Silverhill Primary School

Inspection Report Silverhill Primary School

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112765 Unique Reference Number City of Derby LEA LEA 279012 Inspection number 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 Inspection dates Mrs. Pat Cox LI Reporting inspector

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

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Draycott Drive School address Primary Type of school DE3 5QE Community School category 4 to 12 Age range of pupils 01332 511 138 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01332 513 666 Fax number 300 Number on roll Mr.Simon Longley Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Alison Woodhouse Headteacher 18 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279012 19 September 2005 - 4 to 12 20 September 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

Silverhill is a large primary school. The majority of pupils are of white British ethnic heritage, while about 20 per cent are from other ethnic groups. There is a high proportion of pupils who do not have English as their first language. The proportions entitled to free school meals, and with special educational needs, are lower than average. Attainment on entry to reception is higher than is usual. There has been a high turnover of pupils, many leaving or joining the school after reception. The school has experienced considerable turmoil over the past 18 months through serious damage to the fabric of the building and the long-term absence, and eventual retirement, of the headteacher. All of the school's assessment information and most resources were lost in the upheaval. As a result of the difficulties the school has faced, governance is shared between the local education authority and the governing body. The deputy

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Description of the school

headteacher has been acting headteacher for the past year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

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Grade: 3

The school has overcome significant difficulties to provide a sound quality of education. The staff have pulled together to ensure that the pupils' learning was not disrupted. Parents are positive about much of the school's work but many are concerned that a permanent headteacher has not yet been appointed. The pupils' achievement is sound overall. The knowledge and skills that the children have when they start school are above the usual level for their age. They make steady progress through the school so that standards are above average in English, mathematics and science when they leave. Teaching is satisfactory. The teachers organise their lessons well, although more able pupils occasionally do not have work that is demanding enough. Behaviour is good and pupils know that there is someone to help them if necessary. They feel that they are listened to by adults. Relationships are good and pupils' personal skills are

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Grade: 3

developed well, particularly their moral and social development. Leadership and management are satisfactory; the acting headteacher has led the school well through a very trying experience. Although there has been good progress recently, improvement since the previous inspection has been unsatisfactory. Many areas requiring attention were not tackled, but this is being rectified. Although the senior staff and subject co-ordinators have made good strides in developing their work, this improvement is still at an early stage. The school feels that its provision is good, but this is over-optimistic. While the way it judges its own effectiveness is improving, this has been hampered by the loss of the assessment information. There is insufficient rigour in the way the school checks its own effectiveness. Nevertheless, there is satisfactory scope for further improvement. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Improve the use of teachers' assessments in order to cater more consistently for different groups of pupils. - Improve the use of assessment and other information to evaluate the work of the school more rigorously. - Further develop the way in which subject co-ordinators take responsibility for standards in their subjects.

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Grade: 3

In spite of the difficulties the school has experienced, the pupils have made sound progress overall throughout and reach standards that are above the national average in English, mathematics and science at the end of Years 2 and 6. Although standards in Year 2 had been declining in recent years, this pattern was largely halted in 2005. The Year 6 test results in 2004 were above the national average and the trend of improvement was higher than the national trend. However, the results in mathematics, and to a lesser degree in science, showed that pupils had made too little progress since they were in Year 2. The school identified the shortcomings and put in place measures to remedy them. Consequently, the results for Year 6 in 2005 showed that progress had improved and that these pupils had achieved satisfactorily. Nevertheless, the 2 Inspection Report: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

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Grade: 3

school did not quite meet its demanding targets in 2005. Appropriate targets have been set for the pupils in Year 6 this year. While the pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall, the more able occasionally have work that is not matched well enough to their ability and therefore do not always make as much progress as they could. The more able sometimes complete similar activities to other pupils, and make no errors. The pupils with special educational needs and those whose first language is not English make satisfactory progress, particularly when they receive additional support.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They behave well, enjoy school and attendance rates are high. The encouragement given for good behaviour spurs them on to do even better and is reflected in the orderly way they move around the school. Staff promote healthy living successfully. One pupil explained, "Today I'm having sausages, so tomorrow I'll have something healthy". School meals offer a balanced choice. The school has satisfactory arrangements to develop pupils' sense of citizenship and to take their opinion by, for example, asking for their ideas about the school grounds. The school council is being re-established after lapsing. The pupils' views have been sought through a questionnaire, and are being acted on. Pupils have a good awareness of keeping safe, understanding, for example, why the school gate is locked. They develop sound skills for their future economic well-being through

