Hinguar Community Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 21 Feb 2007

Inspection Report Hinguar Community Primary School

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114772 Unique Reference Number SOUTHEND-ON-SEA Local Authority 299974 Inspection number 20 °21 February 2007 Inspection dates Rashida Sharif HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 which gives Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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Hinguar Street School address Primary Type of school Shoeburyness, Southend-on-sea Community School category

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Essex SS3 9AN 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01702292721 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01702298892 Fax number 255 Number on roll (school) Mrs Viv Stevens Headteacher The local authority Appropriate authority 14 December 2005 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 299974 20 °21 February 2007 4°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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Hinguar Community Primary is an average size school situated close to the centre of Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea. The school serves an area with a wide social mix. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is average. Pupils are mostly of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with statements of special educational needs is well above average. Attainment on entry is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector (HMCI) is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures. Nevertheless, in accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it might reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to standards in writing, assessment, use of information and communication technology (ICT) and meeting the needs of the more able learners. At the time of the last inspection the school was judged to require special measures. Since then the local authority has provided effective support to the school. Leadership and management are satisfactory and improving. The headteacher has developed a

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Grade: 4

strong leadership team who are responding well to the challenges. As a result of improved monitoring, the team understands what needs to be tackled. The school now has satisfactory capacity to improve, though it still has some way to go, particularly in improving standards of writing and ensuring that more able pupils are sufficiently challenged. Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory and their spiritual, moral social and cultural development is good. Attendance is satisfactory and close to the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school, feel safe and know who to go to if they need help. Their behaviour is good both in classrooms and around the school. They adopt safe practices and healthy lifestyles and make a good contribution to the school, particularly through the school council. The school's care, guidance and support of pupils are satisfactory but assessment is used inconsistently to guide pupils on how

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Grade: 4

to improve their work. There are some outstanding elements within teaching and learning but overall they are only satisfactory because of inconsistencies in their quality. Pupils in Year 5 and 6 say that 'the school has improved and we learn more because teachers make sure that we do well in our lessons'. Pupils say that they enjoy learning because 'teachers make lessons fun'. Children feel part of the community and enjoy singing and the celebration assemblies. The curriculum is inadequate but has some strengths. For instance it ensures that the pupils are taught in a way that helps them make links between different subjects. However, provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is weak and therefore the curriculum is judged to be inadequate. Good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage ensure that pupils have an effective start to their education. Teaching in the Reception classes is good and

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Grade: 4

means that pupils make good progress in key areas of learning such as in recognising letter sounds. In spite of all the improvements the school has made, there is still much to do. The pupils' overall achievement and standards remain inadequate, particularly in Years 1 and 2. There is more evidence of pupils making better progress at Key Stage 2 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007 2 but standards by the end of Year 6 remain below average in English, particularly in writing, and in mathematics. Although on an upward track, the school's overall effectiveness is still inadequate and it provides unsatisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards of writing for all pupils. • Ensure that the use of assessment information is consistent across the school so that teachers' marking informs pupils what they have done well and what they need to do to further improve. • Improve overall achievement, particularly of the more able learners. • Improve the curriculum, especially in regard to ICT.

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Grade: 4

Although the achievement of most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, is now satisfactory it remains inadequate overall as a result of poor achievement in some year groups. The good leadership and management of the Foundation Stage ensure that children have an effective start to their education. Teaching in the Reception classes is good and means that pupils make good progress in key areas of learning such as in recognising letter sounds. The outside area is used well to develop pupils' skills in a variety of ways. For example, pupils use musical instruments and show a range of vocabulary to describe the sounds they make. Teaching assistants are particularly effective when they record assessments of pupils' attainment and ask challenging questions during lesson introductions. Pupils' achievement in Years 1 and 2 is inadequate overall. Standards of writing are low. Too few of the more able learners reach the higher standards in writing because

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Grade: 4

teachers are too ready to praise pupils' mediocre work rather than insist on improved quality. In the 2006 tests the standards attained by Year 2 pupils in reading and writing were below average, although standards in mathematics were broadly in line. The standards that pupils attain by Year 6 are average in science but below average in English and mathematics. Although standards are improving progress remains inconsistent. In some classes pupils make much better progress than in others. Work produced by pupils in Years 3 to 6 is often neat and well presented as a result of improved teaching. The use of a rich vocabulary in written work is also improving and some older pupils have a good understanding of how to enliven their writing by using powerful adjectives and appropriate similes. The school's own monitoring confirms that, although most pupils are making satisfactory progress, too many are still failing

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Grade: 4

to reach national expectations, especially in writing. The achievement of girls is much better than that of boys, particularly in English. 3 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007

