Colegrave Primary School

Colegrave Primary School Inspection report

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102752 Unique Reference Number Newham Local Authority 308109 Inspection number 26–27 November 2008 Inspection dates Martin Beale 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 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 401 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 Ms Lisa Spencer Chair Mrs Christine Alexander Headteacher 23 November 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Henniker Road School address Stratford London E15 1JY 020 8534 0243 Telephone number 020 8519 9485 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 26–27 November 2008 Inspection dates 308109 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: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large primary school serves a culturally diverse community close to the 2012 Olympic Park. A high proportion of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest groups being of Black African, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean backgrounds. The school also has a small number of children from the Gypsy/Roma community. More than two thirds of the pupils have a mother tongue other than English and half of these are at an early stage of learning English. Colegrave experiences much greater pupil mobility than other primary schools, partly because of the high number of refugee children. Almost half of the pupils are eligible for a free school meal. The proportion of pupils who need additional help with their learning is much higher than the national average and the school has an additional resource provision for 12 pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). Provision for pupils in the Early Years

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Description of the school

Foundation Stage (EYFS) is through Reception classes. The school has gained the Healthy Schools award and has Investors in People and Training School status. The headteacher took up the post in January 2007.

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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: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Everyone says it has continued to improve since the arrival of the new headteacher. She is highly regarded by all associated with the school, who share her commitment and enthusiasm to make it even better for the pupils. The words of one parent encapsulated the views of many when she wrote, 'The school is built on an outstanding foundation of the exceptional people who work there.' There is a very clear understanding of the needs of the community the school serves. The staff team shows a huge commitment to the pupils and everyone goes to great lengths to dismantle any barriers experienced by pupils that impede their achievement. By identifying their individual academic and personal needs and putting in programmes of support, staff ensure that pupils who find learning difficult make good progress. The achievement of pupils in the additional resource provision is excellent, even if their progress is only visible in very small steps. Thoughtful

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Grade: 2

induction arrangements help newcomers and those who need to develop English language skills to settle quickly and make good progress, which often accelerates once they are confident in the language. They become some of the school's highest attaining pupils by Year 6. The headteacher has high expectations, as reflected in the targets she sets the pupils and the support she provides for these to be achieved. Shortcomings are tackled head-on by a skilled staff team. This has led to much improvement in the pupils' writing and behaviour over the last year. The pupils' good achievement and their enjoyment of school are based on an interesting and broad range of activities. Pupils take much pleasure from the additional activities and clubs provided, and benefit from links forged with firms involved in Stratford's redevelopment for the 2012 Olympics. Pupils make good progress from their well below-average starting points,

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Grade: 2

and by the end of Year 6 standards are just below average. Teaching is good overall, but the more able pupils are not consistently challenged, resulting in fewer than there should be working at higher levels. Provision for pupils with particular talents is in its infancy. Science is the weakest area, because enquiry skills are not taught effectively. 'Science week' was a start, but the benefits from this have not been built upon. All staff work very effectively to create a family atmosphere where each individual is valued. This underpins the high quality of care found throughout the school. Pupils' behaviour is good and often excellent, reflecting the care taken to involve them in drafting school rules. They have a good understanding of safe and healthy lifestyles, so that playtimes are happy and energetic. Pupils contribute well to the life of the school and the wider community through arts events and sports competitions. For instance, the school council has been highly commended

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Grade: 2

for its recent work with local police on the 'Safer Neighbourhood' project. The school has an accurate and honest view of its qualities from which to identify priorities for attention and plan for the next stage of its development. Action is based on careful monitoring of lessons, the improved analysis of assessment data and a thoughtful evaluation of the evidence this generates. The headteacher has assembled a strong staff team whose work is increasingly carefully scrutinised by governors. This gives the school a very secure platform from which to achieve its goals. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008

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Grade: 2

Children enter Reception with skills well below those expected for their age, especially in communication and literacy. Many of them are still at an early stage of learning English. Children make good progress in their communication skills because of the clear focus on developing speaking and listening and good teaching of letters and sounds. The wide range of activities led by adults, balanced carefully with those developed by the children themselves, enable them to explore, play and develop at a good pace. Children enjoy coming to school, demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, and build trusting and caring relationships with adults and with each other. Children from different backgrounds and cultures play happily together and behave very well. Their welfare is ensured, and routines are clearly established, so children feel happy, safe and secure. Emphasis is placed on eating healthy food and vigorous activity for health and

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Grade: 2

fitness, and children are taught to pay attention to their own and others' safety. They learn to share and take turns, and enjoy the chance to be independent and make choices in their learning. The adults use their knowledge and skills well to provide valuable learning opportunities both inside the classroom and out of doors. Management of the EYFS is sharply focused, and planning for improvement is carefully evaluated. The children's progress is tracked systematically to inform planning and to ensure learning and development needs are met thoroughly on an individual basis. Strategies to involve parents more in supporting their children's progress is an area for development.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that all teachers extend the learning of the more able pupils in lessons and introduce programmes to enrich the experiences of pupils with specific talents. ■ Raise achievement in science by providing more opportunity for the pupils to learn through investigations.

