Clockhouse Primary School

Inspection Report Clockhouse Infant School

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102291 Unique Reference Number Havering LEA LEA 276688 Inspection number 13 December 2005 to 14 December 2005 Inspection dates Lyn Riley AI Reporting inspector

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

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Clockhouse Lane School address Infant Type of school Collier Row Community School category Romford RM5 3QR 3 to 7 Age range of pupils 01708 745972 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01708 742243 Fax number 348 Number on roll Mr Steve Chandler Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Hafise Nazif Headteacher 8 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276688 13 December 2005 - 3 to 7 14 December 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

Clockhouse is a larger than average infant school, with a ninety place nursery. Most pupils are of white British heritage. Around 3% of pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of children entitled to free school meals is average as is the percentage of children who have special educational needs. The school has extended out-of-hours provision from 7.30am until 6pm. The head teacher has been in post since September 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 2005

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Grade: 2

The inspection team agrees with the school that Clockhouse Infant School provides a good standard of education and good value for money. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection and all key issues have been successfully addressed. Many children enter the nursery with skills that are below expected levels. Their communication and social skills are particularly weak due to limited opportunities for expanding vocabulary and developing conversation skills prior to starting nursery school. All pupils make very good progress in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. As a result, standards are above the national average by the end of Year 2.Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is consistently good and some lessons have considerable strengths. Lessons are well planned, organised and structured to ensure that pupils of all abilities achieve well. However, approaches to target setting

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Grade: 2

are generally effective but inconsistently applied across the school.Pupils' behaviour and attitudes in lessons are generally good. Pupils are cared for well and all children, including the most vulnerable, are safe and secure. Attendance is unsatisfactory and authorised absence is high. The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of additional activities and covers all subjects well. The leadership and management of the school are good. The new headteacher provides purposeful leadership and clear direction for the school. Members of the newly formed leadership team provide good support for the headteacher but their contribution to school self-evaluation is not yet fully developed. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is good. The governing body fulfil their statutory responsibilities well and provide good support and challenge for the school. Therefore, the school has good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Implement more rigorous strategies for raising levels of attendance* Continue to develop the leadership team's contribution to school self-evaluation and monitoring* Ensure there is a consistent approach to target-setting with pupils throughout the school

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Grade: 2

Pupils enter the school with standards that are below those expected for their age. They make very good progress in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Standards attained by pupils by the end of Year 2 are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Results in 2005 were slightly lower than in previous years but were still above the national average in reading and writing. Pupils with learning difficulties, and those at an early stage of learning English as an additional language, receive well focused support and make good progress. More able pupils consistently reach the higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils' skills in information and communication technology are in line with those expected nationally. 2 Inspection Report: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 2005

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Grade: 2

Parents and pupils' views of the school are overwhelmingly supportive. Pupils say they enjoy school and feel safe, but a few pupils expressed concerns about boisterous play at break-times. However, inspection evidence indicates that the school is thorough in ensuring the safety of pupils and that behaviour around the school is generally good. Newly created class councils allow pupils to say how they think the school can improve. This helps them to make effective contributions to the school community. Pupils receive good health education. The school is working towards the second level of the Healthy Schools Award. Pupils happily participate in two physical education lessons each week. They are keen to try healthy foods and enthusiastically told inspectors about how they eat baby spinach leaves at lunchtime.Attendance has fallen over the last year and is unsatisfactory because too many holidays are being taken in term time.

