Charlotte Sharman Primary School

Inspection Report Charlotte Sharman Primary School

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100816 Unique Reference Number Southwark Local Authority 285889 Inspection number 11 °12 January 2007 Inspection dates Brian Evans 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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St George's Road School address Primary Type of school West Square Foundation School category London SE11 4SN 3 °11 Age range of pupils 02077355598 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02077355598 Fax number 374 Number on roll (school) Mr Ian Iveson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Zoe Sharman Headteacher 4 February 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 285889 11 °12 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

Charlotte Sharman is a primary school of well above average size. It is an inner city school which serves a mixed social and economic area. Children enter the school with well below average basic skills. Many different ethnic groups and faiths are represented in the school. Black African and Black Caribbean pupils make up nearly half the school roll. The proportion of pupils with English as an additional language is above average, the most common languages being Bengali, Arabic and Spanish. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is well above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and the number with statements of special educational need is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007

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Grade: 3

Charlotte Sharman Primary accurately perceives itself as providing a satisfactory standard of education. It gives satisfactory value for money. Children enter the school with average attainment but their language and communication skills are well below average. Standards are average by the end of Year 6 and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Pupils are given a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage. Many achieve the expected standards by the time they start Year 1. However, until this academic year, basic skills remained well below average by the end of Year 2 and pupils made inadequate progress. They are now making satisfactory progress and standards have improved because the school has introduced effective measures to address weaknesses in teaching and learning. Pupils with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. Better management for pupils with learning difficulties, together with a

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Grade: 3

modified curriculum and training for assistants, is resulting in satisfactory achievement for these pupils. The school accurately identifies that more able pupils should be doing better and that writing remains a focus for improvement in the drive to lift standards especially by the end of Year 2. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils enjoy their education, adopt safe practices and healthy lifestyles and make a good contribution to the school and wider community. They develop satisfactory skills for their economic well-being. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Behaviour is good and pupils enjoy learning. Nearly all parents praise the quality of provision. One parent stated 'The school is a happy place. Children feel part of the community and enjoy things like the choir and the celebration assembly.' Attendance is now close to the national average.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning vary from outstanding to inadequate and are satisfactory overall. A pupil in an outstanding Year 6 mathematics lesson on decimals stated 'We enjoy making up our own number problems for others in the class to solve.' There is much good practice by teachers in developing pupils' speaking skills. Typically, classroom management and relationships are good and pupils are eager to learn. However, learning is only satisfactory overall because in many classes there is limited scope for pupils to learn for themselves. Marking does not consistently inform pupils on how they can improve their work. The curriculum is satisfactory. The promotion of the basic skills is central to the school's 'Raising Achievement Project'. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Monitoring procedures are well established. However, senior managers recognise that assessment data and pupil performance targets are not monitored rigorously or frequently enough. Given its

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Grade: 3

recent track record and the improving effectiveness of senior managers, the school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. It is not yet good because the full impact of new structures and initiatives for raising achievement is at an early stage. Governance is satisfactory and has improved since the last inspection but governors do not always challenge the school enough on the standards that pupils achieve. 2 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards in Years 1 and 2, particularly for the more able, by extending their opportunities for writing. • Monitor and review achievement and targets rigorously for all pupils every half-term. • Raise the quality of teaching and learning so that a higher proportion is good.

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Grade: 3

By the end of Year 6, standards are average and pupils make satisfactory progress through the school. Achievement and standards have fluctuated during the last three years, but have improved overall since 2004 when they were significantly below average. Improvements reflect development in the quality of teaching of mathematics and English. Notably, pupils are helped to make better progress by attending booster classes and school leadership is more focused on developing provision and monitoring the effectiveness of this on pupils' progress. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage because teachers focus well on promoting language, communication and important personal and social skills, so that they are well prepared for the learning in Year 1. By the end of the Foundation Stage, standards fluctuate year on year due to the high mobility at the end of the Nursery. During the last two years there has been inadequate achievement in Years 1 and 2,

