Falconbrook Primary School

FALCONBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 – 27 November 2003

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FALCONBROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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FALCONBROOK 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. Falconbrook Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 373

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wye Street Battersea London Postcode: SW11 2LX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 7228 7706 Fax number: 020 7228 0803

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Cllr T Strickland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 – 16 September 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Falconbrook is a spacious inner-city Victorian school with a surviving, and now quite rare, rooftop playground. The surrounding area is largely local-authority or housing-trust accommodation, and there is much poverty and deprivation amongst local families. Over half the pupils are entitled to free school meals. One third of pupils are from white British backgrounds, and the rest have a wide variety of heritages, mainly African or Caribbean. There is a rich cultural mix, giving the school an exciting, stimulating and lively environment that benefits all pupils. Over 40 per cent of pupils have English as an additional language. The school has 38 pupils who are at early stage of acquiring English. The most common languages are Somali, Bengali and Spanish. These pupils receive support from 1.3 teachers in Year R to Year 3. Pupil mobility is high. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is high at over 30 per cent, and the proportion of pupils with

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

statements of SEN is broadly average at about two per cent. The school is part of an Education Action Zone (EAZ) and involved in other initiatives, including the Single Regeneration Budget, Sure Start, the Children’s Fund, the Youth Improvement Programme and BEST (business and education succeeding together). The school also has ‘Investors in People’ status. There are drop-in facilities for pre-school parents, and the school works in partnership with the Elsley Pupil Referral Unit and the nearby Hornsby Dyslexia Centre. When they enter the school, children’s standards are well below average. Falconbrook Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

30600 Brian Espiner Lead inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, music, physical education 19322 Judi Bedawi Lay inspector 30266 Hilma Rask Team inspector The foundation stage, special educational needs, science, art, design and technology 32123 Penny Price Team inspector English, geography, history, religious education 20832 Mohindar Galowalia Team Inspector English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Parkman Ltd in association with PkR 35 Trewartha Park Weston-super-Mare BS23 2RT

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides its pupils with a sound education. Teaching and learning are satisfactory . Leadership and management are good overall. Pupils make satisfactory progress from a low starting point. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher provides very good leadership, with excellent clarity of vision, sense of purpose and aspirations. • Standards in musical performance are well above average and the steel band is excellent. • Although standards are improving in English, mathematics and science, they are still well below average in the present Year 6. • The use of assessment in lesson planning and teaching is unsatisfactory. • Attendance is well below average and punctuality is poor. • The school’s commitment to, and promotion of, educational inclusion is very good. • The school provides its pupils with good role-models, and there are very good, trusting relationships between pupils and staff. • Links with the community and other educational institutions are very good. • The school’s provision for the continuing professional development of staff is very good. • The supervision of the junior playground is unsatisfactory.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Not all teachers are trained in involving pupils with English as an additional language fully in class and specialist staff are not always deployed effectively, particularly in Years 4 to 6.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There were eight major recommendations in the last inspection report. Three of these concerned governance, which has improved quite dramatically. There were many serious concerns about provision in Years 3 to 6, and this has also improved well. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall throughout the school. Standards are below average on entering Year 1, on leaving Year 2 and in every junior class except Year 6, where standards are well below average . An exception to this is in music, where pupils’ progress is very good , especially in juniors, and standards in Year 6 are well above average .

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E E* E E mathematics E* E* E E* science E E* E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. E* indicates that the school was in the bottom 5% of schools nationally or with similar attainment four years ago in Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The ‘similar schools’ results should be treated very cautiously because pupil mobility is high and therefore these results do not necessarily reflect progress in this school. A more accurate comparison would be with schools having a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals, where English and science results were above average in the 2003 national tests and in mathematics were below average. Standards are improving in line with national trends. In consultation with the local education authority, the school sets challenging but realistic targets for the numbers of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected level of the National Curriculum in English and mathematics. These targets were reached in mathematics in 2003 and almost reached in English. Falconbrook Primary School - 7 Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good . Attitudes and behaviour are good . Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and good in the Foundation Stage. Assessment, although it is good in the Foundation Stage, is unsatisfactory overall. The curriculum is good in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory overall. It is well supported by good extra-curricular activities.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school seeks, values and acts on pupils’ views, involving them well. The school is an important part of the community and uses its links very well. It also makes very good use of links with other educational establishments. All these things have a positive effect on pupils’ development and achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher leads the school very well , and she is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and senior management team. Governance is good . Governors are dedicated and hard working, have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and where it needs to improve, and fulfil their statutory duties well. Management is good and delegated effectively.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents are very supportive. In the questionnaire, the parents’ meeting, discussions and letters, there was nothing that a significant minority was unhappy with. Pupils like the school and are very loyal. They are particularly happy about having an adult in school that they can go to if they are worried about something.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve standards further in English, mathematics and science. • Improve the use of assessment in lesson planning and teaching. • Improve attendance and punctuality. • Improve the supervision of the junior playground. • Improve the support for pupils with English as an additional language in Years 4 to 6. Falconbrook Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards are below average at the end of the Foundation Stage and in Year 2 and well below average in Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are below average in Year 2 and well below average in Year 6. • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below expectations. • The high mobility of teachers has a detrimental effect on the continuity of pupils’ education and, therefore, their progress, although the school does all it can to minimise this. • Standards in musical performance are well above expectations.

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Commentary

1. Children enter the school with attainment that is well below that which is usually seen. They leave the Foundation Stage with below average standards in personal, social and emotional development, English, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world, with few having achieved the early learning goals, the standards expected for their age. Most children achieve these standards in creative and physical development.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 14.5 (15.3) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. The point scores show that, in last year’s national tests, Year 2 pupils were about six months behind the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, which is well below average. Standards in the present Year 2 are slightly better than this, and are below average in all three subjects and in ICT. Standards in speaking and listening are still well below average. Some pupils do not experience a home life that actively encourages progress in these areas. In religious education, history and art, standards are broadly in line with expectations. Standards in singing are above expectations. No judgement was made in design and technology, geography and physical education.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.0 (22.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 23.9 (23.2) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.0 (25.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 41 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. The point scores show that, in the 2003 national tests, Year 6 pupils were about six months behind the national average in English and science, and about a year behind in mathematics. All of these were well below average, and they remain well below average in the present Falconbrook Primary School - 9 Year 6. However, standards in Years 3, 4 and 5 are better than this, and are below average. Indeed, the present Year 5 pupils are at about the same standard as Year 6 pupils in mathematics and science. Year 6 has a high number of pupils with special educational needs, and Year 6 pupils had some poor teaching in the past. Because of these factors, the changes brought about by the headteacher have not had as much impact on Year 6 standards as they have lower down the school. For example, timetabling Year 5 with Year 6 for mathematics has certainly improved the challenge to, and expectations of, Year 5 pupils. Standards in ICT

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Commentary

in Year 6 are below expectations. In religious education and art attainment is in line with expectations. In music, standards are well above expectations in singing and in playing tuned and untuned instruments. No judgements were made in other subjects.

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Commentary

4. An analysis of the work of pupils with English as an additional language shows satisfactory progress and achievement. For example, one recently-arrived pupil has learnt the alphabet and letter sounds and has started to read familiar words such as ‘wet’, ‘cold’ and ‘small’. However, shortage of support in Years 4 to 6 has slowed down the development of skills to use his knowledge of word structure to read unfamiliar words. Another pupil who has been acquiring English for several years still has problems with spellings such as ‘petes’ for ‘pets’, ‘discipel’ for ‘discipline’. However, her progress on word roots is good, for example, the use of prefixes ‘aqua’ and ‘bi’. The school is aware that there is not enough support in Years 4 to 6, but financial constraints have meant that a decision had to be made about how the available money was best spent. Quite rightly, senior managers chose to provide the support where it

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Commentary

was needed most, i.e., lower down the school.

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Commentary

5. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted or talented, now achieve satisfactorily throughout the school, although the achievement of the present Year 6 has been unsatisfactory in the past, largely because of unsatisfactory teaching from staff who have since left the school.

