St Saviour's CofE Primary School

ST SAVIOUR'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th - 9 th June 2005

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ST SAVIOUR'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST SAVIOUR'S C OF E 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. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 236

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Shirland Road Maida Vale London Postcode: W9 2JD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0207 641 6414 Fax number: 0207 641 6416

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Father Gary Bradley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th July 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Saviour’s CE Primary School is situated in a mixed residential area of Maida Vale called Little Venice. The school serves a very varied catchment area within the parish of St Saviour’s Church. About 40 per cent of pupils are of minority ethnic origin and most speak English as an additional language. Overall, the backgrounds of most pupils are average with some wide variations in home circumstances. At the time of the inspection, there were 35 children under five in the nursery and reception classes. About 10 percent of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs of which about half of these receive support from outside agencies. Currently there are five pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. The retention and recruitment of staff continues to be a problem for the school due to the high cost of housing in London. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage, Science, Music, Physical education 9173 Sarah McDermott Lay inspector 29988 Lynne Thorogood Team inspector English, Special educational needs, Art and design, Design and technology, Personal, social, health education and citizenship, English as an additional language 20009 David Cann Team inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology, Geography, History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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). St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school with a number of significant strengths. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well and pupils’ achievement is very good overall. All pupils respond very well to the very positive ethos for learning that has been established within this very caring, Christian school community. The headteacher provides very good leadership to staff, pupils and governors. As a result, there is a strong sense of teamwork and quest for further school improvement. Taking all factors into account the school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils attain standards that are above average in English, mathematics, science and ICT by the end of Year 6; standards in handwriting overall and in science at the end of Year 2 are not as high as they could be. • All pupils display very positive attitudes to learning and have delightful relationships with each other and the adults who work with them. • The headteacher provides very good leadership for the whole school community. • Good procedures are in place to monitor the school’s work but they are not yet applied in a consistent and sufficiently analytical way to further improve all aspects of pupils’ learning and the work of the school. • The provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is very good. • The school is very effective in supporting all those pupils in need of extra help. • The quality of the accommodation is very good and every inch of space is used to effectively support pupils’ learning.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. Good levels of challenge are provided for more able pupils and the procedures for assessing the progress of all pupils are now very good. Furthermore, the monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work has been effectively organised to improve standards in English and mathematics.

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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 A A C C mathematics A C C C science B B A A 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 for all pupils is very good overall across the school. This is particularly so for the large proportion of pupils whose home language is not English and those St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 8 with special educational needs. By the time children in the reception class enter Year 1, the overall attainment of this year group is broadly average in literacy and numeracy skills. It is above average in personal and physical development. All pupils continue to make good progress as they move through the school to attain standards that are above average in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology by the end of Year 6. The mobility of pupils both in and out of the school is generally quite high and very often, newly admitted pupils display low levels of language acquisition in English or have special educational needs. This has the effect of lowering the overall attainment profile of each year group year by

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

year. However, good teaching and a strong focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills ensure that all pupils make good progress in many aspects of learning based on their prior attainment; those in need of extra support make very good progress in relation to their classmates. Results over the last three years generally reflect these inspection findings. The dip in results in the 2004 national tests are mainly attributable to a higher proportion of pupils with specific needs. This dip has now been successfully reversed.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All pupils display very positive attitudes to learning and behave very well both in lessons and outside in the playgrounds. Relationships between pupils and adults and pupils themselves are excellent and a significant strength. All pupils, including those requiring extra support, strive to succeed, and respond very well to the very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is now good and above average.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The quality of education is good overall with a number of very good features. Teaching is good overall despite continual difficulties regarding the recruitment and retention of staff. However, the quality of teaching varies from satisfactory to very good. Good planning ensures that the needs of all pupils are being met in lessons and the assessment of pupils’ progress is a real strength. The marking of English work is particularly good.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is very good , with a strong emphasis being placed on learning through play and exploration. The curriculum in the infant and junior classes is very good overall. This includes some very good opportunities for enrichment, through visits, visitors and themed weeks. A very good range of optional activities is also offered to pupils after school. These very effectively enhance pupils’ learning in the arts, sport and a range of other areas.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The support for all pupils in need of extra help is very good. Pupils with special educational needs and those whose home language is not English are fully included in school life and are very effectively supported in class. Pupils are very well looked after at school and the pastoral care for individual needs is particularly strong. The partnership with parents is very good. The school is very outward looking and has developed very good relationships with the local community that clearly benefit the school and pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Leadership and management are good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She has a very clear vision for the school, which she communicates very St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 9 well to governors, staff, parents and pupils. The very capable deputy and the senior staff team effectively support the headteacher and share her commitment to improving pupils’ learning. Overall, governance of the school is good and governors effectively support its work but some minor statutory requirements are not fully met. Procedures for monitoring teaching and learning are now very good. Management systems are good overall. However, some financial procedures are insufficiently analytical to ensure the effective application of best value for money principles. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 10 PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Parents are very appreciative of the school and provide very valuable financial and practical support. The vast majority of parents are very pleased with all that the school provides. However, a very small number feel that the backgrounds of pupils of ethnic origin are not fully represented within the planned learning experiences. Inspectors looked at this issue and judge that the school effectively prepares all pupils for living within a multi-cultural society through its work and events such as Black History Week and other international events.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils are full of praise for the staff and what they do for them. They feel that their views are listened to and that they have a good voice in the overall development of the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The most important thing the school should do to improve is:

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

• To apply good monitoring procedures more rigorously to further improve the overall quality of education for all pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

• Ensure that the Governors’ Annual Report to Parents fully meets requirements. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 11

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is very good overall. By the end of Year 6 pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics and science. All pupils achieve well in information and communication technology (ICT) to reach above average standards by the end of Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good standards in writing support the good levels of achievement in several other subjects but standards in handwriting are not as high as they could be. • The level of challenge for the more able pupils in Year 2 is not high enough in science. • The achievement of children in the Foundation Stage is good overall in all areas of learning. • Those pupils with special educational make very good gains in their learning. • Pupils whose home language is not English make very good progress in both English language and other areas of the curriculum.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.3 (14.9) 15.8 (15.7) writing 17.2 (14.1) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 16.3 (15.1) 16.2 (16.3) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 (28.9) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 26.8 (27.4) 27.0 (26.8) science 30.0 (29.7) 28.6 (28.6) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Pupils’ achievement is very good overall. Inspection findings confirm that infant pupils continue to build on the good progress made in the Foundation Stage to attain standards that are above average in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. Standards in reading are average. Although standards in science at the end of Year 2 are average, they are not as high as they could be. This is because insufficient challenge is provided for the more able pupils in Year 2. However, good progress is maintained throughout the juniors, and particularly St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 12 so in the final year, so that pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics and science. Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in ICT.

