Snaresbrook Primary School

Inspection Report Snaresbrook Primary School

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102832 Unique Reference Number Redbridge LEA LEA 276776 Inspection number 14 December 2005 to 15 December 2005 Inspection dates Barnard Payne AI Reporting inspector

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

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Meadow Walk School address Primary Type of school South Woodford Community School category London E18 2EN 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 020 8989 9975 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8518 8781 Fax number 425 Number on roll Mr Mark Phillips Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Dennis Murray Headteacher 20 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 276776 14 December 2005 - 3 to 11 15 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

Snaresbrook is a large primary school. Fewer pupils than usual are eligible for free school meals. A large proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. There are representatives of a wide range of groups and a large and growing number learning English as an additional language. The number of children with learning difficulties is smaller than in many schools. The level of pupils' skills, knowledge and understanding on entry to the school is higher than in many schools.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 December 2005

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Grade: 2

Snaresbrook Primary is a good school. The school judges its own effectiveness as satisfactory. Based on the evidence gained during the inspection, the inspection team judges it to be better than that as there have been significant improvements over the past year. The school's main strengths are the high standards and good progress made by all groups of pupils. By the time they enter Year 1 most pupils are exceeding the goals set for children of their age. This reflects that good progress they make in the nursery and reception classes. Personal development is good because the school creates opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and they are taught to respect one another. The teaching is good and effective but it is not yet of consistently high quality in all classes. The use of assessment to ensure all pupils are learning all they can is similarly inconsistent. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection,

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Grade: 2

but attendance is still a little below average. Leadership and management are good and the school's capacity to make further improvements is also good. The value for money provided by the school is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Ensure that all teaching and learning is of a consistently high quality* Make the use of assessment to extend learning consistent across the school* Work with parents to improve attendance.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and has improved markedly over the past two years. Pupils who left the school in 2005 had made good progress and achieved well. They reached standards that were well above average in English, mathematics and science. Their achievements in English were particularly high. The pupils are now making good progress in Key Stage 2 because of good teaching. All groups of pupils do well. Pupils with learning difficulties and those learning English as an additional language make good progress because of very good levels of support from well qualified staff. Children enter the school with skills and understanding that are above average. They make good progress in the nursery and reception classes because of a stimulating learning environment and challenging activities based on the careful assessment of each child's needs. By the time they enter Year 1, most exceed the goals set for children of that

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Grade: 2

age. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1 as a result of good teaching. They reach standards that are consistently well above average in reading, writing and mathematics.More able pupils are achieving well and this is reflected in the increasing numbers reaching higher levels. The school now has higher expectations of these pupils and this is evident in the ambitious targets it sets. Challenging targets in 2005 were exceeded. 2 Inspection Report: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 December 2005

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Grade: 2

The pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Their behaviour is outstanding and they are friendly and polite. The older pupils provide excellent role models through their mature attitudes and behaviour. Because there are good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility as prefects and school councillors, they feel trusted and involved in the life of the school. Pupils enjoy learning. They say, 'They mix the subjects up which is quite fun.'Pupils' social and moral development are very good. 'You make such good friends here,' they say, and work and play together very harmoniously. Pupils learn about many other cultures and their beliefs through the religious education (RE) curriculum and also during events such as Black History Month. As a result, pupils feel that, 'They teach us how to respect each other.' They have good opportunities for spiritual reflection in assemblies, which encourage them

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Grade: 2

to consider others who are less fortunate. They raise funds for many good causes in the local community and abroad.The school has recently gained a healthy schools award. Pupils understand the importance of a good diet and sufficient exercise. They appreciate the recent improvements to the school meals service. Pupils' future economic well being is enhanced through many opportunities for teamwork and taking responsibility. Attendance is below average, because some parents arrange holidays in term time. This means that their children miss out on interesting and worthwhile activities.

