Mayespark Primary School

Mayespark Primary School Inspection report

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131304 Unique Reference Number Redbridge Local Authority 293734 Inspection number 6 °7 June 2007 Inspection dates John Horwood 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 674 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Stan Knights Chair Mrs Patricia Ward Headteacher 19 March 2001 Date of previous school inspection Goodmayes Lane School address Goodmayes Ilford IG3 9PX

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020 8599 2263 Telephone number 020 8597 8422 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 6 °7 June 2007 Inspection dates 293734 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 is a large primary school which opened in 1998 and admitted a further 90 pupils each year until it became full in 2005. Many of the pupils arrive with little or no English at the age of three. Almost three quarters speak English as an additional language. The vast majority of pupils come from minority ethnic groups, and most have Pakistani or Indian heritage. An increasing number have Black African backgrounds. Many pupils join and leave the school outside normal times. About a fifth of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. The school provides after school care for a small number of pupils and is part of the School Sports Partnership. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties or statements of special educational needs is below average. There have been significant staff changes in recent years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory and improving school with some good features. Improvement at the school has been hampered by a significant number of changes within the senior leadership team over a two year period. A lack of stability in leadership and teaching staff resulted in a fall in standards in 2006 following good results the previous year. Following a period of interim management the school has established an innovative arrangement where an executive headteacher oversees two local schools each of which is led by an associate headteacher. Following accurate self-evaluation of the school's performance standards are now rising illustrating that the school has satisfactory capacity to improve. However, many of the phase and subject leaders are new to their posts and have not yet taken on full responsibility in their own areas for raising standards. Whilst some parents have been concerned about the staffing situation and about

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Grade: 3

how the school communicates with them they are generally very supportive of what the school provides. Children enter the Nursery with standards which are low for their age and particularly weak in communication skills. The Nursery provides a safe structured environment where they quickly learn how to work and play together. Learning opportunities to reinforce mathematical understanding are currently underdeveloped and progress in this area of learning is not as good as in communication, language and literacy. Children make satisfactory progress in the Reception classes and leave the Foundation Stage with standards which are a little below those expected of children of this age. Elsewhere in the school the pupils make satisfactory progress. By the time pupils leave the school in Year 6 standards are broadly average. Whilst teaching is always at least satisfactory, it is inconsistent across subjects. In addition, teachers do not always use

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Grade: 3

their knowledge of the pupils' abilities to set work that will be sufficiently challenging. In English teaching is consistently good and pupils make the best progress. In mathematics pupils make slightly less progress because they have not sufficiently developed proficiency in calculations and often teachers have insecure subject knowledge. Science is the weakest subject where pupils do not develop the skills necessary to conduct their own investigations. In the classroom the teaching assistants are not always used as well as they could be to help pupils during whole class sessions. Overall pupils' achievement is satisfactory. A satisfactory curriculum and good information communication technology (ICT) opportunities prepare pupils satisfactorily for later life and contribute well to pupils' enjoyment of lessons. Pupils say, 'It's fun in lessons'. They contribute satisfactorily to the school community and are

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Grade: 3

very aware of the need to protect the environment for the wider community. The sporting opportunities and the promotion of healthy eating encourage pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles. The personal development and well-being of pupils are good as are the aspects of care that support this. Pupils are mature and sensible, have good attitudes to learning and they demonstrate good behaviour and relationships. Pupils enjoy school and learn whilst feeling safe and secure. This creates what one parent described as 'a fantastic school' and another said 'their child is happy and proud of the school'.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in mathematics and science • Use assessment information consistently to ensure all pupils are set appropriate work to enable them to meet more challenging targets 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007 • Develop the role of phase and subject leaders to enable them to be more accountable for the standards achieved • Develop the roles of teaching assistants so that they can provide greater and more focussed support during whole class activities A small proportion of the 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.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory and standards are broadly average. When children enter Nursery, their skills are below those normally found. They make satisfactory progress overall but good progress in language. At the end of both Key Stages 1 and 2 pupils currently reach levels close to the national average. There has been a substantial improvement on the results in 2006 when published data showed significantly low performance. This has resulted from intervention strategies, such as booster classes and setting put in place by the new management team to raise standards, particularly in mathematics which has had significant impact. However, there is still work to be done to improve pupils' calculation skills and the subject knowledge of some teachers. Pupils now have more confidence in science where standards have also risen, although investigative skills are still relatively weak. Standards in literacy have been maintained.

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Grade: 3

The school analyses the performance of all groups of pupils well and takes action to rectify any underperformance. This includes minority ethnic groups, none of which underachieve. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make similar progress to other pupils. Strategies to challenge the most able pupils have been put in place but have had insufficient time to make an impact in all year groups.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy their time at school because as some said 'You get loads of education and you get clever,' and, 'You make new friends'. Pupils know what to do if anyone tries to bully them, and are confident action will be taken by the school to help them. Nursery and Reception class children settle quickly. As a result, their independence and self-esteem are good. All pupils are polite, considerate of others and respectful. Behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils are well behaved in the playground and around the school. Staff act as good role models. Good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development reflects the school's ethos of respecting and recognising each person's culture and individual rights. Pupils' awareness and understanding of other cultures is enhanced through parental involvement in the sharing of their range of traditions within the school. The good range of sporting and dance clubs and the focus on healthy eating promote

