Chase Side Primary School

Inspection Report Chase Side Primary School

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101984 Unique Reference Number Enfield LEA LEA 276627 Inspection number 16 November 2005 to 17 November 2005 Inspection dates Keith Williams AI Reporting inspector

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

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Trinity Street School address Primary Type of school Enfield Community School category EN2 6NS 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 02083631120 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02083669522 Fax number 449 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Michelle Winter Headteacher 10 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276627 16 November 2005 - 3 to 11 17 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

Chase Side is a larger than average primary school. Pupils come from a wide range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. About a half have White British backgrounds. The remainder includes pupils with family roots in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, together with pupils from Traveller families and those from mixed backgrounds. About a quarter of pupils are learning English as an additional language. Five per cent are at the early stages of learning English; their home languages include Turkish, Farsi and Tagalog. An average proportion of pupils has learning difficulties and disabilities. The percentage that is eligible for free school meals is average. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school at other than the usual times is higher than usually found. There has been a high turnover of teachers in recent years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 November 2005

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's view that this is an effective school and provides good value for money.Provision in the Foundation Stage is good. Many children join the nursery with limited skills, especially in language. They make good progress, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development. Few attain the expected goals for their age by the end of the reception year. Pupils in Years 1 to 6 make good progress and achieve well. Standards are rising and, by the end of Year 6, attainment in English, mathematics and science is average. This represents good success for the school.The school has many strengths. Leadership, management and teaching are good and ensure that pupils learn effectively. There is a very strong focus on raising standards and excellent arrangements for keeping a check on, and improving, the quality of teaching and learning. Most of the teaching is good and it is sometimes

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Grade: 2

outstanding. The school has rightly identified the need to improve consistency in teaching. In a few lessons, not enough is expected of the more able pupils. Behaviour and relationships in and out of lessons are good. Most pupils enjoy school, are keen to do well and feel safe and happy.There has been good improvement since the last inspection and the school has the capacity to secure further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Improve the teaching and performance of more able pupils by providing greater challenge in some lessons.

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Grade: 2

Most pupils achieve well and make good progress. The school's performance in the national tests at the end of Year 6 is steadily improving and, by the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are now average. This represents a good level of success for the school.Children in the nursery and reception classes make a good start and achieve well. When they join the nursery, most are working at levels which are below those expected for their age in all areas of learning. The children quickly improve, especially in personal, social and emotional development; because of the very good range of activities and the high quality of help they are given. They make good progress, although standards are below average by the time they leave reception.In Years 1 to 6, the pupils make good progress because they are well taught, their individual needs are assessed carefully and they are given good quality support

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Grade: 2

when they need it. In a few lessons, the progress made by more able pupils is rather slow because teachers' expectations are not high enough. There is no significant difference in the standards achieved, or the progress made, by boys, girls or pupils of different ethnic background. The pupils have made especially rapid progress in writing and standards are now average. Targets for the school's performance at the end of Year 6 are suitably challenging and are based on careful consideration of individual pupils' achievements. 2 Inspection Report: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They behave well around the school and are attentive and conscientious in lessons. These very positive attitudes contribute to their good progress in lessons. The pupils feel safe in school and they and their parents report that rare incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively. Attendance is steadily improving and is in line with the national average.The pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Lessons in personal, social and health education (PSHE) are a strong feature and are popular amongst the pupils. They enjoy sharing others' successes in assemblies and celebrating the rich mix of languages and cultures found in the school. The pupils express their views and influence decisions through their effective school council. They understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and have good access to water throughout the day and healthy

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Grade: 2

eating options at lunchtimes. Many pupils take part in the good range of sporting opportunities outside of lessons. The school makes a good contribution to the pupils' future economic well-being. Most enjoy their work and recognise the importance of what they learn to their lives outside of school. For example one pupil, when reflecting on the importance of mathematics, said that it is 'important to know that you've been given the right change.'

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are usually well planned to take account of the pupils' differing needs and ensure that the work builds on what they have learned previously. The teachers prepare interesting activities and ensure that the pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn and understand what they have to do. The teaching of those pupils with special educational needs is very good, which ensures that they can play a full part in lessons. The capable and dedicated teaching assistants play a significant part in helping these pupils to make good progress. Those who are at the early stages of learning English are well supported so that they, too, soon gain confidence and make good progress.A strong feature of the good lessons is the teachers' skilful questioning to gauge the pupils' understanding and they pose increasingly challenging questions to the higher attaining pupils. These pupils are then