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Commentary

2. These findings are supported by the results of the 2004 national tests for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. In these tests, standards are average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing for pupils at the end of Year 2. When these results are compared with similar schools, they are well above average in reading and writing; and above average in mathematics. The results for Year 6 pupils in the 2004 national tests confirmed standards are average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. This dip is primarily due to a larger proportion of pupils with special educational needs and some not taking these tests due to their very low levels of language acquisition in English. When the results for Year 6 pupils are compared with schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2, standards are average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. It should be noted

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Commentary

that these comparisons relate to only 11 pupils should, therefore, be treated with some caution. Analysis of available data indicates that girls perform significantly better in literacy work. This has been recognised by the school and strategies have been put in place to improve the achievement of boys.

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Commentary

3. The results overall confirm a trend of generally good improvement over the last few years. There are often many changes to the pupil profile in each year group as each class moves up through the school. This pupil mobility means that very often able English speaking pupils leave the school as their families move out of central London to be replaced by pupils whose acquisition of English is weak or by pupils who may have special educational needs. As a result, the overall profile of attainment in each year group is lowered with the effect that sometimes standards are not as high as they would have been. However, good teaching and a strong focus on literacy and numeracy development means that these pupils are making very good progress in relation to their attainment on admission into the school.

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Commentary

4. All pupils are encouraged to produce writing of quality not only in literacy lessons, but also in other curriculum areas, such as history and science. Often ICT is used effectively to support pupils’ writing and to promote higher-level writing skills. Older pupils confidently redraft their work and the most able pupils contribute their work to the school’s own website. However, the teaching of handwriting is inconsistent and this limits the ability of pupils to attain even higher standards.

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Commentary

5. Children in the nursery and reception classes make good progress overall in all areas of learning. However, some children leave the nursery class and others join the reception class and this has the effect of changing the overall attainment profile of this class. Despite these changes, about a third of children have made a start on the National Curriculum when they start in Year 1 and attainment is average overall.

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Commentary

6. Almost half of the pupils in the school are from ethnic minorities, and speak English as an additional language (EAL). As a result, many pupils enter school St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 13 with very limited English language skills. About half of the group are first or second stage learners, which means they are still at the earliest stages of English language acquisition. They are spread throughout the age ranges, and come from a diverse variety of cultural and language backgrounds. By the end of Year 6, these pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science that are similar to those of their classmates for whom English is their first language. This represents very good progress overall for this group.

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Commentary

7. The school is very successful in supporting the learning of pupils with special educational needs, who make very good progress in relation to their ability and earlier attainment. They are identified at an early stage and have detailed individual education plans that clearly focus on specific targets to be achieved. Learning support assistants provide pupils with a level of support that promotes this very good progress, particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The pupils have very good attitudes and behaviour. The school promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well . Attendance and punctuality are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships in the school are excellent because ways to promote social development are extremely strong. • The school is very good at instilling a sense of self-knowledge and spiritual awareness in the pupils. • Pupils clearly know right from wrong because the school has very good systems to manage behaviour and promote moral development. • Attendance has improved because pupils love coming to school and the school has good strategies to follow up absence.

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Commentary

8. The relationships in school are exceptional. Pupils come from a very great range of different social, ethnic and language backgrounds, yet all get on extremely harmoniously with each other. Of particular note is the impressive way the older pupils look after their younger ‘buddies’ in the Reception class. Incidents of bullying are extremely rare and there is no racial discord. Right from nursery and reception age, pupils are encouraged to get on with each other, look after their surroundings and be accountable for their actions. Currently, the teaching of personal, social, health and citizenship education is sporadic, but through assemblies and whole-school events pupils are positively learning the duties and responsibilities of living in a community. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they are sensible, mature and very well prepared socially for moving on from primary school. The promotion of social development has

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Commentary

9. A strong Christian ethos underpins all activities in the school. Pupils are very respectful of the views of others and this is a particularly important feature in St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 14 such a multi-cultural school. They are very compassionate and well involved in charitable fund raising for less fortunate children both at home and abroad. In assemblies and at mass there are plenty of opportunities for quiet reflection and thought. Teachers foster in pupils a real sense of curiosity. The school is very successful in teaching pupils to understand issues beyond the material and to develop a strong sense of self worth and pride in their achievements. The promotion of spiritual development has improved very well since the last inspection, through whole school assemblies led by the headteacher.

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Commentary

10. Pupils are very well behaved in class, in the playground and when out on trips. The management of behaviour is very effective in the tight accommodation because the staff are imaginative in keeping the pupils well occupied and in providing interesting activities. The school has a very clear and straightforward code of conduct which all pupils can understand. In lessons, pupils know how to behave properly because they have been involved in drawing up their class rules. All staff have the same high expectations of conduct. The excellent relationships mean pupils will accept reprimands evenly and think carefully about how to avoid silly actions in the future. The promotion of the values of courtesy and respect is evident throughout the school. Behaviour has improved further since the last inspection and is a major factor in the pupils’ good achievement.

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Commentary

11. The promotion of cultural development remains good. The school welcomes pupils from many different countries and ethnic backgrounds by celebrating the wealth of customs and foods at the school’s International Day. Parents have been successfully involved in running the Black History activities. The ‘themed weeks’ include a good number of references to cultures from around the world. The school provides many opportunities for pupils from a wide range of different cultural backgrounds to share and savour their experiences.

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Commentary

12. Attendance has improved year on year and the school’s current data confirms that it is now good. Pupils arrive with enthusiasm in the morning because they know they will be welcomed warmly and their day will be interesting. The headteacher and office staff check absence trends carefully and are quick to involve the education welfare officer if they have any concerns. The school immediately follows up unexplained absences of pupils who have attendance problems. The school regularly reviews rewards for attendance to ensure they are having a positive effect on attendance levels. Pupils and parents are good at turning up for school on time. There is very little disruption of lessons or assemblies caused by latecomers. The school found it necessary to exclude several pupils during the last academic year for a range of behaviour issues. There have been no further exclusions.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.1 School data : 0.2 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. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 15

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Exclusions

Mixed – any other mixed background 14 1 1 Black or Black British – Caribbean 15 1 1 Black or Black British – African 28 7 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good with a number of very good features. Teaching is good overall and very effective assessment procedures have been put in place. The care and welfare of pupils is very good overall and the school has established a very good partnership with parents and carers of pupils.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning across the school is good . Assessment is very good .

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Teaching and learning

• Teachers demonstrate good levels of expertise in several subjects. • Teachers plan good opportunities for the development of literacy and numeracy skills. • Planning for some lessons is inconsistent in quality and lacking in challenge. • Teachers manage pupil behaviour very well, classroom relationships are very positive and pupils work very hard as a result. • ICT is used effectively to illustrate key teaching points in lessons. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Teachers effectively use a wide range of strategies to support the learning of pupils whose home language is not English (EAL). • Procedures for assessment are very good overall.

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Teaching and learning

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 23 lessons

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Teaching and learning

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Teaching and learning

0 10 8 5 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 16 13. Teaching is predominately good with some very good practice seen around the school. It is consistently very good in the reception and nursery classes. Teachers demonstrate good levels of expertise and this is particularly so in English, ICT and music where some very good teaching was observed during the inspection. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught especially well and this factor has effectively contributed to the raising of standards in English and mathematics and the overall achievement of pupils.