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Grade: 2

The head has recognised the need to implement more rigorous strategies to promote good attendance.The pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are generally polite and well behaved although a few pupils call out in lessons instead of raising their hand and waiting their turn to speak. They clearly know the difference between right and wrong. Pupils have a good range of cultural experiences and can talk, for example, about their work on art from different countries such as India. Pupils are calm and thoughtful during the reflection time in school assemblies.Basic skills, including information and communication (ICT), are taught well and effectively prepare pupils for the next stage of their education and their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 2

Teaching across the school is consistently good with some strengths. The special educational needs co-ordinator and learning support assistants skilfully support individuals and groups who require additional help.Where teaching is most effective pupils make very good progress and respond very positively in lessons. For example, in a Year 1 history lesson, the teacher used the interactive whiteboard very well to engage the pupils' interest and enhance their enjoyment. As a result, they achieved well in the lesson.The school's focus on speaking and listening is enabling pupils to make good progress. Pupils are encouraged to talk in pairs to clarify their thoughts and to use the correct and relevant vocabulary for the lesson. For, example Year 2 pupils were encouraged to use the word 'imperative' when discussing 'bossy sentences'.Teachers are confident when assessing pupils' work and all assessments are thoroughly checked. Regular assessment gives teachers good information about

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Grade: 2

pupils' progress. Teacher's mark pupils' work against the lesson objective and use this information to plan further lessons. 3 Inspection Report: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 2005

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Grade: 2

Detailed and thorough curriculum planning ensures that there are very effective and relevant links between subjects and areas of learning. For example, in the reception classes, pupils were happily engaged in a variety of activities linked to Christmas including cutting out star shapes, counting numbers on the Advent Calendar and acting out the Christmas story in the outdoor play-shed. Provision for pupils with special educational needs, or English as an additional language, is good. These pupils are effectively supported in lessons or sensitively withdrawn for small group work.Pupils have good opportunities to perform in concerts and productions and benefit from specialist teaching in music. The improved computer suite plus the interactive whiteboards in classrooms are having a positive impact on learning and progress in many lessons. The curriculum is enlivened by educational visits and by visitors to the

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Grade: 2

school. There are many lunchtime and after-school activities, which are well attended and include a good range of sporting, music, art and textile clubs.

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Grade: 2

The relationship between the school and the parents is very positive. Parents agree that the school is approachable and that staff listen attentively to any concerns. Effective child protection procedures are in place. Health and safety provision is good and there is a well equipped room for pupils who are unwell.Assessment records show that teachers know their pupils well. Progress is well tracked and clear targets are set for individual pupils. Targets, however, are not always used with the pupils in a clear and systematic manner across the school. Although all the pupils who were asked, acknowledged that they had personal targets, there was confusion about how many targets they had and what happens when they are achieved. The effectiveness of the target setting process, is therefore, limited and pupils are not always able to assess their own progress.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, ably supported by the new leadership team, has a clear vision for school improvement. This vision is shared with staff and governors, who are effectively involved in planning and decision-making. The headteacher monitors lessons and provides accurate and useful feedback for teachers. The headteacher acknowledges the need to develop the role of all subject leaders in the monitoring process and to strengthen and develop the role of the new leadership team in school self-evaluation. The analysis of data is very thorough, and subsequent action is given high priority. For example, the current focus on improving the teaching of mathematics is effectively raising standards. The good leadership of the Foundation Stage contributes well to the children's good achievement in the nursery and reception classes. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and carry out their responsibilities very effectively. They are

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 2005 closely involved in all aspects of school development and are fully involved in the life of the school. The school is successful in ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to develop well within a safe and secure environment. All members of the school community are highly valued creating a positive environment for learning.The school has good capacity to improve as the new headteacher has the qualities and skills to move the school forward with the support of the newly formed leadership team and an effective governing body. 5 Inspection Report: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 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: Clockhouse Infant School, 13 December 2005 to 14 December 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 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 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 4 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 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 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

You may remember that you had three 'special visitors' to your school recently. We are school inspectors and we came to see how well your school helps you to learn. Thank you for talking to us in your lessons and around the school. It was good to meet you and to hear what you had to say.When we came to your school this is what we found out:-* Your school is a good place to learn* Your teachers make your lessons interesting* You make good progress and reach good standards* Your new headteacher runs the school well* You are usually polite and behave well* You are well looked after and enjoy school We think your school will be even better when:-* More of you come to school every day* Your teachers help you to know more about your targets* Your teachers know how well you are learning in other lessons as well as they know how well you learn in English, mathematics and scienceWe wish you well for the future.

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