Elfrida Primary School

ELFRIDA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Executive headteacher: Mrs B Fitzsimmons

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ELFRIDA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 – 23 February 2005

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ELFRIDA PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ELFRIDA 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. Elfrida Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 376

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Elfrida Crescent Bellingham London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 698 5755 Fax number: 0208 698 3904

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Stockbridge

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Elfrida Primary School is a larger than average school, situated in Bellingham in the London Borough of Lewisham. The number of pupils on roll fluctuates on an almost daily basis, with a very high turnover of pupils: up to ten per cent in any one term. Currently, there are 376 boys and girls on roll between the ages of three and eleven, with children in the nursery attending school part time. Pupils come from a wide and rich range of cultural backgrounds, and over half the school is of minority ethnic heritage. The proportion of pupils at early stages of learning English as an additional language (EAL) is above average, at around seven per cent. Three per cent of pupils are from refugee or asylum seeking families. Pupils come from low socio-economic backgrounds, and nearly half are eligible for free school meals. Their attainment on entry is well below average. The school caters exceptionally well for pupils with emotional, behavioural or academic needs, and the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs (SEN) fluctuates with the mobility of pupils between 20 and 30 per cent, currently being 21 per cent, which is high. Currently, four pupils have statements of special educational need. Elfrida Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21079 Mrs L Woods Lead inspector The Foundation Stage Information and communication technology 9614 Mrs C Webb Lay inspector 32197 Mr M Dukes Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology English as an additional language 15064 Mr P Bamber Team inspector English Music Physical education 32606 Mrs V Derwas Team inspector Science Geography History Religious education Personal, social and health education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks TN15 0EQ

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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). Elfrida Primary School - 5

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11-15

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

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SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

P ART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30 Elfrida Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school . Standards in English, mathematics and science are below average overall. However, the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), learning English as an additional language (EAL), or who are vulnerable and needy, together with the very high turnover of pupils, means that standards are continually being depressed. Detailed evaluation of their achievement in English and mathematics shows clearly that pupils who stay at the school are making good progress. All pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching and learning, and the pastoral care provided by the school is a significant strength. Very good leadership by the executive headteacher steers the school very well, and empowers staff, so that leadership and management are good overall, supported well by the governors. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The school’s promotion of racial harmony and its pastoral care are excellent, with a very good commitment to inclusion, consistently implemented. • Very high expectations of pupils’ conduct and behaviour permeate the school, to which pupils respond positively. • Very good, trusting relationships lead to very good support for pupils. • Standards are below average, but pupils’ achievement and progress are good. • Very good assessment in English and mathematics is not matched in other subjects, where it is informal, and consequently is not satisfactory. • The very good leadership of the headteacher leads to very good self-evaluation and determination to improve. • Accommodation for the youngest children is inadequate for their needs.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has continued to improve since the HMI inspection in March 2003 deemed that it no longer required special measures. Whilst standards have not noticeably improved, the quality of teaching, and consequently pupils’ achievement and progress, measurably has. Governors are now actively involved in school management.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Children join the school in the nursery with levels of attainment well below expectations for their age, particularly in communication and social skills. The flying start they receive to education in the nursery and reception classes sets the tone for the rest of the school. Children make good progress and achieve well. By the end of the reception year, standards are below expectations in five of the six areas of learning in the curriculum for this age group, although in physical development, standards meet expectations.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good throughout the school and pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make good progress as a result of good and very good teaching. Whilst the table shows that standards in the 2004 national tests in Year 6 were well below average in English and in the lowest five per cent nationally in mathematics and science, the profile of the school’s pupils is a significant factor in these results. In the group taking these tests, over half had joined the school after Year 1, and over Elfrida Primary School - 7 a third during either Year 5 or Year 6. Faced with this very high turnover of pupils, the school’s ability to set meaningful targets each year is limited. Current standards for pupils in Year 6 are well below average in English, and below average in mathematics and science, but the very detailed assessment in English and mathematics clearly demonstrates the good progress and achievement

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

made by individual pupils. In the 2004 tests for Year 2 pupils, standards in reading and writing were well below average, and again in the lowest five per cent nationally in mathematics. Standards in English and mathematics are well below average for current Year 2 pupils, but again the good progress of individuals is clear. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) just meet expectations by the end of Year 2, but are below expectations by the end of Year 6. In religious education, standards are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus throughout the school.

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Provision for developing pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social

and cultural development is very good . Pupils have good attitudes and behave well as a result of very good relationships and high expectations from all staff. Although attendance statistics are below the national average, this is the result of poor attendance from a small number of pupils; attendance for the vast majority is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education . Teaching and learning are good overall, being strongest in the Foundation Stage and for the oldest pupils . Support teachers and staff provide invaluable assistance for class teachers and for individual and groups of pupils who need specific support strategies, such as those with SEN, EAL and nurture groups, as well as booster sessions for more able pupils. The curriculum meets requirements and is enriched by a good range of activities. The accommodation for the Foundation Stage, however, is too small fully to meet children’s needs, although staff work very hard to make the best of what is available. Care for pupils is very good overall, with excellent pastoral care, through very trusting relationships. Partnership with parents, the community and other schools is good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall . The executive headteacher provides very good, dedicated leadership, which has steered the school successfully into its present good position. Senior managers and all staff support the headteacher fully and well. Governance is good, and provides effective support for the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are supportive of the school and appreciative of all it does for their children. They feel well informed and welcomed when they visit. Pupils value the warm, supportive relationships they experience at school and feel that their views are valued and listened to. Most are proud of their school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Continue efforts to raise standards across all subjects, but particularly in English, mathematics and science. • Extend the very good assessment systems in English and mathematics to other subjects. • As a matter of urgency implement plans to improve accommodation for the Foundation Stage. Elfrida Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Childrens’ and pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. Standards for pupils in Year 2 are well below average, and are below average for pupils in Year 6. Children in reception are not meeting expectations in the early learning goals for most of the six areas of learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very successful in welcoming new pupils and enabling them to achieve well. • Standards in English are well below average, and in mathematics and in science are below average by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

1. Raising standards is a key priority for the school, but it has significant barriers to overcome. Chief amongst these is the very high turnover in the pupil population, which resulted, for example, in over half of pupils in Year 6 last year joining the school after Year 1, with over one third joining in Years 5 and 6. This is because families move out of the area when they are financially able to do so, and many of the pupils who join the school bring with them significant levels of need, both emotionally and academically. At any one time, the school has between 20 and 30 per cent of pupils identified as having SEN. The proportion of pupils coming from homes where the first language is not English is also rising, together with increasing numbers of pupils from families who have just arrived in the country. It is significant that fewer than 90 per cent of pupils taking the 2004 tests at the end of Year 6, had taken the 2000 tests at the

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Commentary

end of Year 2. As a result of this turbulence, teachers are continually welcoming new pupils, and adjusting targets and expectations to match their needs. Although standards have not improved significantly since the last inspection, it is a significant measure of the school’s success that pupils achieve well across the year groups and ability range, both in the short term and over time, particularly in the core subjects of English and mathematics.

