Elm Park Primary School

102272 Unique Reference Number Havering LEA LEA 276684 Inspection number 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 Inspection dates Andrew Marfleet AI Reporting inspector

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

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South End Road School address Primary Type of school Elm Park Community School category Hornchurch RM12 5UA 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01708 451 463 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01708 620 733 Fax number 368 Number on roll Mr Leslie Graves Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Victoria Knox Headteacher 31 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276684 14 June 2006 - 4 to 11 15 June 2006 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

In this above average size primary school over 80 percent of the pupils at the school are White British, with a few children from a number of minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. There is also a smaller proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities than is found in most schools. A few pupils speak a language other than English; nine were at an early stage of learning English when they joined. Mobility is quite high: 46 pupils have joined and 20 left the school over the last year. The headteacher was appointed in February 2006, after serving as acting headteacher from September 2005 alongside an associate headteacher provided by the local authority. The deputy headteacher joined the school in September 2005, and other senior staff are also newly appointed.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006

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Grade: 3

The inspectors agree with the school's judgement that this is a satisfactory school. It provides satisfactory value for money. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are also satisfactory. The majority of pupils who join the school in the Reception classes are average in their abilities. They make satisfactory progress and more pupils than average reach the expected levels in national tests at the ages of 7 and 11. However, a smaller proportion of pupils than is found in most schools reach the higher levels. This is because most teachers do not organise their lessons in ways that meet the learning needs of all pupils, and of higher ability pupils in particular. Not all subject co-ordinators are consistently monitoring provision for these pupils. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) is restricted by inadequate power supply to the school. Teaching, overall, is satisfactory, and sometimes good. Pupils are given satisfactory

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Grade: 3

care, guidance and support, although the quality of the buildings and playgrounds is not always conducive to pupil safety. The vast majority of pupils are friendly, confident and well-behaved young people. They particularly enjoy the activities that the school provides outside lesson time, which contribute well to their good personal development. The new headteacher and her senior team are very aware of the school's strengths and weaknesses, including the limitations of the accommodation and facilities. In the time they have had, they have taken some decisive actions and set relevant priorities in the school improvement plan which address the main weaknesses. Not all subject leaders are contributing effectively towards addressing the schools' priorities. The actions taken by the senior leadership team have already begun to produce results which provide evidence of the school's capacity to improve further; for example higher

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Grade: 3

ability pupils are making more progress in English.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers' planning in all subjects meets the needs of all pupils. • Ensure that subject coordinators monitor teaching and learning so that teachers know what they need to do to make lessons more effective. • Improve the accommodation and facilities so that pupils have full access to the learning opportunities and care they need.

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Grade: 3

Children start school with knowledge and skills that are in line with those expected for their age. They make satisfactory progress in the Reception classes, indeed good progress in their personal and social development, and the majority reach the expected goals by the start of Year 1. 2 Inspection Report: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 By the end of Year 2, standards are still average. Pupils make satisfactory progress and this is maintained from Year 3 onwards. Consequently, standards remain average when pupils leave at the end of Year 6. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory but it could be better. The most able pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities are not always catered for well enough in lessons; this affects their rates of progress and the final standards that they reach. Fewer pupils than in most schools exceed the levels expected for their age even though more pupils than on average reach nationally

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Grade: 3

expected levels. There are signs, however, that the better teaching of older pupils is leading to more progress amongst those of higher ability, in English at least.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. By Year 6, pupils are confident, friendly and responsible. They clearly enjoy school, work hard in lessons and are proud of their work. They participate keenly in clubs, many of which have waiting lists. Behaviour is good with no recent exclusions. Pupils say that the few isolated bullying incidents have reduced in the last year. Relationships are good although a few racist name-calling incidents have been recorded. The work of older pupils as mediators and the very active school council, who have recently revised the school bullying policy, show how pupils contribute very well to community life and undertake responsibilities. Pupils are also involved in the wider community, for instance the choir's visit to a local hospice. Pupils develop a good awareness of safe practices such as rail safety, given the

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Grade: 2

proximity of the local track. They enjoy physical activities, especially the wide range of sports clubs. A good awareness of healthy eating also helps them develop healthy lifestyles. One pupil said, 'We don't have sweets for rewards - they are not good for your teeth.' Pupils also develop skills to help them in their future lives, including using the limited number of computers in school to give presentations and draw up spreadsheets. Attendance levels are satisfactory. The school has good systems in place to find out reasons for absence and encourages regular and prompt attendance.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The new senior leadership team have focused on improving achievement, rightly insisting that teachers meet pupils' different needs in class. Recently introduced assessment procedures provide valuable information about pupils' individual levels in different subjects. There are signs that this data is being used in some classes to provide work which more accurately meets pupils' learning needs, including those of the more able. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson for example, 3 Inspection Report: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 higher ability pupils formulated their own questions, using a World Cup calendar, on how much time would elapse between one particular game and another. Unfortunately, not all teachers are consistently using assessment data in their planning, and this allows some pupils to underachieve. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities participate in well-focused group work

