Edith Neville Primary School

EDITH NEVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Lead inspector: Ms Margaret Julia Goodchild

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EDITH NEVILLE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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EDITH NEVILLE 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. Edith Neville Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 256

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 174 Ossulston Street Somers Town Camden London Postcode: NW1 1DN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0207 387 7158 Fax number: 0207 388 1202

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr John Twigg

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Edith Neville is about the same size as other primary schools, with 256 boys and girls on roll, aged 3 to 11. Fifty-two children attend the two nursery classes, one of which is part funded by Sure Start, and there are 30 children in the reception class. Numbers have gradually increased since the last inspection and the school is oversubscribed. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average and rising. The vast majority of pupils come from an area known to have a very high level of social deprivation. Furthermore, many of the better off parents tend to send their children to neighbouring faith schools, which means that the intake to this school is particularly disadvantaged and increasingly needy. The school is ethnically diverse and the percentage of pupils whose first language is not English is very high. The largest group of pupils is of Bangladeshi heritage and the next largest group is Somali. Twenty-five home languages are

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

spoken and there are currently 60 refugees and asylum seekers. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is above the national average; the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. These needs include moderate and severe learning difficulties, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, visual impairment and autism. Attainment on entry to the school is very low.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school gained Investor in People status in 2001, renewed in 2004, received a School Achievement Award in 2001, 2002 and 2003, and recently gained the Artsmark Silver Award. It is involved with Excellence in Cities, Sure Start and the Local Primary Strategy Network. As part of its extensive work for parents and the community, the school’s provision includes: a weekly class in English as a second language (ESOL) for 12 parents; weekly Family Learning Programme sessions in literacy / numeracy / early education; weekly drop-in sessions supported by social work students; daily community outreach by a Somali assistant who is currently supporting 24 families; and a half- termly Foundation Stage parents’ forum attended by around 40 parents. Edith Neville Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

15918 M J Goodchild Lead inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Religious education 9748 C Hayes Lay inspector 23886 D McCarthy Team inspector Mathematics Music Personal, social and health education Special educational needs 27698 G Phillips Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education 3574 K Singh Team inspector English Geography History English as an additional language

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12-19

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

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SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGES 1 AND 2

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 35 Edith Neville Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a highly effective school with a number of excellent features. Pupils achieve very well and reach standards that are broadly average by the time they leave. Teaching and learning are very good overall. The school is exceptionally effective in its social inclusion of pupils with a significant level of need and in the way it supports parents. The headteacher provides excellent leadership, and the school gives very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • In Years 3 to 6, achievement is excellent in mathematics and science and very good in English and religious education. • Children in the nursery achieve very well and achievement is good in the reception class. • Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those with special educational needs make very good progress; learning opportunities provided for pupils with visual impairment are exemplary. • Although achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, it is not as good as that in the rest of the school. • Systems put in place to raise standards in writing throughout the school have begun to take effect but pupils do not progress as rapidly in writing as they do in other aspects of their work. • Outstanding partnership with parents, links with the community and with other educational establishments, and excellent enrichment opportunities, contribute significantly to pupils’

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OVERALL EVALUATION

achievement. • Very good personal development is underpinned by excellent attention to cultural development and to the promotion of racial harmony. • Constraints in accommodation impact on pupils’ achievement in some areas. • Although showing considerable improvement, the attendance rate is well below average.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected, in May 1998. Development points raised at the last inspection have all been resolved. Standards in Year 6 have risen faster than those in schools nationally and significant improvement has been made in a number of important areas.

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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 English E D D A mathematics D A B A* science A A 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

Pupils’ achievement is very good overall. Children achieve very well in the nursery and well in the reception year. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6, with excellent achievement in mathematics and science. In 2004, the school’s National Curriculum test results in Year 2 were in the bottom five per cent nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in science were well below the national average. Compared with similar schools based on pupils’ eligibility for free school meals, results were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics and average in science. Results in Year 6 National Curriculum tests in 2004 were below the national average in English, above average in mathematics, well above average in science and above average overall. Compared with similar schools based on pupils’ prior attainment, these results were well above average in English and placed the school in the top

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Edith Neville Primary School - 7 five per cent in mathematics, science and overall. The trend in Year 6 test results has been above the national trend over the last five years, and the school has consistently exceeded its targets.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

In Year 2, standards are currently very low in reading and writing, well below average in mathematics and below average in science. In Year 6, standards are a bit lower than they were in last year’s tests because there is a very high level of need in this particular year group. Standards are below average in English, though better in reading than writing, close to the national average in mathematics and well above average in science. Pupils achieve well throughout the school in information and communication technology to reach standards in line with national expectations. In religious education, pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 and very well in Years 3 to 6, reaching standards in Year 6 that exceed the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral and social development, are very

good. Their cultural development is excellent. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour are very good. Attendance is promoted well, though the attendance rate remains well below the national average and authorised absence is high. Punctuality is satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a high quality education. Teaching and learning are very good. An excellent range of enrichment opportunities complements a curriculum that otherwise caters very well for the needs and interests of the pupils. However, accommodation constraints limit pupils’ achievement in some areas. The school cares very well for its pupils. Partnership with parents is excellent. Links with the community and with other educational establishments make an outstanding contribution to pupils’ academic and personal achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher’s excellent leadership ensures that raising standards and meeting the needs of individual pupils are central to the school’s work. Other staff in key positions support the headteacher very well. The senior leadership team is rigorous in evaluating the school’s effectiveness, and excellent systems are in place for analysing performance data. The governing body provides very good support and challenge to the school. Governors ensure that statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are overwhelmingly appreciative of the school’s work. Pupils are extremely enthusiastic about the opportunities the school provides for them and love coming to school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in Years 1 and 2.* • Raise standards in writing across the school.* • Reduce the amount of authorised absence.* • Continue to work with the local education authority to improve accommodation.*

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

* These issues are all included as priorities in the current school improvement plan. Edith Neville Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

From their very low attainment on entry to the school, pupils achieve very well to reach standards that are broadly average by the time they leave. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls or between that of different ethnic groups.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Years 3 to 6, achievement is excellent in mathematics and science and very good in English. • Children in the nursery achieve very well; those in the reception class achieve well overall. • Pupils do not make such good progress in Years 1 and 2 as they do in the rest of the school although strategies that have been introduced are beginning to raise achievement. • Initiatives to raise standards in writing across the school have begun to take effect but pupils are not performing as well in writing as in other areas. • In religious education, pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 and very well in Years 3 to 6, so that they exceed the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus by Year 6. • Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those with special educational needs make very good progress. • Pupils who are gifted and talented achieve very well in Years 3 to 6, and the school is particularly successful in the number of pupils who reach higher levels in Year 6 tests.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is supported extremely well through a range of enrichment activities and through the school’s excellent community links.

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Commentary

1. In the nursery and in the reception class, children achieve very well in personal, social and emotional development, in the acquisition of communication and language skills and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Children are developing literacy skills well in the nursery classes and satisfactorily in reception, where some opportunities are missed. Achievement in mathematical development, physical development and creative development is good. Most children are likely to reach national expectations by the end of the reception year in physical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in some aspects of personal, social and emotional development and creative development. The majority of children are likely to fall far short of expectations in communication, language and literacy, partly because so many are at early stages in learning English, and in some aspects of mathematical development.

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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 11.9 (13.8) 15.8 (15.7) writing 10.9 (13.8) 14.6 (14.6) mathematics 13.4 (14.0) 16.2 (16.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

2. National Curriculum test results in 2004 placed the school in the bottom five per cent nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in science were well below the national average. Compared with similar schools based on pupils’ eligibility for free school meals, results were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. Science results were in line with those of similar schools. The trend in the school’s Year 2 results over the last five Edith Neville Primary School - 9 years has been below the national trend. Overall results during this time show that boys performed marginally better than girls. In the last two years, boys have outperformed girls in reading and writing. In 2004, however, girls outperformed boys in mathematics.

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Commentary

3. Analysis was undertaken in response to the drop in test results in 2004 in Year 2, with clear actions taken to address relevant issues. From work seen and lessons observed, it is evident that pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and the range of initiatives aimed at raising standards is beginning to take effect. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall in these two years because these teachers are less experienced than those higher up the school. However, the provision of highly skilled special educational needs assistants and bilingual assistants in Years 1 and 2 is proving effective in supporting pupils’ achievement. Standards are currently very low in reading and writing, well below average in mathematics and below average in science. Pupils’ attainment is broadly average in information and communication technology and in religious education.

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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 26.6 (25.6) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 28.5 (28.6) 27.0 (26.8) science 31.1 (30.8) 28.6 (28.6) There were 28 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

4. The school’s results in Year 6 National Curriculum tests in 2004 were below the national average in English, above average in mathematics, well above average in science and above average overall. Many pupils for whom English is an additional language reached Level 5 in reading but Level 3 in writing, which explains why pupils did better in mathematics and science than in English. Compared with similar schools based on pupils’ prior attainment, results were well above average in English and placed the school in the top five per cent in mathematics, science and overall. The school’s own analysis shows that pupils attending from reception to the end of Year 6 achieved even better than the school’s overall results. The percentage of pupils who gained Level 5, especially in mathematics and science, showed that the school did particularly well by its higher attaining pupils. The trend in the school’s Year 6 test results has

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Commentary

been above the national trend over the last five years, and the school has consistently outperformed its targets. Over the preceding years, boys slightly outperformed girls, but in 2004 their results were very similar. Compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools, achievement from Year 3 to Year 6 was excellent in 2003 and 2004.