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Commentary

6. In common with many schools in London, there is a large turnover of teaching staff. Many are from Commonwealth countries and have little initial knowledge of the National Curriculum and Primary Strategy. Although the school works hard to give these teachers what they need, providing a great deal of necessary training, the mobility of teaching staff has a negative effect on pupils’ achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ learning attitudes are good. Behaviour is good overall, with far fewer fixed term exclusions than in previous years. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, and pupils’ personal qualities are developed well. Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy school and have good learning attitudes. • Behaviour is good, overall, and very good in assemblies, but a significant minority of pupils have challenging behaviour. • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. • Attendance and punctuality are unsatisfactory, but teamwork with the educational welfare officer is starting to secure effective improvement. • Some junior pupils do not enjoy playtimes due to the unsatisfactory behaviour of a minority.

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Commentary

7. Pupils know they are expected to learn and feel that they work hard. Pupils like lessons and make good contributions to class or group discussion, responding well to questions that make them think. They concentrate well, showing a keen interest when introduced to new work. Appropriate support is available for pupils with special educational needs, or with a home language other than English, so that they are fully involved. In a Year 4 history lesson, pupils Falconbrook Primary School - 10 were fascinated when shown a map of bombs dropped in the area in World War 2. Pupils work purposefully, trying to ensure that their work is neatly presented. However, almost all older pupils use pencil, so are not skilled at using ink pens. Pupils are proud of their school; a reception child confidently gave an inspector an impromptu guided tour of the Foundation Stage class areas.

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Commentary

8. Pupil behaviour is good overall, with the majority working steadily in class. A significant minority of pupils have challenging behaviour. Most teachers manage this well, following the good behaviour policy fairly and consistently, using strategies that work so that learning continues. In assemblies, whole-school behaviour is very good. However, when not directly supervised by teachers, a minority of junior pupils (mainly, but not entirely, boys) have unsatisfactory and sometimes poor behaviour at playtimes. As a result, some junior pupils do not enjoy their breaks. The school deals with incidents, including bullying, promptly once they are told; pupils know this. Fixed-term exclusions have decreased quite dramatically since the headteacher’s arrival, as she has actively, and successfully, sought ways to cope with poor behaviour.

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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 64 1 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 White – any other White background 18 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 22 1 0 Mixed – White and Black African 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 3 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 10 3 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 9 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 16 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 89 9 0 Black or Black British – African 95 6 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 23 17 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 14 1 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Assemblies comply with statutory requirements, providing a shared time for the community to reflect and enjoy. In one observed assembly, Christingle candles were lit, held by Year 5 pupils, adding to the calm atmosphere. Piano music played by the talented headteacher and deputy headteacher, with very good pupil performances, make a strong contribution to the positive spirituality that is important to the school. Pupils clearly understand right from wrong, knowing they have choices. The impact of moral issues is sometimes debated in lessons. Pupils listen silently, visibly moved by the taped account of a former wartime evacuee. Pupils have a strong sense of fairness and freedom to express their views. There is a good ‘family’ feel in the school. Falconbrook Primary School - 11 Adults set good examples of respect and positive relationships. This enables pupils from an

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Commentary

early age to care for and be supportive of others; most manage this with increasing maturity and social awareness. New pupils are readily accepted and make friends quickly. The breakfast club and the many other activities contribute well to pupils’ social and personal development. Cultural development is thriving. Pupils have many first-hand experiences, particularly in music and the arts, with visitor expertise to teach new skills. The schools’ exciting multicultural makeup is recognised and shared, providing an environment that promotes good racial equality and harmony. Pupils are well motivated by their exposure to different cultural heritages, respecting and valuing each others’ life experiences. Pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem as they master skills and are able to shine in non-academic ways.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 1.1 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 (2002/03).

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Commentary

10. Attendance is unsatisfactory, with a high percentage of unauthorised absence. Holidays are not authorised beyond the 10 days that may be granted and the school constantly tells parents how important attendance is. Despite this, many families still go on holiday in term-time and some keep their children off school without good reason, sometimes as a treat, or to see family members. This is unacceptable because of the detrimental impact on pupils’ learning. Authorised absence is affected by high mobility and some long-term illness; the school requests medical notes for long or repeated illness. Punctuality is a serious school concern. Far too many pupils arrive late and a significant minority are very late, often because their parents do not think it matters. Pupils do not like being late, as they miss vital literacy and numeracy lessons. There is a close working relationship with the educational welfare officer,

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Commentary

with a satisfactory impact on improving attendance. First-day calling is used to check absence; if there is no response, the educational welfare officer makes home visits. In extreme cases, parents face court proceedings to secure improvement. Pupils are rewarded for improved attendance, with a weekly target cup award and prizes for 100 per cent attendance. Despite the schools’ high profile on attendance and punctuality and its determination to improve, too many parents do not value education. These parents are not meeting their legal responsibilities to ensure that their children attend regularly and on time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is sound. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and good in the Foundation Stage. Assessment is unsatisfactory. The curriculum is satisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and very good in music.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning, including assessment, are good in the Foundation Stage. • The teaching and learning of singing and playing musical instruments is very good. • Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour throughout the school. • Equality of opportunity is promoted well. • Although assessment methods are thorough and constructive in Years 1 to 6, the use of assessment to respond to individual needs is unsatisfactory. Falconbrook Primary School - 12 • Marking is inconsistent. • Pupils in Years 1 to 6 do not always know how they can improve.

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Commentary

11. Teaching and learning are good in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum and assessment is used well at weekly planning meetings to modify what is being taught.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 62 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 (0%) 4 (6%) 25 (40%) 30 (48%) 3 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. Two of the unsatisfactory lessons were in mathematics and one was in science. These lessons were spread over the infant and junior years. The good and satisfactory lessons were also spread throughout the school, and across all subjects seen. One of the very good lessons was in English and the other three were in music. Because pupils reach high standards in music and make very good progress, it can be concluded that the teaching and learning of music are very good over time.

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Commentary

13. Pupils behave well in lessons and this is largely because all staff insist on high standards of behaviour at all times. Staff are constantly aware of the needs of different groups and equality of opportunity is good for all pupils. This results in a high degree of racial harmony and an increase in pupils’ self-confidence.

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Commentary

14. For pupils with English as an additional language, teaching and learning are satisfactory and contribute to satisfactory achievement. On occasions when teaching and learning are good the pupils achieve well. For example, in one lesson, the support teacher provided a good model of reading that increased pupils’ sight vocabulary and confidence. As a consequence, the target pupil started to read loudly with the teacher. However, the teacher missed the opportunity for the pupil to read independently and to assess how well she had acquired new vocabulary and language structure. The work that followed was well prepared and once the target pupil understood the pattern of how complex words were constructed, she was well on her way to come up with her own complex words such as ‘someone’, ‘everyday’ and ‘shoebox’. The teacher’s effective use of praise reinforced confidence and satisfaction. In another lesson, ineffective joint planning between the class teacher and the support teacher

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Commentary

produced only satisfactory learning and achievement. The questions were not structured and sequenced to maximise language acquisition. Class teachers do not always plan their lessons with the objective of meeting the needs of pupils who have not yet developed the expected competence in English. In such lessons, the pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The attitude to learning of pupils for whom English is an additional language is very good. This keeps them well focused on activities.

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Commentary

15. Assessment information is not used well enough to ensure that all pupils are consistently and appropriately challenged in lessons. Sometimes the task given is too challenging and some pupils require a high level of support or tasks are over-complicated and pupils do not understand what they are expected to do. As a result, pupils make satisfactory rather than good progress. This is often the case for those pupils who are just below the expected level for their age or who have limited literacy skills.

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Commentary

16. Assessment for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory. However, it has yet to benefit from the national guidance to allow monitoring of the pupils’ performance more rigorously. There is a need to train all teachers and teaching assistants to meet the language needs of linguistically diverse pupils to maximise their impact on pupils’ acquisition of English. Falconbrook Primary School - 13 17. The quality of marking is inconsistent across the school. The best marking informs pupils of what they have done well and indicates how they can improve; for example, a Year 2 teacher marked some writing with pupils and this helped them punctuate their work correctly. Good use is made of highlighting work in English to show pupils what they have done well and this raises their self-esteem and confidence. However, marking is sometimes too general in English, mathematics and science and marking in other subjects often does not indicate what

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Commentary

pupils have learned and what they need to learn next.

