Central Park Primary School

Central Park Primary School Inspection report

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130995 Unique Reference Number Newham Local Authority 293685 Inspection number 10 °11 July 2007 Inspection dates Malcolm Johnstone 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 790 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Ms P Carthy Chair Mrs J Critchley Headteacher 2 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection Central Park Road School address London E6 3DW

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020 8472 5588 Telephone number 020 8475 0104 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 10 °11 July 2007 Inspection dates 293685 Inspection number .

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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 four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large school is situated in an area with features of significant socio-economic disadvantage. Almost all the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and many have English as an additional language. The largest groups represented are from Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi and African families. A much higher than average percentage of pupils is at the early stages of English language acquisition. There are a few pupils from refugee and asylum seeking families. An above average percentage of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and those who have a statement of special educational needs is broadly average. Inward pupil mobility is high, particularly in Years 4 to 6 where it rises to almost fifty per cent.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory education with some good features. Most parents are supportive of the school. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. There is a good curriculum and a vibrant and well organised learning environment. Coupled with the good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes, this enables children to make good progress. This good provision also ensures that their first experiences of school are enjoyable and positive. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Despite significant staff changes over the past two years, the headteacher has built a team who are committed to improvement and who work well together. She has been successful in ensuring pupils' personal development and well being is good. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and racial harmony is excellent. Care, guidance and

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Grade: 3

support are satisfactory. Pastoral care guidance and support is good but there is scope to improve pupils' academic guidance which is satisfactory. Pupils say they feel safe and they show respect for the views of others. They know what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory and is enhanced by a good range of extra-curricular activities. Whilst all subjects receive appropriate coverage, it lacks the consistent cross curricular and creative approach to learning which is a strong feature of the curriculum in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2. Standards and achievement are satisfactory and mirror the overall quality of teaching in Years 1 to 6. The attainment of children who enter the Foundation Stage is well below that expected for their age as a result, although the teaching is good, the large majority do not reach the goals expected for pupils entering Year 1. Whilst there has been some improvement, standards

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Grade: 3

overall are well below national averages at the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are below national averages, but there has been improvement over the past three years. Good teaching was seen in all year groups, but there is a lack of consistency in the use of assessment to plan subsequent learning. This means that some work in these subjects is not matched effectively to the needs of the pupils. As a result, some tasks lack sufficient challenge, particularly for the more able pupils. Self evaluation by the senior staff is satisfactory. They have a general view of how well the school is doing and what can be improved. Their use of both performance data and of the results of their monitoring of teaching and learning, have improved since the previous inspection. However, this information is not used rigorously enough to bring about significant improvements

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Grade: 3

in standards, achievement and the overall quality of teaching. The leadership team is determined to deal with these issues and have the necessary capacity to make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards across the school in English, mathematics and science.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the use of performance data and the results of the monitoring of teaching and learning in order to focus more sharply on how standards and achievement can be improved. ■ Improve the overall quality of teaching so that in all subjects day-to-day assessment is used more effectively to match work to the needs of the pupils, particularly the more able. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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Grade: 3

Achievement and standards are satisfactory overall. Although children make good progress in the Foundation Stage, most are unlikely to reach the goals expected nationally. This is because the good teaching cannot fully compensate for the very low starting point of most children. There has been a gradual improvement in standards by the end of Year 2 and pupils are making satisfactory progress. However, standards remain well below national averages. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make steady progress through Years 3 to 6. The good additional support both for pupils with learning difficulties and for pupils who have English as an additional language, helps them progress as well as all other pupils. Whilst standards are below national averages, inspection evidence indicates that they are moving closer to these. The school fell short of its challenging targets in the 2006 tests. Boys performed better than girls in the 2006

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Grade: 3

national tests in mathematics and science but provisional indications from the 2007 tests and inspection evidence show no significant difference in the standards attained by boys and girls.

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Grade: 2

Pupils love being at school, enjoy learning and behave well. They are confident that bullying, on the rare occasions that it occurs, will be dealt with firmly and effectively. Pupils are keen to succeed and try hard. They are considerate of one another and get on very well regardless of race or gender. Their good relationships and excellent racial harmony reflect the strong emphasis the school places on personal development. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They have good opportunities to grow in self-awareness and to reflect on their ideas, feelings, actions and consequences. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility through the buddy system, the school council and helping younger ones. They have good knowledge of healthy lifestyles and staying safe. Links with the community are good. Pupils work together effectively and their good personal development prepares them well for later life. Attendance

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Grade: 2

has improved and is now satisfactory. Despite the good efforts of the school, there is a relatively high level of unauthorised absence. This has a detrimental effect on the pupils' progress.

