Scotts Primary School

102316 Unique Reference Number Havering LEA LEA 276694 Inspection number 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 Inspection dates Andrew Howe AI Reporting inspector

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

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Bonington Road School address Primary Type of school Hornchurch Community School category RM12 6TH 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01708 457 019 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01708 457 019 Fax number 210 Number on roll Mrs Jane Buckle Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs P M Allen Headteacher 27 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276694 27 June 2006 - 4 to 11 28 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Scotts Primary School is a popular, average-sized primary school serving a suburban area of outer East London. Very few pupils are entitled to free schools meals. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and speaking languages other than English is below average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. The school has Investors in People status and has achieved the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark. Since the last inspection the school has built a studio for the creative arts.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006

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Grade: 1

The school rates its overall effectiveness as outstanding and inspectors agree. This is because it enables pupils to achieve highly, while providing what one parent described as 'a wonderful sense of community'. It provides excellent value for money. The school nurtures very effective relationships with parents, which help to ensure that home and school work together to promote high standards of achievement and behaviour. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards school. The curriculum is very effective; both in helping pupils achieve high standards in literacy and mathematics and in promoting their appreciation of the creative arts. Pupils are very well cared for. They are known well as individuals and thrive in the school's supportive atmosphere. The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are good. Teaching is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and provide a stable and stimulating climate for learning. Rigorous management of teachers' performance and

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Grade: 1

careful assessment of pupils' progress contribute to the outstanding results pupils achieve by the end of Year 6. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of marking. It is good in ensuring pupils know how to improve their writing in English. However, it is less effective in other subjects, such as science, where the focus is often on presentation rather than on the skills and knowledge being taught. The leadership of the headteacher has been highly effective in achieving high standards through enjoyable learning. It is well summed up by one parent who said 'my girls skip to school every day and are full of their achievements on the way home'. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The school's work is now exemplary and staff lead professional development for other teachers in the borough and beyond. The school has good capacity to improve further, because effective

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Grade: 1

teamwork allied to careful planning for the future, provide the basis for continued high achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure teachers' marking in all subjects consistently identifies the improvements pupils need to make in their work.

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Grade: 1

The school judges that pupils' achievement and standards are outstanding and inspection evidence supports this view. One parent commented that her children have 'achieved success and are happy and confident with a very high level of general knowledge'. Children's attainment on entry is in line with expectations. They make good progress in the Reception class and by the end of the Foundation Stage their attainment is above expectations. They continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and standards are above average. 2 Inspection Report: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 The results of the 2005 national tests for pupils in Year 6 were above average overall. In mathematics they were well above average, exceeding the demanding targets that the school had set. Standards in English amongst the current Year 6 pupils are also well above average, and show particular improvement in writing. Achievement for both

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Grade: 1

these groups is outstanding because their attainment when they were in Year 2 was average. Pupils make very good progress from Years 3 to 6 because teaching is consistently good and often outstanding. Pupils with learning difficulties make very good progress because they are very well supported and their progress is carefully tracked.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Their behaviour is excellent. Teachers have clear, high expectations, so pupils listen very well in lessons and are polite and co-operative. They greatly enjoy learning and are eager to do their best. Attendance is broadly average, but has declined this year. This is because parents take too many holidays during term time, despite the school's best efforts to discourage absence. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good. During an assembly which told the story of the feeding of the five thousand, pupils listened and responded in a very mature way: they said it was about 'trusting', 'sharing', 'a little goes a long way', 'thanking God for our food' and 'anything is possible'! Pupils learn about other cultures and faiths, for example through finding out about festivals such as Chinese New Year. Pupils show a good awareness of how to live a healthy life,

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Grade: 1

including the need for regular exercise and a good diet. The school council gives pupils the opportunity to have a real say in the school community. Their involvement in activities beyond the school helps them develop a good understanding of the wider community. Because they develop excellent basic skills in mathematics and literacy and learn to co-operate and work hard, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and future economic well-being.

