress in physical education lessons where they learn to run, hop, balance and roll. They undress independently, managing buckles and buttons and put their shoes on the correct feet.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of creative activities is provided in the Nursery and a sound reception range is provided in the Reception class.

p.20

Commentary

53. Children enter the Nursery with below average attainment in this area. Creative activities in the Nursery and Reception class are often linked to the topic being followed, so during the week of the inspection, most activities were linked to the recent farm visit. Children in the Nursery have opportunities to draw, paint, use glue and make models.

p.20

Commentary

54. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teaching is good in the Nursery. Here, children enjoy creative activities and are proud of their achievements, as demonstrated by a small group of children working with the nursery nurse to make model sheep from toilet roll holders, tissue paper, pipe cleaners and kapok. Evidence from children’s work and from displays in the classroom illustrates that children in the Reception class have a satisfactory range of opportunities for creative development and that a significant minority are on course to achieve the early learning goals, though overall, their attainment is below average. Their achievement is satisfactory. Victory Primary School - 19

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ inconsistent approaches to assessment and marking restrict pupils’ progress. • Unsatisfactory presentation and handwriting detract from the overall quality of pupils’ work. • Curriculum coverage is sound and content is often presented to pupils in an interesting and relevant way. • There is some high-quality teaching in Years 1, 5 and 6.

p.21

Commentary

55. Pupils’ standards in English by the age of seven are below the national average in reading and writing. Pupils’ attainment is better in reading than in writing but standards remain below average by the end of Year 2. Standards in speaking and listening are also below average by the end of Year 2. Despite the below average standards, pupils achieve well from a low starting point. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve soundly, and make particularly good progress in Years 5 and 6. Standards overall are below average at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

p.21

Commentary

56. Pupils’ attainment is better in reading than in writing. Approximately 50 per cent of pupils attain national standards in reading by the end of Year 6, with a significant minority of pupils achieving higher levels. Pupils enjoy reading and many regularly borrow books from the school library. Higher-attaining pupils in Year 6 read fluently with very good understanding and expression. Pupils in Year 2 are keen to read and are generally pleased with their progress. Overall, achievement in writing is good. Pupils enjoy borrowing books from the school library but do not talk in great detail about favourite books or authors. Pupils in Year 2 said they did not read regularly to their parents but often read to themselves or to older siblings and cousins.

p.21

Commentary

57. Standards of writing are below average at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. Pupils have opportunities to write in a variety of styles and for a range of purposes, including stories, reports, recounts, poems, invitations and letters. Work is usually presented in a variety of interesting ways that are relevant to pupils’ own experiences. From a low starting point, pupils achieve well in acquiring and developing their writing skills.

p.21

Commentary

58. In most lessons, pupils make at least satisfactory gains in learning. The good relationships between teachers and pupils help to ensure that pupils are included in all aspects of lessons. Some teachers are particularly skilled at matching their questions to pupils’ individual learning needs. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and are effectively supported by teaching assistants who are usually well briefed and appropriately deployed by the teacher. Support is generally quiet, focused and unobtrusive. However, there are limitations in the provision for pupils who are at an early stage of English language acquisition. Programmes to support those at a very early stage of learning English are not always clearly thought through. There is little individual and focused work and, as a result, their progress in learning and achievement is limited.

p.21

Commentary

59. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. However, teaching and learning is good or very good in Years 1, 5 and 6. Where teaching was good or better, it was characterised by clear learning intentions that were effectively shared with pupils, lively Victory Primary School - 20 presentation, clear explanations, interesting curriculum content and brisk pace. The pupils’ behaviour was good and they had a positive attitude to learning. They listened attentively and were keen to participate by answering teachers’ questions and by offering their own ideas and suggestions. Within the context of consistently satisfactory teaching, weaknesses include inconsistent expectations across the school with regard to acceptable standards of spelling, handwriting and general presentation of pupils’ work. There are also inconsistent approaches to the marking of pupils’ work and differences in the way teachers give feedback to pupils on

p.21

Commentary

how to improve their work. This varies from very good in some classes to scant in others. The inconsistency in teachers’ marking and feedback limits progress because too few comments are made to provide pupils with adequate guidance as to how they can improve. The low standards of spelling, handwriting and presentation in pupils’ books detract from the overall quality of pupils’ work, the content of which is sometimes very good, with some pupils producing thoughtful and insightful pieces.

