Bush Hill Park Primary School

Bush Hill Park Primary School Inspection report

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102024 Unique Reference Number Enfield Local Authority 307877 Inspection number 14 °15 January 2008 Inspection dates Peter Sudworth 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 574 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr B Grayston Chair Mr J Abbey Headteacher 29 November 2006 Date of previous school inspection Main Avenue School address Enfield EN1 1DS 020 8366 0521 Telephone number 020 8366 0420 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 14 °15 January 2008 Inspection dates 307877 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

Pupils begin the Nursery part-time from age three, dependent on available places, and two-thirds continue into the Reception classes. Just over two-thirds of pupils at this larger than average three-form entry primary school speak a language other than English as their first language. Approximately one in three is at an early stage of learning English. About one quarter have special education needs, higher than the national average. The school serves a community that contains areas of high deprivation, and just over half the pupils are entitled to free school meals. The percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school at times other than the usual ones is much higher than in most schools. About one-third of the pupils are refugees or asylum seekers. Black or Black British pupils form the largest ethnic group other than White British pupils.

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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: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Bush Hill Park Primary School is an improving school and provides a sound education for its pupils. In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The enthusiastic and very good leadership of the headteacher, supported very well by senior staff and with effective advisory support, have helped to lift teaching quality significantly. Teaching is now satisfactory, unsatisfactory teaching has been eliminated, and more teaching is good. In turn, this has enhanced pupils' motivation to work, raised their levels of interest and improved working attitudes. For example, new approaches to teaching reading and writing are giving pupils greater confidence in these aspects of learning, and enthusing them to succeed. This is enabling the school to keep up the year-on-year sustained improvement in Year 6 national test results.

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Grade: 3

Children enter the school with very low levels of attainment, partly because many of them have little or no English when they first start school. This particularly affects results at Year 2, which are well below the national average, and in the Foundation Stage, although the pupils make satisfactory progress up to the start of Year 3. Not enough emphasis is yet placed on developing speaking and listening skills in these younger classes. Best progress is made in Years 3 to 6, especially in English in which pupils make good progress and at a faster rate than in mathematics and science. Improved arrangements for pupils who have limited English or learning difficulties are enabling these pupils to make better progress and contributing to improvements in learning. The school has the whole-hearted support of its parents. Many refer to the immense improvements made over the past year and praise the staff's hard work to improve the provision

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Grade: 3

for their children. Parents express much satisfaction with the progress their children make. As one parent states: 'The class teachers have been easy to approach and know all our children well which means they are able to support them.' Staff take very good care of the pupils. Adults and pupils together enjoy very harmonious and respectful relationships. Pupils enjoy school. They have a good understanding of safe and healthy living, such as the importance of exercise. They contribute well to the school community and have a good understanding of the needs of others. Pupils express positive views about the new creative curriculum, which is being designed to meet their needs and interests more effectively. As yet, however, the school's assessment systems do not enable the pupils themselves to know what they need to do to move on with their learning and to get to the next level. This is a school with a good capacity to improve further. It has come a long way in a short time.

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Grade: 3

This is due to the staff's commitment, a united effort and a clear sense of direction and purpose. The school recognises that there is still much more to do to continue the journey of improvement. Although some of the staff are new to their responsibilities in the re-organised management structure, they clearly have good potential, with further guidance, to make an even greater success of their roles.

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Grade: 3

Children make a good start in the Nursery, adjust well to school and gain in confidence seen in their growing independence and in making relationships with others. They make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage overall, although most children do not meet national expectations by the end of Reception. In large measure, this is due to their limited understanding 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008 of English. Teaching is satisfactory with some good elements, such as the ongoing assessments that staff make of children's progress. However, staff do not always use these effectively enough in moving children on in their learning. Despite small Reception classrooms, which do not make it easy to accommodate creative learning, staff work hard to provide a stimulating environment. They compensate well with the spacious outside environment as extra activity space. The leadership of the Foundation Stage and curriculum planning are satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise attainment even further in mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 so that pupils make a similarly good rate of progress to that made in English. ■ Give a greater focus to developing pupils' speaking and listening skills in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 so that pupils can make better progress in basic subjects. ■ Develop further phase and subject leaders' clear potential to fulfil their strategic roles in the school. ■ Enable pupils to know more clearly how they can improve their work and move up to the next level. 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

Pupils achieve satisfactorily. Their attainment is broadly average by Year 6 but it is well below average in reading and writing by Year 2, in large measure due to many pupils' limited understanding of English. It is broadly average in mathematics. Pupils achieve very well in English in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactorily in mathematics and science, although pupils do not have well developed skills to undertake science investigations. There is little difference in the attainment of boys and girls by Year 6. Few pupils reach the higher level by Year 2, but the percentages reaching the higher level at Year 6 have been increasing and coming closer to those nationally. Of the ethnic groups most numerous in the school, Black British and Black African pupils make best progress and attain more highly than this group nationally. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those whose first language is not English make

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Grade: 3

similarly satisfactory progress to others.

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Grade: 2

Pupils behave well and are very cooperative with their teachers. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They contribute to several charities and so develop a good awareness of the needs of others. Their global awareness and their appreciation of the local community develop well. Links with a school in Rwanda help pupils to appreciate how others live. The choir brings joy to local elderly residents when it visits them. The school council meets regularly and is active in contributing ideas, for example to the outside provision. Pupils show a good awareness of healthy eating and the need for regular exercise. Pupils gain in confidence from their participation in drama productions. Their attendance is improving and it is coming closer to the national average. Pupils are appreciative of all that is done for them and the opportunities that they are given. One pupil said: 'Teachers are friendly and help us a lot.'

