William Bellamy Primary School

William Bellamy Junior School Inspection report

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101226 Unique Reference Number Barking and Dagenham Local Authority 276472 Inspection number 9 °10 January 2007 Inspection dates Judith Dawson 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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Junior Type of school Community School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 367 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr D W Gevaux Chair Mrs J A Betson Headteacher 9 October 2000 Date of previous school inspection Frizlands Lane School address Dagenham RM10 7HX

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020 8270 6506 Telephone number 020 8270 6504 Fax number

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7 °11 Age group 9 °10 January 2007 Inspection dates 276472 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This larger than average junior school serves pupils from mainly disadvantaged households. More pupils than average are entitled to free school meals. Over a third of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups, many more than in most schools. Attainment on entry to the school is well below average. The school suffered a major arson attack in Easter 2006, which resulted in unavoidable significant disruption to pupils' schooling. Pupils have additional support for music through the Wider Opportunities Programme. The school is a Pathfinder School for Modern Foreign Languages. It is part of the Intensifying Support Programme and has just gained Healthy Schools Status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 3

William Bellamy Junior School provides a satisfactory education for its pupils, and has been steadily improving since the last inspection. The school is committed to ensuring that pupils have good opportunities to develop their personal qualities and, as a result, pupils' personal development and wellbeing are good. Pupils are well-cared for but health and safety checks, unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection, remain informal and lack sufficient rigour. The school's success in becoming a Healthy School is a testament to pupils' good understanding of how to keep healthy and safe. The sports clubs are well attended. Pupils enjoy school and are enthusiastic, well-behaved learners who readily accept responsibility. Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory. By the time they leave school, standards are below average. Most pupils reach the expected standards in English, mathematics and science but few attain the higher levels especially in

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Grade: 3

English and mathematics. Given pupils' well below average attainment on entry to the school, this represents satisfactory achievement. Pupils from minority ethnic groups generally make better progress than other pupils. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In most lessons teachers make sure that they use a range of different teaching styles, maintaining pupils' concentration and interest throughout the lesson. Teachers encourage pupils to think for themselves and present their work neatly. However, teachers' planning, while effective in making sure pupils cover the curriculum, is not always sufficiently adapted to meet all pupils' needs. Overall, teachers do not provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils, especially in mathematics. Almost all teachers give pupils clear direction when they mark work. This, alongside pupils' targets for English and mathematics, ensures pupils know what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. There is appropriate time for literacy and numeracy, enabling pupils to gain satisfactory skills for their future lives. Most other subjects are well-provided for and the curriculum is enriched by French lessons for Years 5 and 6 and additional support for music. The school had addressed the unsatisfactory provision for information and communication technology (ICT) after the last inspection. However, although losses incurred in the fire have been replaced, the equipment has been unreliable and pupils' learning disrupted. The headteacher and senior management team monitor teaching and learning and accurately identify the school's areas for development. This ensures that there is a satisfactory capacity for further improvement. The good systems for tracking pupils' progress have resulted in a steady improvement in standards and the guidance and support pupils receive.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure all teachers plan work to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities, especially in mathematics • Improve provision for ICT • Ensure health and safety checks are carried out regularly and are well-documented. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Although they remain below the national average, standards have been gradually improving over time although there was a dip in the National Tests results for Year 6 pupils in 2006. This can be attributed, in part, to the disruption in pupils' education caused by the arson attack just before the tests, when the school was closed for several weeks The school's tracking shows that the present Year 6 pupils are making the expected progress in English, mathematics and science and that they are likely to meet their targets. Achievement is satisfactory, given pupils well below average starting points. Standards in English are not as high as in other subjects but the number of pupils attaining the expected level is rising, due to a school focus on the subject. There are elements of underachievement amongst the most able mathematicians because they lack sufficient challenge. Girls' achievements overall are consistently higher than

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Grade: 3

that of the boys, echoing national trends. Good identification of specific needs and effective additional support ensures pupils with learning difficulties or English as an additional language, progress as well as their peers. Standards in ICT are below those expected and achievement has been unsatisfactory because of the weaknesses in the provision.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are happy in school and eager to learn. They behave well and incidents of racism or bullying are rare. They are very helpful and know that their actions impact on others although they seem unaware of the amount of clearing up that is needed after lunch! They readily accept the challenge of additional responsibility. The school council is proud of its involvement in the planning and fundraising for a climbing wall and a bicycle shed. Pupils carry out other duties conscientiously and sensibly. They know how to keep safe and say they take great care when crossing roads and know how to lift heavy objects. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils support a range of charities, including sponsoring children's schooling in Ghana, and help care for each other and others well. They reflect on issues related to their own development, for example, how determination helps them to achieve. Pupils have

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Grade: 2

a good understanding of their own and other cultures and many play orchestral instruments or sing in the school choir. They have plenty of physical exercise, which most enjoy and, at lunchtime, make increasingly good healthy food choices.

