John Burns Primary School

John Burns Primary School Inspection report

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101014 Unique Reference Number Wandsworth Local Authority 285943 Inspection number 13 December 2007 Inspection date Sheila Nolan 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 212 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Nicki Goddard Chair Ms Maura Keady Headteacher 26 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection Wycliffe Road School address Lavender Hill London SW11 5QR 020 7228 3857 Telephone number 020 7801 0036 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 13 December 2007 Inspection date 285943 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 an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ How well children in the Foundation Stage make progress?

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Introduction

■ How well pupils achieve in reading and mathematics?

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Introduction

■ How effectively the school promotes the pupils' personal development as well as their academic success? Evidence was gathered from the school's self-evaluation, by observing lessons, scrutinising the school's records of pupils' standards and achievement and other documentation, and by discussions with students and staff. Parents' responses to questionnaires also informed judgements. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in the school's self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

The John Burns School serves a community that is very diverse, socially, economically and culturally. The school is popular with families in the local area and is oversubscribed. A high proportion of pupils are from a wide range of ethnic heritages and many join the school at other than the usual times. A third of the pupils has a home language other than English and a similar proportion is eligible for free school meals. The number with learning difficulties and disabilities is twice that nationally. Attainment on entry to Year 1 is below average in most years when other than nursery pupils also join the school. Just under a half of all children entering the Nursery have little or no use of English.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 2007

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Grade: 1

The John Burns School has gone from strength to strength since its last inspection. It is now an outstandingly successful school with pupils' progress similar to that of the top five percent of primary schools nationally. This judgement reflects the school's accurate evaluation of its work to promote 'a love of learning and the pursuit of excellence'. All staff consider it a 'wonderful place to be' and work tirelessly towards fulfilling the school's aim. Pupils and parents are happy to be part of John Burns. A parent wrote, 'We are happy customers,' while a pupil commented, 'Everyone is gentle and nobody is without friends'. The school thoroughly deserves its excellent local reputation. Standards are well above average and all groups of pupils achieve exceptionally well. Pupils make good progress in all areas of learning to reach average standards by the end of Year 2. Their achievements in writing exceed those in reading and mathematics. This is because of the

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Grade: 1

school's particularly sharp focus on encouraging children's writing. Progress accelerates as pupils move through the school and become ever more confident and independent learners. They are particularly successful in English. Those for whom English is an additional language make rapid gains in fluency. The school excels in supporting the achievement of the many pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities. The sustained improvements over six years at John Burns owe much to the inspirational leadership of the headteacher, the dedicated senior team and very committed staff. Outstanding leadership and management have ensured that each staff member has a strong sense of teamwork and is ambitious for the pupils. Teachers and support staff create a lively learning environment in which children can thrive whatever their starting points. A major strength of the school is the very effective coordination of information on pupils' aptitudes, potential

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Grade: 1

attainment and personal needs. This enables staff to set challenging but realistic targets for each pupil. Resources are targeted very carefully to support the progress of individuals and to ensure a fully inclusive ethos. Governors, too, take their responsibilities seriously and play a full part in the school's development. They are assiduous in ensuring that funding is matched well to improvement plans arising from the school's accurate and robust self-evaluation. At the heart of the school's outstanding care, guidance and support for pupils is the way it involves parent and other external agencies in their nurture. This is central to the school's exceptional success with vulnerable pupils and others with complex needs or emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. As a result, pupils' personal development is outstanding. Each pupil is very well known, particularly to senior staff. The calm atmosphere allows individual

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Grade: 1

pupils the space they need to explore issues and experiences important to them, sometimes through carefully targeted play therapy. Arrangements for pupils' academic guidance are also very effective. Systematic checks on pupils' learning identify rapidly where help is needed. Teaching assistants are assigned thoughtfully to ensure high quality additional support. The school sets great store on maintaining a strong adult presence in classrooms and around the site. Excellent attention to basic skills, together with a strong 'can do' culture, ensures that students prepare very effectively for the next stage of their education. They and their parents are able to approach the transition with confidence because of excellent liaison with partner secondary institutions. Pupils clearly enjoy school and the overwhelming majority attend very regularly. They are convinced that any absence will rob them of exciting and important opportunities. The school