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Grade: 3

outside the class, although this is often too infrequent to have a significant impact upon achievement. Their needs are accurately assessed and individual education plans are in place. Experienced teaching assistants contribute effectively to pupils' learning. However, class lessons are not always planned to take account of individual needs and this limits achievement. A good range of teaching strategies is used throughout the school and these maintain pupils' interest and concentration in lessons. Interactive whiteboards and the use of talk partners, for example, along with teachers' own enthusiasm motivate pupils to work hard and do their best.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. All the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught, along with religious education and personal, social and health education. Some older pupils have the opportunity to learn French. Ways have been sought to extend ICT across the school, but this is still under-developed because of the inadequate power supply to the buildings. This restricts pupils' use of ICT in some classes. However all classrooms now have interactive whiteboards, which teachers use effectively. The curriculum is not yet organised so that all pupils can make as much progress as they should. The planning of learning in subjects other than English and mathematics is not detailed enough to meet the needs of pupils with different abilities. Monitoring of the curriculum is undeveloped in several subjects. There is a good range of activities available for pupils outside lesson time, and these are very popular, particularly the sports clubs, which include coaching and multi-sports

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Grade: 3

for the younger pupils. The curriculum is further enriched by visits, such as residential weeks for Year 6 pupils, and visitors including the local MP and representatives of the health, police and fire services.

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Grade: 3

This area is satisfactory. Good induction arrangements ensure pupils settle well in the Reception classes. Academic support and guidance as pupils move through the school and eventually on to secondary school are satisfactory. Pupils feel confident that they always have someone who will listen to them if they have a problem, with their views being valued. Personal development is promoted well. For example pupils in Year 6 appreciate the adventure activities on residential visits. 'It helps us to learn about safety and develop confidence,' was a typical comment. 4 Inspection Report: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 Good attention is paid to risk assessments. First aid arrangements are good. Parents and pupils, however, rightly show concerns over the condition of the buildings and playgrounds, which they say leads to a high level of minor injuries. The school's health and safety process has identified these shortcomings, and reasonable steps taken to

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Grade: 3

make improvements within a limited budget. Satisfactory support is provided for vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Appropriate child protection procedures are in place and further training is planned to heighten awareness for all members of staff.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, as the school itself recognises. There is a strong new senior leadership team, whose evaluation of the school is very accurate and whose abilities are recognised by parents. But the decisive actions they have taken have not yet had a full impact on outcomes. This is due in part to the inconsistent contribution of subject leaders whose monitoring of teaching, learning and the curriculum is not yet effective enough. The governing body are giving the new headteacher the support she needs. The very experienced chair and his fellow governors have given an impressive amount of time to the school, some of them over many years. However, they, along with other stakeholders, allowed the underachievement of some groups of pupils to go unchallenged until very recently. Despite some improvements, inadequate buildings and facilities continue to have an adverse impact on the quality of learning

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Grade: 3

opportunities and care. The issues raised in the previous inspection, over six years ago, have all been adequately addressed, but much has happened since. What is very clear is that the school now has a headteacher and senior staff who have demonstrated that they can make tough decisions and who have set the right priorities in their school improvement plan. Where teachers have adopted these priorities, improved outcomes are already evident, such as in the better progress that higher ability pupils in Year 6 are making in English. The leaders are correct in claiming that they have the capacity to improve even further. 5 Inspection Report: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006 .

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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: Ayloff Primary School, 14 June 2006 to 15 June 2006

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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 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 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 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 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 3 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 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

Pupils Thank you for making us so welcome at your school. A special thank you to those who talked to us. We enjoyed looking at your work and watching you in lessons and assemblies. The inspection showed us that you go to a school which is satisfactory, and there are signs that it will improve. What is good about your school:) You make satisfactory progress in your work :) You are developing well as young people:) You behave well, and enjoy being at school:) You have a good headteacher and she has a good team to help her:) Your teachers make lessons interesting:) There are plenty of after-school sports and clubs to join:) The school council is doing a really good job:) Your parents are very happy with the school. What we have asked your school to do now* Plan lessons which help everyone to do their best, including pupils who have lots of ability* Keep a close check to make sure that all lessons are as good as possible * Try to improve the buildings and facilities so the playground is as safe as

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

possible and you have more chances to use equipment such as computers.We wish you well in the future and hope that you will always be as happy as you are at Ayloff Primary. Yours sincerely Andrew Marfleet Lead Inspector

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