St Saviour's Church of England Primary School

St Saviour's Church of England Primary School Inspection report - amended

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100620 Unique Reference Number Lambeth Local Authority 307425 Inspection number 15–16 January 2009 Inspection dates Selwyn Ward Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 205 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Andrew Firman Chair Mr O'Neill Hemmings Headteacher 18 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Herne Hill Road School address London SE24 0AY 020 7274 7986 Telephone number 020 7924 9620 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 15–16 January 2009 Inspection dates 307425 Inspection number

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Amended Report Addendum

Following a complaint the following changes have been made to the report: in the Overall effectiveness of the school section 'However, the good improvements to the curriculum, improving achievement and standards by the end of Year 2, and pupils' good personal development, demonstrate that the school has a satisfactory capacity for improvement.' has been amended to 'However, taking account the school leaders' notable successes, the good improvements in the curriculum, improving achievement and standards by the end of Year 2, and pupils' good personal development demonstrate that the school has a good capacity to improve' and 'The capacity to make any necessary improvements' judgement has been changed from 3 to 2.

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

In this average sized school, around two thirds of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, mostly Black British of both Caribbean and African heritage. Close to a third of the pupils are learning English as an additional language. An average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, covering a range of different learning needs. An above-average proportion of pupils join the school other than at the start of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The school runs a breakfast club before the start of the school day.

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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: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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Grade: 3

St Saviour's provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. A number of aspects of the school are good. The headteacher, leadership team, staff and governors have been particularly successful in working together to create a stimulating learning environment where pupils from different backgrounds get on very well together, feel safe and are keen to do well. It is this important aspect of the school that is most appreciated by parents. One summed up the views of many in describing St Saviour's as 'a caring, nurturing environment where every child counts and is valued'. Another explained that, 'We feel very privileged and happy that our son is a part of a school with such a strong sense of community and sense of belonging.' The school is satisfactory rather than better because, despite their enthusiasm, pupils are not all making the good progress of which they are capable. Because they are well supported, pupils

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Grade: 3

with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and some of those learning English as an additional language make good progress. Standards overall are below average, however. Year 6 test results have declined over the last three years in mathematics. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. This is because, although teachers manage their classes well and have high expectations of behaviour, they do not always expect enough of their more able pupils. Too often, pupils of very widely different capabilities are set similar work, which limits the progress of the more able. Pupils feel safe and secure because there are good arrangements for their care, guidance and support, and because, as a Year 4 pupil explained, teachers and other staff, 'listen to your problems and help you sort them out'. There are good arrangements for welcoming children and their families when they start in the EYFS as well as for those who join the school part of

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Grade: 3

the way through their primary education. Pupils' attendance is good. This is a testimony to the close partnership that school leaders have forged with parents, as well as to the exciting curriculum which means, as a parent put it, 'The children always have something to look forward to and to work towards in a creative and fun way.' Pupils greatly enjoy school and they are enthusiastic in lessons. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding, not least because of the very good appreciation they have of each other's different cultural heritages, which contributes to the very real sense of community at St Saviour's and to the exemplary behaviour. Although this is a well-run school, where school leaders have demonstrated some remarkable successes, some aspects of their work are not as sharp as they could be. Until recently, leaders' observations of lessons focused on the features of teaching rather than on the progress that

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Grade: 3

pupils were making in their learning. This contributed to the school's overly positive view of its overall effectiveness. This has been remedied this year, but monitoring is still not rigorous enough in helping teachers to identify precisely how they can accelerate pupils' learning. Continued weaknesses remain in mathematics. However, taking account the school leaders' notable successes, the good improvements in the curriculum, improving achievement and standards by the end of Year 2, and pupils' good personal development demonstrate that the school has a good capacity to improve. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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Grade: 2

The EYFS is well managed and children receive a good start to their education. Children begin in Reception with language and number skills that are below those expected for their age. The opportunity that they all have to begin school in September is having a positive impact in helping children to rapidly become independent, happy learners. This is due to well-planned activities that capture children's interests from the start so that they want to learn. Children make good progress and, by the end of the Reception Year, most attain the early learning goals expected for their age. However, few are sufficiently extended so that they exceed these goals. Specific teaching of letters and sounds (phonics) is having a positive effect on raising standards and preparing children for when they move up the school. For example, some children are already sounding out simple words to help them read, such as P-E-N. Observations of what

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Grade: 2

children know and can do are good and are used well to plan the next steps for learning. The outdoor areas, though small, are used well, and the children are encouraged to make their own decisions about whether they want to play inside or out.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Set work, especially in mathematics, that is matched to pupils' different capabilities, so that it challenges and extends the more able pupils, in particular, to achieve their best. ■ Ensure that school leaders' monitoring of lessons focuses on the progress that pupils are making and on helping staff to identify how the learning of pupils of all abilities can be accelerated. 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 in the Year 2 assessments, below average at the time of the last inspection, have improved so that they are now average. Pupils make good progress to the end of Year 2, and this is recognised in the comments made by parents. One wrote to describe how her daughter 'has leapt forward in a short space of time with her reading, writing and mathematics'. There has not been the same improvement in standards in the Year 6 tests. Though broadly average in most years in English, standards overall are below average and have declined in mathematics and they remain below average in science. Nevertheless, this represents satisfactory achievement in relation to these pupils' low starting point and the low scores they had when they were in Year 2. Although pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities do well because they benefit from well-targeted support, more able pupils do not all make as much progress as they should.

