Four Swannes Primary School

Four Swannes Primary School Inspection report

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117092 Unique Reference Number HERTFORDSHIRE LA Local Authority 312485 Inspection number 27 °28 September 2007 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.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 170 School The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Jean Moon Chair Mrs Jill Jones Headteacher 15 March 2004 Date of previous school inspection King Edward Road School address Waltham Cross Hertfordshire EN8 7HH 01992763939 Telephone number 01992714420 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 27 °28 September 2007 Inspection dates 312485 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

This average sized school with a part-time Nursery is in an area where some families experience considerable social and economic disadvantage. Free school meal eligibility is above average and the proportion of pupils who leave or join during their school career is increasing. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average and nearly a fifth of all pupils are at an early stage of learning English. An above average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children's attainment when they join the Nursery and Reception classes is well below the level expected for their age, especially in communication and language.

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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: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007

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Grade: 3

The inspection confirms the school's view that it provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. This is achieved against a backdrop of the challenging circumstances of low attainment on entry, high pupil mobility and problems of staff recruitment. It is down to sound leadership, the drive of the headteacher and the growing stability of the senior team that the impact of these difficulties is kept to a satisfactory minimum. However, the school's capacity for further improvement is only satisfactory because it relies too heavily on the small senior leadership team. The headteacher is keen to involve other staff in leadership roles in order to improve pupils' achievement more quickly. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6 because teaching is satisfactory. Many lessons are taught well, particularly in the Foundation Stage, but teaching in Years 1 to 6 does not consistently drive learning forward at the pace needed for pupils to make good progress.

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Grade: 3

Changes in teaching staff and pupil mobility have interrupted the consistency of learning. This has limited the degree of progress made by many pupils. Standards are below average in English, mathematics and science. There has been a strong emphasis on improving achievement in English and mathematics. This has proved successful but there has been limited improvement in science and here pupils' progress is too slow. Parents are happy that the welfare of their children is of prime importance to the school. Teachers and support staff know the pupils well and provide a good level of care and support. The high priority placed on their personal development has a beneficial effect on the pupils' behaviour. They feel safe and know adults will listen to their concerns. Pupils know how to stay healthy and enjoy participating in a wide range of physical activities. Sport features strongly and promotes their physical development well. A gardening club encourages pupils to care for

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Grade: 3

their environment. The school kitchen uses the vegetables they grow when preparing the pupils' dinners. Events such as 'Citizenship Day' encourage pupils to take an active part in their local community. The school council provides a forum for pupils to express their views and develop their leadership skills. They have raised money to purchase play equipment for use during lunchtimes and have organised a 'Healthy Food' week. Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and helping others less fortunate through organising regular charity fundraising events. This helps them to appreciate their responsibilities to the wider community. These personal qualities and satisfactory academic progress give the pupils a sound footing for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 2

Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage and some, but not all, reach the expected goals by the end of Reception. Children get off to a flying start in the Nursery. This is because the staff team have created a stimulating and vibrant environment, which encourages pupils to explore and investigate. As a result, children thoroughly enjoy school and achieve well. Staff promote a constructive dialogue between home and school, for example by making home visits. This helps children settle quickly when they start Nursery. This good start continues in Reception, because the teacher's high expectations and well-planned activities meet the needs of all learners. Planned improvements to the outdoor area have not been completed. This currently limits opportunities to link learning between the indoor and 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007 outdoor areas. Children for whom English is not their home language make good progress

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Grade: 2

because of the caring support they receive from the bilingual teaching assistant and staff. Children are immersed in language, which helps to develop their speaking and listening skills rapidly.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve pupils' achievement in science so that they make similar progress as in English and mathematics. ■ Strengthen teaching in Years 1 to 6 by bringing greater pace to lessons.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that leadership at all levels supports the drive to improve pupils' achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of the schools whose overall performance 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

The children's good achievement in the Foundation Stage is built on in Years 1 to 6, but progress is less rapid. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties, are making satisfactory progress in the core subjects of English and mathematics in these year groups. Those learning English as an additional language also make satisfactory progress, but for many this becomes more rapid once they have developed a degree of fluency. The results of Year 2 assessments have fluctuated but have been consistently below average. Year 6 test results show that standards are also below average but that there has been steady improvement in English. These results represent satisfactory progress for most pupils. The longer a pupil spends at the school, the better they progress. Consequently, most reach the reasonably challenging targets set for them. However, the action taken to improve achievement in science has not had sufficient effect and

