Longford Park Primary School

Longford Park Primary School Inspection report

p.1

103648 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 308372 Inspection number 27 February 2008 Inspection date Arnalena Bee Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

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 Sarah Walford Chair Raymond Wilson Headteacher 1 December 2003 Date of previous school inspection Windmill Road School address Coventry CV6 7AT 02476 687688 Telephone number 02476 581334 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 27 February 2008 Inspection date 308372 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: whether achievement is good in all parts of the school; pupils’ progress in mathematics and science compared to that in English in Years 3 to 6; whether teaching is better in some parts of the school than others, and whether the school’s outstanding judgement for care, guidance and support could be substantiated. Evidence was gathered from the school’s self-evaluation, nationally published data, the school’s own assessment and tracking data and other school documentation. Observations were made of the school at work and through interviews with the senior leaders and managers, governors and pupils. Evidence was also provided by parent questionnaires. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail but the inspector found no

p.3

Introduction

evidence to suggest that the school’s own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified.

p.3

Description of the school

Longford Park Primary is slightly smaller than the average size school. Most pupils are from a range of minority ethnic groups, including White and Black Caribbean, Indian and Pakistani. A small number of pupils come from White British backgrounds. The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average. A few pupils are at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils who are identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Learning mentors support the specific needs of some pupils. A significant number of pupils leave and join the school during the school year other than the normal time. Most children start school with levels of attainment that are well below those expected for their ages, particularly in their language development.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

p.3

Grade: 3

This friendly school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils and has a number of good features. The care and personal support provided for the pupils is exemplary. Very thorough attention is given to health and safety arrangements. Pupils learn and play in a very caring, calm and safe environment. The learning mentor supports pupils with specific needs, and often their families, extremely well. Pupils' personal needs are catered for very well, including those of pupils who join the school at different times of the year. Pupils know that if they have a problem, an adult will help them to sort it out. They know how to behave well and are respectful towards one another and the adults who support them. By the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6, they are well prepared, personally, for their next school and soundly prepared academically. Achievement is satisfactory overall. The children in the Foundation Stage get off to a good

p.4

Grade: 3

start and make good progress. In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to make good progress. Standards at the end of Year 2 improved in 2007 and were broadly average. The current Year 2 are on course to reach similar standards to last year. Those pupils who are at the early stages of learning to speak English steadily improve because their needs are appropriately catered for. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make similar progress to their classmates. National test results for 2007 indicated that a number of pupils in Year 6 did not do as well as they should have done in English, although their achievement was satisfactory overall. School data show that most pupils are currently making satisfactory progress in English and mathematics and good progress in science as they move through Years 3 to 6. Standards in Year 6 are broadly average. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and good from the Nursery through to Year 2. Teaching

p.4

Grade: 3

assistants give good quality support in lessons and relationships are good between all adults and the pupils. Classes are well managed and teachers have high expectations with regard to listening and behaving appropriately. As a result, attitudes to learning are positive. The way pupils' progress is monitored in relation to their National Curriculum levels is satisfactory. Assessment information is used well at times to ensure that tasks build on what pupils already know and can do but there are occasions when the work that they are given is too easy or too difficult. Targets for improving achievement in English and mathematics are not precise enough or consistently applied throughout the school. At present, they are not fully influencing the way that work is planned, the progress pupils make and the standards they are reaching. There is some good marking, especially in literacy, that informs the pupils what they need to do to

p.4

Grade: 3

improve. However, the quality varies from subject to subject and from class to class and much does not indicate what pupils have to do to improve. The large majority of parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the work of the school. One comment was typical of many, 'The teaching staff, including the headteacher, have always been very friendly, forthcoming and sympathetic to any of my children's needs. This has led to a pleasant experience for us as parents and for our children as students.' The good curriculum supports pupils' personal development well. As a result, they develop a good awareness of the need to take regular exercise and eat healthily. One boy said, 'My mum buys white bread and I have told her that brown bread is much better for us.' Pupils talk knowledgeably about balanced diets. They thoroughly enjoy the Activate lessons that take place daily and the good range of extra-curricular sporting activities. Pupils show a good awareness of the dangers that they may

p.4

Grade: 3

come across in the world outside school and home. For example, they maturely discuss the importance of being careful on the roads and the dangers of smoking or taking drugs. Pupils 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008 contribute well to their school and the wider community. School councillors have instigated the building of a quiet area in the playground for pupils to use. Playground Pals talk maturely about their important job during breaks and lunchtimes. As they raise money for local and world charities, pupils begin to develop an understanding of life in other places and the importance of helping others. The school has worked hard to improve attendance. As a result, although still below average, it is improving. One of the main strengths of the school is the way the curriculum is used to improve pupils' personal development. Consequently, pupils develop good personal and social skills and are