p.22

Commentary

60. Curriculum coverage is satisfactory and work is usually presented in interesting and lively ways that are relevant to pupils’ experience. Each class has at least an hour of literacy each day and pupils are also given opportunities to practise their extended writing, as this has been a key focus for the school. The school also has a key focus on improving standards in speaking and listening and almost all lessons include opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their speaking skills.

p.22

Commentary

61. English is effectively led and managed but the role of the subject co-ordinator is not fully developed to ensure that standards of teaching, learning and pupils’ progress are regularly monitored and evaluated.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

62. English across the curriculum is satisfactory. Sound use is made of writing across the curriculum and some good cross-curricular links are made in English lessons, especially with history and science. The school is placing a strong emphasis on developing speaking and listening skills and pupils are encouraged to listen attentively and express their own ideas and opinions in all subjects. However, weaknesses in both handwriting and spelling affect the quality of work in other subjects, particularly history, geography and religious education.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in national tests for seven- and 11-year-olds have been consistently below or well below the national average. • Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6. • There are indications of good improvement and currently, throughout the school, standards are in line with national expectations. • The newly-appointed mathematics co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. • Pupils are keen to learn and to do well. • Gifted and talented pupils achieve very well.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. In the tests for both seven- and 11-year-olds, results have remained below, and last year, well below the national average since the last inspection. Nearly half of all pupils taking the tests have not attained the average level expected at each stage. There have been some improvements, most notably among the most able pupils in Year 6, but the overall improvement trend has been weak. There are no significant differences in the performance of girls and boys. However, there are indications that standards are improving even though there is some variation between year groups. Overall, inspection findings are that standards are Victory Primary School - 21 close to national expectations for pupils throughout the school. Pupils’ achievement fluctuates between classes and even within lessons, but pupils want to do well and overall, their achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory and it is good in Years 3 to 6. In a Year 2 lesson,

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

for example, pupils were able to read a clock to the half- and quarter-hour with a high degree of accuracy but had much greater difficulty solving time problems in the second part of the lesson. They worked hard and independently but made many mistakes because they did not understand what they had to do, and some could not read the questions. As a result, standards varied widely; more able pupils achieved well as did less able pupils who benefited from teacher support, but the majority of average-attaining pupils working on their own did not achieve as well as they could. By contrast, in a Year 1 lesson, pupils could classify and organise information they had collected on their favourite sandwiches, and all pupils working in groups with effective teacher support were able to represent this information in bar charts, and most also had the opportunity to do this on the computer. As a result, standards in this lesson

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

were above expectations and pupils achieved well. Overall, pupils in Years 1 and 2 are confident in addition and subtraction, but their ability to use these skills to solve a simple problems is weak.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. By Year 6, standards are coming closer to the national average, though pupils have to do a lot of catching up on mathematical skills. This is assisted by booster classes for target groups who are currently identified as under-performing or below target. Since the start of the autumn term, the whole of the present Year 6 has covered a great deal of work. Pupils are developing better understanding of space and shapes through the wider use of angle measurement, refraction and nets. Their skills of interpretation are applied well in frequency tables, bar graphs and pie charts.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

65. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and it is good in Years 3 - 6. Teaching is always at least satisfactory and on occasion, in Year 5, it is excellent. Lesson planning reflects good subject knowledge which is well matched to the needs of the curriculum. Teachers’ explanations and learning objectives are clear and well supported by questioning in the first part of all lessons, which results in effective learning. Pupils are well motivated, learn well and enjoy this part of lessons. But on occasion, pupils receive insufficient support in using the skills they have learnt for their independent work in the main part of lessons. The result is that pupils’ learning and achievement are limited. In addition, pupils also find it difficult to maintain concentration in lessons which are sometimes too long. In the best lessons, teachers ensure that all groups receive the support they require to complete their

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

work successfully. In these lessons, the quick pace resulted in high pupil productivity, a real sense of confidence and very good achievement by all pupils irrespective of their prior attainment.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

66. The new co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. He has, for example, undertaken a comprehensive review of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in the test results at the end of Years 2 and 6 and these are starting to be addressed in lesson planning. In addition, the revised arrangements for targeted booster lessons, with pupils identified through new attainment tracking systems, are having a positive impact on the pupils’ achievement and the standards of attainment.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

