Phoenix Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 22 Feb 2007

Eveline Lowe Primary School Inspection report

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100817 Unique Reference Number Southwark Local Authority 285890 Inspection number 21 °22 February 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 373 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Eileen Adams Chair Mr Gary Foskett Headteacher 14 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection Marlborough Grove School address London SE1 5JT

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020 7237 3207 Telephone number 020 7252 0283 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 21 °22 February 2007 Inspection dates 285890 Inspection number .

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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

Eveline Lowe is larger than most primary schools and occupies two sites. It is an ethnically diverse school located in an area of high social and economic disadvantage. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. A significant majority of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Almost half of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is well above average. The school has achieved the Artsmark Gold standard and the Healthy Schools status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007

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Grade: 4

Eveline Lowe is a school which, while having a number of strong features, has significant weaknesses. This is because the leadership and management have not taken effective action to secure improvement and pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This means that the school's overall effectiveness is inadequate. The school places strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. As a result pupils grow in confidence as they move through the Foundation Stage to Year 6. Pupils like coming to school, behave well and have good attitudes to learning. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and plan interesting activities that pupils enjoy. The school provides good standards of care and welfare and includes all pupils equally in its work. Pupils understand what it means to be healthy and feel safe in school. In the Foundation Stage, children progress well in their personal development and make satisfactory progress overall. However, elsewhere in the school standards are not as high as

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Grade: 4

those reported at the last inspection. Assessments at the end of Year 2 show that standards have been below average for several years. Pupils continue to underachieve in Years 3-6 in English, mathematics and science. By the time pupils leave Year 6 standards in these subjects are exceptionally low. The current school improvement plan focuses more clearly on raising standards but its effectiveness is not yet being monitored rigorously enough to ensure that the pace of improvement quickens. The high turnover of staff in recent years led to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. These have been resolved and teaching is now satisfactory. However, teachers do not make sufficient use of assessment to ensure that tasks are consistently challenging for all pupils, particularly the more able. This limits the pace of their learning. In 2006 the leadership introduced a computerised system for improving the monitoring of pupils' progress, but this is not yet

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Grade: 4

sufficiently established to provide a complete picture of how well pupils achieve from year to year. The headteacher is reluctant to acknowledge pupils' underachievement. As a result there has been a lack of urgency in securing improvement. The key issue of raising standards in English has not been successfully addressed. The school's monitoring and evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses have not been sufficiently rigorous or accurate, especially in relation to teaching and learning. In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise achievement in English, mathematics and science • Improve the quality of monitoring and self-evaluation to provide a more accurate picture of teaching, learning, standards and achievement. • Ensure that the new development plan is implemented effectively to quicken the pace of improvement. • Make better use of assessment in lessons in order to accelerate pupils' progress and raise standards. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007

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Grade: 4

Standards are significantly below average by the end of Year 6. Pupils' achievement is inadequate given their attainment at the end of Year 2. All groups, regardless of their background or ability, underachieve and do not make as much progress as they should. This is because pupils' progress has not been systematically monitored or clear targets set for improvement. Consequently, work has not consistently matched pupils' needs or provided the challenge required to ensure the expected progress and achievement. Results in national tests vary a little from year to year depending on differing abilities in the cohort. Pupils' performance in mathematics was very low until 2006 when more pupils gained the expected level. This was due to improving identification of what the school needed to do to raise standards. However, standards in English and Science show deterioration from results in 2004. The school has not done enough to secure

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Grade: 4

sustained improvement. Standards in reading are stronger than in writing, where pupils' skills are particularly weak. Children start in the nursery with lower skills and knowledge than are expected for children of their age. In the Foundation Stage they make satisfactory progress towards the goals they are expected to achieve, although attainment remains below expectations when they enter Year 1. Assessments at the end of Year 2 show that overall standards have remained well below the expected level for a number of years. Pupils' progress has been inconsistent from year to year reflecting the high rate of staff turnover and consequent variations in the quality of teaching. As a result, improvements in reading in 2004 and 2005, when standards were close to the national average, have not been sustained.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory with strengths in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. Relationships are strong and pupils and staff treat each other with respect. Behaviour is good and pupils show concern and consideration for each other. Pupils understand clearly the difference between right and wrong and the importance of the choices they make. Pupils are aware of safety issues and know how to stay safe. They understand the need for healthy food and exercise and take advantage of the opportunities the school provides for physical activities. Members of the school council and Year 6 playground prefects take their responsibilities seriously. They have plans to help make their school a better place for everyone. Pupils' future economic well-being is enhanced by good personal development but hampered by under-developed literacy and

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Grade: 3

numeracy skills. Despite some recent improvement attendance remains below average. The school does not do enough to involve pupils and raise their awareness of the importance of regular attendance in preparation for their future lives.

