Roding Primary School

Age group Published Reference no. Inspection report Roding Primary School

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Unique Reference Number 101230 LEA Barking and Dagenham

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Inspection number 274282 Inspection dates 1 - 2 March 2005 Reporting inspector Mrs D Zachary

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Inspection deemed to have been carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 according to section 12(3) of the same act.

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Type of School Primary School address School category Community Age range of pupils 3 - 11 Hewett Rd Dagenham Essex RM8 2XS Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 020 8270 6640 Number on roll 417 Fax number 020 8270 6638 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Mr R Wright Date of previous inspection June 1999 Headteacher Mr B Fox

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3 - 11 March 2005 274282 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was a pilot of the new arrangements for inspection announced by Ofsted in its consultation paper of February 2004. It was carried out with the support and co-operation of the staff of Roding Primary School and of the local education authority.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Roding is a large primary school in Barking in London. Most of its pupils are white British, but about a quarter are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Just over a tenth speaks English as an additional language, but only a few are at the early stages of learning English. When pupils start school their skills and knowledge are much lower than is expected. About a quarter of the pupils receive free school meals, which is above average. Many more than usual leave or join the school between Year R and Year 6.

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Description of the school

The headteacher is currently working away from the school on workforce reform for half of the week. In his absence the deputy head assumes full responsibility for the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness of the school

The school judges itself to be good; inspectors judge it to be excellent. Pupils are making very good progress because of the effect of good teaching, greatly strengthened by the way pupils are guided and advised and by the high quality curriculum. The head and deputy provide outstanding leadership that is both innovative and highly practical. The school gives very good value for money.

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Improvement since the last inspection

The school has improved extremely well since the last inspection when, for example, less than half of the pupils in Year 6 reached standards that were typical for their age group in either mathematics or English. Last year the figure was more than two thirds, and for 2005 it is predicted to be above three quarters. Teaching is much better now and the key issues have been dealt with very effectively.

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Capacity to improve

The school’s leadership is highly reflective and knowledgeable about educational developments. The senior managers have the capacity to translate innovations into practical action, providing staff with workable ways to put new ideas into practice. The self evaluation shows that the school knows its strengths and weaknesses.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Continue to improve pupils’ attendance • Governors should question the senior managers in the school more rigorously.

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Achievement and standards

When pupils start in the nursery their standards are well below what is typical of their age. Many have major difficulties with speaking clearly and in sentences, and many have social skills that are very low for their age. Because of this, few pupils are on course to meet the goals expected for their age at the end of the reception year, despite making good progress. They achieve well because the good teaching, effective assessment and a broad curriculum meet their needs effectively.

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Achievement and standards

By the time pupils leave the school in Year 6, standards are broadly typical for their age and much better than those of similar schools. All make very good progress; some do exceptionally well. Boys, for example, make far better progress than is typical nationally. Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) make excellent progress because of the accurate way their needs are identified, and the way work is matched to those needs. Moreover, lower attaining pupils who do not have special needs also make very good progress. The school’s booster classes are highly effective in ensuring that all pupils keep up in their numeracy and literacy. The most able pupils, and those who speak English as an additional language, do very well. Older pupils know the targets they are working towards and rise to meet those challenges.

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Personal development and well-being

Very good behaviour and a real enthusiasm for learning are key reasons why pupils enjoy school, and achieve so very well. They make excellent progress in developing their social skills as they get older. Pupils are confident, polite and courteous. They feel very safe at school and know that adults will help them if they have a problem. A particular strength is the contribution pupils make to the school and the local community. For example, pupils in Year 6 design and make the stalls before taking responsibility for organising the summer pupil event.

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Personal development and well-being

An active school council represents pupils’ views very effectively, for example in getting their ideas for the design of the new playground. Pupils know that their views are taken seriously because their previous suggestions have already been implemented. They understand healthy living and choose healthy meals at lunchtime. Both boys and girls have good opportunities for exercise and sport. As a result of the very good opportunities for personal development, pupils respect the views, values and beliefs of others. They treat vulnerable pupils very sensitively. Assemblies promote moral and spiritual messages very strongly. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other cultures is reflected well in displays around the school.

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Personal development and well-being

Attendance has improved, but remains a little below average. Unauthorised absence is too high. This is because some parents take their children on holiday in term time, despite the school’s very good strategies to dissuade them. Such absence means that pupils are not able to take full advantage of what the school offers.