67. There are some examples of mathematics being used across the curriculum; for example in science, when pupils were skilled when weighing and measuring soils as part of an investigation. In geography, pupils prepare good quality graphs and charts. However, overall, there are too few opportunities to extend pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding across the curriculum because this is not systematically planned. Victory Primary School - 22

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in tests are very low for 11-year-olds. • Pupils’ achievement is good and they have a positive attitude to science and enjoy their lessons. • The quality of teaching is always good and is very good in the top two years in the school. • Teachers’ assessments for seven-year-olds show average standards. • The leadership provided by the co-ordinator is very good and is beginning to impact positively on standards in lessons. • The curriculum is good.

p.24

Commentary

68. In the 2003 tests for 11-year-olds, in comparison with all schools nationally, standards were very low. In each of the past three years, standards have been in the bottom five per cent. Compared to similar schools, standards are well below average. Teachers’ assessments for seven-year-olds in 2003 show standards that are average. This shows a significant improvement since the last inspection. However, inspection findings indicate that there are significant signs of improvement for pupils in Year 6. In lessons, pupils generally attain average standards throughout the school, and the most able attain above average standards, particularly in Years 5 and 6. The pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school, and on occasion it is very good. There is a direct link between the pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching and learning. Where teaching is very good or excellent, as it is in the top two year

p.24

Commentary

groups, achievement is very good, with all pupils making good gains in knowledge and understanding.

p.24

Commentary

69. Pupils enter the school with well below average knowledge and skills in science. The good teaching and good curriculum support good progress in learning, and although the pupils in Year 2 have weaknesses in explaining their work, their knowledge levels are at least in line with national expectations. These pupils have a secure knowledge of what conditions are required to enable growth to occur. In one good lesson, the skilful teaching, which required the pupils to turn their ideas to ‘What plants need to grow?’, enabled them to learn well and to start to apply their knowledge when drawing conclusions. This is particularly good practice because throughout the school, pupils have at least average levels of knowledge about the areas of science that they are studying. There are some weaknesses in their ability to apply their knowledge to various situations. For this reason, the school has rightly decided, as part of the

p.24

Commentary

science action plan, to focus in particular on developing the pupils’ investigative skills. This should help them to strengthen their understanding of the scientific concepts that are well taught.

p.24

Commentary

70. Pupils make good progress in their learning and achieve well through Years 3 and 4. For example, in a good Year 3 lesson, the teacher was focusing on developing the pupils’ skills in devising a fair test when investigating different types of soils to see which drains the water easier. Here, the investigation was well planned to both extend the pupils’ knowledge of the properties of chalk and clay soils and also their investigative skills, both in the concept of scientific fairness and also in drawing conclusions from findings. Victory Primary School - 23 71. By the time that they reach Years 5 and 6, pupils develop a sound knowledge of the required science curriculum. In lessons, they achieve very well and attain standards that are in line with expectations, both in their knowledge and understanding of electrical circuits. The most able pupils achieved particularly well. This is because the very good teaching provides challenging

p.24

Commentary

72. The quality of teaching and learning are good through the school, with some very good lessons in Years 5 and 6. Teachers plan lessons well and, as a result of the focused work of the subject leader’s action plan, there is a strong emphasis on practical work. Teachers use very good technical language which is then modelled well by pupils. This, too, helps them to grasp scientific concepts effectively. Lessons are always part of a sequence and teachers build the series of lessons well. This helps pupils’ understanding and also encourages them to work collaboratively. As a result, the pupils thoroughly enjoy science, have positive attitudes and learn well.

p.25

Commentary

73. The science co-ordinator leads the subject very well. She has carefully analysed the outcomes of both internal and national tests to ensure that any curricular gaps are well covered. She provides good guidance and support for teachers throughout the school. The impact of this is positive and it is a key reason why attainment in lessons is better than in the national tests.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The most able pupils achieve well. • Standards are too low because until recently, not all the curriculum has been taught to all pupils.

