Elm Grove Primary School, Worthing

Inspection Report - Amended Elm Grove First School, Worthing

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125863 Unique Reference Number West Sussex Local Authority 293383 Inspection number 8 °9 January 2007 Inspection dates Martin James 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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Elm Grove School address First Type of school Worthing Community School category BN11 5LQ 4 °8 Age range of pupils 01903 249387 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01903 246674 Fax number 245 Number on roll (school) Guy Robinson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Pauline Warren Headteacher 18 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293383 8 °9 January 2007 4°8

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to administration error

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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

This is an average-sized school. All but a few pupils are of White British heritage, and all pupils are fluent in English. Very few pupils are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly similar to that found nationally, and the proportion of those with a statement of special educational need is low.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Pupils enjoy coming because the good curriculum is stimulating. It successfully engages them and creates in them a desire to learn. Visits, together with lunchtime and after-school activities, enthuse pupils. The introduction of French has further extended the range of activities on offer. Standards are above average and pupils achieve well. When children start in Reception their knowledge and skills are broadly as expected for their age, although a number of children have weaknesses in their language skills. Good teaching in Reception, and then in Years 1 to 3, helps to ensure that pupils overall make good progress, and by the end of Year 3, standards are above those often found. Whilst achievement overall is good, the achievement of higher-attaining boys in reading and writing is satisfactory because in the past they have not always been sufficiently challenged in lessons. The

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Grade: 2

school has a comprehensive range of assessment and tracking procedures. These are now being used effectively to identify and address this lower achievement amongst the boys. Pupils are well cared for and they generally receive good guidance and advice. The good pastoral care contributes well to pupils' enjoyment of school. They are made to feel safe in school. Pupils receive much support and advice from adults in class, but their targets, and comments in marking, do not always help them understand how to improve their work further. Sensitive support for pupils with learning difficulties, particularly by teaching assistants, helps to ensure that they learn effectively and achieve well. Parents are very supportive of the school, and many speak highly of the education which is provided for their children. One writes, 'My son absolutely loves school. I am very pleased that he has been fortunate enough to begin his schooling at Elm Grove'.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They behave well, and their attitudes to work are good. They understand the need for a healthy lifestyle. Their spiritual, moral and social development is good, and overall they benefit from the close links that have been forged with the parish church. Cultural development is satisfactory. The headteacher and other members of both the staff and the governing body are a dedicated team, providing good leadership and management. Self-evaluation is effective in pin-pointing where improvement is needed to move the school forward. For instance, the lower standards being achieved by some boys in reading and writing were noted, and remedial measures were put in place. Observations of current work suggest that these initiatives are now being successful. The improvements that are currently being made, together with the improvements since the previous inspection, show that the

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers consistently provide opportunities to challenge and extend higher-attaining boys in their reading and writing, in order to raise achievement. 2 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007 • Ensure that marking and target setting help pupils understand how to improve their work still further.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well and attain above-average standards. Children make a good start in Reception and by the end of the year most attain the levels expected, with a small number of children exceeding them. Personal skills are particularly well developed, through clear routines and well-structured play. Most pupils continue to achieve well in Years 1 and 2, and by the end of Year 2, standards are above average. However, whilst progress overall is good, and standards are above average, the achievement of higher-attaining boys in their reading and writing is satisfactory. In Year 3, where overall standards remain above the expected level, higher-attaining boys have continued to perform less well than other pupils in English. The school correctly identified this weakness in the performance of some boys, and is currently addressing it through, for example, changes that have been made to the curriculum this year. The early signs are that this is beginning to be

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Grade: 2

effective. The school makes good provision for pupils with learning difficulties, and this is helping them make good progress towards the targets set for them.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are courteous and polite, and they really enjoy school, as shown by their good attendance. Pupils feel safe in school, and one pupil made what was a typical comment: 'the teachers protect us.' Pupils make a good contribution to the community. In school they readily carry out a variety of responsibilities, and the school council is proud of helping to introduce the 'Golden Ticket' system. The school is also involved in the wider community, with, for instance, the choir regularly taking part in local events. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live healthy lives, and they benefit from the good opportunities provided by the school for exercise. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good. The school is currently, and successfully, working to raise pupils' awareness of the multi-cultural society in which they live. The school successfully develops in its pupils a range of personal skills such as

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Grade: 2

confidence and independence, as well as good standards in literacy and numeracy. This is preparing them well for their next stage of education, as well as later life. 3 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007