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Commentary

2. Children’s attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is well below expectations for their age, with particular concerns in relation to speech and language, and social development, and a significant number of children have poor speech patterns. Children settle very quickly, as a result of the very good introduction they receive to this warm, caring and stimulating environment, and achieve well as a result of good and very good teaching in both the nursery and reception classes. Standards at present meet expectations in physical development, but they are below expectations in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. Children are making good progress, however, and if this, and their good achievement are maintained, about a third of children should meet expectations by the

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results reading 13.4 (12.9) 15.8 (15.7) writing 13.2 (13.2) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 13.3 (15.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 47 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. In the 2004 national tests in Year 2, standards in reading and writing were well below average and were in the lowest five per cent nationally in mathematics. Compared with similar schools, based on free school meals statistics, standards in writing were average, were below average Elfrida Primary School - 9 in reading and were well below average in mathematics. The school has identified past weaknesses in teaching as a barrier to raising standards, and current Year 1 / 2 teachers, all three of whom are new to the school in the past two academic years, are working hard to redress this issue. However, whilst pupils are achieving well and making good progress, it is too soon for improvements to have impacted on standards and in reading, writing and mathematics these remain well below average. Standards in science are below average, and they are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education. In ICT,

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Commentary

standards are just meeting expectations.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004 Standards in: School results National results English 23.8 (24.4) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 22.6 (23.1) 27.0 (26.8) science 24.0 (24.4) 28.6 (28.6) There were 43 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Standards in the 2004 national tests in Year 6 were well below average in English and in the lowest five per cent of all schools in mathematics and science. Compared with similar schools, based on performance in the 2000 tests in Year 2, standards were well below average in all tested areas. However, such comparisons need treating with caution, as they do not take into account the disturbance caused to individual pupils by their moving from one school to another, often with significant family trauma involved, and those pupils for whom a match between the two sets of tests cannot be established. The school has undertaken a very detailed analysis of attainment in these tests, and together with its own assessment in English and mathematics, is able to show clearly the good progress made by pupils who remain at the school. The information is used effectively to set individual and group targets, but targets for

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Commentary

attainment in national tests are continually having to be revised as a result of pupil turbulence. Good and very good teaching ensures pupils achieve well and make good progress, although English standards remain well below average by the end of Year 6. Standards in mathematics, science, ICT and religious education are all below what is expected for this age group.

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Commentary

5. Analysis ensures support is targeted effectively at specific groups of pupils who are underachieving, such as white boys. Pupils with specific learning needs achieve well because of good levels of support, although standards attained remain well below the expected levels for their age. Good tracking systems for all pupils, including those with SEN, quickly highlight any potential areas of difficulty. These, combined with an extensive range of intervention and support groups, ensure that pupils with SEN are well supported. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) achieve as well their peers, and often better. They acquire language and literacy skills quickly as a result of effective support at the early stages, and make good progress in all areas of the curriculum.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good, as are their behaviour and attendance. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is a very inclusive society, and excellent at promoting racial harmony. • Procedures to promote and monitor attendance are very good. • The school has very good strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour.

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Commentary

Elfrida Primary School - 10 6. Pupils like the school and are keen to learn. All are very well integrated with, and supported by, their peers in this richly culturally diverse school, whatever their individual difficulties or needs. Although a regular few, mainly from the younger classes, persistently arrive late, pupils’ punctuality is satisfactory overall. Overall attendance is statistically below the national average, but this is due to a very small number of pupils whose attendance is extremely spasmodic. The education welfare officer visits regularly and is appropriately concerned with families where children’s attendance is causing concern, and the school does all it can to promote good attendance. As a result, for the vast majority of pupils, attendance is good.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.2 School data: 2.9 National data: 5.1 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

7. From the time they arrive in the nursery, children quickly learn what is acceptable behaviour and settle well into the class routines. Pupils want to please teachers, and are proud of the certificates they receive in assembly once they have gained 15 ‘well done’ slips. Their moral and social development is very good as a result of the staff’s high expectations and pupils’ response to these, the consistent way in which their behaviour is managed and the school ethos. Inappropriate behaviour is frowned upon by staff and by other pupils; bullying is not tolerated. Whilst sanctions are regarded as fair, few wish to incur these, and the number of behaviour tracking sheets given is reducing. Over the past twelve months, three pupils were excluded for six fixed term periods; this number is also reducing.

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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 118 4 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 13 2 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 9 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 8 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 31 0 0 Black or Black British – African 13 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 20 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 6 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 10 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

8. Pupils with SEN are supported effectively through planned interventions, such as the nurture groups. These enable pupils to address any areas of difficulty and help them to participate fully in school life.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ spiritual development is good as a result of the school’s carefully themed assemblies and aspects of some lessons. Reflecting on mutual respect, pupils try to imagine what others are thinking in particular situations and how they could show them respect. A spiritual element Elfrida Primary School - 11 is also evident in music when the calypso beat makes them sway in time as they sing. The school is highly successful in teaching appreciation and respect for different cultural traditions, and excellent at promoting racial harmony. Consequently, pupils who are learning EAL thrive within this caring and inclusive ethos. Colourful wall displays celebrate the school’s diverse community. Pupils learn about British and other cultures and enjoy the art, stories and music from all of these. Black History Month and Chinese and Hindu dancing in physical education lessons also contribute to their very good cultural development. The Jamaica Day celebration

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is satisfactory and enriched by a good range of additional activities. Overall care for pupils is very good, with excellent pastoral care. Links with parents, other schools and the community are all good.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall. They are better in the Foundation Stage and for the oldest pupils than in Years 1 and 2. Assessment is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high proportion of good and very good teaching enables pupils to achieve well and make good progress. • Assessment in English and mathematics is very good, but assessment in other subjects does not take place, and consequently is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching and learning is a strength, and significantly instrumental in the good achievement evident throughout the school. This is all credit to the current staff, many of whom are new to the school and to teaching, and continues the improvement noted at the last inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 60 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 1 (1.7%) 8 (13.3%) 32 (53.3%) 18 (30.0%) 1 (1.7%) 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

11. Teaching and learning in the nursery and reception classes are good overall, and frequently very good because of the clear knowledge and understanding of all the staff of the needs of young children and how they learn. Very effective partnerships exist in each class, so that every session is packed with exciting and stimulating activity, with all adults interacting effectively with children as they work and play, encouraging them to think and talk about what they are doing. The quality of learning is sometimes hampered by children’s lack of natural curiosity, which would be expected for this age group.

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Commentary

12. Good and very good teaching and learning were seen across the age groups and the subjects, where experienced and talented practitioners work hard to involve, engage and motivate the school’s challenging pupils with noticeable and rewarding success. In the best lessons, concepts are reinforced practically, and reviewed and revisited frequently, so that pupils achieve well and make good progress. In an excellent Year 5 / 6 science lesson, for example, pupils were literally on the edges of their seats as the teacher ensured their practical understanding of the fact that light travels in straight lines. Consistent very high expectations Elfrida Primary School - 12 of behaviour are reinforced continually and all support staff, both teachers and classroom assistants, share and implement these expectations very well. As a result, pupils are very well aware of what is expected of them and the vast majority concentrate and work hard.