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Grade: 2

English and mathematics lessons and have adequate opportunities to work as teams, in pairs and independently. The provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school places considerable emphasis on the moral and social development of its pupils. Spiritual and cultural development are promoted satisfactorily.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is always at least satisfactory and is sometimes good. The pupils are eager to learn and respond well to their teachers' enthusiasm and the calm classroom atmosphere, usually concentrating well. The best teaching moves lessons on briskly and pupils know what they are expected to learn. The classrooms are organised well and the teacher builds on pupils' knowledge and understanding well. Behaviour is managed very well, so lessons run smoothly. The teachers use a satisfactory range of methods to interest pupils, for example holding Greek and Victorian days in history. However, it has taken time to replace the resources that were lost, so teaching methods have sometimes been restricted. Where the teaching, although satisfactory, has some shortcomings, it is often because the lesson does not move on as rapidly as it could. There is some over-use of worksheets. Considerable progress has been made recently

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Grade: 3

on improving the day-to-day tracking of pupils' progress. Teachers are beginning to set targets and pupils have started to evaluate their own work. However, teachers are 3 Inspection Report: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 not yet using their assessments consistently to plan further work. Consequently, work is not always set at a suitable level for all pupils in the class and particularly for the more able. The teachers' marking has developed recently but rarely gives pupils sufficient guidance about how to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with adequate time devoted to each subject. The school is bringing in some appropriate developments for some subjects so that the work is more meaningful to the pupils. However, lesson timetables are not always organised to make the best use of the time available and do not show clearly enough what is being taught. The 'Learn to Read' project, run by teaching assistants, is effective in enabling the pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 to become better readers. The school promotes thoroughly the pupils' understanding of healthy living and the dangers posed by some substances, through its well thought-out programme of personal and social education. There is a good range of clubs at lunchtimes and after school, particularly sporting activities. The school is working to improve this and to plan more educational visits.

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Grade: 3

Overall, care, guidance and support are satisfactory. The school cares for its pupils' physical and emotional needs well. However, there is insufficient information about the progress pupils make because this was lost when the building was seriously damaged. Consequently, the provision for their academic guidance and support is not yet effective. The school has rightly recognised the importance of such information in helping pupils' to learn and is setting up new systems to ensure this happens. The arrangements for safeguarding pupils are good. Child protection and health and safety procedures are clear and well understood by all staff. Pupils feel that the school provides a safe environment for them. One said, "I feel safer at this school than I did at my last one".

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The acting headteacher has led the school well through very difficult circumstances. She has brought the staff together as a positive and enthusiastic team, which remains so in spite of the problems they have encountered. The school is calm and purposeful. The senior staff are developing their leadership skills with the support of the local authority and, although there is still some way to go, progress here has been good. Nevertheless, there is uncertainty about when a permanent headteacher will be appointed and this is limiting the school's ability to plan in the long term. Management is broadly satisfactory, although the school does not yet have sufficient accurate information on which to measure its own effectiveness. This is partly because all of the test and assessment data were lost. 4 Inspection Report: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

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Grade: 3

Although this information is being built up to measure individual and group progress, most of the historical information about progress over time is unavailable. Many appropriate priorities have been identified and work has already started or there are suitable plans to tackle them. For example, the school quickly rectified the fall in mathematics standards. Many lessons have been observed in order to judge the quality of teaching, and pupils' work has been scrutinised. However, although these systems are appropriate, many evaluations have not been sharp enough because they have not focused sufficiently on the pupils' progress. Consequently, the school's understanding of its own effectiveness is rather too generous. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body and the local authority take their separate responsibilities seriously and carry them out diligently. 5 Inspection Report: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 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: Silverhill Primary School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 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 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA No 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 2 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 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 the way you welcomed us and helped us during our visit. We enjoyed talking to you and having lunch with some of you. We would like to tell you what we thought about your school. We know that the school has had a lot of problems recently, especially with the damage to the building and your work. We thought that the staff had done well in helping you to keep concentrating on your lessons. They take good care of you and listen to what you want to say. Many of you said that you really enjoyed school and we think that your behaviour is good. You are very polite and sensible in class and in the playground, and look after each other well. Your teachers give you interesting work that helps you to improve your reading, writing and mathematics, but some of you find the work you are given rather easy. So we have asked the teachers to give you something harder and maybe you could tell them if you can do your work

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

easily. The school is a really quiet and calm place, where you can concentrate on the activities the staff give you. When you have problems with your work, there are staff to help you to work in small groups. But we think that the school needs to check how well you're doing more often so that you can have the right kind of work. We enjoyed our two days in your school very much and hope that you do well in the future.

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