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Grade: 3

Teachers prepare lessons conscientiously and identify clear learning objectives. Their lively and encouraging manner helps to motivate pupils and create a constructive working environment. Paired discussions are used well to involve all pupils in exploring ideas and to develop their 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007 speaking and listening skills. Teachers now pay closer attention to pupils' differing needs and plan more effectively to meet them. However, some positive features, such as telling pupils what they need to do to produce a successful piece of work and the involvement of pupils in self evaluation, are still not consistent across the school. In some lessons, pupils are not consistently challenged and motivated. This is because teachers' day to day assessment of pupils' work is not sharp enough. As a result, some pupils, particularly the higher attainers do

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Grade: 3

not always receive work that closely matches their abilities. Teaching assistants are well deployed. They help ensure that pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those learning English as an additional language are successfully included in lessons. Recent improvements in teaching have brought about greater consistency, but pupils are not yet making sufficient progress to eradicate the legacy of underachievement.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good. The school places strong and successful emphasis on personal development. A good programme of activities helps pupils to develop a healthy life style and understand how to stay safe. The curriculum for the arts is strong and the school has achieved the Artsmark Gold Award for arts provision. This contributes to the good level of motivation shown by pupils. The wide variety of extra-curricular clubs ensures that there is something for every child to enjoy. The curriculum is enriched by visits which broaden pupils' experiences and enhance their learning. Very good use is made of the local area. Out of school opportunities for gifted and talented pupils are good but in lessons the most able are often not challenged enough. An attractive school garden provides a very useful outside learning area.

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Grade: 3

Nearly all parents say that their children are safe and well-cared for. There is a firm code of discipline which pupils understand and which is applied well. Vulnerable pupils, including those with statements of educational need, are well supported by a range of staff, including the two learning mentors and the teacher assistants provided for each class. Risk assessments are appropriately conducted. A central record on adults who have contact with children is not in place but the necessary checks have been made. The school has the Healthy Schools Status award and promotes health well. The tracking of pupils' academic progress has been improved during the current school year through the use of a very good computer program. However, curriculum co-ordinators are not yet using the resulting information effectively to tackle underachievement.

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Grade: 4

Leadership and management have some strong aspects, such as the emphasis on pupils' personal development and pastoral care, and the provision of a good range of curriculum experiences. These have promoted an environment in which pupils are happy and enjoy school. Considerable time has been spent in preparing for major improvements to the upper school building which currently is too cramped. Popular Saturday trips are provided for parents in partnership with four other schools. Parents expressed their satisfaction with the school. However, there has 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007 been too little emphasis on improving progress and raising standards and, because of this, leadership and management are inadequate. The school does not have an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses because monitoring and evaluation are inadequate. The school has been slow to collect and analyse information

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Grade: 4

about pupils. The monitoring of teaching does not focus sufficiently on the impact of teaching on pupils' progress. The school's self evaluation, the head teacher's report to the governors and curriculum leader evaluations are very superficial and do not analyse and explain strengths and weaknesses in enough depth. For example, there is no reference in the school's self evaluation to standards achieved by Year 2 or of the very low value-added scores at the end of Year 6. The headteacher's evaluation of key features of the school's work is unduly positive, for example, in failing to acknowledge pupils' underachievement. Consequently, the school is not giving value for money. Although the current school improvement plan is a useful document with an improved focus on standards, it is not yet driving forward school improvement. Too few staff were involved in its creation and its implementation is not yet being monitored. Consequently, the pace of

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Grade: 4

improvement is too slow. Governors are supportive of the school and committed to its interests. They question the school's performance and are involved in strategic decision making. However, their expectations in terms of the information they receive through the headteacher's report and the school's self-evaluation document are not high enough. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007 .

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Grade: 4

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 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 4 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 4 The capacity to make any necessary improvements No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 4 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 4 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 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 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? Yes Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

4 May 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Eveline Lowe Primary School, Marlborough Grove, London, SE1 5JT We enjoyed meeting you when we visited your school. Thank you for helping us. This letter is to tell you what we found out about your school. We found you to be polite and well behaved. You get on well with each other and you develop good relationships with adults in the school. You told us that you enjoy coming to school and we could see that you worked well in lessons. The adults take good care of you and provide you with lots of interesting activities, including trips out of school and extra-curricular clubs. In spite of this, we found that you do not do as well in your work as you should do, especially in English, mathematics and science because the standard of education you receive is not good enough. This is because teachers do not always have a clear idea of your progress and the work they set you is not always hard enough. We would like them to make more careful checks of

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your progress in lessons so that they can match work more accurately to your needs. Although the school now has clearer plans to make things better, we think that more could be done to help you to do better in your learning. We have decided that your school requires 'special measures'. This means that it needs more help from outside to improve your progress and raise the standards that you achieve. We hope that you will continue to enjoy your time at Eveline Lowe and are sure that your teachers will work hard to ensure the improvements are made. Best wishes for the future. Christine Canniff Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Eveline Lowe Primary School, 21 °22 February 2007

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