Edgebury Primary School

Inspection Report Edgebury Primary School

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101635 Unique Reference Number Bromley LEA LEA 276555 Inspection number 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 Inspection dates John Laver AI Reporting inspector

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

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Belmont Lane School address Primary Type of school Chislehurst Voluntary controlled School category BR7 6BL 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 020 8467 4199 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8295 4513 Fax number 223 Number on roll Mrs G Vyse Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs C Fulcher Headteacher 17 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276555 8 November 2005 - 4 to 11 9 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Edgebury Primary is a slightly smaller than average primary school in an economically and socially mixed area of Outer London. Most pupils are White British. When pupils start school their level of knowledge and skills is broadly what is expected for this age group. The percentage of pupils with special learning needs is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The inspectors agree with the school's judgement that Edgebury is an effective school. It has some excellent features. Good teaching ensures that all children make good progress in many subjects. Standards in English, mathematics and science in Year 6 are well above the national average. In most other subjects they are good. The excellent quality of care and guidance supports good learning. This, combined with a rich and enterprising curriculum, means that pupils enjoy their time in the school to the full. The school makes very good use of links to further develop its care for pupils. Parents are very supportive of the school, valuing its success in helping all pupils to flourish, regardless of their ability or background. The school is also successful because of its rigorous monitoring and evaluation. Outstanding leadership and management ensure that everyone shares in the vision for enjoyment and improvement, and that the school

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Grade: 2

meets its challenging targets. The strength of assessment and use of personal targets also helps teachers and pupils achieve the school's vision. Moral and social development is another strength. Cultural awareness is less consistently addressed. The leadership has very successfully driven through improvements since the previous inspection. The quality of leadership and management, and the commitment of staff, give the school the capacity to improve still further. The school gives very good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Encourage more lively and independent learning in the Foundation Stage.* Further develop pupils' awareness of a range of faiths and traditions.

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Grade: 2

Due to the school's continued focus on achievement and standards and strengths in teaching and the curriculum there is good achievement and high standards across a wide range of subjects and not just English, mathematics and science.Pupils join the school with broadly average skills. They then make good progress in the Foundation Stage, especially in their personal, social and language skills, reaching standards at the age of five which are slightly above expectations. By the age of seven, good teaching and a caring atmosphere ensure that pupils reach above average standards. Due to the school's focus on the boys' progress in writing, standards have risen and their achievement is close to that of the girls. Standards have sometimes varied in recent years due to differences in ability between year groups and staffing changes, but have remained strong overall. Test results for eleven year olds, although less strong

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Grade: 2

in 2005 than 2004, still show well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils achieve at a faster rate than the national trend. Good progress in pupils' computer skills reflects the priority the leadership now gives to ICT. The most able pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities progress as well as others in all subjects. This is because their needs are identified early and they receive very good support in their learning. Strong leadership, consistently effective teaching 2 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 and rigorous assessment procedures help pupils meet or exceed challenging targets and have helped maintain good achievement over recent years. Pupils leave the school as confident and willing learners.

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Grade: 2

Personal development is good, from Foundation Stage through to Year 7 because the school makes it a priority. Pupils enjoy coming to school and staff make them feel safe. Behaviour in lessons and at play times is very good. Pupils have a good command of basic skills. They are proud of their school and enjoy all that it offers, including the after school clubs and the opportunity to give back to the community, for example through raising money for charities. Attendance, which is average, is monitored carefully. Punctuality has improved due to rigorous application of the school's procedures. Older children value the chance to lead and support activities in the playground so that younger pupils can join in and use the games provided by the school. The school is a very caring place, contributing to very strong moral and social development. However, although there are some cultural events such as arts and books

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Grade: 2

weeks, pupils' awareness and understanding of a range of faiths and cultures is less well developed. Good teaching ensures that youngsters understand what a healthy lifestyle means. Pupils enjoy healthy food, including fruit, which is available in classrooms. A popular rewards system means that all pupils can win prizes for different aspects of school life, not just for good academic results. Boys and girls are polite, talk sensibly with adults and are confident in giving their opinions.

