Dovelands Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Dovelands Primary School

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130927 Unique Reference Number Leicester City Local Authority 293666 Inspection number 2 °3 November 2006 Inspection dates Anthony Dobell 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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Hinckley Road School address Primary Type of school Leicester Community School category LE3 0TJ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0116 2857716 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0116 2558558 Fax number 533 Number on roll (school) John Fryer Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Catherine Moss Headteacher 18 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293666 2 °3 November 2006 3°11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to factual inaccuracy

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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 very large primary school serves a mixed community near to the centre of Leicester. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds, but a significant minority come from a range of other backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. A small number of pupils are in the early stages of learning English. Children's levels of understanding when they enter Nursery are in line with expectations.

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Key for inspection grades

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

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory but improving school. The headteacher and staff have identified the school's needs accurately and have appropriately introduced initiatives to raise standards and to improve pupils' progress, particularly in Year 3 to 6. These are beginning to be effective. In 2006, pupils' progress in Year 6 improved significantly on the previous year and enabled them to reach broadly average standards. Good provision in the Foundation Stage ensures children make good progress. This is built on well in Years 1 and 2 and enables pupils to reach standards which are above average. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Pupils are enthusiastic and achieve well when good quality teaching provides work which is carefully matched to their different needs and provides challenge, but this does not yet happen consistently in all classes. This results in pupils making uneven progress, particularly in Years 3 to 5.

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Grade: 3

Systems to track pupils' progress are in place, but the use of targets to help pupils understand what they need to do to improve is not consistent in every class. In discussion, some pupils were unable to talk about their targets. The good quality pastoral care provided for pupils results in their good personal development. They develop into confident and articulate young people. The good curriculum promotes pupils' enjoyment of learning well. Pupils like their school and are enthusiastic about learning. They would like to have a greater say in how the school functions and say it should 'take more ideas from the children and not just what adults think'. Most parents are very supportive of the school. Leadership and management are satisfactory with some strengths. The headteacher is ambitious for the school and for standards to improve. The school appreciates that greater consistency in expectations for pupils' standards and progress is the key to

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Grade: 3

sustained improvement. While improvement is satisfactory, there is more to be done to ensure that strategies to improve pupils' progress are implemented consistently across the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide pupils in Years 3 to 6 which work which is always well matched to their different needs and abilities and provides challenge so that they make better and more consistent progress in those years. • Ensure that all pupils are provided with targets which help them understand what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Children get a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage. They make good progress and enter Year 1 with standards which are above average for their age. They continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2 to reach standards which are above average. From 2001 to 2005, pupils, while reaching broadly average standards, did not 2 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006 achieve well enough from their starting points. While maintaining broadly average standards in 2006, Year 6 pupils' progress speeded up and current evidence confirms that this is continuing. The school has introduced initiatives, such as pupil tracking and target setting, to improve the rate of progress in Years 3 to 6. Although these initiatives are not yet fully consistent across all classes, pupils of all abilities, including those with learning difficulties, now make satisfactory progress overall in these years. Pupils who are at

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Grade: 3

the early stages of speaking English are well supported and make good progress as a result. Standards and provision in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved significantly since the previous inspection. Standards are now in line with expectations, which is a good improvement. There are some good examples of ICT being used to support learning in other subjects, for example, for research and editing in Year 6.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' punctuality and good attendance show that they enjoy school. In discussion, they are confident and open. They behave well in and out of class and relationships between pupils and with adults are good. Pupils feel safe and secure in the school and understand how to deal with bullying. Pupils enjoy playtimes but say that they would like more guidance in learning how to help and play with others. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and show maturity and insight when discussing issues such as the Holocaust, Nagasaki and Hiroshima. They have a good understanding of how people from other cultures live their lives. Even the youngest pupils understand the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility in the school council but would like it to be more effective in having a say in what goes on in school. Through good links with

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Grade: 2

the local community and fundraising events, pupils have a good awareness of local issues and the needs of the less fortunate. The development of secure basic skills means that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education and for their future lives.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall although there is variation between different classes. There are examples of good and occasionally outstanding teaching. Good teaching in the Foundation Stage enables children to settle quickly and to make good progress. They benefit from a good range of activities, but do not always have enough opportunities to select their own resources. In Years 1 to 6, there are good 3 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006 examples of learning activities being carefully matched to the needs of different pupils so that all make good progress. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 6, activities, while covering the same learning, were of different levels of difficulty for different groups, with a really challenging extension activity for the most able. This resulted in all pupils learning effectively. However, in many other lessons, pupils are

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Grade: 3

given the same work so that some pupils, particularly the more able, are not as well challenged as they could be. The school has worked hard to raise expectations for the rate of progress that pupils should make and has introduced good systems for assessing pupils' standards and tracking their progress. However, while these are having a positive impact, they are not fully embedded across the school and progress is not yet consistent for all pupils. Where marking is linked clearly to specific learning objectives, and sets targets for pupils to work towards, standards improve and pupils make good progress. However, this does not happen consistently and, often, pupils do not act on recommendations for improving their work.

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Grade: 2

A particular strength in the curriculum is the linking of subjects so that learning makes sense and engages pupils' interest. This is a factor in pupils' positive attitudes to learning. For example, history and science are used well to promote progress in writing. An effective programme of personal, health and social education develops good social skills and makes a valuable contribution to pupils' personal development. Clubs and activities develop a range of interests and enhance learning although pupils would like even more opportunities to take these up. Pupils particularly value the residential visits which develop team work and good relationships between them.

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Grade: 2

The provision for pupils' care, guidance and support is good. Secure arrangements are in place for child protection, first aid and health and safety. Pupils appreciate the care provided and comment particularly on the strong and supportive relationships they have with adults which help them to feel safe and to enjoy school. Pupils comment that 'this is a really amazing school. It has such nice, friendly teachers'. Good systems to improve academic guidance for pupils have been introduced and, where they are used well, are having a positive effect on the progress they make.

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Grade: 3

The school has worked hard to address the issues raised by the previous inspection. There has been good improvement in the provision for ICT which has had a positive impact on standards. The headteacher, fully supported by her staff, seeks to correct 4 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006 any identified weaknesses. Although there is room for greater consistency in their implementation, good systems have been introduced to improve progress in Years 3 to 6 and the impact is being seen in improved standards at the top of the school. Governors are alert and ambitious for the school. They are supportive but willing to challenge and question. They are involved in the school's analysis of its needs and planning for improvement. The school's view of its needs is perceptive. The recent improvement in pupils' progress and the good unity of purpose among all adults in the school to raising expectations and improving standards indicates that there is a

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Grade: 3

good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 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? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 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

3 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. 7 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 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? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us into your school, being so friendly and polite, and telling us about your learning and your lives in school. We think that your school provides you with a satisfactory education. Here are some of your school's good features • You are happy in school, attend regularly and enjoy your lessons. • You behave well and are kind to each other. • You enjoy your residential visits, clubs and activities and find them valuable. • You know how important it is to keep safe and healthy and to exercise regularly. • You enjoy opportunities to take responsibilities and carry them out well. • You feel safe and secure in school and are well cared for. • Your headteacher and teachers are working hard to make the school even better. What we have asked the school to do • Make sure that those of you in Years 3 to 6, are given work which is suited to how you learn but also makes you have to think really hard so that you do as well as you possibly can.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Help you understand what you need to do to improve your work and set you targets to work towards so that your work gets even better. We enjoyed our two days in your school very much and wish you well for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Dovelands Primary School, 2 °3 November 2006

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