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Commentary

5. At present, standards in Year 6 are somewhat lower than those revealed by the 2004 tests because almost half the pupils in the present year group have special educational needs and a very high proportion are eligible for free school meals. Standards are below average in English, though better in reading than in writing, close to the national average in mathematics and well above average in science. Based on pupils’ prior attainment, achievement is excellent in mathematics and science and very good in English. Pupils achieve well in information and communication technology to reach standards in line with national expectations. They do very well in religious education to reach standards that are above the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus; work of a very high quality has been produced as part of the faith project that pupils undertake in Year 6.

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Commentary

6. Although other subjects were not inspected in full, a wealth of work on display – in two and three dimensions – shows that pupils reach high standards in art and design. Exquisite work has been produced through pupils’ attendance at the art club and through the school’s collaboration with the Learning Education Arts Project funded by Camden Local Education Authority. Above average work is also evident in some other subjects, and in lessons sampled across the curriculum during the inspection, pupils generally achieved well. Edith Neville Primary School - 10 7. In Years 3 to 6, the achievement of most pupils for whom English is an additional language and who are of minority ethnic heritage is very good and they attain standards similar to their peers. Those who are new to English make very good progress and attain well in relation to their prior attainment. A small number of pupils who join during the year, having no previous

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Commentary

schooling in this country and knowing little or no English, make very good progress because of the very good extra support they receive from specialist staff. Achievement for these pupils is good rather than very good in Years 1 and 2, although recent additional support has begun to improve the progress that they make.

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Commentary

8. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6 and well in Years 1 and 2 as a result of the support they receive. The small minority of pupils with visual impairment make excellent progress in their academic work and personal development as a result of the excellent opportunities they are afforded for academic and social inclusion. Pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties achieve very well and make rapid gains in their learning.

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Commentary

9. The achievement of gifted and talented pupils is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2; the high proportion of pupils gaining Level 5 in Year 6 tests reflects the way these pupils’ needs are met. A range of enrichment opportunities also supports their learning. Pupils gain sports awards and, at present, the netball team and girls’ football team are champions. Sports performers win many medals and trophies and represent the local education authority at pan- London games. Pupils participate in arts events, for instance, gaining the Camden Young Citizens Award in 2002, and representing Camden in a drama performance at the Millennium Dome. Able musicians feature in bands and performances, such as that at the Music Festival at Royal Albert Hall where a pupil from Edith Neville was a soloist; gifted and talented pupils thrive in music through work with the music service, and in design and technology and

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Commentary

information and communication technology due to the school’s close links with the City Learning Centre and the challenging work provided in collaboration with a local secondary school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' attitudes to school and to lessons are very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. Exclusions are very low. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is very good. Their cultural development is excellent. Attendance is promoted well, though the attendance rate remains well below the national average. Punctuality to school is satisfactory; that to lessons is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers' high expectations of pupils' behaviour and their very effective management of pupils supports very good achievement. • Excellent racial harmony underpins very good social development. • Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. • Excellent cultural and multicultural development fosters very good relationships and promotes the achievement of pupils regardless of their cultural background. • Art and religious education make a significant contribution to pupils’ very good spiritual development. • Attendance is well below the national average.

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Commentary

10. Pupils' have very good attitudes to school. They invariably praise the school and its staff and their response to the pre-inspection questionnaire was overwhelmingly positive. They participate very well in the wide range of activities the school provides for them, while in lessons they are typically attentive and enthusiastic. Pupils are keen to take responsibility, for Edith Neville Primary School - 11 example, through membership of the school council, and work well independently and in groups.

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Commentary

11. Behaviour, within and beyond the classroom, is very good. The Code of Conduct, the reward system, staff’s role modelling of acceptable behaviour and personal, social and health education lessons all stress the need and desirability of appropriate behaviour. In the latest school year, there were only two exclusions, both fixed-term. So far this academic year, there has been only one, fixed-term, exclusion. The very good picture presented by the pupils' attitudes and values is all the more praiseworthy given that many are at an early stage of acquiring English, are eligible for free school meals and a large number have special educational needs. The vast majority of these pupils display the same high standard of behaviour as their peers.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 15 2 White – any other White background 5 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 Mixed – White and Black African 5 Mixed – any other mixed background 5 Asian or Asian British – Indian 1 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 98 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 Black or Black British – African 31 Black or Black British – any other Black background 2 Any other ethnic group 8

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Commentary

12. Pupils enjoy predominantly very positive relationships with each other, occasional bullying being dealt with effectively by the school. Excellent racial and gender harmony is revealed in the mix of groups at play. Pupils who are refugees and asylum seekers and those at early stages in acquiring English are exceptionally well integrated into school life and make very good progress in their personal development. The excellent relationships between staff and pupils contribute strongly to the learning ethos within the school.

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Commentary

13. The spiritual, moral and social development of pupils is very good. Lesson planning, especially in art and religious education, contributes strongly to pupils' spiritual understanding and eye-catching displays enhance their awareness of beauty and personal achievement. Pupils develop a very good sense of right and wrong: the school provides a very good moral education and pupils respond well to it. Social development is also very strong. Pupils quickly settle into the school community and adopt its rules and customs. They learn about life in the world outside through a host of visits and visitors and combine this knowledge with activities within school, which develop their social skills to a very good level.

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Commentary

14. Cultural development is excellent. Throughout the curriculum, lesson planning ensures that cultural and multicultural learning takes place in all subjects. Additionally, the school takes full advantage of the ethnic diversity of its surrounding community, and in its staff and pupils, to advocate consistently an understanding and appreciation of the differences between cultures and of the positive features of all cultures. Edith Neville Primary School - 12 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.3 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

15. The school promotes good attendance well and there was no unauthorised absence in the last year. The majority of pupils attend regularly, yet the attendance level is well below the national average. This is largely the result of the observance of religious festivals and extended holidays taken during term time. Nevertheless, parents say that their children love coming to school.

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Commentary

16. Since the last inspection, the attendance rate has improved and there is now no unauthorised absence; the level of exclusions has been dramatically reduced; pupils now have many opportunities to show initiative in lessons, and behaviour and relationships remain very good. Moral and social development has improved from good to very good, spiritual development from satisfactory to very good and cultural development from satisfactory to excellent.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a high quality education. Teaching and learning are very good. The curriculum is very good and enrichment opportunities are excellent. The school cares very well for its pupils. Partnership with parents is excellent. Links with the community and with other educational establishments make an outstanding contribution to pupils’ academic and personal achievement.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good in the nursery, good in the reception year, satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6. Assessment is good overall, with very good practice in some areas.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A high proportion of very good and at times excellent teaching, in the nursery classes and in Years 3 to 6, reflects these teachers’ very high expectations. • There are some shortcomings in the teaching in Years 1 and 2, although teaching in these classes is satisfactory overall. • Teaching assistants make a very significant contribution to pupils’ achievement and teamwork is strong between teachers and staff supporting pupils for whom English is an additional language and those who have special educational needs. • Systems for recording and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress are extremely thorough. • Assessment information is not used as well as it could be to match work to the needs of different children in the reception class and in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

3 (9%) 15 (44%) 13 (38%) 2 (6%) 1 (3%) - -

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Edith Neville Primary School - 13 17. There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. Over half the teaching and learning seen was very good and sometimes excellent. In nine out of ten lessons, teaching was at least good. A very high proportion of very good and excellent teaching occurs in Years 3 to 6. This is because members of the senior leadership team and leading literacy and numeracy teachers 1 work in these classes. This very high quality teaching goes a long way to explaining why older pupils achieve so well. Teaching in mathematics and science is excellent in these classes, especially in Years 4 to 6; that in English and religious education is very good. In the best lessons, teachers have very high expectations and difficult

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Commentary

information is taught in innovative and memorable ways. Resources are used extremely well and activities are varied. Probing questioning deepens pupils’ thinking, explanations are very clear, and teachers use ongoing assessment to adapt their teaching to the full range of needs within the class.

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Commentary

18. Teaching is also consistently very good, and occasionally excellent, in the nursery, where teachers have a thorough understanding of children’s needs. Teaching is good overall and occasionally very good in the reception class. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children benefit from each class having a teacher, a nursery nurse, a full-time bilingual assistant, and a Somali assistant who works between the three classes. Teachers use these support staff to very good effect, especially in the development of children’s communication and language skills.

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Commentary

19. Although some good teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2, with a very good lesson in information and communication technology, pupils’ work shows that teaching over time is predominantly satisfactory in these classes and one unsatisfactory lesson was seen during the inspection. The school is aware that teaching in Years 1 and 2 is less strong than that higher up the school, because the teachers in those classes are less experienced. Senior managers have introduced a range of strategies to remedy the situation. The placement of an increased number of teaching assistants, alongside staff training and support from the local education authority, is beginning to have a positive effect on pupils’ learning in Years 1 and 2, but some shortcomings in teaching remain. These relate mainly to: • the timing of activities – with pupils spending too much time sitting on the carpet or listening to explanations and insufficient time engaging in practical or written work;

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Commentary

• a lack of rigour in the management of behaviour, so that too much time is spent gaining pupils’ undivided attention or when moving from one activity to another; • assessment information not being used to match tasks to the different needs within the class; • lesson planning that does not identify how support staff will be used and a failure to use this valuable resource efficiently.