p.25

Commentary

74. In the last inspection, there were weaknesses identified in both the pupils’ attainment and the quality and range of the curriculum for ICT. There have been improvements in both since that time, though weaknesses remain. Standards for pupils in Years 1 and 2 are in line with national expectations. In lessons, standards are generally in line with expectations in Years 3 to 6. Pupils in Year 6 attain the national expectations in the work that they are undertaking in lessons, but there are gaps in their knowledge and understanding of ICT because the full range of the statutory curriculum has only been in place for the last year or so. As a result, overall, standards are below expectations for pupils in Year 6.

p.25

Commentary

75. Achievement is good throughout the school. As a result of generally good teaching pupils make good gains in their knowledge and understanding. They enjoy using ICT and have positive attitudes. Throughout the school, pupils are skilled at using computers and by the time that they reach Year 2, they are adept in using word-processing programs. The pupils are able to undertake basic tasks well. In one good lesson, the Year 2 pupils were able to create a bullet-pointed list of key facts about Florence Nightingale. The pupils could embolden their text, centre and highlight key information. The used the toolbar to select appropriate bullet points and all were able to insert clipart into the high quality documents that they produced.

p.25

Commentary

76. Pupils continue to progress well in their learning through the junior years. Due to good teaching, they achieve well, though there are areas of the curriculum that have not been taught to the oldest pupils in the school. As a result, there are significant gaps in their knowledge. For example, in a Year 3 lesson, pupils were able to create a database, create fields and the most able could save and gain information from their own database. However, Year 6 pupils Victory Primary School - 24 were little further forward in their knowledge of databases than were the Year 3 pupils. This is because they had not, until recently, been exposed to the full range of the curriculum. However, Year 6 pupils achieve very well in lessons. When asked to compare similarities and differences between two different riverside settlements on major rivers, they were adept at making use of the Internet, calling up information, extracting useful data and downloading

p.25

Commentary

appropriate images to support their work. As a result, the pupils gained a strong understanding of the difference between settlements on the Rivers Nile and Thames.

p.26

Commentary

77. The quality of teaching and learning in lessons seen was always good. Teachers prepare lessons well, make good use of the good quality resources available in the ICT suite, are clear about what they want the pupils to learn and consistently make good connections between ICT and other subjects being taught. Teaching assistants make a very positive contribution in lessons as does the Learning Mentor who is highly skilled in supporting teaching and learning in ICT.

p.26

Commentary

78. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory overall. In some areas, there has been very good improvement. For example, there has been a strong training programme for staff, the ICT suite has been upgraded and the curriculum substantially enhanced. In consequence, teachers’ knowledge, understanding and confidence in teaching ICT have improved and very good use is being made of digital cameras. However, there remains much to achieve. There is a programme for the gifted and talented pupils that includes some additional teaching of ICT. As a result of this, the most able pupils make good use of a computer-controlled microscope and some are particularly adept in keyboard skills as a result of an individualised teaching program. However, weaknesses remain in parts of the curriculum, particularly in the use of ICT for controlling mechanisms and for monitoring purposes. Although these aspects are

p.26

Commentary

included in the curriculum and the school has appropriate programs on the machines to support these areas, pupils’ experiences, particularly in the upper part of the school, are limited.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79. There are some good examples of teachers making effective use of ICT across the curriculum. This occurs in most subjects including science, history, geography, mathematics and English. Teachers, when teaching ICT in the suite, invariably teach lessons that support learning in the full range of subjects. This is good practice and as a consequence, pupils achieve satisfactorily. In addition, the very good use made of the school’s digital cameras to enhance learning helps to develop the pupils’ skills. However, not all teachers make use of the computers in their classrooms on a day-to-day basis to enhance the pupils’ learning and this limits achievement.

p.26

HUMANITIES

80. Work was sampled in history, geography and religious education , with only two lessons being seen in history and geography and one in religious education. It is therefore not possible to make judgements about the provision in these subjects. There is evidence from pupils’ work that standards may be in line with national expectations in history and geography. In religious education, there are indications that standards are in line with both national expectations and those of the locally agreed syllabus. Achievement in all three subjects is generally satisfactory, with some good achievement in Years 5 and 6.