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Commentary

13. However, equally spread across the year groups and subjects is a proportion of satisfactory teaching, which leads to a slower quality of learning when work does not fully capture pupils’ interest and imagination because it is not relevant and meaningful to their experience. This led to the very small percentage of unsatisfactory teaching. The school is working hard to raise the overall quality of teaching and develop practical learning, because it knows this is particularly necessary to meet the needs of its pupils. Additionally, planning occasionally varies between classes in the same year group, where objectives may be the same, but methods differ and result in work not always being matched to pupils’ differing abilities in the classes.

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Commentary

14. The standards teacher, support teachers and classroom assistants provide invaluable contributions to the overall quality of teaching and learning, by providing extension and support programmes for more and most able pupils and those needing additional help, and ‘team teaching’ within the classrooms to stimulate, engage and encourage pupils. Teaching and learning for SEN pupils are good overall. Support given by classroom assistants is, however, of variable quality. Where it is good, pupils with SEN are well supported and achieve very well, but some assistants are rather passive in their support and do not stimulate pupils with searching questions. Very good teaching supports pupils who are very needy in nurture groups across the age ranges. These sessions provide much needed opportunities to talk about experiences for pupils who have experienced significant trauma in their lives, and make

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Commentary

an invaluable contribution to pupils’ ability to access the curriculum overall.

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Commentary

15. Teaching and learning for pupils learning EAL are good. Teachers have a high degree of awareness of the learning needs of these pupils, and generally provide good support for them by ensuring classrooms and shared areas celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity within displays and teaching materials. This provides a positive environment where pupils learn well. The knowledgeable and enthusiastic specialist teacher makes a valuable contribution. She assesses pupils’ needs when they arrive at school and regularly monitors their progress thereafter. She uses this information well to keep staff up-to-date and to arrange additional support. She provides skilled specialist teaching to a group of recent arrivals who are in the early stages of learning English and she provides good teaching for a group of more able pupils in the higher levels of mathematics. As a result, these pupils are making good progress

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Commentary

16. Assessment in the Foundation Stage is very good and provides very detailed information on all children across the six areas of learning, which teachers use well when planning the next steps in children’s learning. Assessment is satisfactory overall in Years 1 to 6. The school has recently introduced rigorous arrangements for the regular formal assessment of English and mathematics. These very good systems, managed by a passionate and committed co- ordinator, are used very well to track the individual progress of pupils and to help teachers set challenging targets and, to a lesser extent, to modify lesson plans to match teaching more closely to pupils’ abilities. For example, teachers have used the assessment data well to identify pupils who would benefit from ‘booster’ lessons in Year 6, to reach Level 5 in mathematics tests.

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Commentary

17. Clearly, assessment arrangements are beginning to make an impact on teaching and learning, but they are not yet used consistently or fully. In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers gain an understanding of how pupils are progressing through informal assessments and marking work. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly for correctness and praise, but they often miss the opportunity to include comments to guide pupils on how to improve and reach their individual targets. There are no assessment procedures, however, for any subject other than English and mathematics to inform teachers of strengths and weaknesses in those subjects, and this is unsatisfactory. The school improvement plan and subject co-ordinators’ action plans detail strategies to address this issue. Elfrida Primary School - 13

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with good enrichment. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum provides well for pupils with SEN and for those with other barriers to learning, and is taught well by the well-trained teachers and support staff. • The curriculum is enhanced by an exciting range of additional activities, although lack of development in some subjects prevents pupils from learning as well as they could in these areas. • There are some areas where the accommodation is unsatisfactory. • The school prepares pupils well for moving to secondary school.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum meets legal requirements and has improved since the last inspection, particularly in English, mathematics and science, due to the hard work and strong input of the headteacher and key staff. However, the school has not yet fully addressed shortcomings in the range and quality of learning opportunities in some other subjects, for example, religious education and ICT and some foundation subjects. As a result, pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable. The school provides well for pupils’ personal, social and health education. This reflects the caring ethos of the school and contributes very positively to pupils acquiring good behaviour and attitudes.

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Commentary

19. The school is well staffed to meet the needs of the curriculum, and more importantly the needs of the pupils. It includes all groups of pupils very well and ensures equal opportunities and access for all. Pupils learning EAL and vulnerable pupils are well provided for, enabling them generally to join in fully with all activities. Highly successful intervention strategies are particularly concentrated on the needs of pupils with SEN. This enables them to gain maximum benefit from learning opportunities. Careful analysis and regular monitoring ensure pupils do not miss more of the curriculum than they need to when receiving this valuable additional help.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum is enriched well through opportunities for pupils to learn outside the school day and by arranging exciting events and interesting visitors, making learning enjoyable and fun. After school clubs for sports, arts and other activities are enthusiastically attended by many of the older pupils. Visitors have included theatre groups, artists, dancers, police and musicians, and the older pupils have made visits to the theatre, cinema, Maritime Museum and Frylands Woods. Pupils are involved in presentations of drama, dance, music and art, working alongside professionals from various community organisations, for example Sadlers Wells and the South Bank gallery. They participate in the Bellingham festival and story-telling project. The school regularly holds extremely popular special events such as sports day, Jamaica Day, refugee week, pop idol competition and bin bag fashion parades!

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Commentary

21. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. The strong relationship with the local secondary school has led to a good programme of mutual visits between staff and pupils in both schools, and a useful range of activities which ensure that pupils are made thoroughly ready for moving on. The school arranges for outside groups, from the community, to provide good support in preparing vulnerable pupils for these changes.

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Commentary

22. The school is clean and staff work very hard at making it bright and attractive. Accommodation is satisfactory overall for pupils in both the infant and junior buildings, although neither hall is large enough to allow the whole school to meet together. However, in the Foundation Stage, accommodation is unsatisfactory because the reception teaching spaces are too small and Elfrida Primary School - 14 outdoor areas are very restricted. There are many good specialist areas such as a computer suite, music room, libraries and study dens. Although there is very little green space, the school has creatively adapted the playgrounds with interesting coloured markings which pupils use enthusiastically for a range of play activities.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ health, safety and welfare is very good. Pupils receive good advice and guidance, and their views are sought through good systems of consultation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships are evident amongst the whole school community and result in excellent pastoral care. • Specialised support groups for targeted pupils are very effective. • Very good induction procedures for the youngest children mean that they start school confidently. • Pupils’ personal development is not formally planned nor monitored other than in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

23. The health, safety and welfare of the whole school community are very high priorities for all staff. First aid is practised well by trained personnel, and regular risk assessments and security reviews are undertaken. Teaching staff know who to contact in the event of a child protection issue and procedures followed are very good. Now aware of recent child protection legislation, the school is taking good steps to comply fully with this.