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Teaching and learning

14. Planning for lessons is good overall. In the best lessons, work is sufficiently challenging and teachers very effectively share the key learning intentions with the pupils. This ensures that all pupils are clear about what is expected of them and positively contributes to their overall achievement. However, in some lessons, although the learning intentions are made clear to pupils in language they easily understand, the activities planned are not always the most appropriate. This holds up pupils’ learning and pupils become a little confused about what is required of them and further explanation is needed from the teacher to get learning back on track. Furthermore, teachers of infant pupils do not always plan work that effectively challenges the needs of the more able pupils in science and there is no consistent approach to the teaching of handwriting.

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Teaching and learning

15. The behaviour of pupils is managed very well in all classes. All teachers have established very positive relationships with their pupils. All pupils respond very well to the positive ethos that has been established by staff and work hard as a result.

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Teaching and learning

16. All teachers use resources effectively to illustrate key teaching points. Interactive whiteboards, in particular, are used very well to make learning exiting and relevant to pupils. Good use is made of support staff to work with pupils in class. They are briefed effectively and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. Those in the reception and nursery classes are used very well to make observations of pupils in lessons, thus effectively contributing to the overall assessment of these children.

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Teaching and learning

17. The very good progress made by pupils whose home language is not English is a result of very good teaching and support. This support is led by the special educational needs co-ordinator who distinguishes clearly between those pupils who lack competence in English and those who have learning difficulties for other reasons. A proportion of these pupils require special learning support as well as English language support in order to make progress in all the national curriculum subjects. All these pupils are very well supported in lessons by teachers and learning support assistants, and, where possible, some are helped by mother tongue support staff who explain lessons in their own language to pupils whose English is at an early stage of development.

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Teaching and learning

18. The co-ordinator for English as an additional language has provided a good range of resources for teachers in each class to enhance their teaching of these pupils. These include visual props, dictionaries and word banks, relevant to the topics being taught. Most teachers make sure these pupils understand the work and what they are required to do by employing a range of good strategies including mime and demonstration. Sometimes these pupils are paired in activities with able English mother tongue speakers so that they have a good model of English to learn from. This strategy proved very successful in a drama based lesson, in which all members of the class, whatever their ability or language competence, achieved very well. In the best lessons, the learning of St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 17 pupils who speak English as an additional language is further promoted by giving them writing frames, key items of vocabulary and illustrated texts.

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Teaching and learning

19. Very good teaching meets the needs of pupils with special needs. Learning support assistants assigned to support individual pupils and groups are well trained, and have positive working relationships with teachers and pupils. These assistants are experienced in many techniques, and consistently give very good and committed support. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed by the special needs co-ordinator in consultation with teachers, and are kept readily available. Teaching in class lessons is suitably adjusted to suit the individual plans, and modified tasks are provided to suit the learning of special needs pupils.

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Teaching and learning

20. Procedures for the assessment of all pupils are very good. This is a significant improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. Marking of pupils’ work is generally good and some excellent practice is evident in the books of Year 6 pupils. These pupils continually benefit from comprehensive support and guidance from their teacher in all their work as a result. The procedures for monitoring and assessing the achievement of all pupils in the school are very good. All teachers continually set targets for improvement for all pupils based on detailed half-termly assessments.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good overall, and there are very good opportunities for enrichment both during and outside of the school day. Accommodation and resources are very good . St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 18

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good quality and range of learning opportunities is very effectively enriched with visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities. • Very good learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage give them a good start to their education. • There are good links across subjects and pupils benefit from planning that links learning to themes. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The needs of ethnic minority pupils and those whose home language is not English are very effectively met. • The school makes very efficient and imaginative use of a tight space.

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Commentary

21. The school works hard to provide a good quality range of learning opportunities. Curriculum planning is effective and detailed schemes of work ensure that pupils build upon knowledge and skills within and across subjects. The school is very good at providing a range of experiences for the pupils beyond the normal school curriculum. It makes very good use of its position in London to increase pupils’ experience of the arts, and exploits extra funding opportunities to provide activities such as horse-riding for the oldest pupils. A very good range of after school clubs, run by teachers, parents and qualified sports coaches further enhances the provision in the arts, sports and other areas, including cookery, dance and Latin. All are popular and well attended. A good range of worthwhile visits is planned for each class each year. These visits link with the teaching that takes place in school and, together with visits

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Commentary

from outside speakers and experts, such as an ‘artist in residence’, enhance provision and promote effective learning. Residential visits promote independence and confidence in the junior classes.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is very good, and provides the youngest children with a very good start to their education. Very good planning, teaching and resource provision ensure that all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum receive thorough coverage and that children experience a wide range of learning activities.

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Commentary

23. The school is very successful at extending pupils’ learning across a wide range of subjects by linking learning to a theme. For example, work on the Canterbury Tales not only extended work in English but also gave rise to some very good art and design work, and promoted learning in religious education and history. Themed weeks, such as Black History week, Science Week and Maths Week offer pupils opportunities to apply what they have learned in one subject in other contexts, thus embedding learning effectively.

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Commentary

24. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. These pupils are identified early in the Foundation Stage, and monitored carefully by the teacher and the special needs co-ordinator. The school works closely with other professionals such as the speech and language therapist and the occupational therapist where appropriate. A close eye is kept on pupils’ progress through the St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 19 school and parents are kept informed so that they can help at home. The school has a strong policy of inclusion, which is reflected in practice. All pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all aspects of the school curriculum. Teaching assistants work effectively with small groups of children who need extra help. This ensures that pupils with special needs concentrate on their work and achieve very well in relation to their ability. 25. The very good curriculum provided for all pupils, including those from ethnic

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Commentary

minority groups and pupils whose home language is not English, is culturally relevant, and shows sensitivity to their needs. The after-school cookery clubs, for instance, make dishes from a wide range of cultural traditions. Events such as Black History Week promote greater awareness for all pupils. Resources, such as bi-lingual texts reflect several of the pupils’ language backgrounds.

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Commentary

26. The school covers all subjects of the National Curriculum thoroughly and provides a daily act of Christian worship. It has flexibility built into the timetable, so that where it will enhance learning, pupils can spend a little longer on a topic or complete a piece of extended writing.

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Commentary

27. The school has very good accommodation, which makes a significant contribution to the way pupils learn. Every inch of space has been put to the best use for the pupils. The traditional Victorian building has been used innovatively to extend the learning areas into the under-crofts, including the computer room and exciting covered play areas for the younger children. Display and decoration are vibrant. The below street level play areas are attractively decorated with planters and carefully covered in safety surfaces. Although the limited space restricts the teaching of physical education, the school makes good use of the Paddington recreation ground and other local activities to promote physical development. The school has very good resources to support learning in all subjects.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils are very good overall. The school supports and guides the pupils very well . The involvement of pupils in life of the school by seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school site is very safe and secure. • All pupils have extremely trusting relationships with adults in the school because they know their personal needs are very well met. • New pupils are introduced to school life very effectively. • Pupils feel that they have a good voice in the school. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well. • Very good monitoring and assessment leads to structured target setting to further promote language development of pupils whose home language is not English.

