Chase Bridge Primary School

Chase Bridge Primary School Inspection report

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102905 Unique Reference Number Richmond Upon Thames Local Authority 308159 Inspection number 18 °19 October 2007 Inspection dates Madeleine Gerard 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 412 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs E Wright Chair Mr A King Headteacher 28 January 2002 Date of previous school inspection Kneller Road School address Twickenham TW2 7DE 020 8892 1242 Telephone number 020 8744 3888 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 18 °19 October 2007 Inspection dates 308159 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

This is a larger than average primary school. Pupils come from mainly average social and economic circumstances and they join the school with broadly average skills and capabilities. There are relatively few pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities, but the number with statements of special educational needs is above average. The number of pupils learning English as an additional language is well above the national figure. The headteacher took up post in September 2007. The school has an Active Mark Gold award, and Healthy School as well as Investors in People status. The school works very closely with the pre-school, before- and after-school clubs which share the site.

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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: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007

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Grade: 3

Chase Bridge is a satisfactory school. The new headteacher provides good leadership and has successfully united the staff, governors and many parents in sharing his vision for the school's future. After six weeks in post, he has an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. This is based on his effective monitoring of the school's work. However, governors and middle leaders are not yet fully involved in the process of self-evaluation. Nevertheless, the school's priorities for improvement are appropriate. Several new initiatives are already being put in place to improve the quality of provision and raise standards, and early indications are that these are starting to have a positive impact on pupils' progress. This confirms the school's adequate capacity to make the necessary improvements. Achievement is satisfactory overall. Children make good progress in the Reception class and

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Grade: 3

reach above average standards by the time they start Year 1. They learn to co-operate with each other, developing positive attitudes to their learning and have good opportunities to be actively involved in their learning. From Year 1, progress across the rest of the school is satisfactory and standards are generally above average. Assessment information is not used systematically to plan lessons which closely match all pupils' abilities and ensure good progress. More able pupils are not consistently well challenged and, in a few classes, they say the work they are set is too easy. This is a particular issue in mathematics. Pupils' personal development is good. They like coming to school as their outstanding attendance shows. As a parent explained, 'My daughter cannot wait for the weekend to be over so she can go back to school, and learn something new.' Many parents appreciate the wide choice of clubs

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Grade: 3

at the school. Musical opportunities are very good. Many pupils enjoy musical instrument lessons, all pupils in Year 3 learn to play the violin or cello, and singing throughout the school is a strength. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the school's wide variety of popular sporting activities and are rightly proud of their numerous successes in cricket, football, rugby and athletics tournaments. This develops pupils' self esteem, skills in team work and encourages positive attitudes to keeping fit and healthy. Opportunities to take on responsibility within the school help pupils to develop good social skills, form friendships across year groups and grow in self-assurance. Behaviour is generally good and pupils show good attitudes to learning. The quality of pastoral care is good, and makes a strong contribution to pupils' confidence and security. Parents praise the school's work, particularly the way pupils are cared for. One parent

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Grade: 3

wrote, 'The ethos is positive and the atmosphere is warm and caring.' Academic care and guidance are satisfactory overall. This is because assessment and tracking of individual pupils' progress are not used consistently to check that all pupils are doing as well as they should. Marking, identified as an area for development at the time of the previous inspection, still does not consistently make clear to pupils what they should do to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. Children enter the school with a range of skills that are broadly typical for their age. They make good progress in Reception because of effective teaching which is based on a secure understanding of how young children learn. Teachers and other staff make regular use of information from assessments to plan suitable work for individuals and groups so children achieve well. Whilst teachers provide a wide range 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007 of activities in all areas of learning, the small outdoor area restricts free access and limits opportunities for physical development. The good induction procedures for introducing the children and their parents to school and the links with the on-site pre-school help children settle quickly into Reception.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure consistent good teaching by matching work more exactly to different learning needs and provide appropriate challenge, particularly in mathematics. ■ Make better use of the information gained from tracking pupils' progress, assessing and marking their work so that teachers make clear to all pupils how to improve. ■ Widen the process of self-evaluation and monitoring so that governors and subject leaders make a greater contribution to identifying key areas for development and improving pupils' 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

Achievement is satisfactory and pupils generally reach above average standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This represents satisfactory progress from Year 1. Children achieve well in Reception. Their progress is regularly reviewed and this information is used well to plan the next steps in their learning. Progress through the rest of the school is only satisfactory because there are considerable variations in achievement between classes. School data shows that some pupils, in some year groups, have not been making the progress of which they are capable, especially in mathematics. This information has not been used consistently to set challenging work and targets to ensure all pupils achieve well. The school is now putting a number of strategies in place and these are beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress. Support, though

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Grade: 3

sometimes good, is not consistently well planned to meet their needs. Nevertheless, the extent to which the most vulnerable pupils and those with complex learning difficulties and disabilities are supported is extremely good. They are able to play a full part in activities and make exceptionally good progress. Pupils learning English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers and generally reach above average standards as a result of the support they receive.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are keen to learn and participate well in lessons, with a confidence that grows steadily as they get older. Their enjoyment of school is reflected in their enthusiastic participation in musical and sporting activities. Pupils have an excellent awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and take part regularly in exercise. Very high numbers take part in after school sports clubs. Pupils feel safe, and are confident that any problems are quickly resolved by the school staff. They are polite and show positive attitudes and a real sense of concern for anyone who is troubled. Behaviour is very good in lessons and around the school although, very occasionally, a minority do not 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007 behave as well in lessons when the teaching is just satisfactory. As members of the school

