De Lucy Primary School

De Lucy Primary School Inspection report

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100152 Unique Reference Number Greenwich Local Authority 307304 Inspection number 18 °19 March 2008 Inspection dates Margaret Coussins 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 416 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr N Quinty-Williams Chair Mrs L Cohen Headteacher 20 October 2003 Date of previous school inspection Cookhill Road School address Abbey Wood London SE2 9PD 020 8310 5290 Telephone number 020 8312 1475 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 18 °19 March 2008 Inspection dates 307304 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

De Lucy is a larger than average primary school. Almost half of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above average. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds is well above average, as is the proportion whose first language is not English. The largest groups are from White British and Black African backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average but the percentage of those with statements of special educational need is below average. Learning difficulties are mainly related to moderate learning needs, speech and communication difficulties and behaviour, emotional and social needs. Staff turnover has been very high 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: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. Pupils from many different cultural backgrounds get on well together and enjoy their lessons. The headteacher and staff have successfully created a positive environment for learning where pupils feel safe and valued and have good relationships with teachers and other adults. Behaviour is good and there is effective support for those who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. The few parents who responded to the questionnaire are mainly positive about the school. One wrote, 'The school is a good place of learning. Everyone is very encouraging towards the pupils.' In recent years, the school's work has been disrupted by several staff changes. There have been significant recent improvements in the Foundation Stage and, as a result, children get off to a good start at school. Although pupils throughout the school make satisfactory progress, standards are below average by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. Several

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Grade: 3

years of underachievement due to staffing issues and some inadequate teaching have left pupils with a lot to do to catch up. Pupils' spoken language and understanding, their lack of comprehension and few opportunities for independent, extended writing, problem solving or investigative work has held them back in the past. Inspection evidence and school data show that pupils are starting to make better progress and achievement is satisfactory overall. The school is now reversing a trend of decline and is well on the way to eradicating any underachievement. Reading, writing and mathematics standards by the end of Year 2 have improved, most notably in reading and mathematics, although standards remain below average. Current assessments of pupils' performance and progress show that the teaching is satisfactory and is improving. The school recognises that to sustain improvements to standards more teaching

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Grade: 3

needs to be good or outstanding if achievement is to be accelerated. The rate of some pupils' progress is still too slow because, in some lessons, expectations and challenge are not always high enough. Teachers in some classes do not make consistent use of assessment and marking to pinpoint the next steps in pupils' learning and to set sufficiently challenging work. Teaching assistants often provide well-focused support for groups and individuals who need help with their learning. Initiatives in reading and writing, including teaching pupils how to link sounds and letters, are working well but this remains inconsistent across classes and year groups. The school has recently started many activities to raise pupils' awareness of how important it is to attend school regularly. They respond well as attendance rates are improving but they are still well below the national average. There have been several improvements since the previous inspection. Pupils appreciate the

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Grade: 3

upgrades to the building. A group of pupils agreed with one who said, 'The school is a much nicer place to be, it makes us feel special and that we belong.' Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has a well-considered development plan that identifies key areas for improvement and the headteacher is clear about what to do next. More remains to be done by leaders to keep improvements moving forward at a good pace. Procedures for tracking pupils' performance provide the school with information on how well they are doing, but the systems make the task of evaluating the impact of its work too complex and onerous. The school has a satisfactory capacity to improve. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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Grade: 2

Children start at school in the Nursery or Reception classes with attainment that is well below that expected for their age. They make good progress due to the good and, in Reception, sometimes outstanding teaching and excellent leadership and management. By the end of the Foundation Stage the majority of children reach the standards expected of them, although there are groups of children, such as those with speech and language difficulties and those without pre-school experience, who make less progress. Recent work on learning to link sounds and letters is helping children to make better progress with their language and communication skills. Progress is tracked carefully and this information is used well to plan next steps in their learning. There is a good mix between activities where children make their own choices and those provided directly by adults. The use of interactive white boards often stimulates the

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Grade: 2

children, although not all classes have them. Equally the very well developed outdoor facilities are somewhat difficult for some classes to utilize fully because there is no direct access.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards and accelerate pupils' progress in English, mathematics and science by improving the proportion of good or better teaching, raising expectations and, in all lessons, setting more challenging work. ■ Sharpen leadership and management at all levels so that strategies to bring about improvement are more successful. ■ Refine systems for managing and gathering information and monitoring pupils' performance.

