Chisenhale Primary School

Chisenhale Primary School Inspection report

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100896 Unique Reference Number Tower Hamlets Local Authority 307521 Inspection number 8–9 September 2008 Inspection dates Nick Butt 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 Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 336 School (total) 28 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 Mrs Ruth Crossan Chair Mr Nicholas Hague Headteacher 11 October 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Chisenhale Road School address Bow London E3 5QY 020 8980 2584 Telephone number 020 8983 4261 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 8–9 September 2008 Inspection dates 307521 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average school. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) consists of a Nursery and two Reception classes. At the time of the inspection, only five children had joined the Nursery because of staggered entry arrangements. Just over half the pupils are of White British heritage. A quarter of pupils are of Bangladeshi origin and the remainder come from a variety of minority ethnic backgrounds. Two fifths of pupils speak an additional language to English. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is very high. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. Many of these have moderate learning difficulties. The school has the Activemark and Artsmark Gold awards. It is part of a small learning network with two other local schools.

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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: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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Grade: 2

Chisenhale is a good school that has made significant improvement since its last inspection. Parents welcome the changes, reflected in their many positive comments, such as, 'The school has worked very hard to improve and it is an exciting, vibrant place to be for children, parents and carers'. Children enter the Nursery with skills and abilities generally below those expected, and make good progress in their school careers. Standards have been rising faster than in other schools and are now broadly average in Year 6. Standards in mathematics are slightly below average because pupils find difficulty in using and applying their knowledge in solving problems. The school is tackling this weakness through the professional development of staff and in specific support for pupils who are falling behind. Data shows that this is having an early impact in improving the teaching of mathematics and in pupils' achievement.

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Grade: 2

The key reason for the school's success is outstanding leadership from the headteacher, whose vision for a dynamic community school is being embraced by staff, parents and pupils alike. Clear management structures and high expectations ensure that teachers know how well their pupils are doing and focus on raising standards and achievement. Teaching has improved, is good, and there exists a strong emphasis on training tailored to individual professional needs. Inadequate teaching has been eliminated, replaced by much that is good and outstanding. This means pupils learn effectively, because they are highly motivated, and work is usually pitched well, at their level of ability. Pupils' personal development is good because they behave well and show consideration for one another, working and playing together harmoniously. They have a good sense of community, sharing their diversity and reaching out to pupils in other

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Grade: 2

schools locally and abroad. Pupils make healthy choices and take plenty of exercise. They understand well how to stay safe. They say how much they enjoy school, pointing to their interesting lessons and the many trips they go on. Care, guidance and support for pupils is good. It is a friendly, happy place, where each pupil is valued as an individual, and the good curriculum takes account of their varied needs. The work of the school's learning mentor and parent engagement officer have helped to involve parents more in the life of the school, and brought the school and its local community closer together. Pupils have a good idea how well they are doing and the positive relationships in the school mean they are happy to turn to an adult for reassurance. Strong leadership and management ensure that the school knows its strengths and areas to improve well, and they make a real impact in improving provision. Rigorous monitoring keeps

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Grade: 2

tabs on how measures to improve are working out. The governors support the school well, and ask searching questions about its performance. Leaders have brought about lasting improvements and the school is well placed to improve further. It represents good value for money.

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Grade: 3

While the EYFS has improved since the last inspection, there is still scope for a more balanced curriculum that fully engages all children. The outdoor area in particular is underdeveloped and is not yet a stimulating learning environment. Children settle quickly into the Nursery and Reception classes and are happy and safe in school. The school meets their welfare needs well. Key workers have a good knowledge of the children in their care and observe their progress in a variety of ways, including using photographs and focused observations. Children make 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008 satisfactory progress whilst in the EYFS. They leave Reception not meeting all the early learning goals, especially in communication, language and literacy. This is because they often lack these skills when they start school. The activities led by adults promote children's' learning effectively

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Grade: 3

and encourage the development of language. Reception children making a collage were encouraged to say how different materials felt. Activities chosen by the children are not so beneficial, especially outside, where a lack of structure means they do not always experience a full range of areas of learning. The newly appointed leader has identified the areas of need quickly and is building a cohesive team, but it is too early yet to see the impact of improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the provision for outdoor activities in the EYFS to ensure each child receives a balanced curriculum. ■ Raise standards in mathematics by improving pupils' skills and abilities in solving problems.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well because of good teaching and an emphasis on learning. Standards have risen significantly in recent years, with broadly average results by the end of Year 6 in the 2008 national tests. Weaknesses in problem-solving meant standards in mathematics were below average. The rate of progress in Years 3 to 6 is much more rapid than in most schools due to improved teaching and learning and effective monitoring of the provision. All groups of pupils achieve well, including those who are learning English as an additional language. The curriculum caters for their needs well, with many visual prompts and opportunities for discussion. Pupils with moderate learning difficulties make good progress because of the effective support they receive from teaching assistants.

