Greenmount Primary School

Greenmount Primary School Inspection report

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118177 Unique Reference Number Isle of Wight Local Authority 312835 Inspection number 12 °13 June 2008 Inspection dates Michael Pye 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 °9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 149 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Ann Ross Chair Mr Richard May Headteacher 25 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Green Street School address Ryde PO33 2QE 01983 562165 Telephone number 01983 812646 Fax number

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4-9 Age group 12 °13 June 2008 Inspection dates 312835 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Pupils, in this smaller than average primary school, leave for middle school at the end of Year 4. They come from a primarily White British background and there are well below average numbers of pupils with English as an additional language. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities (LDD) is slightly below average. These are mainly pupils with moderate learning or speech and language difficulties. The number of pupils with a statement of special educational need is average. Since the last inspection a breakfast and after school club and on-site pre-school have been established. The school is recognised nationally through the Basic Skills and Healthy School Awards.

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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: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008

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Grade: 2

This oversubscribed school provides a good education. The very good leadership of the headteacher has established a culture where pupils are valued, feel safe, and know that the adults care for them very well. As a result, the personal development of pupils is outstanding. As one parent wrote, 'The children are well behaved, confident, happy, and mix well. They are treated with respect and as individuals, and their differing needs met'. This commitment to the pastoral, personal and social development of pupils is accompanied by high expectations of them as academic learners. By the end of Years 2 and 4, pupils' standards are above those expected. Given their entry levels, this constitutes good achievement. When pupils in Year 2 first started school, weaknesses were identified in aspects of linking sounds and letters. A phonics programme was introduced and, consequently, these pupils are on track to attain reading levels that are well above average.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Underpinned by secure planning, lessons generally have good pace. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to pose challenging questions to pupils. Whilst pupils benefit from a good range of activities in lessons, the objectives are often too general, making it difficult for teachers and pupils to assess progress towards the objectives and for teachers to set more accurate learning targets. Pupils display excellent levels of enjoyment. 'Teachers make lessons fun', said one boy, with others nodding in agreement. Pupils are well motivated by a good range of activities. A parent wrote, 'The curriculum is delivered in an interesting and imaginative way, and different learning styles are appreciated'. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep healthy and safe because the messages are very well reinforced throughout the curriculum. They talk about the importance of fruit, and a healthy diet, and know the benefits of exercise; they keep very

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Grade: 2

active in the playground, enjoy physical education and almost 80% regularly walk to school. Care, support and guidance are good. Pastoral care is outstanding. Teachers mark pupils work regularly, but there are inconsistencies in the way they inform pupils about how to improve their work and reminds them of their learning targets. Consequently, pupils' progress slows. Not inward looking, this school has a good range of external partners that support and benefit pupils. For example, links with other schools result in the more specialised teaching of sport and French. The school is looking to expand its links with business. Leadership and management at all levels are good. Senior leaders monitor and evaluate well the different aspects of school performance. Leaders at all levels have an extremely secure vision about the future for the school, based around further extending the breadth of educational and social opportunities for pupils. Realistic criteria are used in development planning against

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Grade: 2

which progress is judged. The impact of leadership and management in improving and maintaining literacy levels through phonic work, for example, together with the good improvement in the Foundation Stage, the successful development of the pre-school, as well as progress in the personal development of pupils, all reflect a good capacity for improvement.

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Grade: 2

Good improvement has taken place since the last inspection and children achieve well. They enter Reception with below the expected levels of skills and knowledge, particularly in aspects of literacy and numeracy. They make good progress and leave Reception with most having met 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008 or exceeded the goals expected of them. The children benefit from a good curriculum, which lays secure foundations for the development of critical skills. Observations show that current children are making good progress, particularly in their personal development. They share resources, take turns and play well together. The establishment of the pre-school group helps ensure a more consistent approach to the delivery of the Foundation Stage curriculum, and the assessment of progress. Moreover, the transition to Reception has been made smoother, helped by the shared external play area where the children mix and get to know each other.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that marking consistently provides pupils with more guidance about their targets and how to improve their work. ■ Develop more specific learning objectives so as to enable progress to be more measurable and for target setting to be more specific.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well across the school. By the end of Year 2 in the 2007 assessments, pupils' standards were above average, writing significantly so. Current pupils demonstrate good progress and the present Year 4 pupils are attaining above the expected levels in science and reading. This year, boys are likely to outperform girls. School analysis reveals the impact of high numbers of girls in Year 2 with moderate learning difficulties, and the lack of higher grades in mathematics. Curriculum changes are in place which involve more problem-solving and investigative approaches to mathematics, but it is too early to see the full effect of these. Pupils with moderate learning difficulties and speech and language difficulties make good progress. They are aided by some good tracking procedures that enable the school to diagnose, at an early stage, those pupils requiring additional help.