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Grade: 3

Pupils who join the school part of the way through their primary education, including those who are at an early stage of learning English, benefit from good support so that they are helped to quickly settle and to make similar progress to other pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils greatly enjoy school and are enthusiastic in lessons. They respond very well to the friendly but disciplined environment, so that they grow in confidence. As a parent explained, 'My child 5 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009 feels safe because he knows the rules, and knows that if he breaks rules he will be dealt with, with both kindness and fairness.' Pupils also know how to keep safe, for example when using the internet. They have an excellent appreciation of the need for a healthy diet and exercise. Pupils especially enjoy the opportunities that they have to take on responsibilities within the school community, including as prefects in Year 6, and they voice much enthusiasm for all that they learn about their own and each other's different cultures. The interest and imagination of all pupils were greatly stimulated, for example, by a project in Black History month about

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Grade: 2

'The Empire Windrush', the ship on which the first Caribbean immigrants arrived in 1948. Although the school has helped turn pupils into eager learners, it has not succeeded fully in capitalising on this success so that all are making the progress of which they are capable. The satisfactory progress pupils make in their key literacy and numeracy skills means that pupils are satisfactorily prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 3

Teachers know their pupils well and the good relationships throughout the school help to motivate pupils to behave very well and work with concentration and effort. Teachers explain things clearly so that pupils know what is expected of them. As a result, they generally settle to individual and group activities quickly and without fuss. Parents confirm that homework is set regularly to supplement what is being learnt in lessons, although among the several parents who voiced concerns over standards in mathematics, one commented, 'The children at St Saviour's get far more homework than other schools in the area, yet their results in mathematics do not reflect this.' Teaching assistants provide well-focused support to those pupils who need extra help with their learning. Expectations of the more able pupils are not always high enough, however. Too often all pupils are set similar work, which means that the more able pupils are

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Grade: 3

not challenged enough. Some but not all marking gives pupils pointers as to how to move their work on.

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Grade: 2

The exciting range of activities on offer is a key factor in the pupils' enjoyment of school and in their motivation to succeed. This is appreciated by the parents too. Many comment very positively about the huge range of music, art and drama on offer, both in lessons and through the many well-supported clubs. This good provision is also recognised in the school's Artsmark Gold award. The school has helped to enrich provision for its pupils through imaginative partnerships with outside organisations, including local secondary schools and bodies such as English National Opera. Information and communication technology is used very well, with pupils especially enthusiastic about the opportunities they have to take part in digital film-making. St Saviour's has been awarded an Inclusion Quality Mark for the way it extends opportunities to all. It has this year reorganised the way mathematics is taught in Years 3 to 6,

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Grade: 2

with pupils taught in six ability sets on most days rather than in four single-age classes. This is beginning to have a positive impact, but work is still not matched closely enough to the still wide range of different abilities within these sets. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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Grade: 2

St Saviour's has a warm, family atmosphere, with caring staff and well-trained teaching assistants who provide valuable support. The school has pupils from widely differing cultural backgrounds and provides a good quality of pastoral and emotional support to all. Many benefit from attending the breakfast club so that they get a healthy start to the day. Those for whom English is an additional language, including pupils new to the school, are helped to settle quickly and make good progress. Annually, Year 1 parents hold a 'welcome party' for families who are new to the school. St Saviour's systems for promoting good behaviour contribute to pupils' positive attitudes to learning. Pupils are clear about the targets that they are aiming for in their work but these are not reviewed often enough. This means that some pupils have the same mathematics target for the whole term, even if they have already met it. The school has good

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Grade: 2

systems in place for safeguarding pupils.

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Grade: 2

The good leadership and management of the headteacher and management team have resulted in a school with a very positive ethos where pupils from diverse backgrounds behave and get on extremely well, and are keen to learn. Inclusion is given a high priority within the school. It is evident in the very active role the school plays in promoting community cohesion between families and through broadening pupils' horizons. School leaders have trialled different methods for raising standards, including use of booster groups. They have evaluated their impact and shown the courage to make changes and try different options where these have not proven effective. They have demonstrated success in the good progress that most pupils make in English and which is made by those pupils who need additional help with their learning. Their impact is also evident in the improved standards and progress now being made in the infant

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Grade: 2

years. In addition, school leaders have been successful in establishing a stimulating curriculum that excites and motivates pupils so that they want to learn. Monitoring by school leaders has been refined this year to focus, appropriately, on learning, but monitoring does not always result in clear feedback to teachers on how they can help move pupils' learning on at a faster pace. Governance is good. Governors work hard to support the school, have a good understanding of the issues facing it, and provide challenge to school leaders. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 2 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 January 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of St Saviour's Church of England Primary School,London,SE24 0AY Thank you for making us so welcome when we came to visit your school. You are very proud of St Saviour's and there is much to celebrate in all the things that the school does well. We were impressed with all the music and art that you do, and I was fascinated to hear all that you had learnt about 'The Windrush'. The school is well run and your headteacher and staff have been particularly successful in making it such a friendly place where you are looked after well and where everyone gets on, behaves very well and is keen to learn. Many of you told us how much you enjoy coming to school, and we were pleased to see that that means that your attendance is good. Although there are all these very positive features, we judged that the school is providing you with a satisfactory education because you are not all making the good progress of which you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

are capable. Although progress has been good in the Reception Year and through the infants, it has been only satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Those of you who need extra help with your learning do well because you benefit from good support. For some of you, however, the work is too easy when everyone in the class is doing the same. That is why standards in the Year 6 tests have been below average, especially in mathematics. For that reason, we have asked the school to make sure that teachers match work more closely to everyone's different abilities. We think that is needed even within the new maths sets in Years 3 to 6. We have also asked that when staff visit each other's lessons, they particularly check the progress you are all making and look out for what would help you all to learn at a faster pace. Thank you all once again for being so friendly and helpful. Our very best wishes to you for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours faithfully Selwyn Ward Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: St Saviour's Church of England Primary School, 15–16 January 2009

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