Keir Hardie Primary School

Inspection Report Keir Hardie Primary School

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102725 Unique Reference Number Newham Local Authority 286471 Inspection number 1 °2 November 2006 Inspection dates Mary Summers 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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Edwin Street School address Primary Type of school London Community School category E16 1PZ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 020 7476 1284 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 020 7476 1262 Fax number 317 Number on roll (school) Mr Nicholas Christie Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Pauline Radford Headteacher 30 September 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286471 1 °2 November 2006 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

The school draws pupils from the local area which is currently undergoing regeneration. Over the last two years families have been moved into other areas and this has resulted in a drop in the school roll. Just under half the pupils come from Black African families and a quarter are White British. The remainder represent a wide range of minority ethnic groups. More than a fifth come from refugee families. About two thirds speak English as an additional language although only about ten per cent are in the early stages of learning the language. About a third of pupils are identified with learning difficulties. There has been an extremely high turnover of staff during the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 4

The school's work is inadequate. In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector 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 and governing it are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. Standards and achievement are inadequate. Although standards are broadly average in Year 6, they are well below average in Year 2 and reflect poor provision in the Foundation Stage and the slow progress pupils make in Years 1 and 2. Lessons are poorly planned and take little account of pupils' individual needs. Pupils in Years 3 to 5 achieve satisfactorily but there remain many gaps in their skills, knowledge and understanding. Year 6 teachers have to work extremely hard to ensure that pupils leave the school at appropriate levels.

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Grade: 4

Innovations begun last year have halted declining standards in Year 6, especially in science. A new programme is beginning to develop pupils' literacy skills but it is too soon to have made any difference to their achievement, especially in the younger classes. It has however, made older pupils aware of their current levels and what they must do to reach the next stage. This has increased their desire to succeed. Such motivation is not seen in lower age groups where lessons lack sparkle. The provision for pupils with learning difficulties, those for whom English is an additional language and gifted and talented pupils is inadequate. Systems to track their progress are insecure and lessons seldom plan appropriately to meet their needs. Despite the weaknesses in teaching, pupils behave well in class and around the school. They are learning how to keep safe and healthy through physical education and science

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Grade: 4

lessons as well as the good range of after-school clubs. Pupils develop a reasonable understanding of citizenship through their work on the school council and through useful activities within the local community. Leadership and management are inadequate. There is no clear strategic direction for the school's work and staff morale is low. There is an inflated view of the school's performance which is based upon insecure evidence. Important weaknesses have been overlooked, including some identified at the last inspection. The leadership has not provided senior staff with the support and guidance necessary to help the school move forward. The school shows an inadequate capacity to improve and provides inadequate value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Establish a clear vision for the school's work backed up by an effective strategic plan for improvement. • Develop the roles of leaders and managers at all levels to ensure they have the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve improvement. • Improve achievement in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. 2 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006 • Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring that lesson plans identify precise learning objectives and that teachers use assessment information to plan appropriately for pupils' individual needs. • Improve the quality of assessment for pupils with learning difficulties and those for whom English is an additional language. • Improve the quality of the school's self-evaluation by involving all stakeholders in the process.

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Grade: 4

Achievement and standards are inadequate, rather than satisfactory as the school judges. Children start school at levels which are below those expected for their age. They make inadequate progress in the nursery and reception classes and, by the time they start in Year 1, only a few reach nationally expected goals. The pupils continue to make slow progress in Years 1 and 2 and standards at the end of Year 2 are exceptionally low. They have fallen gradually over the past few years. Standards in Year 6 have varied from year to year but overall, results showed a downward trend up until 2005. Provisional results of the most recent national tests show an upswing, especially in science. This is because of a concerted effort to boost standards for this year group. However, achievement overall is inadequate because of the poor progress made in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2. Very few pupils reach the higher levels in the tests. Gifted and talented pupils, those with learning

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Grade: 4

difficulties, English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic backgrounds, especially Black African pupils, make insufficient progress.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are satisfactory rather than outstanding as the school thinks. Pupils show good levels of respect for one another's different cultures and values. Attendance is good. Older pupils enjoy lessons and are beginning to take pride in their achievements but this is not yet apparent in younger classes where pupils often lose interest in their work. Pupils behave well, even when lessons lack interest and challenge. However, they are not prepared well for the future as they do not have enough opportunities to learn how to work together co-operatively. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 do not develop enough independence in their learning. They lack confidence and motivation. Older pupils readily accept responsibility and those who are school councillors take their roles seriously. They take an active role within the wider community through

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Grade: 3

fund-raising and supporting elderly people. They know how to keep themselves safe. In developing healthy lifestyles, most choose healthy options in school and are keen to take part in sports. 3 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 4