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Commentary

24. Pastoral care is central to the school’s ethos and is excellent. As a result of very good relationships, all pupils have an adult to whom they can easily speak about any worries, confident that these will be taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and effectively. Close liaison with professionals from the ‘Sure Start’ programme on home visits before children start in the nursery means that children’s circumstances are known very well, giving them a flying start to their education in a warm, caring and stimulating learning environment. Children with particular difficulties are identified early, as a result of this close partnership. Outside agencies and the school’s own learning mentor provide good support for pupils from a travelling background, for those with EAL, and those recently arrived in the country whose problems are swiftly identified. Because the school knows and understands pupils, their circumstances and

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Commentary

possible disadvantages so very well, very effective support is in place for pupils with specific academic, emotional and social difficulties, through the nurture and black boys’ groups to name but two. Whilst staff knowledge of individuals and their capabilities is very good, pupils’ personal development is not yet formally planned nor recorded other than in the Foundation Stage; doing so would make this easier to monitor.

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Commentary

25. Pupils complete questionnaires regularly, know that their views are important and that the school listens to them. Members of the school council feel that they are there ‘to improve the school’ although their role is under-developed and as yet younger pupils’ views are not canvassed nor represented. The head teacher is ever-present and pupils know they can speak to her at any time, and they do. Elfrida Primary School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established a good partnership with parents. Links with the community and other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Information for and consultation with parents are good, and attendance at parents’ consultation meetings is very good. • The school is gaining a good reputation in the community. • Liaison and links with other schools are good.

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Commentary

26. The school has established a good relationship with parents. Although very few are able to help in class, many frequently ‘drop in’ to the office where friendly staff give them whatever assistance or information they need. The school tries hard to support parents by arranging workshops of their choice. However, despite promises to do so, very few came to the most recent on ‘Growing Pains’. Parents as well as members of the local community enjoy the fund- raising events organised by the Senior Administration Officer, supported by her loyal band of voluntary helpers.

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Commentary

27. Parents are kept well informed through frequent ‘flyers’ about events and dates for the diary and they receive appropriate curriculum information once a term. Their views are canvassed regularly via questionnaires and through small groups. Attendance at academic review meetings is very good, where teachers, parents and children discuss and evaluate pupils’ targets. Interpreters are on hand to ensure parents whose first language is not English have a good understanding of their children’s progress, of their targets for improvement and how parents can help. Parents of pupils with SEN also meet teachers on these days, with their children, to set specific targets. Parents like their children’s annual reports, although the targets in these to help children improve are not always clear. Parents of pupils with EAL begin their strong links with school in the nursery, where a programme of induction meetings

p.15

Commentary

28. The school’s reputation is rapidly improving within the local community and links are now good, with pupils participating in many community events. Two local residents have recently spoken to pupils about their World War II experiences. The vicar and a teacher from a local special school regularly take assemblies, the latter recently holding younger pupils enthralled as he showed them what to do through mime rather than words, explaining how pupils in his school sometimes act in this way. Initially through the Education Action Zone, and now in partnership with the Sage Educational Trust, the school is involved in many initiatives such as Sure Start and Leadership Development in Primary Schools.

p.15

Commentary

29. Links with other schools and colleges are good overall, and very good with the other school under the executive headship. A working partnership has been established with a third, and the appointment of the standards teacher shared between all three is a positive step towards improving links and raising attainment. Joint training is shared with a local special school, and mutual visits by pupils are enjoyed by both groups. Liaison with the local secondary school is good. The headteachers meet every half term, and useful transfer arrangements exist. Students enjoy their work experience and work placements at Elfrida.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good overall. The executive headteacher provides very good leadership. Governance is good. Elfrida Primary School - 16

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher’s leadership is very effective. • Self-evaluation is very accurate. • The school succeeds very well in its aim to include all pupils in its provision. • Governors fulfil their duties well. • Effective management systems promote good achievement, but the role of co-ordinators of non-core subjects is not sufficiently developed.

p.16

Commentary

30. The executive headteacher provides very good and highly effective leadership. As reported in the last inspection, her clarity of vision, the education direction she provides and her constant focus upon driving up standards and achievement, have led to continued improvements in the quality of education provided for pupils. The other senior managers fully support the headteacher’s lead, contributing significantly to improvements in assessment and monitoring, and in establishing a harmonious team of teaching and support staff. Newly qualified teachers report effective induction programmes and subject co-ordinators are provided with sufficient time to carry out their duties. These co-ordinators are effective and contribute well to pupils’ good achievement. However, the role of co-ordinators for some non-core subjects is under- developed. The school’s effective management systems contribute well to staff performance

p.16

Commentary

management. Regular and rigorous evaluations of teaching and learning, together with audits of the staff’s opinions and needs, provide a clear picture of training needs and the strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning.

p.16

Commentary

31. The school is very successful in achieving its aim to include all pupils in its provision. Because pupils’ progress is monitored closely in English and mathematics, the school is able to identify their needs precisely. As a result, intervention and extra support is provided to enable all pupils to take full advantage of all the school offers. The co-ordinator for SEN provides good leadership and management, and is committed to pupils achieving well. The new SEN governor is also the school assessment co-ordinator and uses that role to maintain an effective overview of the progress of individual pupils and to identify potential SEN. There is frequent discussion between the governor and co-ordinator as well as clear communication with the governing body. Provision for the growing number of pupils with EAL is led and managed well. However, the school has no policy for this area and has not yet defined clearly staff

p.16

Commentary

responsibilities in relation to EAL. A useful action plan is included as part of the school’s strategic plan, to address these developmental points. Plans to improve relationships with parents of pupils with EAL have been held up, however, due to a delay in the expected arrival of special funding.

p.16

Commentary

32. The school is very clear about its effectiveness, through a detailed and honest assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. This open approach enables staff to focus clearly upon the major improvements that need to be made and gives all staff a shared feeling of ownership of improvements. As a result, the school improvement plan is a pragmatic tool for development to which all have contributed. Weaknesses are being addressed in a systematic way, leading to steady improvements in pupils’ behaviour and attitudes, the quality of education, achievement, standards and governance.

p.16

Commentary

33. Since the last inspection, governance has improved. Governors now fulfil their duties well, and are fully involved in shaping the direction of the school, through active participation in school development planning and in holding senior managers to account for pupils’ achievements and the standards they attain. Governors continue to plan effectively and manage the school’s finances carefully, and have become increasingly skilled at directing funding to support the school’s priorities for improving resources and standards. They apply the principles of best value well. Financial management is good overall, with careful management and monitoring of the budget by the headteacher, finance officer and governors. Elfrida Primary School - 17 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004 Income and expenditure (£) (including previous year’s balance) Balances (£)

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Commentary

Total income 1320534 Balance from previous year 78930 Total expenditure 1254849 Balance carried forward to the next Expenditure per pupil 4018 Elfrida Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Overall provision in the Foundation Stage is good , which maintains the position found by the last inspection, with assessment and target setting having improved since that time.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. There are significant good features, which are common to all six areas of learning, and instrumental in the good achievement and progress found in both the nursery and reception classes. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good across all areas of learning, and a third of sessions seen were very good. In both the nursery and reception, very good partnerships exist between all adults who work with these young children. All work very closely with individuals and groups of children as they work and play, and are equally adept at encouraging thinking and talking through effective questioning. Activities are planned very carefully to match the age, experience and interests of children, in order to encourage them to become involved in their learning. Particularly good use is made of the interactive whiteboard in reception to stimulate children’s interest, with noticeable effect and this makes a positive