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Grade: 2

'The school has improved loads and loads since I joined here', said one satisfied customer. Pupils behave well and appreciate the way lessons have become more interesting. They are involved more, and have many additional opportunities to take part in the arts and sports. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, with opportunities to appreciate different cultures and communities in assemblies. Attendance is below average, but is improving, and pupils know the importance of being at school regularly. Pupils have a good sense of right and wrong, and support one another as playground peacemakers. The school council has organised play equipment to promote more activity at playtimes and meets with the caterer to review healthy menus. Pupils have a good awareness of personal safety and the dangers of illegal substances. They take an active part in their local community, joining in with events and

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Grade: 2

making good use of the local park and art gallery. The younger pupils interviewed local traders and took their photos, now proudly on display in large frames. Pupils run a successful school bank, and leave the school as confident learners and well prepared for the next stage of their education. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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Grade: 2

Teachers use a wide range of good strategies to make lessons enjoyable and to motivate and engage pupils in their learning. They use technology effectively to liven up introductions. One lesson began with waves crashing on the shore to set the scene for descriptive writing. Pupils work together effectively as partners and in small groups to discuss ideas and to compare notes. Some of the strongest teaching takes place in the older year groups, where pupils assess their work against clear criteria and consider how it can be improved. Pupils benefit from specialist teaching in music and the arts, which contributes considerably to their enjoyment of school. One class is learning the ukulele! The pace of lessons is usually brisk, but sometimes pupils spend too long listening to the introduction and have less time to carry out tasks.

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive a varied and stimulating curriculum with particularly strong enrichment. Teachers have adapted the curriculum effectively to take account of the differing needs of pupils, so that all are included well, such as those with moderate learning difficulties. A new emphasis has been placed on developing pupils' skills in using and applying mathematics to solve problems, as this was identified as an area of weakness. Creative links are beginning to bring the curriculum alive, as when pupils explored the music and dance of the 1940s as part of their Second World War studies. A new computer suite supports the provision of information and communication technology well. The school is developing the use of laptops in classes to enhance opportunities further for pupils to research independently. A wide programme of educational visits and extra-curricular activities contributes considerably to pupils' good personal development. These

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Grade: 2

include trips to London's major museums and a residential experience in Devon. Many pupils take part in clubs such as Spanish, knitting, judo and modern dance.

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Grade: 2

The school has a family feel brought about by a friendly and caring staff, who put themselves out for pupils, their parents and carers. Barriers to learning are seen as opportunities to overcome, with a good range of intervention groups provided to meet pupils' specific needs. Staff work effectively with a good range of outside agencies such as speech therapists. Effective support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities enables them to make good progress against their targets. The school has established positive links with faith communities to help improve attendance. Most pupils know their targets well and find marking of work helpful, but practice is not yet fully consistent across the school.

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Grade: 2

A parent commented, 'The new headteacher has been significant in establishing a school of choice for our community.' The influence of the headteacher in raising the profile of the school and in making parents feel welcome has done much to forge positive links with its culturally 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008 diverse stakeholders. Increasingly, the governing body draws members from all sections of the community, who bring a rich mixture of talents to bear. Governors fulfil their strategic roles well and monitor the work of the school effectively. The leadership team has introduced rigorous monitoring procedures that highlight the school's strengths and needs, and put in place structures to ensure they track pupils' progress closely. This includes regular pupil progress meetings between teachers and senior leaders to check that all pupils are doing as well as they

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Grade: 2

can. The impact of these measures has meant standards and achievement have risen rapidly in recent years and provision has improved. The school is now developing its middle leaders further, and devolving more responsibility to them, releasing the headteacher and deputy to lead more strategically. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008 .

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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: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 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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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?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 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: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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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 The extent to which 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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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 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: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 September 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Chisenhale Primary School,London,E3 5QY Thank you for making us so welcome at your school and for telling us about how you find it. We agree with you that the school has improved a lot in recent years and is now a good school. Here are some of the things that are particularly successful.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress in your work because the teaching is good and the lessons involve and interest you. ■ You behave well and support one another in overcoming difficulties.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have a good understanding of the different cultures and faiths that make up your local community. ■ You enjoy taking part in many exciting clubs and visits to places of interest.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school cares for you well and makes sure you receive all the help you need.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher has put together a strong team of staff who are leading the school well and making sure it is getting even better. We are impressed how quickly the youngest children settle into school. We think their outdoor area could be improved so that there is a good variety of activities for them to enjoy. We know you sometimes find solving problems in mathematics a struggle, and have asked your teachers to concentrate on helping you to master them. Thank you once again for your help. Our very best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Mr N Butt Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Chisenhale Primary School, 8–9 September 2008

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