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Commentary

18. Pupils are not fully involved in assessing their own work. For example, some pupils assess their learning in a lesson by using a finger to show their understanding but this is not consistent across all classes. Pupils have learning targets in mathematics and English but these are not always written in words that the pupils understand or can read. As a result, they do not fully understand how well they are doing or what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

19. Effective systems have been set up for collecting assessment information from tests in mathematics and English. Information from these is used well to monitor pupils’ progress and meet the needs of different groups of pupils. For example, mathematics sets in Years 5 and 6 are formed on the basis of this information. Whole school targets are identified and these are broken down into class and group targets. The use of these ‘layered’ targets in English is having a positive impact on teaching and learning of vocabulary and writing. Teachers regularly agree standards in pupils’ extended writing using National Curriculum levels. This has resulted in higher expectations from teachers and more challenging work for pupils, especially the more able, which is helping to raise standards.

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Commentary

20. The headteacher and senior management team are aware of the weaknesses in assessment and are working hard to improve the situation. It was the headteacher herself who, with knowledge gained through the monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons, originally brought these weaknesses to the attention of the inspection team before the start of the inspection.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, and good for the youngest children in the school. There is good extra-curricular provision, especially in music and sports. The school has good links with the community. Accommodation is good. Resources are satisfactory overall, but are very good in music and good in the Foundation Stage.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Extra-curricular provision has improved since the last inspection. • Good extra-curricular sports and music opportunities include an outstanding steel pan band. • There is a satisfactory breadth and balance across the curriculum with an appropriate emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy. • The good curriculum and accommodation for the youngest children in the school help their leaning well. • The school has good links with the community. • Pupils with statements of special educational needs are provided for well. • Since the last inspection, provision for ICT has improved greatly. • Provision for music is much better than in most primary schools. • Accommodation is good, although there is no grassed area for sports. • Resources are very good in music and good overall in the Foundation Stage. • The supply of books in the library and in classrooms is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

21. The school provides satisfactory breadth and balance within the curriculum and places a strong emphasis on the development of literacy and mathematics in a determined approach to Falconbrook Primary School - 14 raising standards. The provision for music is a strength of the school, with a good emphasis on performing. Setting takes place in mathematics for pupils in Years 5 and 6 so that teaching can be focused tightly on the learning needs of different groups of pupils. The school also introduces setting for literacy in the spring term for pupils in the upper school, in addition to an ‘able scientists’ club. Since the time of the previous inspection the school has improved the provision for ICT. In addition, the school has reviewed the curriculum in foundation subjects to ensure that topics studied have greater relevance to the pupils’ own lives and experiences. For example, pupils now study Jamaica and compare it with the local area as a part of their

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Commentary

work in geography and history. The school meets the statutory requirements for an act of collective worship and parents are informed of their right to withdraw pupils, although none have chosen to do so. The curriculum for religious education meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The school ensures that appropriate focus is made on sex and relationships education and drugs awareness through the taught curriculum. All pupils in Year 4 attend swimming as a part of their physical education programme. Planning is consistent across the classes to ensure that all pupils have the same learning opportunities. However, assessment is not used sufficiently well to inform lesson planning.

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Commentary

22. Since her appointment two years ago, the headteacher has led new developments in approaches to the curriculum with energy and enthusiasm. A new scheme of work for personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) has been drawn up and agreed with governors and all staff have received training on ‘Circle Time’. Philosophy for children is being introduced into the school as part of an initiative to extend pupils’ reasoning skills and expressive language. It is too soon for these initiatives to have had an impact on pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

23. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall, with some good features, such as clearly written individual education plans and good links with a specialist dyslexia unit and a local special school. Provision for pupils with a statement of special educational need is good.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum for reception pupils is good. Planning takes good account of all the areas of learning required for children of this age and good use is made of the well-equipped outdoor area on a daily basis. Assessment is well used by staff to review and amend plans. Accommodation and resources for the youngest children in the school are good.

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Commentary

25. Governors now play an effective role in the life of the school through the work of the curriculum committee, and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The governor with responsibility for pupils with special educational needs, along with other governors with subject responsibility, takes an active role and is well informed.

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Commentary

26. Extra-curricular provision has improved since the time of the last inspection and is now good. There are further opportunities for pupils in the lower school, for example, through the drama club, which extends provision for speaking, listening and reading. In addition, the school provides a good range of sports clubs such as basketball, table tennis, cricket and football. The school steel band is a particularly strong element, and pupils show real commitment to rehearsals and attendance at community performances, such as the opening of the Arndale shopping centre and a national sporting event.

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Commentary

27. The school makes good use of London as a resource for learning, and pupils enjoy the good range of visits they make to art galleries, museums and other places of interest. Year 4 pupils benefit from an annual residential visit and pupils in Year 6 enjoy an annual visit to an ‘Outward Bound’ centre.

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Commentary

28. The quality of accommodation is good, with specialist areas for ICT and music and generous space for Foundation Stage pupils. The school is keen to develop space further to provide a nurture room and for creative activities. The Foundation Stage and infant playgrounds are imaginatively refurbished with a climbing wall in the infant area. As a result, play behaviour Falconbrook Primary School - 15 has been improved in these playgrounds. The junior playground has not yet been developed, although there are imaginative plans for this area, including new cricket nets.

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Commentary

29. Although the supply of books is satisfactory overall, there are some deficiencies both in the library and in classrooms. Music resources are very good with many multicultural instruments. There is a specialist music room and pupils benefit from free tuition in drumming and steel pans.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare and support offered to pupils are good. Pupils have very good trust and confidence in staff. Guidance through monitoring to aid learning is satisfactory, with strengths in pastoral monitoring. Pupils’ views are valued well. Induction of pupils into the school is good. Health and safety procedures and practices are good; those for child protection are very good. Supervision in the junior playground is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Welfare, care and support are good. • The very good, trusting pupil/adult relationships have a significant impact on pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • Staff have a very good awareness of child protection issues; good attention is given to health and safety. • Induction arrangements are good for all pupils. • In the junior playground, adult supervision at break and lunchtime is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

30. All pupils are well supported and cared for. Personal development is carefully fostered by providing a positive, happy environment, so pupils can achieve success. Many pupils have a home language other than English. The staff responsible for their needs work hard to provide targeted pupils with a sound grounding in the English language, within the constraints of time and resources. Other pupils, including those with special educational needs, also make satisfactory progress. Academic monitoring is satisfactory overall. Assessment information, including target setting, is not used well enough to provide focused work that enables all pupils to do even better.

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Commentary

31. Pupils have very positive relationships with their teachers. They like and have the highest regard for the headteacher, who always finds time to talk and listen to them. The strong element of trust allows pupils to ask for advice and support, knowing that all will be done to help. Informal personal guidance is good. Recently ‘circle time’ discussions were introduced. Pupils are starting to remember the importance of following the circle time ‘rules’ – not interrupting, recognising others’ right to their opinions – with pupils showing increased confidence in discussions.

p.15

Commentary

32. Procedures and practice for child protection are very good. The designated person is well trained, refreshing and updating training for herself and for all school staff. She has considerable experience and expertise, knowing families and the community well. Expertise is very effectively shared between agencies such as social services and educational welfare. This ensures that children get the help they need. A considerable number of children are on the ‘at risk’ register. The school keeps full records of concerns, monitoring children who are removed from the register. Core and group meetings are always attended and the school acts on any feedback; some meetings are held in school. There are no children currently in public care. Sensitive records are kept separately and securely with restricted access, protecting confidentiality. Health and safety receive good attention. Required tests and record keeping

p.15

Commentary

are in place and notes are made of areas needing attention. Prompt action is taken to resolve minor issues. Falconbrook Primary School - 16 33. New pupils are well supported when they start school. Good links exist with local playgroups. A good programme helps children settle happily into the nursery and reception classes. Older pupils arriving through the year receive good support from staff and pupil ‘buddies’ to help them settle. Some asylum-seeking families do not stay long, as they are moved on. In the pupils’ first weeks, staff assess them so that appropriate support can be organised with teaching assistants. New pupils are encouraged to join fully into school life. Recently arrived Year 6 pupils have good friends and are happy.

