Colham Manor Primary School

Inspection Report Colham Manor Primary School

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102373 Unique Reference Number Hillingdon LEA LEA 276705 Inspection number 20 October 2005 to 21 October 2005 Inspection dates Anthony Green AI Reporting inspector

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

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Violet Avenue School address Primary Type of school Hillingdon Community School category Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PT 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01895 436492 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01895 442879 Fax number 548 Number on roll Mrs M A Russell Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs G R Smyth Headteacher 17 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276705 20 October 2005 - 3 to 11 21 October 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

Colham Manor is a larger than average primary school. It was formed in 2002 following the amalgamation on the same site of a successful infant school and a failing junior school. This is its first inspection as a new primary school. A third of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than the national average. One fifth of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and one sixth speak English as an additional language. This is also higher than average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average. The number of pupils who enter and leave the school throughout the year is high. Pupils' attainment on admission to the nursery and reception classes and at other times is well below average. The school is involved in a local 'excellence' initiative to raise standards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which gives good value for money. Strengths and areas for development are accurately identified by rigorous self-evaluation. The school judges its effectiveness to be satisfactory. Inspectors judge it to be good with a very good capacity to improve. Immediately following amalgamation, there was a high turnover of teachers and a high proportion of pupils left or joined the school. This had a negative impact on progress and standards declined. The mainly new and very loyal staff, appointed in the last two years, is moving the school forward at a fast rate because of good teaching, high expectations and a good curriculum. Although standards are below average, progress is good. Support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is good overall. However, better resources are needed and more training is required for teaching assistants who support this group of pupils. Attendance is

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Grade: 2

below average and is hindering the achievements of the pupils concerned. Good procedures are improving levels of attendance, but there is still work to be done. Pupils are happy at school, a view supported by parents and carers.Teachers are developing new and more rigorous ways of checking pupils' progress in English, mathematics and science to inform planning for individual and group needs. There is a strong focus on improving basic literacy skills, especially girls' reading and boys' writing. Pupils enter the nursery and reception classes with standards that are well below average. The good teaching in these classes gives children a good start, which is being built upon throughout the school.The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She has guided the school through a period of instability and has been very successful in creating a determined team who know what needs to be done to move the school forward so as

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What the school should do to improve further

* Use the information gathered from checks on pupils' progress to further raise standards and achievement in reading, writing, mathematics and science.* Improve resources and training for staff who support pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities.* Improve attendance.

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Grade: 2

The inspection team agrees with the school's evaluation that pupils' achievements are satisfactory overall. These have improved as new initiatives are making learning more effective. A decline in Year 6 national test results from 2003 to 2004, as a result of the disruption of changes in staff and the amalgamation, has been addressed. The school surpassed its own challenging targets in 2005 and predicts a further improvement in 2006.As a result of good teaching in the Foundation Stage, pupils make very good progress in personal, social and physical development and reach levels typical of their age in these aspects by the time they enter Year 1. Initiatives to improve English and mathematics national test results are proving successful. Standards in Year 2 are below 2 Inspection Report: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 2005 average but rising. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well

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Grade: 2

as other pupils. The school identified and dealt with the underachievement of pupils, especially those with learning difficulties, in a determined way. Standards are rising because good teaching is ensuring good progress in all year groups.The use of information from the monitoring of work and test results is used well to plan for different groups of pupils within lessons. However, it needs to be used more effectively for predicting test results. The school is aware of this and teachers are having on-going training on how to use results to set even more challenging targets for the future. Older pupils know their targets, which they respond to well and which are also helping to raise standards and achievement.

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Grade: 2

Good systems to improve behaviour were implemented when the schools amalgamated. As a result, pupils now behave well in lessons and in the playground so they enjoy school and learning. Few are excluded from school. Pupils are always willing to be helpful, show respect for adults and their classmates. Relationships between most pupils reflect a genuine concern for each other. Pupils report a small amount of bullying, but also say that this is dealt with well by the school. Attendance is below the national average but is improving because of prompt contacts with parents to find out why their child is absent. Pupils are aware of safety risks in school and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles. The school is striving to provide opportunities for healthy eating.Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developments are good. Lessons and assemblies contribute to good spiritual awareness. Achievements in and out of school

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Grade: 2

are celebrated every week in assembly to raise aspiration and a feeling of shared success. Pupils' moral development is promoted through the very good role models presented by all staff. Involvement in the school council and charity fund raising events enable pupils to take on responsibilities which help the smooth running of the school, and at the same time develop their social skills. Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are trained to help others who have concerns. Pupils readily involve themselves in local community events. Cultures of all nationalities, within the school and locally, are celebrated at every opportunity.

