Windsor Community Primary School

Inspection Report Windsor Community Primary School

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104589 Unique Reference Number Liverpool LEA 277186 Inspection number 5 June 2006 to 6 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr Paul Bamber CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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

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Upper Hill Street School address Primary Type of school Toxteth Community School category Liverpool, Merseyside L8 8JE 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 7096769 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 7078309 Fax number 197 Number on roll Mr D Goodall Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs A Elford Headteacher 27 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277186 5 June 2006 - 3 to 11 6 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

This average sized city-centre school has a diverse cultural mix of pupils. It is located in an area that has severe social and economic deprivation. One indicator of this is that nearly three-quarters of pupils are entitled to a free school meal. There is a high turnover of pupils. Many more pupils than average speak English as an additional language and there is a much higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities than is normal. Many pupils experience other significant barriers to their learning. The school has a Healthy Schools Award and runs a breakfast club each morning.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 June 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. The recent appointment of a purposeful, clear sighted and thoughtful headteacher has given the school clear potential to improve on existing standards and provision. The school has lagged behind in introducing effective systems to check the quality of teaching and learning, to assess pupils' work and to track their progress. These are now in place but it is too soon to judge their impact on improving standards and achievement in Years 1 to 6. Children, many of whom enter the school with very low standards, thrive in the Nursery and Reception classes and make good progress because of a well matched curriculum and effective teaching, support and assessment. In Years 1 to 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics remain below average, but pupils' progress is satisfactory given their starting points. This is because teaching is at least satisfactory and

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Grade: 3

sometimes good. There are some relative weaknesses in the teaching of reading. As a result, pupils in Years 1 to 6 sometimes do not read fluently nor do they consistently show the ability to interpret the meaning of what they read. A major strength of the school is the way in which all pupils are cared for and supported. This enables those who have problems at home, or who find it more difficult to learn or behave consistently well, to achieve satisfactorily and to attend school regularly. The school's very effective partnership with external agencies considerably enhances this very good provision for vulnerable pupils. Pupils' personal development is good. They enjoy school because they are provided with an interesting curriculum. There is some good, engaging teaching and the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Pupils learn in a safe environment and are well aware of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.

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Grade: 3

There is a high degree of racial harmony in this culturally diverse school. Strong links with the local community contribute significantly to pupils' good social, moral and cultural development. The new headteacher is starting to have a real impact and, together with governors, has astutely evaluated the school's strengths and weaknesses and this places it in a good position to improve further. Although the quality of leadership and management is satisfactory overall, there are still some weaknesses in the effectiveness of subject leaders and in a lack of clarity within action plans about what specific improvements pupils need to make in their learning. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils' fluency in reading and help them to better interpret the meaning of what they read. • Teachers should make better use of information gained from assessments and from tracking pupils' progress, so that work set fully meets the needs of all pupils. • Enable pupils to have a better understanding of how they are getting on and what they need to do to improve their work. • Make action plans much more specific about what pupils need to do better. • Ensure that subject leaders are more effective in raising standards and achievement. 2 Inspection Report: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 June 2006

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Grade: 3

Achievement overall is satisfactory. From a very low starting point, children make good progress in the Foundation Stage, especially in their personal and social development. Despite this, a majority fail to reach the nationally set targets by the time they enter Year 1, with standards in communicating and number the least good. From Year 1 to Year 6, pupils make satisfactory progress but still reach below average standards by the time they leave Year 6. Standards tend to be depressed because of the effects of the high rate at which pupils join or leave the school in the middle of the school year, and because of the large numbers of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language. These factors have particularly affected standards in 2005 and in the current Year 6 and have partially contributed to the school missing its challenging targets in 2005 by a wide margin. However,

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Grade: 3

weaknesses in assessment also played their part. Pupils tend to achieve best in science and in music because of good specialist teaching. Good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language, enables them to make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils really enjoy coming to school and most have sensible but lively attitudes towards learning. They have very positive relationships with the staff and with each other. Most pupils behave well and relationships between the different ethnic groups are very positive. They report that they feel safe at school. Attendance is average and the school is working successfully to reduce the number of late arrivals. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Meaningful assemblies contribute effectively to pupils' personal development. Pupils take their responsibilities very seriously. For example, school council members value greatly their involvement in decision making within the school. A pupil said, 'We can change things in our school, we want to persuade people to buy fair trade goods.' Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of the need for a balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Because pupils