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Commentary

St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 20 28. The school has very good health and safety systems. The headteacher, governors and site manager all ensure that the accommodation is a fit place for safe learning. They regularly check the building and playgrounds for potential dangers and are quick to remedy hazards. The site can be carefully monitored because entrances are very secure and much of the school is subterranean. Trips out of school are carefully assessed for possible risks so pupils can make the most of stimulating experiences off site.

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Commentary

29. The practical care and welfare of the pupils are good overall. The school keeps a very good eye on pupils with particular medical needs. Accidents are dealt with very effectively and details are thoroughly logged. However, as there is only one member of staff with a full first aid qualification, the school does not have sufficient first aid cover should this staff member not be in school. The school is pragmatic in administering medicines if pupils need doses during the school day, but is not keeping a record of details of administration to help recall this in the event of a later emergency. The headteacher as the member of staff in charge of child protection issues is sufficiently up-to-date on training.

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Commentary

30. Pupils feel very comfortable and well looked after in school. The excellent relationships between staff and pupils mean that pupils all feel they have someone to turn to should they be worried or sad. The headteacher maintains good communication with parents to make sure she is aware of home circumstances which may impinge on the pupils’ learning. Pupils receive good support in their personal development. The school organises useful activities and visitors, such as the Life Education Bus, to give pupils a good insight into sensible lifestyles and healthy living. Teachers give a perceptive report to parents on their children’s personal development each year. The school has very good assessment systems to track pupils’ academic progress, although in a few classes this information is not used well enough to match the teaching to the individual needs of each pupil. Support and guidance have improved since

p.20

Commentary

31. Pupils new to the school are settled in very effectively. As the school often has pupils arriving out of the normal starting times, the headteacher ensures that they are all very well supported by the staff and fellow pupils so that they are soon well-integrated into the school community and able to make the most of the learning opportunities on offer. New children in the nursery and reception classes receive valuable home visits so that they can start school already feeling confident with familiar adults. The first-rate ‘buddy’ system ensures that new reception children have a special Year 6 friend as they progress to whole- school activities away from nursery.

p.20

Commentary

32. School staff listen well to individual pupils’ concerns. The headteacher is very visible and always ready to lend an ear to an interesting suggestion or sort out a personal problem. The school council and regular surveys give the older pupils a good chance to air their views. Even though there are no infant pupils included in the council, a suggestion box provides them with an opportunity to be involved in the workings of democracy. Council meetings are well organised by the headteacher, but the pupils are not given sufficient scope to set the agenda, take the minutes and select an established chairperson. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 21 33. The school has developed very effective systems to identify, assess, support and monitor pupils with special educational needs that enable them to make very good progress. Assessment takes place regularly and individual education plans are revised frequently, in discussion with parents. Targets are clear and

p.20

Commentary

specific, and suitably challenging. Movement up or down the levels or removal from the special needs register is considered regularly for each identified pupil.

p.21

Commentary

34. The progress made by pupils whose home language is not English is assessed very carefully by the co-ordinator and her team. A detailed profile is kept of each pupil, documenting the progress made, suggesting suitable support strategies and setting targets for further language improvement. More advanced learners benefit from the high level of motivation and encouragement they receive from the co-ordinator and their teachers, and actively make provision for their own English language development needs. For example, one boy has made himself a bi-lingual word bank on a computer.

p.21

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has developed a very good relationship with parents. Links with the community are very good . Links with other schools and colleges are good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very appreciative of the school and provide very valuable practical and financial support. • The headteacher is very conscientious in resolving individual parental concerns. • The school does not provide sufficiently comprehensive information to parents on what is being taught in the classroom and how their children are progressing in each subject. • The headteacher is very outward looking and has developed very good relationships with the local community which clearly benefit the school and the pupils. • Pupils move on to a wide range of senior schools which makes it difficult to establish strong links with any one secondary school.

p.21

Commentary

35. Parents are a particularly valuable asset to the school and their children’s learning. They and the teachers raise prodigious amounts through the very active Parent Teacher Association. In 2004 parents raised over £25,000 which has gone towards building work, computer resources and funding the music teacher. Parents are very keen to see their children achieve well, so enthusiastically attend the parent teacher meetings. They are very supportive of homework and make sure their children remember their books and hand in their work. Parents are very willing to come in and help in school or accompany pupils on trips. The parents’ keen support and interest in their children’s learning are a very positive benefit to pupils’ achievement. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 22 36. The headteacher is responsive to parents’ views and is glad to receive suggestions and ideas. She has a good personal touch and takes up individual

p.21

Commentary

parents’ causes very effectively. The school sends out annual surveys to parents and the results are analysed well to find out where management can be improved. However, the full results are not consistently reported back to parents to show where their ideas have had a positive impact or to give reasons why suggestions are not taken up.

p.22

Commentary

37. The school provides very good general information to parents to keep them up- to-date on activities and school life. The prospectus and annual governors’ report are very informative and up beat, although the latter omits several items of legally required information. Parents are provided with some useful information about what is being taught in class. The regular parent teacher meetings are a good forum to find out how pupils are progressing. The annual reports have been effectively improved to include national levels reached, grades for effort and targets for improvement, together with a useful explanatory leaflet. However, it is still not always sufficiently clear how pupils have progressed in history and geography over the year, when these subjects are grouped together under one heading.

p.22

Commentary

38. The school continues to be very proactive in fostering links within the local area for the pupils’ benefit. The headteacher is very adept at liaising with local trusts, charities and organisations to fund curriculum initiatives and to enhance the accommodation. Pupils are often out and about in the Maida Vale area to enliven the geography, history and sport curriculum. The school gives back to the community by letting out its arts room and arranging for pupils to visit the elderly. It has a particularly close rapport with the attached parish church, which strengthens its strong Christian ethos.

p.22

Commentary

39. There are good links with local primary schools for sports competitions and for the purposes of professional development. The headteacher is a leading member of the Education Action Zone to share in good practice for art and environmental projects. Year 6 pupils move on to a great number of schools spread over London. The school has satisfactory links with these secondary schools to pass on assessment and pastoral information. Some good links have established with these schools to provide meaningful work for the older pupils to ensure that learning is as seamless as possible between Year 6 and Year 7.

p.22

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are good . There is very good leadership from the headteacher who is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and senior staff. Management is good but does not have a sufficiently detailed approach for measuring value for money. The governance of the school is good.

p.22

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Main strengths and weaknesses St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 23 • The headteacher is very effective at communicating her vision for school development to staff, pupils and governors. • The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. • Senior staff make a strong contribution to raising standards. • The school’s systems for measuring best value are not fully established in all areas of spending. • The provision for pupils requiring extra support is co-ordinated very effectively. • Arrangements for staff induction, performance management and professional development are very good and help develop the talents and contributions of all staff. • Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are closely involved in strategic planning.