p.15

Commentary

34. Adult supervision in the junior playground is unsatisfactory. Some pupils who behave satisfactorily inside school play roughly with unacceptable aggression when outside. A small minority repeatedly behave badly towards other pupils and property. The playground is large with some hidden areas. The adults who supervise do not circulate or always see or deal with incidents; at times there are not enough adults on the playground. As a result, some pupils continue to misbehave with little fear of authority or of being reprimanded. Pupils usually comfort each other after an incident. Some junior pupils, boys and girls, dislike playtimes. The school is aware of this, and plans professional development for supervisors. These plans should be accelerated.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys a good and developing partnership with its parents. Links with the community and with other schools and colleges are very good and much improved in recent years. Parents receive information of good quality. They feel that the school deals with their concerns well. Arrangements for Year 6 transfer are good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s partnership with parents is good. • Parents receive good information. • Links with other schools and colleges are very good with good transfer arrangements.

p.16

Commentary

35. The school has a good, developing partnership with its parents. Visiting parents get a friendly welcome from the helpful office staff. The headteacher and staff do their best to find time for parents who want to talk and the school operates an ‘open door’ policy. Events involving the children are well attended. Parents appreciate the support that is available to them and their children, like the Breakfast Club, the after school provision and the clubs that run in the evenings and weekends, organised by the Youth Improvement Team. The school welcomes ideas and continues to explore ways to increase parental interest and involvement in their children’s education.

p.16

Commentary

36. Parents receive good information. Newsletters are regular and reader-friendly. The prospectus contains much useful information. Pupils’ annual reports give a positive view of their progress. There is good practice in Foundation Stage reports, giving information about home languages and the level of children’s fluency in the English language. Reports in Years 1-5 include an indication of pupils’ progress linked to National Curriculum levels. In addition, pupils have ‘Gold Books’ from arrival in school, and these are kept as a record of achievement on leaving the school. These records have samples of work, mainly in English and mathematics, with targets for literacy, numeracy and personal development, shared with parents and regularly reviewed.

p.16

Commentary

37. Community links, including those with other schools and colleges, are very good. This is a major improvement since the last inspection. Links are considerably enhanced by national and community-based initiatives and funding with very good shared management; for example, the Educational Action Zone, the Youth Team and the facilities available at the nearby community college. This has a very positive impact for pupils and their families. There Falconbrook Primary School - 17 are now many clubs, in and out of school hours, including weekends: previously, pupils had little to occupy their time. Family support and learning is accessible, although there was a low uptake for the parents’ computer skills course, disappointing the school. Pupils’ community involvement is very good, especially playing the steel pans, a huge success in the local area and much in demand at community events, like the Wandsworth Shopping Centre opening.

p.16

Commentary

Pupils have composed, recorded and performed their music at the community college. There are close links with the nearby national dyslexia centre and pupil referral unit; the school is very happy to use their expertise. There are very good links with local playgroups and with secondary schools; staff links are strong with good practice shared, particularly in ICT and drama. Students from local further education colleges and teacher-training institutions regularly work in school. Pupils have a well-established programme for transfer to secondary school, so feel confident about moving on.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher leads the school very well, ably supported by the deputy headteacher and senior management team. Management is good. Governance is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All the main aspects of leadership and management are at least good. • The headteacher has excellent clarity of vision, sense of purpose and aspirations. • Strategic planning is very good. • Leaders have a high commitment to inclusion, the promotion of equality and a concern for the needs of individuals. • In order to minimise the negative effects of high staff turnover, the school has a very good commitment to the continuing professional development of staff. • The governing body is effective, a considerable improvement since the last inspection. • The highly efficient and tireless administrative officer is an asset to the school. The day-to-day running of the office is smooth and unobtrusive.

p.17

Commentary

38. When the headteacher was appointed in 2001, she quickly realised what she had to do to improve the school. She managed necessary staff changes with some skill and formed very effective partnerships with the deputy headteacher, senior management team, governing body and local education authority. Some of the recommendations of the previous inspection had still not been acted on fully, and she set about doing this with some purpose.

p.17

Commentary

39. The school improvement plan is very good. It is clear and well written, and analyses priorities well. Priorities are sensible and accurate, and include the first three recommendations of this report, i.e., improving standards in core subjects, assessment and attendance and punctuality. Items are costed, and financial planning supports the plan well.

p.17

Commentary

40. The school gives a high priority to educational inclusion, working to improve pupils’ own knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity, and succeeding. The history and geography curricula have been changed to reflect the pupils’ heritages more closely. All pupils take lessons in steel pans and multicultural drumming. Pupils take pride in their differences and similarities.

p.17

Commentary

41. The school, justifiably, places a high emphasis on the continuing professional development of staff. This is necessary because of the very high staff mobility. In common with most London schools, the staff contains a number of young teachers from the commonwealth who need training in the National Strategies. The school makes sure that all staff are inducted well and settle in quickly. Falconbrook Primary School - 18 42. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils who are learning English as additional language are satisfactory. The specified money is used for its intended purpose. The specialist staff, although they are spread thinly, are highly committed and match the needs of the pupils. Communication with parents is good. The school makes good use of interpreters according to need. Some preliminary analysis of performance data has been attempted but is not yet rigorous enough to monitor how well these pupils are doing.

p.17

Commentary

43. The last inspection report was very critical of the governing body. Governors are now dedicated and hard working, and fulfil their statutory duties well. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and where it needs to improve, and challenge and support senior managers well. They work closely with the school to ensure that finance is used well to support learning and raise standards, and that the principles of best value (competition, comparison, challenge and consultation) are applied. The expenditure per pupil is above average but not high for London, and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1237865 Balance from previous year 85786 Total expenditure 1265338 Balance carried forward to the next 58295 Expenditure per pupil 3179

p.18

WHAT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROVISION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS?

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall with some good features.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality individual education plans are reviewed regularly. • There are good links with a local special school and dyslexia centre. • The deployment of support assistants, although satisfactory overall, needs to be more focused. • The school has introduced satisfactory record keeping by support staff. • Support assistants provide good support in some literacy and numeracy lessons. • There is a good use of learning mentors through the Youth Improvement Scheme. • Parents receive satisfactory information from the school and are invited to contribute. • Pupils with a statement of special educational need receive good support from learning support assistants in lessons. • The special educational needs co-ordinator leads and manages the aspect well. • There is good awareness and involvement on the part of the special educational needs governor.

p.18

Commentary

44. At the time of the inspection one hundred pupils within the school were identified with special educational needs, an above-average proportion. Four of these pupils had a statement of special educational need, a broadly average proportion. The majority of these pupils have specific learning difficulties or emotional and behavioural difficulties and a small number have speech and communication difficulties.

p.18

Teaching and learning

• Support staff provide good support to pupils with a statement of special educational need during lessons. Falconbrook Primary School - 19 • Teachers do not always make the best use of support staff to provide for other pupils with special educational needs in lessons. • Learning mentors provide appropriate support and encouragement. • Pupils are not always fully aware of their own individual education plan targets.

p.18

Teaching and learning

45. Every class in the school has the benefit of a trained teaching assistant, and in addition trained learning support assistants work closely with children with a statement of special educational need. In the best lessons, particularly those seen in literacy and numeracy, teachers make good use of classroom assistants to support pupils in need of additional learning support. This allows support assistants to monitor progress of pupils with special educational needs and to report back to the teacher on what has been achieved. In some lessons, however, teaching assistants are asked to take on a generalised supervisory role and do not have the opportunity to work closely with pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

Teaching and learning

46. Pupils are not yet sufficiently aware of their own individual education plan targets and this aspect needs developing. A number of pupils with special educational needs have good opportunities to receive individual tuition at the nearby specialist dyslexia centre. Other pupils gain from the good partnership links with a local special school unit for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Learning mentors establish good rapport with pupils to encourage positive behaviour and participation in lessons.

p.19

The special educational needs curriculum

47. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall with some good features. Individual education plans are suitably written to ensure that targets are achievable and realistic and are regularly reviewed. Pupils with special educational needs have access to the same broad and balanced curriculum as their peers.

p.19

Care, guidance and support

48. The school takes care to identify pupils with special educational needs from the earliest days in school, and the co-ordinator has established good links with a range of agencies that offer advice and support for these pupils. For example, the school has good links with the Hearing Impaired Resource at a local hospital and the educational psychologist makes regular visits to the school. Mentors from the Youth Improvement Scheme play a valuable role in promoting positive self-esteem for a group of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Despite their considerable difficulties, these pupils are enabled to take a full part in lessons, and learn to reflect on their own behaviour and attitudes towards others.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