p.26

HUMANITIES

81. In history , Year 2 pupils have developed an effective understanding of changes in their own lives and the way of life of those around them. They are beginning to develop knowledge and understanding of the lives of famous people and how they have changed the lives of others. In their present study of Florence Nightingale, pupils know, understand and recall a great deal about her work, who she was, what she did, why she worked as a nurse, what she found, and what she did to improve nursing and hospitals. Pupils were able to describe in great detail how she felt and what she did to change the lives of soldiers in hospital. Here, achievement is good. Victory Primary School - 25 A Year 4 lesson focused on school life in the 1930s compared with today’s classroom experience. Pupils were very interested in the comparison, learned and achieved well. They particularly gained from the role-play as teachers and pupils, though their learning slowed

p.26

HUMANITIES

when they were writing down their observations. By Year 6, due to the good curriculum and teaching, pupils have learnt appropriately about Victorian Britain, the Romans and Anglo- Saxons, Ancient Greece, and the Tudors. Evidence from two very good displays of pupils’ work which were very well observed, and interpreted and discussion with pupils, suggests that pupils are gaining knowledge, skills and understanding appropriately.

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HUMANITIES

82. In geography , in Years 1 and 2, pupils develop their knowledge of the local area and mapping skills. In a good Year 1 lesson, pupils learnt and then could record how milk comes from the cow and how it is processed, transported and finally delivered. In a sound Year 4 lesson, pupils had to identify and locate major cities in the UK and understand the importance of population density. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop appropriate geographical skills and knowledge through the study of a less developed country, learning about Europe, and the impact of water on the physical environment.

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HUMANITIES

83. In religious education , there is evidence, from discussions with pupils, reviewing both pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, that standards are broadly in line with the expectations of both the locally agreed syllabus and those expected nationally. Religious education is taught through a series of themes and this helps to bring about good understanding. Year 2 pupils are able to identify the key features of the Christian religion and are developing a sound understanding of the symbols associated with the Christian church. In the one lesson taught during the inspection, Year 5 pupils achieved well when being taught about the Buddhists’ eight steps to enlightenment. The pupils showed maturity and sensitivity when discussing the concept of enlightenment, and they were able to explain with perceptive and insightful understanding which of the eight steps could be most applicable to them. They discussed their reasons

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HUMANITIES

thoughtfully and expressed their emotions very effectively, displaying a strong empathy for the topic being considered. Year 6 pupils have developed a sound understanding of the key religions being taught and can discuss with confidence and accuracy the main features of the religions and symbols associated with them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The specialist teaching of music is good and often very good. • The quality of learning is good.

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Commentary

84. Standards in music are in line with expectations for pupils in Year 2, and are above expectations for pupils in Year 6. This reflects a good improvement since the previous inspection, when standards were judged to be below expectations. Throughout the school, pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, achieve well.

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Commentary

85. Year 1 pupils show, through their clapping and movement, a gradual awareness of simple repeated patterns in singing and drumming. They are able to recognise changes in sounds, though some are unsure of the wordings of the song used. Year 2 pupils demonstrate a satisfactory understanding of how musical instruments can be used to create different moods and effects, for example those associated with a story setting. In singing and drumming, Victory Primary School - 26 many older pupils, particularly those in Year 5, show an eagerness to improve the quality of sound and harmony with a view to keeping rhythms in performance. They have started performing with increasing accuracy whilst moving to drumming beats.

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Commentary

86. Teaching and learning are good, with some very good features. In particular, the teachers’ planning, teaching and learning strategies employed and their very good subject knowledge make a strong contribution to the good quality. These positive aspects, together with effective management of resources and pupils, impact on the pupils’ learning, which is good overall. Almost all pupils respond positively to their teachers’ high expectations by consolidating and extending their performance, composition of music and relevant vocabulary. For example, Year 3 pupils make good progress in composing and rehearsing melodic patterns such as an ‘ostinato’ rhythm. Pupils talk about their musical activities with a great deal of enthusiasm and collaborate well in sharing resources, these being further characteristics of the good quality learning.

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Commentary

87. Music enjoys a high profile in the school. The curriculum is now good, which is an improvement since the last inspection where the statutory programmes of study were not taught fully. Pupils’ enjoyment of singing was noted in a whole-school assembly and they gain from after-school musical activities. There is a focus on music from other cultures such as African drumming.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Year 6. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • The curriculum is good and is enhanced by specialist input and support from outside the school.

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Commentary

88. Standards of attainment in physical education are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and are above expectations at the end of Year 6. This represents an improvement since the last inspection where standards were in line with expectations at the end of Year 6 and swimming was not taught. Pupils throughout the school achieve well.