p.22

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

40. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is supported by the very capable deputy and senior staff. She has a clear vision for school development that is based on good monitoring and evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. Her personal energy and commitment have been crucial in helping the school move on well since the last inspection and her own leadership and that of senior staff have been significantly strengthened.

p.23

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

41. The headteacher displays very good communication skills and has the confidence and respect of governors, staff, parents and pupils. Senior managers work very effectively to motivate and inspire staff and pupils and there is a shared determination to achieve well. The school provides a very stimulating and caring environment in which all pupils make good progress both academically and in their personal development. Leadership is very good in many key areas and this has led to innovative developments in what and how pupils learn. There is very good leadership of special educational needs, the Foundation Stage, literacy, numeracy and science but staff moves and absence have meant that subjects like personal, social and health education, geography and music are currently without leaders.

p.23

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

42. The quality of strategic planning is of a very high order and all staff and governors effectively contribute to the process. Manageable priorities are clearly set and the school development plan is an effective tool for maintaining the pace of improvements . The deputy headteacher makes an important contribution to monitoring school performance and she and the headteacher have improved the methods for gathering and recording data. As a result, the quality of professional discussion and analysis is good and targets for school development are clear.

p.23

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

43. All members of staff share the school’s commitment to improvement and reflect on how they can improve their contribution. Staff roles and responsibilities have been clarified since the previous inspection and they work together very effectively in teams to oversee key areas of the curriculum. The school has placed its main focus on improving literacy, numeracy and pupils’ attitudes and in this it has been successful. All subject co-ordinators are good role models and have worked hard to bring about improvements in their subject areas. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 24 44. The management systems in the school are good but data is not used in all areas to provide accurate measurements of best value for money; for instance, in monitoring the spending for pupils in need of extra support. The effectiveness of staff deployment is evaluated but not always supported by details of the expenditure involved. For instance, the financial management of special needs

p.23

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

provision is an area that has not been well monitored. Whilst it is clear where some of the funding is allocated, for instance in employing the part time co- ordinator who has no class teaching responsibilities, deployment of other funding is not made clear.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

45. A very effective team approach has been applied to the co-ordination of special educational needs provision. Support is carefully planned and well focused to help pupils achieve their targets. Learning support assistants meet together regularly to discuss provision and for further training.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

46. The leadership and management of provision for pupils whose home language is not English are very good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and well qualified, and offers a good level of support to teachers and assistants. All staff are strongly committed to providing the best opportunities for these pupils to develop their English language skills. They make every effort to help these pupils to feel welcomed, valued and secure.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

47. Arrangements for the induction of staff new to the school and for newly qualified teachers are very good. The school is in a difficult location for the recruitment and retention of staff and approaches this challenge imaginatively. There are good systems for the monitoring and support of teachers, who are encouraged to take on subject responsibilities as soon as they are ready. The experience of senior staff is well deployed to provide good mentoring and help colleagues in their professional development. Performance management is well organised and effective and any issues related to staffing expertise are managed very effectively.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

48. The governors are very supportive of the school and maintain effective procedures for monitoring the curriculum. They work closely with the headteacher to develop and review progress on the school development plan. They are involved well in the school’s financial management and satisfactorily apply best value principles in monitoring expenditure. There are a number of small omissions from the governors’ annual report concerning security, professional development, SAT results and targets and information on absence. The governing body complies with all other statutory requirements. The school is skilful in obtaining and using educational grants and income from lettings. This is valuable in increasing the school’s income and is clearly beneficial to the development and achievement of pupils.

p.24

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

p.24

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 25 Total income 728 141 Balance from previous year 17 859

p.24

Financial information

Total expenditure 724 493 Balance carried forward to next year 21 507

p.25

Financial information

Expenditure per pupil 3 069 St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. Children attend the school’s nursery class full time prior to starting in the reception class. Most of these children are then admitted into the reception class, when they are joined by a small number of children from other pre-school providers.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. When children start in the nursery their overall attainment is broadly average with wide variations. The children respond very well to the very good provision in the nursery making good progress in all areas of learning. This is particularly so in personal and physical development. This good progress is continued throughout the reception class in all areas of learning. About 10 per cent of children are admitted into the class each year with low levels of language acquisition in English and a similar proportion of more able children leave. This is a common feature each year, and has the effect of lowering the overall attainment of the year group by the end of the year. By the time children enter Year 1, their attainment is average overall. Very good assessment data indicates that about a quarter of these children will be working within Level 1 in the national curriculum in literacy and numeracy. Many children will have

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

attained the early learning goals in creative, personal and physical development.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. The quality of education for the Foundation Stage children is very good overall because teaching is consistently very good. High quality learning experiences are planned very effectively with a strong emphasis placed on learning through play. The induction of the children into school routines is very good and a strong feature of provision.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management for the Foundation Stage team. The monitoring of teaching and learning is well developed. Teamwork is very good and support staff make a strong contribution to the children’s learning. Plans are now in place to provide even better facilities for reception children and there has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children behave very well as a result of the high expectations of staff. • Staff provide many opportunities for children to make choices in their learning.

p.26

Commentary

53. Very good teaching in this area of learning is ensuring that all children are provided with very good opportunities to develop their personal and social St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 27 skills. As a result, achievement is very good. Their personal skills are developed well during lunchtime and snack time when the children are encouraged to eat together and share. The children respond very well to this family style approach in readiness for the afternoon activities.

p.26

Commentary

54. Personal and social skills are developed effectively in the reception class through a range of interesting activities. Teachers plan a very good range of activities for children to make choices in sharing their learning experiences with others. These include opportunities to act out little scenarios with other children in the insect house and working very co-operatively with a partner at the computer.

p.27

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good overall.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good teaching of phonics is effectively supporting the children’s language development. • Teachers effectively support the development of the children’s speaking and listening skills with a wide range of imaginative activities.

p.27

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching and learning in this area of learning is very good. Staff place a strong emphasis on the teaching of basic skills in literacy and children achieve well. The teaching of phonics is particularly good in the reception class and this provides all children with the necessary confidence to attempt to read both familiar and unfamiliar words. By the time they start in Year 1, about a quarter of the reception children have already achieved the early learning goals in reading development as a result of this very good teaching. For instance, these children are now reading simple sentences confidently and are able to talk about the simple text in front of them in their guided reading time with the class teacher.

p.27

Commentary

56. A strong focus in developing the children’s speaking and listening skills in the nursery class provides a good foundation for good achievement later. Puppets are used very effectively by the class teacher to stimulate the children’s imagination and willingness to talk. A wide range of opportunities is also provided for these children to experiment with mark making and basic writing skills. These activities provide the children with the confidence to experiment with letter formation and some are even able write their name and some simple words by the time they enter the reception class.

p.27

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 28 • Adults in both classes provide many opportunities for children to effectively develop their number skills.

