Crawford Primary School

Inspection Report Crawford Primary School

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100785 Unique Reference Number Southwark Local Authority 285882 Inspection number 18 °19 January 2007 Inspection dates Christine Canniff Reporting inspector

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

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Crawford Road School address Primary Type of school London Community School category SE5 9NF 3 °11 Age range of pupils 02072741046 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02077383226 Fax number 420 Number on roll (school) Ms Gail Brooks Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs N Powell Headteacher 8 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 285882 18 °19 January 2007 3°11 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

Crawford is a large, ethnically diverse primary school situated in an area of high social and economic disadvantage. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is well above average. As an Extended School provider it offers links to the community and access to learning for parents. Around 10% of pupils are White British and the remainder are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Almost half speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. A higher proportion of pupils than in most schools joins or leaves during the school year. The school gained the Healthy School status in 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Crawford Primary School provides a satisfactory standard of education. It is an improving school because the headteacher and her deputy give clear and accurate direction to its work. Pupils are well cared for. The school places a strong emphasis on pupil's personal development and well-being, which are good. Teachers succeed in creating a positive environment in which pupils become confident and ready to learn. Parents are happy with the school and agree that pupils enjoy being there. Standards are well below average, as has been the case for a number of years, but are now improving. Given, the pupils' starting points, their achievement is satisfactory. In mathematics and science, more pupils now achieve the expected level by the time they leave in Year 6. In English, pupils' reading skills are closer to the expected level. Improvements in their writing skills have not been consistent, however. In the

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Grade: 3

Foundation Stage, provision is satisfactory and children make steady progress from their low starting points. Many pupils have poor language skills in English, including those who have English as an additional language. Teachers do not provide enough opportunities to develop pupils' speaking skills. In the last few years there have been significant staffing difficulties leading to weaknesses in teaching and lack of continuity in pupils' learning. This accounts for the unsatisfactory progress previously made by some pupils until recently. Teaching and learning are satisfactory because the senior management team has placed a strong emphasis on developing teachers' skills and have been successful. Consequently, pupils achieve satisfactorily. Teachers plan well-focused lessons but do not use assessment well during sessions to accelerate pupils' learning. Well-chosen visits and strong links with the community contribute to an interesting curriculum and add to pupils'

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Grade: 3

enjoyment of school. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The senior leadership team has accurately identified the need to improve standards, particularly in writing and mathematics, as the main priority. Action taken is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' progress. The school's evaluation of achievement, standards, teaching and learning is broadly correct but does not take full account of pupils' starting points or the impact of recent measures to raise achievement. The school's monitoring systems are rigorous but there is not enough emphasis on the evaluation of pupils' learning in lessons.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards, especially in English and mathematics, by improving teachers' use of assessment in lessons. • Provide more planned opportunities in lessons for pupils to develop their speaking skills. • Ensure that monitoring of lessons places greater emphasis on the impact of teaching on pupil's learning. 2 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory, although standards are well below average by the end of Year 6. Current standards show a dip in writing but a rise in mathematics and science. Termly monitoring enables teachers to track pupils' progress and identify those at risk of underachieving. This contributes to the improving progress. Children start in the Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge much lower than is usually expected. Many have complex social and emotional needs or are new to learning English. Although they make satisfactory progress many do not achieve the expected targets for their age, particularly in personal development and language skills. However, now that children spend three full terms in the Reception class, their learning is becoming more secure. Standards achieved by Year 2 rose in 2004 and 2005, but in 2006 fell to well below average. This drop in standards is largely explained by the high

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Grade: 3

proportion of pupils in the 2006 year group who are learning English as an additional language or have learning difficulties and disabilities. The school accurately identified that some pupils whose first language is English do not do as well as they could. Action is taking place to improve their attitudes and motivate them by using a more active approach to learning. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress in targeted withdrawal sessions and satisfactory progress overall.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Their personal qualities, particularly attitudes and behaviour, develop well during their time in the school. Pupils' behaviour is satisfactory and most behave well. However, some pupils, especially in the younger age groups, have difficulty concentrating and sometimes misbehave. Pupils use peer mediation well to resolve some problems and feel safe in school. They are developing a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. As one pupil said, 'healthy eating is good for my heart and gives me energy to learn in lessons'. Pupils enjoy school and show great pride when receiving awards for achievement, behaviour, attendance and punctuality. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupil's punctuality has improved and is now good. Pupils enjoy school and are proud of their contribution to its community, for

