Canning Street Primary School

Inspection Report Canning Street Primary School

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108461 Unique Reference Number Newcastle upon Tyne Local Authority 288107 Inspection number 6 °7 March 2007 Inspection dates Brian Dower 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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Wellfield Road School address Primary Type of school Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear Community School category

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NE4 8PA 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0191 2735465 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0191 2386568 Fax number 437 Number on roll (school) Mr Bill Muir Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Dame Mavis Grant Headteacher 1 February 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288107 6 °7 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Canning Street Primary is a large inner-city school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportion with learning difficulties and disabilities is also well above average and the percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is high. These pupils have heritages from across the world but most are from Bangladeshi backgrounds with a few from Pakistan. The school experiences high pupil turnover.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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Grade: 1

This outstanding school is a harmonious working community where every pupil is accepted and valued, no matter what their background or ability. All pupils make excellent progress, they enjoy everything the school has to offer and are excited by the ever-changing, stimulating displays and the fun things they do in lessons. They feel safe and secure. Many talk enthusiastically about the visits out of school and the visitors who come to speak to them. The school enjoys the unqualified support of parents who are fulsome in their praise of all that it achieves for their children. ‘I am fortunate to have my children at this school where their welfare and interest is the guiding motto’. These sentiments are echoed by many parents. Pupils make excellent progress because they are hard working and keen to succeed and because the care and support they receive is exemplary. Children settle quickly when they join the school and make good progress in their social, emotional and

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Grade: 1

language development in the Nursery and Reception years. There are, however, limited opportunities to group the children flexibly across both years to speed the pace of that development. Standards by the start of Year 1 are below average but by the time they leave school pupils have attained broadly average standards. The school’s excellent assessment and tracking systems show that the improving trend of recent years is being maintained. This is a considerable achievement given the difficulties the school faces with many pupils joining and leaving at various times during the academic year. Absence rates remain above average despite the school’s best efforts to improve attendance. One reason for this is the holidays taken during term time. Pupils have the basic numeracy, literacy and computer skills expected for their age by the time they leave school. The school has as a priority for improvement the development of pupils’ ability to use

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Grade: 1

those basic skills flexibly across the curriculum, particularly their writing. Pupils have the personal qualities to make the most of the next stage of their education and to provide for their future employment. Pupils’ personal development, including their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development, is outstanding. Their behaviour is excellent, as are their attitudes to work and their consideration for each other. These qualities result in excellent learning. Pupils eat well and take plenty of exercise. Older pupils take responsibility for younger ones and all have a voice in the school’s development through the work of the school council. Their concern for others spreads beyond the school through charitable and fund raising activities. Teaching ranges from good to outstanding and is outstanding overall. The adaptation of learning activities to meet pupils’ diverse needs and the very effective group and individual support given by the assistants are strengths in

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Grade: 1

the provision. The efficient tracking of pupils’ progress enables teachers to spot underachievement quickly and take effective action to remedy weaknesses. The curriculum is excellent. Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher’s leadership is inspirational and is the driving force behind the excellent progress pupils make and 2 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007 the cohesion and loyalty of the staff. She is well supported by a talented deputy headteacher and senior colleagues who are committed to equality of opportunity for all pupils and the inclusion of every child in the school’s work. Governance is excellent. There have been significant improvements since the previous inspection and the school’s capacity to improve further is excellent.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improving pupils’ ability to apply their basic skills flexibly, particularly their ability to write accurately and fluently in different contexts. • Improve attendance.

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Grade: 1

Results in one year’s national tests should be interpreted with caution because of the high mobility factor and the number of pupils at various stages of English language acquisition. Trends over time are a useful indicator of how well such a school is performing in very challenging circumstances. The attainment of children as they enter the Nursery or Reception classes is very low compared to that seen in most other schools. Their personal, social and emotional development and their communication, language and literacy skills are particular areas of weakness. These children make good progress from a very low baseline but do not reach the nationally agreed early learning goals by the time they leave the Reception year. This affects standards at Years 1 and 2. Results in 2006 at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics were below average, attainment consistent with that of previous years.

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Grade: 1

Results in 2006 at the end of Year 6 in English were below average but an improvement on the standards of the previous two years. Attainment in mathematics and science was average, again an improvement on what was attained in 2004 and 2005. Standards in these two subjects are higher than in English, reflecting the challenges faced by the many pupils whose first language is other than English. Although standards in English are below average, this represents excellent progress made by pupils given the lack of English language skills experienced by many joining the school. Inspection evidence confirms this outstanding achievement. The school’s excellent tracking and assessments systems show that the improving trend in standards is being maintained.

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Grade: 1

Pupils’ personal development is outstanding, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is below average and the school is doing all it can to address this. Pupils develop mutual respect and tolerance and have a highly tuned awareness of the needs of others. Procedures for welcoming new pupils and ongoing support for the families of these pupils ensure that pupils settle quickly into a friendly 3 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007 and caring school. Pupils are polite and very well mannered. Positive relationships are evident throughout the school. ‘Buddies’ readily give up their free time to assist the younger pupils and pupils new to the school; ‘It is important to know what language a new person speaks. It is my job to make the new person feel welcome and comfortable.’ This comment came from a Year 6 boy. Behaviour in school is excellent.