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Grade: 2

have positive attitudes to learning, even though for some their literacy and numeracy skills are weak, they are reasonably well equipped for the next stage in their learning.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. There are some weaknesses in assessment in Years 1 to 6 which restrict pupils' achievement and mean that work set in lessons does not always fully match pupils' needs. In the Nursery and Reception classes the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is consistently good, enabling children to make good progress. Subtle differences in the style of teaching between 3 Inspection Report: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 June 2006 the older and younger children in the Nursery are particularly effective in helping the older ones to become increasingly independent and the younger ones to settle in and mix together peacefully. There is good teaching in Years 3 and in Year 6 that promotes fun in learning and better progress. There are some relative weaknesses in the teaching of reading that restrict pupils' ability to read fluently and to infer meaning. Good

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Grade: 3

relationships and effective behaviour management are consistently good features contributing well to pupils' good personal development.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, better than the school thinks, and matches the needs of all pupils well. There is a particularly effective curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage. All statutory requirements are met. Pupils' achievement and enjoyment of school life are enhanced by opportunities to take part in educational visits, celebration assemblies and performances. Frequent visitors extend pupils' experiences and knowledge, for example, about how to stay safe. They promote pupils' self-confidence well and basic skills satisfactorily. Good partnerships support the school's mission to provide all pupils with rich and diverse opportunities to develop their talents effectively. These include opportunities for sport or to learn a musical instrument. Pupils' health, personal safety and citizenship education are developed effectively. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities that are popular with the pupils. Residential

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Grade: 2

experiences and out of school activities enhance pupils' personal development, enabling them to build successfully on existing skills and to widen their interests. The enjoyment all pupils derive from all the activities contributes well to their positive attitudes and achievements.

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Grade: 2

The school cautiously grades this as satisfactory. However, inspectors found it to be good overall. The school offers very good levels of care and support with a high level of dedicated support staff. Procedures to track pupils' progress and to set and share learning targets with them are improving but are not yet fully effective. Arrangements for child protection are robust and both parents and pupils express high levels of trust in staff. Health and safety procedures are effective ensuring that pupils are safe at all times. Risk assessment procedures are in place. There are many opportunities for pupils to succeed and have their achievements recognised. This builds their confidence and self-esteem. The school is very responsive to the needs of its most vulnerable pupils. It promotes racial harmony well. External agencies are used effectively, especially to support those pupils who use English as a second language. The school actively

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Grade: 2

promotes children's health by providing a range of opportunities for physical exercise. 4 Inspection Report: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 June 2006

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Grade: 3

The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory. The new headteacher has very effectively improved management systems and the way in which the curriculum is taught. She provides clear sighted, purposeful leadership. This has put the school in a strong position to improve standards and achievement and the quality of the curriculum. Effective leadership and management in the Foundation Stage contribute well to the good quality of provision in the Nursery and Reception class. Governors provide good support and have been influential in acquiring better accommodation and putting the school on a sound financial footing. They are insufficiently involved in monitoring the quality of the school's provision. Subject leadership requires further improvement. Recently, subject leaders have checked plans and pupils' work but are still insufficiently involved in driving up standards of achievement and the quality of

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Grade: 3

teaching. The school knows what it needs to do to improve and its self-evaluation is accurate. It does not, however, identify clearly in the improvement plans precisely how the actions it will take will improve pupils' standards and achievements and the quality of learning. 5 Inspection Report: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 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: Windsor Community Primary School, 5 June 2006 to 6 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 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 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 3 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 3 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 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 2 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

Thank you for making us welcome during the days we spent in your school. We really appreciated the way in which you chatted to us. We would like to share with you those things we liked most about your school and those things we felt it could do a bit better. What we liked most about your school: - how well the school looks after you and supports you if you have problems or upsets - you take seriously your responsibilities and enjoy learning so much - you have an interesting range of activities to do outside the classroom - your headteacher is very clear about what the school needs to do to improve. There are several things that we feel could be improved: - how well a lot of you read - your class teachers could use what they know about how well you are doing to help them always set work that really suits you all and helps you to improve - those people who decide what it is that needs to be done to improve the school could be

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

clearer about exactly what it is you need to do better. Thank you for helping us with the inspection of your school. We hope that you continue to really enjoy school and do very well with your work and carry on trying really hard.

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