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Grade: 3

The leadership of the school places a high priority on pupils' personal development and so they look after each other and behave well. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They work well in groups and share equipment thoughtfully and safely. Pupils enjoy school, concentrate well and have positive attitudes to learning because teachers motivate them well. They are encouraged to be healthy and a significant proportion of pupils in Years 3 to 6 buy fruit and healthy snacks three times a week. The pupils contribute to the community soundly, and the school council encourages them to discuss ways to improve the school. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory and continue to improve as a result of the school's effective systems for monitoring. Below average standards in some basic skills, such as writing, mean that pupils are not prepared adequately for the next stage of their

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, but the inconsistencies in lesson quality result in uneven progress. Some pupils make good progress because they are challenged to produce their very best work and they rise to the occasion. This was particularly evident in some Year 5 and 6 classes where some powerful writing was produced. In some other lessons progress is inadequate because teachers' expectations of pupils' performance are too low and pupils are not encouraged to aim for the highest possible standards. Most teachers promote an enthusiasm for learning and pupils enjoy their lessons. However, despite recent improvements there are inconsistencies in the quality of teachers' planning and in the marking of pupils' work. The best planning is detailed and describes how tasks will be matched to pupils' wide range of abilities. Where planning lacks detail teaching is less precise and does not meet the needs of individual

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Grade: 3

pupils. Some teachers mark pupils' work thoroughly and show them how to improve their work but others just mark with ticks or crosses. Teachers have access to interactive white boards but have not fully explored their potential in enriching pupils' learning experiences. Much of the teaching in Years 3 and 4 is inspiring and pupils thoroughly enjoy learning. This is not always so with Years 1 and 2.

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Grade: 4

The curriculum provision is inadequate because of the unsatisfactory use of ICT across the curriculum. The school has introduced setting in Years 3 to 6 for literacy and numeracy lessons which is beginning to have an impact on the progress that pupils 4 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007 make. There is a focus on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy which are used increasingly to promote learning in other subjects. The curriculum is well planned to meet the needs of those with learning difficulties and disabilities so that they make satisfactory progress towards their targets. It promotes satisfactory personal development. Effective measures are being developed to ensure that boys do as well as girls. The curriculum is modified to meet the needs of most pupils but is not fully successful in ensuring that the most able learners achieve their full potential.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory and the school's leadership makes sure that staff support pupils' personal needs well. Pupils know that they can go to the learning mentor or a member of staff if they have any concerns that they want to discuss. Procedures to ensure that pupils are kept safe meet legal requirements. Health and safety checks are carried out effectively. Racial incidents are monitored effectively and racial harmony is good in the school. The tracking of pupils' progress is increasingly effective in reading, writing, mathematics and science and is supporting the school's efforts to improve the pupils' progress. However, teachers' marking is not consistently effective and this means that pupils do not receive regular feedback on their strengths and areas for development. As a result they are not always clear what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher's leadership has been a key factor in enabling the school to recover from a difficult period. She has ensured that the senior leadership team shares a clear vision and a commitment towards meeting the needs of the pupils, which are now at the heart of the school's day-to-day life. The team is satisfactorily placed to help the subject leaders and the school to improve; it has a clear idea of what needs to be done. Monitoring and evaluation are now used effectively to identify where improvements are needed and to allocate resources efficiently where they will have the greatest impact on improving pupils' achievement. The team can point to some important successes, such as the accelerating achievement of pupils in Years 5 and 6 and the continuation of strong teamwork among the Foundation Stage staff which has maintained the momentum for change. Professional development of all staff is given

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Grade: 3

a high priority. There is a robust system of performance management that is successfully linked to improving pupils' academic success. Governance is satisfactory and improving. Governors have become more confident and involved in many aspects of the school's life and contribute well to school improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007 .

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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: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 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

4 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. 7 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 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? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 February 2007 Dear children Hinguar Community Primary School, Hinguar Street, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-sea, Essex, SS3 9AN. Thank you very much for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. Many of you told me how much you now enjoy coming to school and why. In particular I would like to thank the school council for giving up their dinner time to talk to us. I am very pleased to tell you that your school is now better than it was twelve months ago and that you are making better progress. The things which are particularly good about your school are that: • You made us very welcome and I was impressed with your good manners and politeness. • You thoroughly enjoy coming to school because you really like your teachers. Some of you told me that they make time to help you if you are struggling with your work. • You all get on well together and behave well and your attendance has improved.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• Your headteacher, senior teachers and the governors are helping the school get better. All the adults work hard to make sure that you make progress with your work. What I have asked the school to do now to make it even better is to: • Help you to improve your writing. • Make sure that all teachers assess your work in the same way and to mark your work so that you know when you have done well and what you need to do to further improve. • Help you to do even better in all your work particularly those of you who find the work easier. • Improve the use of ICT across the school. You can help your school to improve by continuing to work as hard as you can to reach your targets. The school will make sure that you know how to reach them. I wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Rashida Sharif Her Majesty's Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Hinguar Community Primary School, 20 °21 February 2007

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