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Grade: 1

Teaching is outstanding overall and is particularly effective in Years 4, 5 and 6. Teachers provide challenging and interesting work. The individual needs of pupils are met very well, so they enjoy learning and do very well. Work is regularly marked and this has helped raise standards in writing, where it targets exactly what pupils need to learn next. It is less effective in other subjects, such as science, where comments often focus on presentation rather than next steps in learning. Teachers use information from both formal and informal assessment in their planning, which is very detailed and shows a clear understanding of how well pupils are doing. Teachers use information and communication technology (ICT) very well to support learning in other subjects. Pupils respond very well to teachers' high expectations of their behaviour and 3 Inspection Report: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006

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Grade: 1

achievement and this helps them make excellent progress over time. Pupils say they learn new things every day and that everyone works really hard. They are encouraged to work together and independently, which helps them grow in self confidence and develop mature and thoughtful attitudes. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are thoroughly assessed and excellent support is provided.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an excellent curriculum that meets statutory requirements and supports pupils' outstanding personal development and achievement. There is a wide range of stimulating experiences for all pupils. Music and art are particular strengths and pupils report that they enjoy the many opportunities to take part in activities outside lessons, which enrich their learning. The emphasis on pupils developing basic skills in mathematics and literacy enables them to build effectively on their learning as they move through the school and prepares them well for the future. Personal, social and health education (PSHE), including sex and drugs education, makes a very good contribution to pupils' personal development. A safe play area for the Foundation Stage is under construction. While children have sufficient opportunities for learning and playing out of doors, the lack of permanent provision for this has limited

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Grade: 1

opportunities for them to exercise choice and develop independence.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. Pupils thrive in this supportive and orderly environment, achieving high standards. Child protection and risk assessment procedures are well established. The welfare of pupils is a high priority for staff, ensuring that the school is a safe place. This starts before pupils join the school, with a course for parents and their children. One parent said the school was like an extended family for her child and family. Pupils feel well cared for as a result of the trusting relationships they have with staff. The school encourages pupils to develop healthy lifestyles and teaches them how to keep safe. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop responsible attitudes, for example by helping younger pupils, joining the school council or taking on class responsibilities. Staff use assessment very well to ensure all pupils have challenging targets and opportunities for success. Pupils therefore grow in self esteem

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Grade: 1

and leave the school very well prepared for the next step in their education.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The vision, high expectations and commitment of the headteacher are reflected in the expertise and hard work of the staff. There is a continual drive to raise standards, successful this year in higher standards in pupils' writing. This is underpinned by high quality professional development and rigorous management of staff performance. The relationships built 4 Inspection Report: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 June 2006 with parents are a particular strength of the school. Parents say that 'teachers are always willing to listen and help if possible'. Parents' views are sought, taken seriously and contribute to the school's development. The school development plan is a comprehensive document, constructed around the central idea that 'every child really does matter'. It sets out priorities that are intended to maintain and build on the school's excellent current performance. All staff and

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Grade: 1

governors make a contribution to the planning process. Pupils' work and teachers' planning and performance are carefully monitored and a reflective approach to bringing about improvement is successful in raising standards. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and helps to drive its improvement. Governors fulfil their statutory obligations and are well-informed by the headteacher and staff, so that they display a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. However, they have limited systems for monitoring the work of the school for themselves. The school has addressed all the issues identified at the previous inspection. There has been good improvement and the school is well placed to improve further. Despite the imminent departure of the headteacher, effective teamwork and planning for the future ensure a good capacity to continue to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 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: Scotts Primary School, 27 June 2006 to 28 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 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 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

Pupils Thank you for helping us when we visited your school a little while ago. We enjoyed our time with you, and we promised to let you know what we decided after our visit. Yours is an outstanding school. These are some of the best things about it:* Your behaviour is excellent. You are polite and you try hard in lessons.* You make very good progress. You do very well in mathematics and your writing has got much better, so that the standard of your work is high.* Your teachers work hard to make lessons interesting, and use computers and other technology well to help you. They check on your learning very carefully and this helps them to set you useful targets.* The school looks after you very well.* The headteacher and the other staff work very well together to make the school better. * The school works very well with your parents to help you do your best.* You have lots of good opportunities to play music

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and do art. There is something that could be better, though:* In some subjects, teachers' marking does not always help you see what you need to learn next.Scotts Primary School is an outstanding school. If you continue to work as hard, and behave as well as you do now, it should go from strength to strength. Good wishes for the future, Andrew Howe Lead Inspector

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