Beddington Park Primary School

Beddington Park Primary School Inspection report

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102974 Unique Reference Number Sutton Local Authority 308180 Inspection number 10 °11 June 2008 Inspection dates Brian Evans 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 223 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs J Hendry Chair Mr T A Cooke Headteacher 5 July 2004 Date of previous school inspection Derry Road School address Beddington Lane Beddington Croydon CR0 4UA 020 8688 1390 Telephone number 020 8688 7852 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 10 °11 June 2008 Inspection dates 308180 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Beddington Park Primary is an average-sized primary school. One in five pupils comes from a broad range of ethnic minority groups. One in every ten pupils speaks English as an additional language, mainly Tamil and Turkish, including a few who are at early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average and nearly all have specific learning difficulties (dyslexia). The school attained Healthy Schools status in 2006 and has been awarded the Activemark for physical education. In 2007 the school received the Green Flag Eco Award. Extended school facilities include a Nursery project, breakfast club and after-school clubs.

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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: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Beddington Park provides a satisfactory standard of education for its pupils. Since his appointment, the headteacher has gained the confidence of the school community and maintained the good quality of pastoral care. He has also successfully identified areas that need developing to bring about sustained improvement in standards as pupils' achievement is currently satisfactory. An appreciative parent, whose views were echoed by many, commented, 'There are lots of exciting things for the children to do. We really appreciate the weekly bulletin as this keeps everyone informed of what's going on'. Children receive a good start to learning in the Nursery. Pupils make satisfactory progress thereafter as they move through the school. Standards are broadly average by the time they leave although pupils do not do as well in writing in most years because opportunities for extended writing are limited. On occasions, there is insufficient emphasis by teachers on

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Grade: 3

matching work to the needs of pupils of different ability, particularly for average and higher attaining pupils. Pupils with specific learning difficulties are making good progress. New tracking systems introduced this year to monitor progress and meet learning needs are having a positive impact on raising achievement but there is much still to do. Pupils' achievement in literacy, numeracy and science are satisfactory. The school's strong caring ethos and the personal development of the pupils are strengths. Students feel very safe in school, are extremely knowledgeable about healthy lifestyles and participate enthusiastically in games and physical activities in and out of the classroom. As a result, the pupils enjoy their schooling and attendance rates are rising. Procedures to counter bullying or name-calling are followed effectively. Social development is promoted well through special events and reward systems. The school council has a strong voice in the life of the

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Grade: 3

school. A Year 5 'Eco-warrior' and school councillor proudly proclaimed 'We have won the award this year for the being the and;quot;greenestand;quot; school in South West London'. The headteacher, teachers and support staff are increasingly successful in involving parents and the wider community in the life of the school. One immediate benefit has been the growth in popularity of the Nursery in the local community. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and include some outstanding or good lessons. In these classes, teachers have high expectations of their pupils. Recent professional development sessions on assessment are enabling teachers to make much better use of data and to focus increasingly on the next stages of learning. Pupils who find learning difficult make good gains in acquiring the basic skills because they are well supported by the close partnerships between teachers and support staff.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher is a good leader with a clear vision for the school and he is supported well by governors. Good self-evaluation processes are gradually being shared more widely with teachers and adults in the school. A new management structure is agreed although the designation of leaders' roles and responsibilities are not yet clear in terms of raising achievement and improving teaching and learning. The school's strategy for strengthening its effectiveness is gaining momentum and the school has satisfactory capacity for improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Grade: 3

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. From a well below average starting point in levels of speech and language and restricted understanding of number, children in the Nursery make good progress, particularly in their social and emotional development. They settle into school happily and quickly learn to work together. They are confident when choosing activities for themselves and respond positively to the adults. These skills are not always encouraged in the Reception year and there are fewer opportunities for children to find things out for themselves independently of the adults. By the time they enter Year 1 their knowledge in early reading, writing and mathematics is below what is expected, although children make satisfactory progress overall.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that children's good start in the Nursery in the development of language, number and independent learning skills is maintained in the Reception Year. ■ Provide more opportunities for extended writing in order to raise achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the new senior management team make an effective contribution to improving teaching and learning and raising achievement. 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

Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are broadly average and show a rising trend in reading and in mathematics but writing skills, although improving, continue to be a weakness. Pupils now have a much clearer idea of what they need to do to improve and make satisfactory progress. The new tracking procedures enable teachers to monitor and support pupils' progress more effectively. Standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average by the end of Year 6 and represent satisfactory achievement from their starting points. However, variations in the quality of teaching and learning mean that rates of progress vary across the year groups. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are broadly average. Pupils with specific learning difficulties and with English as an additional language benefit from early intervention by teachers and well-trained support staff who meet their learning needs well and so make