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Grade: 2

example, by using the profits from 'the fruit tuck shop' to help others. The good development of pupils' personal skills and the provision of opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively help prepare them satisfactorily for later life. 3 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong which helps to create a good working environment. Pupils generally behave well, but when the pace of a lesson is too slow and the work uninteresting some become restless and inattentive. In the most effective lessons teachers make the purpose of the lesson clear to pupils and tasks are motivating. For example, in a good literacy lesson careful structure and a brisk pace enabled Year 6 pupils to develop confidently their arguments about the use of animals in circuses. Good termly tracking arrangements now enable teachers to plan activities that match pupils' levels of attainment. However, teachers do not make enough use of assessment within lessons to accelerate pupils' learning. The range of methods that teachers use is relatively narrow and opportunities to develop pupils' skills in speaking and listening are missed. Teaching assistants are

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Grade: 3

well deployed and provide effective support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and for those learning English as an additional language. This contributes well to pupils' learning. The individual teaching of children with learning difficulties or disabilities promotes confidence and good progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. It offers a wide, balanced range of well-planned activities. These are supplemented by a variety of well attended before and after school clubs which support pupils' learning effectively and generate much enthusiasm. Provision for information and communication technology is good and the computer club provides opportunities for pupils to consolidate their skills. A good range of support programmes boosts the progress of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities because the activities provided are well suited to their needs. Visits out of school to places of interest are carefully linked to curriculum objectives. These greatly enrich pupils' experiences and learning. An effectively planned curriculum in the Foundation Stage provides exciting, practical opportunities which stimulate children's interest, promote their social skills and encourage learning. The programme for personal, social and

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Grade: 2

health education is strong. Pupils' understanding of healthy lifestyles is enhanced by the good provision for physical exercise.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a welcoming, safe and caring environment for pupils. Pupils receive good pastoral support. As a result, pupils feel safe and happy in school. Pupils know they can talk to staff if they have concerns. Systems for safeguarding pupils' health and safety are thorough. These are backed up by very good procedures for child protection and regular risk assessment. Termly and annual assessment data is used 4 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007 well to identify pupils' progress and the levels at which they can work effectively. Pupils know their targets for improvement in English and mathematics but do not always know what they have to do to reach them. The use of marking to help pupils to improve their work is not consistent throughout the school. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are well supported. The school liaises well with outside agencies to support its vulnerable children. Support for pupils for whom English is an

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Grade: 2

additional language is satisfactory. However, in some cases, assessments do not accurately reflect their fluency in English.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory with several good aspects. The headteacher and deputy provide good leadership and a clear vision for the school. Together they have introduced effective systems for monitoring teaching and assessing pupils' progress. The recently introduced termly reviews of progress in English and mathematics, together with target groups of pupils and curriculum targets in each class, are already contributing to improved progress. The middle management arrangements which were implemented in September 2006 are contributing well to improved communication on pupil progress and standards. However, it is too soon for these arrangements to have had a sustained impact on the standards the pupils' achieve in national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6. The school's self-evaluation accurately identifies key priorities for improving pupils' achievement. The school improvement plan is sharply focused on these priorities with clear, measurable success criteria. As

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Grade: 3

a result of these measures and the satisfactory response to key issues in the last inspection, the school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. Monitoring of the quality of the teaching is systematic and well planned. Observations focus carefully on teaching but do not identify clearly enough the link between teaching and learning. Governors are supportive of the school but do not provide enough challenge to the school's leadership. 5 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. Everywhere we went children were polite, friendly and helpful. That made our visit a very pleasant one. I am writing to let you know what we found out. Our main finding is that Crawford Primary is a satisfactory school which is improving. Teachers and staff take good care of you and they work hard to help you develop good social skills, such as working with and respecting others. You get on well with staff and each other. You contribute your ideas well through the school council. We were impressed with the successful way that you manage peer mediation. You told us how you feel safe and happy at school. You know about healthy living and many of you try to carry this out in your food choices and by taking physical exercise. Your school is giving you a satisfactory education. Teachers plan interesting things for you to do and there is a good variety of clubs which you enjoy going to. Staff are keen to make the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school better for you. These are things we have asked them to work on. • Help pupils to get their work up to a higher standard, especially in writing and mathematics. • Plan more opportunities for you to develop your speaking skills. • Make closer checks on how well you are learning in lessons. Thank you again and we wish you well in your future learning. Yours sincerely Christine Canniff Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Crawford Primary School, 18 °19 January 2007

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