p.28

Commentary

57. Achievement is good because staff in both classes take every opportunity to develop the children’s numeracy skills. This ranges from completing the classroom calendar with the date and month to counting up to five in the nursery to adding single digits to make 10 and simple take away sums in reception. Good teaching ensures that effective links are made with other areas of learning to make learning relevant to the children. For instance, reception children are asked to count the legs of model insects and nursery children prompted to count the number of days it took the Very Hungry Caterpillar to turn into a butterfly.

p.28

Commentary

58. The good progress seen in lessons is confirmed by the scrutiny of the children’s recorded work and their individual assessments. This shows that about a third of the children in the reception class will have attained the early learning goals in this area of learning before they start in Year 1.

p.28

Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

p.28

Commentary

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Computers are used effectively to support children’s learning in both classes. • Teachers effectively plan activities to link different areas of learning.

p.28

Commentary

59. Staff in both classes plan a good range of activities to support the development of skills in this area of learning. Very good teaching ensures that links are made with literacy work. The provision of magnifying glasses and viewers promotes the children’s sense of awe and wonder about the natural world around them. Opportunities are provided for all children to develop technical skills as they make simple models and manipulate graphic images on the computer screen with a mouse or the keyboard.

p.28

Commentary

60. Teachers plan effective links between different areas of learning. Of note is the particularly good use made of the computer suite to provide reception children with an opportunity to create a symmetrical graphic in the form of a butterfly. This activity was taught very well and all of these children developed a sense of pride as they created these colourful pictures with the aid of the program toolbar. The children’s understanding of the natural world is further developed through group reading from a book about life in a garden.

p.28

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 29 Provision in physical development is very good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good range of activities and equipment provide all children with opportunities to effectively develop their physical skills. • Reception children have very good opportunities for regular physical activity despite the difficulties presented by the accommodation.

p.29

Commentary

61. Teaching and learning are very good. As a result, all reception children achieve well in this area of learning and most will have attained the early learning goals by the time they start in year 1. Staff make very good use of all available space to provide all children with very good opportunities to develop their physical skills. Nursery children are able to freely choose from a wide range of well-planned activities to play inside or outside the classroom. All staff actively encourage the children to participate in running and jumping games in the very well equipped play areas. Despite the restrictions placed upon the reception children by the mezzanine arrangements for their class area, very good planning by the class teacher ensures that these children are provided with very good opportunities for physical play during the afternoon sessions. These include simple games and construction activity. The effective teaching of dance

p.29

Commentary

provides good preparation for work in Year 1.

p.29

Commentary

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good opportunities are provided for children in the nursery and reception classes to develop their creative skills. • ICT is used effectively to support the children’s creative development.

p.29

Commentary

62. Achievement is good in this area of learning. Very good planning and high quality teaching in both classes ensure that all children make good progress. As a result, standards are above average by the end of the reception year. Colourful paintings and simple models on display around the rooms confirm that most children are achieving well in a range of creative skills. These opportunities are further enriched by music lessons for pupils in the reception class that are effectively taught by a specialist teacher.

p.29

Commentary

63. Very good use is made of the computer suite to develop the children’s creative skills, for example, in the creation of very colourful butterfly pictures with the aid of a simple graphics program.

p.29

ENGLISH

St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 30 Provision in English is very good.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in both reading and writing are above average at the end of Year 6. • Throughout the school, pupils make good progress in writing. • The teaching of handwriting is in need of development in order to improve standards in writing even further. • Teaching and learning in English lessons are very good and teachers have very good subject knowledge. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs and for those whose home language is not English is very good. • Assessment is well used to provide pupils with work well matched to their learning needs, and very good marking informs pupils of what they have to do to make their work even better. • Leadership and management are very good, and the co-ordinators have set their sights firmly on continuous improvement. • Drama and role-play could be used more to enhance speaking and listening skills.

p.30

Commentary

64. Results in the 2004 national tests show that standards for Year 2 pupils were average in reading and well above average in writing. When these results are compared with similar schools, they are well above average in both reading and writing. Standards for Year 6 pupils in these tests were in line with the national average and were average in comparison with schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Results in previous years have indicated a trend of very good achievement despite high levels of pupil mobility both in and out of each year group. Many of the pupils admitted into the school after the reception class demonstrate low levels of language acquisition in English. This affects the overall level of attainment in each year group. This was particularly so in the Year 6 class last year.

p.30

Commentary

65. In the space of one year the school has managed to raise standards. The unconfirmed test results for 2005 and the standards of work seen in both reading and writing during the inspection are above average at the end of Year 6. The number of pupils expected to attain the higher levels has increased, showing that the more able pupils are being given challenging work well matched to their ability. This good progress is the result of very good teaching for pupils of all ages and levels of attainment.

p.30

Commentary

66. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support and achieve very well against the language and literacy targets in their individual education plans. Provision for pupils whose home language is not English is also very good. These pupils progress very well in their acquisition of English language skills, and once they have achieved these skills they achieve well in English generally. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 31 67. Teachers give pupils good opportunities to listen and speak to other pupils and adults in the school, but standards in oral English, whilst satisfactory, are not as high as in reading and writing. Drama and role-play are not used extensively in other curriculum areas to promote speaking and listening skills. However, pupils do have a good understanding of the specialist vocabulary they need for subjects like science, design and technology and art and design.

p.30

Commentary

68. Standards in reading are good at the end of Year 6. This is because pupils are given many opportunities to read throughout the school, in groups, as a class and individually. They develop fluency and confidence and read with good levels of expression to engage the listener’s attention. The school’s approach to reading, with each class having a focus on a specific text over several days or weeks, has contributed to improvements in reading and pupils’ enjoyment and understanding of literature. The provision of new texts to appeal to boys is a recent innovation, but the gradual closing of the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment suggests that it is proving effective.

p.31

Commentary

69. Pupils’ attainment in writing is above average by the end of Year 6. In part, this is due to the school’s involvement in a local education authority writing initiative, which aims to extend the range of purposes and audiences for which pupils write. The school’s emphasis on extended writing, where pupils go back to their writing on several occasions to refine and improve it, before ‘publishing’ it by word-processing the final copy, is also very effective in promoting higher-level writing skills. This good quality writing is seen in books from other curriculum areas, such as history and science. The quality of writing at the end of the infant stage is very good in many respects, because pupils use complex sentences, correct punctuation and accurate or near accurate spelling, but most do not use a ‘cursive’ (joined-up) handwriting style, which reduces the standard somewhat. This is also the case in some of the older classes,

p.31

Commentary

indicating that some teachers do not teach handwriting skills consistently or effectively enough.

p.31

Commentary

70. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall. Teaching is very good and lessons are very well managed. Teachers demonstrate very good subject knowledge and plan a good range of work. They set high expectations and encourage pupils to do their best. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to work and behave well in lessons. Teachers assess pupils’ progress carefully, responding to areas of weakness or misunderstandings with specifically targeted tasks or resources, such as writing frames, to ensure positive progress. Marking is very good in English books because teachers not only give pupils praise for their efforts, but also offer detailed advice on what they must do to make their work even better.