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Grade: 2

Pupils' life skills, such as team work and basic competencies are satisfactorily developed. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Teachers create a pleasant and calm working environment, which promotes effective use of time and very good working attitudes. Teachers demand and obtain neatly presented work, which supports pupils' growing awareness of punctuation and increasing accuracy in calculation. Pupils' work is often marked well with thoughtful comments to help them to improve, although teachers do not always ensure that pupils benefit from their mistakes in mathematics. Overall, teaching is stronger in Years 3 to 6 than elsewhere and contributes to pupils' increasing rates of progress as they move up through the school. Teachers prepare lessons well although, overall, they do not yet use the modern technology provided to the fullest advantage to present their lessons. Teachers and teaching assistants are developing their skills in ensuring pupils with a limited command of English fully understand their work. For example, the introduction of work

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Grade: 3

to small groups before it is taught to the whole class is increasingly effective in helping pupils to understand.

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Grade: 3

The school's new curriculum is currently being trialled and developed and so it is still too early to evaluate its impact on pupils' progress. The school's good emphasis on physical education supports pupils' healthy life styles. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities, including sport and drama. Increasing use of information and communication technology is being made across the curriculum following the recent refurbishment of equipment. For example, Year 4 pupils linked work in history on the Ancient Egyptians to pattern making in art using computers. Focus weeks, such as healthy living week, create the opportunity for pupils to widen their interests, share their work and take on leadership roles. The new planning incorporates visits to places of interest associated with the pupils' current work, particularly in the London area, for example to museums and galleries. The school recognises the need to put

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Grade: 3

more emphasis on speaking and listening activities, particularly with the younger pupils to develop their skills in English.

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Grade: 2

The school successfully places a high priority on the care and support of pupils and their general welfare. It keeps very detailed records on vulnerable pupils and provides well for their needs. Health and safety arrangements are thorough. Attendance is monitored and promoted rigorously, resulting in significant improvements over the past two years. Induction arrangements enable new pupils to settle quickly. Good links with external agencies support pupils with learning or other difficulties. The school engages well with parents and the provision of family learning programmes does much to support families and help them to engage in their children's learning. Whole school arrangements to manage behaviour are a strength. Play leaders promote a positive approach to play at lunchtimes. Teachers track pupils' progress regularly. Action taken as a result of this, such as intervention programmes and small group work, are leading to increasing progress in key areas of work.

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008 However, pupils are not yet sufficiently aware of what they need to do to improve their work and to get to the next level.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management have led to improved teaching and better achievement since the last inspection. The headteacher has welded together an effective 'headship' team, who exhibit a purposeful vision and work passionately for the school's further improvement. The school knows itself well through good self-evaluation systems. Strategic planning is good. The governing body is a strength and it is led well. The chair and vice-chair, in particular, work closely with the headteacher and reinforce the improvement agenda. Governors' focused visits to the school enable them to keep each other informed, to speak with a good working knowledge, to help them to question and make suggestions and to become involved in target setting. Financial planning is good. Delegation has been effective. Subject and phase leaders have made a good start to their assigned responsibilities under the new leadership. Some are still gaining leadership skills and

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Grade: 2

strategies. Nevertheless, they are gaining a good understanding of the significance and scope of their roles, growing in confidence in monitoring the school's work and contributing well to its further development. Their good efforts have contributed to the continuing rise in standards by Year 6. The newly appointed inclusion manager has made a good start to her role and has quickly developed around her a good team of assistants with effective mechanisms to track the progress of pupils with little English or learning difficulties. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 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: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 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 2 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: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 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 2 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: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 January 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Bush Hill Park Primary School,Enfield,EN1 1DS Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed meeting you and learning about what you do. Your school has made good progress since the last inspection under the very good leadership of your headteacher. It no longer needs a notice to improve because it is providing you with a satisfactory education. Your personal development is good. Your very good behaviour and attitudes to your work impressed us, as did the neat way in which you set out your work in your books. It was a pleasure for us to see this. You clearly enjoy school. The staff take very good care of you and you enjoy respectful relationships with them. The teachers are working hard to revise the curriculum to ensure that you enjoy your work even more. You have a good understanding of living healthily and safely. You also have a good understanding of the needs of others. We were very interested to learn

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

about your link with a school in Rwanda. Overall you make better progress in Years 3 to 6 than elsewhere in the school. This is partly because younger pupils do not have a strong grasp of the English language. We have asked the staff to provide even more opportunities to develop the speaking and listening skills of the younger pupils so that they develop English skills more quickly. We hope that this will help these children in all areas of their work. You make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in English by Year 6. We noticed the improving results at Year 6 and hope that this will continue. However, your investigative skills in science need further improvement so that you can plan and undertake more experiments by yourselves. There is also room for you to do even better in mathematics by Year 6. We have also asked the staff to help you understand more how you can improve the quality of your work and what you need to do to get to the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

next level. We would like to wish you well for the future and hope that you will lead contented and successful lives. Yours sincerely, Peter Sudworth, Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Bush Hill Park Primary School, 14 °15 January 2008

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