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Commentary

20. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good because of the high level of support provided. A particular strength is the way special educational needs staff use what pupils already know to build on their knowledge and understanding. Teachers and support staff generally ensure that work, methods and resources are closely matched to these pupils’ capabilities. For example, visually impaired pupils are encouraged to read and write using braille, and pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties are challenged to work collaboratively with others, by the use of systematic praise and reward. As a result, pupils with behavioural difficulties pick up good working habits and make significant improvements in their behaviour.

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Commentary

21. Pupils for whom English is an additional language receive very good teaching. The school employs a small number of additional teachers who provide very good support to pupils who are at the early stages of acquiring English, and bilingual teaching assistants are deployed to very good effect. Support teachers work closely with class teachers to meet pupils’ needs by helping pupils within class and in small withdrawal groups. All pupils receive teaching in

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Commentary

1 Leading literacy and numeracy teachers take a lead role in their specialist area in the local education authority as well as in their own school. Edith Neville Primary School - 14 smaller groups at least once a week and this helps them to fill any gaps in their learning. For example, in a Year 5 guided reading session, pupils received very good teaching in small groups from the class teacher, specialist support teacher for pupils who are learning English as an additional language and from a teaching assistant who supported pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are responsive to the teaching provided: they are enthusiastic and highly motivated learners. Planning is undertaken in partnership with class teachers to meet pupils’ needs. This ensures consistent links between mainstream staff and the support team.

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Commentary

22. Successful teaching strategies such as repetition of key vocabulary and presentation of work with a strong visual content effectively support pupils with special educational needs and who are acquiring English as an additional language. The bilingual staff, who speak Bengali and Somali, provide very good support in lessons when pupils do not understand the tasks because of lack of English. On many occasions, bilingual teaching assistants were observed very unobtrusively explaining difficult vocabulary in pupils’ mother tongue. As a result, pupils understood what was expected and completed their tasks well. This not only improved pupils’ English language skills but also improved their learning in the subject being studied. Some pupils in classes in Years 3 to 6, who appear to be fluent in spoken English but who do not have the English language skills to access the wider curriculum or the comprehension skills for

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Commentary

high-level reading, are also supported very well.

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Commentary

23. Teachers’ positive acceptance of a diversity of languages in their classes adds significantly to the ease of bilingual pupils. They become willing participants in lessons and are keen to learn. Relationships between teachers and pupils and among pupils of different cultures are very warm and friendly. Pupils feel that their cultures are recognised and valued. Realising, however, that relationships alone are not enough, the school has ensured that all staff are trained in the skills and understanding required to support pupils learning English as an additional language or from a culture other than white British. This benefits all pupils including those who are English speakers. Many staff who share pupils’ cultural heritage and speak Bengali and Somali not only support pupils’ learning but also provide very good role models. This promotes pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

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Commentary

24. Extremely thorough systems are in place for tracking pupils’ progress, so that teachers and managers understand the specific needs of pupils. This information is used very well in planning the curriculum and in identifying pupils, including those with special educational needs, who need additional support. Assessment is very good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, where marking makes pupils aware of exactly what they need to do to improve their work, especially in Years 5 and 6. Samples of pupils’ work in Years 1 to 6 are analysed in depth on a termly basis against National Curriculum levels in the core subjects and monitored by the assessment co-ordinator. Outcomes of this are fed into teaching, planning and target setting. Performance by gender and ethnicity is analysed each year by the assessment and subject co-ordinators, using data from National Curriculum and optional tests.

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Commentary

Specific targets are developed for individuals and groups of pupils, and annual in-depth analysis is undertaken to ensure progression from year to year. In the Foundation Stage, children have key workers who contribute to a range of different assessment and recording activities, but assessment information is not used as well as it could be to match work to children’s needs, especially in literacy.

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Commentary

25. The stages of fluency for pupils acquiring English as an additional language are assessed and recorded, and their progress is tracked and monitored against targets set for raising standards. Tracking of pupils’ progress in the acquisition of fluency in English is completed twice a year and the co-ordinator has a very clear picture of pupils’ attainment. Very clear guidance is given to staff on monitoring pupils’ progress and the normal expectations of how long a pupil should take moving from one stage to the other. Performance data is analysed rigorously not only to track and evaluate pupils’ progress but also to identify where and how provision needs to improve. Edith Neville Primary School - 15

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The curriculum

An excellent range of enrichment opportunities complements an otherwise very good curriculum that is closely matched to the needs and interests of the pupils. The school is well staffed with qualified teachers and very well staffed with teaching assistants, including a number of bilingual assistants and trained special educational needs assistants. Resources are good overall but accommodation is unsatisfactory.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• An excellent range of clubs, educational visits and visitors enriches the curriculum. • Planning for pupils’ personal, social and health education is very good. • The school provides very good support for pupils with special educational needs and exceptional support for pupils with visual impairment. • Support for pupils who are at an early stage of learning English is very good. • Learning opportunities provided for gifted and talented pupils in Years 3 to 6 are very good. • Constraints in the accommodation have an adverse effect on pupils’ achievement in some areas.

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Commentary

26. The curriculum meets statutory requirements fully and is creatively tailored wherever possible to the needs of the pupils. Continuous review enables the senior leadership team to refine the range of learning opportunities provided and introduce innovations where these are likely to promote the academic and social inclusion of all pupils. For example, the ‘three-way split’, whereby classes are divided into groups led by the class teacher, a teacher funded through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant and a teaching assistant, is an innovative way of giving pupils the opportunity to have a high level of adult support to study a number of subjects in depth as well as promoting language acquisition particularly well. Furthermore, effective implementation of the Primary Strategy contributes to the very good achievement of pupils in English and excellent achievement in mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

27. An extremely wide-ranging programme of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors enriches the curriculum. Extra-curricular provision includes a number of clubs and the school welcomes an excellent range of visitors to the school, including visiting musicians, theatre groups, artists, and a phenomenally large number of volunteers (64 at present) who support reading and other aspects of pupils’ development. The whole school, including many parents and volunteers, goes to the seaside every year, and events such as the International Evening, provide opportunities for pupils and parents alike to learn about each other’s culture. During the inspection, a large number of parents and volunteers accompanied staff and children from the Foundation Stage on a trip to the Science Museum, which made an excellent contribution to children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. The school organises special focus

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Commentary

weeks such as those for mathematics, science and the arts. These varied experiences provide pupils with very good opportunities for learning and contribute to the excellent achievement in mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

28. The personal, social and health education programme is very well planned to meet the needs of the pupils. The school has developed a policy and scheme of work that includes appropriate coverage of sex education, drugs education and anti-racism. Personal, social and health education is taught very effectively as a discrete subject and all classes experience regular ‘circle time’ sessions, where emerging issues are discussed. Visits by local community police are very effective in helping pupils to increase their awareness of drug abuse. The school also has an excellent breakfast club where pupils develop very good table manners, engage in friendly conversation with each other and adults and help to clear away at the end of the session. Edith Neville Primary School - 16 29. The provision that the school makes for pupils for whom English is an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups is very good. The school is successful in providing a

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Commentary

curriculum that reflects a positive attitude towards other cultures and languages. All pupils are given very good opportunities to gain confidence about their own culture and the culture of others through the study of religious education, literature, assemblies, celebration of festivals, history, geography, art and music. The curriculum is very well adapted to reflect pupils’ different cultures and backgrounds. For example, in geography pupils compare a locality in Bangladesh with their locality in London. In a lesson, Year 3 pupils used their first-hand experiences of both the countries very well to compare and contrast the living conditions. Events such as ‘Refugee Week’ help pupils to understand their peers’ life histories. In religious education, pupils study all the major religions represented in Britain. In history, pupils study Black African and Caribbean cultures through topics in The Black History Month. There

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Commentary

are books in other languages to show that the school values other cultures and languages. There are not many notices and signs written in pupils’ mother tongues across the school to value pupils’ heritage, although there are plans to provide these.

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Commentary

30. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and, as a result, they achieve very well and are given access to the full range of school activities. Their needs are identified early in their school life and suitable individual programmes of work are set for them. As pupils progress through the school, they receive very good support from learning support assistants within lessons, and when withdrawn to work as individuals or in small groups. Individual education plans are of very good quality and are reviewed regularly with pupils and parents. Care is taken to ensure that the work provided for these pupils is closely matched to their needs. The school makes excellent provision for accommodating the needs of pupils with visual impairment, particularly in the setting of targets and challenges to increase these pupils’ mobility around school, in the use of a brailler in all lessons for reading, writing and number

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Commentary

work and in the promotion of these pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

31. As gifted and talented pupils move up through the school, they are set challenging tasks to extend their learning. In Years 3 to 6, the school not only recognises individual talents but does its very best to provide for pupils’ needs, through for example, strong links with the local secondary school to enrich and develop information and communication skills and through links with professional coaches for pupils who are talented in sport.

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Commentary

32. The school is well staffed with teachers, many of whom are of a high calibre, and very well staffed with suitably trained educational support staff. The school grounds are secure and pupils have access to play areas that provide a safe environment. However, classrooms are too small for the numbers of pupils on roll and sometimes this adversely affects the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ achievement. The reception classroom is cramped, which has an adverse effect on achievement in literacy and creative development, there is an inadequate library and the computer suite is situated in an open corridor area. Full access for people with physical disabilities is also restricted due to the nature of the building. Nevertheless, the school has well-conceived plans to improve the amount of space available and is working closely with the local education authority to bring this into effect. The quality

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Commentary

and quantity of resources are good overall, and improving in information and communication technology, where limitations imposed by the building have made it difficult to accommodate computers in classrooms.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

The school provides very well for the care, welfare, health and safety of its pupils. It also gives very good and well-informed support, advice and guidance. The school has good systems for seeking pupils' views.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils hold overwhelmingly positive views about the school. Edith Neville Primary School - 17 • The school provides very good care for those in most need. • A high degree of trust exists between staff and pupils. • The school provides a very good and well-informed level of personal support. • Academic help from external volunteers contributes very strongly to achievement. • The Learning Mentor programme provides very good support for selected pupils.