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

contribution to the quality of learning. However, their efforts can sometimes go unrewarded; many children are reticent, inarticulate or lack the necessary vocabulary to express their views other than monosyllabically. Developing language skills across the areas of learning has the highest priority, and success in this can be seen in the progress made between nursery and reception, and then during the reception year. Additionally, around a third of children are learning English as an additional language, and they are sympathetically supported as they progress well in acquiring English.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. Detailed and comprehensive planning ensures all aspects of the required curriculum are covered in an interesting and relevant way, with clear progressive development of skills as children move from the nursery into reception. This is supported by very good, thorough assessment in all areas of learning, so that children’s progress is very closely monitored and their achievement celebrated. Leadership and management are good. With experienced and expert practitioners in each of the two classes, the needs of the children are met fully.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attainment in personal, social and emotional development is below expectations, but achievement is good. • The high priority placed on developing this area of learning results in very good teaching.

p.18

Commentary

36. Children are achieving well in developing their personal and social skills, but attainment is below expectations overall in both the nursery and reception. This is because children do not show the level of curiosity which is normally expected of their age, and because they need much encouragement to co-operate and work and play together. Both these factors are linked to children’s low level of communication skills when they join the school and have the highest priority in both classes. Teaching is very good in this area of learning as all adults work consistently to instil and reinforce both high expectations of behaviour and a sense of wonder and excitement in the children about learning and the world around them. During fruit and drink sessions, for example, constant reminders produce polite ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ from almost all children. Caring and supportive relationships mean that children feel confident and

p.18

Commentary

secure and, in their turn, trust adults to care for them. Activities, such as social skills groups in reception, make a positive contribution to developing children’s awareness of their place in a Elfrida Primary School - 19 group and the concepts of right and wrong. However, whilst their physical manipulation of the parachute was appropriate for their age, it was clearly evident that their group co-operation was not.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attainment in communication, language and literacy is below expectations. • Very good teaching and learning is resulting in good achievement and progress.

p.19

Commentary

37. Attainment in this area of learning is below expectations, but children are achieving well and making good progress in acquiring language and literacy skills. Progress is slower in acquiring communication skills, but achievement is still good, considering the very low base from which the large majority of children start. Very good teaching and learning means that children thoroughly enjoy listening to stories, such as ‘The Little Red Hen’, in the nursery, and have great fun correcting the teacher when she makes deliberate mistakes in retelling familiar stories, such as that of “Humpty Dumpty’, in reception. This makes a positive contribution to developing children’s language skills, as do very lively sessions identifying words with specific sounds. Most children handle books with care and recognise individual letters in words, and about a third of reception children are beginning to recognise whole words other than their

p.19

Commentary

names. However, around another third are working well below expectations, and have very short attention spans when looking at books. Both nursery and reception classes provide extensive opportunities for children to experiment with writing as they play, but it was noticeable in free choice sessions that few children used these opportunities. In their spoken language, children in both classes are working well below expectations, with about a third of children learning English as an additional language and a further significant percentage having poor speech patterns. All adults work very hard with both groups of pupils to encourage, develop and improve their skills and vocabulary, with measurable success.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The practical approach to mathematical development means children make good progress, but attainment is below expectations.

p.19

Commentary

38. Children’s mathematical development is below expectations, but they are achieving well and making good progress as a result of good teaching and learning. Adults provide lively sessions designed to improve counting skills, and children join in with these with reasonable enthusiasm and accuracy, counting at least to ten. A significant number of children, however, do not recognise numerals out of context. In an imaginative practical session designed to develop children’s mathematical vocabulary of half, more than and less than half, children successfully poured water and measured this, but wanted to move on to ‘something else’ as soon as they had completed their instructions, and showed little curiosity in what they were being asked to do. Good progress and achievement is supported well by ‘little and often’ approach to developing skills and a wealth of practical activities, but is hampered by children’s

p.19

Commentary

short attention span and lack of curiosity. Elfrida Primary School - 20

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy practical activities, but show little curiosity about the world around them.

p.20

Commentary

39. A wide range of interesting, interlinked and practical activities, and good teaching and learning, mean that children achieve well and make good progress in developing their knowledge and understanding of the world, but attainment is below expectations, for the same reasons as in other areas of learning. Children manage computer programs with reasonable skill and have produced some attractive free designs with graphics programs. However, it was noticeable that in some sessions children were more interested in the movement between levels of the program than the content itself, and they were not following this. Adults and children thoroughly enjoy using the interactive whiteboard in reception. Children construct, using large and small-scale kits with interest and skill, and this demonstrates the essential difference between their practical and mental skills. However, in a very good nursery session, planting

p.20

Commentary

spring containers, all children were fully included in thinking carefully about the needs of growing things resulting in a thoughtful and productive session. The cultural diversity in the school is celebrated enthusiastically in both classes, most recently in colourful representations of Chinese New Year. Few nursery children, however, contributed to the discussion about items recently bought in Tunisia, despite the best efforts of the teacher.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Outdoor play space is unsatisfactory, although adults work hard to compensate for this.

p.20

Commentary

40. Children’s physical development meets expectations, and they are achieving satisfactorily and making steady progress. Children move with confidence and control, both in the classrooms and on large apparatus in the hall, and manage large and small equipment and tools competently. In the nursery, for example, children were well co-ordinated as they managed the ‘Chinese dragon’ made from four large cardboard boxes. However, both the nursery and the reception outdoor areas are too small for the needs of the children and the requirements of the curriculum, with reception being far too small. Adults work hard to compensate for this, using school halls and main playgrounds for large apparatus, exuberant parachute sessions and wheeled toys. However, considering the nature of children’s need for practical activities, this situation is unsatisfactory.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attainment that is below expectations stems mainly from children’s limited social and language skills. Elfrida Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

41. Children are achieving well in their creative development, although attainment is below expectations in important aspects of this area of learning. They enjoy exploring texture and paint and have produced some colourful and lively art, such as symmetrical dragons in reception, and in this aspect are meeting expectations. Children in the nursery listen with enjoyment to the teacher singing ‘Old Macdonald had a farm’, but very few join in with the words and need much encouragement to take part in actions. Singing in reception is lusty, and reasonably tuneful, demonstrating good progress. In the important element of using their imaginations, however, attainment is well below expectations for a significant proportion of children. Adults provide a wealth of ‘small world’ play opportunities, which children enjoy using, but despite continuous encouragement to think and talk about their play, this is often

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards are well below average, pupils achieve well, especially in writing, because of good teaching. • The effective curriculum provides pupils with wide ranging opportunities to write in different subjects. • Good leadership and management ensure that initiatives are implemented well.