p.31

Commentary

71. Leadership and management in English are very good and this has resulted in good levels of improvement since the previous inspection. The two co- ordinators have made a thorough and realistic assessment of the current situation, and what needs to be done to maintain the improving picture within the subject. So far they have already ensured that colleagues are equipped to give pupils a good range of experiences to help them achieve well, and there are good plans for further development. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 32 Language and literacy across the curriculum

p.31

Commentary

72. Provision for the development of language and literacy skills is good, and pupils are given many opportunities to write in a range of styles in subjects such as history and geography. They use their reading skills to research information in reference books and using the Internet. As in English, their speaking skills are not as well developed as reading and writing, and there is little evidence to suggest that drama and role-play are used within subjects such as history to further promote speaking and listening.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and are attaining above average standards by Year 6. • Subject leadership is very good and supportive of new teachers. • Good support is provided for pupils with special needs, and for those with English as an additional language. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and learn well. • Teachers do not use sessions at the end of lessons well to assess pupils’ progress.

p.32

Commentary

73. Pupils’ attainment is above average by Year 6 and in line with expectations by Year 2. Pupils’ achievement is good. Test results in Years 2 and Year 6 were in line with the national average in 2004 and exceeded the levels reached in similar schools. Current Year 2 pupils are making good progress, particularly in developing their number skills. By Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and skills are well developed across all aspects of the subject, especially those pupils whose home language is not English. There is no significant difference in the achievement of pupils by gender or ethnicity. Since the last inspection, standards have risen at the end of Year 6 as a result of good teaching and very good monitoring of teaching and learning by the subject leader. 74. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers make lessons interesting and set a brisk pace which holds pupils’ attention well. They are skilled in creating a

p.32

Commentary

positive learning atmosphere and in developing pupils’ confidence. They use a good range of technical vocabulary, although on occasions they do not always ensure that those whose home language is not English really understand the concepts behind the words. Lessons have clear aims which are generally shared effectively with pupils. Teachers plan carefully to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and pupils and support staff know the areas on which they need to concentrate and work effectively together. Teachers use resources well such as interactive whiteboards to secure pupils’ interest. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 33 75. Assessments of pupils’ attainment are used well to monitor their progress through the school and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching. Teachers introduce the learning objective in lessons but do not refer to it sufficiently as a means of focusing pupils’ working. In the sessions at the end of lessons,

p.32

Commentary

teachers do not often make use of it as a way of assessing pupils’ understanding and progress in the tasks set. Teachers’ marking is satisfactory and they are developing good systems for setting targets that help pupils improve their work.

p.33

Commentary

76. Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher and subject leader regularly monitor teaching and planning. In-service training is organised to address teachers’ needs and there is a very good level of professional support, especially for colleagues new to teaching. The subject leader has a very good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in learning and has an energetic commitment to developing this further. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Planning and teaching are better and subject leadership and management have been greatly improved.

p.33

Mathematics across the curriculum

77. Pupils’ number skills are well developed in other subjects. Pupils make good use of their measuring skills in design and technology. In science, pupils use line graphs and pictograms, and in history they plot events along timelines.

p.33

SCIENCE

• Pupils in Year 6 produce work of a high standard that is very neatly presented. • Insufficient opportunities are planned to challenge the more able pupils in Year 2. • Planning of lessons is good overall but sometimes activities are not always carefully matched to the key learning intention.

p.33

SCIENCE

78. The results in the 2004 national tests show that pupils at the end of Year 6 attain standards that are well above the national average and well above average in comparison with schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Results of teacher assessments of pupils in Year 2 in these tests are below average. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection when standards were judged to be average at the end of Year 6. 79. Achievement is good overall but best for the older junior pupils. Inspection evidence confirms that standards in Year 6 are above average. Scrutiny of the pupils’ books in Year 6 confirms that a strong focus is placed on investigational work and that the teacher has high expectations of what these pupils can achieve. The pupils’ response to these high expectations is to produce written work of high quality that is very well presented. Standards are average overall for pupils in Year 2 and achievement is

p.33

SCIENCE

St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 34 satisfactory. Scrutiny of the work of pupils’ in Year 2 indicates that this is because there is very little work undertaken at the higher Level 3. However, this issue of low expectations has already been identified by the subject co-ordinator, who is making adjustments to the scheme of work for the next academic year in order to raise standards overall in this key stage.

p.34

SCIENCE

80. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall taking all factors into account. This judgement is based on the observation of some teaching in the lower part of the school and the scrutiny of the older pupils’ work. A good feature of teaching in all year groups is the strong links made with literacy and numeracy work. This is particularly so for junior pupils with many pupils recording their work in great detail. Planning is good overall but sometimes the match of activities to the overall learning intention is not as effective as it could be in the lessons taken by less experienced teachers. This slows down the pace of pupils’ learning. However, the quality of teachers’ marking is very good across the school and a strong feature. Combined with effective procedures for assessing the progress of pupils it provides a very good framework for monitoring the overall achievement of pupils and informs them about what they need to do to

p.34

SCIENCE

improve. Furthermore, good links have been established with a local secondary school and pupils in Year 6 make several visits during the school year for special lessons. Visits to various places of interest in London are used to further enrich the pupils’ learning experiences.

p.34

SCIENCE

81. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Good self-evaluation procedures have been implemented by the co-ordinator, leading to the effective identification of further areas for improvement. For instance, the issues related to lack of challenge in for pupils Year 2 are being effectively rectified.

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ standards and achievement are good • Good use of the computer suite promotes pupils’ learning well. • The subject is well led and managed which effectively promotes teaching skills • In the lessons observed, pupils’ use of computers in class was limited

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

82. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are above expectations and pupils achieve well. Standards have been raised since the last inspection as a result of improved resources and some imaginative challenges to pupils’ learning. Pupils with special educational needs and those whose home language is not English achieve very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

83. Year 2 pupils acquire all the skills expected and are confident in the use of computers for research and writing. Year 6 pupils combine information from a variety of sources to produce effective presentations and exchange and share information. While their knowledge of control technology is satisfactory, it is an area for development. Pupils’ learning is stimulated by ICT activities pursued on St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 35 their residential trip but the use of computers in science investigations is underdeveloped. Pupils are very interested in their work and co-operate well, helping one another in their understanding of techniques and language.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

84. Teaching is good overall. Good instruction in the computer suite is balanced by some shortcomings in how widely pupils use computers in class. In the computer suite, teachers give detailed guidance on how pupils should run the selected programs to which pupils respond confidently. In class, teachers make good use of the recently installed interactive whiteboards but there were comparatively few opportunities for pupils to use computers in the lessons observed. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and they are keen to develop their teaching skills by working with other colleagues. Support staff are active and knowledgeable in helping pupils and this maintains the pace of learning. Pupils respond very well and apply themselves to challenges both in class and in the after school club, where more able pupils develop advanced skills with enthusiasm. Class management is often very good but limited space in the

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Main strengths and weaknesses

computer suite makes it easier for teachers to give instruction in class.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

85. Teachers have good systems for assessing and recording pupils’ progress. All teachers are now currently trialling an improved assessment sheet that encourages pupils’ self assessment linked to National Curriculum levels. These sheets are already having a positive impact on measuring pupils’ attainment and in helping teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

86. The leadership and management of the subject are good and have raised pupils’ attainment well, representing good levels of improvement since the previous inspection. The subject co-ordinator has only been recently appointed and is effectively supported by the headteacher. She has a clear view of how she wants the subject to develop and colleagues work well together to develop their teaching skills.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

87. Pupils’ ICT skills are developed well in other subjects. For instance, pupils develop their reading and writing skills at a good level through their use of ICT. They regularly use computers for research when seeking information in subjects like history and geography. They compose and revise stories and articles in literacy and deploy their skills in presenting information. In mathematics, pupils make good use of computers for data handling and presentation. In science, pupils use a digital microscope for their work but do not have access to sensors for experiments.

