Marvels Lane Primary School

Marvels Lane Primary School Inspection report

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100696 Unique Reference Number Lewisham Local Authority 307444 Inspection number 10 °11 June 2008 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell 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 310 School The governing body Appropriate authority Rev Gavin Berriman Chair Mr Edward Dove Headteacher 11 October 2004 Date of previous school inspection Riddons Road School address Grove Park London SE12 9RA 0208 8573904 Telephone number 0208 8572126 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 10 °11 June 2008 Inspection dates 307444 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

Marvels Lane is a larger than average primary school. Earlier this year, the acting headteacher was appointed as the substantive head. The school serves a socially and culturally diverse community. About a fifth of pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. About a quarter of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. These pupils have a variety of needs, though the majority have moderate learning difficulties and need additional support. A higher than average proportion of pupils join or leave the school beyond the normal starting points. The school has an Artsmark Gold award.

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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: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Marvels Lane is a satisfactory school. The new headteacher has quickly gained the confidence of a dedicated staff, governors and parents, and maintained a high level of pastoral care and support for pupils. He has identified the urgent need to raise achievement and standards, as well as supporting and challenging the staff in their endeavours. Good assessment procedures have highlighted where pupils have been underachieving in English and mathematics. Additional support has helped to accelerate pupils' progress, especially in Key Stage 2. This has particularly enabled Year 6 pupils' to make up on considerable lost ground in their learning. In 2007, national test results show that standards at the end of Year 6 were average in English, showing a significant improvement on the previous year, but well below average in mathematics and science. Indications are that, in the current year, improvements in English have been

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Grade: 3

sustained and that standards in other subjects are starting to show improvement. Given their very low starting points in Year 3, pupils achieve satisfactorily overall, but well in English. The key to recent improvements has been the accountability that teachers now have for pupils' progress towards challenging end of year targets. This has led to pupils making better progress in English and mathematics throughout Key Stage 2, shown in the higher standards attained in English, but yet to be reflected more fully in improved standards in mathematics. The school recognises that it has more work to do to consolidate these improvements, as well as focussing on raising achievement and standards in science. Standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics have been extremely low in recent years. Action to improve progress in Key Stage 1 is beginning to meet with some success. Overall, pupils are making satisfactory

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Grade: 3

progress, given their low starting points in Year 1. Pupils' good behaviour and positive attitudes to school and learning contribute to their improving progress. They enjoy school, reflected in their improved attendance. They particularly enjoy the range of clubs on offer, as part of the school's overall satisfactory, yet well-enriched curriculum. Many sporting opportunities help pupils to understand the importance of keeping fit. Pupils have targets to aim for and understand how these are helping them to make better progress. The restructuring of management posts to create phase as well as subject leaders is helping to address areas that need further development. These new roles are already having an impact on sustaining improvements to teaching and standards but there has not yet been enough time for this to have a marked impact on results in mathematics, for example, by the end of Year 6. The monitoring of teaching and learning is systematic. It has identified that teachers are not

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Grade: 3

making sufficient use of assessment information to plan appropriate learning activities for all pupils. At times, work is either too easy or too difficult for some, so that pupils' progress varies across classes. Given recent improvements, particularly in English, and a clear vision for the direction of the school, the capacity for further improvement is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

The Nursery and Reception classes are warm and welcoming so that even the youngest children feel happy and safe in school. Children's attainment on entry is overall below that expected for their age. They make a good start in the Nursery and one parent stated that, 'The Nursery is fantastic, I could not ask for better'. The Foundation Stage environment is well resourced. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008 The outside area is used effectively to provide opportunities for children to investigate. Younger children settle well into the mixed Reception/Year 1 classes and teachers take good account of children's developing learning needs within this wider age range. As the social development and language skills of many children are at a very low level when they start school, teachers and support staff focus on these from early on. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with

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Grade: 3

some examples of good practice. For instance, the phonic sessions that are taught as 'fun' activities, help pupils to participate fully and enjoy their learning. Children make satisfactory progress. At the end of Reception, a significant proportion are working securely within most areas of learning, apart from communication, language and literacy, where attainment remains lower. Particular weaknesses in areas of children's learning are just starting to be identified, so that more immediate action can be taken to address them.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in reading and writing at Key Stage 1, and in mathematics and science across the school. ■ Make the fullest use of assessment information to plan appropriate learning activities for pupils, so that all make the best progress possible. ■ Identify areas of weakness in children's learning in the Foundation Stage, and plan appropriate action to accelerate their progress. 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

Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress across the school. The careful monitoring of progress, setting targets and additional support are helping to raise achievement and standards, particularly in English. They are also helping to ensure that both boys and girls, those with moderate learning difficulties, and those with English as an additional language make similar progress. Good induction procedures for pupils joining the school beyond the normal starting points ensure that they quickly settle in and so do as well as others. A structured approach to teaching phonics (how letters in words relate to their sounds when spoken), and better planned opportunities for talking about work and developing ideas, have helped to raise standards in literacy. Moving away from the use of a published scheme of work has encouraged teachers to be more aware of how children learn in mathematics and to plan accordingly, so that pupils are