p.21

Commentary

42. Overall, whilst standards are well below average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils achieve well in English. They enter the school with very poor language skills and little experience of books. As a result of an effective curriculum, especially in writing, pupils make good progress, given their prior attainment, throughout the school. Because the good strategies for teaching writing have been in place for some time and have thus had time to impact on learning, pupils’ progress is more rapid than in writing than in reading and speaking. The school has a much higher percentage than is the norm of pupils with SEN, those with EAL or who have not spent all their education at this school. These act as significant barriers to raising standards, but evidence indicates that all of these pupils achieve as well as their peers. Improvements to the provision for reading, including a new reading scheme and dedicated

p.21

Commentary

lessons for teaching reading skills, are beginning to raise standards but have been in place too little time to have had a full effect. Sufficient time has elapsed, however, to detect improvements in younger pupils’ ability to use letter sounds to read unfamiliar words and in older pupils’ skills in scanning and skimming, to elicit information from texts quickly.

p.21

Commentary

43. Standards compared with all schools in the 2004 national tests were well below average in speaking and listening, reading and writing, at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Compared with similar schools, standards for Year 2 pupils were average in writing, although below average in reading. Similar comparisons for Year 6 pupils present a less positive picture. However, the turnover in the pupil population means that such comparisons need treating with caution. Weaknesses in pupils’ attainment, which contribute to lower standards, include words spelt incorrectly, ill-formed handwriting and, amongst all but the most able pupils, an inability to write complex sentences and to infer meaning from what they read.

p.21

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In most of the lessons observed, good teaching based on effective subject knowledge, clear objectives, creative use of resources, positive behaviour management and warm relationships, resulted in pupils making good short-term Elfrida Primary School - 22 gains in their learning. In the best teaching, for example, in a very good Year 5/6 lesson about writing leaflets, the teacher’s firm grasp of the subject material, high expectations, which included a cracking pace, and the imaginative use of teaching methods, enthused pupils to produce effective, persuasive writing. Throughout the school, the recently introduced ‘guided reading’ sessions, well taught by teachers and classroom assistants, help many pupils to improve their reading skills, especially in reading more accurately, at greater length and, increasingly, for meaning. There is a relative weakness in the teaching of speaking. Some

p.21

Commentary

lessons are planned specifically to promote pupils’ speaking skills and in many classes pupils have speaking partners. However, lesson plans rarely specify how or which pupils will be questioned, nor do teachers sufficiently require pupils to respond to their questions in full sentences rather than with one word or a short phrase. Not only does this restrict their speaking skills but limits their ability to write more complex sentences.

p.22

Commentary

45. The quality of leadership and management is good. In addition to the subject co-ordinator’s effective management, senior managers have led and supported new initiatives to improve reading and writing standards and achievement. The rigorous evaluation of test and other assessment data, has resulted in much sharper planning based on pupils’ individual needs. The frequent checking of pupils’ progress, in reading and writing, has led to higher achievement. Extra support is well targeted to help pupils of all abilities to achieve the best they can. Improvement since the 2003 inspection has been good.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

46. This is a strength, and is good. A significant factor in improvements in pupils’ achievements has been in their writing to support learning in a range of subjects. The opportunity for pupils to write letters, poetry, notes, newspaper reports and menus, for example, has extended their skills and understanding of the different purposes of writing and which style might appeal most to a particular reader. Their work in science, geography, history, religious education and design and technology has all been enhanced through writing.

p.22

Main Strengths and weaknesses

• In most lessons, lively, interesting teaching ‘switches pupils on to learning’ and helps them progress well. • The quality of teaching varies between classes and this affects how well some pupils learn. • Standards are low but they are beginning to rise. • Pupils learning EAL and those with SEN are supported well.

p.22

Commentary

47. Standards in mathematics are well below average in Year 2 and below average in Year 6. This is because pupils start school with low levels of attainment and they have a lot of ground to catch up. Also, a large proportion of pupils join or leave the school mid year, and teaching is not yet consistently good. Following a whole-school focus on the subject, pupils across the school now achieve well, marking an improvement since the last inspection. All groups of pupils, including those with SEN, pupils with EAL, more able pupils, those from minority ethnic groups and boys and girls progress and achieve as well as their classmates. Evidence suggests that results for the 2005 national tests are likely to improve considerably in Year 6 over those in 2004, where standards were in the lowest five per cent nationally. The proportion reaching the expected level is likely to be much closer to the national average and

p.22

Commentary

better than similar schools. In Year 2, however, results are likely to remain well below average due to factors within that particular group of pupils. Elfrida Primary School - 23 48. Teaching and learning are good across the school, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Teachers generally use assessment very well to regularly track the progress of groups and individual pupils, to match their teaching to the pupils’ levels and to set challenging targets. In lessons seen, however, teaching was of inconsistent quality, ranging from excellent to barely satisfactory, and this is preventing standards from rising as quickly as they could in some classes and year groups. In the best lessons, such as a very successful lesson in a Year 5/6 class, there was brisk, lively teaching, which captured the interest of pupils. The teacher had high expectations for what the pupils could achieve and she carefully matched her

p.22

Commentary

tasks to the abilities of all groups and skilfully used probing questions to deepen pupils’ understanding. As a result, pupils were highly motivated by the lesson. They achieved very well and made very good progress in their ability to round numbers up and down. In a minority of lessons, however, teachers fail to match their tasks well to the needs and interests of all the groups of pupils in their classes, particularly the more able. Teaching sometimes fails to inspire the pupils and is rather slow. Consequently, in a minority of lessons, learning is slowed. Pupils with SEN and the most able in Year 6 are well supported by classroom assistants who put their good training to use by sitting close to pupils and providing extra explanation and encouragement. Pupils learning EAL and those from minority ethnic groups are also supported well by the very skilled specialist teacher who works alongside pupils and

p.23

Commentary

withdraws targeted groups, ensuring these pupils learn as well as their classmates. Pupils’ books are marked regularly for correctness but some teachers miss an opportunity to go beyond this to include comments to help pupils improve.

p.23

Commentary

49. Leadership and management are satisfactory and improving rapidly. An enthusiastic new subject leader has been appointed and she is receiving good support and training to enable her increasingly to take on the full range of responsibilities for the subject. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

50. Pupils use mathematics as part of their work in other subjects satisfactorily, although the links are not planned in a structured way. Most age groups use a range of graphs, charts and diagrams in other subjects. For example, graphs of pulse rates in Year 6 and charts on eye colour in Year 2 have a positive impact on standards and achievement.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good planning for pupils’ investigations supports pupils’ learning and understanding well. • The good attitudes and achievement of most pupils are strengths. • More attention needs to be devoted to planning appropriate tasks for all ability levels, and to challenging more able pupils, to improve their knowledge and understanding.