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HUMANITIES

88. Insufficient evidence was available to make judgements about provision in history and geography. One lesson was observed in history and one in geography. Work in pupils’ books was examined and discussions were held with pupils and staff. Pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations in both subjects. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 36 89. In history , pupils are greatly encouraged to understand past events through visits and visual aids. The school takes advantage of the wealth of museums and sites in London and beyond. Teachers organise a good range of outings that help pupils to understand past events. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop a good appreciation of past and present, by developing their powers of observation. They identify the differences between old and modern toys and games and visit the Museum of Childhood to extend their personal experience. Year 6 pupils know the importance of using pictures and buildings as sources

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HUMANITIES

of information and recently benefited from a visit to Canterbury Cathedral. All pupils develop an appreciation of the history of other cultures in the annual Black History Week. They use literacy skills well to locate information in books, the Internet and in talking to people with first-hand recollections of being an evacuee. The subject is well led and effectively links pupils’ learning with other subjects.

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HUMANITIES

90. In geography , pupils make good use of the locality to help them understand mapping, the problems of traffic and the importance of conservation and recycling. Year 1 pupils learn mapping skills well from studying local plans and road safety. Year 5 pupils contrast their own locality with life in St Lucia and use number skills well to make a statistical comparison of the climates. Year 6 pupils have studied mountain environments and have developed literacy skills well in researching information and writing brochures presenting their findings. At the moment the subject is without a leader but teachers’ planning is comprehensive and covers all the elements required for learning.

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HUMANITIES

91. Teachers make good use of ICT to help pupils’ learning in both subjects. Pupils have found out information from the Internet and used computers for written accounts and graphic presentations of their findings. Pupils develop good research skills as a result.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. Art and design, design and technology and physical education were not a focus for the inspection and were sampled. Art and design and design and technology are taught in blocks each term, which enables pupils to work on a picture, model or project for a sustained period. This ensures that skills of designing and making develop, as pupils build on and practise skills they have learned. Both areas were sampled as no teaching could be seen during the inspection. The teaching of music was inspected in full.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. Teachers plan a varied and interesting range of activities in art and design . Much of the work is linked with other subjects such as geography, history or science, which means that art activities are put into a suitable context. Very good planning clearly shows how meaningful links can be made. This promotes pupils’ further learning and understanding in both subjects. Analysis of work displayed in the school and in portfolios shows that pupils in both the infant and junior classes produce work which is of high quality, and is above the standard seen in most schools. Pupils study the work of famous artists such as Monet, St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 37 and use this work as a starting point for their own pictures, analysing the composition and colour range in the original and adapting and developing their own pieces. Work is planned using a wide range of mediums and media, and includes sculpture and other three-dimensional work. Visits from established

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

artists, and art projects undertaken under their guidance, are valuable in supplementing the work done in art lessons. The after school art club offers further opportunities to those pupils who are keen and able artists. The school uses London’s galleries very effectively as a resource, and links with the Serpentine Gallery have increased the pupils’ exposure to the arts. The school has been awarded the ‘Artsmark Gold’ award, reflecting, amongst other things, the quality of the practical art the pupils experience and the standard of the work they produce.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Work in design and technology also links appropriately with other subjects, and careful planning ensures that relevant skills and techniques are taught systematically, so that pupils build upon what they have learned the term or year before. Work on display and photographic evidence show that pupils achieve satisfactory standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The work of Year 1 pupils shows the early stages of good making and joining skills, with model bears they have made with moving limbs displayed alongside work from the history topic on ‘Old Toys’. Work in textiles in the older classes shows colouring and printing techniques correctly used. Good links with the designs and crafts of other countries are made in linking the geography work on the topic of St Lucia with fabric work in tie-dye and batik. This promotes cultural awareness as well as further understanding of design and technology techniques. The provision in this area is supplemented by an infant and a junior

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

after school club in cookery. This enhances provision in food technology for those pupils who are particularly interested.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. In physical education several brief observations of some teaching were made and discussions held with senior staff. These indicate that a wide range of physical activities are planned for the pupils throughout the school year. Good use is being made of coaches from external organisations to work with pupils and staff to maintain standards and raise the profile of the subject further. The school has made satisfactory arrangements to ensure that statutory requirements for swimming are being met through the establishment of a good link with a local leisure centre.

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Music

Provision is satisfactory overall with some good features.

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Music

• Specialist teaching is used effectively to provide a good range of musical experiences for all classes. • Pupil’s attitudes are very good because lessons are interesting and fun.

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Music

Commentary St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 38 96. The overall achievement of pupils is good. However, factors such as staff recruitment and mobility of pupils, mean that standards in Year 6 are average overall and similar to those at the time of the previous inspection.

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Music

97. The school has tackled the issue of teacher expertise with the appointment of a part- time specialist teacher. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is good overall with some strong features. For instance, the specialist teacher demonstrates very secure knowledge and expertise and teaches the pupils in a vibrant and imaginative manner. All pupils respond very well to this and achieve well. This was very effectively demonstrated in a very good lesson for pupils in Year 4. In this lesson the expert playing of the flute provided a very powerful stimulus for the development of good listening and appraising skills amongst these pupils as they tried to identify the movements being portrayed in the Firebird .

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Music

98. Currently there is no subject co-ordinator in post but an appointment has been made for the start of the new school year. The headteacher leads singing sessions for the whole school very well and the weekly mass effectively supports the pupils’ opportunities to make music.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

99. It was not possible to observe any lessons in this aspect of children’s learning during the inspection and this area of the curriculum was sampled. The sound programme for personal, social and health education includes work on diet, health, sex and relationships and personal safety. Outside experts, such as local police officers, contribute effectively to the programme. The provision is designed to help children gain confidence, interact successfully with other people and know how to have a healthy lifestyle. Some elements of the programme are integrated with other subjects; for instance, aspects of health and sex education are covered within science. A range of opportunities help to raise pupils’ awareness of citizenship, including visits from people who work in the community and the work of the school council. Pupils’ personal development is monitored well, and there are good structures in place to take

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

account of all pupils’ needs. St Saviour's C of E Primary School - 39

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 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 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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