• Pupils with special educational needs gain from the good links established with the nearby dyslexia unit, special school for pupils with behaviour and learning difficulties and Youth Improvement Scheme. • Parents are informed of targets in individual education plans and invited to reviews.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

49. The school works hard to build links between home and school. Copies of individual education plans are shared with parents and they are invited to contribute to these. Parents attend the annual reviews for pupils with a statement of special educational need. The school has established good links with the nearby dyslexia unit and local special school for pupils with behaviour and emotional difficulties and this benefits pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

Leadership and management

50. Leadership and management of special educational needs are good. The co-ordinator is well informed and has established productive links with a range of outside agencies to promote the Falconbrook Primary School - 20 best interests of pupils with special educational needs. She has drawn up a clear strategic plan for improvement in provision, and has ensured that the individual education plans are in line with the requirements of the new code of practice. All staff have received training in this new code. The school has recently introduced monitoring files for use by support assistants. This is a positive initiative as it provides evidence of work undertaken with individual pupils. The co-ordinator plans to audit the work of support assistants across the school and to work alongside staff next term to ensure that best use is made of their time. The school is aware of the needs of gifted and talented pupils and has identified pupils with particular sporting and

p.19

Leadership and management

musical talents. Their needs are well met through extra-curricular opportunities. The special educational needs co-ordinator currently oversees this aspect but the school plans to give this responsibility to another member of staff after appropriate training. The school governors are aware of their responsibilities under the disability act and special educational needs legislation. Falconbrook Primary School - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. At the time of the inspection, 49 places were taken up in the two nursery classes, and 39 of these children were attending on a full-time basis, with the rest of the places taken up on a part-time morning or afternoon basis. Children enter the two reception classes during the year in which they will be five. Staffing consists of a teacher-in-charge, two overseas-trained teachers and a newly qualified teacher, in addition to three experienced nursery nurses and two experienced support assistants. A part-time teacher funded by the ethnic minority achievement grant provides additional support. Staff work well together as a team and the co- ordinator demonstrates good leadership and management skills.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. As at the time of the previous inspection, curricular provision for the youngest children in the school is good. The Sure Start programme is well organised and parents and toddlers enjoy attending the sessions run by one of the nursery nurses in the family room.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. The staff team plan an imaginative curriculum together and ongoing assessment is well used to review children’s learning needs and modify planning during weekly team meetings. The curriculum takes good account of all the areas of learning, with good use made of a well- planned outdoor area on a daily basis. Accommodation is good, as the four classes share almost the entire ground floor of the building which has been refurbished well. Children enter the school with very limited experience, particularly in the areas of communication, language and literacy, and mathematics. A significant number of children are new to English, and ten children in the nursery and reception classes are identified with special educational needs. Children make good progress from a low level of skills on entry to school, and the majority of children work well towards the expected targets set for children of this age. The school

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

identifies children with special educational needs at an early stage and these children receive appropriate support. Children learning English as an additional language also receive satisfactory additional support. The majority of children are likely to achieve the expected targets set for children of this age in some areas of their learning, although a significant minority will still be developing their communication, language and literacy skills and mathematical language, and standards overall are below expectations when they move up to Year 1.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, although levels of challenge for older pupils are occasionally set too low. • Children’s positive self-esteem is promoted well. • There is a good focus on shared celebrations and religious festivals. • There is a good balance between child-initiated activities and adult-directed tasks.

p.21

Commentary

54. Teaching is good overall as staff act as good role-models, making it clear to children their expectations for good behaviour and treating children with respect. In the nursery classes, the children learn to develop basic self-help skills and how to share resources, take turns and communicate with one another. Staff in the reception classes build on this early experience and encourage children to develop greater independence, co-operation and increasing confidence in expressing ideas and discoveries. All children have good opportunities to select their own activities as well as participating in adult-initiated tasks. Staff monitor learning Falconbrook Primary School - 22 effectively during integrated afternoon activities, but at times the challenge for older reception children is not high enough. Lunchtimes are well used to promote social skills through a happy family atmosphere. Staff promote children’s knowledge and understanding of different

p.21

Commentary

religious festivals through shared celebrations as part of religious education. For example, children made Eid cards and enjoyed talking about a range of photographs in an attractive display on the festivals of Eid. There is a good promotion of the range of community languages represented in the school and this encourages positive self-esteem.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall and there is good vocabulary extension through first-hand activities. • Reading and writing are taught effectively. • Good reading records are maintained. • Children achieve well from a very low starting point.

p.22

Commentary

55. Teaching in this area is good and children make good gains in their learning from a very low starting point. Children in the nursery enjoy listening to stories and rhymes and effective use is made of tapes to build up experience. Through the good range of first-hand experiences provided children build a wider vocabulary, which helps them to talk about their discoveries. The two reception classes work as separate classes during literacy lessons, which enables staff to focus on literacy learning with an appropriately structured approach. Reception children enjoyed the story of Elmer the elephant and were able to identify objects and words where the letter ‘e’ was located. Children are encouraged to record their names and have good opportunities to experiment with writing in everyday play contexts. There is clear direct instruction on letter formation, letter sound identification and the modelling of writing by adults.

p.22

Commentary

Reading is effectively taught through regular small group guided reading and whole-class instruction using large texts. Children learn to develop a number of words they recognise on sight as well as using their knowledge of letter sounds to try out unknown words. Good reading records are maintained. There are positive home school links as children take books home on a regular basis and parents are invited to contribute to reading records. Children make good progress towards the expected targets, although few actually reach them.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall good teaching leads to good progress. • Good use is made of ongoing assessment. • There are good opportunities for practical mathematical experiences.

p.22

Commentary

56. Teaching in this area is good overall as children have good opportunities to undertake mathematical activities through well-planned first-hand experiences. For example, nursery children enjoy ordering numerals and objects on a washing line and are encouraged to learn and take part in simple counting rhymes. They gain valuable early mathematical experiences through sand- and water-play using a range of different containers and staff are quick to exploit mathematical language alongside play. This is extended through work undertaken in the reception classes when the two reception classes work as separate classes. In a good Falconbrook Primary School - 23 lesson on capacity, reception children were able to record and explain the differences between full, empty and half-full containers because the work had been carefully planned in progressive stages and there was a good emphasis on practical exploration and discussion

p.22

Commentary

using key vocabulary. Ongoing assessment was well used to identify children who were in need of further consolidation of the learning. Children make good progress towards the expected targets for young children although few reach them.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good planning and teaching extends children’s experience beyond the home. • There are good opportunities to explore and investigate materials. • Staff make sound use of ICT.

p.23

Commentary

57. The integrated programme of activities during the afternoon sessions is well organised and planning takes good account of the range of learning needs. Staff undertake appropriate tracking to ensure that the participation by groups and individuals is monitored, although there is scope to develop this further. Children were intrigued when racing ‘spiders’ down drainpipes and developed appropriate early investigation and enquiry skills through this. Children also enjoyed exploring a dark area with torches. Many children use the computers during the day, but often need adult support, for example, to use the mouse correctly. Thematic work linked to spiders extended the children’s knowledge and understanding of the natural world and they were interested in making their own large woven web outdoors. Several children showed sustained concentration when constructing large toys out of boxes because good adult support and encouragement was provided. Good progress is made

p.23

Commentary

towards the targets set for children of this age, although few children actually reach them.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good teaching for reception children using the Foundation Stage hall. • The use of a good range of outdoor equipment ensures good development of physical skills. • There are sound opportunities to explore the indoor soft-play area.

p.23

Commentary

58. The overall quality of teaching is good as planning takes due account of skills development and links to the strong emphasis on personal development. In the outdoor area all children have good opportunities to use a range of equipment, including double tricycles, a large fixed climbing frame, tunnels and raised planks. Sound use is made of the soft-play room where children are encouraged to explore a range of large soft foam constructions and large tunnels, although the youngest children are not always made aware of other users. All children have many opportunities to develop cutting and sticking skills and learn to handle a range of other tools. Reception children made repeated efforts to throw a ball through a small basketball hoop, because the teacher rewarded effort and sustained interest in the activity herself. During a session in the hall, using a range of apparatus, reception children were keen to

p.23

Commentary

balance on one foot and to travel forwards and backwards across the equipment on their backs and fronts. Children make good progress towards the expected targets set for this age, and many reach them. Falconbrook Primary School - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of first hand tactile experiences. • There are regular opportunities to undertake music making. • There are good role play opportunities.