p.23

Commentary

51. In the 2004 tests in Year 6, standards in science were in the lowest five per cent nationally, and well below average compared with similar schools. Teacher assessment of attainment in Year 2 showed that standards were well below the national average. Standards are improving, although they remain below average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. However, pupils are making good progress from a very low starting point and achieving well. Throughout the school, all pupils understand how to conduct a science experiment and experience making a fair test. A whole school system for planning investigations helps pupils to investigate systematically. Pupils’ work in science is well displayed in order to celebrate their achievement. Elfrida Primary School - 24 52. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan carefully and pupils of the same age in different classes have similar experiences. In lessons, clear explanations and good

p.23

Commentary

questioning support pupils’ learning. Pupils are encouraged to use the correct scientific language appropriately. Though teachers make good use of interactive whiteboards during lessons, more use could be made of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning. Teachers have consistently high expectations of behaviour. As a result, teachers feel secure to use a variety of techniques to engage pupils’ interest. For example, Year 4 pupils’ were really enthusiastic when they were invited to investigate the properties of fish bones as a part of a study of skeletons. However, planning needs to be further developed to include more appropriate activities for pupils of all abilities as well as more challenge for the most able pupils.

p.24

Commentary

53. In an excellent lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, by throwing chalk dust in front of the overhead projector, the teacher dramatically demonstrated that light beams travel in a straight line. The expectation of quick responses to thought-provoking questions maintained high interest levels from all pupils, including those with SEN. The class teacher regularly reinforced pupils’ newly gained knowledge through repetition, the use of pupils’ own explanations and by using the interactive whiteboard extremely effectively. The atmosphere of mutual respect was reflected in spontaneous applause from adults and pupils for exceptional achievement. This ensured that all pupils felt secure to take risks in their answers. In this lesson, the classroom assistant worked hard to support learning of the SEN pupils, but in other lessons observed the use and involvement of classroom assistants was inconsistent, with some assistants appearing

p.24

Commentary

passive and not actively supporting learning.

p.24

Commentary

54. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator has a clear vision of how to develop the subject, for example by adapting the current whole school system for individual pupil target-setting and tracking of progress in literacy and mathematics. However, initiatives such as the recently introduced preview and summary sheet used at the start and end of each unit are not used consistently throughout the school. Opportunities to model best practice could be further exploited. Science contributes to satisfactorily to mathematics across the curriculum through the use of graphs to record collected data and observations. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in the ICT suite, and the good use of interactive whiteboards, motivate pupils well. • The use and promotion of ICT skills across the curriculum is not fully developed.

p.24

Commentary

55. Standards just meet expectations by the end of Year 2, but are below expectations by he end of Year 6. The school continues to make good progress in improving provision, maintaining the position found at the last inspection. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, and all necessary elements of the curriculum are covered, although there is limited hardware and software provision for data logging. Additionally, many of the programs pupils use to fulfil specific sections of the curriculum are currently set up at too simple a level for them to do so at a level expected for their age. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils competently enter information into a database, and know how to interrogate this, but software limitations mean that queries on multiple criteria are not possible. This hampers achievement for more and most able pupils, although for the majority of pupils, low levels of literacy and mathematical skills tend to

p.24

Commentary

preclude their access to more complex programs. Most pupils are very well motivated, and those for whom English is an additional language have no difficulty in taking a full part in Elfrida Primary School - 25 lessons. Those pupils with access to ICT at home use the skills acquired there to complement and enhance their work in school. Thus, some older pupils have used PowerPoint at home and fully appreciate its versatility, whilst the animation program used in the school fulfils curriculum requirements and is manipulated with skill and interest at a lower level by the majority of pupils.

p.24

Commentary

56. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and good in the suite and in lessons where interactive whiteboards are used to good effect to encourage pupils to appreciate the value of ICT in supporting their learning. All three Year 1 and 2 classes have access to this technology, which is significantly instrumental in pupils attaining expected levels of attainment. In the suite, all lessons are characterised by very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and they in their turn look forward to sessions, work hard, co-operate well and achieve well in the short term. The best lessons capture pupils’ imagination well. For example, pupils in Year 3 used cards depicting clowns to eliminate ‘suspects’ in the kidnapping of ‘Dumbo’ the elephant, linked both to literacy work and to a forthcoming visit of ‘real life’ clowns. Equally lively was another Year 3 lesson where pupils were introduced to web pages relating to their religious education and

p.25

Commentary

history topics, and quickly became engrossed in searching these. Their lack of ability to read the text, however, was a frustration. Teachers and assistants work hard in all lessons to ensure all pupils are fully included, and use pupils’ work well to demonstrate teaching points and to share learning. They support all pupils well to ensure they can access the work, using strategies such as pairing to support less competent readers, but there is no evidence of ICT being used specifically to support pupils with SEN to develop key skills.

p.25

Commentary

57. Good leadership is provided by the newly appointed co-ordinator, who is successfully motivating colleagues and has produced detailed, comprehensive plans for development. Management is satisfactory, as she concentrates on consolidating the current provision, and has not had time to monitor colleagues’ teaching, or to introduce an assessment system, to enable teachers effectively to monitor pupils’ achievement and progress.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

58. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory, but the school has not yet made full and convincing links across all subjects to the actual activities taking place in ICT lessons. Teachers are not automatically using either the suite or their classroom computers to support cross-curricular links in current topics. Year 2 pupils, for example, reproduced William Morris prints competently using a graphics program, but the original designs had been done some time earlier, reducing the impact of the activity. Word processing and desk top publishing are used regularly to publish written work, such as research about Black Activists in Year 5 and 6, and on the World’s Great Explorers in Year 4. Other obvious links, however, are missed, such as using computer controlled microscopes for close observation of caterpillars in Year 2, and data handling in relation to pupils’ investigation of the different lengths of bones in science.

p.25

Geography and History

59. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about provision in either geography or history, but planning shows all aspects of both subjects are covered appropriately. Pupils’ work around the school was analysed and one lesson was seen in history. No lessons were seen in geography. A positive feature of the work in both subjects is the way in which they are making a valuable contribution to developing pupils’ literacy skills, but there is not enough evidence to judge securely pupils’ skills of geographical or historical enquiry or the depth of their knowledge and understanding in these areas of the curriculum. In the Year 4 history lesson seen, enthusiastic pupils were encouraged to relate their personal experiences to their historical understanding of Egyptian mummies. The support teacher and classroom assistants contributed well to the good support for all pupils, including those with

p.25

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Religious education contributes well to the atmosphere of tolerance of others in the school. • There is no formal assessment system. • The development of literacy skills, particularly speaking and listening is inconsistent.

p.26

Commentary

60. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Years 2 and 6 is below that expected by the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ learning, including for those with SEN and EAL, is satisfactory. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily, due to appropriate challenge and choice of topics. Pupils develop respect and tolerance for the beliefs of others very well, supported through the very good provision for personal, social and cultural development. Through their study of the different religions represented within the school population, pupils’ moral and spiritual development is also enhanced effectively.

p.26

Commentary

61. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils in Year 3 enjoyed listening to the story of Moses being hidden in the rushes and enthusiastically took part in role-play where some pupils acted as newspaper reporters questioning the main characters in the story. One pupil showed good understanding of the difficulties of another pupil with SEN in how he phrased his questions. In this lesson, the teacher had planned carefully to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills as well as providing opportunities to empathise with feelings of others. In other lessons seen, such opportunities were not developed.

