Rhodes Avenue Primary School

Inspection Report Rhodes Avenue Primary School

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102128 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 286280 Inspection number 6 March 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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Rhodes Avenue School address Primary Type of school London Community School category N22 7UT 3 °11 Age range of pupils 020 8888 2859 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 8881 7090 Fax number 472 Number on roll (school) Ms Alison Vaughan Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Christine Witham Headteacher 29 April 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286280 6 March 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Rhodes Avenue is a larger-than-average primary school. It has a higher proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds than most schools but none are at the early stages of learning English. The school serves an area that is more advantaged than most. Pupils enter school with attainment that is above average. The deputy has been acting headteacher for periods in the last year while the substantiative headteacher has had compassionate leave. Currently, the headteacher is able to attend for part of each week.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school that continually strives for, and achieves excellence. Parents' high aspirations for their children are met and consequently they value the work of the school. They are overwhelmingly positive about the school and as one parent wrote, `My son has grown in confidence in his studies and in himself since coming to Rhodes Avenue. The teaching is first-rate'. Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage and make good progress as a result of the good teaching. By the end of Year 6, pupils have attained standards which have been exceptionally high in the four years prior to 2006. In these years, from their above average starting points pupils have made excellent progress in English, mathematics and science. In the 2006 national tests there was a slight dip in performance. Pupils in Year 6 again made excellent progress in mathematics, science and reading. However, fewer pupils than expected attained the highest level in writing.

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Grade: 1

The school has developed a number of strategies to correct this and progress has been accelerated. However, it is not possible to be precise about the amount of the improvement made. This is because the school is just beginning to collate the extensive assessment data that it has for each pupil to chart progress made by pupils more accurately. The quality of teaching is consistently good. There is a high proportion of outstanding teaching for the older pupils and this underpins their excellent progress. Parents also make a significant contribution to their children's learning through support for work at home and by helping out in school. They help to enhance the curriculum, particularly in art, drama and creative writing. As a result, pupils have a rich range of experiences and enjoy school very much. They feel very safe and play their full part in making this a good place to be. They are very well prepared for the next stage in their life, both

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Grade: 1

academically and socially. The school is exceptionally well led by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, ably supported by her senior leadership team. They have maintained high standards by a relentless drive to correct any identified slippage in performance. Actions are firmly rooted in evidence and agreed policies are implemented consistently by the whole staff. Self-evaluation is good except that the school tends to be cautious in its judgements. The school has continued to make good progress since the previous inspection and capacity to improve further is also good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that pupils achieve as well in writing as in their other basic skills. • Ensure that there is an accurate record of the progress made by pupils. 2 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

Children make good progress in the Nursery and enter Reception with good language and numeracy skills. They attain standards in the tests at the end of Year 2 which are above average. In 2006, progress in Key Stage 1 in mathematics was satisfactory only. This is because too few of the more able girls attained the highest level. The school has addressed this through a programme including support for teachers and increased monitoring of planning. Progress accelerates significantly in Key Stage 2, particularly in mathematics, as a result of some outstanding teaching. Even given the high starting points, the average value added by the school in English, mathematics and science is consistently in the top 10% nationally and is usually in the top 5%. There was a dip in the writing results in 2006. The school has reviewed its provision, has created an extra group for literacy in Year 6, and has organised additional writing workshops for

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Grade: 1

more able pupils. The workshops benefit from the input of a parent who has considerable knowledge and expertise in children's literature. Parents also support the reading programme extensively and contribute to the high standards. There are no underachieving groups. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make the same progress as their classmates.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are outstanding. They develop into responsible and mature young people. They make an excellent contribution to school life and to the wider community. The quality of relationships and behaviour in the school are very good. A few parents expressed concerns about bullying. The school has made combating bullying a high priority, and the school council has made an effective contribution to the debate about procedures to be adopted. Pupils say that there are few incidences and have confidence in the adults to resolve these. They believe that `peer mediators' are respected by fellow pupils. As one pupil said, `It is not a problem. If anything does happen the teacher will sort it'.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good and this is also the school's judgement. There are examples of excellent teaching in all years but more frequently for older pupils. The teachers have good subject knowledge, give clear explanations and use questioning well to help pupils develop their ideas and thinking. They make good use of resources including interactive whiteboards. This adds interest to lessons, increases pupils' motivation and consequently they say, `We learn in lots of different ways' and `It is 3 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007 fun but you still learn'. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are very effectively supported in literacy and numeracy lessons by class teachers and by specialist staff. The school has analysed the reasons for the lower performance in writing. One outcome is that there is more attention being given to constructive feedback to pupils