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Grade: 2

council, playground monitors or health and safety representatives, the pupils contribute well to the organisation of the school and develop a sense of pride in their community. Good standards in basic skills, combined with their well-developed social skills, prepare pupils well for the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is uneven, but is satisfactory overall. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage because teaching here is good. Across the rest of the school, pupils make less consistent progress, especially in mathematics, because teaching varies between classes and between subjects. They enjoy their lessons because teachers organise sessions which are lively and incorporate a range of practical activities. For example, in Year 6 mathematics, pupils practise their multiplication tables while skipping. Pupils appreciate opportunities to talk to each other about their work, which develops self-confidence as well as thinking and social skills. However, planning is not always based on what pupils need to do next to improve and lacks detail to ensure it meets the different needs of all pupils. This sometimes results in a lack of challenge, particularly for more able pupils. Due to insufficient planning, some pupils with

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Grade: 3

learning difficulties make inconsistent progress. The quality of marking, though sometimes good, is variable and does not always make clear to pupils what the next steps are.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory with a number of key strengths which support pupils' personal development well. These include the wide range of clubs and enrichment activities as well as the provision for music, modern foreign languages and physical activities. Older pupils speak eagerly about visits to France and residential trips to The Isle of Wight , more able writers are invited to become part of the 'Press Pack' to produce a school magazine and, during the inspection, Year 5 spent a day experiencing life as Aztecs. The expertise of staff and parents as well as established links with local sporting venues and clubs are used very well to boost curriculum opportunities. However, the curriculum is satisfactory overall because there are areas of weakness in planning, notably in mathematics. As a result, progress is inconsistent and some pupils are not always appropriately challenged. The range of opportunities for pupils to make creative and practical

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Grade: 3

use of literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects is uneven.

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Grade: 3

The quality of pastoral care is good. There are good opportunities for pupils to have their achievements recognised in assemblies and in class, which builds confidence and self-esteem. One pupil said, 'If you have a talent the school encourages you to develop that talent'. Close working relationships with a range of agencies provide pupils, particularly those with complex needs, with the support they need to make good progress. Child protection procedures are securely in place and arrangements for health and safety are robust. Statutory requirements for safeguarding and staff recruitment are met. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007 Academic guidance though, is satisfactory because it is inconsistent across the school. The systems for checking pupils' progress and setting targets are developing but are not reviewed on a sufficiently regular basis to ensure that all pupils are provided with appropriate activities

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Grade: 3

to make good progress. Some marking in English provides helpful pointers for improvement and is linked to improvement targets, but this is not consistent in other subjects.

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Grade: 3

The newly appointed headteacher has very quickly made an accurate assessment of the school's strengths and areas for improvement and has worked hard to unite staff, parents and governors in order to develop the school. As a result, many parents made a point of expressing their support for him. Assisted by other senior leaders, staff and governors already feel more able to make changes to the school than previously. Governors and leaders now have a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities and are becoming more involved in self-evaluation, planning and monitoring. However, although good groundwork is being laid, there has not been time for the recent changes to make a substantial impact. Middle leadership is strong in some areas, for example in the Foundation Stage, physical education and English. As a result, progress in Reception is good, pupils' physical development is strong and standards

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Grade: 3

in English are rising. The school recognises that leadership in some aspects of the school's work and in some subjects is satisfactory, and is working to improve this. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007 .

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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: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007

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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? No 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 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? 2 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 1 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?

3 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: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007

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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: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 November 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Chase Bridge Primary School,Twickenham,TW2 7DE Thank you for making us so welcome and telling us your thoughts about your school when we came to visit. You were all very polite and friendly and this helped us to learn a lot about your work and your school. Your school is providing a satisfactory education. This means that we found some good things in the school but also some things to improve. These are some of the things we found out.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teaching in Reception classes is good and helps the youngest children to settle quickly and learn well. ■ You attend very regularly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You take part in lots of activities and particularly enjoy the clubs, sports, visits, themed days and music. ■ You know a lot about how to stay healthy. Many of you are doing several activities to keep fit. ■ Your sports teams have won an impressive collection of trophies and competitions.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Most of you behave sensibly in class and around the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Mr King has lots of good ideas to help you become even better in your work and has already made changes since he became headteacher. ■ The staff and governors are helping him to make the school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the staff are working well together as a team.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy coming to school and your parents and carers like the school very much too.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked the school to make sure all the teaching is as good as it is in the best lessons. The teachers need be sure that each one of you has really challenging work to do all the time. This is so that you can make even faster progress. We have also asked that teachers keep a closer eye on how much you are improving and make sure that you understand what you need to do next to make your work better. You can help by asking your teachers how to improve and letting your teachers know if you could manage some more challenging work. The staff are helping Mr King to make the school even better and we would like all leading staff and governors to do more to check the work the school is doing in order to decide what to do to make further improvements. Thank you again. Keep on working hard and enjoying school. Yours sincerely, Madeleine Gerard(Lead inspector) 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Chase Bridge Primary School, 18 °19 October 2007

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