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Grade: 2

The school considers teaching to be satisfactory but inspectors judge teaching to be good overall, with some outstanding teaching in Year 5 and Year 1. Teachers build well on pupils' previous learning and there is a good match to their interests and abilities. Pupils have a good understanding of the challenging targets they have been set and receive regular updates on their progress. Behaviour is managed very well with the result that the school is calm and orderly. Pupils have positive attitudes to their work and make good progress. As a result pupils' achievement is good and standards 3 Inspection Report: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 2005 are rising.Work is marked consistently and, in addition to a range of rewards, teachers provide pupils with helpful comments on how they can improve. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are diagnosed well. Work is well matched to

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Grade: 2

their needs and they receive a satisfactory level of support. Their underachievement has been overcome successfully so they make good progress. The most able pupils are effectively challenged through activities such as the 'Book of the Year Award' and 'Brain of the Borough' both of which were initiated by the school. As a result, achievement at the higher levels of reading comprehension has been raised. In addition a pupil with learning difficulties and disabilities was awarded an ‘Excellence Challenge Award’ for good achievement in the national tests in 2005.The checking of how well pupils' achieve and understand their work is good. However, the school rightly identifies this as an area for further development, to make the process more manageable and informative.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and meets the needs of all pupils well. Teachers plan work carefully and provide stimulating and interesting tasks. Good provision is made for information and communication technology (ICT). Every class has a very large computer screen on the wall, which adds to the impact and interest of lessons. The school is innovative. It is trying to ensure that pupils learn better. To achieve this aim it is testing out a new system for teaching subjects, such as science and art, by timetabling a whole day or week to the subject rather than just one period a week. The impact of this on learning has yet to be evaluated. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory with good deployment of teaching assistants. However, they need further training and better resources to be even more effective. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is extensive. Good initiatives are in place to address the

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Grade: 2

different interests of boys and girls, especially in reading and writing. Significant opportunities are provided to develop responsibility and social skills. Extra activities after school are wide ranging and popular, especially in sport and drama, and do much to enhance enjoyment and achievement.

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Grade: 2

The quality of care, guidance and support is good. Pupils feel confident that there is someone who will listen if they have a problem. The learning mentor is effective in providing pupils with opportunities to develop their self esteem. Further support is provided through the good links with outside agencies such as the Education Welfare Officer.Pupils new to the school comment positively about its welcoming nature. One new pupil said he had 'quickly been accepted as a friend'. Child protection procedures are securely in place. Vulnerable pupils, such as those with low attendance and personal problems, receive good support which helps to raise their achievement. The school's systems for assessment and target setting are effective in guiding pupils' about how 4 Inspection Report: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 2005 their work can be improved. There are good links with local secondary schools which

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Grade: 2

ensures a smooth transition to the next stage of pupils' education.

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Grade: 2

The leadership of the headteacher is very good. She gives very good direction for a school that has seen significant changes since amalgamation. She is supported well by a good leadership team who have raised expectations amongst all staff of what pupils know and can do. Staff, pupils and parents are fully involved in evaluating the how well the school is doing and their contributions are valued and respected. The school's plan for future development is thorough and achievable. It sets clear targets to ensure all pupils have the same opportunities to succeed well. Senior teachers and governors are now working on a more rigorous approach for checking pupils' work and progress. This development is expected to inform teachers' planning more effectively to raise standards and achievement at a faster pace.All staff feel valued and are able to contribute ideas to the evaluation of the work of the school and its

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Grade: 2

improvement. There is a strong thrust for improvement, which is impacting positively on standards and achievement. The school's budget is used sensibly for the benefit of the pupils. Modern ICT, improved resources and a generally well maintained building encourage pupils to respect their environment. The governing body is good and is determined to work with all staff to improve learning so pupils do as well as they can. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are not afraid to ask challenging questions and act as critical friends. Since the amalgamation they have supported the school effectively and contribute much to its good capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 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: Colham Manor Primary School, 20 October 2005 to 21 October 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 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 3 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

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for being so friendly and helpful during our visit. We really enjoyed meeting and talking to you. What we liked most about your school:* You behave well and are kind to each other.* You are polite and friendly to visitors.* You try hard in lessons.* Your school council is working hard to improve the toilets, playtime games and the quality of lunches and snacks.* Your teachers look after you very well and give you interesting work. We enjoyed seeing the Year 2 'Victorian Day' and hearing about the Year 5 visit to Hampton Court.* The headteacher, staff and the governors work well together and know what to do to make your school an even better one.* Your parents and carers are pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now:We have asked your teachers: * To continue to find new ways of checking your work so that what you do in lessons is exactly what is needed for

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you to continue to improve well.* To do even more to help children who find work hard and to give more training to the assistants who help you.* To make sure that children who take lots of time off school come every day. Best wishes for the future. Tony Green

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