p.24

Commentary

59. Good teaching in this area means that all children have a wide range of opportunities for creative development. For example, children in both the reception and nursery classes enjoy music making, using a good range of percussion instruments. They learn to use paintbrushes and to handle paint, collage and printing materials and produce some colourful and lively paintings and drawings such as decorated Eid cards. Role play areas are appropriately resourced and staff encourage children to play together sensibly. Children in the nursery were totally absorbed when making marshmallow spiders with one of the nursery nurses. Children make good progress towards the expected targets set for this age.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening are improving, but are still well below average in the present Year 6. • Many older pupils do not consistently write in joined-up handwriting. • The teaching of grammar and spelling is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. • Marking does not always help pupils know what they have to do to improve.

p.24

Commentary

60. Standards are still well below average in Year 6 but in all other year groups they are now below average rather than well below. Standards are rising because of the very strong focus on improvement in English led by both the subject co-ordinator and the headteacher, especially during the last two years. Achievement is now at least satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. There is no difference in the achievement of boys or girls. SEN and EAL pupils are provided with reasonable support and achieve as well as other pupils. The school recognises the need to start additional support programmes such as additional literacy strategy and early literacy strategy so that those pupils who are just below average for their age catch up as soon as possible. Thorough systems set up to monitor the progress of pupils in literacy and the quality of teaching mean that issues for development are

p.24

Commentary

quickly and accurately identified. These are addressed very well through the literacy development plan.

p.24

Commentary

61. Pupils enter school with poorly developed speaking and listening skills. Many pupils have a restricted vocabulary and consequently find it difficult to communicate ideas. Although pupils achieve satisfactorily, overall standards in speaking and listening are still well below average. This is partly due to the high numbers of pupils with EAL or SEN and the large number of pupils who join and leave the school at different times. The school has already identified this area for development and is working hard to improve standards by: Falconbrook Primary School - 25 • Identifying specific targets for groups of pupils in speaking and listening. • Teaching specific vocabulary in different subjects. • Providing more opportunities for pupils to talk with a partner. • Using drama activities to help pupils communicate ideas. • Introducing an assessment system so that teachers know what pupils need to achieve in

p.24

Commentary

order to reach the expected levels for their ages. • Providing additional support for those pupils with SEN or EAL.

p.25

Commentary

62. There is evidence that pupils in one Year 2 class are achieving well in speaking and listening because the teacher provides many different structured opportunities to practise speaking and listening skills and explains unfamiliar words well. This very good practice is not yet shared across the school.

p.25

Commentary

63. Standards in reading are below average in Year 2 and well below average in Year 6. However, attainment is above that of pupils in schools with similar numbers entitled to free school meals. Pupils learn to read words using a number of strategies but their comprehension skills are less well developed. This means many do not reach the average or higher standards expected, which depresses overall results. The school recognises this and is providing more opportunities to practise these skills. For example, in a good Year 6 lesson, pupils were able to make notes from a text because the teacher provided a framework that helped pupils record the main details. This was good achievement. Regular guided reading sessions and the ‘better reading programme’ ensure pupils make at least satisfactory progress in reading. Pupils enjoy reading books and have regular opportunities to read in lessons, in the library and at home. As a result, they develop positive attitudes towards reading.

p.25

Commentary

However, some overseas teachers read texts incorrectly when reading aloud with pupils during shared reading sessions and this means errors in grammar and spelling are reinforced.

p.25

Commentary

64. Staff have worked hard and successfully to improve achievement in writing. Standards are now below average in all year groups except Year 6 where they remain well below average. However, attainment is at least in line with that of pupils in schools of a similar social context. Factors that have been instrumental in raising achievement are:

p.25

Commentary

• Encouraging pupils to talk about their ideas before writing. • Providing regular opportunities for extended writing and monitoring the quality of these. • The involvement of all teachers in agreeing standards of written work based on National Curriculum levels. • Providing writing frames to help pupils develop their ideas. • Identifying specific targets for groups of pupils. • Using drama to develop ideas before writing. • Planning writing experiences based around a book.

p.25

Commentary

• All staff in Years 3 to 6 model joined-up handwriting in all lessons. • A consistent joined-up style of handwriting is expected of pupils in all their writing and pens are used by Year 6. • Staff spell words correctly, modelling the use of a dictionary if necessary.

p.25

Commentary

65. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although some good and very good teaching was seen. Teachers insist on good behaviour, manage pupils well and use a wide variety of teaching methods. For example, the effective project in Years 5 and 6 links the teaching of all aspects of English successfully around the book ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens. However, not enough use is made of teaching assistants during the whole-class part of lessons so that they are more involved in extending pupils’ learning. Planning is generally good, although the use of assessment information to change planning so that it meets the needs of all pupils is still at an early stage of development. There are also relatively few occasions when pupils are Falconbrook Primary School - 26 called upon to discuss their work, or to improve it in terms of clarity and quality rather than just correcting errors.

p.25

Commentary

66. The school now has an effective literacy strategy. Teachers have higher expectations of pupils and planning has improved since he last inspection. Very good links with the EAZ mean that an advanced skills teacher has a significant impact on the quality of teaching and learning in Years 4, 5 and 6. However, pupils are often taught grammar from textbook examples and this restricts their understanding of different tenses and how sentences are constructed. Teachers do not always mark work correctly and some make basic spelling mistakes in their own writing. Although pupils are given regular spelling tests, this aspect of writing remains weak.

p.26

Literacy across the curriculum

67. Opportunities to extend speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are being used reasonably well in other subjects such as science, geography, history and religious education. For example, note-taking skills learnt in literacy lessons were developed well in a geography lesson in Year 6. However, in general these opportunities are still developing. For example, teachers do not always check that pupils understand specific words or terms such as ‘acres’ or ‘overflow’ and this limits pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 2 are below average, and in Year 6 they are well below. • Provision and standards, particularly in Years 3 to 5, have improved since the last inspection. • In half the observed lessons, teaching and learning were good, but two lessons were unsatisfactory. • Pupils enjoy the subject, with a wide range of preferences for different aspects. • The recent amalgamation of lessons for Years 5 and 6 pupils has been successful and was a good move forward in raising standards. • Assessment systems are good, but assessment is not always used well enough in lesson planning and teaching.

p.26

Commentary

68. Standards are well below average in Year 6 and below expectations in all other years. The present Year 6 has a higher-than-usual proportion of pupils with SEN, and the 2004 national test results for Year 6 are likely to be well below average. Records show that Year 6 pupils have suffered in the past from some poor teaching from teachers who are no longer at the school. Low attainers in the present Year 6 are beginning to understand fractions, although their knowledge and understanding, particularly of equivalence of fractions, are sketchy. They have difficulty in recognising and drawing common polygons and multiplying tens-and-units by units. They can measure length correctly in centimetres and millimetres. Pupils of average ability also struggle with multiplication, and with division. Their understanding of fractions does not extend to adding them correctly. However, they have completed some good

p.26

Commentary

investigations into number patterns in a hundred-square. Even more-able pupils are not confident about adding and subtracting fractions, although they can multiply tens-and-units by units accurately. They are beginning to understand the connection between fractions, decimals and percentages. They can sort named quadrilaterals by using tree-diagrams, and are beginning to understand and use positive X-Y co-ordinates.

p.26

Commentary

69. Standards in Year 2 are below average. Lower attainers understand ‘o’clock’, although some cannot write it. They can take away objects using sets of real things, add up to 20, and work Falconbrook Primary School - 27 out what is ‘one more’ or ‘one less’. They can work with money up to 30p practically, and are beginning to understand tens and units. Average pupils understand simple number sequences, add three numbers up to 30, and can work out what is ‘ten more’ and ‘ten less’. More-able pupils are generally more accurate in addition to 20, and understand and use half- and quarter-hours or turns.