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Grade: 1

4 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 2007 does its level best to find ways to support good attendance and punctuality for vulnerable pupils and those struggling to settle into new living environments. Governors, too, have well-considered strategies to support families who find regular attendance a challenge. The school council is managed exceptionally efficiently by a Year 6 chairperson. Members from all age groups are enthusiastic about their roles and are convinced they make a difference to others, accurately reflecting their opinions and suggestions. They manage a significant budget carefully and, for example, take responsibility for playground equipment. Individuals feel very safe in school and are serious about safety at playtimes. Their spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is also outstanding. Pupils are keen to celebrate and share each other's cultural and religious traditions. Relationships between children are

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Grade: 1

harmonious and characterised by a marked tolerance and respect for each other and the adults around them. Most try to eat healthily, encouraged by the school's efforts to ensure ready access to fruit, milk, water and nutritious meals. An increasing number cycle to school and take part in out-of-hours sports clubs. Pupils of all ages take on a range of responsibilities. Through the school choir, many are involved in music making for local and London-wide events. Consistently good and often outstanding teaching and an exceptionally well thought-out and co-ordinated curriculum underpin the pupils' rapid progress and success in learning. The saturation programme in literacy accounts for the pupils' high achievement by the end of school. Classrooms are a hive of purposeful activity. Children benefit greatly from the emphasis teachers place on communicating understanding and on group and paired cooperative learning and

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Grade: 1

assessment activities. In mathematics, for example, even the youngest pupils are confident in using technical language accurately and in explaining their methods and answers. Literacy development is encouraged greatly by pupils' evaluation of their work and by praise for really good efforts. Pupils and parents are delighted with the wide range of clubs and other out-of-hours opportunities. All Year 6 pupils, for example, successfully completed the Grade 1 music course for the clarinet.

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Grade: 1

Provision for Nursery and Reception children is excellent. Many children enter the Nursery with low literacy rates and often little knowledge of English. Careful observation and planning for their individual needs ensures these children get off to a very good start. Because of the careful balance of activities directed by teachers and those where children make their own choices, they make rapid progress and gain steadily in fluency in English. Exceptional cooperation between, teachers, support staff and parents ensures that children's all round development is a priority. By the end of the Reception class, most are working securely within the expected goals for learning. Their social and emotional development, attitudes to learning and thinking skills show fast progress but because of their language needs, they develop more slowly in linking sounds and letters. The exciting learning and play areas ensure children thrive on

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Grade: 1

interesting things to do, both indoors and out.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils have the same immersion opportunities in mathematics as in reading and writing. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

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

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 1 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?

1 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 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 January 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of John Burns Primary School,London,SW11 5QR Thank you for welcoming me to the John Burns School and for sharing not only your ideas and opinions but also your musical assembly, your lessons and your Christmas lunch. Thank you, particularly to the school council who so ably shared their activities with me. I was especially impressed by your excellent chair and by how well you manage that substantial budget. You and your parents are rightly proud of John Burns. You all think that it is an excellent school and I agree with you. Your exceptional headteacher, staff and governors want the best for you and are determined that you make as much progress as you can in lessons and in your personal development. Because you enjoy school so much, the vast majority of you attend well, work very hard and make very fast progress, particularly in English. Staff know you all individually and look after you very well. You also help to look after others,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

particularly those younger than you. You told me you feel really comfortable in school and that there is always someone to help you if you are distressed. You try to eat healthily and I was impressed by the guidelines you follow for your packed lunches. You are right to want more green vegetables in your otherwise nutritious hot meals. You are confident to express your views but at the same time very ready to listen to others. You understand the importance of helping those outside your community and are ready to support children overseas. When thinking about how it could be even better, your school is very clear that it would like to provide you with as extensive a programme in mathematics as in literacy. I am sure you will continue to do your level best to cooperate with your teachers and continue to help support those in need of extra help. I wish you a very happy future at John Burns. Sheila Nolan

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: John Burns Primary School, 13 December 2007

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