The school considers these to be good but inspectors judge them to be inadequate. There is some good teaching, particularly in Years 3 to 6, but too many lessons provide inadequate challenge. They lack clear focus and fail to cater for pupils' different needs. All pupils within a class are often expected to complete the same work. The most able pupils find it too easy and make little progress and those with learning difficulties often struggle as the teachers' expectations are unrealistic. Lessons are not planned carefully enough. Not enough thought is given to exactly what pupils are expected to learn and teachers try to cover too much. Pupils become confused and need a great deal of support to complete the tasks. Children's progress in the nursery and reception is not assessed regularly enough to ensure that the correct experiences are offered to help them take the next steps in their learning. Throughout

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Grade: 4

the school, insufficient attention is given to promoting pupils' speaking skills and this hinders pupils for whom English is an additional language. Although lesson plans identify key vocabulary, this is seldom referred to and pupils have few opportunities to use it. Older pupils know their targets in literacy and numeracy but are not always given enough guidance in their books about how to improve.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors disagree with the school's view that the curriculum is good. A good range of extracurricular activities contributes to pupils developing good healthy lifestyles but overall, the curriculum is satisfactory. Visits to famous landmarks in the city, for example, the Houses of Parliament help pupils to develop a good understanding of the rich historical culture of the area. Increasing emphasis is being placed on developing pupils' basic literacy, numeracy and speaking skills, but these are not yet consistently reinforced through other subjects. Personal laptops in Years 5 and 6 are beginning to improve pupils' achievements. Weekly lessons in personal, social and health education ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe as well as helping them develop a good understanding of sexual health and drugs related issues. Useful opportunities are provided for them to contribute to the community through environmental projects and links with the local

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Grade: 3

council. However, gifted and talented pupils, those who have learning difficulties and those for whom English is an additional language are not well enough supported through the curriculum and this inhibits their progress. 4 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Grade: 4

The school evaluates these aspects as good but inspection evidence shows them to be inadequate. The level of care provided is good. Staff are vigilant in ensuring pupils' safety and this contributes to pupils' feelings of security and their readiness to learn. Parents are generally satisfied with the school although inspectors agree with those who would like to be consulted more about future development. Academic guidance for the pupils is inadequate. Systems to track pupils' progress are new and not being used well enough by teachers to support their lesson planning. Assessment procedures for pupils with learning difficulties are inadequate. Many of these pupils have only very recently been identified and their needs are not being met. Systems to assess pupils with English as an additional language are more established although there remains much work to be done to ensure all teachers are able to assess

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Grade: 4

The school has no clear vision for the future. There is no cohesion amongst staff, many of whom are working in isolation. Inexperienced teachers have not been given the right support to help them improve. The school has an inflated view of its performance. Evaluations are based on the opinions of a very small number of people, rather than on good evidence and the views of school stakeholders, including staff. This has led to poor strategic planning which does not address the important areas of weakness. Leadership and management are inadequate. There are some strengths in the management of English and science which have helped to halt falling standards in Year 6 but overall, senior staff do not have the knowledge and skills necessary to move the school forward. Assessment information is not analysed in sufficient detail to pinpoint underachievement. Lessons are not monitored rigorously enough to identify

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Grade: 4

specifically how teachers need to improve. Governors depend too much on the headteacher, rather than finding things out for themselves. They do not hold the school to account for its performance. Performance management is weak. Huge resources have to be directed into Year 6 to help pupils make up for their lack of progress in previous years. Despite a rise in standards in the most recent national tests, standards have fallen steadily since the last inspection. Many of the issues identified then, still remain. 5 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006 .

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Grade: 4

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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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? 4 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?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 3 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?

4 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: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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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? 8 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We want to say a big thank you to you all for your warm welcome and for sharing with us your views about the school. The other inspectors and I thoroughly enjoyed being with you in lessons and chatting with you around the school. We discovered that, although your school is good in some ways there a great many things that could be improved. These are the things we think are good. • Your behaviour is good and this means that you can concentrate in lessons. • Most of you attend school regularly and arrive on time so you don't miss important parts of your education. • You show good levels of respect for each other's different cultures and values. • You know the importance of keeping fit and healthy. • You work hard to help others by raising funds for charity and supporting elderly people in the community. There are a number of ways in which your school needs to improve. • The people in charge need to check more closely how well things are going and plan more

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

carefully about how to make things better. • Teachers need to follow your progress more carefully to make sure they are giving you the right sort of work in lessons. • Adults need to make sure that pupils with learning difficulties and those learning English get enough support. Your teachers will be working hard to try to make things better and we have asked some other people to help them and check how well things are going. It is important that you play your part in this by supporting your teachers, working hard in lessons and giving adults your views about how things might improve even more. Yours faithfully Mrs Mary SummersLead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Keir Hardie Primary School, 1 °2 November 2006

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