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Teaching and learning

The school judges teaching and learning to be good, and inspectors agree. Teachers plan interesting lessons and all adults manage the pupils’ behaviour skilfully. Learning tasks greatly engage the pupils’ interest and are closely matched to their needs. Towards the end of each week, teachers check very carefully what the pupils have learned in English and mathematics. In the fifth lesson, the pupils are regrouped into those who need more consolidation of the week’s learning, and those who can be taken further and offered more challenging work. This regrouping is known as the ‘booster classes’. Excellent assessment procedures are now being extended to all subjects. Teachers build very carefully on the pupils’ previous learning; as a result, the pupils develop good learning habits, concentrate well and co-operate effectively as they learn. Careful monitoring of lessons gives the school very good information on the

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Teaching and learning

quality of teaching: new and inexperienced teachers are being supported very well.

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Teaching and learning

The impact of teaching on learning is often very good because of the close watch that is kept on the pupils’ progress and any difficulties are dealt with quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and other activities

The broad curriculum covers all the subjects of the national curriculum and religious education. Unusually, German is also taught. The booster classes in English and mathematics are outstanding examples of the way teachers tailor activities to the needs of individuals. Gifted pupils are challenged well in the core subjects, and there are extra opportunities for those with talents in sport and music.

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Curriculum and other activities

Planning is particularly strong. The teachers decide together what should be taught when, and then customise the plan to make lessons that meet the needs of their own particular class. The deputy head checks these plans and gives advice as necessary. This excellent monitoring gives the deputy an overview that lets him identify how aspects of the curriculum could be improved.

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Curriculum and other activities

The school offers pupils a good variety of enrichment activities that add to their learning. These include a broad range of visits to sites of historical and cultural interest and a wide variety of after-school and lunchtime clubs.

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Care, guidance and support

This is a school where every child really does matter. The care, guidance and support offered to pupils are outstanding. Staff try hard to ensure that the pupils enjoy their learning. There is a welcoming ethos in the school, and adults work hard to provide a safe, secure environment; child protection procedures are very good and possible risks to health and safety are assessed carefully so that action can be taken if needed. Supervision during the lunch hour is particularly good. A senior manager is always on duty to nip potential difficulties in the bud.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils with special educational needs have very good support, as do those who speak English as an additional language. The school’s assessment and target setting procedures provide the pupils with first-rate guidance on how to make progress. Parents are very positive about the way in which the school helps children starting school to settle. The oldest pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher and deputy head provide outstanding leadership, and are very ably supported by other managers. The school takes on many new ideas: for example, the school is at the forefront of looking at new ways to use support staff and is evaluating and developing their skills. A large number of student teachers train in the school, and this has two major benefits. Firstly, some good trainees go on to become permanent staff; and secondly, teachers reflect on and improve their own teaching as they help students to learn to teach. Monitoring systems are first class. Teachers observe each other’s lessons and accurately identify areas to improve. The progress pupils make is carefully tracked and checked. Management runs so smoothly that it leaves time for the senior managers to work on maintaining the sort of happy learning community they want. They are highly visible around the school and respected by parents

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Leadership and management

The work of the governing body is satisfactory. Governors give the school good support, and make sure statutory requirements are met. However, some governors are inexperienced and there is a need for training for the whole governing body. Governors are not sure how far they should go with questioning senior managers, and do not question them enough.

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Leadership and management

Finance is carefully controlled, and resources and accommodation are satisfactory. The layout of the school supports teaching and learning effectively. Building work is about to start to replace the inadequate dining room. However, repairs to an aging building that suffers occasional late night vandalism place a strain on the limited budget.

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Grade: 2

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and telling us about your work.

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Grade: 2

• You work very hard and enjoy your lessons.

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Grade: 2

• You are learning new things much quicker than in many schools.

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Grade: 2

• The teachers are very careful to help you if you do not understand.

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Grade: 2

• You help the school and other pupils very well.

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Grade: 2

• You behave well and you are a pleasure to talk to.

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Grade: 2

• Your headteacher and deputy headteacher lead the school very, very well.

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Grade: 2

We have asked your school to work on these things now:

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Grade: 2

• Make sure that some pupils attend the school more often. (A few of you stay away when you are not ill.)

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Grade: 2

• Help some of your school governors to ask more questions about what the school does.

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Grade: 2

We did enjoy visiting your school and watching you learn. We hope you all continue to do well and enjoy the things the staff do for you.

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Grade: 2

Mrs Zachary, Mrs Buzzing and Mrs Pangbourne (The Ofsted Inspectors). procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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