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Grade: 2

through marking of their work. The school recognises that there has been insufficient challenge in mathematics for the most able pupils in Key Stage 1 and this has been identified as an area for development. Pupils also say that they are appreciative of the help that they receive at home.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding in the Foundation Stage and in the main school. The school's excellent provision for health education, sports and art have been acknowledged by nationally accredited awards. Consequently, the pupils have an excellent understanding of healthy living issues and produce some outstanding artwork. The many opportunities to listen to uplifting music, to sing, investigate in science and explore art and drama create moments of awe and wonder for the pupils. Many parents provide invaluable support including for special curriculum weeks and projects, local history week, art days and pottery. The school continues to develop the curriculum and has introduced French for the older pupils. The opportunities for pupils to write creatively have been increased considerably this year. There have also been improvements in the provision for pupils' personal and social education that contribute

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Grade: 1

to the high standards. There is a rich range of extra-curricular activities and many visitors come to the school to share their experiences.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. There are very good induction procedures into the Nursery and Reception classes that ensure that children settle quickly into the routines of the school. The school works hard and successfully at raising the self-esteem of all pupils. Staff know pupils well and there is effective working with other agencies to support vulnerable pupils. The school works also very well with local secondary schools to ensure a smooth transition at the end of Year 6. Pupils know their targets and what they have to do to improve. The school has extensive assessment data on each individual pupil. There are good procedures for sharing this data with between staff as necessary. The school is developing its tracking of pupils' progress, but until this is fully established it cannot be sure that it identifies slippage in performance as early as it might in all cases. For instance, it does not have a complete picture of the

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Grade: 2

progress of the small minority ethnic groups. 4 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and this is shared by governors, staff and pupils. The very good structures and procedures mean that the school is able to continue to grow and operate smoothly in the absence of the headteacher for significant periods. This is also possible because the school has some strong middle managers who contribute significantly to the strong pastoral care and very good leadership for subjects. The school makes very effective use of data from external sources such as Ofsted and the local authority to raise standards and achievement. It has been used well, for instance, to target support effectively in Key Stage 2 and has contributed to the excellent progress made by pupils. The governors are very actively involved in the school and hold it to account very well. They have instigated a rolling programme of questionnaires for both parents and

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Grade: 1

pupils. These are acted upon and consequently most parents and pupils feel that their views are valued. 5 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 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

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 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 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?

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: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 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: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your help and cooperation when I inspected your school. I spoke to some of you around the school and met a group of your school councillors. You told me how much you enjoy coming to school, that the teachers make the lessons fun and that you feel very safe there. The school councillors told me that their voice is heard. For instance, they were able to make suggestions when the school was drawing up a new anti-bullying policy. You told me that behaviour is good. My main finding is that Rhodes Avenue is an outstanding school. It is very well led, the teaching is good and as a result pupils achieve high standards in the SATs. Your parents and carers also contribute to this. They help at home, but also in school with reading, creative writing workshops, art, pottery and special events. You play your part by being ready to learn, behaving and attending well. You also benefit from a variety of after-school clubs, trips and interesting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

visitors to come to the school. You have a very thriving community. The school is continually striving to improve further. I have indicated two ways of doing this. I would like to see pupils attaining the standards in writing that they do in their reading and mathematics. I am also asking that the school uses the data it collects to follow more closely the progress that you make in your work. Thank you again. I wish you continuing success in the future. Barry Jones Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Rhodes Avenue Primary School, 6 March 2007

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