p.26

Commentary

70. Standards achieved by pupils in Years 3 to 5 are now below expectations, a definite improvement since the last inspection, when they were well below. Year 5 pupils are reaching levels of attainment that are at least as good as those in Year 6 and, in many cases, better. They have benefited by the shared timetable and teaching with Year 6 pupils. Teachers expect a lot of them, and they themselves have increased confidence in their own abilities and respond accordingly. Year 6 pupils have also benefited. One Year 6 pupil said that they work harder because they do not want Year 5 pupils to do better than them.

p.27

Commentary

71. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Ten lessons were observed: five were good, three satisfactory and two unsatisfactory. Good lessons were characterised by clear learning objectives that were shared with the class, so pupils knew exactly what they had to do, and a plenary session where the objectives were revisited to see whether pupils had learned what they should and an indication of what they would do next. Pupils reported that they like mathematics, particularly the ease with which they could tell whether or not they were doing well. In the unsatisfactory lessons, in Years 2 and 4, neither teacher had used a knowledge and understanding of what individuals and groups could do to target individual needs successfully. Neither teacher was using the lesson framework of the National Numeracy Strategy correctly, with its sensible insistence on different work for pupils of differing ability.

p.27

Commentary

Consequently, learning was unsatisfactory for some pupils, as planning for their needs had not used assessment properly.

p.27

Commentary

72. The subject is led and managed well by a co-ordinator who is a numeracy specialist with a great deal of experience. She has a good understanding of what needs to be done to raise standards and has set about doing it. The co-ordinator has sensible plans to re-introduce the mathematics club (suspended during her absence through sickness) and arrange evenings for parents in order to involve them by giving them more confidence in helping their children. She is aware that assessment is not always used by teachers to guide their lesson planning. The main reason for this is the high teacher mobility, a common problem, particularly in London schools.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

73. Mathematics supports, and is supported by, several other areas of the curriculum; for example, in ICT, which supports logical reasoning and areas of geometry, and design and technology, where many of the practical skills of measurement are reinforced. There is scope for increasing the use of graphs and other areas of handling data in science.

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SCIENCE

Provision in this area is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well below average in Year 6. • Teachers extend scientific vocabulary and highlight this in lesson planning, thus supporting literacy. • The headteacher provides strong subject leadership, but her assumption of this role is too recent to have produced a significant improvement in standards. • Marking is inconsistent across the school and ongoing assessment is a weakness. • An ‘able science club’ for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils provides additional challenge. Falconbrook Primary School - 28

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Commentary

74. Standards have not improved significantly since the time of the last inspection. However, factors that contribute to this are the high mobility of pupils, and above average numbers of pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language. The school has also experienced difficulties with staffing and recruitment. There was an improvement in overall standards in the national tests in 2003, where standards were above average when compared with schools with a similar entitlement to free school meals. Inspection findings are that standards are well below average by the age of eleven and below average by the age of seven. No significant differences were noted between the performance of girls and boys. Evidence from the scrutiny of work and pupil discussions show that pupils in Year 5 are already working at a similar level to pupils in Year 6, which indicates an improvement in

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Commentary

75. The school provides a satisfactory scheme of work and there are sound links with other subject areas such as mathematics, literacy and ICT. However, there is scope to extend these, for example, through use of graphs and data analysis.

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Commentary

76. The quality of teaching seen during the inspection ranged from good to unsatisfactory, and was satisfactory overall. Insufficient use is made of ongoing assessment in lessons to modify planning. In the only unsatisfactory lesson seen, the pace was too slow and the teacher’s spelling of technical vocabulary was incorrect. In a good lesson, Year 6 pupils were challenged to carry out investigations dissolving sugar in hot and cold water. The teacher encouraged pupils to use appropriate scientific vocabulary such as dissolve, particle and evaporate. Frameworks were provided to support pupils with low levels of writing skills to promote accurate recording. Pupils in a Year 2 class made satisfactory gains in understanding how to make a simple electrical circuit through practical tasks. Pupils generally enjoy the practical work that they undertake and it is evident that the oldest pupils in the

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Commentary

school are starting to have a sound grasp of fair testing. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress in lessons alongside their classmates, although sometimes the deployment of the learning support assistant is not sufficiently well focused by the teacher. Pupils learning English as an additional language receive satisfactory support.

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Commentary

77. The following are areas for continuing development:

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Commentary

• The overall quality of marking needs to improve through the sharing of best practice. • Ongoing assessment is a weakness and pupils do not have individual targets. • There needs to be a fuller use of writing frames to help pupils with their science recording. • Teaching approaches should focus more on first-hand investigations and enquiry.

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Commentary

78. The headteacher currently undertakes the co-ordination of science following the promotion of the former post holder. She has led developments in the subject effectively and provides strong leadership with an accurate assessment of the current strengths and areas for improvement. She has not held the post long enough for standards to have improved significantly. The school is adopting a new commercial scheme to further support work undertaken in science including the use of new digital microscopes.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below expectations throughout the school. • Overall provision in ICT has improved well since the last inspection. Falconbrook Primary School - 29 • Pupils are building confidence in their use of ICT, and learning to treat it, rightly, as just another learning resource.

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Commentary

79. Raising standards in ICT was a key issue in the last inspection report, where ICT provision was unsatisfactory. Standards have improved from well-below expectations to below expectations. A very important reason for standards being no higher than they are now is that very few pupils have access to real computers (rather than games machines) at home. One Year 6 lesson was observed in order to judge pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the use of spreadsheets. Standards here were no higher than what is expected of a Year 5 class. Year 6 pupils know how to send and receive e-mails, although they say that they have not done this for some years. They use ‘Ask-Jeeves’ or ‘Google’ to search the Internet for information in history. They have used a publishing program and a multi-media presentation program with varying degrees of success. They have had no experience with using a computer to record external physical data, such as temperature. Their use of a digital camera

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Commentary

has been very limited. Year 2 pupils know how to use word-processing to change the size of their words, and use full-stops and capital letters. They can write their names and make simple lists, and use a painting program to make firework pictures. They have no experience of using computers to move a robot or any other examples of computer control.

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Commentary

80. Five lessons were observed in the computer suite, in a variety of subjects, and teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and often good. Pupils are enthusiastic and interested, although they are sometimes very high-spirited. Lessons are often taken by different external experts, supported by class teachers. Pupils’ reactions to this constant change are not always positive, and they can sometimes become fractious.

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Commentary

81. Since the last inspection, the school has invested heavily in the provision for ICT. It has been greatly helped by funding from the Education Action Zone, which has provided expert help, including a good new scheme of work to suit the needs of the pupils. There is also, now, a computer suite with enough machines to serve every year, and a ‘smart board’, an interactive white-board with a projector linked to one of the computers, which aids understanding and therefore supports learning well.

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Commentary

82. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is aware of what must be done to improve standards. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory, although the school has only one digital camera and one colour printer.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

83. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good progress in interweaving ICT with other curriculum areas. During the inspection, lessons were seen in English, art and music that took place in the ICT suite and relied on ICT for their effectiveness. There is good evidence of ICT use in other subjects, including mathematics and science, although more use could be made of the subject in science, particularly in data processing and the production of graphical information.

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HUMANITIES

84. Work was sampled in history and geography because this area was not a focus of the inspection. Only one lesson was seen in geography and two in history. Therefore it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. Talking to Year 2 pupils and an analysis of work indicates that standards there are average in history.

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HUMANITIES

85. The schemes of work for both geography and history are being developed and are now more relevant to pupils’ interests. For example, Year 5 pupils study Jamaica in geography while in history Year 2 pupils learn about John Archer, the first black mayor of Wandsworth and Falconbrook Primary School - 30 Britain. This means that the curriculum has improved since the last inspection. As a result, pupils enjoy lessons and develop positive attitudes towards geography and history. These subjects also make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal and cultural development.

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HUMANITIES

86. The way literacy skills are used in geography and history is variable in different classes. For instance, in a Year 4 history lesson pupils discussed how an evacuee felt after listening very carefully to a tape where a man described his experiences as an evacuee during the Second World War. As a result of good teaching, their speaking and listening skills were well extended. However, in a Year 2 history lesson pupils found it difficult to discuss the order of pictures in a timeline because groups were too large. There was a missed opportunity to get pupils to work in pairs to decide the order of pictures and agree a sentence to go with each one. The use of assessment during lessons is at an early stage of development and this restricts pupils’ learning.