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Grade: 2

Pupils throughout the school build well on their good start in Reception. Assessment results for Year 2 pupils improved in all areas in 2008, and although below average, they represented good progress from standards of literacy and numeracy at the start of Year 1. The school has taken action in response to weaker performance in writing which has led to an improvement in standards for all pupils. The school met its challenging targets in both English and mathematics at Key Stage 2 in 2008 and standards overall are now just below the national average. However, relatively few pupils in either Year 2 or Year 6 obtained results at higher levels. Science is the weakest of the core subjects because pupils have too few opportunities to develop their understanding of new concepts through investigation and experimentation. Consequently, their development of scientific skills is slow.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy learning and are very keen to join in all activities. Their strong commitment is reflected in their good work habits. There is a calm working atmosphere in lessons and pupils cooperate well with others. Their listening is often impressive during whole class sessions and they respond quickly to their teachers' instructions. They develop sound basic skills on which 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008 to build in the next stage of their education. They willingly take on duties that involve them in the life of the school, but there are not enough opportunities for them to take the initiative in their learning. They make good progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. A strong sense of community is particularly evident in assemblies, where pupils of all backgrounds and abilities sing together enthusiastically and tunefully. They treat others'

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Grade: 2

beliefs with respect and often show affection for each other, particularly for those with profound learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Attendance is a little below average, but the school is taking firm action to improve it.

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Grade: 2

Classrooms are calm environments in which learning can take place unhindered because pupils understand their teachers' expectations for their behaviour. Pupils enjoy working in pairs or small groups and on practical activities. They gain much from sharing their ideas with their 'talk partners', particularly when these opportunities are thoughtfully planned by their teachers. Teachers skilfully adapt lessons to the identified needs of the less able, but do not always challenge the more able through their questioning or by focusing sharply on activities to extend their learning. Teachers use the new technology creatively to stimulate interest and help to put across new ideas more clearly, such as when Year 6 looked at video clips when preparing questions to ask famous characters from the 1960s. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the learning of individuals and groups of pupils, particularly those who work

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Grade: 2

with pupils within the additional resource provision. They form close relationships, are fully involved in all aspects of the lesson and understand clearly the specific needs of those they support.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has been recently revised to increase creativity and strengthen links between subjects. Appropriate weight is given to English and mathematics, but provision for science lags behind, particularly in planning for practical investigations to develop the pupils' enquiry skills. The school makes very effective use of the locality as a focus for study, particularly the regeneration of the Olympic Park area. The curriculum is adjusted well for the needs of pupils with low attainment and there is outstanding provision for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Provision for the most able pupils is not consistent, though, and not enough is expected of them. Outside lessons, pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide and popular range of activities. This school continues to extend the curriculum with an outstanding range of special projects, visits and visitors. This has a considerable impact on the pupils' attitudes

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Grade: 2

and the quality of their learning, notably in art, information and communication technology and writing.

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Grade: 2

Pupils say they feel safe and are confident that any concerns they have will be heard sympathetically and dealt with promptly. An excellent feature is the care given to vulnerable pupils, those who find learning difficult and those from Traveller/Gypsy backgrounds. Particular 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008 strengths are the depth and detail given to identifying the needs of each pupil, the rigour and commitment shown in providing for them, the use of expertise from outside agencies and the careful monitoring of their progress against agreed criteria. There are robust assessment and tracking procedures for English and mathematics. Marking in these subjects is used effectively to set targets for improvement for each pupil and identify where more intensive support programmes are needed. Pupils have a good understanding of their targets. Some are involved in assessing their own progress, but this is not a consistent feature. Assessment and tracking

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Grade: 2

procedures in science are less well developed and pupils make less secure progress as a result.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and her senior team provide committed and dedicated leadership. They have a very clear vision for school improvement, which is widely shared among all staff working in the school, promoting a common sense of purpose. The inclusion of all pupils is central to this vision and is highly effective in dismantling barriers to their achievement. Middle management is effective and regular monitoring of pupils' work and lesson observations results in useful feedback to teachers. School self-evaluation is detailed and rigorous. Newly appointed governors are developing their roles and responsibilities and are beginning to monitor the work of the school carefully. Induction arrangements for new governors are thorough. Strategies for engaging parents and the local community are most effective in the main school, notably the recent Community Information Market, which enabled parents to network at a parents' evening. The

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Grade: 2

school is also successful in its role in organising the training of new teachers. Pupils benefit from excellent links with agencies outside the school, including the Police who recently gave the school a Safer Neighbourhood award. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 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: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 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?

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

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: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 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 1 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 1 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: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

09 December 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Colegrave Primary School,London,E15 1JY You will probably remember that inspectors visited your school recently and I am now writing to let you know what we found out. Before I do, I would just like to say thank you for making us feel welcome and for being so ready to share your thoughts about your school. We had a chance to talk to quite a lot of you and we have told your teachers how you were very helpful and polite. Through our discussions with you, it was great to hear how much you enjoy school. It was also good to hear about how safe you feel in school and that there is always someone to talk to if you are worried. Colegrave Primary is a good school with several impressive things about it, not least of which is your good behaviour. Teachers and support staff care for you very well and make learning enjoyable through the clubs and other activities. The school is good at helping you to keep fit,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

safe and healthy. We were impressed with the way you involve yourselves in helping the school to improve through your school council and the work you did in gaining the Safer Neighbourhood award. Your teachers and other staff make learning interesting. This helps you to achieve well in most areas except science. Most of you reach the standards expected of you by the time you leave, but not enough of you do better than this. Those of you who need extra help with your learning or your English language are supported well. Even a good school like yours can improve. We have asked your teachers to push learning forward more rapidly in all classrooms for those of you who find learning easy. We have also asked them to provide more opportunity for you to learn science by undertaking investigations and experiments. The staff and governors want the school to continue to be successful and we know you will play your part by continuing to behave so well and working so hard. Some of you also need to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

attend more regularly. We wish you every success in your future. Yours sincerely Martin Beale Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Colegrave Primary School, 26–27 November 2008

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