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Commentary

33. The school's provision for the care of its pupils is very good. There are very effective systems for ensuring a high level of care for those pupils who are most vulnerable. Child protection procedures are fully effective. The personal, social and health education programme contributes very well to the social and moral care of pupils, as well as to their welfare, health and safety. All support staff are trained in first-aid, and there is an effective programme of education for sex and substance abuse. Almost all the pupils are able to identify an adult in school who they feel they could trust if they had a problem.

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Commentary

34. The academic and personal support provided is very good. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who come from minority ethnic backgrounds are very well cared for and are an integral part of the school community. Staff are very sensitive to the needs of these pupils, as they know that many are refugees and asylum seekers who have suffered trauma. The school’s reputation as a caring school has attracted many refugee families from other parts of the local education authority who have brought their children to this school. These pupils like coming to school and many told inspectors that the school is their second home. New arrivals into Years 3 to 6 present a particular challenge. The school points out that cuts to funding for supporting the acheivement of pupils from minority ethnic groups mean that the school now has insufficient resources to support the high level of needs amongst this

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Commentary

group, despite very good support from the learning mentor and a dedicated Somali assistant. Inspection findings show that the school is doing all that it possibly can to support these pupils. There is very good provision for all pupils who are vulnerable for whatever reason and who need additional help with their studies. An outstanding example of the degree of support provided is the help given to visually impaired pupils, who are enabled to play a full part in school life.

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Commentary

35. An extraordinary number of local volunteers provide an unusually high level of additional support for pupils’ learning. There are also excellent links with external agencies, such as the visual impaired specialist and the behaviour support team, who work very effectively with staff.

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Commentary

36. The induction arrangements for pupils entering the school are very good. They include a home visit for all new pupils, supported by bilingual assistants, and an informative Foundation Stage brochure.

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Commentary

37. The pre-inspection questionnaire for pupils revealed an extraordinarily high level of satisfaction with the school. More than 60 per cent of pupils were fully content with all aspects of the school’s work; the only concern being that a third of pupils do not believe that other pupils always behave well. Inspectors agreed with the positive opinions held by pupils and found that behaviour is very good overall. Adults listen with concern to individual pupils and the school regularly seeks their collective views. The school council is very well established and pupils’ views are acted upon where possible. Weekly circle time allows pupils to express what they like and dislike about the school. Every pupil also writes a manifesto, presented to their peers and staff, rich in ideas for school improvement. The local education authority nominated the workings of the school council elections for inclusion on its training video for schools.

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Commentary

38. The last inspection did not make a clear overall judgement about care and guidance, but it is evident that improvement in this aspect of the school’s work has been at least good, and probably very good. Edith Neville Primary School - 18

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s partnership with parents is excellent. Links with the community and with other schools and colleges are outstanding.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The level of support provided for parents is exceptionally high, and staff are very accessible to parents. • Parents hold overwhelmingly positive views about the school. • The school makes extremely good use of the local and wider community. • The very large number of local volunteers provides valuable curriculum support. • Strategic and operational links with schools and colleges are very effective. • The governors' annual report and school brochure are very clear and informative. • Procedures for ensuring parental satisfaction are outstandingly effective.

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Commentary

39. The provision of information to parents is very good. The school brochure and the governors' annual report are comprehensive and easy to read. Translation services are available in three languages for parents who need them. There is very good day-to-day communication, both written and oral. Staff are in daily touch with parents, particularly in the earlier years. Pupils' progress reports are detailed and often contain good diagnosis of the overall areas needing development. Parents are welcome to visit the school at any time and are provided with three consultation evenings per year. They are invited (with scribe and translators where necessary) to provide a written comment on their children’s learning record at the Autumn and Summer parents’ meetings and at the governors’ annual report to parents.

p.18

Example of outstanding practice

The school is exceptionally effective in the way it supports and involves parents. The school makes tremendous efforts to engage with parents and is wholly committed to raising pupils’ achievement through ensuring that parents are supported, engaged and active in their child’s education and in school and community life. Two members of staff have specific management roles in this area, including one who has overall responsibility for Parental and Community Partnerships. The level of support provided to those parents in need, particularly those who have difficulty understanding English, is superb. As part of its extensive work for parents and the community, the school’s provision includes: a weekly class in English as a second language (ESOL); weekly Family Learning Programme sessions in literacy / numeracy / early education; weekly drop-in sessions supported by trainee social workers; daily community outreach by a Somali

p.18

Example of outstanding practice

assistant who is currently supporting 24 families; and a half-termly Foundation Stage parents’ forum attended by around 40 parents. Courses provided by the school for parents have impacted positively on pupils’ learning, attendance and helped move several parents into training and paid work. In addition, the headteacher frequently supports families over matters of immigration, housing, custody and court proceedings. The school makes every effort to involve parents of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from different minority ethnic groups in all school activities. Important letters are translated, and translators and interpreters are provided for meetings between parents and staff. This helps non-English speaking parents to understand school routines and procedures. Bilingual staff are used to very good effect to provide support, and some parents are now using the new parent governors from the Bangladeshi and Somali

p.18

Example of outstanding practice

communities as channels of communication. Celebrations such as ‘The International Evening’ provide highly relevant opportunities for all parents to contribute and to learn about one another’s cultures.

p.18

Example of outstanding practice

40. The school values the views of parents and undertakes regular surveys. These, and the pre- inspection questionnaire, show that parents' have unusually positive views about the school. In no area did parental approval drop below 83 per cent; in most cases it was well above 90. Almost invariably, inspectors agree with all the positive views of parents. The schools' procedures to ensure parental satisfaction and to deal with concerns or complaints work so well that there has only been one written complaint in nine years and no oral complaint has ever needed to be taken further than the headteacher. Edith Neville Primary School - 19 41. Parents make a very strong contribution to pupils' learning. This is particularly so in school, where volunteers assist with reading in class, with other activities and on school visits. They are keen to help with homework and many of those who cannot - due to language difficulties -

p.18

Example of outstanding practice

attend language classes provided by the school. The level of parental commitment can be seen from the high attendance at consultation evenings, school events, weekly class meetings and assemblies. Pupils and parents are fully involved in reviews of pupils’ individual education plans and statements of special educational needs.

p.19

Example of outstanding practice

The school makes excellent use of its locality and receives outstanding support from the community. The school has developed excellent links with the local and wider community, which contribute a great deal to pupils’ academic achievement and personal development. A remarkably good programme of educational visits of wide-ranging interest enriches the curriculum and supports the achievement of pupils of all ages. Arts partners and wider community groups contribute to pupils’ learning. Artwork from education-business partnerships has been publicised in the Royal Courts of Justice and Institute of Contemporary Arts and featured on the front cover of the Law Journal. The school has a number of arts partners working in the school and supported by the school at their events. These include The Place Theatre (home of London Contemporary Dance), Hampstead Young People’s Theatre, the Learning Education Arts Partnership, annual

p.19

Example of outstanding practice

Somers Town Festival of Cultures and winter festival. Through all this work, pupils have a rich experience of participation in the arts. Furthermore, a substantial number of visitors contribute to pupils’ learning and over 70 volunteers from local businesses and educational establishments work in the school, including 64 reading volunteers, most on a weekly basis. Volunteers also arrange visits to their own businesses, which enhances pupils’ experiences and extends their horizons beyond the school and its immediate locality.

p.19

Example of outstanding practice

42. There are very good arrangements for the transfer of pupils to the local secondary school, including individual exit interviews for pupils and parents and several opportunities for pupils to experience the work of the secondary school while in Years 5 and 6.

p.19

Example of outstanding practice

43. Other links with schools and colleges are excellent. The school works closely and effectively with universities, the local secondary school and its attached City Learning Centre. It enjoys very close strategic links with local secondary and primary schools. Other examples of the school's links with educational establishments are the regular acceptance of trainee teachers, students on NVQ courses and trainee social workers.

p.19

Example of outstanding practice

44. Since the last inspection, the school's links with parents have improved tremendously and are now excellent. The school has at least maintained the level of parental contribution to pupils' education. Community links have improved from good to excellent.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher’s excellent leadership ensures that raising standards and meeting the needs of all pupils are central to the school’s work. Other staff who hold key posts fulfil their responsibilities very well. The governing body provides very good support and challenge to the school and ensures that statutory requirements are met.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In his leadership of the school, the headteacher has high aspirations and shows considerable flair. • Rigorous and insightful self-evaluation leads to a comprehensive programme of action. • Excellent systems are in place for analysing the school’s performance. • Teaching and non-teaching staff have excellent opportunities for continuing professional development. • Governors are knowledgeable and make a significant contribution to the school’s success. Edith Neville Primary School - 20

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Commentary

45. The headteacher was awarded the Teaching Award for School Leadership in the South East of England, in 2000, which reflected the absolute dedication and flair he shows in his leadership of the school. He is a mentor to new headteachers and acts as primary consultant leader for Camden, supporting a number of schools. The delegation of leadership and management responsibilities is clear and the headteacher is supported very well by other staff in key posts. A number of these staff have also developed expertise which is shared beyond the school. The deputy headteacher has disseminated work in a number of areas, and four established leadership team members feature in local education authority best practice directories (Leading Literacy Teacher, Leading Mathematics Teacher, Foundation Stage teachers). The information and communication technology co-ordinator is on secondment as a primary specialist at the local City Learning Centre. The Year 4 teacher is seconded to support newly

p.20

Commentary

qualified teachers in a neighbouring school.