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Grade: 3

due to staffing difficulties. As a result, standards fell and were exceptionally low. Leaders have taken clear and effective action to address this. Achievement since September 2006 has improved and is now satisfactory. While standards are significantly low overall, the proportion reaching average levels is steadily improving. The focus on improving teaching and learning is helping to raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, too few pupils gain high levels in Years 1 and 2, especially in writing. This is partly due to a legacy of underachievement, but this is only part of the picture. While pupils are developing good ideas for writing they are not writing frequently enough or modifying their work to improve their skills, as the quality of marking is too inconsistent to enhance their achievement.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy coming to school and say that they feel safe and happy. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved due to the school's strong efforts to help pupils attend regularly. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The growth of musical activities, such as the choir, enables pupils to gain a positive self image. Behaviour is good. Pupils demonstrate a willingness to take on responsibilities as, for example, through the Fruitful Committee as part of their Healthy Eating Initiative. Here, they work with the school cook and learn about finance and balancing the books. From the Foundation Stage upwards, children learn how to cooperate with each other. 3 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007 Pupils have a good understanding of what makes a healthy lifestyle. At break times they are active and their regular involvement in sports such as 'tag' rugby boosts their

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Grade: 2

fitness, self-esteem, confidence and teamwork skills. Many pupils satisfactorily develop the skills they need for later life through opportunities to work collaboratively and through learning in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. It is good in Foundation Stage classes and teachers track children's learning well. In the Nursery there is a very calm, busy working atmosphere with children clearly settled and engaged in a range of activities which lead to good achievement. In Years 1 to 6, classroom management skills and pupils' behaviour are good because discipline is firm, fair and consistent. The school accurately perceives these aspects of teaching to be good. The school recognises that accelerating the pace of pupils' learning, raising teachers' expectations of how much individual pupils can achieve and broadening the range of learning strategies are priorities that will bring further improvements in performance. New resources such as interactive whiteboards help to enliven teaching. Teaching assistants work well in partnership with teachers, make an important contribution to learning, and effectively support

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Grade: 3

pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those at an early stage of learning English.

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Grade: 3

The school is beginning to successfully link subjects and visits, so that pupils enjoy and understand their learning. For example, children in the Reception classes used their visit to the aquarium to extend writing and research skills using ICT. Overall, the curriculum is well planned to promote good personal development. Since the last inspection, the school has improved music and introduced French, which has a positive impact on pupils' confidence, self-esteem and enjoyment of learning. Pupils are contributing more to the community as was evident when they sang carols on HMS Belfast. Extra activities make learning fun and promote important fitness skills, and links with the drugs awareness charity are successfully helping pupils to understand about how to be safe. The curriculum is modified to meet the needs of most pupils but is not fully successful in ensuring that the most able learners achieve their full

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Good risk assessments ensure that pupils are taught in a safe and welcoming environment. A parent stated that when her child 4 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007 was bullied 'the class teacher was really good and completely solved the problem with the help of the head.' There are many initiatives which help pupils to understand how to stay safe and healthy. Child protection procedures are rigorous and any concerns are quickly followed up. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is satisfactory. Assessment procedures and monitoring of pupils' academic progress are at an early stage in their development although the new tracking arrangements are now beginning to have a positive impact on achievement.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. In the last year, significant staffing difficulties have been resolved and leaders have been trained on how to evaluate the work of the school more effectively. As a result, they know the school's strengths and have clear plans in place to address weaker elements. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are improving as assessment systems and the tracking of pupils' progress develop satisfactorily. The role of middle managers is developing steadily, so that they can enhance school improvement and take an active role in monitoring. Leaders have taken satisfactory action to improve standards and achievement. For example, improved opportunities for pupils to develop speaking skills are lifting the achievement for those learning English as a new language. This shows satisfactory progress since the last inspection when it was a weakness. Governance has improved and individual governors

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Grade: 3

offer a wide range of expertise. In the past two years the governing body has effectively supported the headteacher and senior staff on a number of curriculum and staffing issues. 5 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 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: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 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? 2 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 2 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?

3 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: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 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: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. We were very impressed by how friendly, helpful and polite you all were. It made our visit a very pleasant one. Yours is a satisfactory school which is making every effort to improve. The things that we particularly liked about your school were: • Staff take good care of you and help you to feel happy at school. • You are keen to learn and join in well with the activities, clubs and visits the school offers. • You enjoy coming to school, get on well with each other and behave well. • You eat healthily, act responsibly and make a good contribution to the school. These are things we asked the school, with your help, to do to make it even better. • Improve standards of writing in Years 1 and 2. • Make really thorough checks on your progress as you move through the school. You can help by always telling your teachers when you do not understand the work you are given.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Teachers to share the best practice on learning in the school and so help you achieve your best work. Thank you again and best wishes for the future to all of you. Yours sincerely Brian Evans Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Charlotte Sharman Primary School, 11 °12 January 2007

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