p.4

Grade: 3

able to explore their particular strengths and interests in a variety of ways. Personal, social and health education is high profile. A good range of visits, including a residential visit for the older pupils, and visitors to school extend pupils experiences. These are further enhanced by the good range of extra activities in which pupils are encouraged to take part. The provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is good and enables pupils to develop skills and understanding at their own pace. As a result, a number of Year 6 pupils are particularly skilled in ICT and reach high standards in this subject. In addition, the curriculum effectively supports and develops pupils' cultural awareness and, particularly, a love of music. As part of their normal lessons, pupils learn to play a selection of drums from other cultures. Older boys said how much they enjoyed these lessons. In addition, pupils have good opportunities to sing

p.5

Grade: 3

and perform for others such as during their recent performance at the arts centre at a local university. Parents and pupils thoroughly enjoyed watching Years 5 and 6 perform a selection of these songs at a singing assembly during the inspection. The way in which leaders and managers monitor and evaluate the work of the school is satisfactory. They have a sound idea of the quality of teaching in the school but monitoring has not been clearly focused on ensuring that all pupils achieve well. Pupils' progress is now regularly checked but in the past this has not been rigorous enough so some pupils have not done as well as they should have. The way in which the governors support and challenge the work of the school is satisfactory. They have a good idea of the school's strengths but are not so clear about the areas that need to improve, in particular those related to achievement. The way in which the school links with others to promote learning in many areas, both personally

p.5

Grade: 3

and academically, is good. For example, a partnership with a local business provides the school with adults who regularly come in and listen to pupils read. Links with a local specialist arts secondary school enrich learning in music and drama.

p.5

Grade: 2

Children in the Nursery and the Reception class achieve well. They make good progress which is carefully tracked. By the time they start in Year 1, most children reach the expected levels, although their skills in aspects of literacy, language and mathematical development are still limited. As children arrive in the mornings, they cannot wait to get into school and start work. Parents are pleased with how their children have settled. This is because the care and personal support that these children receive is outstanding. One parent said that her child even wants to come to school when she is unwell. Teaching is good and enables children to do well in all that they do. Activities offered in both classes promote all areas of learning well. Children in the Nursery have produced delightful self-portraits because of being well supported by the adults who work with them. Reception children confidently use the interactive whiteboard to

p.5

Grade: 2

register at the start of the day. All adults have high expectations regarding behaving properly and listening carefully. As a result, Reception children concentrated well in their Activate session 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008 as they followed instructions and learned more about the importance of daily exercise. One parent of a Reception child said it all, as she wrote, 'Since my child has been at Longford Park he has learned a lot. His reading is very good and he is very happy.'

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Check the quality of teaching and learning more carefully so that all pupils, but particularly those in Years 3 to 6, make good progress. ■ Set precise targets in English and mathematics that take account of the levels pupils are working on and ensure that work is planned to build on these and that teachers' marking informs them what they need to do to reach their targets. A small proportion of school whose overall effectiveness is judged as satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008 .

p.6

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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

p.7

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.8

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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.8

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

p.8

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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Longford Park Primary School, Coventry CV6 7AT Thank you for making me so welcome when I recently visited your school. I particularly enjoyed watching the Reception children doing their Activate lesson and talking to the older pupils in Years 5 and 6. I think you are all polite and respectful, and get on well with each other as well as with the adults who help you. Your behaviour is good. Your school is satisfactory and some things are good. I am writing to let you know what I found out.

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are all very well cared for and looked after whilst in school. Those who look after you at home are very pleased about this. ■ Teachers plan exciting visits out and invite interesting visitors into school to make learning more fun. ■ You have good opportunities to take part in extra activities during lunchtimes and after school. ■ You know a lot about the need to eat healthily and take regular exercise and the importance of keeping yourselves safe at all times. ■ You make good progress in the Nursery and the Reception classes and in Years 1 and 2. Progress is steady, but a bit slower, in Years 3 to 6. ■ By the time you leave, most of you reach levels that are expected for your ages in English, mathematics and science. I have asked the school to do a few things to make it even better:

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ make sure that teaching is checked more carefully, particularly in Years 3 to 6, so that you all make good progress ■ check that the targets you are given in English and mathematics are accurately matched to what you need to do to improve and that teachers' marking shows you what you have to do to reach these targets. You can help by working hard towards those targets. Best wishes Nina Bee Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Longford Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

p.10