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Grade: 3

Whilst teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, there is good teaching across all year groups. Where the teaching is most successful, the pace of learning is rapid and sustained and pupils are enthusiastic and excited by the activities. This was exemplified in an excellent geography lesson in Year 5 which linked the use of drama and music very effectively. Relationships are good and engender confidence in the pupils who are keen to express their ideas. Classroom assistants play an effective role in supporting pupils who have learning difficulties and the pupils who are at an early stage of learning English. Children's learning blossoms in the Foundation Stage where teachers plan a wide and relevant range of teacher directed and free choice activities both indoors and outdoors. Teachers and classroom assistants intervene in the free choice activities to stimulate and develop language and social skills. In

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Grade: 3

Years 1 to 6, the use of assessment to plan the next stage of learning is inconsistent. This means, for example, that some activities planned for the more able have too little challenge. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007 Whilst there are good examples of developmental comments in the marking of pupils' work, this is not a consistent feature in all classes.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and covers all subjects. It is fully accessible to all pupils including those with learning difficulties and disabilities. It is enhanced and enriched by a good range of additional activities including after school clubs, visitors, visits and participation in sports. The curriculum develops pupils' personal, social and emotional development well. The curriculum in Year 1 takes good account of the needs of the many pupils who are not yet ready to fully engage in the National Curriculum requirements. In Years 3 to 6, subjects have been largely taught in isolation. Although not yet firmly established, the school is moving towards a more cross curricular approach to learning. This is having a positive impact on pupils' enjoyment and providing more opportunities for them to use their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills to support learning across subjects.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a supportive environment in which pupils feel safe. There are secure systems in place in relation to child protection issues and the school works well with other agencies to support vulnerable pupils. Pupils say they will be listened to if they have any problems or concerns. Support for pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Pupils with English as an additional language are supported well. Pupils' academic guidance is satisfactory overall. Pupils' academic targets are often too general and pupils are not clear as to what they need to know to improve to the next level.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and senior management team places great store in promoting pupils' personal development and this is reflected in pupils' overall happiness, good behaviour, relationships and well being. The headteacher listens to and consults with staff, governors, parents and children so that they all feel involved in their school. Although data collection about pupils' overall achievements has improved, the analysis of this information is not sufficiently robust. This means that the leadership team are not always able to compare the relative achievement and attainment of different groups of pupils over time and take the necessary action to effect improvement. The school has satisfactory systems to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. These enable the senior managers to identify general strengths and weaknesses in teaching. However, monitoring of lessons is not always focused sharply enough on how well various groups of

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Grade: 3

pupils are learning. For example, the work of the more able pupils lacks sufficient challenge in some lessons. The recent changes in the senior management team give sound capacity to make further improvements. The governing body are developing effective systems to monitor the progress made by the school and are beginning to hold the school more to account for the education it provides. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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 3 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 3 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?

3 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 September 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Central Park Primary School,London,E6 3DW Thank you for the friendly welcome we received when we visited your school. I am writing to tell you what we found out. Your school provides a satisfactory education with some important things that are good and some that could be better. We were particularly impressed by the way that you all get on together and how keen you are to help your teachers and each other. You behave well and were polite to us around school and in lessons. We know that you want to do your best and this was clear in lessons where you were trying hard with your work. You tell us that you like school and enjoy lessons and all the other activities that take place. You were clearly enjoying the sports week that was taking place during the inspection. We were pleased to see how much you know about how to keep safe and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Your headteacher, teachers and classroom assistants

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

care very much about you and work hard to make school life rewarding and enjoyable. With the help of the teachers you have made the school attractive with displays of your work and achievements across a range of subjects. I know that you have tried hard with your reading, writing, mathematics and science but we think you could do even better. We have asked the headteacher and senior teachers to help with this by keeping a closer check on your progress during your time in school to make sure that you do as well as you can. We have also asked the teachers in lessons to use what they know about your progress to make sure that the work they give is not too easy. Best wishes for the future Mr M Johnstone (Lead Inspector) 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Central Park Primary School, 10 °11 July 2007

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