Greenwood Primary School

Greenwood Primary School Inspection report

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101899 Unique Reference Number Ealing Local Authority 286211 Inspection number 2 May 2007 Inspection date Barry Jones 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 449 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Betty Boggust Chair Mr Peter La Farge Headteacher 16 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection Wood End Way School address Northolt UB5 4QG

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020 8422 9630 Telephone number 020 8422 2106 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 2 May 2007 Inspection date 286211 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.

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Description of the school

Greenwood is a larger-than-average primary school. It has higher proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and for whom English is an additional language than most schools. More pupils than usual join or leave the school throughout the year. Attainment on entry varies from below average in some years to well below average in others. The school is on a split site; Foundation and Key Stage 1 classes are located in one building and Key Stage 2 classes in a second.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007

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Grade: 2

Greenwood is a good school in which pupils make rapid progress both academically and socially. This is principally because of consistently good leadership and teaching. Most staff have been at the school for several years and consequently know the pupils well. They use this knowledge to provide good care and support. This is very much appreciated by the parents and one summed this up, `Greenwood provides a and;quot;whole packageand;quot; for my son; high quality learning, an emphasis on enjoying school and achieving at the best of his ability'. Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage as a result of the good provision. This key stage is managed well and the very good procedures for assessment contribute significantly to the good teaching and to the positive learning attitudes of the children. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards that are broadly average. Given their low starting points this means that

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Grade: 2

pupils' achievement is good. The progress made by pupils in Key Stage 1 is consistently good though there was a dip in performance in Key Stage 2 in 2006. Some pupils did not do as well as the school expected in science and writing although progress was still satisfactory. The school has analysed the reasons for this thoroughly and positive action means that the school is back on track in science. The school has looked carefully at the teaching of writing but it is too early to judge the effectiveness of the initiatives taken. Pastoral support is strong and consequently pupils feel safe. They enjoy school and this is shown by their good attendance. Behaviour is good and the pupils show a mutual respect for one another's beliefs and cultures that underpins the very positive relationships in the school. This positive ethos is strengthened further by a good curriculum that is modified to reflect the very ethnically diverse school community. The school tracks the progress of individual pupils

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Grade: 2

meticulously and teachers use this information well to plan lessons. This contributes significantly to the good progress made by pupils since it means that support can be targeted where needed. The school does not analyse the performance of different groups, such as those joining during the key stage, with the same precision. Consequently, it cannot pinpoint why pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress overall despite the good provision. Leadership and management are good. The school has high expectations and is very reflective and knows its strengths and weaknesses well. Given its track record of good achievement and care, capacity to improve further is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Evaluate the impact of strategies to raise standards in writing and modify them appropriately to ensure that pupils make good progress. • Extend the analyses of the school's own data to monitor the performance of different groups of pupils.

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Grade: 2

The older pupils had skills that were well below average when they entered the school. In recent years, standards at the end of the Foundation Stage have been close to national expectations in several respects. This reflects the changes in the intake and the good progress made by the children. The school attaches a high priority to supporting pupils with English as an additional language in their first few years in the school. This approach is successful and these pupils 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007 increase their fluency in English. In turn, this means that they start to make better progress in other subjects. Consequently, standards are average generally and mathematics is above average at the end of Key Stage 1. In each of the years from 2002 to 2005, pupils achieved well in tests at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. There was a speedy analysis following

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Grade: 2

the pupils' lower performance in 2006. The school identified that pupils lacked sharp investigative skills in science. The curriculum has been changed, considerable staff training has taken place and pupils' progress in science has accelerated. The relative lower performance in writing is more long standing and the school has tried several strategies with limited success. The school has formulated a new action plan but it is too early to say whether standards have risen significantly as a result.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural understanding is good. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong and this is shown in the tolerance they demonstrate to one another. The very few racist incidents are treated very seriously and are tackled promptly. Similarly, pupils say that rare occurrences of bullying are dealt with by adults sensitively and effectively. The class teachers have developed a variety of ways for pupils to express their feelings, such as a problem board, problem boxes and `talk time'. As a result the pupils are confident that they can voice their concerns. As one pupil said and others agreed, `Children trust the teacher. If there is a problem the teacher has a word. If it carries on, the parents are contacted and it stops.' The school council feels that its views are valued. It has influenced the provision of equipment in the playground and is consulted on such issues as whether laptops should be available to