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Grade: 2

The teaching is good. The school has placed considerable emphasis on improving teaching and learning and has largely been successful in achieving its goals. However, there is some teaching that, while satisfactory, is not yet of high quality. Members of the leadership team monitor and evaluate teaching as part of their drive for improvement and their judgements about individual lessons are accurate. Inspectors' visits to lessons and discussions with pupils show that teaching is strong in most parts of the school. Teachers know the subjects well and mostly have excellent relationships with pupils, who are keen to learn. Lesson planning is good in the great majority of lessons, with clearly defined learning objectives. The work is planned to ensure that pupils make good progress. In the best lessons, teachers present the work in lively, imaginative ways that quickly engage the pupils. This includes effective use of

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Grade: 2

information and communications technology (ICT). These lessons are well paced to ensure momentum, and questions are used carefully to assess pupils' levels of understanding. In a small number of lessons, the pupils do what is asked of them, but the activities do not challenge them enough or take sufficient account of their needs and abilities. For example, there are occasions when pupils consolidate what they know rather than extend their knowledge. 3 Inspection Report: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 December 2005

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and provides well for pupils' personal and academic needs. There is good provision for the development of pupils' basic skills and this leads to good levels of achievement. The curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties and those learning English as an additional language is very effective and provides high levels of support for these pupils. Provision for ICT is much improved from the last inspection and is now being used effectively to support learning in a range of subjects.The curriculum for personal and social education is particularly strong and leads to pupils' very good personal development. It deals with issues such as staying safe, drugs awareness and sex and relationships. Pupils' experience of school is enriched in a variety of ways. There are a number of popular clubs covering sport, musical and other activities. Many pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument.

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Grade: 2

There is also a wide range of visits provided, including an annual residential visit to the Isle of Wight, which develops pupils' independence in an unfamiliar setting.

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Grade: 2

The school cares well for its pupils and provides helpful guidance and support that enable them to make good progress. All pupils, including the more vulnerable, are well cared for. Because there are good procedures in place to deal with bullying and racism, pupils feel confident and say, 'All the teachers make us feel safe and secure.' Parents describe the school as having a 'warm and caring atmosphere.' Health and safety procedures are good and there are many well trained staff who ensure pupils' welfare is paramount. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are up to date and meet legal requirements. Pupils with learning difficulties are well supported. Their learning targets are carefully monitored and there is effective liaison with outside agencies to cater for their various needs. Pupils receive very useful feedback about their academic progress, particularly from teachers' marking, but there is a lack of consistency in how

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Grade: 2

individual pupils' targets are set. Pupils' progress is carefully tracked in order to combat any underachievement.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has led the school over many years and has established an ethos in which pupils feel safe and well cared for. This is evident in the achievement and progress pupils make and in their personal development. The focus that the leadership team has placed on improving teaching and learning is reflected in the good quality of teaching in the school. Over the past two years, the school has made rapid improvements, despite many staffing changes. Senior leaders' central focus is on raising standards. They have tackled this through an intensive programme of monitoring, evaluation and target setting for teachers. The local authority has had a close involvement in this process, and the school has made effective use of 4 Inspection Report: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 December 2005 this support. The leadership team has established systems to enable the school to

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Grade: 2

move forward with confidence. The school makes good use of resources and deploys staff well to ensure that pupils are effectively guided and supported. It surveys pupils, parents, staff and governors periodically to gain their views. The school council plays an active role in the school, for example by establishing a code of conduct for the dining hall. Governors undertake their role satisfactorily and have identified appropriate targets for their own development. In particular, the school recognises governors' monitoring and evaluation of the school's work as a key area for development.Since the last inspection, the school has improved its provision, including teaching, and has dealt well with the key issues identified. Given the school's recent track record in improving teaching and raising achievement, its capacity to make further improvement is good. 5 Inspection Report: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 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: Snaresbrook Primary School, 14 December 2005 to 15 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 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 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 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

Thank you for making us feel so welcome in your school. We really enjoyed talking to you and this helped us to get a good picture of what the school does to help you in your work. We could see how happy you are in school and how much you enjoy the activities in lessons. We were very impressed to see how hard you worked and concentrated in lessons and how hard your teachers worked, planning interesting activities to keep you interested right up until the end of term. It was also good to see that you take your health seriously and many of you choose fresh vegetables at lunch time and enjoy taking regular exercise. What really impressed us was how kind and considerate you are to one another and how polite you are. You have a very active School Council, which means pupils are fully involved in the school and are able to help make it even better. The hard work of Mr Murray and all of the staff helps you to feel safe and happy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in school and to learn well. We agree with you that Snaresbrook is a good school in which pupils do well. Sometimes we think you could try some harder work and to do this your teachers need to work with you to agree what you should aim for. While most of you hardly miss any time in school, some of you are absent too often and this means you miss important learning. We have asked the school to find ways to improve attendance.

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