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Grade: 2

Pupils are proud of their school and see it as a happy place. They show enjoyment in their lessons and are keen to do well. An emphasis on parental involvement in their children's learning is helping to strengthen both parental and pupil attitudes towards school and learning. Attendance is satisfactory and careful checks are made on any absenteeism. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of being safe and healthy. They appreciate the provision of 'quiet' and 'noisy' playgrounds, and say there is always an adult to turn to if the need arises. They have a good understanding of different cultures, in their own community and beyond, and a sympathetic understanding of the needs of others. Their views are valued and the work 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008 of the school council is respected. Councillors, drawn from Year 6, regularly seek the views of pupils across the school. They are keen to take on responsibilities, such as 'doing the squirt'

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Grade: 2

at lunchtime, so ensuring clean hands before eating, and pleased that school packed lunches are now healthier without chocolate spread sandwiches. Pupils' good social skills, enjoyment of learning and the sound progress they make mean they are adequately prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good and pupils are managed well. Teachers have clear information on the prior attainment of the pupils in their class. Overall, however, the suitability of work to build on pupils' starting points is not yet consistently secure in all lessons across the school. In some lessons, for example, pupils remain attentive, but, except for the more able, have difficulty offering answers and contributing to class discussions because the work is not pitched at the right level for all pupils. Work is marked positively with teachers often adding comments praising good work. The best marking also provides pupils with guidance for the next steps in their learning but this is not consistent across the school. For example, comments such as, 'Your writing is great. We just need to tweak it a bit', do not give any guidance or specific detail on how pupils can improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is tightly focused on the development of literacy and numeracy skills. Plans have been drawn up for a more creative curriculum, but currently there are few links made between the different subjects, so that pupils can use and develop their different skills in more interesting and purposeful settings. Recently improved provision for information and communication technology and new planning shows that the school is now better able to deliver this subject. There is a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development, enhanced through good enrichment opportunities. Many visits and visitors contribute to pupils' social development and ensure a 'cultural entitlement' for all pupils. A good range of clubs adds breadth and enjoyment to pupils' learning. The school is attractively decorated, providing a good environment for learning, but the restrictions placed on pupils' learning through some small classrooms,

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Grade: 2

Pupils are known as individuals to both the headteacher and acting deputy headteacher through the 'special time' meetings that they hold with pupils every Monday morning. The school's parent/pupil support worker provides valuable support for vulnerable pupils and their families. There is good provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including the small number of pupils who present challenging behaviour, drawing on good links with outside agencies. Child protection procedures meet statutory requirements. Health and safety procedures, including risk assessments, are well organised. In Key Stages 1 and 2, assessment procedures are comprehensive and used well to track the progress pupils are making at an individual and class level. As a result, additional support is well-targeted at such pupils who 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008 may be underachieving. These procedures are just starting to be applied in the Foundation

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Grade: 2

Stage. Pupils understand why they have individual targets for improvement in English and mathematics, although marking of work in pupils' books is not sufficiently linked to them.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher is providing good leadership, developing good teamwork and forging strong links with parents. One parent commented, 'The staff are very friendly and helpful and work together with the parents as a team'. Information on the progress of the pupils has been analysed particularly well so that there is now a clear overview of whether pupils are achieving as well as they should. Weaknesses in progress have been identified from Year 1 to Year 6. These are followed up systematically with class teachers so that action is being taken where pupils are underachieving, especially in English and in mathematics. Weaknesses in children's attainments in the Foundation Stage have been less clearly identified and followed up, particularly in their development of skills in communication language and literacy. Although the targets set for the progress of each pupil in each year are challenging, the statutory targets

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Grade: 3

set for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 have not been sufficiently challenging in mathematics. Governors support the school well through their work in committees. They receive detailed reports from the headteacher, but have yet to fully develop their roles in holding school to account for its performance. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 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: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 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? 3 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?

2 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 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 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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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: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 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: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Marvels Lane Primary School,London,SE12 9RA I am writing to let you know what we found when we visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. We spoke with some of you during our visit and you were interesting to talk to, very polite and helpful. You spoke very enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. Marvels Lane is a satisfactory school. We liked these things the most.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy school, behave well and want to do your best.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school supports you well when you have problems or find learning difficult.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school makes sure that you are safe and very well looked after.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have a very good range of clubs to choose from and go on lots of visits.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know the importance of eating the right things and staying fit and healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The staff are encouraging your parents to support you more in all that you do in school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher and staff have worked particularly hard over the last year.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked the school to work particularly on the following things.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ To help you do better in literacy in Years 1 and 2 and in mathematics and science across the school. You are starting to do better in these subjects and must keep this up. ■ The school checks and records carefully how well you are doing in lessons. We have asked your teachers to use this information to plan what each of you has to learn next, so that the work is just right for each one of you and helps you to make the best progress possible. ■ Children in the Nursery and Reception classes do better in some areas of learning than in others. We have asked the staff to check carefully the things you find harder to do and to give you extra help. You can help by making sure you all work as hard as possible, whilst also continuing to enjoy school. We did enjoy visiting your school and watching you learn. Yours sincerely Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Marvels Lane Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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