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Grade: 2

The good quality teaching helps pupils to achieve well. Lessons are well planned and well organised. Teachers are knowledgeable, pupils are encouraged to share ideas and work is usually well matched to pupils' learning needs. Relationships are good. A particular strength is the way teachers make lessons interesting through the use of a range of resources and teaching strategies. For example, in a Year 3 literacy lesson, a hot air balloon, simple drama techniques and the interactive whiteboard were all used very effectively to stimulate pupils' speaking, listening and writing skills. As a result pupils were excited, keen to participate in all activities and made good progress. Pupils say that, 'teachers make learning fun'. Occasionally teachers do not provide work that is challenging enough for higher-attaining pupils, so that their skills and knowledge are not fully extended during the lesson. While marking is used well to praise pupils, it is not always used well enough

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Grade: 2

to tell them what they need to do to improve or to ensure improvement takes place.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is well planned to meet the needs of pupils. Their skills in information and communication technology (ICT) are developing well following the introduction of new lap-top computers. The curriculum is enlivened because there are good links across the curriculum. For example, a recent topic on Africa in Year 3 included African dancing, newspaper report writing, art work and geographical study. Pupils like topic work and say they 'learn lots of new things and it is fun'. The curriculum is regularly reviewed and adapted. A good example is the way in which more drama and writing activities are being employed to help benefit boys' literacy skills. In Reception, a good variety of activities and experiences, together with a good balance between independent learning and more teacher-directed tasks, contributes well to both the children's enjoyment and their learning. Good use is made of visits, such as the residential trip to Lodge Hill, visitors and clubs,

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Grade: 2

to further enhance the curriculum. A good programme for personal, social and health education teaches pupils how to stay safe and healthy, and contributes well to their personal development.

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Grade: 2

The good care, guidance and support provided by the school for its pupils contribute well to their enjoyment, their learning and their strong sense of being valued. Parents much appreciate the good level of care their children receive. Procedures for ensuring pupils' safety and well-being, including child protection, are well established. A good 4 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007 initiative in this context is pupils' involvement in helping to assess the risks involved in school trips. The school provides outstanding care for its pupils with significant behaviour difficulties through initiatives such as the Dinosaur School, where they are helped to moderate their behaviour and work collaboratively. Regular use of support services also ensures good provision for pupils. The close links forged with pre-school providers successfully prepare children for joining Reception.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are provided with much help and guidance in their classes, both by teachers and teaching assistants. However, their targets do not always help them recognise clearly how to improve their work, because teachers' marking does not make reference to them and pupils are unclear about what they need to do to attain those targets.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher leads with dedication and skill, and she is supported most effectively by the leadership team. There is a strong sense of teamwork. The sharing of roles and responsibilities is well illustrated by the fact that teaching assistants take on key responsibilities. There is a shared and clear sense of purpose to make good provision for pupils, to help them achieve well and to develop the school further. In their mission statement, school leaders state their overall aim is to 'Put the children at the centre of all we do'. Inspection evidence suggests that they successfully achieve this aim. The school has good systems for finding out how well it is doing, including seeking the views of pupils and parents. This self-review has accurately identified strengths and areas for improvement. For example, actions to remedy the performance of higher-attaining boys in reading and writing, such as providing a wider range of books

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Grade: 2

and giving them more opportunities to write about topics of particular interest to them, are a direct result of such self-evaluation. Further, the school recognised that tracking procedures were not always being used well enough to identify any pupils who were not achieving as well as others. This is a central issue in the current school development plan, which is detailed and well focused on moving the school forward still further. 5 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 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? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 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. 7 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 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: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us so welcome when we came to visit your school. We enjoyed talking to you, and we were very interested in what you had to tell us. You are in a good school, where you are doing well with your work. I am writing to tell you what else we found out about your school, what we think is good and what we think needs to be made better. Here are some of the highlights: • Your headteacher, teachers and teaching assistants work hard to produce an exciting place in which you can learn. • You behave well and you help to make the school a happy place. • You are sensible and thoughtful about making decisions on how to improve your school. • You enjoy the wide range of extra activities the school provides, such as visits and different clubs. • All adults in school care about you and look after you and keep you safe. • You know all about how important it is to eat healthy food and take exercise.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We also found a small number of things to help make the school better. This means we have asked the school to: • Provide you all, but especially the boys, with plenty of opportunities to carry out reading and story writing activities. • Provide you with more comments in your books, and clearer targets, so that you have a good understanding of what you need to do to make your work better still. We wish you good luck for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Elm Grove First School, Worthing, 8 °9 January 2007

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