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Grade: 1

The spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of pupils is good. Social education is excellent, with pupils working successfully together, listening and sharing views. The school council are justly proud of their work, which includes choosing playground equipment and researching the effect on the school community of the new building. This all reflects the impact of the 'critical skills' approach that actively promotes teamwork and an independence of learning. This, together with the good standards of basic skills helps ensure that pupils are extremely well prepared for the future. There are occasional missed opportunities for pupils to reflect. This small school makes a very marked impression on its local community. Pupils sing, play Samba music, dance and take part in carnivals and the art festival. Together with the developing links with schools abroad, this helps ensure that pupils make an outstanding contribution to the community.

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Grade: 2

Pupils progress well as a consequence of good levels of teaching. Relationships are very positive. Pupils want to be involved and are not shy at giving their opinions. Teachers plan work well 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008 for different ability levels because they now make use of more detailed systems for tracking pupil progress. On occasions, teachers do not make their expectations clear to pupils. Activities planned by teachers, such as those presented in critical skill lessons, motivate pupils extremely well. Year 1 pupils enthusiastically worked in teams to ensure that they could identify important aspects in the life of a modern author. Learning becomes more real for pupils because teachers make some good links between subjects. For example, after a recent visit to HMS Victory, pupils, in a physical education lesson had to think about and carry out three actions of a 'powder

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Grade: 2

monkey'. On occasions, the aims of the lesson are insufficiently specific. Consequently, pupils and teachers are not able to always identify the progress made or use the information to set targets that are more accurate.

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Grade: 2

More links are being made between subjects, and further opportunities introduced for pupils to be creative. For example, the focus of Peter and the Wolf involved literacy, music, history and geography. New computer facilities have helped ensure that there are more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills. However, the school recognises the need to plan further opportunities where subjects such as history can further contribute to the development of the information and communication technology skills of pupils. Good opportunities exist for gifted and talented pupils to access courses outside of school hours. Within school, pupils are well challenged by joining older classes for certain lessons, and individual learning plans for these pupils are being developed. The curriculum is very well enhanced by residential visits, and clubs run regularly. Pupils are motivated and their knowledge expanded by visits to art galleries,

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Grade: 2

The school takes full advantage of its small size, and pupils are well known. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place, and known by the adults, regarding child protection and the safeguarding of pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities progress well; the consequence of good individual and small group work conducted by learning support assistants. All have individual education plans, but the targets set are not always specific enough to allow progress to be easily measured. Parents give strong support to the school, and are appreciative of the extended services provided, such as the breakfast club. Not all marking gives sufficient guidance to pupils about how to improve their work, or refers to pupils' learning targets.

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Grade: 2

The very good leadership of the headteacher has successfully shared an effective and clear vision for school development. All adults share this vision, are committed to improvement and the maintenance of high standards. Plans include further development across all subjects of the critical skills approach, which is already having a positive impact on the social, workplace and personal skills of pupils. In planning for future developments, very good attention is paid to the professional development of staff. For example, two teachers have already attended management training as preparation for the plan to distribute management responsibility more widely. Managers monitor well and pupils' progress is reviewed in one-to-one discussions with 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008 senior management. Whilst the vision for the future is exemplary, a minority of subject leaders

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Grade: 2

have insufficient opportunities to fully maximise their monitoring role. This slows progress towards their goals. Governors provide good support for the school. Through means such as having managers report to them, they acquire a secure knowledge of the school's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 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: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 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 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 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 1 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: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 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 2 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: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Greenmount Primary School,Ryde,PO33 2QE Thank you for welcoming me into your school. I really enjoyed talking to you and watching you work and play. It pleased me that you all get along so well together and that breaktimes are such an active time for you all. Your chalk drawings were good, and 'duck, duck, goose' looked fun! I now know the rules. I agree with you and your parents that you go to a good school. I also believe that the way it helps you develop as young people is excellent. You work well together in lessons, sharing and taking turns to speak and listen. You want to do well, and this, together with the good teaching that you get, means that you progress well. For many of you, your standards of reading, writing and mathematics are above the expected levels. You told me that you feel safe, and that the adults listen to you. You certainly enjoy school, and, you said that you believe lessons are 'fun' and that you like being challenged. Your teachers

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

plan a good variety of things in lessons. Occasionally the aims of the lesson could be a little clearer. This would help you to judge what progress you are making and help you decide what your targets are. The school provides a good range of things for you to do and you are extremely well involved in your community. As one of your parents wrote, 'The children and parents are encouraged to participate in many community events and there are numerous extras to be involved with. A real community school'. All the adults are committed to caring for you. I believe they look after and support you very well. I have asked that when teachers mark your work they give you more guidance about what to do to further improve your work. You can help them by telling them when you find the work too easy or too hard. Thank you again and I wish you all well for the future. Yours sincerely Michael Pye Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Greenmount Primary School, 12 °13 June 2008

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