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Grade: 3

All teachers have good relationships with their pupils, generating good working practices. Behaviour is well-managed. Pupils know what they will learn and often evaluate how well they have achieved the learning objectives. Teachers explain things clearly and their questions encourage pupils to think. Occasionally the pace of lessons slows because teachers rely too heavily on one style of teaching, for example, questions and answers, and pupils leave the work to others. Almost all teachers give clear guidance for improvement when marking pupils' books but a small minority do not write comments to extend learning. Oral support is good. As one pupil said, 'Teachers never get cross when we ask for help.' Teachers set targets for English and mathematics although these are not yet adapted for individual pupils. Classroom assistants 5 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 3

support pupils well and the planning for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is good, enabling them to progress as well as their peers. However, throughout the school teachers do not provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils, especially in mathematics and these pupils do not make the good progress they are capable of.

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Grade: 3

There is a broad curriculum and subject leaders are increasingly looking for ways to develop links between subjects. This is not yet well established and the school is aware of the need to provide more opportunities for pupils to make more use of their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills within other subjects to help pupils improve the skills they need for their futures. There is an increasing focus on developing skills rather than relying on a fact-based curriculum. In spite of this, there are missed opportunities to make learning relevant to pupils' lives and local issues. The school continues to seek repairs for the ICT networks and equipment but the faults have prevented teachers from covering the curriculum adequately. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Thorough procedures identify pupils with difficulties and the school exceeds its allocated special needs budget to support

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Grade: 3

pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities and the very few pupils in the early stages of English acquisition. Personal, social and health education is good, and meets specific needs well, encouraging pupils to make the right choices. Good educational and pastoral links with the secondary schools prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education. The curriculum is enriched through educational visits to a range of venues associated with pupils' school work. The school elected to provide additional music through the Improving Opportunities Scheme and older pupils learn French. The residential visit to Wales is very popular and a range of visitors provide additional support for learning. There is a good range of sports clubs and a school choir.

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Grade: 3

The school has addressed many of the weaknesses identified at the time of the last inspection. There are good systems for carrying out risk assessments and secure systems to ensure child protection, meeting the latest government regulations. To quote one pupil, 'Teachers are always there to look after you.' Another pupil comments, 'The worry box helps you to share a problem.' The good procedures for monitoring behaviour ensure the school is a well-ordered community. Although, the school carries out health and safety checks on buildings and equipment the system lacks sufficient rigour. Thorough monitoring of attendance has been effective although there are still too many unauthorised absences. The good personal, social and health education curriculum ensures pupils are aware of dangers and know how to handle equipment safely. Academic guidance is good and pupils' targets ensure they know what they need to learn next.

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Grade: 3

Overall, the school provides satisfactory care, guidance and support for its pupils. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and senior management team have been successful in generating a committed workforce where all adults support each other with the common aim to provide the best for the pupils. The enthusiasm and speed of the recovery from the arson attack is a strong testament to this commitment. Plans for development are satisfactory although somewhat short on detail about how these are to be carried out. The school evaluation of its performance is accurate overall. Subject and Year Group leaders carry out their duties efficiently and are becoming increasingly involved in monitoring performance and outcomes. Governance has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory. Governors carry out their duties efficiently although they do not monitor initiatives or progress themselves, relying on reports from the headteacher or staff. Staff have targets to improve

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Grade: 3

their performance and teachers' targets are clearly linked to improving pupils' progress. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for you friendliness and the help you gave us during our visit to your school. A special thanks to those of you in the School Council and in Year 6 who gave us your views. You told us that you enjoy school and that children take care of each other. You feel safe and know who to go to when you need help. We were impressed by your knowledge of how to keep yourselves safe. You know what you should eat and many of you choose healthy options at lunchtime. Keep up the good work! You also said that your teachers give you lots of help with your work and that you work hard. We agree with you. Most of your teachers give you very helpful guidance when they mark your work and all of them give you plenty of help in class. We saw how hard you work in your lessons. Those of you who take a little longer to learn new things have plenty of help with your work. We have asked your teachers to make sure that you all, but especially those of you who find

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your work easy, have work that challenges you and makes you think. This will make your work more interesting as you will learn new things more quickly. You all enjoy using the computers but we know they have been very unreliable, stopping you having your ICT lessons. They need to be repaired quickly so that you can make the most of the network and your computer suite. Your school gives you a satisfactory education and you are well cared for. But, although adults often check that your buildings and equipment are safe, they need to do so regularly and keep a record of things that need to be done. This will make doubly sure everything is in good order. Don't forget to tell them if you see anything that needs repairing. Best wishes Mrs J Dawson (Lead inspector) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: William Bellamy Junior School, 9 °10 January 2007

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