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Grade: 3

it remains the weakest of the core subjects.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy most aspects of school life, particularly the increased number and range of clubs and enrichment activities. The warm relationships between staff and pupils create a positive environment, which promotes good behaviour and fosters pupils' self-esteem. There are many opportunities for pupils to work in small groups. Most cooperate well and work productively together. Attendance is improving and the school is working hard to ensure that pupils arrive punctually. Because of the well-planned opportunities for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, pupils learn about and respect the views, values and beliefs of others. In assemblies, lessons and around the school, pupils respond sensitively to one another and there are many opportunities for quiet reflection. The harvest assembly was a good example of this, where the pupils were genuinely pleased by the contribution of others, including the very youngest.

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Pupils are generally clear about what they are doing, why they are doing it and how they know if they have done it well. Teachers and support staff work well as a team. Teachers deploy their teaching assistants effectively to support particular pupils in lessons or to work with groups on specific programmes. Pupils enjoy discussing their work with others and assessing how well they are doing. For example, in a Year 4 writing lesson pupils were learning how to evaluate each other's work constructively and use this to improve its quality. However, some teachers do not use lesson time effectively and so their lessons lack the drive necessary to move pupils' learning forward at pace. There is also scope for teachers to make better use of new technology, such as interactive whiteboards and laptop computers, to make learning more interesting.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. The development of basic skills has improved, but there are still too few opportunities for enquiry and investigation in science. The curriculum fosters pupils' personal development effectively, through the well-planned personal, social and health education programme. Educational visits, visitors, theme days and clubs add to the quality of pupils' learning, promote enjoyment and make a positive contribution to their academic and personal development. Support programmes for pupils who have fallen behind or who have learning difficulties are having a positive impact on their achievement. Small group activities for pupils who are learning English are effective and help them to develop fluency and confidence.

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive a good standard of care, guidance and support. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that they are well looked after by all adults. Staff understand the child protection procedures and all requirements for safeguarding children are met. The school records and reviews pupils' progress regularly. This helps teachers provide support and guidance, and helps identify at an early stage any pupils who are at risk of underachieving or who may have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Pupils have targets for their learning, and are generally involved in reviewing their progress. This helps them to see what they need to do to improve. Pupils benefit from some helpful marking. However, guidance from teachers does not always result in the best possible progress for pupils, because is not clearly and consistently linked to pupils' improvement targets.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher receives good support from her senior team in giving a clear direction to raise pupils' achievement. Intensive support from the local authority has helped staff to focus on 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007 the key steps needed to improve their performance. Consequently, the school has some success, for example in the steady improvements in English. The school bases its target setting on a satisfactory analysis of the pupils' performance, although its current impact is to maintain satisfactory achievement rather than acting as a lever to accelerate progress. School self-evaluation is generally accurate but is largely undertaken by the headteacher and her deputy. This gives a satisfactory picture of the school's qualities. However, it does not lead to sharply focused plans for its improvement, because the contribution of other staff with subject

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Grade: 3

leadership responsibilities is too limited. This accounts, in part, for the relative lack of success in raising standards in science. Although governance is satisfactory, the governing body relies heavily on a small core group of governors who give much time and support to the school. The governing body as a whole does not have secure systems by which it can evaluate how the school is performing. This limits their understanding of what needs to be done to improve provision and raise standards further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 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: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 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? 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

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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 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 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 3 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: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 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: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

1 October 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Four Swannes Primary School, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EN8 7HH I am writing to thank you very much for the warm welcome you gave to us when we visited your school. You were all very helpful. We enjoyed talking to you and your teachers and watching you learn. The youngest of you make a good start in Nursery and Reception. The rest of you make satisfactory progress during your time at school. You enjoy school, attend regularly, work hard and behave sensibly. You clearly enjoy the clubs, trips and visits provided for you. The care and support you receive help you to settle in and make the school feel like one big family. You have a good understanding of the importance of diet and exercise for a healthy lifestyle. Your teachers and governors are trying hard to make the school better. We think that there are things that can be even better so we have asked your teachers to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ give you more opportunities to learn science through investigations

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you to learn more quickly in all classrooms

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ take a greater part in helping the headteacher to make sure that you all do as well as you can. We wish you every success in the future. Yours sincerely Martin Beale Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Four Swannes Primary School, 27 °28 September 2007

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