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Religious Education

Provision in Religious Education (RE) is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is an effective scheme of work. • The subject builds on the multi-cultural experiences of pupils. • The subject contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Assessment is at an early stage of development.

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Commentary

87. Standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by Year 2 and, although wide-ranging, are broadly in line with expectations by Year 6. Many pupils in Year 6 have limited skills in literacy and find it difficult to communicate their understanding. Achievement is satisfactory when the challenge pupils experience and the progress they make are carefully considered.

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Commentary

88. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers’ confidence and knowledge of the subject is satisfactory, activities are interesting and behaviour is well managed. Lesson planning is sound, although it does not always take into account the different needs of pupils or build on prior learning. This is because assessment is not always used well to find out what pupils can do. As a result, the most capable pupils are not always challenged to extend their understanding and some lower attaining pupils do not take part in class discussions. The use of literacy skills to support learning in RE is at an early stage of development.

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Commentary

89. The scheme of work has improved since the last inspection and this ensures pupils receive an interesting variety of experiences. For example, drama is being introduced to help pupils develop knowledge and understanding, and artefacts are used to stimulate thinking. This increases pupils’ interest in the subject. An adequate range of resources support RE but these need to be further improved. Opportunities to visit the local church to study its features, as well as other places of worship including a local mosque, further enhance the curriculum. Good use is made of the multi-cultural experiences of pupils when teaching other faiths. This means that pupils develop their understanding and respect for other faiths within Britain. The subject makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Commentary

90. The leadership and management of the co-ordinator is satisfactory. Her monitoring of pupils’ books and talking to pupils about their work has led to the improvements in the scheme of work since the last inspection. However, she has not yet had the opportunity to monitor teaching more formally and therefore her ability to advise colleagues and improve the quality Falconbrook Primary School - 31 of teaching is restricted. She recognises the need to improve the quality of assessment in the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. Music was inspected in full and is reported on below. No lessons were seen in art , design and technology or physical education and so no firm judgements can be made on overall provision. However, samples of work were taken, including discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of work and displays.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. Discussions with pupils indicate that art is a popular subject. A scrutiny of displays around the school shows work to be of a satisfactory standard and broadly in line with age expectations. Pupils enjoy a sound range of experiences using paint, textiles, pencils and other drawing materials, although there was not an extensive display of three-dimensional work. Pupils in the upper school show a growing awareness of design, colour and texture, and observational drawings are lively. In the lower school, pupils develop their observational skills and learn to handle a variety of materials such as paints, pastels, chalks and collage. Some lively work inspired by African masks was on display. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to investigate the work of a range of artists from a wide range of cultural traditions and there are good links with London art galleries. The teaching of art was the focus of a recent staff training day and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

staff with greater expertise in artistic skills are encouraged to share this with colleagues. Art is a current focus for school improvement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. From the evidence seen in design and technology , it is apparent that pupils have appropriate opportunities to develop technological skills, knowledge and understanding through the use of focused practical tasks, design-and-make assignments and investigative work. Pupils were able to explain that they needed to modify their ideas in the light of what had worked well and what needed to be improved when discussing work they had undertaken, although limited expressive language skills meant that pupils used few technical terms to explain what they had undertaken. Year 6 pupils undertake work on design and technology in the spring and summer terms and there was therefore little evidence of recent work and no judgement can be made on standards. A lively display of Year 3 work showed how pupils had made Jacob’s coat of many colours using different dye techniques on fabric. Year 2 pupils made moving toys using a range of construction materials and were able to think of ways to

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

improve their designs. The school follows a nationally recommended scheme of work and this ensures that all elements of the programmes of study are covered.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. In talking to pupils and staff and in an examination of school documents and teachers’ planning, it became apparent that the school places a good emphasis on physical education . The school teaches a wide variety of sports and has several clubs to support these. There are plans for cricket nets in the refurbishment of the junior playground. However, there is no grassed area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in singing and playing tuned and untuned instruments are well above expectations. • The school steel band is excellent. • Teaching and learning are very good. • Music is very important in the life of the school and makes a great contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • The subject is led and managed very well. Falconbrook Primary School - 32

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Commentary

95. No judgement was made on standards of musical composition. Only one lesson was seen on this part of the curriculum, with Year 3 pupils using computer software to produce Egyptian- style tunes, deciding which of the pentatonic musical phrases should be at the beginning, middle or end and then putting them together. Attainment in this lesson was satisfactory.

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Commentary

96. Standards are well above expectations in musical performance. Singing lessons are joyful occasions, taken by the headteacher and deputy headteacher, both music experts. Pupils listen and concentrate on very clear instructions about correct breathing, timing, expression, pitch, volume and tone. As a result, even infants sing, clap different rhythms and perform accompanying actions with confidence, enjoyment and expertise beyond their years. Juniors sing songs in two parts and rounds very well and with great confidence and precision.

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Commentary

97. All pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 are given one half-term of lessons in drumming, using a standard Western drum-kit and a wide variety of other untuned percussion instruments from different cultures. Some pupils keep up their interest in this. So, for instance, different pupils often provide a very competent drum background to the very good and uplifting singing in assemblies, while the headteacher or deputy headteacher provide very good accompaniment on piano.

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Commentary

98. The highlight of the school’s music provision is in the use of steel pans:

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The school’s policy of concentrating on musical excellence has produced an outstanding steel band in great demand to perform at local events, such as the opening of the new Arndale Centre. The school steel band is excellent, and the school and the community are justifiably proud of its performances. Because all Years 4, 5 and 6 pupils are given tuition in steel pans by a highly competent and very enthusiastic exponent, expertise is built up in depth. This results in excellent and complex four-part harmony on a range of tunes, some very subtle, some very exuberant, and all played with intense concentration and thorough enjoyment for players and audience. Each band member has several competent substitutes waiting eagerly to take their place, and players are rotated to give them the chance.

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Commentary

99. Teaching and learning are very good. Pupils’ attitudes are often excellent, and they take great and justifiable pride in their accomplishment. Teachers, including both instrument experts, are very knowledgeable and have very good interpersonal skills. Lessons are very happy and productive.

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Commentary

100. Music contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Their success increases self-esteem and self-confidence. They become more aware of their own priorities and learn how to work as a team and interact with others. The subject brings together the different cultures in the school and contributes very well to pupils’ understanding of living in a multi-cultural society and tolerance of others.

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Commentary

101. The subject is led and managed very well by the deputy headteacher, who is more than ably supported by the headteacher. Both correctly place a high emphasis on the subject’s importance, and their enthusiasm is caught by staff and pupils. The school’s music provision enables pupils to succeed, the gifted and talented to enjoy their success, and all pupils to blossom.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

102. The provision and outcomes for formal personal, social, health and citizenship education are currently satisfactory. The school development plan includes it as an area for further development, although as a low priority. Alcohol-, drug- and sex-education are well established and appropriate to the age and understanding of the pupils, being covered in science and through topic work. A considerable number of pupils need support in developing Falconbrook Primary School - 33 their social and personal skills. To aid this, ‘circle time’ discussions have recently been introduced throughout the school, with staff trained in delivering lessons. The monitoring of teaching personal and social education is not yet fully established. Teachers are firm and consistent in reinforcing circle time ‘rules’, doing this well. Pupils often need reminding about speaking only when holding a special object and the importance of not interrupting. A few

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

pupils are somewhat reluctant to participate, but in the best lessons teachers gently and successfully encourage them to join in. Pupils enjoy and are interested in these discussions, usually making positive comments about their fellow pupils. Older pupils find it helpful to discuss their feelings and emotions. Since the last inspection, a school council has been introduced and is proving to be an effective democratic forum. Pupils added questions about bullying and playground behaviour to the schools’ own Ofsted-style questionnaire used during inspection. It identified bullying and behaviour in the junior playground as a pupil concern. The school is acting quickly, with planned circle-time discussions and assemblies on bullying, friendships and appropriate behaviour. There are plans to improve the junior playground facilities as soon as possible, using the pupils’ own ideas. All staff are fully focused on

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

meeting their pupils’ personal, learning and emotional needs, and use the mutually positive relationships to provide good informal support. Falconbrook Primary School - 34

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 6 Pupils’ achievement 4

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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 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 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 2 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 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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