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Grade: 2

pupils. Pupils have a good understanding of healthy living issues and the school has been awarded the `activemark' in view of pupils' high take up of physical activities. Other pupils also make a good contribution to the community. For instance, they raise monies for charities and older pupils help younger ones to settle when they transfer from the infant site. There are good liaison arrangements with the high school to ensure a smooth transfer at age 11 years. Preparation for future economic well-being is satisfactory because of pupils' average literacy, numeracy and computer skills.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have good classroom management skills. Consequently, pupils speak highly of their teachers, find lessons interesting and have positive learning attitudes. In the Foundation Stage, support assistants are briefed well and the good teamwork underpins the good provision. Teachers throughout the school share objectives with the pupils who therefore know what they are expected to learn. In addition, the quality of marking is good and indicates to the pupils how they might improve further. The use of information and communication technology by teachers to promote learning is less consistent. For instance, two teachers have successfully integrated the use of interactive whiteboards into their teaching but the same facilities are not available to other teachers or classes. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007

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Grade: 2

The quality of the curriculum is good. In the Foundation Stage there is a good balance between teacher-led activities and opportunities for children to learn through well planned play. There is good provision for numeracy and promoting pupils' speaking, listening and reading skills throughout the school. Teachers are constantly seeking to improve the provision for writing, a new strategy is currently being researched and staff are attending training with a view to it being implemented. The science curriculum has been enriched by more opportunities for pupils to investigate scientific principles for themselves. The school successfully takes into account the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the pupils and this is commented on positively by the pupils. This contributes to their feeling valued. There is a rich range of extra-curricular provision including after-school clubs, visits and a residential trip for Year 6 pupils. The school is seeking

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Grade: 2

to improve further and is currently developing its teaching and learning policy to incorporate initiatives that are aimed at improving pupils' skills to learn effectively.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The good care stems from the individual teacher but is complemented by effective working with other agencies. The support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is coordinated well. The available data shows that these pupils make satisfactory progress but the data is incomplete as it only includes those still receiving support at the end of a key stage. A significant number of pupils make sufficient progress so that they no longer need additional support and are not included in the analysis. A more incisive analysis of the achievement of this group of pupils using the school's own data is likely to show that they make good progress. Otherwise, the tracking of individual pupils' progress is very good and is a key factor in the school's success. Pupils have individual targets and understand what they need to do to meet these.

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Grade: 2

The leadership by the headteacher is very good and he sets a very clear direction for the school. He is ably supported by good senior and middle management. The school is on two sites and this is managed well. There are sensible policies for leadership of subjects involving staff from both sites. Inevitably, there is some duplication of resources and consequent demands on the budget. The school acts decisively and effectively where it identifies some underperformance, for instance, for science in Key Stage 2. Opportunities are missed to pick up the trends for groups by using the school's own data. The monitoring of teaching is thorough and useful feedback to teachers, linked to a good staff development programme, has maintained the good quality. Subject leaders monitor and evaluate work effectively. Governors are very supportive of the school. They have recently undertaken training which has sharpened their capacity to

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Grade: 2

act as a 'critical friend' to the school. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 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 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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

2 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 2 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

14 May 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Greenwood Primary School, Wood End Way, Northolt, UB5 4QG Many thanks for your help and cooperation when I inspected your school. You told me that Greenwood is a good school and I agree with you. You enjoy coming to school because you get along with one another and the staff look after you well. In response you behave well and so everyone feels safe. Some of your school council members told me how they have been able to influence decisions, particularly regarding the use of the playground. I was also interested to see that they had been invited to comment on whether the school should buy laptops or interactive whiteboards. The things I liked particularly about your school are: • children make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes • you make good progress in your work • you have good teachers and they find interesting things for you to do • you develop into mature, young people

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• you respect one another's different beliefs and cultures • the school is very well led by the headteacher and the staff work well as a team for him. I have asked the school to make improvements in two ways: • To find ways for you to produce the same good work in writing as you do in other skills. • To check on the progress of different groups to ensure that they all make sure that they all do equally well. You can play your part by continuing to behave and attend well. Make sure that if you do not understand to ask your teachers - they will be very pleased to help you. I wish you every success in the future. Barry JonesLead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Greenwood Primary School, 2 May 2007

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