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What the school should do to improve further

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

Standards by the end of Year 6 are below average. Despite a legacy of underachievement, pupils are generally starting to make progress at a faster pace. This is helping many to catch up and achievement is satisfactory. This is because of improvements in teaching and learning. However, there is still some underachievement where teaching is not good enough and expectations are too low. Pupils who could make better progress are quickly identified and given some effective additional support. Standards are below average although results are improving by the end of Year 2. Across the school, many pupils have very limited experiences to draw on to inform their narrative writing and this has restricted their progress in English. The school's focus on extensive reading and writing opportunities and the differences between spoken and written language is improving and extending their skills, often from very low starting points. In mathematics and

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Grade: 3

science, the school has given high priority to investigative work and problem solving as their spoken language and comprehension has held them back in the past. This is helping to raise standards as seen in pupils' current work. Pupils with additional learning needs make satisfactory and sometimes better progress because of effective support they receive both in class and in groups. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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Grade: 3

Pupils feel cared for and valued and, as a result, enjoy school, respect each other, and are positive about their learning. One pupil said, 'Teachers are very helpful and want to help us improve'. They have a good understanding of healthy life styles and the importance of a balanced diet and taking regular exercise. The school council are proud of their contribution to the school and are particularly pleased with their proposal to purchase a new climbing frame for the playground and additional sporting equipment. Older pupils enjoy their role as reading buddies with younger pupils. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils have a clear understanding of the schools 'golden rules' and say that behaviour has improved since they have been able to write and devise their own classroom rules. Pupils' personal skills prepare them satisfactorily for the next stage of their education although standards in their

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Grade: 3

Teaching is satisfactory and the large majority of pupils make adequate progress. The purpose of each lesson is shared so pupils know what they will be learning. Most lessons start at a brisk pace but there are times when the introductions are too long and pupils get restless and start to lose interest. Teachers do not always plan lessons to challenge all pupils at the right level, as their expectations of what pupils are capable of are sometimes too low. Some pupils are beginning to assess for themselves how well they are doing. This was seen in Year 4 English lessons where teaching had a very positive impact on the quality of pupils' writing as well as their enjoyment. Work is generally marked on a regular basis with encouraging comments and, in some cases, suggestions on how to improve. However, this is inconsistent across the school.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum and has rightly focused on developing pupils' skills in English and mathematics, particularly their spoken language, story writing and investigative work. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are taught in ability groups for these two subjects. This is a very recent initiative aimed at accelerating progress for all abilities and has not yet been evaluated for its effectiveness. The provision and use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning makes a strong contribution to pupils' enjoyment and motivation to learn as well as their progress. For example, interactive whiteboards are used by teachers and pupils to draft and edit shared writing. The personal, social and health education curriculum contributes well to pupils' personal development. Planning work which links together different subjects is at an early stage and not yet fully established to enable pupils to use their

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Grade: 3

reading, writing and mathematics skills more widely. Good links with another school, however, are beginning to have an impact on the provision for art and ICT. Pupils benefit from a range of visits, which give them opportunities to extend their experiences and enrich their understanding. There are many well-attended clubs, which enhance pupils' skills and support their social development well. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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Grade: 3

Procedures for safeguarding children are established and arrangements for risk assessments comply with requirements. Pastoral care is satisfactory and the school ensures that all pupils including those who have learning difficulties or are vulnerable receive the appropriate levels of support. The school provides well for pupils throughout the school who have difficulties with their emotional development and they make satisfactory progress in developing self-esteem, confidence and independence. Academic guidance is satisfactory. There are inconsistencies in the quality of marking but at its best it provides pupils with useful information to improve their work. Pupils know their targets for mathematics and literacy and how to use them to develop their work. In some classes, pupils develop good skills in evaluating and assessing their own achievements but this is inconsistent.

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Grade: 3

Staff have a shared understanding of the wide-ranging needs of the pupils, recognising that standards are not yet good enough. The leadership and management of the school have worked relentlessly to improve the quality of teaching and, as a result, pupils' achievement is satisfactory and pupils make good gains in some aspects of their personal development. Subject managers have a good knowledge of the curriculum area they are leading and have made plans to improve further. Many of them are new to their posts and, although it is too early to accurately assess their impact on school improvement, a good start has been made. Systems for managing and checking the quality and impact of the school's work and pupils' performance are satisfactory, although not always rigorous enough. Parents are supportive of the school's leadership and the school still seeks to build on this. Staff are supported by a good governing body. A

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Grade: 3

programme of training and productive links with senior leaders and subject leaders has resulted in a governing body which is increasingly well informed and has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008 .

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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: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 How well learners enjoy their education 4 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

01 April 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of De Lucy Primary School,London,SE2 9PD I am writing to let you know how much my colleagues and I enjoyed our visit to your school and what we found out. Thank you for making us welcome, for talking to us about your work and telling us what you think about your school. We found out that yours is a satisfactory school. This means that there are good things about the school and some which could be better. These are the things we think are good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You told us that you enjoy your lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You behave well in your lessons and in the playground.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Children get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Everyone in the school looks after you and you feel valued and cared for.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Many of you are starting to make better progress in your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You take your responsibilities seriously and feel proud of your school community.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

These are the main things that we think could be better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Standards in English, mathematics and science should be higher.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ In some of your lessons, teaching is good; you enjoy your learning and make good progress. We have asked the school to make sure that all of your lessons are as good as the best ones. ■ When the headteacher and senior leaders keep records of how well you are doing they should make sure they are not too complicated, but clearly show how everyone's hard work is helping you to learn. ■ You must all try very hard to come to school every day. If you are not there you will miss out on your lessons and it will be harder for you to do well. Thank you again for all your help and for being so polite, interesting and friendly to talk to. Yours sincerely Margaret Coussins Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: De Lucy Primary School, 18 °19 March 2008

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