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Grade: 2

pupils' good understanding of the need to make healthy lifestyle choices. Pupils' are prepared satisfactorily for their next stage of education and future lives. They develop cooperation and teamwork skills well but there are weaknesses in their basic numeracy skills. Pupils appreciate the responsibility of becoming prefects or playground friends but would welcome more opportunities to suggest ideas and make their own decisions. Attendance rates have improved and are now close to the national average. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with a number of good lessons observed. Teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and satisfactory in the Reception classes. The drive to raise standards by improving teaching and learning is now firmly at the heart of what the school is trying to do. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well and very good working relationships encourage pupils to contribute to discussions and respond to questions. Pupils enjoy most lessons and they are eager to learn and apply themselves productively to the work set. There is a good range of learning resources and interactive whiteboards are used effectively to enhance teaching and learning. Teaching assistants are satisfactorily deployed to support pupils with individual needs but they are less effective in whole class sessions because their work is not sufficiently focused. In the best lessons teaching engages all pupils through good questioning

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Grade: 3

that extends pupils' thinking. Good links are made to prior learning and to future work. In the lessons which are satisfactory, planning is satisfactory but it is not always based on how much pupils already know. This results in targets which lack precision, leading to insufficient challenge and a slower pace of learning, particularly for more able pupils. In addition, there is insecure subject knowledge in the teaching of mathematics. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly but, apart from English, there are few comments to show how pupils could improve.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. Pupils make better progress in English than in mathematics and science. This is because good programmes for developing reading and regular creative writing sessions help pupils make consistent progress in English. Insufficient attention has been given to developing proficiency in calculations in mathematics and investigations in science. However, modified arrangements to teach mathematics as well as the increased use of booster classes have been effective at improving the rate of progress in mathematics. Pupils have gained more confidence through these initiatives and there has been a knock-on effect on standards in science which have also improved. A project in Year 4, which brings together skills learnt in different subject areas to establish a 'Healthy Eating Cafand;eacute;', works well and helps them prepare for the future. This cross curricular approach is not used effectively in

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Grade: 3

other year groups. Pupils are enthusiastic about the extra activities which enrich the curriculum and help keep them fit and healthy. A strong feature of the curriculum is the way the school uses an external arts provider to cover lessons during the teachers' preparation and planning time. One pupil said, 'These give us all a chance to shine'. The wide range of well attended clubs, such as Indian dancing and football, and school visits offer something for everyone and impact well on their personal development.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Pupils feel safe and well cared for in a secure and friendly environment. Health and safety procedures are well managed and risk assessments are thorough. Arrangements for child protection are good and the school works well with other agencies to support vulnerable pupils. The nurse visits school as part of the health education provision and the education welfare officer provides good support to help 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007 improve attendance. The increasing numbers of pupils who join the school during the year are helped to settle in quickly. Systems for supporting pupils with learning difficulties are good. Staffing changes have meant that, at present, specific language support for pupils with English as an additional language is only satisfactory but academic support is good. During the year, the systems for tracking pupils' progress have been improved and are now good. They are

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Grade: 2

beginning to be used well in planning so as to help teachers give in-class support to individual pupils and to identify those who need extra help or more challenge in mathematics. Effective implementation of the revised attendance procedures has significantly reduced the level of absence. There are satisfactory partnerships with secondary schools to support the transition of pupils.

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Grade: 3

The senior leadership team has been established as an innovative arrangement to overcome recruitment difficulties caused by the high cost of living in the area. It has already proved to be effective in raising standards to satisfactory levels whilst maintaining a very good ethos in the school and improving staff morale. Although the senior leaders are experienced and effective, the roles of other leaders in the school, many of whom are new to their posts, are underdeveloped. All managers share the same vision for the school and currently leadership and management are satisfactory and improving. Results are analysed, trends are identified and action taken to drive forward improvements. The school's own evaluation of teaching is accurate. Professional development for teaching staff is aimed at raising standards and is good. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There have been several changes in the

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Grade: 3

leadership of the Foundation Stage and the current leader has had insufficient time to develop and achieve her long term aims. Governors fulfil their roles satisfactorily and are fully aware of the school's strengths and areas for development. The financial management is good. Issues identified at the last inspection have all been addressed satisfactorily. During this academic year the leadership and management team has had an impact on raising standards. This demonstrates a satisfactory capacity to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 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? 3 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 June 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Mayespark Primary School,Ilford,IG3 9PX Thank you very much for helping us with the inspection when we came to your school. We all enjoyed talking with you and coming into your lessons to see how much you were enjoying them. We think your school is satisfactory and that it is getting better. We can see why you like it. You are all making at least satisfactory progress with your learning, you behave very well and are looked after really well by the adults in the school. Your teachers help you learn in lessons and you have really good relationships with them. There have been lots of changes in the staff at the school but we think your present headteacher and staff are helping the school to improve. You told us that you know how to keep yourself safe and what you should eat to keep healthy. It was good that you enjoy the things the school provides for you outside of lessons and in the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

fun days that you enjoy whilst your teachers are doing their preparation. We have asked the school to improve a few things. We have asked the teachers to help you learn more about mathematics and science by making sure you all improve your calculation skills in mathematics and your investigation skills in science. We have asked teachers to look closely at information about your progress and make sure you are set suitable and more challenging targets. We have also asked the headteacher to give subject leaders and phase leaders more responsibility for raising standards in the school and to help teaching assistants provide more focussed support during the whole class sessions. You can help them with all these by carrying on working really hard. Thank you once again. We wish you and your families well for the future and hope that you enjoy the rest of your education. John HorwoodLead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Mayespark Primary School, 6 °7 June 2007

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