p.26

Commentary

62. Overall, the subject is led and managed satisfactorily. The co-ordinator is aware of the areas for development, which include assessment and increasing the number of visits to multi-faith centres.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63. There is insufficient evidence to judge provision in design and technology , with only one lesson seen and some evidence from pupils’ past work. This shows that requirements are covered appropriately with pupils gaining experience of a range of materials and techniques and developing the expected subject skills through designing and making a variety of products. In Years 1 and 2, pupils learn about working mechanisms as they develop their skills of joining strips of paper using hole punchers, staplers, clips and glue, and they design and make sandwiches. In Years 3 and 4, pupils design and make finger puppets and chairs from rolled newspaper. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make small containers designed from templates and full size musical instruments such as guitars, banjos and trumpets from papier-mâché and string.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. Teaching and learning in the Year 4 lesson were satisfactory. The teacher provided pupils with opportunities to evaluate a range of bags and wallets. The pupils examined the construction of these items, discussed how well they fitted their purpose and reported their findings orally and through writing and sketching. As a result, the pupils’ progress and achievement were satisfactory. The subject was not reported at the last inspection so no comparison can be made.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. It is not possible to make a secure judgement about all aspects of provision in physical education , but from the evidence gathered it is possible to judge that throughout the school standards broadly meet expectations in all aspects of the subject, including swimming. The curriculum adequately covers the areas of games, dance, gymnastics and swimming. Aspects of the dance curriculum, for instance, Hindu and Chinese dances, contribute well to pupils’ cultural development. Both lessons observed were taught satisfactorily, with pupils Elfrida Primary School - 27 participating enthusiastically and being eager to improve. However, neither lesson provided sufficient challenge for the most-able pupils. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to engage in after school clubs. Currently, football, netball and a fun and fitness club are available to pupils in Years 3 to 6. Year 6 pupils make an annual day visit to a centre that

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

provides opportunities for more adventurous activities. The pupils report that they enjoy these, and their experiences promote their social and moral development well. The school currently holds a Football Kitemark awarded for excellence in the sport. Football and hockey teams compete with limited success in local area competitions.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Leadership and management are satisfactory. However, no formal assessment occurs nor are any lessons observed to enable the school to identify training needs. A strength in the leadership is the initiation of the school’s involvement in the School’s Sports Co-ordinator Scheme, which provides opportunities for teachers to have training, to observe and/or participate in demonstration lessons and for pupils to have specialist tuition in dance and gymnastics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is rich because the school gives the subject a high priority, and it reflects and celebrates cultural diversity well. • Teaching is exciting and thus enthuses pupils.

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Commentary

67. By Year 2 and Year 6, standards exceed expectations, as they did at the last inspection, and achievement is good for all groups of pupils. By Year 2, pupils confidently work with a wide range of media and develop a good sense of composition, proportion and colour and they know about some artists from the past, such as William Morris. By Year 6, pupils have built upon these skills to draw moving figures well, depict complex compositions and work well collaboratively on large scale collages using a range of textured materials.

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Commentary

68. The quality of teaching and learning are good. This reflects the enthusiasm of most teachers and the school’s priority to ‘switch pupils on to learning’. For example, in lessons seen in Years 5 and 6, teachers used interactive white boards to project large colourful images and they used good quality reproductions of art, which inspired the pupils and focussed their attention. Consequently, pupils were confident and well motivated to depict one of their classmates posing with a javelin and to design a textile which told a story. Across the school, teachers use a wide range of media with exciting ideas, reflecting many different cultures, and artists visit and work with pupils. For example, work is linked to Chinese New Year, patterns in dance, collages of natural objects, refugees, Ancient Egyptian clay work, Van Gogh, computer art, Bengali literature and Aztec art. As a result, the cultural awareness of pupils is enhanced

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Commentary

well; they have a strong interest in the subject; they work hard and reach good standards.

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Commentary

69. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Currently, the post of curriculum co-ordinator for art is vacant with the responsibility overseen, temporarily, by the headteacher. Although the headteacher checks teachers’ planning to ensure pupils receive enough teaching, the subject is not currently monitored as fully as it should be and there are no assessment arrangements. Consequently, the school does not have a complete view of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject. The school is aware of these shortcomings and has plans in place to rectify them. Resources for art and design are good and improvement from the last inspection has been satisfactory. Elfrida Primary School - 28

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for singing, and for listening to and appreciating music, are good.

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Commentary

70. Standards in Year 2 and in Year 6 meet expectations and pupils achieve satisfactorily overall. Throughout the school, pupils have good opportunities to improve their singing, both in lessons and in assemblies. Although currently there is no choir, the school has recently had one and it is to be revived shortly.

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Commentary

71. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In lessons in Year 2 and Year 6 that were satisfactory, pupils sang rounds and calypsos tunefully. The latter contributed well to pupils’ cultural development. In these lessons, teachers enabled pupils to enjoy singing and playing instruments, involving as many as possible, despite, in the Year 6 lesson, a shortage of suitable instruments for all pupils to play. Teachers introduce pupils to many styles of music in assemblies, at the start of the school day and in lessons, resulting in them having a good appreciation of classical and modern music. Where teachers’ expertise is less good, they lack the confidence to teach certain aspects of the curriculum equally effectively. For example, pupils’ knowledge and use of musical notation is limited and they rarely use notation in their simple compositions. Appropriate use, however, is made of ICT to enable pupils to experiment

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Commentary

72. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Strengths lie in the knowledge and enthusiasm of the recently appointed co-ordinator, the vision indicated in the subject action plan and a more comprehensive and user-friendly teaching programme. Weaknesses include a lack of assessment systems and the lack of any evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching, learning or the curriculum.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ personal development is very good as a result of effective provision, although there is no active monitoring of sessions.

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Commentary

73. Although few formal sessions were observed, PSHE is central to the school’s philosophy and underpins all its work. Teachers in all classes consistently reinforce the school’s expectations and aspirations. They engage pupils in thinking and talking about their actions, responsibilities to others and to themselves very effectively. As a result of all the strategies and formal and informal discussions in place, pupils’ personal development is very good. Representatives from the police and other local agencies talk to pupils and, because of this and their participation in e-democracy, pupils gain a clear insight into problems outside their school community and how best to deal with these. Through assemblies and circle time sessions, they develop a very good understanding of their duties to themselves, to others and to the wider community. They are beginning to learn about the democratic process, and

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Commentary

representatives are proud to be on the school council. This is, however, at an early stage in its development, and pupils’ role in actually running the council needs to be extended. Pupils want to help and, given many opportunities to do so, they exercise their responsibilities well. Elfrida Primary School - 29 ‘Blue Ribbons’ are enthusiastic about their sessions with younger children and those now appointed to the FBI (Friendship Buddies Inc.) are looking forward to their playground role. By the time they leave, pupils are mature and thinking young people.

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Commentary

74. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is in the midst of compiling a new scheme of work, currently monitoring ‘circle time’ sessions and PHSE sessions via questionnaires to staff and informal chats in the staff-room because she has not recently had the opportunity to visit classrooms. Elfrida Primary School - 30

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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 3

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

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

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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 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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