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Grade: 2

Because of the headteacher's careful and supportive monitoring teaching throughout the school is good, with some very good and excellent characteristics resulting in pupils making good gains in learning. Pupils respond well to teachers' high expectations and the good match of work to their individual needs. Support staff work very well with teachers. Teachers use technology very effectively, seen for example in a Year 4 lesson in which pupils' written stories were marked and then scanned into a computer so that the class could discuss their qualities and make improvements. Teachers also make frequent reference to individual targets. This was evident in a Year 2 literacy lesson in which use of targets helped pupils to check their own work and increase their range of vocabulary. Occasionally teachers do not give sufficient independence to more able pupils, as seen in a reception class. However, teachers and support staff are generally

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Grade: 2

skilled in identifying and meeting the needs of all pupils, helping them to achieve well. Parents are also encouraged to support their children's learning, for example by getting support in ICT. Pupils' motivation to learn benefits from parents' involvement in the process of setting individual targets. 3 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. It meets the needs of all pupils, and has been carefully adapted to meet the needs of all pupils including those with special needs and those who are particularly able. The leadership has successfully improved the Foundation Stage: provision is now more imaginative and challenging than at the time of the previous inspection, and gives pupils a stronger base from which to improve as they move up the school. Learning in the core skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT is well supported in other subjects, as seen for example in the use of ICT in extended Tudor history projects. Teachers imaginatively build on links between subjects. Pupils enjoy additional activities such as French, class recorder tuition and specialist coaching in drama, dance and several sports, reflecting the leadership's drive for an imaginative curriculum. Physical education is a strength, as is the very extensive programme of

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Grade: 1

lunch time and after school activities which include sport, art and music. Year 6 pupils are able to take part in a residential activities week. Pupils love coming to school: they say that the activities make it a 'great place'.

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Grade: 1

The school places a great deal of emphasis on pupils care, guidance and support and it is therefore outstanding. From the beginning of the Foundation Stage onwards, staff know all pupils as individuals and work closely with outside agencies to ensure the personal development which supports good standards and achievement. Short sessions in the Green Room allow vulnerable pupils to discuss their concerns or focus on a particular aspect of learning. These sessions raise pupils' self-esteem. Able pupils enjoy extra challenges such as writing books in varied styles. Teachers and support staff carefully follow procedures to protect children and ensure their safety. As a result, standards of care are consistently high. Pupils' work is regularly monitored and marked and they are given targets to help them learn. Pupils are taught to understand and evaluate the targets, and they know how to improve still further.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has created a highly effective team of teachers, senior staff, and governors. They, with the excellent support of outside agencies, are successfully driving the school forwards and enable it to meet its many challenging targets. High expectations, resulting in very motivated pupils and a sharp focus on rising pupils' achievement and standards across many subjects has ensured considerable improvement since the previous inspection. Accurate and thorough evaluation of the school's strengths and areas for development successfully involves all staff and takes account of parents' views. Crucially, governors and staff take full advantage of very good training opportunities, enabling them to understand how achievement can be raised still further. Since the time of the last inspection the 4 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Grade: 1

governors have greatly strengthened their role in determining the strategic development of the school and in monitoring at all levels. They have a very good knowledge of the school and use this well to challenge it to do better. The high quality monitoring of standards and teaching has considerably improved provision in many subject areas such as ICT. Particularly commendable is the leadership's desire to provide very good support for pupils of all abilities and backgrounds, such as the provision of a base where vulnerable pupils can get appropriate help. This has had excellent results in terms of raising not just achievement but pupils' motivation and self-esteem. Equal opportunities are a reality and not just a policy.The school uses resources very effectively to motivate pupils and raise standards: for example the investment in ICT. The school has invested a lot of money in extra support, for the most able pupils as

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Grade: 1

well as the vulnerable, and added to it by the skilful use of outside agencies. As a result the school gives very good value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Edgebury Primary School, 8 November 2005 to 9 November 2005

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Overall

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

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We enjoyed visiting your lessons, listening to you telling us about the school and talking to your teachers. What we liked most about your school* you enjoyed talking to us and telling us how much you liked your school* you learn things more quickly than in many schools* you like learning and work hard for your teachers* you get good help from your teachers and other adults when you need it* you enjoy a lot of after school clubs and other activities* your parents and carers are rightly very proud of your school* you are very polite and well behaved. What we have asked your school to do now* give younger pupils even more exciting things to do on their own* make sure that your teachers tell you more about how people elsewhere in Britain and the world live, and what they believe.

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