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Commentary

46. Senior managers have a total commitment to including all pupils, regardless of their learning and personal needs. Social inclusion is excellent throughout the school. The promotion of equal opportunities is highly effective in the nursery and in Years 3 to 6, enabling pupils to achieve very well, but it is undermined to some extent in Years 1 and 2 by teachers’ lack of experience. Senior leaders are very aware of this situation, however, and provide a great deal of strategic support to less experienced teachers.

p.20

Commentary

47. Leadership and management is very good in the Foundation Stage, English, mathematics and religious education, and excellent in science. Co-ordination of other subjects is also well developed, ensuring that whole-school initiatives have a positive effect on pupils’ achievement across the whole curriculum. The co-ordinators of English as an additional language and special educational needs provide very good leadership and management. They guide and support other staff very well, ensuring that they are kept informed about the changing needs of pupils and that they receive relevant training.

p.20

Commentary

48. Leadership of teaching and the curriculum by the headteacher, supported by senior staff, is excellent. There is a very strong culture of reviewing, evaluating and improving. Rigorous systems are in place for monitoring the school’s work through lesson observation, the regular scrutiny of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work. The school has been strategic in using input by the link adviser and other members of the local education authority to develop the monitoring and evaluation skills of the senior leadership team. Furthermore, teaching and educational support staff have excellent opportunities to develop their capabilities through training, and through working in collaboration with other schools and local education authority advisers. The strength of the school’s staff induction procedures is reflected in its having been awarded Investor in People status in 2001, renewed in 2004. The school works continually to improve

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Commentary

and refine its practice, and there is a clear vision and sense of purpose. New initiatives are embraced and staff are innovative in finding ways to enrich and deepen pupils’ learning in a way that raises achievement and promotes pupils’ personal development.

p.20

Commentary

49. The headteacher and deputy head, supported by other senior staff, undertake excellent analysis of performance data, which is used to inform the school improvement plan, curriculum planning, training and staff deployment. The school very usefully organises its school improvement plan under the headings of its six school aims – which ensures that the overriding vision for the school is always informing developments and review. Survey work with parents and pupils also addresses these aims. Although the school improvement plan does not provide sharply defined success criteria against all of its targets, it is a comprehensive document that is highly effective in moving the school forward.

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Commentary

50. The governing body has an in-depth understanding of the school and operates through a strong committee structure. Governors have comprehensive systems for gathering information to monitor the school’s work. Individual governors visit the school on a very regular basis with a specific focus, so that they know the workings of the school from the inside. Subject co- ordinators contribute to the detailed termly reports provided by the headteacher to the Edith Neville Primary School - 21 governing body, as well as meeting with particular governors. A named governor is in place for each class and for literacy, numeracy, special educational needs, ethnic minority achievement / English as an additional language, equal opportunities and child protection. Governors have become increasingly involved in school improvement and strategic planning, and work alongside staff in working parties from time to time. A governors’ action plan is

p.20

Commentary

included within the school improvement plan and governors have evaluated their own effectiveness, supported by the local education authority. Designated governors have taken part in reviews of aspects of the school’s work, and the governing body is closely involved in financial planning.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,122,386 Balance from previous year 156,263 Total expenditure 1,140,015 Balance carried forward to the next 138,634 Expenditure per pupil 4,523 Edith Neville Primary School - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children enter the Foundation Stage with very low prior attainment and most are at very early stages in learning English as an additional language. Children achieve very well in the two nursery classes in response to very good teaching, a vibrant and stimulating learning environment and a curriculum that is matched very well to their needs. Children achieve well overall in the reception class in response to good teaching. Accommodation constraints limit opportunities in some areas of learning in reception, but children in the nursery and reception classes all have good access to a stimulating outdoor area with regular planned activities. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children benefit from each class having a teacher, a nursery nurse, a full-time bilingual assistant, and a Somali assistant who works between the three classes. Teachers use these support staff to very good effect, especially in the development of children’s communication and language skills. The

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

curriculum is planned very thoroughly to provide children with a balance of free-choice and adult- directed activities and reflects national guidance well in most respects. A key worker system supports regular observations of children’s attainment throughout the Foundation Stage. Assessment information is used effectively to group children for activities but it is not always used as well as it could be in the reception class to match work to the needs of individual children.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Induction arrangements for when children enter the Foundation Stage are very good. Bilingual assistants are involved in the home visits provided to all families, and parents are issued with a brochure in a choice of languages. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children benefit enormously from the excellent support provided to parents in the form of classes in aspects of parenting, the parents’ forum and the ready availability of translation services. An excellent range of educational visits and other enrichment opportunities extend children’s horizons and support their achievement. Provision in the Foundation Stage is led and managed very well overall, but with scope for closer working between the co-ordinator and staff in the reception class. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff and are learning to relate well with one another. • They relate well with one another. • Teaching is very good in all three classes.

p.22

Commentary

51. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children achieve very well in personal, social and emotional development. Many children are likely to reach national expectations by the end of the reception year in most aspects of in this area of learning.

p.22

Commentary

52. The staff foster in children the sense that they are valued and do much to give them positive self-esteem, relating to them with enthusiasm and warmth. As a result, children settle well and are confident to try new activities. They are learning to express their needs and to be sensitive to the feelings of others. Excellent attention is given to establishing a respect for different cultures and the close links between home and school support children’s personal development. Children show curiosity in learning and many concentrate well for extended periods on their chosen activity. They increasingly tackle problems and persevere. Many children are able to take turns and share with one another, and they usually play together harmoniously. Occasional disagreements are handled well by the staff. Behaviour is Edith Neville Primary School - 23 consistently at least good and on the trip to the Science Museum, children’s behaviour and

p.22

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Throughout the Foundation Stage, children achieve very well in the acquisition of communication and language skills. • Children are developing literacy skills well in the nursery classes. • Although the development of literacy skills is satisfactory in the reception class, assessment information is not used as well as it could be to set targets for individual children.

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Commentary

53. Although achievement and teaching are good overall, most children are likely to fall far short of expectations in communication, language and literacy by the end of the reception year. This is partly because so many children enter the Foundation Stage speaking little or no English. In all three classes – in the nursery and reception - adults are very effective in promoting children’s communication and language development. Staff waste no opportunity to extend children’s language, asking questions and modelling language. The provision of bilingual assistants makes a very positive contribution to the learning of children for whom English is an additional language, and planning gives high priority to meeting their language needs. As a result, these children have access to the full range of learning activities, which extends their vocabulary and supports their overall development. Teachers make very good use of visual

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Commentary

and practical resources to make learning stimulating and to support language acquisition.

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Commentary

54. In the nursery classes, children have very good opportunities to make marks and find out that writing carries meaning within the context of role-play. In the nursery and reception, children benefit enormously from hearing stories in their home languages and from the translation of stories on a daily basis. A small minority of children are working broadly in line with national expectations for the end of the Foundation Stage in reading and writing. In the reception class, assessment information is not being used as well as it could be, however, to match work to the prior attainment of individuals or to set targets to inform all the staff who work with them. As a result, higher and some average attaining children are not making the rapid and systematic progress that they could in literacy. This is most evident in the development of writing skills, but many children would also benefit from more intensive regular practice in early reading

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Commentary

skills. National Literacy Strategy guidance is not used as well as it could be in planning for the needs of these children, and records of children’s grasp of letters, sounds and words are not fully comprehensive to inform future planning. Accommodation constraints in the reception class further limit opportunities for independent writing within exciting role-play contexts, although writing equipment is continuously available to children, and the school recognises that the book corner is too small.

p.23

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching in mathematical development is good, especially in the attention given to numbers. • Children are making good progress in learning mathematical vocabulary. Edith Neville Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

55. Achievement in mathematical development is good. Some children are working in line with expectations in their knowledge of numbers and shape, but many children are likely to fall short of expectations in some aspects of mathematical development by the end of the reception year.

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Commentary

56. A wide range of standards is evident in children’s counting skills. Higher attaining children recognise, count and order numbers to 20, sometimes counting in twos, and are beginning to be able to write some numbers. Most children can count in unison to ten and number recognition is promoted well, though many children do not yet understand one-to-one correspondence. Regular singing of familiar songs reinforces the learning of number skills. Children’s home languages are valued and some children were observed counting aloud in Arabic, Bengali and Somali. Some children are able to find one more and one less and relate combining groups of objects to addition. They are able to recreate simple patterns, and sort and match objects. Many recognise and describe simple shapes and show an understanding of the language of comparison, in size and weight. In the context of stories and play, they are learning positional language. Children have good opportunities to consolidate their learning

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Commentary

through imaginative role-play, such as using the till when playing in the shop.

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Commentary

57. Greater use could be made of guidance in the National Numeracy Strategy in planning work for average and higher attaining children in the reception class.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Knowledge and understanding of the world is given a very high profile in planning the curriculum and teaching is very good. • An excellent range of educational visits supports children’s development in this area of learning.