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Grade: 2

provided with the hard work of which they are capable. In a few lessons, pupils of all levels of ability are expected to do similar work. Some receive extra support but not enough is expected of the more able and they find the work too easy. Work is marked conscientiously by teachers. Their comments ensure that the pupils are well informed about how they are doing and they are given time to reflect on what they need to do next. The pupils appreciate the help they get to improve their work. 3 Inspection Report: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The school provides a wide range of interesting activities. Planning for the youngest children is good with a very strong emphasis on developing personal, social and emotional skills. This helps give the children a secure platform for their future learning. Throughout the school, the teachers are very good at making links between subjects. For example, pupils' writing in Year 6 was based on the book 'Goodnight Mr Tom' and complemented their historical studies about life in Britain during the Second World War, as well as enabling them to improve their writing skills. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is very good. There are clear plans to set out precisely what they need to achieve and the adults working with these pupils ensure that the plans are followed closely. The planning for pupils at the early stages of learning English is good and contributes to their good progress. The school organises

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Grade: 2

a good range of out-of-class activities such as art, French, sewing and various sports clubs. These attract many pupils and make a strong contribution to learning and enjoyment. A well planned programme of visits and visitors adds extra enjoyment and interest.

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Grade: 2

The teachers are committed to promoting the pupils' personal development and well-being. The pupils receive well judged advice and guidance about their progress. Regular assessments ensure that a close check is kept on the pupils' academic progress and this information if well used to plan the next steps that the pupils need to take. The teachers and support staff provide a good standard of care. Individual attention helps all pupils, including those who are vulnerable or particularly needy. In the school's recent survey of parents, almost all felt that their children were well cared for. Arrangements for child protection are effective. Policy and procedures are clear and have been drawn up with the full involvement of governors. School leaders, teachers and teaching assistants are alert to possible child protection issues. Matters of pupils' health and safety and the assessment of risk are also addressed through clear policies

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Grade: 2

and procedures and are monitored closely.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. The inspirational headteacher and deputy form an excellent partnership in meeting the needs of pupils. They ensure there is an exceptionally strong commitment to including all pupils, regardless of ability or background, in the life of the school. Together with the staff and governors, they are committed to raising standards and enabling the pupils to fulfil their potential. This has a substantial impact on the progress made by the pupils, their personal development and well-being. The senior staff have a very clear and accurate idea of what is working well and what needs to be improved. Through rigorous monitoring of teaching and 4 Inspection Report: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 November 2005 learning and the careful evaluation of the results of national assessments they have made a precise evaluation of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Very good account

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Grade: 2

is taken of the views of parents and pupils when identifying areas for development. The very effective partnership between senior managers, team leaders, subject co-ordinators and other staff ensures that areas for development are tackled systematically and effectively. There has been good success in raising the standards in writing and in ensuring that pupils make good and consistent progress. Senior staff are working effectively to improve the quality of teaching and learning through training and support.Good progress has been made since the last inspection and there is a good capacity to secure further improvement. Weaknesses in the role of governors, identified in the last inspection, have been dealt with successfully. Governors use a good variety of methods to assess the school's performance. They visit classrooms regularly and meet with staff to discuss particular interests and responsibilities. As a

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Grade: 2

result, governors accurately gauge the school's effectiveness and hold the senior leaders to account. 5 Inspection Report: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 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: Chase Side Primary School, 16 November 2005 to 17 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 3 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 2 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 2 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 2 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 2 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

This letter is to tell you about the findings of the recent inspection. Thank you for the very friendly way in which you welcomed us to your school. We enjoyed talking to you. Your views and opinions have given us a lot of helpful information. Many of you told us how much you like school, enjoy your lessons and feel that you are getting on well. We agree with you. Your headteacher and staff work very hard to make sure that all of you are able to do your best. They keep a close check on how well you are doing and are always looking to make things better. One of the reasons you are learning successfully is because you listen carefully to your teachers and are keen to do well. We are very pleased to see that your writing has improved. We know that you will continue to work hard to keep getting better. Your teachers make sure that those of you who need extra help get it and many of you said how helpful they are when

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you are stuck. Those of you who do well with your work usually get harder work to stretch you. Your teachers are going to make sure that this happens in all lessons and we agree that this is important.We were delighted to see your good behaviour in lessons and at playtimes and that you get on well together. We are pleased to hear that you feel safe when you are in school. Many of you told us how important your school council is and that the children on council take their responsibilities seriously. Some of you said that you do not like the toilets. Your school has plans to do something about this. Once again, thank you very much for your help. You are rightly proud of your school. We are sure that you will carry on working hard and doing well and we wish you good luck for the future. Yours sincerely, Keith Williams Lead inspector

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