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Commentary

89. Many Year 2 pupils demonstrate satisfactory skills in sending and receiving a ball with or without a tennis racket. They have also started playing their different roles in a team game situation, though their skills in aiming a ball at a target are not fully developed. Younger pupils also throw and catch balls in a sequence, with a minority of relatively more agile children demonstrating a reasonable accuracy in their ball skills. Most Year 6 pupils show well developed precision, control and fluency in dance in an activity focused on creating the introductory scene to West Side Story , an example of a high quality performance with every pupil being fully in role. Pupils in Year 4 show appropriate ball passing skills in playing rugby by agreed rules and their spatial awareness is fairly well developed. In swimming, 18 out of 30 Year 6 pupils achieved the full length last year.

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Commentary

90. The quality of teaching and learning was good and some lessons was very good and excellent. Clear lesson objectives, instructions and effective questioning reflect secure, and sometimes very good, subject knowledge. Teachers’ involvement in demonstrating skills often enhances pupils’ participation. The quality of learning is good. Most pupils respond positively to their teachers’ high expectations by behaving well and applying themselves fully to the activity. However, on occasion, activities are not well paced and warm-up sessions are short and Victory Primary School - 27 lacking in rigour. Many pupils throughout the school work enthusiastically in developing individual and team strategies relating to games. The large majority collaborate well in groups, reflecting positive attitudes to team work and sportsmanship. This supports the good achievement in both individual and team work.

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Commentary

91. The curriculum is good. All statutory requirements are met. The school now has good arrangements for the teaching of swimming. There are well-established links with a range of organisations, including Southwark Sports Development Team which enables specialist teaching to strengthen provision.

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Commentary

92. Work was sampled in art and design and design and technology . One lesson was seen in design and technology and none in art and design. It is therefore not possible to form an overall evaluation of the provision in these subjects.

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Commentary

93. In art and design, there are indications from displays, pupils’ work and discussions with pupils, that standards in art are at least in line with expectations at the end of both Years 2 and 6, with some older pupils exceeding them. There are indications that pupils achieve well overall and very well by the end of Year 6. By the end of Year 2, most pupils show good skills in collage-making inspired by Matisse and some work based on Rousseau’s ‘Tiger in a Storm’ . ‘Pop art’ pictures made by Year 6 pupils reflect above average knowledge and understanding of perspective drawing. Higher-attaining pupils have made high quality African masks and animal prints. Work on display also represents good quality portrait making, weaving and the use of a broad range of media, including pencil, chalk, pastel and charcoal.

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Commentary

94. Teachers’ planning suggests that the school meets statutory requirements relating to art and design and the curriculum is good. An example of tapestry/patchwork on the theme of Mythical Beasts and some murals on the theme of people reflect collaboration with other local schools and community groups. The enthusiastic way in which some pupils talked about their previous work demonstrated their interest in art activities. The very good use of art from other cultures (eg African, Latin American and Greek) makes a good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The display of pupils' work around the school enhances the learning environment and is likely to have a positive impact on pupils' achievement.

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Commentary

95. In design and technology , the analysis of teachers’ plans, pupils’ books and pupils’ work on display indicates that the subject has an adequate amount of curriculum time and is satisfactorily delivered in all year groups. Standards of pupils’ work are in line with national expectations and some work, for example, papier mache Greek vases made by Year 5 and chairs designed by Year 3, is of an above average standard. There is a sound curriculum action plan for the subject and all staff received training in the planning and delivery of design and technology in 2003. This shows an improvement since the previous inspection when there were weaknesses identified in curriculum and standards were below average.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

96. Although no lessons were seen in this area, and therefore no overall judgement on provision can be made, it is an aspect of learning that is generally well supported in most classes. It is apparent that pupils’ personal and social education is good. It has a positive impact on all that the school seeks to do in terms of developing confident people in their own right. The school works hard to ensure that pupils work and operate harmoniously. The work of the school council has the potential to support the development of pupils’ skills to help them to establish their roles as citizens. Although the council has only recently been formed, there are indications that this has had a positive impact in these areas. The overall curriculum in this area is good, and there are weekly timetabled sessions for all classes. Victory Primary School - 28

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 6 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4 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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