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Commentary

58. In the nursery and in the reception class, children achieve very well in knowledge and understanding of the world. Most children are likely to reach national expectations by the end of the reception year.

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Commentary

59. They learn about living things, through growing bulbs and flowers in the garden, exploring the different parts of a plant, and through visits, such as that to a city farm. Educational visits are an extremely well planned part of learning in knowledge and understanding of the world, and children also benefit from a wealth of activities, including the stimulation that comes from special visitors, at whole-school level. Trips support the very good progress children make in learning about how things work: an excellent learning opportunity was provided during the inspection when children, parents and staff spent a day at the Science Museum. Through such activities, children come to recognise similarities and differences, and begin to make predictions as they explore excitedly, discovering cause and effect.

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Commentary

60. Opportunities to gain information and communication technology skills are good and from an early age, children grasp skills in using the mouse, clicking and moving images on the screen. Children have regular opportunities to construct independently and learn how to use tools safely. Skills developed through children’s own spontaneous building are extended through adult-directed activities that forge links between different areas of learning, such as the exciting creation of a scarecrow to protect the plants. Edith Neville Primary School - 25

p.24

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well in learning to make large controlled movements. • They make good progress in developing hand-to-eye co-ordination.

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Commentary

61. As a result of good teaching, children achieve well and many are likely to reach national expectations by the end of the reception year, with attainment that is above expectations in some aspects of physical control. Children benefit especially in this from the yoga and gymnastics sessions in reception, which do much to develop their co-ordination. They are able to combine and repeat a number of movements, and stretch and balance in a range of ways. The youngest children are developing physical confidence in climbing and using wheeled toys. Older children are also becoming increasingly skilled in hopping, skipping, jumping and throwing.

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Commentary

62. They have plenty of opportunity to develop hand-to-eye co-ordination when playing with a range of small objects and, through regular practice, children learn to use scissors and tools. Many are developing growing control when using pens and pencils, though some older children would benefit from more regular practice with mark making and forming letters.

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to engage in imaginative role-play. • Staff create interesting contexts to promote children’s learning.

p.25

Commentary

63. Good teaching means that children achieve well in this area of learning and most are likely to reach national expectations by the end of the reception year in many aspects of creative development.

p.25

Commentary

64. Children explore musical instruments and sing simple songs from memory, some readily combining these with actions. An excellent session was observed during the inspection, where singing was combined with dressing up and playing with puppets. The singing was above expectations: children sang in time, with enthusiasm and expression.

p.25

Commentary

65. Restricted space in the reception classroom makes it difficult for children to engage in large- scale artwork or to have continual access to a wide range of materials to stimulate their spontaneous creativity, but some high quality pieces of work have been produced. Children learn to mix colours and express themselves by making marks in various ways. Higher attaining children produce imaginative drawings, to which they assign meaning. Children make three-dimensional structures, using junk materials, as well as producing collages, paintings and prints. Edith Neville Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although standards in Year 6 are below the national average, pupils’ achieve very well as a result of teaching that is consistently very good. • Standards in Year 2 are very low in reading and writing and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. • Standards in writing are lower than those in reading at the end of Years 2 and 6, and handwriting and presentation need to be improved. • The analysis of data and its use contribute very well to pupils’ achievement. • The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and manages the subject very well.

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Commentary

66. In National Curriculum tests in 2004, results in Year 6 were below the national average because standards in writing were significantly lower than those in reading. Compared with similar schools based on pupils’ prior attainment, however, English results were well above average. Current standards in Year 6 are below average and lower than in the previous year. This is because of the large number of pupils who have special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language in this year group. There is no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. All pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, who have special educational needs, or are of minority ethnic heritage, achieve very well. This is because of the very good teaching they receive.

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Commentary

67. National Curriculum test results in Year 2 were very low in 2004 in reading and writing and no pupils attained Level 3. Compared with similar schools based on eligibility for free school meals, results were well below average. Current standards in Year 2 are similarly very low in reading and writing. Achievement is satisfactory and recent strategies - such as increased numbers of staff to support pupils who have special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language, and training for staff to improve the quality of teaching - are showing early signs of improving pupils’ achievement.

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Commentary

68. Standards in speaking and listening are below expectations throughout the school although pupils make very good progress in this aspect of their work. Pupils receive many opportunities to discuss work in pairs and ask and answer questions in lessons. This helps to improve their speaking and listening skills. Although the vocabulary of some pupils who are still learning English is not sufficiently developed to enable them to speak fluently and coherently even by Year 6, these pupils also achieve very well. Higher attaining pupils are confident speakers who explain their work well and have the confidence to ask questions to clarify their thinking.

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Commentary

69. In reading and writing, standards in Years 1 and 2 are low, but pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. They are aware of letter sounds but many pupils lack skills in joining them to make words, and in lessons, teachers sometimes take too long to explain work so that pupils do not always receive enough time to practise their writing skills. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 read fluently, can explain what they have read, and predict what is likely to happen in a story. Most average attaining pupils are able to read simple texts but they do not always understand the meaning because of their limited English vocabulary, although they are making satisfactory gains in knowledge.

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Commentary

70. Although standards in reading are below the national average in Year 6, achievement is very good as a result of very good teaching of reading in Years 3 to 6 and a number of intervention programmes. Higher attaining pupils interpret text very well and understand beyond the literal Edith Neville Primary School - 27 meaning. They discuss the work of different authors and are able to explain their preferences. Pupils skim and scan text to find relevant information needed, and read aloud confidently. A large number of voluntary reading helpers provide excellent support to pupils, alongside increased parental involvement in reading. The book stock in the library is too low, however, to meet the needs of the whole school and lack of space to accommodate a discrete library has a negative impact on developing pupils’ independent research skills.

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Commentary

71. In writing, standards remain lower than reading - although there is evidence of good and some very good achievement in the development of writing skills -and the school has rightly identified the development of writing as a priority. Pupils in Year 6 write poems, biographies, letters, and reports, but are given insufficient opportunities to write extended stories. Pupils’ spelling is good and most pupils’ handwriting is neat, clear and legible. Older pupils do not consistently use joined script, however, which slows them down when writing. Presentation of pupils’ work in some books needs to be improved: blank pages are left and work is often completed on pieces of paper and not added neatly into their books. A range of recent strategies to raise standards - including writing in response to videotexts – is encouraging pupils to become fluent writers, as seen in a very good lesson with excellent features in Year

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Commentary

72. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning in the Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory; it is consistently good in Year 3 and very good in Years 4 to 6. The school has a Leading Literacy teacher and the newly appointed English co-ordinator has been nominated to join the Leading Literacy Teacher scheme. Where teaching is very good, teachers have very good subject knowledge, their demonstrations and explanations of tasks stimulate pupils' interest and resources are used very well. Teachers in Years 4 to 6 consistently build on pupils’ prior attainment, and very good questioning deepens pupils' thinking and maintains their interest. Behaviour is consistently very good in Years 3 to 6 and, as a result, lessons proceed at a brisk pace. In these lessons, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive: they concentrate, persevere and enjoy learning. Where teaching is only satisfactory, insufficient time is given to

p.27

Commentary

complete tasks and time is wasted in managing behaviour.

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Commentary

73. Throughout the school, teaching assistants are used very effectively to support pupils who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Teachers assess pupils’ work effectively and set appropriate targets. Marking informs pupils exactly what is good about their work. However, pointers on how they can further improve are not consistently identified. Tracking of pupils’ progress is very good and this information is used very well to plan work and provide additional support to meet individual needs.

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Commentary

74. The subject is led and managed very well. The monitoring of teaching and learning is very effective and less confident staff are supported very well. Data is analysed very well and raising standards is given high priority. Visits and visitors, such as authors and poets, further enrich the curriculum. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. The curriculum, pupils’ achievement, teaching and learning, and leadership and management have improved from satisfactory and good to very good.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

75. Effective use is made of language and literacy skills in other subjects and pupils’ literacy skills generally support their learning effectively across the curriculum. In information and communication technology, pupils use computers well to support their literacy skills and prepare PowerPoint presentations. Pupils in Year 1 created a web page of their story ‘Handa’s Surprise’. Pupils in Year 2 have written instructions to make a pizza in design and technology. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have some very good opportunities to record ideas and information in religious education, and teachers in these classes pay careful attention to supporting the learning of pupils who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Good use is made of literacy skills to discuss, write and record findings of Edith Neville Primary School - 28 experiments undertaken in science, and pupils have produced highly effective pieces of writing

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well below average by Year 2 and achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. • Pupils’ achievement is excellent in Years 4 to 6, enabling them to reach broadly average standards by Year 6. • Teaching is very good overall and support staff make a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. • The curriculum is very well organised with excellent opportunities to extend pupils’ learning. • Assessment systems are very thorough and used very effectively to promote pupils’ achievement. • Leadership and management are very good and have given rise to very good improvement since the last inspection

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Commentary

76. Standards in mathematics are well below the national average by Year 2 and broadly in line with the national average by Year 6. In 2004, National Curriculum test results in Year 2 were in the bottom five per cent nationally and well below those of similar schools based on free school meals. Although girls outperformed boys in the Year 2 tests in 2004, there have been no significant gender differences in pupils’ performance over time. National Curriculum test results in Year 6 were above the national average in 2004 and, compared with similar schools based on prior attainment, in the top five per cent. Over the last five years, boys slightly outperformed girls in Year 6 tests, but in 2004 their results were very similar.

