Nelmes Primary School

102321 Unique Reference Number Havering Local Authority 307969 Inspection number 14 July 2008 Inspection date Nicola Davies 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 400 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Roger Weatherley Chair Mrs Vivien Shooter Headteacher 6 December 2004 Date of previous school inspection Wingletye Lane School address Hornchurch Essex RM11 3BX 01708 447676 Telephone number 01708 453780 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 14 July 2008 Inspection date 307969 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 an Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school, and investigated the progress and attendance of pupils and opportunities for independent learning in the Foundation Stage. Evidence was gathered from the analysis of pupils' test results, observation of lessons and pupils' work, parents' questionnaires and discussions with the headteacher, staff, governors and pupils. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

This is a two-form entry primary school with two Reception classes. Most of the pupils are from White British backgrounds; a growing minority are from a wide range of other ethnic heritages. Around one in ten pupils is bilingual. Few pupils are entitled to free school meals. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, but is increasing. These mostly relate to difficulties with speech, language and communication and autism.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 2008

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Grade: 1

Nelmes Primary School provides its pupils with an outstanding education. Since the time of its last inspection, the school has successfully maintained and improved its high academic standards as well as continuing to extend the opportunities it offers to pupils. This track record of improvement is due to the excellent leadership and management of the outstanding headteacher. Together with her team, she has developed an extremely thorough system of self-evaluation followed by very effective action. The result is the school's sustained improvement and its excellent capacity to continue to improve. Just one example is the way that the school has continued to enhance its facilities to provide pupils with the first class setting in which they now work and play. The excellent and hugely enjoyable curriculum has been strengthened by a focus this year on creativity. Staff have worked hard to ensure that pupils' creative and learning skills are developed

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Grade: 1

in the same excellent way as their basic skills. This is showing good results in the enthusiasm shown by pupils and teachers when studying particular topics in depth. The school has identified that it could further enhance the curriculum by making extensive opportunities for pupils to learn beyond the classroom. These are included in its carefully considered plans for next year. For instance, staff plan to extend pupils' learning about real life local and global issues and to enhance opportunities for outdoor learning in the school's extensive grounds. Already younger and older pupils very much enjoy growing vegetables in their gardening clubs. This adds to their very good understanding of healthy eating and lifestyles. Plans to market their produce are designed to enhance their understanding of enterprise and economics. Staff pay very careful attention to pupils' individual needs, whether these are academic, personal

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Grade: 1

or social, and provides them with excellent care, guidance and support. Tracking of pupils' academic progress is comprehensive as staff are determined to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can, regardless of their abilities or circumstances. This effective focus on inclusion has highlighted that the needs of pupils have become more diverse over the past few years. As a result, plans are in place to strengthen the knowledge and skills of staff in this area. Similarly, the school is currently working with a small group of pupils whose absences are due to minor ailments as part of its action plan to promote excellent attendance. Pupils' achievements and personal development are outstanding. Across the school, their excellent attitudes to learning combined with the high quality teaching they receive mean that they make outstanding progress. By the time pupils leave for secondary school, standards are

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Grade: 1

consistently high and often exceptionally so. For instance, in 2007 and 2008, over half of Year 6 pupils were working at higher levels in English and mathematics and nearly all were doing so in science. Their very good grasp of basic skills, very positive attitudes and their excellent capacity for hard work means that they are very well prepared for their next steps in education. Very good links with parents enhance the overall effectiveness of the education that the school provides and secure its local reputation for excellence. Moving with the times, it has recently adopted both email and text messaging as a way of keeping in regular contact with parents. Parents are rightly lavish in their praise of the school. One parent summed up the views of many when commenting that 'Nelmes Primary exceeds all expectations of what makes a wonderful school. My child loves the school and has made wonderful progress there'.

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Grade: 1

4 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 2008

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Grade: 1

The Foundation Stage has been transformed since the time of the last inspection when children in the Reception classes were not always given sufficient opportunities to make choices and learn independently. In contrast, children now get a flying start to their learning in the exciting and stimulating environment of the open plan Reception classes and develop their attitudes and skills very well. Most children join the Reception class with the expected skills for their age even though, for some, this is their first experience of learning outside the home. Regardless of their previous experience, they make very good progress to reach and often exceed expectations by the time they enter Year 1. Children benefit from skilful support from adults and the well-planned and exciting activities which they prepare. These now include a blend of adult-led and child-chosen activities. For example, at times during the day, children work together with their class teachers

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Grade: 1

to learn more about sounds and letters. They enthusiastically develop their early spelling skills by learning how to build up words from different sounds and to use these skills in their own writing. At other times, children will choose their activities independently, opting, for example, to develop their speaking skills by working with friends in the role-play areas. The well-equipped Foundation Stage includes a large outdoor area which children can use in all weathers. Children enjoy using this area and show considerable maturity in the way they choose and pursue different activities, for example, creating their own plays in the puppet theatre. As yet, activities in this outdoor area do not match the quality of learning opportunities provided in the indoor environment. The school has rightly identified this as an area for further improvement as part of its plan to extend creative curriculum approaches to the Reception

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend opportunities for children and pupils to learn outdoors and beyond the classroom. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 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? 1 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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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 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well 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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and interests of learners?

1 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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

03 September 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Nelmes Primary School,Essex,RM11 3BX Thank you for helping me when I visited you recently. Nelmes Primary is an outstanding school and it was a real pleasure to spend the day with you and to join in some of your activities. You and your teachers made me feel very welcome and you were all very helpful in answering all my questions. I was particularly grateful to those of you who spoke to me about all the things you enjoy and the things you are most proud of. Your parents were full of praise for the school too. One of them told me that 'All staff are very committed and take pride and care when delivering their best'. This commitment and care from all the adults is one reason why the school is such a happy place, and why you enjoy your time at Nelmes so much and leave as such successful and mature young people. Another reason is that all of you work so hard and try your best in your lessons and in your homework. This means

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that you all make very good progress in your studies. Just as importantly, you behave extremely well and show respect for each other and all the adults at the school. So well done! When I arrived at your school, your headteacher's office was full of files. These files were the ones that your teachers keep to see what is going well and what they could improve next. The way that they keep thinking about how they can make the school even better plays a big part in its success. The changes they have made to the topics you study and how they help the youngest children to learn are just two of their successes since the last time inspectors visited you. There was another big file in Mrs Shooter's office and that was all the plans for what the school will do next year. One of the things in there was making the very best use of your lovely outdoor areas and the local community to give you different opportunities to learn. I am sure that you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

will enjoy these new opportunities. Thank you for helping me get to know your school and please pass on my thanks to all the adults at the school and your parents too. Yours sincerely Nicola Davies Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Nelmes Primary School, 14 July 2008

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