Setting

Mr C Morris Headteacher Southfield Primary School Southfield Road Bedford Park London W4 1BD

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Ofsted survey inspection programme - English

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff, during my visit on 25 January 2007 to look at work in English.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme - English

As outlined in my initial letter, as well as looking at key areas of the subject the visit had a particular focus on our current survey theme: provision for poetry. The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text.

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Ofsted survey inspection programme - English

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with staff and the chair of the Governing Body, discussions with pupils, scrutiny of relevant documentation, analysis of pupils’ work, and observation of four lessons. The overall effectiveness of English was judged to be good.

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Standards and achievement

Achievement and standards are satisfactory.

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Standards and achievement

 On entry to the school, attainment is below average.  Despite high levels of mobility and many pupils entering the school as learners of English as an additional language, contextual value added data shows satisfactory progress in English overall.  Results show an upward trend at Key Stage 1 and fluctuate at Key Stage 2. Most recent figures are below average but there are higher rates of achievement for pupils currently in the school.  Attainment in speaking and listening is good for the majority of pupils who are fluent in English.  English makes a good contribution to the personal development of pupils, in particular through opportunities for collaborative learning, Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404045 F 020 7421 6855 www.ofsted.gov.uk peer assessment and the contribution of pupils to the review of provision for writing.

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Quality of teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Quality of teaching and learning

 Well structured teaching ensures satisfactory and often good rates of progress. Some teaching observed was very good.  Lessons are very well planned. Teachers are clear about strategies to improve standards and use these well. Lessons involve a good balance of learning in reading, writing and speaking and listening. Good differentiation and effective use of very high quality resources develop taught skills well and promote independent learning.  Assessment, including precisely targeted questioning, enables all pupils to participate in learning and secures progress, particularly in writing.

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Quality of curriculum

 The English curriculum meets the needs of all pupils and takes good account of cultural diversity. Pupils are proud that their heritage is represented and that reading and writing in their home language is valued.  The curriculum provides for progression in learning well, enabling teachers to build systematically on pupils’ previous knowledge and skills.  A wide range of resources are used effectively and judiciously to identify and address gaps in the learning of individual pupils.

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Leadership and management

 The drive to raise standards in English, and writing in particular, is relentless. A good range of very well targeted and closely monitored actions are leading to clear improvements in teaching and pupils’ progress.  Performance data and management information are used very well to track and analyse the progress of pupils. This informs effective intervention.  Governors hold the school to account strongly through their monitoring role.

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Provision for poetry

 Poetry is clearly established in schemes of work but planning for progression is less secure.  Pupils enjoy reading and writing poetry, although their ability to talk about poets and poems is limited.  Poetry produced by pupils is of good quality and reflects cultural diversity well.

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Inclusion

 The school is highly responsive and alert to the needs of individual pupils and pupil groups.  Overall, all pupils make at least satisfactory and often good progress in English.  Diversity is strongly celebrated and provision has a positive impact on motivation.  Good support from teaching assistants promotes inclusion very well.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 continuing to improve the standard of writing  continuing to involve pupils in evaluating provision in English  mapping progression in poetry.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop English in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half-term and made available to the team for the next institutional inspection.

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