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Commentary

77. At present, the attainment of pupils in Year 2 is well below average and achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. A very high proportion of pupils in these years are at an early stage of English language acquisition, which adversely affects standards. By Year 2, pupils’ attainment in shape, space and measure and in data-handling is not as good as that in number work because teachers sometimes miss opportunities to extend pupils’ learning in these areas, as shown by pupils’ work. In Years 3 to 6, achievement is excellent in all areas of mathematics because pupils are given excellent opportunities to use and apply mathematical skills in everyday situations. These include using measurements for making food, analysing data from surveys and recording them in graphs, and applying mathematical knowledge to problem solving activities. Standards in Year 6 are broadly average because a very high proportion of

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Commentary

pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are in the current year group. Teaching assistants provide very good support to pupils with special educational needs and those at early stages of acquiring English: as a result, the achievement of these pupils’ is very good. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is very good in Years 3 to 6 but undeveloped in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

78. The quality of teaching is very good overall: it is satisfactory in Years 1, 2 and 3, very good in Year 4 and excellent in Years 5 and 6. The most highly skilled teachers, including the co- ordinator who is a leading mathematics teacher for the local education authority, work in Years 5 and 6. Pupils in these years acquire new skills and knowledge rapidly as a result of teachers' excellent subject knowledge. Pupils’ work shows that most pupils are given challenging tasks within the higher National Curriculum levels, with extremely precise guidance through high quality marking on how to improve their work. In contrast, where teaching is satisfactory, pupils are invariably provided with the same work to complete irrespective of their prior attainment and there is an over-use of worksheets. As a result, lower attaining pupils sometimes find the tasks too demanding, when not receiving support for their learning, and

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Commentary

Edith Neville Primary School - 29 higher attaining pupils are not challenged enough. Sometimes the lesson pace in satisfactory lessons is a little slow and there are missed opportunities to make connections between mathematical notation and the written language. As a result, pupils occasionally switch off from learning, but respond well when support staff clarify their misunderstandings and re-focus them on their tasks. Mathematics software is not been used sufficiently in Years 1, 2 and 3, although it is used well to support numerical work in Years 4 to 6.

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Commentary

79. Assessment information and data are used very well to ensure that pupils’ progress is monitored closely and that support is targeted appropriately. The school makes very good use of information from tests to set targets for improvement for both teachers and pupils, and ensures pupils are clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Commentary

80. Leadership and management are very good. Excellent opportunities are provided to extend pupils’ learning, through for example the themed week in mathematics, homework clubs and provision for gifted and talented pupils in Years 4 to 6. The coordinator and the present acting co-ordinator have excellent knowledge and understanding of the Primary Strategy for mathematics and all teachers have had excellent opportunities to develop their skills in teaching the subject. Very good plans are in place to improve learning opportunities, particularly in Years 1 and 2, and teaching and learning are monitored throughout the school. The co-ordinator is aware of the need to extend the use of information and communication technology to support teaching and learning. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall, with very good improvement in Years 3 to 6.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

81. Pupils make very good use of mathematics in a wide range of subjects and their mathematical knowledge supports their learning across the curriculum. In music, they learn to keep time, and in physical education they keep scores in competitive games. They weigh ingredients in food technology and use measurements in their design work, for example in making slippers. As part of their work in science and information and communication technology, they use graphs to record data.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the subject are above national expectations and are outstanding when compared with similar schools. • Pupils’ achievement is excellent overall. • Teaching is very good overall and excellent in Years 3 to 6. • There is a very good emphasis on investigative and experimental work. • Leadership in the subject is excellent overall and improvement since the last inspection has been exceptional.

p.29

Commentary

82. Science has been transformed in recent years. At the time of the last inspection, only 18 per cent of the school’s Year 6 pupils reached the expected level in national tests. Over the past three years, virtually all the pupils have reached this level with over two thirds reaching the higher level 5. These results put the school well above all schools nationally and, when compared with similar schools, in the top 5 per cent. The present Year 6 class has a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and yet recent teacher assessment and inspection evidence suggests that over half the pupils in this class are working at the higher Level 5, making attainment well above expectations overall. Standards at Key Stage 1 have Edith Neville Primary School - 30 consistently been below average and the degree of progress in Years 3 to 6 is, therefore, outstanding.

p.29

Commentary

83. The concept of fair testing is thoroughly introduced in Years 1 and 2. A feature of the teaching for pupils of this age is the use of quality support from teaching assistants. This ensures that pupils work in small groups and get very good opportunities to discuss experiments and observations in great detail and develop an understanding of scientific language. This is particularly beneficial for the large proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language. This pattern is maintained as pupils move through the school and is allied to innovative and imaginative teaching of a very high standard. Two lessons observed in Years 5 and 6 illustrate how the high quality of teaching has been key to the transformation in standards.

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Example of outstanding practice

An excellent Year 5 lesson illustrated how imaginative and innovative teachers can make the teaching of basic skills exciting, stimulating and memorable. Pace, imagination, boldness and the highest of expectations were the features that made this lesson outstanding. The teacher used a very wide range of tactics to help establish the basic facts about flower parts and fertilisation. She constantly made pupils repeat to her, their partners and their group what they had learned and to speculate on how fertilisation occurs. Excellent modelling and insistence upon scientific language helped to support all pupils, but particularly the large proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language. The teacher acted out the movement of flowers and insects very amusingly and had very good resources, including model bees on long stalks to move in and out of lily flowers, to develop pupils’ thinking and understanding. Excellent links were made with knowledge previously developed in sex education

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Example of outstanding practice

sessions. The teacher very bravely compared male and female sex organs on humans and flowers without the slightest hint of inappropriate response from pupils. The lesson concluded with a very ambitious assessment session that showed the highest of expectations.

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Example of outstanding practice

The ‘three-way split’ - which enables pupils to be taught in small groups – contributes significantly to pupils’ excellent achievement in science. In this lesson, a highly skilled teacher enabled pupils to use their scientific understanding to identify key features to be considered when setting up a test to make a raft move most efficiently through water. The small number of pupils involved in this session, as a result of the grouping system - whereby the class is divided into three groups that move between the teacher, the teacher of English as an additional language, and the teaching assistant for three different subjects - enabled the teacher to ensure that all pupils developed their understanding and drew upon their knowledge of forces and materials. The session was characterised by great pace, lively discussion that remained totally on the task, and real reflection. One pupil took the challenge

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Example of outstanding practice

so seriously that she would not decide upon her test criteria until she had totally weighed up the options available. This lesson showed how developing language generally, allied with reinforcing scientific language, has enabled pupils to make excellent progress. Another very beneficial aspect of the approach in the ‘three- way split’ is that science is constantly seen in context. The links between subjects are very strong: this lesson was followed by another, where the same pupils moved on to use their scientific knowledge in the design and construction of a model raft. Their work will reach a climax when the pupils visit a residential centre later in the term and make an actual raft. From this lesson, it was evident how cross-curricular links and enrichment, allied to creativity in teaching, produce excellent achievement.

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Example of outstanding practice

84. The leadership and management provided by the subject co-ordinator has been an important factor in the progress made in the subject. Although the co-ordinator has not yet had time to monitor lessons, the coherent support of the senior leadership team ensures that she has a clear view of standards and progress. As a result, the strategic leadership and management of the subject are excellent overall. As highlighted above, improvement since the last inspection has been outstanding in science.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good . Edith Neville Primary School - 31

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are in line with national expectations. • Achievement is good. • Hardware problems recently have limited the development of the subject. • Information and communication technology is used in a large range of curriculum areas. • Provision and attainment have improved well since the last inspection.

p.31

Commentary

85. Throughout the school standards in information and communication technology are average. This is an improvement since the last inspection and has come about as a result of an improvement in teacher expertise and confidence. The achievement of pupils is now good overall and basic skills are well established. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are already proficient with basic procedures, logging on independently and opening programs. Pupils in Year 1 were seen working very confidently at creating their own web pages to build upon their literacy work in the City Learning Centre. This local resource is used to excellent effect but is in contrast with the hardware in the school’s computer suite. The school has had substantial problems with printers recently and there is, therefore, only a limited amount of information and communication technology work in displays and pupils’ folders.

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Commentary

86. This problem is being addressed with the recent addition of laptops so that the main focus of work in the subject can move to the classroom. Laptops were seen in use alongside a new interactive whiteboard in a geography lesson in Year 5 and this shows how the school is coming to terms with these technical problems.

p.31

Commentary

87. In Years 3 to 6, pupils further develop their word processing, database and spreadsheet skills. They create charts to illustrate work in a range of subjects and produce very attractive pictures using a range of ‘draw’ and ‘paint’ programs. Older pupils access the Internet for research in many subjects. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are extremely competent at accessing a range of files in which their work is saved and Year 6 pupils have produced PowerPoint presentations, including one used in assembly about the tsunami disaster.