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Grade: 1

Pupils say they feel safe and secure and that there is no bullying. There is always an adult to turn to if they have a problem. Pupils are given a strong voice in the running of the school through the school council. The school is a focus for the local community. Pupils are encouraged to become mature, reliable members of the community, with a strong code of values and sense of right and wrong. Older pupils can work with community street wardens to become junior wardens and so gain an insight into what it means to be a good citizen. Pupils regularly participate in local events. They make healthy food choices and participate in a wide range of physical activities.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding, as evidenced by the very impressive rate of progress achieved by all groups of pupils. They enjoy their lessons because the learning activities are fun and are tailored to suit their specific needs and aptitudes. Explanations and instructions are very clear and highly effective in developing pupils’ understanding of the English language. Many of the children enter school with little or no English and teachers ensure that the development of English language underpins their lesson planning. Pupils have lots of opportunities to talk and ask questions and all adults are quick to engage them in conversation. The work of the teaching assistants is excellent in supporting pupils in their learning. There is very good use of a wide range of resources to meet the needs of all pupils. Modern technology is available and used effectively to make lessons interesting and exciting. The marking and assessment of

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Grade: 1

pupils’ work is done extremely well and teachers have an excellent understanding of where pupils are in their learning and what they need to do to improve. The learning targets set are challenging and underpin the outstanding progress pupils make.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding curriculum for the pupils. Excellent use is made of visits within and beyond the community and of visitors to the school. A very good range of clubs and activities is provided outside lesson times. The health and welfare of the pupils underpin the curriculum and ensure that all of the pupils’ needs are met. Pupils from diverse backgrounds understand how different subjects relate together through exciting activities. The celebration of cultural diversity is embedded within the fabric of the curriculum and used constantly to develop pupils’ understanding of the beliefs, cultures and needs of others. The school has an internal garden and courtyard; this is used well and ensures that younger pupils have access to larger scale 4 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007 practical and investigative activities. This area provided an exciting location for pupils

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Grade: 1

in Year 1, for example, to investigate and examine habitats using magnifying glasses to examine insects. Across the school, adults ensure that tasks support the personal development of the children as well as focusing on standards. Pupils have many opportunities to talk; they work with partners, in groups and are invited to speak in class. The curriculum for personal, social and health education, involving a range of external agencies, is a strength of the school.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils are outstanding. The required systems for safeguarding and child protection are in place. The school has excellent procedures for supporting pupils through difficult times and for enabling pupils to support each other. The strong commitment of the staff provides a happy and safe learning environment in which each pupil, regardless of their diverse needs, does well in all areas of development. Very effective procedures ensure that individual pupils have their specific needs quickly identified and successful strategies are put in place to enable them to progress. The excellent care provided for pupils who join at different times in the school year helps them settle quickly and happily. The school works effectively to involve parents in their children's learning and the life of the school; for example, through initiatives such as cultural celebration days. There are very effective

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Grade: 1

links with outside agencies to ensure that pupils with learning or language difficulties make excellent progress. The school has rigorous systems for assessing and recording pupils' attainment and progress. This information is used well in teachers' planning. Pupils who are not making the expected progress are identified and the school uses a wide range of intervention strategies to support them and make sure they catch up.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding at all levels. The leadership of the headteacher is inspirational and she has the support of excellent senior colleagues and a committed and loyal staff. Morale is high. The removal of barriers to learning and the inclusion of every pupil in what the school has to offer are at the centre of their work. This is seen in the effective deployment of the teaching and classroom assistants and the quality of their work, and in the service provided by the administrative and caretaking staff. Exemplary care and support is provided for every pupil and an excellent learning climate has been established throughout the school. Self-evaluation processes are thorough and there is wide consultation. Governance is excellent. Governors know the school well and play a full part in its development. There is no complacency. Teachers look to improve their skills and they take advantage

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Grade: 1

of a range of professional development activities. The school has made significant improvements since the previous inspection and its capacity to maintain and improve upon current standards is excellent. 5 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 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: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 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 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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? 3 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 behaviour of learners 3 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?

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 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 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: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Canning Street Primary School Wellfield Road Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE4 8PA 8 March 2007 Dear Pupils Thank you for the welcome you gave us when we visited your school recently. You impressed us with your hard work and excellent behaviour. You get on well together and enjoy all that the school has to offer; in particular, the many visits and the visitors who come to talk to you. Your assembly on the Wednesday was about similarities and differences. You respect each other’s cultural and religious differences but you are all young people who have the same desire to learn and do well. You are reaching nationally average standards by the time you leave school and your progress and achievement are excellent. There are many things in your work to be proud of. You have the skills and personal qualities that will enable you to succeed in your education. We spoke to many pupils who told us that there is no bullying and that everyone is made to feel valued.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The older pupils look after the younger children during the lunch break and at play times. They also go out of their way to help pupils new to the school and make them feel welcome. You listen carefully to your teachers and think about and show respect for the views of others. There is one thing to work on to raise standards further. You have done well in improving your basic skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. You now need to improve your ability to write flexibly and accurately in lots of different situations. Thank you again for showing your school off to us. We would have liked to have spent more time with you to see all the interesting and exciting things you do in and outside the classroom. We wish you every success in your education. Yours sincerely Brian Dower 9 Inspection Report: Canning Street Primary School, 6 °7 March 2007

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