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Grade: 3

good progress. A number of average and higher attainers do not consistently reach their potential because their work sometimes lacks challenge.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They enjoy school because they say, 'Adults listen to us and we have lots of space to play in.' Pupils get on well with staff and with one another. They understand extremely well the need to lead a healthy lifestyle, and this influences their choices of food and their involvement in physical activity. They take their responsibilities around the school seriously, such as when influencing school improvement through the work of the school council. There is very little racism or bullying but, should they occur, pupils confirm that staff deal with them effectively. Pupils behave well in lessons and 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008 around school. They make good contributions to the community. Year 5 volunteers who work as leaders in the playground undergo a rigorous six-week course with a qualified support

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Grade: 2

instructor. Their presence in and around the school is very much appreciated by their peers. Pupils' preparation for the world of work is supported by satisfactory skills in literacy and numeracy.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory, although they vary from outstanding to satisfactory. In an outstanding Year 3 lesson on collecting, organising and interpreting data, a series of challenging tasks underpinned pupils' learning. The plenary at the end of the lesson expertly picked up new learning through pupils applying their success criteria established at the start of the lesson. The headteacher has led well on promoting teaching strategies that promote good learning, but practice is not yet consistently good across the school. Teachers are becoming more confident when using 'talk partners', where pupils discuss their ideas with a friend before sharing them with the rest of the class. Where this happens pupils are fully involved in their learning and can participate in the lessons. The purpose of each lesson is usually explained clearly, using simple phrases that the pupils can understand. However, there are times when

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Grade: 3

pupils sit for too long on the carpet and become fidgety, lose concentration and the progress they make slows. Teaching assistants are particularly skilled. They provide good support for pupils who find learning difficult so that they can achieve well. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English also make good progress because of the effective support they receive.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum for the pupils. The curriculum fully supports pupils' cultural development and promotes the development of their literacy, numeracy and communication skills satisfactorily although there is not enough focus on writing skills. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities and pupils talk enthusiastically about the sporting opportunities provided for pupils in all year groups. They are also keen on the gardening club that is growing its' own food. There is a good range of visits to the local area and visitors into the school. These visitors make a significant contribution to pupils' learning, particularly those that celebrate the variety of cultures represented in the school. However, time is not always organised effectively in the school and this leads to some overlong lessons, where pupils lose interest and their progress slows.

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Grade: 2

All safeguarding checks are in place. Pupils are confident to approach adults in school and feel that they can readily seek help and advice if they have any concerns. Support for pupils' academic development is satisfactory. While some pupils are aware of what they need to do to improve, this is inconsistent across classes. Provision for checking and tracking regularly as to how well pupils are making progress are securely in place. Staff are becoming increasingly familiar with applying assessment data and in informing pupils on how best to improve their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Grade: 3

The headteacher provides good leadership and is committed to raising achievement in the school. Many of the initiatives that he has introduced are beginning to bear fruit and the schools' own data shows this. The amount of progress that pupils make each term is improving steadily because there are high expectations of what pupils can achieve and targets are challenging. The provision for pupils with extra needs is very well organised. This results in pupils with particular needs, including those who are at an early stage of learning English, making good progress and achieving well. Refurbishment and displays in the library and corridors have greatly enhanced the learning environment and further stimulated pupils' interest in reading. Plans for the staffing structure for the new academic year are well thought out but cannot be evaluated as teachers are not actually in post yet. This has resulted in the headteacher

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Grade: 3

taking on much of the responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school, without the help of a fully functioning senior management team. Governors support the school and are committed to raising achievement. The chair of governors is setting out a well-structured training programme for governors. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008 .

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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: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 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 3 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 2 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 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 2 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: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Beddington Park Primary School,Croydon,CR0 4UA We really enjoyed our visit to your school this month because everybody was so helpful and friendly. We particularly enjoyed our discussions with you and hearing your views on Beddington Park School. It was also delightful to be able to work with you in your classrooms, listen in on your assembly, meet the school council and see you playing games outside. We understand why you are proud of your school, particularly since you have been awarded the title of the greenest school in South West London! The school is providing you with a satisfactory education for the following reasons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your excellent attitudes towards healthy lifestyles and participating in games and physical activities in and out of school. ■ Your help for each other and for adults in the school which keeps you safe and happy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The way in which the Nursery helps all young children to settle quickly into school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers work hard to make your lessons interesting and fun.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher is working very hard to make sure that the school gets better and better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

However, there are some things with your help that can be improved.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Be sure that the good start made by children in the Nursery is continued in Reception Year and through the school. ■ The most important thing to remember is that you can do even better with your work, particularly with your writing. Therefore, we are asking everybody to help make your writing as good as possible. ■ Finally, we are asking all the school's leaders to make sure everybody is doing their best to help you to improve your work even further. We are sure that you will continue to try your best. We wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Brian Evans Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Beddington Park Primary School, 10 °11 June 2008

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