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Commentary

88. A limited amount of direct teaching was seen in the subject. The Year 1 lesson at the City Learning Centre was very good, a significant feature being the high expectations of the teacher allied to very good support from teaching assistants. A smaller number of pupils than in most schools have home computers and therefore the progress made by pupils shows that teaching is generally good throughout the school. All the teachers and teaching assistants observed working with small groups or individuals displayed good subject knowledge. They are also very aware that they need to ensure that pupils work steadily and systematically.

p.31

Commentary

89. The subject co-ordinator has had a frustrating time recently, having to act as a technician to keep the ageing system working. The recent acquisition of laptops is beginning to help. Of real benefit is the fact that she is seconded one day a week to the City Learning Centre. This has meant that year groups have regular sessions and that the school can take the opportunity to use the excellent resources when gaps appear in the City Learning Centre timetable. Despite the difficulties, there has been good improvement in standards and achievement since the last inspection and leadership is good overall, with a clear vision of how to develop provision further.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

90. Information and communication technology is used in a full range of subjects to support pupils’ achievement, and a number of subjects contribute to the development of pupils’ information and communication technology skills. In geography and history, websites are used regularly to gain information, results are tabulated in mathematics and science, and word-processing is used across the curriculum. Good use is made of control mechanisms, especially in science. Edith Neville Primary School - 32

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HUMANITIES

Only one lesson in each of geography and history was observed. Pupils’ written work and their work on display were insufficient to make an overall judgement about provision, standards, pupils' achievement or teaching. The school meets National Curriculum requirements in both subjects, and visits and visitors enrich the curriculum very well.

p.32

HUMANITIES

91. In geography , Year 3 were comparing and contrasting life in Bangladesh with life in London. Very good use was made of artefacts, and pupils’ own experiences from visiting Bangladesh, to compare and contrast life in London. Teaching and learning in the lesson was good because of the revision of previous learning and good use of questioning to deepen pupils’ thinking. Very good support from a specialist teacher for pupils with English as an additional language resulted in very good achievement for those pupils.

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HUMANITIES

92. In a Year 4 history lesson, teaching and learning were very good and pupils were developing skills of chronology. They plotted dates on the number line starting from the present, going back to Ancient Greek Civilisation. Pupils developed their understanding of time very well when they realised that an older person in school is not categorised as ‘ancient’ in history. The teacher’s planning was very good; pupils knew what they were learning and the lesson linked very well to previous and subsequent learning. The teaching assistant contributed very well to extend pupils’ learning. Good links were established with geography and literacy.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 and very well in Years 3 to 6, reaching standards that are above the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus. • Religious education is a popular subject with pupils. • Work of a very high quality is produced in the Year 6 faith project. • The subject is led and managed very well.

p.32

Commentary

93. Religious education is a popular subject with pupils, who bring much of their own cultures to bear on their learning. Many pupils attend classes outside school, where they, for example, read the Qu’ran in Arabic, and they are able to draw on their own experiences of celebrating festivals or daily worship in religious education lessons at school. The school harnesses this interest very well and planning ensures that the subject makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ spiritual development and to racial harmony throughout the school.

p.32

Commentary

94. Standards in Year 2 are broadly in line with the Local Agreed Syllabus and younger pupils’ knowledge of religious traditions is supported very well by whole-school celebrations of festivals. As a result, pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well, although teaching in these years is satisfactory overall, ranging from unsatisfactory to good during the inspection. In an unsatisfactory lesson, the teacher’s low expectations and failure to plan for the use of the support staff provided meant that pupils learnt very little. In a lesson in Year 2, the teacher made good use of the interactive whiteboard to stimulate pupils’ learning and promoted their literacy skills well in beginning to compare Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

p.32

Commentary

95. Pupils do very well in religious education to reach standards that are above the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus by the time they leave. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is very good and aspects of teaching in Years 5 and 6 are excellent. As pupils move up the school, teachers are particularly careful to ensure that they learn from religion as well as learning about it. Teachers’ high expectations and skilled questioning pushes pupils to think deeply and to relate Edith Neville Primary School - 33 their learning to everyday life. This leads to some very meaningful work where they consider ethical issues and are encouraged to respond with sensitivity, for instance, to human suffering.

p.32

Commentary

96. A particular innovation in the learning opportunities provided in Year 6 is the cross faith study, ‘Shared Values’, developed by the school to extend the requirements of the Local Agreed Syllabus. This provides pupils with an outstanding opportunity for independent learning, based on a study of artefacts, buildings, stories and people to arrive at their own interpretations. An excellent level of application is evident in the way pupils present their work in these studies, combining text with extremely attractive and well-executed diagrams and drawings. Above average standards are particularly evident in pupils’ capacity to draw conclusions about a number of different religions and to recognise common features.

p.33

Commentary

97. The subject has a high profile within the school and it is led and managed very well. Teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and displays are monitored regularly and most staff have good subject knowledge. The school receives frequent visits from the local vicar, who talks to classes and takes assembly, and from various family members who talk about their faith. The school is very well resourced with a range of artefacts. Links with a number of places of worship and stimulating visits also help to bring the subject alive and to promote pupils’ respect for a range of different faiths. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

It was not possible to observe any lessons in design and technology or music. One lesson was observed in physical education and a substantial amount of work was seen in art and design. The role of subject co-ordinators was explored and planning was scrutinised. Insufficient evidence was seen, however, to make an overall judgement about provision, pupils’ achievement or teaching in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

98. Work on display and in the portfolio collated by the co-ordinator shows that teaching in art and design is imaginative and many teachers have very good subject knowledge. Pupils gain a wide range of artistic skills and have excellent opportunities to extend their knowledge and understanding through extra-curricular activities. Very high quality work has been produced through the school’s use of artists-in-residence, involvement in the Learning Education Arts Project and through pupils’ attendance at art clubs. Arts Week provides opportunities for pupils to take part in activities spanning visual art, dance, drama and music, and the school has just gained the Artsmark Silver Award. Pupils are encouraged to be experimental, combining materials and techniques in innovative and creative ways, gaining skills in painting, drawing, textiles, printing, sculpture and digital photography. Powerful and expressive work is

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

produced in the style of other artists and at other times combining text and imagery. There are some excellent links between art and other subjects, for instance, in work on Islamic pattern in Year 6, which spans art, religious education and mathematics, and in the production of lively Tudor portraits linking art and history. Work by pupils at the school is frequently displayed in public venues, in and beyond Camden.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

99. A large amount of design and technology work is on display, of a standard that is at least in line with national expectations. National Curriculum requirements are covered and the design process is very comprehensive. A recent emphasis in the subject has been to achieve greater quality in finished products and this is certainly evident in work towards the end of Years 3 to 6. Pupils interviewed expressed pride and pleasure with their finished products. There are very good links with other subjects, especially with mathematics and science, through the ‘three- way split’ system of working. Pupils have also taken part in project work linking design and technology and speaking and listening. Although pupils were not seen directly designing and making, in a science lesson, pupils based experiments on features of rafts they were making in the allied design and technology session. The high quality of reflection and speculation in this

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

session should have a beneficial effect on their ultimate designs. Edith Neville Primary School - 34 100. Pupils listen carefully to a range of music in assemblies and sing confidently and with expression, not only in assemblies but also in musical performances and in local festivals. Higher attaining pupils are provided with excellent opportunities to compose musical pieces using information and communication technology, which Year 6 pupils have successfully recorded onto video. Excellent enrichment opportunities greatly enhance pupils’ achievement. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development. For example in one assembly, pupils sang a song in Ghanaian, listened to Handel’s Water Music and then following an explanation about Buddha, reflected carefully as they listened to Thai music. The school has a variety of multicultural musical instruments, which pupils use regularly.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Standards of singing are above expectations and achievement in singing is excellent.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

101. In the physical education lesson observed, standards were at least in line with those expected nationally. Pupils in Year 5 showed good throwing, catching, hitting and fielding skills. Girls, particularly, were seen to exhibit these skills at a higher level than is usually the case. Teaching in this lesson was good. Scrutiny of displays and the very good portfolio put together by the subject leader shows that the coverage of the National Curriculum is comprehensive. The physical education co-ordinator represents Edith Neville as the link teacher for the DfES School Sports Scheme, based at local secondary school – which brings in high quality teaching. There is a good progression of skills in dance and gymnastics, including dance from different times and cultures. Pupils swim and, in Years 3 and 4, gain basic competence and develop personal survival skills. They take part in outdoor and

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

adventurous activities in Years 5 and 6, and a specialist teacher visits regularly, working alongside teachers to develop their skills and raise standards. There is a range of sports days and athletics during the summer and the school takes part successfully in a range of competitive sports.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

102. Personal, social and health education was not inspected in full: two lessons were observed and planning was scrutinised. Evidence was insufficient to make an overall judgement about provision, standards, achievement or teaching.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

103. Planning for personal, social and health education is very good and permeates the school. The school has a very good policy and scheme of work. Personal, social and health education is taught as a discrete subject and all classes experience regular ‘circle time’ sessions. In a lesson seen, the teacher made very good use of resources such as an empty cigarette packet, a syringe, containers of approved medicines and a miniature bottle of alcohol to stimulate discussion on prescribed and dangerous drugs and their misuse. Later in the day, one pupil discussed in detail what she had learned with an inspector and demonstrated a very positive attitude to the avoidance of dangerous drugs and the affects of misusing them. In assemblies that celebrate pupils’ achievement, pupils’ success is celebrated as they receive wide-ranging awards for achievement and personal development. This greatly enhances their confidence

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

and self-esteem and promotes very good relationships with staff. The breakfast club promotes excellent relationships with others, as pupils engage in engage in friendly conversation with each other and adults. All pupils were heard to say ‘Good morning’ to staff as they entered the breakfast club and were seen helping each other by clearing away at the end of the session.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

104. The school council provides opportunities for pupils to take part as citizens and to take personal responsibility. Many pupils standing for election to the school council produced very detailed word-processed manifestos, which clearly articulated their views and strategies for dealing with the main issues affecting the school such as the condition of the accommodation and playground facilities. Edith Neville Primary School - 35

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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 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 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 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 4 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 1 The quality of the school’s links with the community 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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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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