Larkhall Primary Campus

Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism) Inspection report

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100576 Unique Reference Number Lambeth Local Authority 276334 Inspection number 12 °13 June 2006 Inspection dates Bernice Magson Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Cryer Chair Mr Ian Hyde Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Smedley Street School address London SW4 6PH

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02076223820 Telephone number 02076278854 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 12 °13 June 2006 Inspection dates 276334 Inspection number .

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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 Education Act 2005, 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. 12 °13 June 2006

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large 3-11 primary school was opened in September 2003 following a merger of three schools and includes a centre for pupils identified with autism. It is situated in an area of high social disadvantage. Above average numbers of pupils join or leave the school at times other than the normal admission. A few pupils, who join the school after the Foundation Stage, have had little or no schooling on entry. The majority of pupils are of Black African or Portuguese heritage. A very small minority of pupils are the children of refugees or asylum seekers or are 'looked after'. Most pupils speak English as an additional language. One in four pupils is identified with learning difficulties and disabilities, which is above average and includes 29 pupils with formal statements of special educational needs. The acting headteacher was appointed in January 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 7 Inspection Report: Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism), 12 °13 June 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

* Ensure that teachers provide work that closely matches the pupils' needs. * Ensure that pupils know how to improve their work. * Make staff with management responsibilities more effective in both their monitoring role and in leading improvement in teaching and learning.

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Grade:

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and the Centre for Autism is good because teachers use assessment information effectively to ensure that pupil's work is planned to match their needs. The school is working to improve the use of assessment information in teachers' planning in Years 1 to 6. Pupils show good attitudes to learning and teachers deal effectively with instances of minor disruption. Good lessons have a clear purpose, use a range of learning styles and motivate pupils to do well. Where teaching is less effective, such as in mathematics, there is a lack of challenge for some pupils. In some lessons the pace of learning is slow because pupils spend too long on a particular activity. The school has taken good steps to improve the quality of teaching and with demonstrable results. For example, strategies to improve speaking and listening include 'paired talk' which is successfully encouraging pupils to share their views and

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Grade:

understand technical language. Teachers undertake marking regularly but do not always help pupils to know how to improve. Few pupils are given challenging targets against which to measure their improvement.

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Grade:

The curriculum is satisfactory and provides appropriate breadth and balance. In the Foundation Stage, areas of learning are linked well and the curriculum is good. The planning ensures that all pupils are able to play a full part in lessons, especially for the pupils from the Centre for Autism. There is a good induction support for pupils newly arrived in the school. The school is continually evaluating and improving its curriculum. Good use is made of school visits and visitors. The planning for English curriculum is well structured and steps have been taken to improve the quality of speech and communication in all subjects. Plans are now in place to improve the planning of the curriculum in mathematics so that all pupils are challenged effectively. All pupils have regular physical education lessons each week. Extra curricular 4 of 7 Inspection Report: Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism),

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Grade:

12 °13 June 2006 provision is increasing and the range of activities is popular with pupils, particularly the good range of activities for physical activity at lunchtime and after school. Pupils have good opportunities to develop their mother tongue in extra curricular activities such as in a Somali club for mathematics and a Portuguese club. Currently there are some inconsistencies in links across the curriculum and, as a result, pupils have limited opportunities to practice new skills in practical experiences.

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Grade:

Care, guidance and support are good. The school has established an ethos which provides a safe, secure and welcoming environment where pupils feel valued and cared for. The outstanding care and support given to pupils in the Centre for Autism ensures they are fully included in the life of the school. The procedures to identify and support the needs of vulnerable pupils are good. Good liaison between all relevant school staff and outside sources of help means that needs are identified quickly and appropriate help given. There are very secure and sensitive procedures in relation to child protection issues, health and safety, risk assessments, first aid and in identifying security issues. Pupils know who to turn to if they have a problem. They say that the school's behaviour policy is fair and that rewards and sanctions are applied consistently. Academic support is adequate including useful strategies to help pupils improve their literacy

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Grade:

skills. Induction into the nursery, and for pupils who join at other times, is good. Pupils are supported appropriately in transition to feeder secondary schools.

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Grade:

5 of 7 Inspection Report: Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism), 12 °13 June 2006 .

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Grade:

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism), 12 °13 June 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Children Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school to see how you are doing. We very much enjoyed talking with so many of you. We are writing to tell you what we found out about your school. We agree with your teachers that your school is giving a satisfactory quality of education. These are the things we liked most:* Most of you are behaving well and helping to make your school a happy place.* You are keen to learn and play well together.* You really enjoy all the extra activities and clubs that go on in and out of school.* Your headteacher and teachers are working hard to make your school even better. To help them improve the school more, we have asked them to:* Ensure that you have work that makes you think hard, especially in mathematics.* Help you to understand what to do next so that you improve your work as quickly as possible.* Make sure that subject leaders keep a closer check on the teaching and learning.We hope that you will enjoy the rest of your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

time at Lark Hall School and we wish you good luck for the future. Yours sincerely Bernice Magson Lead Inspector 7 of 7 Inspection Report: Lark Hall Primary School (Including Lark Hall Centre for Pupils with Autism), 12 °13 June 2006

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